The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

This is one of the modern Christian theology that claim to continuationalism and restorationalism of the way of Yahoshea Meshiyach.

Origin of the Group

History of the movement hold it as one of the 19th century Christian movements that sprang after the Second Great Awakening.  The Christian body considers itself as the restoration of the assembly established by Yahoshea Meshiyach.

The sect held that its history is divided into three broad time period.  The first was the lifetime of Joseph Smith whom the movement hold to be the modern-day prophet from Yahweh.

Joseph Smith established the Christian group in 1830 in New-York.  He made easy converts through his published book called the “Book of Mormon” which he described as a revelational and inspired records of indigenous American prophets that he claimed to have been printed on golden plates.

The book of Mormon is viewed by the church as “Another Testament of Jesus Christ”. The church claim that an Angel called Moroni revealed to Joseph Smith about the golden plates and led him to discover  the place they were buried in the Hill Cumorah.

The Book of Mormon is viewed by the church adherents as the most correct of any book on earth and equally the cornerstone of the religious group.

The church believe that the Bible is the accurate word of Yahweh only if it is properly translated.  Though the group uses the King James version of the Bible translation but it considers the revisions done by Joseph Smith in which many parts of the Bible were corrected and with some inputs in what he termed as “The damaged or lost passages” as authoritative.

The movement holds the pronouncements of the current Apostles and members of the First Presidency, the Qurium of Twelve Apostles as authoritative sources on doctrinal issues.

The body holds four religious texts as authoritative.  Those sources are called the “standard work” and includes the Bible, the book of Mormon, the Doctrines and Covenants, and the Great Price.

The second step of history of the movement is termed as “The Pioneer era” by the members.  This era is defined as the moment after the gruesome murder of Joseph Smith and his brother.  The church been led by Brigham Young to Nebraska and to Utah territory where they settled as the world headquarter of the body.

Brigham Young governed the church and the territory as a theocratic leader.  This development provoked the American government that required conformity from the Mormons.  Tension between Mormons and American authority escalated and led to the Utah/Mormon War that ensued from 1857 and 1858.

After the military invasion of Utah territory by the United States Army, Young stepped down from power and been replaced by a non-Mormon Governor Alfred Cumming.  Another point of difference between Mormons and the American authority was based on the polygamous marriage of the Mormons.

The American authority acting under the law against polygamy pressed upon the Mormons to drop that aspects of their doctrine. After the war, Brigham Young played down that part of the movement.

After the death of Brigham Young, the succeeding presidents resisted the efforts of the United States Congress to outlaw Mormon polygamous marriages. In 1890, the American Congress disincorporated the movement and seized some of its assets.

This was followed by the church Manifesto suspending polygamous marriage.  The second manifesto was issued by the group in 1904 disavouring polygamous marriage among the Mormon before the United States Congress.

To implement the Manifestos, the church passed the act of excommunication upon Mormons that practices polygamy. This led to a split because some fundamentalists distanced themselves from the mainline church of Later Day Saints to establish splinter groups.

The third level of the church history as claimed by its records is noted as the “modern Times” which can be defined as activities of the movement from 20th century that enhanced its growth to international acceptance due to the spread of missionaries around the globe.

Source of the Name

The name of the church was initially called “The church of Christ” as established by Joseph Smith in 1830.  This original name underwent various changes.  Later in the decade, it changed to the “Church of Jesus Christ” and Later to “Church of God”.  In 1934, the church changed its name to “Church of the Later Day Saints” and in 1930, it made its last change to the” Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints”.

After the death of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young incorporated the church in 1851 by legislation of the State of Deseret.  The movement equally go by an informal names as “Latter-Day Saints (LDS)” or “the Mormons”.  Some non-members address them as the “Mormon church” though the sect has often risen against such names or identifications. The movement rather love to be called “The church” or “The Church of Jesus Christ” in a shorter remark.

Beliefs and Practices

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints differs in many doctrines and practices within the mainstream Christianity. Many Christians do not accept the later days saints as Christians.  The movement equally views other Christian bodies as have departed from the membership and true Christian bodies as they have departed from the mainstream and true Christianity via general apostasy.

