Christopher Evans was raised by a very loving and caring RLDS family who taught him that “divine truth” was only found in Joseph Smith’s church. Chris was a staunch believer in the establishment of Zion. However, after doing a thorough research into the RLDS teachings he realized that his hopes for a literal Zion was only an imaginary utopia. He asked the Lord to show him truth no matter what the cost. God was faithful to answer and Chris now has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. This is his testimony.
Independence, Missouri
I was born into and raised by a very loving and caring RLDS family, so as I grew up the church’s fundamental teachings were near and dear to my heart. I believed, as I was taught, that the RLDS church was the “only true church” upon the face of the earth.
In my youth, I spent much time reading Joseph Smith’s version of the Bible, The Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants. I started striving for that sanctification that I thought I must first reach, in order to be a worthy follower of Christ. During that period of time I fell into many temptations of the world. I could not understand why I could not break free from the darkness that began to take hold of me, as I was trying hard to follow the church teachings.
In my teenage years, I made many wrong and foolish choices that brought about much heartache and pain in my life. I believed that if I could only achieve a higher level of righteousness by my own good works, I would come to some spiritual perfection in my life, and that in turn, I would be free from those worldly chains that were wrapped around me. This kind of thinking only intensified the depression I felt with each failure I experienced. Over and over again I would try with all of “my” strength to live a righteous life, only to once again fall back into the ways of the world.
“What was I doing wrong”? This was a question that I continued asking myself, with each passing sin I stumbled into.
In the midst of my unstable life, I met a wonderful sweet girl with whom I fell in love and married. Though she was such a strength to me I became quite a stumbling block to her. She had been raised in the Baptist faith so I was always pushing my religion on her, trying to convince her that mine was the true church.
As the years passed I continued trying to make my wife into the person I thought she should be. Unfortunately, I found out too late that I really loved her just the way she was. Sadly, she found herself unable to continue in our relationship and the marriage ended, although I still desired in my heart to spend the rest of my life with her and our new beautiful little daughter.
I found myself even more miserable than ever before. In the pit of despair, I began longing more and more for my ex-wife and daughter to return into my life. I sought the elders of the church on many occasions for spiritual strength and guidance, but received only temporary comfort. I soon fell back into my old sinful lifestyle.
I was always able to make many friends from all different walks of life, with a superficial personality. Though I was hurting on the inside, I would hide behind a happy mask, pretending that all was well on the outside. Even my friends could not fill that deep dark void in my life.
As I continued going back to church, I could not understand why I was still feeling such a spiritual hunger. I began wandering aimlessly in a spiritual desert, thinking I had the fullness of the gospel and carried with me the light of God. Little did I know that I was actually in spiritual darkness and how great that darkness was. I believed that when I was reading and studying the three standard books of the church, I was feasting upon God’s holy words, but I soon found out that I was only feasting on crumbs.
One day as I was reading in II Thessalonians Chapter 2, I came to these words, “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.” This scripture came to me in such power. Could I be under some kind of delusion? This uncomfortable thought continued arising in my mind from time to time.
Questions also began to surface with regard to many of the church teachings that did not seem to me to be in harmony with the Bible. So I began praying for discernment, still feeling that the church was right and that perhaps the devil was trying to deceive me into even questioning it.
As time passed, I began researching and I discovered many discrepancies in the church doctrines and history. The more I would try to somehow rationalize them, the more inconsistencies I found. Something was happening and I was not quite sure what. I continued praying, and asked Jesus Christ to come into my life and to be my personal Lord and Savior. A wonderful feeling of peace and comfort came upon me.
After analyzing numerous historical pieces on Joseph Smith and the establishment of his church, and last of all the Book of Mormon, I put all of the pieces together and was completely shocked at the picture that was before me. I could no longer deny the facts. The church I grew up in and loved was a “counterfeit religion” with a “false prophet.” I had been deceived, but my prayers were answered and I found the truth I had been seeking.
The truth is that Jesus Christ is the “only way”. “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me,” says Jesus (John 14:6). The true gospel is not in the RLDS church but is the Good News that Jesus was born, died, and rose from the dead so that we may live. “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”(Gal. 1:8). We do not come to God through some legalistic religious organization created by man, but only through the perfect Son of God.
It is not a “religion” that has saved me but a personal relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It is only by surrendering completely to Him, believing in His finished work upon the Cross, and trusting only in the sweet grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, that I have been saved, not by any works of my own. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; (Isa. 64:6). The best that I can do in my own effort is as filthy rags before the Pure and Holy God. We cannot earn our way into the Kingdom of God, because salvation is a free gift; we only need to receive that gift.
Christ, who fulfilled the Law of Moses, has set us free from the law of sin and death. He took the punishment that we deserve. It should have been us on the Cross, not Him. But even that would not atone for my sins, only the sacrifice of a “perfect lamb” without blemish or spot, would satisfy the Law and Christ alone did that. He did all this because He loves us. He wants us to experience Him from the very hour that we are “born again”. Not just to be saved for the future, but to be saved for today. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
Mormonism keeps men in bondage to the Law. It leads people to believe that what Christ did on the Cross was not good enough and that we must somehow add to what He did. We cannot add to or take away from the finished work of Christ. Our good works are a result of our faith in Him, not a pre-requisite for salvation. We do good works out of gratitude and thankfulness for what He has done for us, not because we are trying to earn our way into heaven. The Bible teaches: Faith = Salvation + works not Faith + Works = Salvation.
If people would only search the Bible and let the Holy Spirit open their eyes and ears to the True Word, they would know the truth. If they would only search the historical facts of Mormonism, they would find a weak, unsteady “sandy foundation” that was not created by God, but man. “Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you (Mat. 7:7).
Though I have had to face the consequences of leaving the RLDS church by experiencing some rejection from family and friends, God has been with me all the way. He has made the transition bearable. He has been my complete strength in getting through this new change that has taken place in my life. It is as though my whole life up to this time was a dream and I have now been awakened to the truth. I am now a completely new person who can see the real world around me with new eyes. God is so good!
I now feel such a great joy that I have never had before, a joy that only comes through a ‘real’ relationship with Jesus Christ. He is now everything to me! He has removed the guilt and pain from my past by removing those blinders that Satan had put before my eyes for so many years. Yes, the truth does set you free! This freedom comes not by “my good works” but only by the sweet and loving Grace of God. He lifted me out of my darkness and brought me into His light. Only by the “blood of Jesus” have I been made clean. Praise the Lord! My prayers are that others who are lost in Mormonism may also come to the freedom and truth that is found only in Jesus Christ.