April 17, 2026 | www.gospelofjesuschrist.blog | River Wilde
(The views expressed here are my personal beliefs, shaped by extensive study of end-times prophecy in the Bible. I have prayerfully sought God’s guidance throughout my research to remain focused on truth. I do not speak on behalf of any religious organization.)
Several years ago, I found a teaching in the Bible that I wish that I had understood earlier in life, for it would have saved me a lifetime of religious confusion.
There is so much difference in religious teachings of the Christian faith. Yes, there is a consistent belief in Jesus Christ, yet so many other variations of the HIS doctrine are taught.
It seems that they all have their claim to truth due to certain circumstances:
1. Roman Catholic Church
Claim to truth: Direct, unbroken authority from the apostles
- Teaches apostolic succession—that authority passed from Jesus Christ to the apostles, especially Saint Peter, and then through bishops and popes.
- The Pope is seen as Peter’s successor.
- Therefore, they believe they are the original church founded by Christ and continuously preserved.
2. Eastern Orthodox Church
Claim to truth: Faithful preservation of the original church
- Also claims apostolic succession, but split from Rome during the Great Schism.
- Teaches that it has remained most faithful to the early teachings and practices of the apostles.
- Rejects the authority of the Pope.
3. Protestantism (e.g., Baptists, Lutherans, etc.)
Claim to truth: Return to the original gospel
- Began with the Protestant Reformation led by figures like Martin Luther.
- Teaches that the church had become corrupted over time.
- Emphasizes Scripture alone (sola scriptura) and faith alone (sola fide) as the true foundation.
- Rather than one “true institution,” many Protestants believe the true church is made up of all true believers.
4. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Claim to truth: Restoration of the original church
- Teaches that after the apostles died, there was a Great Apostasy (a complete falling away).
- Believes the true church was restored in 1830 through Joseph Smith.
- Claims restored priesthood authority and modern revelation.
5. Jehovah’s Witnesses
Claim to truth: Rediscovery of true biblical teachings
- Founded in the late 1800s by Charles Taze Russell.
- Teaches that mainstream Christianity became corrupted early on.
- Emphasizes strict adherence to their interpretation of the Bible as the restored truth.
6. Seventh-day Adventist Church
Claim to truth: End-times restoration and special message
- Emerged from the Millerite Movement.
- Teaches that it has a unique end-times mission, including Sabbath observance and prophetic guidance through Ellen G. White.
So, which “Doctrine” is true? It’s NOT what CHURCH is true, it’s which Doctrine is true?
We have learned through previous writings of this series that it is not even necessary for a person belong to a church to receive salvation. So, it’s NOT what church you belong to that matters, it is what doctrine do you believe in?
Several years ago, after discovering that I had been deceived by my own church, I began heavily to rely and contemplate this question. “What is the TRUE gospel of Jesus Christ? I asked God for guidance, and He certainly showed me the answer through His scriptures. Let me show you what I found:
The warning is very clear and direct: the gospel you receive must remain exactly as it was originally given through Jesus Christ and His apostles, without addition or alteration—even if the source appears supernatural.
This makes sense, right? Jesus Christ came to earth to teach us the “Gospel of Jesus Christ.” He brought us HIS gospel, complete and finished. We should only use and trust what He taught. Are their scriptures that teach us this?
In Galatians 1:8–9 (KJV), Paul writes,
“8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”
Paul stated this TWICE, for it was that important. He wanted all of us to know that the gospel that Jesus Christ and the apostles taught, “we” was the ONLY doctrine to consider…PERIOD! Nothing further.
He warned us further that even an angel that teaches any doctrine other than what they taught should not be considered. This is a strong command to reject any “new” or different gospel, regardless of who brings it. Wow! That certainly narrows the Gospel of Jesus Christ down, doesn’t it? The teachings from Christ and His apostles are recorded in the Bible. This is our only source of the “Gospel of Jesus Christ.” Any teaching that is different than what is taught there, in the Bible, is FALSE DOCTRINE. It’s just that simple.