As the movement holds itself as the true Christian fold that is mandated to restore the original values of first century apostolic faith, it stood apart from creedal Christianity.  The body claim that it is the only true church and that other Christian bodies do not have the authority to act in the name of Jesus Christ.

Some of the major points of departure from the mainstream Christianity are based on doctrinal differences that are not found in the catholic, protestants or orthodox versions.  The movement possesses additional scriptures beside the Bible that is solely hold by all other churches.

The Mormon cosmology and plan of salvation include distinctive beliefs as a pre-mortal-life, three degrees of heaven and exaltation.  These sets of doctrines implies that each mortal is a child of Yahweh and is subject to growth into eternities through learning.

The body claim that a member that has attained its Version of eternity will become one with Yahweh in the manner of Yahoshea Mechiyach.  A person in that qualification will become divine being or “god” himself.

The movement hold that a person of such prescription will be referred to as becoming a joint heir with Yahoshea and the  process by which such is achieved is called  “the exaltation”.

Other practices hold by the movement includes reunification of the mortal family after the resurrection, the ability to have spirit children in the after life and inheritance to a portion of Yahweh's kingdom.

The church holds that to attain to such height, a convert must have faith in “Jesus Christ”, repent of his sins, keep the commandments faithfully, and partake in ceremonial covenants that it identifies as ordinances.

Those ordinances include baptism, receiving the gifts of Holy Ghost, endowment and celestial marriage.

The doctrine of celestial marriage is called “The feeling ceremony” in the Mormon cosmotology and is taken as marital bond which continues into eternity.  Parents may be sealed with their biological and adopted children to ensure the passage of their relation into life after death.

The familial bond are permanently kept through the performance of the baptism of the dead ones by the living members of the family. The ordinances as the baptism of the dead, sealings and endowments are performed in temples that were dedicated for such purposes.

The movement holds to a moral code that it identifies as “Law of chastity” which restricts adultery, homosexual or fornication among members.  It equally believe on a health code called the “word of wisdom” that restrict its members from consuming alcohol, coffee, tea and tobacco.

Leadership and Challenges

On challenges that reared heads against the movement, the records hold that when Joseph Smith (Founder) and his brother Hyrum were killed, the sect faced a succession crises.  This occurred because Hyrum was the designated successor to Joseph Smith.

This crises was resolved by assuming to leadership by Brigham Young who was a close associate to Joseph Smith and equally the senior apostle of the “Quorum of the Twelve”.

Some leaders that were uncomfortable by the development were excommunicated and they went out to form their own splinter groups with their own interpretations of the Later Day Saints Movements.

The next notable challenges were the movements unrosy relationship with the United States authority in its early days. The conflict was mainly based on the theoretical nature that the first president Young assumed in Utah Territory.

This led to the Utah/Mormon war.  The next issue was the doctrine of plural marriage or polygamy that was adopted by the early Mormons.  This was practically unacceptable by United States government that had passed laws against such practice.

When such rifts were settled through the agreement or resolution between the movement and the state, it was composed to what the sect called “The second manifesto”, the relationship between both bodies was restored.

On priesthood structure, the Letter Day Saints believe that Yahoshea Meshiyach lead the ministry through revelation and such responsibility is rested upon the person he appoint either as the “prophet” or “President” of the church.  The president assumes as the spokesman of Yahoshea on earth.

Ecclesiological Structure

The movement hold that the president with a combination of two other counsellors makes up the “First Presidency”.  This body acts as the ultimate regulating body of the church and supported by other twelve apostles that form the “Quorum of the Twelve”.

The church hold that when the Presiding President dies, the most senior apostle in ordination will take over the leadership and re-constitute the First President.

There is other “quorum of the seventy” and the presiding Bishopric that join up with the First Presidency to form the general authorities.  The general authorities take responsibility to ecclesiastical and rulership matters at all levels of the church.

There are equally mission presidents who coordinate the missionaries that are made up of volunteers.

All male converts are considered for the priesthood and they receive their ordinations from the age of twelve years.  The priesthood body is divided into the Aaronic prieshood for young men, and Melchizedek priesthood for men of eighteen years and above.

