It is a pity, but we must say it, we are not a community which has no enemies. When you look around on the net you shall quite easily find people opposing Christadelphians.

Christadelphians belonging to those Christians who do not accept the dogmatic teaching of the Trinity, makes them not loved by lots of people who claim to be Christians, but do not seem to spread that agapè brotherly love a Christian should do. The main churches in Christendom shall even go so far as to say that Christadelphians are not "Christians" or that they are a sect or cult. Furthermore, like by other non-Trinitarian groups you might find frustrated ex-Christadelphians or people who claim so, but who have never been part of the worldwide Christadelphian community, who like to blacken the Christadelphian community and say and/or write a lot of lies about them. Fake news or false sayings about Christadelphians is nothing new, the same it is for other non-Trinitarian groups, like for example the Jehovah's Witnesses. Often you may see that ex-Jehovah's Witnesses are of the same kind as ex-Christadelphians.

For many who say they are Christian but do not follow the teachings of Christ Jesus, it is difficult to digest that Christadelphians have distinctive beliefs based on the Biblical teaching and not on theological and human church dogmas. Built upon a rock, Christadelphians follow the teachings of the one they consider their master teacher, namely Jesus Christ, the Nazarene Jew who was declared the son of man but also the son of God, the anointed one, authorised by God to speak and act in His Name.

The greatest and most dangerous enemies to Christ are those who pretend to be his friends but are not faithful to his doctrine; and they are unfaithful who, from any motives of personal interest, would weaken the point of doctrine, or soften it for the gratification of their natural feelings, or for fear of hurting the feelings of the enemy, and so affecting their popularity with him.

Dr. J. Thomas

The Non-Trinitarian churches or groups are forming the minority in Christendom. You may find several groups in the non-trinitarian denominations. Often the bigger churches want others to believe that those non-Trinitarians are all divided, whilst they want people to look over the fact that the main churches have much more schisms and different denominations than the unitarian groups.

Paul purposely avoided all modes of presenting the Truth that had affinity with the meretricious lustre of human learning.

"I came not unto you", he says to the Corinthians, "with the excellency of speech or wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. . . . My speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom". "Christ sent me .... to preach the Gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. . . . Ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty — not many noble are called. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise"

Natural men may not sympathise with the divine policy thus formulated by Christ's faithful servant, but it remains the unchanged policy of the Gospel to the present hour, and it may be that God will force us to recognise this more distinctly.

R. Roberts

If I have at all discouraged "critical investigation", it is because we have got the thing to which the utmost amount of it can lead — viz., the knowledge of the whole will of God for hope and obedience.

It is possible to overdo the best process in the world. In my experience, what is called "critical investigation" is a very uncertain kind of work — liable in some hands to lead to a state of intellectual pulp — in which the investigator does not know what conclusion to positively come to; or else running off with a notion positively forbidden by the whole current of Bible teaching, sensibly apprehended. It is possible in the philological treatment of even English words, to refine and accentuate them, until the actual current meaning of them is lost or perverted.

It is the practical issues that I have always been concerned about, and shall jealously seek to foster so long as God grants me a continuance of health and reason.

R. Roberts

They belong to a school of theologians whose principles naturally lead them to be somewhat careless - handed in the treatment of all topics affecting the character and authority of the Scriptures. "Subjective" illumination was all-in-all with them: "light in the soul": "light within".

The Scriptures they are not qualified to regard in their true character as the light of God to us. It is not uncongenial to them to think of it as a "dead letter", without the supposed "illuminating power of the Holy Ghost"; and this bias may incline them too easily to adopt disparaging theories and rules of criticism. But when they have done their worst, it turns to nothing.

R. Roberts

Questions not liked and preferring to keep to the human traditions

Lots of people do not like it when Christadelphians dare to ask lots of questions about content and interpretation of Bible texts.

Many people also consider it not possible for common people to search the Scriptures and think it is only up to ordained priests to interpret the Bible. The Christadelphian teachings make also a lot of people afraid, because they notice they have to give up lots of their tradition, because those belong to paganism. the majority prefer to keep to those pagan rites and feasts and consider it also asocial when they would not participate in them.

An other aspect not like by lots of the enemies of Christadelphia is the fact that when one would come to the Christadelphian faith, this would imply to have to live according the Biblical measures and godly commandments, whilst when belonging to the main churches one can do whatever one wants and when it suits them go to a mass or Sunday service, whilst Christiadelphianism requires a daily attitude of living in faith.

Closed doors

As to "sneering at learning", with which I am charged. It is impossible I could sneer at learning in the sense of a knowledge of the original languages in which the Bible was written. But I do say that a brother of Christ, who rejoices in the knowledge of the Truth, can have no respect for a class of interpreters (however philologically expert) whose ignorance of the Truth unfits him for the work of interpretation.

