The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil
Perhaps Nephi provides the clearest and most complete information available regarding how the Lord will divide the righteous from the wicked at the time of His second coming. He was given a vision, only a part of which he was permitted to record, in which he saw battle lines drawn between the members of the Church of the Lamb and those of the church of the devil. Here is a part of what he was shown:
And he (the angel) said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.
And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God. (1 Ne. 14:10, 13)
To understand this division, it will not be sufficient merely to identify those who are members of the Church of the Lamb. We must also be able to identify those who belong to the church of the devil. This is so because the scriptures regarding the ten virgins, the tares, and the elect, indicate that many members of the Church of the Lamb will also belong to the devil’s church. Let us then note what Nephi says regarding those who are members of the latter group.
Like John the Revelator who also saw this satanic organization in vision, Nephi used a number of names to describe it. Not only did he call it “the great and abominable church of the devil,” but also “the mother of [p. 216] abominations,” and “the whore of all the earth.” Also like John, Nephi was always careful to state that it was the greatest wickedness on the earth, and that it was a single, identifiable organization, separate and distinct from all others. He saw that it was built up by the devil; that it sheds the blood of the saints and brings them down into captivity; and that in these latter days it would have
. . . dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues and people. (1 Ne. 14:11)
But these sins, attributes, and objectives are the same as those of the secret combinations as described by Mormon and Moroni. They too are: (1) built up by the devil, (2) to kill and enslave the prophets, (3) are the most abominable above all in the sight of God, (4) seek to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries, and (5) bring to pass the destruction of all people. (Ether 8; Hel. 2)
Is it not apparent that Nephi was describing the same world-wide movement as Mormon and Moroni? Can there be two satanic organizations which are the ultimate in wickedness? Obviously not, but we need not speculate about the matter because a modem prophet has identified communism as “the greatest satanical threat on the earth today.” (See Appendix I)
Identifying Satan’s church as the socialist-communist conspiracy, clarifies many scriptural statements which otherwise would be difficult to explain. What other organization can claim world-wide membership and dominion as Nephi foresaw would be the case? What other movement or organization do members of the Church of the Lamb also belong to? In describing its activities in these latter days Nephi saw that,
. . . there began to be wars and rumors of wars among all the nations which belonged to the mother of abominations . . . . (1 Ne. 14:16)
Does not this confirm that he is describing a political combination? Also when we reflect upon the fact that it is corrupted government through which men commit countless abominations, we understand why it is called the mother of abominations. Through what organization other than government can this be done? And when we further recognize that Satan and his forces prostitute the Lord’s government, and use it to destroy freedom rather than preserve it, we understand better why the prophets would call it the whore of all the earth.
via Inspired Constitution :: The Book of Mormon and the Constitution.