Mormon Dilemma 26

13 July

Mormon Dilemma 26

According to Mormon Doctrine after Christ was crucified and the apostles were killed there was a Great Apostasy. This falling away from the gospel occurred because there wasn’t anyone on earth alive who held the (Mormon) priesthood and who could carry out the duties of a priesthood holder.

“Regardless of the valiant efforts of Christ’s apostles and their faithful followers, the original church that Christ restored began to fade away. Members faced severe persecution and all but one of the apostles were martyred. This is a period called the Great Apostasy, when there was a “falling away” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3) from the gospel Christ organized. The apostolic authority to bestow priesthood keys and to receive revelation for the Church was lost along with many precious teachings.”

(http://mormon.org/restoration?gclid=COWUhd36_qkCFSI55QodwG9K0A)

However there is one major flaw to their thinking. According to 3 Nephi 28:8-9 when Christ came to the America’s there were three Nephites who stood up and choose become immortal, to remain on the earth until Christ comes, baptizing  and spreading the gospel.

8 And ye shall never endure the pains of death; but when I shall come in my glory ye shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortality to immortality; and then shall ye be blessed in the kingdom of my Father.

9 And again, ye shall not have pain while ye shall dwell in the flesh, neither sorrow save it be for the sins of the world; and all this will I do because of the thing which ye have desired of me, for ye have desired that ye might bring the souls of men unto me, while the world shall stand.

So my question to the Mormons is this, based this chapter alone how could there have been a Great Apostasy? If the presence of the (Mormon) priesthood is required for the continuation of the gospel why didn’t Jesus Christ speak to the three Nephites after all the apostles had died and commission them to continue where the others left off? If this story were true the priesthood never left the earth and there was never a great apostasy.

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3 Responses to “Mormon Dilemma 26”

  1. shematwater July 18, 2011 at 5:30 pm #

    Mormon 8: 10
    “And there are none that do know the true God save it be the disciples of Jesus, who did tarry in the land until the wickedness of the people was so great that the Lord would not suffer them to remain with the people; and whether they be upon the face of the land no man knoweth.”

    They weren’t left in the world, but were removed from the people due to wickedness (which is most likely what happened with John as well). As such the priesthood was not on the earth, for even these great men were not allowed to tarry here.

  2. lifeafterministry July 18, 2011 at 6:10 pm #

    The only problem with your theory Shem is Jesus didn’t say they could stay as long as the people behaved themselves he said they would remain until he came, whether the people played nice or not. Are you telling me that one of your leaders, Jeffrey R. Holland is in error?

    “These three Nephites continue in their translated state today, just as when they went throughout the lands of Nephi. At one point Mormon was about to reveal their names to his latter-day readers, but he was forbidden by the Lord from doing so. Nevertheless, these three ministered to Mormon and Moroni, and they are yet ministering to Jew, Gentile, and the scattered tribes of Israel, even all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people. (Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant: The Messianic Message of the Book of Mormon, p.307)

  3. shematwater July 20, 2011 at 5:22 pm #

    Well, considering that the only promise given was that they would not taste of death, nor experience physical sorrow, them being taken is not in any way contradictory.
    Nor does it contradict Brother Holland, for they have remained in this translated state, and they do minister to people of faith from time to time. This does not mean they were on the earth when there was no one of faith to minister to, and thus your point is still mute.

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