United people under Christ

Last week the worldcommunity saw that the one who claims to be the follower of the apostle Peter stepped down from his position on what many call the 'holy chair'.

English: Christ Handing the Keys to St. Peter by Pietro Perugino (1481-82) Fresco, 335 x 550 cm Cappella Sistina, Vatican. Ελληνικά: Λεπτομέρεια από την νωπογραφία του Πιέτρο Περουτζίνο, Ο Χριστός Παραδίδει τα Κλειδιά στον Πέτρο, 335 x 600 cm, Καπέλα Σιξτίνα, Πόλη του Βατικανού. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The church community should be found on a good faith base and have clear and undeniable grounds with people who live according to community rules which are according to the Law of God. They should try to be living by the standard of the “One Body” of Christ. The Nazarene man who did not appoint one or the other above one another. Though perhaps many might think that the apostle Peter was chosen to be a leader, he certainly was not the leader of the church community at the time of the first years after Christ his death. All apostles had their particular duties but worked together and even where not afraid to criticise each other.

In the Acts of the apostles is given a very clear picture of the working of the first church as one united body in Christ. when you read the chapters you shall not find any decent reason to believe that the Pope is the real acceptable leader of the Church of God.
Could it also be that the church became subdivided into local churches but that along the way into history that church their members (of each local church) still make up the universal body of Christ? There is no one church that monopolizes the body of Christ.

History proves that contamination was brought in very soon after Jesus' death. Several apostles warned the followers of Christ to be careful and to look out for false teachings. People also had to be careful not to mingle with weak or sinful men, who would love to see them being diverted from the unworldy ideas of their religion.

Though we are never to judge or condemn others; we just have to politely “stand aside” from them!

When we look at the world we should consider that there are many people with different beliefs, but that there might be different opinions between the many persons that does not mean they would not be considered as being part of one and the same united people under Christ.

Some teach that if you are not part of this denomination or that denomination then you cannot be part of the body of Christ. There exist many denominations which believe people do have to belong to them, because otherwise they would be doomed into damnation or when people do not belong to their denomination they would not be able to enter the Kingdom of God. What most of those denomination forget is that before they came into being ther where also people who loved God as the Most High, and honoured Him at their best. Those people are also saved by Jesus his offer and got the right to enter the Kingdom of God. It is he, Jesus who shall decide who is able to enter the Kingdom of God and not one world church organisation or denomination who is going to decide that. God knows the heart of each person and He shall see if that person is worthy or not to enter the Kingdom. Jesus as the mediator shall be the person who can mediate for those who tried to do their best on earth and who followed one or another path according to a path laid in front of them by one or another denomination. but the people themselves shall have to carry the responsibility of their choice. They also shall not be able to blame their congregation or denomination for the choices they have made.
As part of the body of Christ we should be people working under the guidance of the Bible, to serve each other and the body, not taking into account language, ethnicity, gender, nationality etc. When we are unified with One Spirit in One Body that means we are unified under Gods Spirit to have and show  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control and awareness for each other, treasuring the same hope of eternal life in Jesus Christ together with Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of his Father.

Every person has received the gifts to think and to have his mind working to find out certain things. Every person, in his or her life shall get opportunities to be able to be confronted with certain values, certain truths, certain ideas ... and shall be confronted with the possibility to make a certain choice.

The 1st English edition of The Kingdom of God Is Within You. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is up to us to think about our faith, about what we do want to believe and about what we do have to believe.

Every transition in a movement should be followed up and registered, looked at in function of the Will of God and the Biblical writings. They are given to us to help us to direct the right way. We should listen to the voice of God and follow the directions given in the Holy Scriptures. They should be the most important guide for our life and way of life.

The guidance from the Bible should give us insight in what the world offers, also on religious matters and on actions of faith.
We must remember that the ecclesia does not exist to keep the Truth pure as a theory (i.e., “The purer our ecclesia, the better!”). The Truth (as an abstract principle, or set of principles, communicated from God) cannot be anything but pure! It might sound strange that the ecclesia does exist to help impure men and women (with imperfect beliefs and impure ways) to move toward purity, even if their progress is slow… Some expect that the people who enter the ecclesia or church-community would be already very pure from their baptism, but that is not so. The baptism is only the starting point to the way of purity to the small gate to the Kingdom of God.

Out of love for each other each member of the ecclesia should help each other to grow and to make every day a step closer to that set-apartness or holiness of purity.