Likewise, 2 Corinthians 11:14–15 warns that:
“Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light,”
…meaning appearances can be deceptive.
Jesus also emphasized that His words are the foundation of truth (John 12:48),
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”
Simple meaning:
Jesus is teaching that people won’t be judged by man-made systems or traditions—but by His own words. If someone rejects what He taught, those very teachings will stand as the standard of judgment in the last day.
Revelation 22:18–19
“18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
Simple meaning:
This is a very serious warning at the end of the Bible. God is saying:
- Do not add to His Word (no new doctrines that change or expand it)
- Do not remove from His Word (no ignoring or twisting what is written)
Taken together, these scriptures teach that the true gospel is already fully revealed in the Bible, and believers are to hold fast to it alone, testing all things against it and rejecting anything that contradicts or goes beyond what has been written.
I wanted to continue my learning. If the priesthood was taken away from the earth, doesn’t it make sense that the church should be RESTORED? This sounds very logical until I look at things very carefully, starting with the word restored:
The word Restored means to “bring back to the original teaching or condition”. Ok, sound fair.
What does the word Changed mean? It means, “Something DIFFERENT than before”.
So, was the gospel of Jesus Christ Restored or Changed? Let’s look specifically at my church. If it was restored, the teachings should be exactly the same:
1. Source of Authority
- New Testament teaching:
Jesus and the apostles point to the gospel as already delivered (Galatians 1:8–9 warns against “another gospel”). - LDS teaching:
The LDS Church teaches that authority and truth were lost after the apostles (the “Great Apostasy”) and restored through Joseph Smith. They accept additional scriptures like the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price.
Key difference:
Bible alone vs. Bible + additional revelation and prophets.
2. Nature of God
- New Testament teaching:
God is a Spirit (John 4:24; Luke 24:39). - LDS teaching:
God the Father has a physical body, and humans can eventually become like God (exaltation).
Key difference:
Spirit, eternal God vs. God has a Physical Body with progression and exaltation.
3. Salvation
- New Testament teaching:
Salvation is by grace through faith, not works (Ephesians 2:8–9; Romans 4:5). - LDS teaching:
Salvation involves faith in Christ plus obedience to ordinances (baptism, temple rites, etc.).
Key difference:
Grace alone through faith vs. grace plus required ordinances and continued obedience.
4. Role of Ordinances
- New Testament teaching:
Baptism is important but follows salvation (e.g., thief on the cross – Luke 23:42–43). - LDS teaching:
Ordinances are essential for exaltation, including: - Baptism by proper authority
- Temple endowment
- Sealing ordinances
- Baptism for the dead
Key difference:
Symbolic acts of obedience vs. required saving ordinances from a church.
5. Afterlife and Degrees of Glory
- New Testament teaching:
Heaven and hell are the primary eternal destinations (Matthew 25:46). - LDS teaching:
Multiple degrees of glory (celestial, terrestrial, telestial kingdoms).
Key difference:
Heaven and Hell vs. 3-tiered heavens.
6. View of the Church
- New Testament teaching:
The Church is the body of all believers in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). - LDS teaching:
The LDS Church is the one true restored church with exclusive priesthood authority.
Key difference:
All believers of Christ are considered “Christ’s Church” vs. one institutional church that claims full truth.
7. Continuing Revelation
- New Testament teaching:
The apostles warned that the faith was already delivered (Jude 1:3). - LDS teaching:
Living prophets continue to receive revelation for the church today.
Key difference:
Prophets were only necessary prior to Jesus coming to earth vs. ongoing prophetic revelation.
8. The Temple
- New Testament teaching:
Jesus Christ fulfilled what the temple pointed to. After His sacrifice: - The veil of the temple was torn (Matthew 27:51), showing direct access to God.
- Believers themselves are now called the temple (1 Corinthians 3:16).
- Worship is no longer tied to a physical location (John 4:21–24).
There are no instructions from Jesus or the apostles about performing sacred rituals in temples after His resurrection.
