All I Possess

This week I felt directed to examine the claims of apostasy and really nail down my beliefs.

Let me remind you, one huge part of my “faith crisis” was realizing that other Christians were good, legit, and saved. So naturally, my entire testimony of the restoration was gone in one fell swoop and I needed to reconstruct the parts that were true.

See, the problem is that the entire Mormon church (all Mormon branches, not just the LDS church) are based on this idea that there was a “Great Apostasy” so the truth/authority was gone from the earth, and God came to Joseph Smith to restore it.

So let’s examine this claim.

I went to the LDS Topical Guide to study out where this idea came from, and if it’s biblically founded.

The main scripture this idea comes from is 2 Thessalonians 2:3 which says “there shall be a falling away first” (before the day of the Lord).

You know what Mormons are really good at?

Taking Bible verses and taking them out of context, twisting them away from the original meaning, and making them mean something they want them to mean.

(I will show you several examples, but today we are focused here.)

Let’s read the entire context in 2 Thess 2:1-4. Paul is answering a question regarding if the Day of the Lord has already come. He says, no, because Satan needs to have his way first.

Nobody would argue that Satan is wrecking havoc on the world right now. This prophecy is being fulfilled.

…even with all the Christians…

…even with the Mormons claiming “authority.”

You see, the “apostasy” did not end when Jesus came to Joseph Smith.

Satan is still ruling the world. He especially will in the end times.

This scripture is saying the Day of the Lord (i.e. the Millenium) won’t come until Satan wrecks havoc.

It has nothing to do with “Priesthood Authority.”

(Read more here)

In fact, Paul gives us one example of how Satan will wreck havoc in the last days…

Wait for it ….

“He exalts himself …so that he sits in God’s temple, proclaiming that He himself is God.” (verse 4)

So technically, yes, this is referring to Satan.

But I had to laugh.

Loudly.

Because I know some people who go sit in a temple in order to proclaim that they can be Gods.

(More Bible verses to show Jesus’s keys were never taken from the earth are Daniel 7:13-14, Jude 1:3 and Matt 16:18-19)

Here’s more great info refuting the claim of a “Great Apostasy.”