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Read also:

1. Fellowship 101: A Short Course by George Booker – Class 5
   Those who believe the gospel and are baptised into Christ become ‘brethren in Christ’, without regard to nationality. They also become a part of the ‘one body’, with Christ as their head. God calls them His children, and they become partakers of His grace and love” (BASF 22).

2. Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith
3. Handbook to the Christadelphian Statement of Faith
4. Reasons to come to gether
5. Philippians 1 – 2
6. Look for your Refuge by God
7. A day without taking the symbols
8. Breathing to teach
9. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #1 Kings Faith
10. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #2 Calling upon the Name of God
11. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #1 Creator and His Prophets
12. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #2 Instructions and Laws
13. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #3 A voice to be taken Seriously
14. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #4 Words in Scripture
15. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #5 To meditate and Transform
16. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #6 Words to feed and communicate
17. Jehovah in the BASF
     

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Jehovah in the BASF

George Booker looks at the BASF as a time-honored document. It has stood the test of generations, and if we let down our guard on a single matter, then we surely will have offended in all points!

No manmade statement can be perfect because it is, in the best case, the expression of saving truth by some fallible man (or committee of fallible men). You know what they say about a camel? It’s a horse designed by a committee.
But then it might be said, ‘It is the best we have, or are likely to have.’ This probably means, ‘We have no mechanism in the brotherhood for improving it — so you and I just have to make the best of it.’
This may be true. But then again, nothing was ever changed without somebody (forerunner, troublemaker, agitator, visionary: take you pick) suggesting that it could be changed.
Is someone who suggests that the BASF could be changed (i.e., improved) a heretic? Suppose the change could bring this “touchstone” of a Christadelphian statement of faith closer to the Biblical standard — we already know it isn’t perfect, so that is a possibility. Shouldn’t such proposals be discussed?

In North America it has been used to exclude from fellowship a lot of folks who would have been accepted long ago if they lived in Australia or the UK.

According to sources at The Christadelphian Office, “Yahweh” never occurs in the original version of the first Birmingham Statement of Faith, nor the earliest versions of the BASF. However, “Jehovah” does!

Which name of God is acceptable and suitable for Christadelphians to use? Well, the name “Jehovah” does appear in the BASF, but the name “Yahweh” never does, at least not in the “real” BASF, the one the was written in England and then amended there in 1898. That one used “Jehovah”!

The funny thing is: a lot of Christadelphians (in North America for sure) think they not only must substitute “Yahweh” for “God” when they do the Bible readings (even when the original text doesn’t allow for it!), but they just might throw out someone who tried to slip a “Jehovah” in there.

Jehovah-God%27s_Name_ (Photo credit: ideacreamanuelaPps)

On the other hand, probably many others would say, “So what?” Still they allow the “Yahweh” clique to persist and proselytize, oblivious to the evidence against it in the earliest BASF. A bit of an ironic or sarcastic anomalous situation, don’t you think? (If you’re not sure what that meant, feel free to look it up for homework. You may be tested.

Description unavailable (Photo credit: Tom Paton)

By the way, an informal and unscientific survey suggests that, worldwide, there may be many more Central Fellowship ecclesias that use “Yahweh” than those that use “Jehovah”. This also means, of course, that — strictly speaking — they are not truly BASF ecclesias. But I wouldn’t want to be the one to tell them!

George Booker

Course Notes:
Class 1 | Class 2 |  Class 3 | Class 4

WCF

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 About God's Name find a.o.:

1. The Bible and names in it
2. Creator of heaven and earth and everything aroundיהוה The Only One Elohim who creates and gives all
3. יהוה , YHWH and Love: Four-letter words 
4. I am that I am Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh אהיה אשר אהיה 
5. Titles of God beginning with the Aleph in Hebrew
6. Some one or something to fear #7 Not afraid for Gods Name 
7. God about His name “יהוה“
8. Another way looking at a language #5 Aramic, Hebrew and Greek
9. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #1 Kings Faith
10. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #2 Calling upon the Name of God
11. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #2 Instructions and Laws
12. Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #3 Voice of God #3 A voice to be taken Seriously
13. Praise and give thanks to God the Most Highest
14. Listening and Praying to the Father
15. Prophets making excuses

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• Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #2 Calling upon the Name of God
• What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits
• Trusting, Faith, calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #1 Kings Faith

Handbook to the Christadelphian Statement of Faith

Brother Christopher Maddocks wrote a 138 page book: "Handbook to the Christadelphian Statement of Faith"
christadelphian church kedron brook (1) (Photo credit: bertknot)

It systematically examines the doctrines of Scripture which collectively form the basis of Christadelphian fellowship. Considering the doctrines described by the BASF clause by clause, this Handbook demonstrates that what Christadelphians believe is indeed the teaching of the Bible.

