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- 42 Evidences of the True Church
This list is from a book called The Greatest Quest by Blaine and Brenton Yorgason (Deseret Book Company). This novel describes the search by five college students to find the one true Church of Jesus Christ. At the end of this book, the authors combine their research with the work of Henry Whiffen who also developed a list. Together these gave a total of 42 points. In this list each point has been documented with scriptural references.Â
The Godhead consists of three separate and distinct beings - God the Father, his Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.Â
Genesis 1:26-27;3:22Â
Matthew 3:17; 28:19Â
Luke 3:22Â
Acts 7:55Â
1 John 5:7Â
God the Father, as well as his Son Jesus Christ, who is a resurrected personage, both have bodies of flesh and bone and spirit.Â
Genesis 32:30Â
Exodus 33:23Â
Luke 24:39, 41-43Â
John 20:17; 21:13-14Â
Acts 7:55-56Â
1 John 3:2Â
Jesus is the Christ, the literal Son of God, the Messiah, and the only perfect person upon the earth - and not simply a great teacher.Â
Luke 9:35Â
John 17:4-5Â
Hebrews 1:6-7Â
Jesus Christ , as revealed in the New Testament, is Jehovah, God of the Old Testament.Â
Exodus 3:14Â
John 8:58Â
Isaiah 43:11Â
Hosea 13:4Â
The Holy Ghost is a distinct personage of spirit and is the third member of the Godhead.Â
Matthew 3:15-18Â
John 14:26; 16:13-14; 20:21-22Â
Ephesians 1:17Â
The Holy Bible is the word of the Lord insofar as it is translated correctly. It is the record of the Jews and will be joined with another record in the last days to relate God's word to his people. This second record will come from a descendant of Joseph.Â
Ezekiel 37:15-17Â
Isaiah 29:18Â
Revelation 20:12-14Â
Jesus Christ is recognized as the head of his Church, with other officers named, beginning with a foundation of apostles and prophets, and including teachers, saints, elders, evangelists, bishops, deacons, priests and high priests.Â
John 15:16Â
Mark 3:14-15Â
Ephesians 2:19-20; 4:11-14Â
Officers in Christ's church will be "called of God." They will receive their authority through the "laying of hands." One cannot call himself to the ministry,
a. College degree or license insufficient.
b. Royal priesthood will be known as such.
c. Bishops and leaders are to marry and to have children.
Acts 19:25Â
Hebrews 5:4, 10Â
Timothy 3:2; 4:2-3Â
1 Peter 2:9Â
Members of Christ's church will be "workers," and will be called "saints." In addition, women will be included in activities and leadership.Â
Proverbs 12:4Â
Romans 1:7Â
Ephesians 4:12Â
1 Corinthians 11:7Â
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10Â
There will exist within the church separate entities for each of the groups of members. Adult and youth organizations will exist. This point stands to reason, if Christ is concerned with helping each individual from that person's own level of understanding.Â
Ephesians 4:11-14Â
Christ's church will believe in the "virgin birth" of Jesus Christ but will not believe in the "immaculate conception" of Mary.Â
Isaiah 7:14Â
Matthew 1:19-20, 23Â
Luke 1:26-31, 42Â
Christ's church will believe in immortality or eternal life, and in a heaven and hell. After the resurrection, we will be assigned to different places according to the judgement. The first resurrection will be for the righteous and will commence 1,000 years before the second resurrection.Â
John 3:16-17; 5:28-29; 14:2Â
1 Corinthians 15:20-22; 40-42Â
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18Â
The Savior's church will honor Sunday as the Sabbath, with the understanding that the resurrection transpired Sunday morning, the first day of the week - and thus replaced Saturday as the Sabbath.Â
Hosea 2:11Â
Matthew 28:1Â
John 5:18Â
Acts 20:7Â
1 Corinthians 16:2Â
Officers as well as members of Christ's church will receive continuous revelation from God.Â
Amos 3:7Â
Matthew 16:13. 16-19Â
Ephesians 1:17Â
Members of the Lord's church will be payers of tithes and offerings.Â
Malachi 3:8, 11Â
Luke 11:42 Hebrews 7:4-5Â
Members of the church will regularly partake of the Lord's supper. This sacrament represents the flesh and blood of Christ and is partaken of in remembrance of him.Â
Matthew 26:26-28Â
Acts 20:7Â
1 Corinthians 16:1-2Â
Members of the Lord's church will experience miracles, such as visions, tongues and prophesies. In addition, the church will practice divine healing. When members of the church are sick, elders of the church will anoint them with oil and heal them.Â
Matthew 9:18Â
Mark 6: 5; 16:17-18Â
Acts 5:12, 16Â
James 5:14-15Â
Church leaders will teach that the resurrected Jesus Christ will come again to the earth in the last days. This "second coming" will be greatly anticipated.Â
Job 19:25-26Â
Matthew 24:30Â
Acts 1:11; 3:19-21Â
Members of the Lord's church will be persecuted for their beliefs.Â
Matthew 5:10-12; 24:9Â
Luke 6:22-23Â
Acts 8:1-3; 28:22Â
Hebrews 11:36-38Â
The church as a whole, as well as its members, will be recognized for their "fruits" - as well as the prophets who lead them. The church will esteem honesty, virtue, and wholesome activity.Â
Proverbs 15:4Â
Luke 6:43-44Â