Their efforts are the futile struggles of men with an insoluble puzzle. As Sister Roberts said this morning, they are like men at a locked door with a bunch of wrong keys, trying first one and then another, in vain. Sometimes one seems to fit, and they think that must be it; but the door does not open.

R. Roberts

I am ashamed to have Dr. Thomas's achievements placed by the side of the modern system of "Biblical Criticism" and the "entire apparatus" of modern learning. What have these done for the Truth? Where would the Truth have been if Dr. Thomas had not discarded the whole paraphernalia of recognised Biblical Criticism, and gone straight into the marrow of the Spirit's mind, as adequately expressed for us in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles, whether in Hebrew, Greek, or their English translations?

R. Roberts

Orthodox expositors are dangerous men. Their high-sounding pretensions, their great learning, and, above all, their great ignorance of God's great purpose, makes them so. They are not the media of saving truth, but of the "strong delusion".

. . . How often has an ecclesia been plunged into hurtful controversy through the pushing of a wrong notion culled from these questionable sources?

. . . .Popular expositors are the truth's opponents. Where is there one that does not pervert and obscure the doctrines of the Bible by upholding mythological nonsense — to wit, a Pagan deity, a Pagan devil, Pagan immaterial and immortal ghosts, Pagan realms of eternal woe and bliss?

.... Could not a Christadelphian Sunday School scholar enlighten the greatest among them in the way of salvation ?

Dr. Thomas was not extravagant in language when he eounselled the brethren to search the Scriptures and eschew the divinity of the Schools — eschew it as they would "the poison of asps mingled in golden goblets of sparkling wine".

A. T. Jannaway

While admitting that occasionally, and in isolated instances, these throw light on obscure or difficult passages, as a general rule they are of little value to the Christadelphian reader. The older commentaries reflect only too clearly the theology of an apostate Christendom; the up-to-date commentaries reveal too much in quotations from Wellhausen, Keunen, Ewald, and other Higher Critical "authorities".

Men, ignorant of "the first principles of the Oracles of God", cannot possibly comment upon or expound the Word of God with accuracy and profit. No man, however learned he may be in human knowledge, can unlock the treasuries of the Kingdom of God unless he is in possession of the key. This key the clergy certainly do not possess.

Christendom is astray, and its leaders are "blind leaders of the blind". Why, then, should one who has been enlightened in the true knowledge of God and His Purpose seek counsel and wisdom from clerical Commentaries?

Better to learn from those whose writings on the Truth bear the stamp of accuracy and true wisdom.

F. W. Turner

Read, and re-read, "Christendom Astray".

When we embraced the Truth and came out of the Clerical darkness into the glorious light of the Bible; when we saw the beauty of the Scriptures, from which Dr. Thomas, in the goodness of God, shovelled away the traditional rubbish of Clerical Commentators, we — in our juvenile freedom — thought we had for ever said good-bye to the Apostasy, regarding the latter as the only Apostasy there was any need to fear or expect. We regarded such Apostasy as the sum and substance of all predicted by Isaiah and Christ and Paul and Peter.
What a mistake!
What a delusion!

Read again — Luke xviii. 8; Matt. xxv. 1-13; 1 Tim.iv. 1; 2 Tim. iii. 1.

On quiet reflection, we have to admit that there are good grounds for being prepared for an upheaval in the Body of Christ just prior to the Appearing of the Great Deliverer; that there is a world of ominous meaning in his words:

"When the Son of Man cometh shall he find the Faith on the Earth?" (Luke xviii. 8),

and we shall not be heedless of his counsel:

"What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch" (Mark xiii. 37)."

F. G. J.

Yes, if we are wise. Let us be wise and open our eyes to what has happened in the past in relation to departures from the Truth. Let us ask and answer this question:

"Who have been the worst corrupters of the Faith and the worst spiritual seducers of our brethren? Not bad men, or brethren of bad repute; not ambitious novices or dissatisfied upstarts. Oh, dear no! That class of corrupters would succeed in drawing after them very, very few; in fact, those members who were carried away by such would be a very good riddance to any Ecclesia.

No; nearly half a century's experience has taught us that the corrupters who have done the most "mis-chief" have been the kind, broad-minded, liberal-hearted leaders, who invariably have an eye to a seat on the fence — leaders, not because they possess the qualities of leaders, but because their followers are made up of non-thinkers, who, loving to be at peace with all men, choose the easiest route thereto, and therefore, needing a leader, select one after their own heart, and invariably have as their motto:

"Let sleeping dogs lie", which is the reverse of the Apostolic one of "Contend earnestly for the Faith" (Jude 3).