To order this book, just go to our website:- www.christadelphian.uk.com

For further information, please do contact Christopher Maddocks at this address:

chris@christadelphian.uk.com 

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Een richtlijn om zich van het verkeerde af te houden

De Broeders in Christus hebben zich over heel de wereld verenigd en houden zich aan bepaalde overeenkomsten die gebaseerd zijn op de Bijbelse fundamenten. Het is namelijk zo dat de Broeders in Christus als ware discipelen van Jezus Christus / Yeshua zich willen houden aan de leer van Jezus de Nazareen, die de mensen opdroeg zich te houden aan de voorschriften van zijn Vader, de enige Ware God, Jehovah/Yahweh.

Wanneer de leer van de Bijbel wordt vergeleken met de gehouden Kerk leerstelling, kan het worden gezien dat de meerderheid van het Christendom zich houdt aan doctrines of leerregels die niet conform de lering van Jezus Christus is. Het blijkt dat de Christenheid grotendeels op het verkeerde pad is weg van de Bijbel.

Het doel van de Waymark website is, zoals al onze Christadelphian websites om de reddende Waarheden te verkondigen die de Gospel van Jezus Christus vormen. Zijnd in oppostie naar de fabels van mannen - zowel protestant als pauselijk - zoeken wij de Waarheid te preken als geopenbaarde in de Bijbel.

Om het makkelijk te maken en een kort overzicht te hebben van de bepalende leerstellingen is de
Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith opgesteld geworden.

In de 19° eeuw met John Thomas geassocieerden groepen tot de tijd van de Amerikaanse Burgeroorlog onder verschillende namen, inclusief Gelovigen, Gedoopte Gelovigen, de Koninklijke Vereniging van Gelovigen, Gedoopte Gelovigen in het Koninkrijk van God, Nazarines (of Nazarenes), Nazarene Fellowship en De Antipas volgden gewoon los de gedachtengang gebaseerd op de Bijbel, maar moesten van de overheid zich kenbaar maken als een ingeschreven instelling waarvoor Thomas in 1865 voor inschrijvingsdoelen de naam Christadelphian koos. Officieel moesten de geloofspunten opgetekend worden.

Door de leerstelling van John Thomas en de nood in de Amerikaanse burgeroorlog voor een naam dook de Christadelphians op zoals een klasse, maar zij werden in een blijvende structuur door een scherpe bewonderaar van hem, Robert Roberts gevormd, die op tienjarige leeftijd John Thomas in Aberdeen, Schotland, voor het eerst hoorde spreken.

Omdat niet iedereen geloofde dat John Thomas de waarheid correct had gevestigd en vele leerstellige kwesties in discussie kwamen, werden verklaringen van geloof gecreëerd en verbeterd toen andere kwesties voortkwamen. Deze pogingen werden noodzakelijk gevoeld door vele verenigingen om zich een leerstellige houding voor de pas opkomende klasse te vestigen en te definiëren en iedereen buiten zonde te houden door het zetten van grenzen naar het geloof.

De geloofsverklaring (of geloofsbelijdenis of bekentenis van geloof) gebruikt door de meeste Unamended Christadelphians heeft vandaag zijn oorsprong in de 1877 verklaring van geloof van de Birmingham Centrale Kerk, Groot-Brittannië (bekende als de Birmingham Verklaring van Geloof of BSF). Deze 1877 verklaring was gedeeltelijk een antwoord op een leerstellige discussie van 1873-1877 tussen groepen in Groot-Brittannië. De doctrine in discussie werd gekend als "Renunciationism", "Bevrijd leven" of "Turneyism" naar de voortbrenger Edward Turney van Nottingham. Turney preekte essentieel dat Jezus Christus niet geboren was "van een veroordeelde natuur" (dus een "bevrijd leven" had) en daarom van zijn eigen dood niet kon profiteren.  Er werd tegen deze doctrine gedebatteerd door Robert Roberts in Birmingham en John James Andrew in Londen onder anderen.

In 1898 werd het Unamended Genootschap  Unamended Christadelphians gescheiden van de andere gelovigen ingevolge van verschilde oordelen betreft de terugkeer van Christus. De meerderheid van Christadelphians geloofde dat het oordeel iemand zou omvatten die voldoende kennis van het gospelbericht had en werd niet beperkt zou zijn tot gedoopte gelovigen.  De meerderheid in Groot-Brittannië, Australië en Noord-Amerika verbeterde hun verklaring van geloof dienovereenkomstig. Diegenen die tegen het amendement in Noord-Amerika zich verzetten werden bekend als de "Unamended fellowship" of het "Niet geamendeerde genootschap" en stonden de leerstelling toe dat God al of niet die mensen zou kunnen  verhogen die geen overeenkomstverhouding met hem hadden.

