Changing Revelation
While there are many changes that were made to the revealed word that was received through the seer stones, we will cover the two most important changes, that allowed all other corrupting and false gospels into the young church.
1. God tells where to source the gospel
BOOK OF COMMANDMENTS 15:3
I give unto you a commandment, that you rely upon the things which are written; for in them are all things written, concerning my church, my gospel, and my rock. Wherefore if you shall build up my church, and my gospel, and my rock, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you. [emphasis added]
But when BC 15:3 was later published as D&C 18:4-5, it was altered:
I give unto you a commandment, that you rely upon the things which are written; for in them are all things written, concerning the foundation of my church, my gospel, and my rock; wherefore, if you shall build up my church upon the foundation of my gospel and my rock, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you.
By adding “the foundation”, men could add doctrines that were not from God.
God Confirms
Joseph also wrote that the angel Moroni (or Nephi if you want to be historically accurate) told him that “the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in [the Book of Mormon].”
We have the 2nd witness that God wanted Joseph to use the written scriptures for the Gospel of the new church.
2. Joseph was to have No Other Gift
BC 4:2
And [Joseph] has a gift to translate the book, and I have commanded him that he shall pretend to no other gift, for I will grant him no other gift.
This was changed in the D&C
D&C 5:4
And you have a gift to translate the plates; and this is the first gift that I bestowed upon you; and I have commanded that you should pretend to no other gift until my purpose is fulfilled in this; for I will grant unto you no other gift until it is finished.
The two changes allows the gospel to be altered and resulted in persecution for the young church.
How many times does God promise in the Book of Mormon that “as much as you keep my commandments, you will prosper in the land?” Repeatedly in the BC, the church leaders were commanded to preach nothing else but faith and repentance on Christ. Unfortunately they didn’t keep the commandments, Joseph Smith was killed, and the church was chased from place to place until they arrived in SLC. And then famine and plagues occurred there…