Most theologians and Christian historians have for centuries taught that Christ’s Church survived without interruption into the current day. However, there is one major problem with that proposition: it is wrong.  

That there would be a falling away from the truth (a general apostasy) was prophesied in the Old Testament:

“The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. (Isaiah 24:5)

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 run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.” (Amos 8:11-12)

The Saviour also prophesied the apostasy in the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13:24-25: 

“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The Kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.”

And in Matthew 24:24:

 “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.

Although the apostles worked hard to keep the church intact after the death of Jesus, they knew that a falling away was inevitable. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians :

“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, ” (2 Thessalonians 2:2-3)

Following the death of Jesus Christ, each of His apostles faced martyrdom as they traveled to foreign lands to spread the gospel. Initially, successors were appointed, including Matthias, James, Barnabas, and Paul. All of these successors were called prior to A.D. 50. Beyond this point, there is no record of any additional apostles being called.

History and tradition tell us that 

• Peter,  Philip, Andrew, Jude, Bartholomew, and Simon were all crucified;
• James the son of Zebedee was beheaded;
• Matthew was slain by a spear and a battle-axe;
• James the son of Alphaeus was beaten and stoned by the Jews;
• Matthias was stoned and then beheaded;
• Thomas was thrust through with a spear.

It is widely accepted that, although the precise dates of death for many individuals remain uncertain, all except for John are thought to have passed away significantly prior to the conclusion of the first century.

With the death of the apostles, the authority to direct the Church was last. Fragments of the original teachings and remnants of the original ordinances remained, but the priesthood, the power that gave the Church its spiritual life and sustenance, was gone. Because the Church was no longer led by priesthood authority, although there were still many good and righteous believers, as prophesied the doctrines became corrupted. 

If Christ knew the apostasy was inevitable – why did he set up a church? As a template for us.

First, the teachings and doctrines of Christ’s church were perfect because the Saviour was their source.

Second, the Church provided the necessary saving and exalting ordinances including baptism by immersion and confirmation of the Holy Ghost.

Third, the Church possessed the priesthood—the power and authority to act in God’s name. With that authority men had the right to teach the truths of Christ’s gospel, to perform the ordinances and to otherwise bless mankind. 

Fourth, the Church was a divinely organized institution.  Proper church organization is one of the essential, identifying characteristics of the true Church. Paul tells us in Ephesians:

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prphets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: ” (Ephesians 4:11-12)

Let me give you an example. David W. Bercot, a student of the early Christian authors, wrote a book entitled  Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up. In it he says:

“When I first began studying the early Christian writings, I was surprised by what I read. In fact, after a few days of reading, I put their writings back on the shelf and decided to scrap my research altogether. After analyzing the situation, I realized the problem was that their writings contradicted many of my own theological views. . . . They frequently taught the opposite of what I believed, and they even labeled some of my beliefs as heretical. . . .

If there’s any single doctrine that we would expect to find the faithful associates of the apostles teaching, it’s the doctrine of salvation by faith alone. …… In fact, we frequently say that persons who don’t hold to this doctrine aren’t really Christians. However the early Christians universally believed that works or obedience play an essential role in our salvation.

Clement of Rome, who was a companion of the apostle Paul, . . . wrote, “A person who does not do what God has commanded shows he really does not believe God.'”

Polycarp, the personal companion of the apostle John, taught, “He who raised Him up from the dead will also raise us up—if we do His will and walk in His commandments.“

The letter of Barnabas states: “He who keeps these [commandments] will be glorified in the kingdom of God.”

David Bercot concluded: 

“In fact, every early Christian writer who discussed the subject of salvation presented this same view.” 

Bercot was careful to note that the early Christian writers also taught that we cannot be saved without the grace of Christ. In other words, he noted that grace and works are inextricably tied together. Which is precisely the LDS view – because that is the truth taught by the Saviour.

For we labor diligently to write, to ^apersuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by ^bgrace that we are saved, after all we can^cdo. (2 Nephi 25:23)

Some inspired people recognised  that practices and doctrines had been changed or lost and tried to reform Christianity and get back to the simple gospel of Jesus. However it was a restoration and not a reformation that was needed. Without priesthood authority,  Christ’s gospel could not be restored to its original form. 

