We Believe.... The Church of Jesus Christ

6. We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.

          

When the Savior Jesus Christ was on the earth He accomplished many miraculous tasks and performed many mighty miracles. One thing in particular that was part of Christ's mission was to set up a church. Christ fulfilled this task and set up His Church, the Church of Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us in Ephesians that Christ in fact did set up a church and why. In Ephesians 4: 11 it tells us that Christ "gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers" to lead and guide the people. Verses 12-14 tell us why.
"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive" (Ephesians 4: 12-14).
     After Christ was resurrected and ascended into Heaven, over time the people became so wicked that the Church of Jesus Christ was unable to survive in its fullness. Peter prophesies in Acts 3:21 that there would need to be a "restitution of all things" and the restitution of Christ's Church was part of that restitution.
     "And we believe that restitution, or restoration, took place through the Prophet Joseph Smith and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is indeed Christ's Church on earth, with a living prophet at its head and an inspired quorum of Twelve Apostles. It is in very face the Church of Jesus Christ.
     "And what a blessing this is in the lives of those who believe in and follow these prophets and apostles! Knowing that there is a prophet of God on earth today doesn't relieve Latter-day Saints from the burden of thinking and acting for themselves. We all have the responsibility to respond to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit in our own lives. But the inspired counsel of God's chosen servants provides those who pay attention with an extra source of spiritual strength and insight. The principles of the gospel are clarified and the plan of salvation is explained so that all may know how to live in accordance with the Lord's teachings.
     "Those who have access to latter-day revelation through living prophets and apostles face life's most demanding tests more confidently, because they know to whom that can turn to find the truth" (Our Search for Happiness, Elder M. Russell Ballard).
     I would like to add that I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is in fact, the same exact church that Jesus Christ organized when we was on the earth. It is truly the Church of Jesus Christ in the latter-days just before Christ's Second Coming. I know that Joseph Smith restored Christ's church back to the earth today and the we again have living prophets and apostles to guide us and teach us more fully what God wants us to do to be able to return back to Him. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who calls and inspires these chosen men, so we won't have to live in spiritual darkness.