One of the most pressing questions for believers and seekers today is this: What does real, original Christianity look like? Is it found in a personal relationship with Jesus? In the Bible alone? Or in a particular church tradition? To answer this, we must look carefully at what the early Christian church actually was — and how it functioned.

Apostles: The Foundation of the Early Church

The earliest Christian church was not built on private devotion or scripture alone. It was built on living, authorized apostles. Paul taught that the church was “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20). These apostles were not simply missionaries or preachers — they held divinely conferred authority to teach, organize, receive revelation, and maintain unity.

So long as the apostles lived, doctrinal unity and spiritual power were preserved. But even during their ministry, they warned that a falling away would come:

• “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:3).
• “Let no man deceive you… for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first” (2 Thessalonians 2:3).
• “Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20:30).

These warnings came true. One by one, the apostles were killed, and no new ones were ordained to take their place with the same authority and revelatory gift. What followed was confusion, division, and the rise of doctrinal disputes that required imperial councils and creeds to settle — often by majority vote rather than revelation.

The Early Church Did Not Have a Bible

Compounding this problem is the fact that the Bible as we know it didn’t exist in the early centuries of Christianity. While inspired letters and gospels circulated, the canon was not formally recognized until the late 4th century, and many Christian communities had different versions of what counted as scripture. Meanwhile, oral tradition, apostolic teaching, spiritual gifts, and prophetic guidance were the real-life sources of authority for the early saints.

This reality raises a striking question: If the first Christians didn’t have a Bible, and relied on apostles, revelation, and living prophets, then why should Christians today assume that “Bible-only” faith is sufficient?

“Just Jesus” — or Jesus and His Structure?

Similarly, the popular idea of “all you need is Jesus” is noble in sentiment but incomplete in practice. Jesus organized a church with apostles, teachers, and spiritual gifts (see Ephesians 4:11–14). These roles were not arbitrary. They were essential to:

• Preserve unity
• Clarify doctrine
• Receive revelation
• Administer ordinances

Without these, Christianity would inevitably fragment — and it did.

The Case for Apostasy — and Restoration

Given this context, Joseph Smith’s claim of a Great Apostasy and the Restoration of Christ’s church becomes a compelling argument, not merely a denominational position.

The Latter-day Saint view holds:

1. The original church fell into apostasy due to the loss of apostolic authority.
2. While truths remained in scripture and tradition, the keys of the kingdom — the authority to speak and act in God’s name — were no longer on the earth.
3. In 1820–1830, through divine visitations, that authority and structure were restored, including apostles, prophets, and ongoing revelation.

This Restoration was not just a revival of enthusiasm or morality. It was a rebuilding of Christ’s original church, with the “living word” once again present through inspired leadership and priesthood authority.

Real Christianity Requires a Living Word

The early church had apostles, prophets, gifts of the Spirit, and revelation. If we seek to claim “original Christianity” today, we cannot ignore those elements. The Bible alone, while sacred and vital, is not sufficient without the very things that produced the Bible in the first place: the living voice of God through chosen servants.

As Hebrews 4:12 reminds us, “the word of God is living and active…” — and it was always meant to be.

The Restoration, then, is not a break from Christianity but a return to its roots: living apostles, divine revelation, and a church built on the same foundation Christ originally laid.