ROBERTO - I was born and raised catholic and converted to mormonism a
couple of years ago. Even though I'm a mormon now, it
dissapoints me greatly that our church that claims to
have another testament of jesus christ is more than
sixty times smaller than the largest christian
church(The Roman Catholic Church) in the world. It
disturbs me that catholicisms strength doesn't seem to
be fading even with problems it has run into such as
catholic priests harming kids and the Protestant
reformation. Why would God give the catholic church a
more than 1000 year head start to grow more than the
mormon church if it isn't his
church. I'm really torn between these two churches.
They are the only ones that seem to me to have divine
authority from god.
JOEL - In one sense you are right, in that, logically
speaking, either the Catholic church is true because
they trace their authority all the way back to the
Apostle Peter, or the LDS Church is true because
Joseph Smith received the devine authority from the
Apostle Peter, who appeared as a messenger from God.
The key issue is in understanding that God's authority
was lost in the years following the establishment of
Christ's church through His Apostles.
There are scriptures that emphasize the importance of
the presence of Apostles and Prophets holding
authority from Christ to establish and maintain His
gospel and Church on the earth.
"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and
ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit,
and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye
shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it
you." (John 15: 16)
Speaking to the Church Paul said:
"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and
foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of
the household of God;
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner
stone;
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth
unto an holy temple in the Lord:
In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation
of God through the Spirit." (Eph 2: 19-22)
If you think about what would happen to a building if
the foundation was suddenly taken away, you can
understand what happened to the Church once the
Apostles(the foundation) had died without being
replaced. Without their leadership and authority the
church fell into apostasy with many false doctrines
and practices creeping in.
The scriptures prophesied that there would be an
apostasy.
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I
will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread,
nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of
the Lord:
And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the
north even to the east, they shall arun to and fro to
seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it."
(Amos 8:11-12)
"The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the world
languisheth and fadeth away, the haughty people of the
earth do languish.
The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants
thereof; because they have transgressed the laws,
changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting
covenant." (Isa 24: 4-5)
Paul spoke of a falling away before the second coming
of Christ:
"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto
him,
That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled,
neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from
us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day
shall not come, except there come a falling away
first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of
perdition;" (2 thes 2:1-3)
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter
times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to
seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” (1 Tim.
4:1)
And from Peter:
"But there were false prophets also among the people,
even as there shall be false teachers among you, who
privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying
the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves
swift destruction.
And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason
of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." (2
Pet. 2:1–2)
And from the Savior Himself:
"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and
shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations
for my name’s sake.
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one
another, and shall hate one another.
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive
many.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many
shall wax cold.
For there shall arise false Christs, and false
prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders;
insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive
the very elect." (Matt 24:9-12, 24)
The apostasy was prophesied to happen and it did
happen. But the scriptures also prophesied about an
eventual restoration of the gospel:
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins
may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall
come from the presence of the Lord;
And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was
preached unto you:
Whom the heaven must receive until the times of
restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by
the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world
began." (Acts 3:19-21)
The restitution of all things began with the prophet
Joseph Smith.
As Jesus said in the Scripture above the apostles were
to go out and bring forth fruit(John 15:16); which
they did at first, but unfortunately their fruit did
not remain after they died.
In order to tell if we truly once again have that
correct foundation of Apostle and Prophets we must
consider the fruit they bring forth.
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in
sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening
wolves.
Ye shall know them by their fruits." (Matt 7:15-16)
The fruits brought forth by the Catholic Church and
others throughout history were the following;
1. The corrupting of the simple doctrines of the
gospel of Christ by admixture with so-called
philosophic systems.
2. Unauthorized additions to the prescribed rites of
the Church and the introduction of vital alterations
in essential ordinances.
3. Unauthorized changes in Church organization and
government.
The fruits brought forth by Joseph Smith were the
following:
1. The restoration of all doctrines established by
Christ while He was on the earth.
2. The restoration of the priesthood and with it the
proper authorization and performance of ordinances and
rites of salvation.
3. Direct communication from God to His prophets:
"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he
revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."
(Amos 3:7)
4. The same organization and church government as
described in the scriptures below:
"And God hath set some in the church, first apostles,
secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that
miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments,
diversities of tongues." (1 Cor. 12: 28)
"Now therefore ye are no more strangers and
foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of
the household of God;
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief ccorner
stone;
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth
unto an holy temple in the Lord:" (Eph 2:19-21)
"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and
some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;"
(Eph. 4: 11)
There are many fruits, which I am sure you are aware of.
Catholicism's high numbers of members(mostly because of children born into the
church) and duration of time on the earth mean nothing. The real test for the true Church are
the fruits it brings forth.
The LDS Church is one of the fastest growing churches
in the world. If it were around as long as the
Catholic church was it would be a thousand times
larger. Give it a little more time.
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