The Portrait of His Church 

 

  “I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.”

 

 

Why are christians so divided? 

 

The Great Apostasy

 


Following the death of Jesus Christ and His Apostles, the authority to receive revelation—along with many of the plain and precious truths taught by the Savior—was lost and a state of apostasy ensued.

 

  Following the death of Jesus Christ, wicked people persecuted and killed many Church members, and other Church members drifted from the principles taught by Jesus Christ and His Apostles?.  The Apostles were killed and the priesthood authority—including the keys to direct and receive revelation? for the Church—was taken from the earth ( 2 Thessalonians 2:1–3).  Because the Church was no longer led by priesthood authority and revelation, error crept into Church teachings.  Good people and much truth remained, but the gospel? as established by Jesus Christ was lost, resulting in a period called the Great Apostasy?.

   This apostasy led to the formation of many churches with conflicting teachings.  Without the full gospel or the priesthood authority, people relied on human wisdom to interpret the scriptures? and the principles and ordinances? of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  False ideas were taught as truth, and much of the knowledge of the true character and nature of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost was lost.  The doctrines of faith? in Jesus Christ, repentance?, baptism?, and the gift of the Holy Ghost? became distorted or forgotten.  Each generation inherited a state of apostasy, as people were influenced by what previous generations passed on, including changes to Christ’s gospel.  Some inspired people, such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, recognized that practices and doctrines had been changed or lost and tried to reform the churches to which they belonged.  Without the priesthood authority, however, Christ’s gospel could not be returned to its original form. 

 

Near the onset of World War II, five college students determined to search for the Lord's true church. One of the group compiled a list of seventeen characteristics and key doctrines of the church Christ established. He suggested that Christ's church today should include them all and that they should try to find such a church. The five friends began talking to priests and ministers, comparing the structure and doctrines of various churches with the list. None matched more than half of the requirements.

The five friends parted and it was years before they met again. Individually, they had found and joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, finding it to be the only church on earth that encompassed all the seventeen of the evidences of the true church of Christ.

 

Prior to His death and Resurrection, the Savior established His Church again on the earth, built upon the foundation of apostles and prophets, with Himself as the chief cornerstone.

 

The Twelve Apostles Today

 

The Bible's 17 points of the True Church 

 

Why are these things important?  


 Hebrews. 13:8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever

 

Seventeen Points of the True Church

  1. Christ organized the church. Eph. 4:11-14  11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting
  2. The church must bear the name of Jesus Christ. Eph. 5:23  23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.
  3. The church must have a foundation of Apostles & Prophets. Eph. 2:19-20  19Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
  4. The church must have the same organization as Christ’s church. Eph. 4:11-14  11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
  5. The church must claim divine authority. Heb. 5:4-10 

    4 And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.

The church must have no paid ministry. Isa. 45:13, 1 Peter 5:2 13 I have raised him up in righteousness,
      And I will direct all his ways;
      He shall build My city
      And let My exiles go free,
      Not for price nor reward,”
      Says the LORD of hosts.       1 Peter 5:2   2Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
  1. The church must baptize by immersion. Matt 3:13-15 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
    15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
  2. The church must bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. Acts 8:14-17  14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
  3. The church must practice divine healings. Mark 3:14-15  14 Then He appointed twelve,[a]that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, 15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and[b] to cast out demons:
  4. The church must teach Jesus Christ & God are separate and distinct beings. John 17:11 & 20:17

    11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me,[a] that they may be one as We are. 20:17  17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”

  5. The church must teach God & Jesus Christ have bodies of flesh and bone. Luke 24:36-39, Acts 1:9-11 luke>36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” 37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”Acts 1:9-119 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
  6. The officers must be called by God. Heb. 5:4

    4 And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.

    , Exodus 29:1 1 “And this is what you shall do to them to hallow them for ministering to Me as priests: Take one young bull and two rams without blemish, & 40:13-16 13 You shall put the holy garments on Aaron, and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest. 14 And you shall bring his sons and clothe them with tunics. 15 You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to Me as priests; for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.”
    16 Thus Moses did; according to all that the LORD had commanded him, so he did.
  7. The church must claim revelation from God. Amos 3:7 7 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing,
          Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
  8. The church must be a missionary church. Matt. 28:19-20 19 Go therefore[a] and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
  9. The church must be a restored church. Acts 3:19-2019 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,
  10. The church must practice baptisms for the dead. 1 Cor. 15:15 & 29 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise.
  11. By their fruits ye shall know them. Matt. 7:20 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them


 

  After centuries of spiritual darkness, a restoration? of truth was needed.  Under the direction of our Heavenly Father, the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored on the earth through the Prophet  Joseph Smith.  God has promised it will never be taken from His children again.  

 

 

Which priesthood is Real ? 

 

THE EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE
HEBREWS 

 

Click For Narration 

  CHAPTER 5
Ministers must be called of God as was Aaron—Christ was a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek—Jesus Christ is the author of eternal salvation.
  1 For every high priest taken from among men is aordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and bsacrifices for sins:
  2 Who can have acompassion on the ignorant, and on them that are bout of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
  3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for asins.
  4 And no man taketh this ahonour unto himself, but he that is bcalled of God, as was cAaron.
  5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my aSon, to day have I begotten thee.
  6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a apriest bfor ever after the order of cMelchisedec.
  7 aWho in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up bprayers and supplications with cstrong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard din that he feared;
  8 Though he were a Son, yet alearned he bobedience by the things which he csuffered;
  9 And being made aperfect, he became the bauthor of eternal csalvation unto all them that obey him;
  10 aCalled of God an bhigh priest after the order of Melchisedec.
  11 Of whom we have many things to say, and ahard to be buttered, seeing ye are dull of chearing.
  12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of amilk, and not of strong meat.
  13 For every one that useth amilk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
  14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

 

 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 

 Feed the flock of God which is among you,taking the oversite thereof, not by constraint,but willingly; not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind;

 

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