We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum. A.W. Tozer
Therefore let God-inspired Scripture decide between us; and on whichever side be found doctrines in harmony with the word of God, in favor of that side will be cast the vote of truth. --Basil of Caesarea
Once you learn to discern, there's no going back. You will begin to spot the lie everywhere it appears.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service. 1 Timothy 1:12

Monday, December 15, 2014

Christadelphian Church


I had heard about Christadelphians in the past, but never knew anything about them except I was told they are a cult that formed in the 1800s.  Then earlier this year Christian Research and Apologetics Ministry had an article about what Christadelphians believe and I linked to that.

Sevearl months ago a friend gave me a few boxes of books which came from a pastor’s library after he passed away.  This pastor was part of a liberal church, which is why I got to see what was worth keeping and what needed to be destroyed.  Very few of the books were worth saving.

One book caught my eye because of the title:  Bible Basics: A Study Manual.  There was no author on the front cover (I later discovered it on the spine - Duncan Heaster) so I opened to investigate and discovered it was published by the Christadelphians.  Well, that got my interest up so I put it on my “to read” shelf, where it sat until a couple weeks ago when I picked it to be my next “bedroom book” (what I read when I’m not ready to sleep).  I just finished it, and I have to agree with the CARM post about just how heretical they are.

If you missed my earlier posting with a link to the CARM article, then you missed that the teachings of the Christadelphians have a lot of similarities with the Jehovah’s Witnesses.  The book was one of the worst examples of twisting Scripture that I have ever read!  So, let me give you a rundown on teachings from this book which prove this group to be a cult.

1.  They are unitarians and claim the “trinity” is a man-made false teaching.  Jesus is not God, and the Holy Spirit is just the force/power God uses to do things.

2.  Satan does not exist, and is another man-made idea originating in pagan beliefs.

3.  Hell does not exist.  

4.  The unsaved are annihilated; there is no immortality for the unbeliever.  In fact, all those who did not hear the gospel, or children too young to understand it (and I guess adults who are retarded) are also annihilated.

5.  Baptism is “a vital prerequisite for salvation.”  Faith is only the start, but isn’t any good without baptism. Even then, salvation isn’t guaranteed, because one may leave his faith and lose his salvation; which is why no one can know if they are truly saved, because they have no idea what they will do in the future.

6.  Angels have the same powers as God, share the same nature as God, and God used them to create the world.

7.  When we die, we are unconscious in the grave until the resurrection.

8.  Jesus did not exist before he was born.  He wasn’t really tempted by Satan, rather it was all in his mind; he imagined it because of his state of mind from being hungry.  However, Jesus was tempted the same way as man is tempted — by his own evil desire (the book references James 1:14).  The “devil” he saw in his mind was just his own evil desires, and he had all the human sinful tendencies, being in need of salvation from death.  And, as the JWs say, Christ was crucified on a pole — which proves the use of the cross is erroneous.

9.  “True Christians” should never celebrate Christmas because Jesus wasn’t born on December 25th, and it is a pagan celebration.

10.  Since there is no satan/devil, God allows the evil or He actively brings it about for his own purposes.  Therefore, we should never resist evil because we may then be resisting God — which is why we are to never be a member of the police force or the military.

11.  Involvement in politics is also wrong, because we cannot improve the world - it is supposed to degenerate.  Since God establishes governments, our voting may be against one God has chosen, which would mean we are rebelling against God!

12.  Referring to 1 Cor. 11:1-16, they completely read into the text to come up with the idea that a woman must have her head covered whenever a man is teaching from God’s Word, and this means she should always wear a “hat or headscarf” to all church meetings.

13.  When it comes to the Lord’s Table, it must be weekly, and if one is unable to meet with the body of believers, then they are to have the communion alone.  

14.  Marriage must have a ceremony in order to be biblical; no ceremony, no real marriage.

15.  We are only animals by nature, but God chose us for a special relationship.

And, of course, only the Christadelphians have the true teachings about God, Jesus, and the Gospel.


I think most of my readers could easily find the correct Bible passages to refute most of these teachings.  It always amazes me how people can be so easily deceived by such mental gymnastics with Scripture rather than actually reading for themselves what it says.

Christadelphians preach another Christ and another Gospel, as defined by Paul (2 Cor. 11:4), and he said such people should be eternally condemned (Gal. 1:6-9).

15 comments:

ali said...

Never heard of this, but supports scripture which tells us, in the latter days, many will depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.

Anonymous said...

Correct me if this is wrong here; as I understand the church/theology of those Duck Dynasty folks, their religion states that one is not saved unless they are baptized. Guess the one thief on the tree beside our LORD and Savior isn't going to be with Jesus in Paradise then?

And get your "Commander Bible" while it's hot off of the press.
Sorry....just sick and tired of man cashing in on God's Word as if he were the mere author of such inspirational greatness, instead of God, the Holy Spirit.

Idols are crawling out of the woodwork these days, more plentiful than termites!

Glenn E. Chatfield said...

I don't know anything about the "Duck Dynasty" bunch. Never watched it, never cared to. From what I have read and heard about it, I don't think it is a good representation of the Christian life.