There are five organizations that are embodied under the priesthood hierarchy.  Those groups are the relief society (women's body,) the young men, the young women, primary and Sunday school.

Women serves as president of the relief society, young women and primary while men serve as presidents of the young men and Sunday school.  Other organizations includes the Latter-Day Saints Humanitarian services and programmes that cater for education and proselytizing that operate under the management of priesthood correlation programme.  The body helps to keep to the consistency and orthodoxy of the church's doctrines, ordinances and meetings.

Gynecological Records

One of the peculiar services that is been carried by the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the genealogical research programme of members that is stored in the church's Family History Library.  This organ collects the church and family history records.

The movement has contributed immensely towards scouting programme of young boys particularly in United States of America.

The church is materially rich and its major sources of finance are based on tithes, fast offering and other profits from investments.

The movement has grown to international relevance though with pockets of criticisms.  The major areas of disagreement with other Christian theology is the claim of authenticity of Book of Mormon and Book of Abraham and the group has been widely criticized on such grounds.

The church is equally accused of racial discrimination as it holds that black African descents are not acceptable into its priesthood.  This policy was instructed by Brigham Young in 1852 but was reversed in 1978 when men of black African were allowed into priesthood.

Benefits to the Society

The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has played some vital role towards development of contemporary religious developments among Christian theology. Such input include its belief that a human person can be a source of divine revelations as prophets or apostles.  This implies that Yahweh can still reveal his intension to the modern men through his agents.

This view is not held by other Christian movements who are of the conviction that the age of revelations are closed and all issues relating to Yahweh must be based on the Bible directions.

The Latter-Day Saints include the faith that the Bible can be authentic only if properly translated. This view is another useful thesis because other Christian bodies holds all translations of the Bible to be wholly correct.  The movement hold that a new settlement is required for the children of Yahweh through his son Yahoshea and such prompted it to establish the Utah Territory as its New Zion.  This view is not acceptable to other churches who hold that the authority of the apostolic assembly is to be hosted at Jerusalem in Hebrew nation alone.

The movement has equally made good moves towards charitable or philanthropic projects.  It has supported some natural disaster victims through humanitarian services.  The body has helped to alleviate some social plights of people of various nations and stood for social justice and equality.

Though it is not politicking but encourages its faithfuls to partake in politics and to exercise their franchise and human rights.

Observations and Conclusion

Although the movement has awaken some truth seekers towards speculations of a possible existence of divine personage in human form and instituting the priesthood structure that appears like that of early apostolic assembly but it did not show true light towards the saviour and the comforter that will succeed him.

The church claim to restorationalism but such is not subtiateable by its adoption of Christology that hold to Roman and Greek traditions.  Though the group builds an amiable and costly temples that is open to worship on Sabbath days but is totally a Sunday observant church.

The movement has no regard to holy name of Yahweh  and that of his son Yahoshea Meshiaych.  The Book of Mormon did not act to restore the original name of the creator or that of his son which is the vital observed practice of the early apostles.

The apostles of old did not recognized their mentor as Jesus Christ, neither did they address the Creator as God, Lord, Jehovah or in other various forms as carried in numerous human languages.

The Latter-Day Saints do not place regard to approved Holy convocation or ordinances that were bedrock of the early apostles assembly.

Based on these vital conditions, it is believable that there is wide dislocation between the acts of early apostles and those of the Latter-Day Saints of the church of Jesus Christ.

This submission holds that though Joseph Smith claimed to be a prophet and equally developed a book but only led his converts through the wilderness of Romanism as against the home-bound journey to Hebrew synchretism, that is epitomized as the “Zion”.

The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saint departed from the acts of early apostles in all major doctrinal practices but resembled it in minor and insignificant areas of its belief.

Based on this conviction, the millions of adherents that aspire to reach Yahoshea Meshiyach and his way were deceived into practices of doctrines approved and established by Roman empire and its religious tradition which was totally opposite to Yahoseheanism.

Those who have ears should listen to this word of wisdom because the water and tears may resemble but taste differently. Remember, illusion is very tricky, appears irresistible and assuring but will certainly lead those that thread its path amiss.