True Bible Teaching - Education IS CRITICAL TO YOUR SALVATION

There must be many people who feel that there is something outstandingly significant about the person and the teaching of Jesus Christ. Yet when they survey "Christianity", both in its history and its modern forms, they find a wide variety of churches and communities, all with their differing foundations, teachings and practices. Feeling bewildered by the existence of so many groups claiming the name "Christian", they may well give up the quest for "the truth" as hopeless.

This short article is written to draw the attention of the interested enquirer to the existence of a community of believers in Christ, calling themselves "Christadelphians", organized in groups found throughout the world. Wherever they exist they have a fellowship founded upon an agreed basis of beliefs. Fundamental to their faith is the principle that what Christ and his apostles taught in the first century was truth, and it is still the truth today. The Holy Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, are their sole authority.

AN APOSTOLIC FELLOWSHIP:

The community has no paid ministry, no robes or elaborate ceremonies, nor has it any "head of the church" or legislative council. Their ecclesias (the New Testament word for 'church') organize their own affairs, though the pattern is similar everywhere. Like the "elders" of New Testament times, members are appointed to manage the affairs of the ecclesia and to preside at its meetings.

At the meeting for the "breaking of bread" on "the first day of the week" there are hymns, prayers, readings from the Scriptures and an exhortation. The bread and the wine circulate among all the "brothers and sisters" present. Voluntary collections are taken to meet all the expenses. If some of the early followers of the apostles in the first century could attend such meetings, it is believed that they would immediately recognise what was going on, for it is patterned on New Testament worship.

Like Jesus' early disciples, they also proclaim his message of life to all willing to hear; they instruct their children and young people in Sunday Schools and Youth Groups, and promote the life of faith and prayer, and obedience to Christ's commands, among their members.

THE NAME 'CHRISTADELPHIAN':

In the early days, members found that to preserve their identity they had to give themselves a name. "Christadelphians" was chosen because it means "brothers (and of course sisters) in Christ". It has been used to distinguish our community for more than 120 years.

DISTINCTIVE FOUNDATION:

But why should the Christadelphians deserve any more attention than other groups of "believers", many claiming to be based on the Bible?

The brief answer is this: their understanding of the teachings of the Bible is quite different from that of other denominations. The difference arose from the conviction of one, John Thomas, that the teachings he was encountering in "Christendom" 150 years ago did not truly represent the faith of Christ and his apostles. Persuaded that the truth must be sought only in the Bible, he embarked upon a conscientious study of the Scriptures. He made no claim to any vision or personal revelation.

He eventually came to an understanding of "the gospel of the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ" (Acts 8:12) which was different in a number of important points from that of the churches and other religious sects. His labours attracted the support of others who were convinced of the validity of his conclusions. This understanding of Bible truths has been rigorously tested by free enquiry for 150 years. The distinctive views of the Christadelphians today are the result of this process.

THE WHOLE BIBLE:

What is this message of the Bible, and why is it different from popular "Christian" ideas?

It arises from the important principle that the Bible must be understood as a whole. It is easy to uphold certain teachings by accepting some parts of the Scriptures and neglecting others. For instance, it is popular today to dismiss much of the Old Testament. Yet these documents - the Law, the Psalms and the Prophets - were accepted by Jesus and his apostles as "the word of the Lord". The Bible is a unity: the revelation of God for mankind begins in the pages of the Old Testament and is continued and expanded in the New. The "whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27) is to be derived from the whole book.

Christadelphians accept that all of the Bible is the wholly inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). They therefore read it carefully and regularly. A reading plan, called the Bible Companion, enables them to read the Old Testament once in a year, and the New Testament twice.

There is another point of great importance: if man is truly to understand the Bible, he must be prepared for the fact that it is absolutely frank about all issues, and primarily about ourselves. It is the most realistic book in the world, confronting the stark issues of life without wishful thinking. Human problems, both of the race and of individuals, are frankly assessed. The origin of the problems is explained and so is the solution to them. The Bible is the only source in the world to do this in harmony with the facts of history and of human life.

THE GOOD NEWS:

The Bible, as we have seen, exposes all the weaknesses of human nature and its perishing in the grave. But that need not be the end, for the Gospel is a message of hope. It is "the power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16), deliverance from sin and its consequence, death. That is why the Biblical Gospel is "good news".

Its message is an appeal to the individual man and woman for "repentance", and then a promise of life. God does not desire that any should perish, says the Apostle Peter, "but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). What is meant by repentance is partly explained by the Apostle Paul's statement: "that they should come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). Having realised "the truth" about himself, and God's redemption in Christ, the believer is called upon by God to "have another mind". Repentance is not a sudden emotional upsurge, which may pass as quickly as it has arisen, but a sober assessment by the believer of his true position, his acknowledgement of this in confession of sin to God, a prayer for forgiveness and a resolve to re-direct his life in harmony with the commandments of Christ.

Is YOUR knowledge of the BIBLE 

and YOUR belief and worship of GOD 

able to SAVE YOU?

