Prophecies of the
last days foretell great opposition to inspired truth and action. Some of these
prophecies concern the anti-Christ, and others speak of the great and
abominable church.
. . .
The Great and
Abominable Church and Other “Churches”
Book of Mormon
prophecies describe the “great and abominable church of all the earth, whose
founder is the devil” (1 Nephi 14:17). This “church” is prophesied to have
“dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people”
(1 Nephi 14:11). Called “most abominable above all other churches,” this church
is also said to act “for the praise of the world” in bringing “the saints of
God … down into captivity” (1 Nephi 13:5, 9).
Because no religious
denomination—Christian or non-Christian—has ever had “dominion” over all
nations of the earth or the potential to bring all the saints of God down into
“captivity,” this great and abominable church must be something far more
pervasive and widespread than a single “church,” as we understand that term
today. It must be any philosophy or organization that opposes belief in God.
And the “captivity” into which this “church” seeks to bring the saints will not
be so much physical confinement as the captivity of false ideas.
Nephi was told by
revelation that there were only “two churches”: “the church of the Lamb of God”
and “the church of the devil” (1 Nephi 14:10; see also 13:4–6). This
description suggests the contrast between those who believe in God and seek to
serve Him according to their best understanding and those who reject the
existence of God (see 1 Nephi 14:10).
Other teachings in
the Book of Mormon also use the word church to signify belief or
nonbelief in God. The final chapters of 2 Nephi prophesy that in the last days
the Gentiles will build up “many churches” that will “put down the power and
miracles of God, and preach up unto themselves their own wisdom and their own
learning, that they may get gain” (2 Nephi 26:20). They tell of “churches which
are built up, and not unto the Lord” (2 Nephi 28:3), which will “teach with
their learning” and “deny the power of God” (2 Nephi 28:4, 5). They will “say
unto the people: Hearken unto us, and hear ye our precept; for behold there is
no God today” (2 Nephi 28:5).
In the Savior’s
ministry among the Nephites, He warned against a church that is not “built upon
my gospel, [but] is built upon the works of men, or upon the works of the
devil” (3 Nephi 27:11; see also the teaching about the “great and spacious
building” in 1 Nephi 8:26–33; 11:35; and 12:18). These warnings are not limited
to religious organizations. In the circumstances of our day, they include a
multitude of secular philosophies and activities. (Dallin H. Oaks, "Stand
as Witnesses of God," devotional, Brigham Young University-Idaho,
February 25, 2014, repr. Ensign [March 2015])
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