- LDS teaching:
The temple is central to worship in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Key practices include: - Temple endowment ceremonies
- Eternal marriage (sealing families)
- Baptism for the dead
- Other ordinances required for exaltation
Temples are considered necessary to receive the highest level of salvation (celestial kingdom).
Key difference:
Jesus fulfilled the temple; believers approach God directly through Him vs. The temple is still essential, with required ordinances for eternal progression.
9. Repentance and Confession
- New Testament teaching:
Repentance is a turning of the heart to God, and confession is made directly to Him: - “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us…” (1 John 1:9)
- “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5)
Jesus Christ is the only mediator. There is no command from Jesus or His apostles requiring believers to confess sins to a church leader in order to be forgiven.
- LDS teaching:
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serious sins are typically confessed to a bishop or church authority as part of the repentance process, especially for full fellowship and worthiness (such as temple participation).
Key difference:
Confession is made directly to God through Jesus Christ vs. Confession may involve church authority as part of repentance and restoration.
Oh my!!! My church is not the RESTORED gospel at all. It is a CHANGED Gospel of Jesus Christ. Members of this church have been DECEIVED by the church using the word Restored. It is NOT restored to the original teachings of Jesus Christ! The church has rewritten the Gospel of Jesus Christ, creating their very own doctrine!
If the doctrine that a church teaches is different from the doctrine that Jesus and His apostles taught, it is FALSE doctrine, and should not be considered in your spiritual understanding. This is why there is so much confusion in Christianity. Some churches have CHANGED the Gospel of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible.
Each church teaches doctrine to support the CHURCH, and create a dependency upon the church, rather than strictly having a relationship with Jesus Christ and know that He alone is responsible for our salvation, given to us as a gift, and not earned through good works.
If you only study the teachings of Christ and His apostles as recorded in the Bible, you will learn the TRUE Gospel of Jesus Christ. You will know what is required of you to make it to heaven. You will know EVERY detail of the end times as written by PROPHETS, and will not have to wonder why a current man professing to be a prophet is not saying anything about the end times.
You will NOT be deceived, and you will come to a realization of the SIMPLICITY of His teachings, and no longer FEAR those teachings of “not being good enough”, that a church continues to preach.
THIS is the Increased Knowledge that was written about by the prophets that we would have in the end times. This is why so many people are now discovering false teachings of their church.
God is lifting the veil of deception, as He said that He would, to reveal all truth. With today’s technology, churches can no longer hide behind false teachings or untruths, as they are easily exposed in a matter of seconds with this advance technology.
When church leader say, “Trust Only Us” and “Do not use AI in your religions studies,” they are simply trying to hold on to members by not allowing them to see and learn the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
This is what Jesus taught about seeking the truth:
“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” — Jeremiah 29:13
God invites you to actively search for Him—not passively wait. This scripture points out something very important regarding our search for truth. Search with “all of your heart” in seeking the truth. How do the teachings of your church hold up when compared to the teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Bible?
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:21
This is very direct: test everything. Don’t accept teachings automatically—examine them and hold onto what is truly good. Truth does not fear AI. Truth does not fear a person studying all on their own. Truth does not say, “Listen only to us.”
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God… rightly dividing the word of truth.” — 2 Timothy 2:15
God expects personal effort in understanding truth, not reliance on others to do it for you. Ironically, relying on a church to tell you what to believe is actually being a “lazy learner.”
“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God…” — 1 John 4:1
Not everything that sounds spiritual is from God—He tells us to test it by going to Him in prayer.
It is time, right now, to break free of the chains of deception that your church or others have over you. Join up with God in prayer right now, and just the TWO of You study the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Bible.
Study the gospel as taught by Jesus Christ and recorded in the Bible, and take your findings to God in prayer. THIS is how you find truth. You TRUST GOD, and no one else.
Learning truth can bring some very challenging emotions, as you discover that you have been deceived by people that you trusted on a very intimate level.
Join me tomorrow at www.gospelofjesuschrist.blog , as I will share some information about how to process those emotions. I have been through this myself personally, and have some information that helped me.
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