Roger Williams, pastor of the oldest Baptist Church in America at Providence, Rhode Island, refused to continue as pastor on the grounds that, 

“There is no regularly-constituted church on earth, nor any person authorized to administer any Church ordinance: nor can there be, until new apostles are sent by the great Head of the Church, for whose coming I am seeking.” 

Williams also said, 

“The apostasy… hath so far corrupted all, that there can be no recovery out of that apostasy until Christ shall send forth new apostles to plant churches anew.” 

The restoration of divine authority through heavenly messengers was the only way to overcome the apostasy. The multitudes of Christian churches existing today are proof of the fact that a reformation cannot succeed in restoring absolute truth. 

Just as the falling away was prophesied so also was the time of restoration— Peter prophesied in Acts 3:21 that the Second Coming would not happen until after “the times of restitution of all things” and that this had been taught by all the prophets since the world began. Paul taught in Romans 11:25 that there would be blindness in Israel until the time of the fullness of the Gentiles.

President Gordon B. Hinckley said: 

“After centuries of darkness and pain and struggle, the time was ripe for the restoration of the gospel. … That glorious day dawned in the year 1820, when a boy, earnest and with faith, walked into a grove of trees and lifted his voice in prayer. … There came in response a glorious manifestation. God the Eternal Father and the risen Lord Jesus Christ appeared and spoke with him. The curtains which had been closed for much of two millennia were parted to usher in the dispensation of the fulness of times. … 

Joseph restored a true knowledge of the nature of God. He now knew God is in the form of a man. He has a voice, he speaks, he is kind, he answers prayers. His Son is like the Father—but a separate and distinct person. Joseph learned the Son is obedient to the Father and mediator between God and man.

The organisation and priesthood of Christ’s original church is restored with apostles, prophets, evangelists, seventies, elders, bishops, priests, teachers, and deacons—all necessary for the gospel to be preached to every nation and to strengthen members and bind them to the body of Saints.

Is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints a Christian church? Yes, we are Christians. In an age when Christ is rejected by many our message is that  He lives! The name of the Church includes the name of Jesus Christ for it is his Church not the church of Mormon or the Church of Joseph Smith.

We believe in the Bible but we have other sacred scriptures which also testify of Christ. The Book of Mormon is sub-titled Another Testimony of Jesus Christ.

However, there are plain and precious differences in the restored  gospel. We are not just another Christian denomination.   We have no wish to offend—and we must be sensitive to  the feelings of others—but we cannot subscribe to the common idea which proclaims that all denominations and beliefs are equally favoured of God. We claim to be the original church that Jesus Christ established on the earth restored to the earth again through Jesus Christ himself. We believe that he leads and directs his church today. 

 Elder Dallin H. Oaks has  reminded us: 

“The value to the world of the Restored  Gospel of Jesus Christ lies in its savour, its difference from  the rest of Christianity and from the rest of the world. If  we fail to communicate that difference, that unique addition we can make to the understanding and authority of  the rest of Christianity, we will have lost our value to the  world and to the kingdom and will be ‘good for nothing,  but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men’  (Matthew 5:13).” (Address to Regional Representatives,  April 5, 1985.)

Having the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth is one of the great blessing of the last days. The gospel can hep us answer life’s questions. Living prophets guide and direct us through life’s challenges. The authority of God has been restored with the power to bless.

Our message is either true or not. How do we find out? We don’t have to take any one’s word for it.

May I suggest accepting the invitation extended by Moroni in the Book of Mormon:

 “And when ye shall receive these things, 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. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moroni 1:40-5)

Our Father in Heaven is a real person who lives and who loves us. He speaks to his children as he did anciently. His authority has been restored to the earth. Through this authority we can live with our families after this life. This is the glorious message of the Restoration that we declare to the world.

We have to be different to the rest of the world. At the end of the day, our belief in Christ will best be reflected to others by the extent to  which we practice what we preach.

 Elder Neal A. Maxwell  reminded us: 

“Overall, the perception of us as a  Church and people will improve in direct proportion to  the degree to which we mirror the Master in our lives.” (Address to Area  Office Public Communications Directors, April 9, 1985.)