Lessons on the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ and His Apostles
Lesson No. Forty-One
Apostasy and Restoration to Precede the Second Coming
Paul foresaw the apostasy of the ancient Church and the latter day restoration of the gospel – Paul wrote: “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). Many prophets prophesied of an “Apostasy of the Early Christian Church” (See Topical Guide to the Scriptures)
Paul also wrote about the restoration of the gospel in the latter days: “That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ…” (Ephesians 1:10).
The Book of Mormon gives the most complete description of the great apostasy and the latter day restoration of the gospel – This is described in a vision given to Nephi as recorded in 1 Nephi 13:
The great and abominable church described in 1 Nephi 13 was comprised of a collection of movements and historical entities which replaced true Christianity in the early centuries of the Christian era. These included wicked elements of Judaism, heathenism, apostate Christianity, and civil government located in Europe, Asia Minor, and the Middle East which persecuted and killed the saints and altered their scriptures. (See 1 Nephi 13:1-9)
The purposeful corruption of the Bible – The great and abominable church took “away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away. And all this they have done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men” (1 Nephi 13:26-27). “In our day the experts have reached the reluctant consensus that the Christian message has not come down to us in its original form”(Hugh Nibley, Since Cumorah, p. 27). Our modern Bible provides no clear understanding of the plan of salvation and many of the essential doctrines, covenants, and ordinances that are essential parts of that great plan.
The Bible and the Book of Mormon to be established in one – “These last records [the Book of Mormon] which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first [the Bible], which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from [the Bible]; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved…wherefore they shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth” (1 Nephi 13:40-41).
Prophesy fulfilled – Elder Boyd K. Packer taught that the prophesy in Ezekiel 37:15-17 of the stick of Judah and the stick of Joseph becoming one has been fulfilled. He explained that the LDS edition of the scriptures, including the foot notes, the topical guide, indexes, and other study aides, which cross references the Bible to the Book of Mormon, has established them as one in our hands. This also fulfills the prophesy in 1 Nephi 13:40-41 that they will be one. (See Ensign, November 1982)
The falling away from and opposition to the Restored Church of Jesus Christ – The “falling away” before the Second Coming, spoke of by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, may also include those who fall away and leave the Restored Church of Jesus Christ. Nephi saw and recorded in 1 Nephi 14 this falling away from and the opposition to the Restored Church of Jesus Christ in the latter days:
The restoration of the gospel is the issue that divides people in the latter days: “For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of god, that I will work a great and a marvelous work [the restoration of the gospel] among the children of men; a work that will be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other – either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken” (1 Nephi 14:7). Many members and non-members reject the doctrine of the restoration, particularly living prophets and priesthood authority.
People must choose either the kingdom of God or the world – “Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, who so belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abomination” (1 Nephi 14:10). The Church of God has the power of salvation. The church of the devil, which is all worldly and evil attitudes and influences, does not.
Membership is not determined by where our records are but where our heart is – There are people whose names are on the membership records of the Church of God but whose heart is in the world. Conversely, “there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men…and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it” (D&C 123:12).
The church of God and the church of the devil are in opposition throughout the earth – The church of the devil, its numbers are many, has “dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people” (1 Nephi 14:11). The church of the Lamb of God “its numbers were few…nevertheless…the saints of God were upon all the face of the earth” (1 Nephi 14:12). The church of the devil will fight against the Lord and his work. (See 1 Nephi 14:13)
The covenant people of the Lord will be armed with the power of God – Nephi beheld that “the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory” (1 Nephi 14:14). President Russell M. Nelson equates the word glory to mean priesthood. (See Ensign, Dec 1989, 13) The covenant people of the Lord will be armed with priesthood power as congregations and temples will be established in all nations throughout the earth.
The fulfillment of the covenants of the Father – In our day when “the wrath of God [is] poured out upon that great and abominable church, insomuch that there [are] wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and kindreds of the earth….the work of the Father [has commenced], in preparing the way for the fulfilling of his covenants, which he hath made to his people who are of the house of Israel” (1 Nephi 14:15, 17). I testify that “His priesthood and His Church have been restored upon the earth – ‘built upon the foundation of…apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone” (The Living Christ – The Testimony of the Apostles).
The covenant people of the Lord must prepare for turbulent times – This is done by staying in the mainstream of the Restored Church of Jesus Christ.We are led by apostles and prophets who hold all the keys necessary for happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come.“So set your hearts at rest, for all is well” (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church – Joseph Smith, p. 512, emphasis added).