The first-century Church, born in the fire of Pentecost and led by apostles who had walked with Jesus, was marked by unity, miracles, and missionary zeal. But even within the pages of the New Testament, we see shadows forming—divisions, doctrinal disputes, and warnings of apostasy. By the time of the Council of Nicaea in AD 325, Christianity had undergone a dramatic transformation. No apostles remained, persecution had both refined and scattered the faithful, and an emperor—Constantine—played a defining role in formalizing what would become the Roman Catholic Church.

How did we get from the apostolic Church to the first major denomination in Christian history? The answer lies in the often-overlooked transitional era of early Christianity.

Division Foretold and Felt in the New Testament

Even while the apostles still lived, cracks in unity began to appear.

Paul lamented divisions in the Church at Corinth:

• “One says, ‘I follow Paul,’ another, ‘I follow Apollos’…” (1 Corinthians 1:12).
  

The Apostle John warned that many antichrists had already gone out into the world (1 John 2:18–19).

Paul prophesied a “falling away” before the return of Christ:

•  “Let no man deceive you… for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first…” (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

Near the end of his ministry, Paul mourned that:

“all they which are in Asia be turned away from me” (2 Timothy 1:15)—indicating a widespread rejection or deviation from apostolic authority even in established congregations.

Revelation: Apostasy and a Future Restoration

The book of Revelation offers both sobering and hopeful imagery:

• Revelation 13:7: “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them…”

Many Christian groups interpret this as a symbol of institutional corruption or persecution overwhelming the true Church.

Revelation 14:6–7:

•  “I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach…”

Latter-day Saints and others see this as a prophecy of a future restoration of lost truth and authority. 

If we struggle to accept this sequence of events, have we also lost trust in God—both in what He has fulfilled in His prophecies through His servants and in His power to make all things new?

After the Apostles: Disputes, Schisms, and Survival

After the deaths of Peter, Paul, John, and the other apostles (mostly by the end of the first century), no clear system of prophetic succession remained. Bishops rose in influence, but disagreement flourished:

• Debates over the nature of Christ, the Trinity, and the authority of scriptures led to theological fragmentation.
• The Gnostics, Montanists, Arians, and other groups offered competing versions of Christianity.
• Some early Christian leaders like Tertullian and Origen had substantial followings, yet disagreed on core doctrines.

The Church survived—but became increasingly diverse in belief and fractured in structure.

Constantine and the Council of Nicaea: Christianity Enters the Empire

By the early 4th century, Emperor Constantine saw political value in unifying his empire under one religion. In AD 313, he issued the Edict of Milan, legalizing Christianity. But this newfound freedom came with a cost.

In AD 325, Constantine called the Council of Nicaea to settle disputes—especially the Arian controversy about whether Christ was of the same substance as God the Father. The council’s decision—affirming Christ’s full divinity—was heavily influenced by political necessity.

• Historians describe it as a great theological debate, not a moment of revealed truth.
  
• The Church’s core doctrine was not received by unanimous revelation, but voted on, guided by bishops—many of whom had differing views.
  
• Constantine, not an apostle or bishop, presided and enforced unity.
  

While the Nicene Creed became foundational for orthodox Christianity, the Church was no longer led by prophetic or apostolic authority—it had become institutionalized under imperial patronage.

From Faith to Formalism: The Birth of the Roman Catholic Tradition

In the centuries that followed:

• The Bishop of Rome (later called the Pope) gradually asserted supremacy, claiming succession from Peter.
  
• Councils and creeds replaced the absence of apostolic or prophetic leadership.
  
• The Church grew in power, but often drifted from its original simplicity and spiritual vitality.
  

For Latter-day Saints and many Protestant thinkers, this era marks the Great Apostasy—when the true authority and fullness of the gospel were lost, only to be restored in a later dispensation.

Why This Matters

Understanding this transitional period helps explain:

• Why there are so many denominations today
  
• Why restored- or reformation-based movements (like the Latter-day Saints) emphasize priesthood authority and revelation
  
• And how human politics and divine truth collided in shaping Christian history
  

The early Church was not lost in a single moment—but drifted over time, as the apostles passed and emperors ruled. Amid that drift, sincere believers preserved fragments of truth, even as institutional Christianity became a blend of faith and empire.