Tag: The Restored Church

Why Joseph Smith Cannot Possibly “Restore” the Church

On By Dave MallinakIn Apologetic, Gospel Conversations, Mormonism

Joseph Smith claimed that God ordained him to “restore” the church. He describes the need for this “restoration” in his first vision, where he said,

My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.

 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”

 He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time.[1]

This raises some key questions that must be answered. What exactly is the great apostasy? What did the church lose that needed to be restored? What is the church, for that matter? The answers to these questions are the hinges upon which the door of truth swings concerning the claims of the first vision. This issue is so vital that in the preface to the 1993 printing of The Great Apostasy by Elder James Talmage, the publishers stated,

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True Apostles v False Apostles of Mormonism

On By Dave MallinakIn Apologetic, Gospel Conversations, Mormonism

Before delving into this topic, I do have a point of agreement with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We agree that God’s church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief cornerstone. Paul takes it a step further. “For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” [1]

But our agreement has to end there. Paul’s description of the foundation of the New Testament church neither indicates nor requires a perpetual, unbroken quorum of apostles since its founding. The fact that the LDS church has maintained a quorum of apostles in no way lends any credence to the claim that Joseph Smith restored the true church to the earth. You can call a dog’s tail a leg, but that doesn’t mean the dog has five legs.  

After more than 20 years of ministry in Utah, I’ve lost track of how often I have been asked whether I believe in living prophets or if our church has apostles. These are sham questions, juicy red herrings designed to occupy the hounds while the hunters kick back at the manor house. A living prophet and a quorum of apostles don’t make the case for a “restored” church. As the foundation of the prophets and apostles has already been laid and the cornerstone is set, there is no need to lay that foundation perpetually. Joseph Smith’s attempt to lay another foundation proves that Mormonism is a radical departure from orthodox Christianity.

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