The following is taken from A Marvelous Work and a Wonder by Legrand Richards.....the highlights are my own. This accurately sums up which church is the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth today......it has to be either the Catholic Church or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Mormons. Here's why in a simple language that should be understood by all.
The Christian churches of today may be generally classified as follows:
1. The Catholic Church, which contends that it has had an uninterrupted existence upon the earth since it was originally founded by Jesus Christ.
2. Protestant churches founded by reformers who contend that the original church fell into apostasy, and who, therefore, through a study of the Bible, have attempted to return to the original teachings and practices of the church. The number of these churches is evidence of how impossible it is to agree upon the teachings of the Bible when left to the wisdom of man to interpret and understand them. Because of this lack of unity, churches have continued to multiply in a further effort to return to what they consider the original teachings of the Christ.
3. Those who believe that the church established by Jesus Christ while he was upon the earth fell into an apostate condition as predicted by the apostles, and that the church could not be reestablished upon the earth merely through a reformation, but only through a restoration.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands alone in this latter classification.
In considering these claims, it is obvious that if the first is true, there is no excuse for the existence of any other Christian church. If the original church had gone astray, could a reformation restore its power? Can a living branch be taken from a dead tree? Or must there be a new planting, a restoration?
The issue is really between the Catholics and the Mormons. If the Catholics are right, then Mormonism is wrong. If Mormons are right, then Catholicism is wrong. The Protestants don't have a leg to stand on, because if the Catholics are wrong, so are they, for they were originally a part of the Catholic Church. Today, the Catholics consider Protestants as apostates whom they cut off a long time ago.
Based on this logic, it is either the perpetuation of the gospel from ancient times by the Catholic Church, or the restoration of the gospel in these latter days by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Nothing less. Nothing more. IMHO
5 comments:
Sadly you blindly left out the one and only right choice. This because you are blinded by the god of this world lest the glorious light of the gospel would shine through to you (2 Corinthians 4:4). THE choice today in this dispensation of the grace of God is THE church, the body of Christ. This church is void of works for salvation (by grace through faith... not of works lest any many should boast). This church is not a 'religious institution' in which the three choices you present abide. Go read what one believes unto salvation in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. After believing one is sealed unto the day of redemption by the Holy Spirit -- see Ephesians 1:13-14.
BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Believe that he died for our sins, and was buried, and rose again the third day. For the gospel of Christ IS THE POWER of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16)
Run, RUN from the false gospels instituted by Catholic, Protestant, and yes INDEED Mormon 'religiosity'.
from Paul, an ambassador for Christ --> God manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16)
He/she cannot be to proud of their comment, since they didn't leave their name.......
My name was left at the bottom of my post: 'from Paul'. And, you are right, no pride from me in what I wrote. I listed the applicable scriptures. Again, the 3 choices you posted are not the only ones available, and more importantly are all wrong according to scripture.
I thought you might revisit, Paul.
Thanks for visiting again, and you are as welcome to your opinion as I am to mine. We have our differences, but I imagine that there are many in todays world that disagree with you and I.....as they disagreed with Christ when he walked this earth.
Good luck to you.......
jp
LeGrande Richards made a fundamental mistake in two areas. First he is mistaken in thinking that:
"Protestant churches founded by reformers who contend that the original church fell into apostasy, and who, therefore, through a study of the Bible, have attempted to return to the original teachings and practices of the church."
The Reformers did not assert that the church had fallen into apostasy. If they had thought such then they would have sought Restoration. However, they sought Reformation, which means that they saw something good that nevertheless needed reforming, not something missing that therefore needed restoring.
The second error is in assuming that:
"The number of these churches is evidence of how impossible it is to agree upon the teachings of the Bible when left to the wisdom of man to interpret and understand them. Because of this lack of unity, churches have continued to multiply in a further effort to return to what they consider the original teachings of the Christ."
Agreement on every point of doctrine was never the test, either in the Reformers or in the New Testament. Of course, doctrinal orthodoxy is important but unity is in the Spirit and in love.
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