Not sure? Well consider this passage from JOHN CHAPTER 17

"1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do."

The Greek word for "know" is 'genosko' and it means to have a thorough intellectual understanding of what something is all about.

Do you have this understanding of God and His Son

Jesus Christ?

The need for this full understanding of the TRUTH is further underlined by Christ's words in John 17:17

We are sanctified in our understanding of God's word of Truth ie. set apart as special unto God and Christ, without this we cannot be saved.  Just as Israel were not saved when they strayed from their TRUE knowledge of God.

God's special people the nation of Israel were destroyed for lack of knowledge as we read in Hosea 4:1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

In Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee.

In Hosea 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
 

The Apostle Paul has warned us that some would not be in the Faith (ie. the true knowledge of God and Christ)...

1 Timothly 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
And again by the Apostle Peter...

2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

And in 2 Thessalonians where the Apostle Paul tells us that some would fall away from "the Truth" he says that this would be becaused they had lost their love of the Truth and had chosen rather to believe a lie.

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12

"10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

And so the Apostle Paul counselled us all to Work out OUR OWN SALVATION...

Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

You owe it to yourself and your family to seek the Truth

about God, His Son Jesus and His purpose with you

and this earth.

As we begin to consider the Bible and its message let us first answer some commonly asked questions.

What does "Holy Bible" mean ?

The word "Bible" comes from the Greek word "biblos" meaning "book". "Holy" is a word meaning "set apart" or "separate", with the idea of being set apart or dedicated by or for God. Therefore the name "Holy Bible" was given to this book because it was seen to be God's inspired Word, thus making it separate from all other books ever written.

When was the Bible written?

The Bible is in fact a collection of books or writings that were written over a period of approximately 1600 years by many different writers. The first books were written by Moses about BC 1500, while the last was written by John the Apostle around AD 100.

Why is the Bible divided into the Old and New Testaments?

If we look at the index in the front of the Bible we see that it contains 66 books. The translators divided these books into the Old and New Testaments many years after they were written. The Old Testament contains 39 books that were written in Hebrew before the birth of Christ, while the New Testament contains 27 books that were written in Greek after Christ.

Where was the Bible written?

There were many men whom God chose to write the Bible over a long period of time. Although most wrote in Israel there were some like Daniel and Ezekiel who wrote in Babylon and others like the apostles who wrote in different provinces of the Roman Empire. The amazing fact is that although the Bible was written over such a long period of time, in many different places and by many writers, its message is consistent and unified. This in itself indicates that God is its Author.

How did God cause these men to write the Bible?

There are many references in the Bible telling how God caused His message to be recorded. The Apostle Peter expresses it this way: "No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:20-21). Thus Peter explains that God selected holy or God-fearing men to whom He made known His will. These men then wrote the message that they received from God. These combined writings have become the book we know as the Bible.

Why was the Bible written?

This question is answered this way by the Apostle Paul: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The Bible was therefore given to teach man about God and His purpose, and to direct him into a way of life that is pleasing to God and rewarding to those who obey Him. Afterall as our Creator does not God have the right to bring on this earth the purpose for which He alone made it in the first place.  It is a great blessing to us individually that He has made US all with free will, that He has invited us to be a part of His Purpose is now up to US to decide whether we want to find out about it, be involved and live FOREVER in a perfect world

LEARN ABOUT GOD'S PURPOSE HERE

This website is a compilation of commonly known scientific evidence supporting creation — evidence in the fields of geology, biology, medicine, paleontology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, astrophysics, and astronomy, and specific research by esteemed scientists, and from my own personal experience as a consulting geologist and biologist.

This site was completed after having grown weary of false evolutionary doctrine promoted by public television, national networks and other media, and taught in our public schools. Although "evolutionary theory" does not meet the universally accepted definition of 'theory' or 'hypothesis' or, for that matter, the universally accepted defintion of 'science' (see section, Creation versus Evolution, for definitions), students continue to be taught evolution as “proven fact”—and later in life, they perpetuate this doctrine as teachers, journalists, and parents without question.

What many people today never hear and realize is the fact that so-called evolutionary theory is not based on known scientific laws or the preponderance of scientific evidence. Rather, scientific creation, as described in the Book of Genesis, is perfectly consistent with all known laws and evidence—and such evidence is overwhelming. The reality is, evolutionary doctrine is built on false assumptions and poor science. It is the greatest deception in modern history.

Why do secular scientists continue to adhere to a false evolutionary doctrine? This site provides the reasons, and summarizes much of the evidence for scientific creation. I ask any skeptical person to give this site an impartial reading before dismissing the scientific creationist viewpoint.

Use this True Bible Teaching Resource to help understanding some of the more difficult passages that many take in isolation to the rest of the Bible and claim that they teach things that the Bible does not teach.

The Bible is a large book, but it teaches us the truth from beginning to end, therefore anything towards the end of the Bible eg. The New Testament must agree with what is taught in the Old Testament, also remember that the divisions of the Bible into Old and New Testaments is a manmade one, the whole Bible is God's WORD to us and must be undersood consistently as such.