2 Corinthians 9:10Â
Philippians 4:17Â
Hebrews 13:18Â
The church must provide salvation for all of God's children, not just those who receive the gospel while living on the earth. It will practice baptism for the dead.Â
Mark 16:16Â
John 3:1-8Â
1 Corinthians 15:29Â
The church will build temples similar to the one Solomon built, which was destroyed and built again at the time of Christ. These temples will have unique purposes, including baptism and other ordinances. Temples will also be holy places, contain the Holy of Hollies, and be used by members as places of worship.Â
Isaiah 2:3Â
Malachi 3:1; 3:7Â
Christ's original church was organized by him and named after him, and his church today will also be named after him.Â
Acts 4:10-12Â
Ephesians 1:22; 4:11-14; 5:23-24Â
Specific authority to function in the administration of the church is called "priesthood." It is obtained through ordination by one having the power to so ordain.Â
1 Samuel 13:9-14Â
Mark 6:7Â
John 7:16; 20:21Â
Acts 19:2-5Â
Hebrews 5:4-6,(6?)8-20Â
A higher priesthood authority is required to bestow the Holy Ghost than to baptize.Â
Matthew 16:19Â
Mark 1:7-8Â
Acts 8:15-18; 19:2-6Â
The church that Christ originally organized did not baptize infants since the prerequisite for baptism had (1) a capacity for repentance of past personal sins, and (2) a personal belief in the divinity and teachings of Christ.Â
Mark 10:14-15; 16:16Â
Acts 2:38; 8:12Â
The church is to send out missionaries (in twos), to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.Â
Mark 6:7Â
Luke 10:1Â
The church will have a welfare system to provide for the poor and the needy within the church. Members are to provide for themselves and their family first, and then receive help from the churchÂ
Deuteronomy 15:11Â
Psalm 9:18Â
Isaiah 14:30Â
Mark 10:21Â
Luke 18:22Â
Romans 15:26Â
The church will have a law of health. Alcoholic beverages will not be used by members of the church.Â
Ephesians 5:18Â
1 Corinthians 5:11; 6:9-10Â
The church will be one that is restored to the earth. Christ's original church experienced a great apostasy or falling away, but his church will be returned or restored again in the last days.Â
Jeremiah 31:31-34Â
Acts 3:19-21Â
2 Thessalonians 2:1-13Â
Revelation 14:6-7Â
Christ's church will believe in being saved by the grace of Christ through exercising faith in him. In other words, it will teach that when we repent of our sins and forsake them, the atonement of Christ will cleanse us of our sins.Â
Matthew 7:21-29Â
Mark 16:15-16Â
Luke 6:46-49Â
1 Timothy 4:10Â
James 1:22-25; 2:14-26Â
The church will preach only the true gospel of Christ, with no variations. It will neither add to the meaning of Christ's teachings nor take away from them - even though current revelation will provide insight into them.Â
Matthew 5:19Â
Galatians 1:6-9Â
Ephesians 4:5Â
Hebrews 13:8-9Â
Christ's church will espouse a pre-earth life, or a preexistence, such as that taught by the Orthodox Jews. Included in this teaching will be the doctrine of foreordination and not predestination. God the Father will be recognized as having created the individual spirits of all people.Â
Genesis 1:26-31Â
Job 38:4-7Â
Ecclesiastes 12:7Â
John 17:5Â
Ephesians 1:4-5Â
Hebrews 12:9Â
The church will believe in the "original sin" of Adam. Nevertheless, it will teach that Christ atoned for Adam's sin and that we will be punished for our own sins, as Adams sin has already been atoned for.Â
John 1:29Â
Acts 24:14-15Â
Romans 5:6-19Â
1 Corinthians 15:21-23Â
Christ's church will teach that the gathering of Israel, in the last days, will be literal.Â
Isaiah 5:26-30; 11:12-13; 35Â
Jeremiah 3:14-18; 31:10Â
Members of the true church will respect the beliefs of others.Â
Galatians 5:22-26; 6:1-2Â
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10Â
The church will be subject to the laws of the land, regardless of the type of government in power in that land - thus rendering unto Caesar that which is his, and to God that which is his.Â
Matthew 22:21Â
Mark 12:17Â
Luke 20:25Â
It should be recognized that while perfection is to be sought by each member of Christ's church, the members will have human failings and will make mistakes, and that they will thus need to grow and learn - line upon line, precept upon precept.Â
Isaiah 28:10Â
Ephesians 4:11-14; 28,32Â
After repentance, baptism by immersion is essential, as is receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. A person performing these ordinances of baptism and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost must be duly authorized to perform such ordinances.Â
Matthew 3:13-15Â
John 3:5Â
Acts 2:38,41; 22:16Â
Romans 6:5-6Â
The Savior's church will have an unpaid ministry. This unpaid ministry will be called "by revelation," even as the apostles called new members to their quorum following the resurrection of Christ.Â
Amos 3:7Â
Micah 3:11Â
John 10:13Â
Acts 1:22-26Â
1 Corinthians 9:18Â
1 Peter 5:2Â
Satan is a real spirit being and not a fragment of people's imagination.Â
Job 1:6Â
Matthew 4:10Â
Mark 1:13; 8:33Â
Luke 13:16; 22:3, 31Â
John 13:27Â
Acts 26:18Â