Meningen wisselden betreffende dit onderwerp en om voor de controverse een oplossing te brengen werden in 1898 de in  Noord-Amerika wonenden die die zich met Groot-Brittannië wensten te associëren bekend als het "Verbeterde Genootschap" of de Amended Fellowship, in tegenstelling tot het Unamended Genootschap, die hun leiding van het Christadelphian Voorstander Tijdschrift = Christadelphian Advocate Magazine, van Thomas Williams van Chicago aannamen en zich niet wensten te onderwerpen aan de verbeterde versie van de geloofspunten (vandaar de prefix 'niet' of un-amended).

Zo technisch gezien zijn alle Christadelphians met een verklaring van geloof die de 1898 stellingen bevat feitelijk gerekend onder de "Verbeterde" die het "Amendement"  aanhouden.  Hoofdzakelijk in Amerika en Canada zijn dit hete onderwerpen maar in de andere streken wordt er meer verkozen voor de eenheid van de Christadelphians met de vrijheid van enkele meningsverschillen.

Ook wij hier in België staan open voor iedereen die zich aan de Bijbelse Waarheid wenst te houden en geloven dat die dingen waar wij niet echt zeker van kunnen zijn of niet goed begrijpen moeten worden open gelaten voor interpretatie en waar wij moeten rekenen op de voorziening van God om daar meer kennis over te verwerven op tijd en stond. Uit allerlei groepen Christadelphians komen wij hier te samen en overstijgt onze wil verenigd te zijn met Christus, onderworpen aan de Wil van God, de menselijke meningsverschillen. Wij trachten deze verschillen meer in het licht te zien van de verschillende delen van het lichaam van Christus.

Door de opstelling van een lijst van aangenomen leerstellingen, gezegden uit de Bijbel en te verwerpen doctrines die in de wereld, of het christendom, gangbaar zijn, kon men een makkelijke richtlijn voorleggen zodat iedereen makkelijk al de overeenkomsten kon vinden.

Regelmatig komen deze leefregels naar voor om besproken te worden en zo kan u nu op de Waymark website ook een verdere bespreking van die punten vinden.

> About BASF

> Geloofsbelijdenissen
> Geloofspunten van de Christadelphians


> Unamended
> Amended Christadelphians
> broader Christadelphian movement worldwide,

Lees ook

> Wie, wat & hoe Christadelphians
 > Christadelphian mens
> Christen genoemd
> Christenmensen met ons geloof
> Fundament in de Schrift
> Geloof voor God aanvaardbaar
> Mijn geloof


> John Thomas


{In the U.K. the new 1898 Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith (BASF) replaced BSF 1884 as a 'touchstone' but did not cause a significant division in Britain outside London, and even today many British ecclesias continue to have either local statements predating 1884, 1877, or modern statements. However the result of the amendment was a division of the Christadelphians in North America where the community separated into "Amended" (those using the new BASF), and "Unamended" those using the old BSF, or in 1909, the BUSF.} (Wilson, Bryan R., Sects and Society. 1996)

Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith

BASF stands for Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith, and is a description of the Bible doctrines that Christadelphians believe and preach.

Christopher Maddocks and his Waymark completed a detailed study of each clause of the Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith.
The Importance of Truth
The Foundation Clause:
The Clauses and the Doctrines to be Rejected

When Bible teaching is compared with Church teaching, it can be seen that Christendom at large is astray from the Bible.
The purpose of the Waymark website is, as all our Christadelphian websites to proclaim the saving Truths that form the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Being in oppostion to the fables of men - both protestant and papal - we seek to preach the Truth as revealed in the Bible.

Ever seeking to ensure our belief and conduct is in harmony with the Word, the following articles examine each clause and it's Bible background.

> About The BASF

Find also to read:

> Brief history

> Thomasites

> Christadelphian people

> History of the Christadelphians

> John Thomas

> Concerning gospelfaith

> My faith

> Our way of life

> Idolatry or idolworship

Further history and more explanation on the BSF,  BASF & BUSF in Dutch / Meer omtrent de regels waar Christadelphians zich aan houden in het artikel Een richtlijn om zich van het verkeerde af te houden

Vind in het Nederlandse artikel meer over basf, amended, unamended, christadelphian, thomas, roberts, busf