Jewish historians around 100 AD identified how the "Christian Church" was in fact not one religion, but countless religions, all claiming a belief in Jesus Christ, but each with differing and often conflicting doctrine and ordinances. By 300 AD, Constantine, the Emperor of Rome (and not a Christian at all), in order to unify his Christian subjects, called the Council at Nice. Over the next year, representatives of the major Christian sects met together to determine what common ground they had and what they could agree on, and they came up with something called the Nicene Creed.

It seems difficult to imagine that if that power which had been given to Peter was passed to some other well-meaning soul, that he and/or they would have met together and capitulated any point of doctrine. Consider what the beloved apostles had done in giving up their own lives because they were unwilling to change or capitulate any of the doctrine of Christ. The Nicene Creed, on the other hand, did just that. The resulting major religion from that council was the Catholic Church, who claims to have the priesthood authority that was given to Peter. If they had it, how could they have ever participated in the council at Nice, since He whom they worshipped (Christ) and those whom they revered (the apostles) had given their lives rather than compromise the doctrine or the organization of the church?

By the 1400s and on, came the great reformers (Protestants) such as Martin Luther, John Knox, John Wesley and his brother, Roger Williams, and many others. They claimed they could not continue to support the Catholic Church and its doctrines. Many of them said they "looked forward to a restoration of Christ’s original church upon the earth." As we know, that restoration came about through the prophet Joseph Smith. Any church claiming to be Christ’s church would be organized with the same doctrine and type of leadership, including a foundation of apostles and prophets, which were found in His original church.

Now, as to any prophecy concerning such an apostasy, let’s look at the apostasy, which was creeping into the church, as Paul was teaching the Ephesians. See Eph. 4:11-14, which identified some of the organization of Christ’s church, but also the necessity for a unity of the faith, and how important it was to not be led by every wind of doctrine. The Bible does predict that before Christ comes again, there will come a great falling away from the truth. Paul said it best in 2 Thes. 2:1-4. Paul knew full well when he taught the Galatians that there would be many who would change the doctrine of the church. (See Gal. 1:8)
Isaiah foresaw that in the latter days, a marvelous work would be done among the people, because of the conditions amongst Christ’s followers (see Is. 29:13-14).
Peter prophesied in a similar way about "the times of refreshing" coming back to the earth before Christ came a second time (see Acts 3:19-21).
The apostle John said in Rev. 14:6-7 "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth unto every nation, kindred, tongue, and people."
In John’s great revelation concerning the time when Christ would come again, why would he see "another angel flying in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel" for those dwelling on the earth if the gospel had persisted down through time?

Sincerely,

Donny Osmond


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