The Church did fall into all kinds of extreme tyranny; whereas the
poverty and simplicity of Christ were changed into cruelty and abomination
of life… The simple and unlearned people, being far from all knowledge of
the holy scripture, thought it quite enough for them to know only those
things which were delivered them by their pastors; and they, on their other
part, taught in a manner nothing else but such things as came forth of the
court of Rome; whereof the most part tended to profit of their order, more
than to the glory of Christ.
What time there seemed to be no spark of pure doctrine remaining… This
Wickliff, perceiving the true doctrine of Christ’s gospel to be adulterated
and defiled with so many filthy inventions and dark errors of bishops and
monks… could no longer abide the same…
Foxe goes on to describe the Church in the days of John Huss:
Code:
During all this time of Pope John [XXIII] there were three Popes
reigning together, neither was yet the schism ceased, which had continued
the space, already of thirty-six years; by reason whereof a General Council
was holden at Constance in AD 1414, being called by Sigismund the Emperor,
and Pope John XXIII. These three Popes were John, whom the Italians set up;
Gregory, whom the Frenchmen set up; Benedict, whom the Spaniards placed. In
this schismatical ambitious conflict everyone defended his Pope…
Pope John was deposed by the decree of the council, more than three and
forty most grievous and heinous crimes being proved against him: as that he
had hired Marcilius Parmensis, physician, to poison Alexander, his
predecessor; further that he was a heretic, a simoniac, a liar, a hypocrite,
a murderer, an enchanter, and a dice-player…
The correct interpretation of Matthew 16:18 becomes clear when one
understands that, to early Christians, “the gates of hell” were the entrance
to spirit prison or the place of departed spirits (see Mormon Doctrine, p.
342, Hades). As such, these gates figuratively symbolized physical and
spiritual death. Since the gospel was soon to be preached to those in spirit
prison (1 Pet. 3:18-19; 4:6) and since the resurrection would overcome the
effects of physical death, death and hell would not triumph over the church.
However, this does not mean that an apostasy would not occur. Christ’s
atonement would still vanquish physical and spiritual death even if the
church itself were lost. See also August 1993 Ensign, pp. 52-53.
It is obvious from the foregoing history and the many prophecies found
throughout the remainder of the New Testament that apostasy would prevail
after the deaths of the apostles and prophets (see John 16:1-4; Acts 20:29;
Gal. 1:6; 2 Thes. 2:3; 2 Tim. 1:15; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; 4:3-4; 2 Pet. 2:1-2,
18-21; Rev. 13:7).
It is clear that Old Testament prophets also foresaw a complete apostasy
in the “latter days” when men would “reject knowledge” and God would reject
them (Hosea 3:5; 4:1-6). Isaiah speaking of this time said: “The earth also
is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the
laws, changed the ordinances, [and] broken the everlasting covenant” (Isa.
24:5). The law of Moses did not contain an everlasting covenant, it was only
by the blood of Christ’s sacrifice that God established his everlasting
covenant (Ezek. 37:26-27; Heb. 13:20). Isaiah further states, “For behold,
the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people…” (Isa.
60:2). Amos spoke in like manner of a day when God would send “a famine
of… hearing the words of the Lord,” that would extend “from sea to sea,
and from 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) Even during Israel’s
days of transgression they retained their scriptures and prophets. It was
only during the so-called dark ages of the earth’s history that the
scriptures were unavailable to the majority of mankind and the prophets were
absent for nearly two millennia. If a universal apostasy did not occur, then
John’s prophecy that he “saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven,
having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth”
would make no sense. The time for a “restitution of all” of God’s words
(Acts 3:21) has come and a restoration of his heavenly kingdom is imminent.
Latter-day Saints declare with sincerity that God has raised up a prophet in
our day (Deut. 18:15) to restore his true church and the fullness of the
gospel of Christ. Only that church (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints) is teaching the fullness of Christ’s gospel and has God’s authority
to perform the saving ordinances. All others have “a form of Godliness but
[deny] the power thereof…” (2 Tim 3:5). See History of the Church, vol.
1, Introduction by B.H. Roberts for further information on the apostasy.
Taken from “Answering Challenging Mormon Questions,” pp. 25-32.
-more of the email.
P.S.: Visit
www.josephlied.com. You will NEVER look at Mormonism the same way again!!! I admit that after going to
www.fair-lds.org I was for a time convinced that Mormonism was the true faith. However, I prayed for this so-called “divine revelation” about the LDS church… I got one all right! I typed in
www.josephlied.com (i never even heard of the website) and found out the TRUTH!
), rabid homophobia, pressure to tithe on people who have little financial resources, aggressive prostelytization and missionary work, their BOM, which as written, offends ALL of NorthAmerican Indians, etc. And-- other churches have the same sins within their own cultures.