F. G. J.

It is expressing more than a mere platitude to say the condition of the world to-day is such that our Lord and Master may be expected at any time. What, then, shall be our attitude at this crisis?
Shall we not do all we can in the direction of purity and unity in the "One Body"?

There are ecclesias where there is little or no cohesion or unity; where it seems almost a farce to proclaim the Truth to the stranger, who may embrace it only to find dissension and strife, and the manifestation of an unChristlike spirit by some who should be shepherds of the flock. Oh! that personal ambitions and differences might give place to conditions conducive to spiritual growth. We might then ask, and expect, that God would own and bless our efforts. Some of us have weathered many storms, both in the Household of Faith and outside, and may therefore offer a word of counsel, especially to the younger ones. There is a tendency to broaden the way, which is still as "narrow" as Christ said it was. Worldly habits are on the increase, and pleasure, in its many and insidious forms, is alluring some. Great "Special Efforts" to spread the Truth are taking place all over the country; but oh! how one would love to see more Spiritual Growth in the One Body.

J. E. Bamford

An Ecclesia may possess good speakers, a shrewd executive, a first-rate hall, plenty of money, and yet die! If these possessions are to be of profit, the brethren must employ them as God's gifts, and as in His sight.

Let us not forget that an Ecclesia (if formed on the basis of the Truth), with all its privileges and abilities, is of God's creation, and that its life is in His hands. If an Ecclesia is to survive — to last and prosper — it must (and the importance of this demands all the emphasis we can command) acknowledge God, and by sincere and fervent prayer incessantly solicit His help and cooperation. Without this blessing, collapse is inevitable.

"Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain" (Psalmcxxvii. 1).

"Neither is he that planteth anything neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase" (1 Cor. iii. 7).

A. T. Jannaway

Nearly 2000 years ago a pathetic figure stood before the elders of Ephesus for the last time. They were to be his witnesses that he was pure from the blood of all men, inasmuch as he had not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God. He then gives them a warning, terrible in its import. Men, calling themselves Christians, were to arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them.

We are witnessing similar things today. Sometimes entrances to our meeting places are the distributing stations for propaganda by similar men. Today a lot of people can go on the internet and find lots of opposing ideas, trying to get people away from the biblical Truth. Loads of texts circulate, free to grab. Beware of these offerers of strange incense.

To our tents, O Israel! Who is on the Lord's side?

Shun the vain babblers!

Having bought the Truth, sell it not. Let no man take our crown. Let each one don the Spirit's armour, fight the good fight of faith; and till we meet in the Kingdom, commend ourselves to God, and to the Word of His Grace, which is able to build up and give us an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Do what is right, be valiant for the Truth, teach it without compromise, and all the lovers of the Truth will approve you; for all others, you need not care a rush.

Dr. J. Thomas

“1 But know this, that in the last days grievous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 5 holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away. 6 For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts, 7 ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2Ti 3:1-7 ASV)

*

These are not new, but old perils intensified. They spring from one root — namely, Bible-neglect. Lay your axe to that root, and you bring down trunk and branches. Read the Scriptures daily — aloud, if possible. Take time to grasp the sense. Consult sound expositors, as Dr. Thomas and Brother Roberts. Persevere thus, and you will be safeguarded against the unbelief in Moses and the Prophets rampant in the world, and — shame to say — not altogether unknown among professed friends of the Truth.

Rigorously exclude company and habits that "choke the Word and make it unfruitful". Let neither cares nor pleasures crowd God's Truth and Word from your mind. Prayerfully persevere thus, and you will grow in Christ and be enabled to "keep unspotted of the world", "fruitful in every good work",to "endure to the end", and sweetly realise at last that "the Holy Scriptures have made you wise unto salvation" (1 Cor. x. 13; 2 Tim. ii. 15-17; Psalm cxix.97, 130; Mark iv. 19; James i. 27; 2 Tim. iii. 15-17)

Ernest Pitt

The "last times" of every dispensation have been difficult for the people of God. Ours are no exception. The general tendency of the age is evil and adverse to faithfulness to the Truth. Foundations are questioned; zeal is the object of surprise, almost of pity. What, then, shall the righteous do?

First of all, be assured of the foundation — the inspiration and infallibility of the Word of God. Be clear in doctrine. Let your testimony to the Truth be definite and uncompromising. Speak as the Oracles of God. In exhortation, whether public or private, remember that the object is to fit others for the Kingdom. Do not discourage by dwelling only on the hardships of the way; point also to the joys ahead. Do not be content with the elementary things of the Truth; try to fathom some of the deeper things. Above all, remember the saints' duty is to be like Christ — "holy, harmless, separate from sinners".

W. H. Boulton