The Dark Night

The Ministry of Jesus Christ was a miraculous time for mankind.  I, too, testify of His divine mission and know that He did all which God the Father required of Him. Having fulfilled His mission on Earth, He ascended to God's presence, leaving His chosen apostles to lead the church which He had established. In this post I wish to explore the history following the ascension of Christ. A large portion of this will be directed toward the apostasy which covered the earth for centuries. Apostasy is simply the turning away from truth by individuals, the Church, or entire nations.

The New Testament is our source as we follow Christ’s Apostles as they carried on the work which Jesus Christ had founded. Before I begin that discussion, however, I wish to point out that the apostles of the Lord could not lead the church without divine revelation. In Acts chapter 2, on the day of Pentecost, the apostles received the Holy Ghost, which was necessary for them to lead the church under the direction of God. Likewise, the gift of the Holy Ghost is necessary for any and all who in any way lead the church or the saints of God. It is also necessary to be aware that before His death, resurrection, and ascension, Christ laid His hands on the heads of the apostles and gave them the authority to perform miracles and lead His church under His direction (Matthew 10:1,7-10). With this authority, and only with this authority, were the apostles able to lead the saints of God as He directed.

In the book of the Acts of the Apostles and in all succeeding books of the New Testament are accounts of the ministry of the Lord’s apostles.  In these pages we read their teachings, which echo Christ’s teachings. They performed miracles in the name of Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 5:12), healed the sick (Acts 9:33-34), caused the lame to walk (Acts 3:2-8), and testified of Christ’s divinity (Acts 26:22-23). They taught repentance, baptism, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38). But, as with Jesus Christ, this activity was in opposition to the leaders of the Jews. Even the Roman authorities began to take notice of this growing group of Christians. Jewish followers and Roman leaders persecuted and killed the Christian followers (Acts 7:58; 8:3). The Apostles were also individually persecuted and killed, except John. Banished to the Island of Patmos, he later wrote the book of Revelations.

With the death of the apostles, no one held the authority to lead the saints as one called of God. But even before the deaths or banishment of these great men, people had begun to stray from the truths which Christ and His followers taught (Galatians 1:6-7). The apostles saw this and prophesied that general apostasy would increase (1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3).The simple doctrines and ordinances which were taught by the Savior were altered to fit worldly philosophies (Isaiah 24:5). With the death of the apostles, the foundation was lost (Ephesians 2:19-20), as was the priesthood authority to lead the church. Without a prophet of God to maintain the pure doctrine of Christ and teach men and women the true nature of God, these early Christians were left to their own understanding. They worshipped according to the light that they possessed, but through the process of time the simple truths and ordinances of the gospel were changed and corrupted. Ordinances like baptism and the Sacrament were altered according to the philosophies of corrupt or ignorant church authorities. These leaders often sought for power or wealth, rather than seeking divine guidance or following the example Christ gave by His life. In an effort to unite the people, councils were formed and creeds written to do away with contention and disagreement. Men sought to define such fundamental truths as the character of God and the nature of the Godhead. These councils, lacking divine authority, altered practices, like repentance, to accumulate wealth.

After centuries of corruption and ignorance, enlightened men such as John Huss, John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, and William Tyndale tried to reform the church to follow the original and correct teachings of Christ. They attempted to provide the common man with the Holy Bible, and by so doing, prevent common men and women from ignorantly following the interpretations of biased or unlearned priests. With the Bible written in language they could understand, these men and women were able to come out of blind ignorance and find for themselves the truths written by the apostles and prophets.  These reformers were also persecuted and some killed for their actions. Though inspired, these great men were not and never proclaimed to be called of God to restore the simple truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, nor did they claim to possess His priesthood authority. But their faith and actions helped to lay the groundwork for what was to come.

Centuries more passed without divine guidance for the Church of Jesus Christ and those honest seekers of truth. The prophet Amos of the Old Testament prophesied of this time: “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 of 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). Christian denominations multiplied when men and women incorporated their own philosophies and splintered from the church as they sought for truth, for God has granted all men and women the gift of agency: the ability to choose.  

Apostasy occurs when people disobey God’s commandments, using their agency poorly. But God’s purposes, to bring about the salvation of His children, will not be frustrated. In an effort to find religious freedom, the God-fearing men and women sailed to North America. Years later, God-inspired men, laying the foundation of a new government, penned a document to grant unalienable rights to all citizens of this new nation. Religious freedom was established for all citizens. With the granted freedom, more religious groups formed, causing more confusion and strife. But this time of religious turmoil and confusion was according to God’s plan to bring about the salvation of His children. This proved to be the soil where seeds of restoration would be sown.

I testify that God has a plan for His children. I know that He loves us, His children, and He will not leave us to search in the dark with no end. The Great Apostasy, that period of time without priesthood authority on Earth, has an end.

That I say in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.