The Holy Ghost will bear witness to the truthfulness of the Savior's plan, when it is presented. This is the one sure way of knowing which, if any, of the churches belongs to the Savior.Â
John 16:13-14Â
1 Corinthians 12:4-12Â
Galatians 5:22-26Â
Ephesians 1:17
Tags: LDS Book Of Mormon Truth
hello. before anyone gets on me for no caps please forgive/excuse. i was a radio journalist for years and i like this stream of consciousness writing. it's fun and at least its not in caps (how we journalists write everything when broadcasting the news)well.. i'd like to share my conversion experience with you. i was 8 years old when i began a quest of what is best described as my own version of the Joseph Smith story (ok, just for Church leaders etc, will i use caps:)  i was a little southeast of where Joseph, who happens to be my husband dr. h's ancestor, lived. i am originally born and raised on long island, ny. i am jewish and greek, italian and was primarily raised my mom's religion, catholic. my dad was jewish, but we did his temple work. that's another story for another day. so i looked into various church's from age 8 to around 12 years old. i loved going to vacation bible school, baptist church, lutheran, catholic, and some independents on long island like the church of Christ. i still felt like something in my young mind and heart told me "this isn't the right place".  then one weekend after a sleepover at age 12, i came home to find my brother, who was as rough as they come, belonged to a gang etc. telling me.."kittywaymo...there's another church i bet you'd like to go to.." as he started in with me (so i thought, he teased and taunted me mercilessly, 'cause i am the youngest of 7 children and my mom's favorite:) i began yelling to my mom "mom, mike is making fun of me again!!" then he said "no, i'm serious, i want you to check this church out, its called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, they meet this Sunday, i don't want you to embarrass me, so find something nice to wear.." i was floored! my brother, go to church, any church? i've never even heard him talk about God let alone want to go to church! I asked him, what happened? he explained to me that the missionaries came by and taught him the first discussion etc. etc. i was excited!! they were returning tomorrow and they would began teaching me as well!! later on after we were baptized, they elders told us they prayed about the specific home, street and they were told by the Lord that "young people needed to hear the Gospel and that they would be baptized into the Church". My mom was a single mom, raising 7 children, with no car! we lived in a little corner house  and most of the time it looked like noone was home because the older kids were with their friends and me and mom would hang out together and walk to the store etc. yet the missionaries came by twice because of the this revelation and wouldn't give up because the Lord told them we needed to join the Church! incidentally my mom joined 4 years after our baptisms. so back to the story,chronologically... so mike and i took the discussions separately which meant the elders were at our home everyday! those were exciting times, and although mom struggled financially to make ends meet, she would marvel at how much food was left over after the elders' helped themselves to seconds' of mom's delicious cooking! she used to say it was like the story in the Bible about the oil and wheat not running out  for the widow woman and her son who fed the Prophet.  so i read the Book of Mormon in a week! you've heard of people who couldn't sleep, eat etc. i can testify that was me! but i still ate:) just couldn't sleep barely and going to school, which i normally loved, was a burden, i couldn't wait to get home and read more! i felt the Holy Ghost, i knew this was God's church and the very first Sunday i went to Church i turned to the elders and said.. "so can i get baptized now? i know this is Jesus' Church!" they were delighted and smiled, put there arms around me and said "soon, we are happy you are so enthusiastic sister kittywaymo!, we just need to teach you a little more.." so after the discussions mike and i were baptized a week apart! i love the Gospel, as my PB said later, that i was anxious to come to earth, anxious to become part of the Gospel and the Plan Father in Heaven has for me etc. it is amazing to me each aspect of the Gospel and how it affects my spirit and changes my heart and mind for the better. i'm grateful for the Gospel and Jesus Christ. I am grateful for a good husband, who's ancestor was a good man and sought the truth, even Joseph Smith.a humble farm boy of no significance, much like myself, who the Lord had mercy on and answered our prayers! i know that if you are reading this and you are not a member, inactive or trying to  be more active please read alma 37:37-44, the Book of Mormon is true and your life will be changed forever for the better and you will have true happiness and peace. i say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.  love kittywaymo
Tags: Conversion Testimony Book Of Mormon
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