Mormon Claim of Great Apostasy Challenged

I have often encountered members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who speak passionately about a “Great Apostasy” — the belief that the true Church of Christ completely fell away from the earth after the time of the apostles, leaving a void that necessitated a restoration through Joseph Smith. This teaching, I have learned directly from my Mormon friends, is central to their faith. Yet it is a misunderstanding that twists the clear testimony of Scripture and misrepresents the enduring faithfulness of God’s covenant people.

Let me be clear from the outset: I am not claiming there was a full apostasy in the sense of a complete, universal falling away from the true Church. According to Scripture, apostasy means a willful rebellion against God, a renunciation of the faith once delivered to the saints. The Bible warns us about this kind of apostasy: “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God” (2 Thessalonians 2:3, NLT). But the historical reality and biblical witness show that God’s true Church has never vanished from the earth, never become totally extinct or replaced.

The early Christian Church faced persecution, heresy, and error, yes. But through God’s providence, His Word has been faithfully preserved, the gospel clearly preached, and believers steadfastly held to the truth of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. As Paul wrote, “at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace” (Romans 11:5, NLT). The Church has endured because God has been faithful. It is not for us to declare that the Church entirely fell away, but rather to recognize that the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).

The claim that Martin Luther or other Reformers “changed the meaning of the words in the Bible” is also unfounded. What Luther did was courageously call the Church back to the clear teaching of Scripture, particularly the gospel of salvation by grace through faith, not works (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:28). He opposed the corruption and human traditions that obscured God’s Word, not the Word itself. The reformers sought to recover the truth long taught by the apostles, not invent new doctrine. This is a critical distinction.

Furthermore, it is the Mormon Church itself which fell away from the historic, biblical Church of Christ known throughout the world as Christianity. The restoration theology implies that the previous Church was so corrupt or lost that God had to send a new prophet and new scriptures. Yet this contradicts the witness of Scripture, which testifies to the sufficiency and permanence of the apostolic gospel (Jude 3, 2 Timothy 3:16). The Bible never teaches a total loss of the true Church or necessitates new revelation outside of Christ’s completed work.

I urge all who hear this message to carefully examine the Scriptures and the history of the Christian faith. The Church of Jesus Christ—his Body on earth—has been continually present and has faithfully proclaimed salvation through Christ alone. Salvation is by grace, through faith—not by works, not by new revelation, and not by human inventions.

My prayer is that we all come to know the truth that sets us free (John 8:31-32), that we cling to the unchanging Word of God (Psalm 119:105), and that we remember Jesus Christ as the cornerstone of the Church, who holds it together by His grace. Let us stand firm in that faith, confident that God’s promises are sure, and that His Church is alive and active in the world today.


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Selected Scripture References (NLT):

Romans 11:5
"But the Scriptures say that at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace."

2 Thessalonians 2:3
"Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction."

Ephesians 2:8-9
"God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it."

Romans 3:28
"For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law."

Jude 3
"My dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people."

2 Timothy 3:16
"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right."

Matthew 16:18
"Now I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not conquer it."

John 8:31-32
"Jesus said to the people who believed in him, 'You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'"


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If we truly desire to follow Christ, we must base our faith not on man’s ideas or additions but on the unchanging gospel, firmly grounded in Scripture, and lovingly proclaimed by the Church through every generation.

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