Doug Evans said...

I read up on the Christadelphians a few years ago and was surprised that they didn't come from the "Burned Over District" of Western New York like some of the other great 19th century heresies (Mormonism and 7th Day Adventists)

As for Duck Dynasty, their stand on baptism comes directly from Mark 16:16 and to be honest I can't find fault with that.

Glenn E. Chatfield said...

Well Doug, that is a total misapplication of what Mark 16:16 says. And you have to remember that one verse outside of context of the whole of Scripture is not something to use formulate an important doctrine.

Mark 16:16 does NOT say one needs to be baptized for salvation. It says the one who doesn't believe will be condemned. It says that the one who believe is saved. One who believes WILL get baptized, if possible (it is not always possible to do so prior to death).

Scripture says over and over and over again that the only requirement for salvation is faith in Christ and His work. If baptism was required, Paul wouldn't have made the point that he only baptized a few people, and you'd think that somewhere in his many letters on doctrinal matters he would have stated that baptism was necessary.

If a person comes to a saving faith in Christ and gets hit by a car and killed on the way to his baptism, did he lose his salvation? Of course not.

Anonymous said...

Hi Glenn,

I've only heard of Christadelphians by name, but had no idea who they were or what they believed. Well, on point 1 alone, these people have demonstrated that their faith is not genuine Biblical Christianity. Denying the deity of Jesus Christ is antichrist doctrine, 1 John 4:1-3, and is proof positive that these people should be marked and avoided. As you said, Galatians condemns them for teaching another Christ and another Gospel.

-Carolyn

suusiess said...

http://christadelphia.org/pamphlet.htm
Use all scripture.
Hell is the grave. All go there at death.
Christadelphians are not many, they are very few in number. Never, ever have the true believers been many.
& also christadelphians have no paid ministry to tell them what to read.

Glenn E. Chatfield said...

suusiess,

I DO use ALL scripture, but I use it in context, as do real Christians. The pamphlets you point to are full of false Christadelphian teachings.

"Hell" is an unfortunate term in the Bible in that it has been used for both the grave (when translating Sheol or Hades) and for the abode of eternal punishment. Hell in the latter sense is spoken of by Jesus more than he speaks of heaven. IT is indeed a real place of eternal punishment for unbelievers.

Whether or not one has a paid ministry is not an indication of whether they are teaching truth. The Mormons also claim to not have a paid ministry and use that as a proof they are a true Christian faith. A paid ministry is perfectly in accord with the Bible. See Matt. 10:10; Lk 10:7, 16; 1 Cor. 9:6-18; 2 Cor.11:7-9; Gal.6:6; 2 Thes 3:9; and 1 Tim 5:17-18.

Being few in number is again not evidence of the truth. Being few in number is very often evidence of a cult.

As evidence in this article, the Christadelphians preach another gospel and another Christ, and there is no salvation with them.

suusiess said...

Its up to each of us to search the scriptures, you cant use revelation which is symbolic (rev. 1:1 - it was sent & signified.)proverbs, parables to prove your point.
The bible teaches that when man dies his thoughts parish with him.
Paganism DID join with christianity around the time of constantine.
What does this mean? If ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed & heirs according to the promise.
1 John 4:1-3. We do believe that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. He was tempted in all points as we are. God cannot be tempted, He cannot lie, He cannot die, He is omniscient, omnipotent, He is ONE.
Jesus was the second Adam, made of a woman, son of man, "can a clean come out of an unclean", SON of God, not God the son. He was made a little lower than the angels, his father was greater than he, he is the only mediator between God & man, & sits at the right hand of his father & our father. He did the will of God, rather than his own will. He overcame sin & nailed it to the cross. He did what Adam did not do, which was to overcome his fleshly desires.
It is trinitarians who believe that GOD came in the flesh. How & why ?
By the way, what is a cult? Are you a cult?

suusiess said...

Oh yes, but Jesus was also one with God, how is that? Well we are also to be one with God.

Glenn E. Chatfield said...

suusiess,

Its up to each of us to search the scriptures, you cant use revelation which is symbolic (rev. 1:1 - it was sent & signified.)proverbs, parables to prove your point.

Not everything in Rev. is symbolic. There is much that is literal, but you'd have to understand context. Interesting how you denigrate the Scripture yet will accept teaching from your leaders and founders. Did it ever occur to you that your belief system is relatively new, discovered by Christadelphians? Amazing how throughout history Christians had a different theology but the your founders discovered something new.

The bible teaches that when man dies his thoughts parish with him.

Interesting, but false. Those believers who dies go to be with Christ immediately: Lk.23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil.1:23-24. By extension, those who died without Christ go to a place of torment.

Paganism DID join with christianity around the time of constantine.

This is not true, but is a lie from atheists and skeptics. Have you actually studied Christian history?

What does this mean? If ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed & heirs according to the promise.

Abraham was promised salvation through faith, and we are spiritual seed, having been grafted into Israel, and inherit the promise of salvation through faith.

1 John 4:1-3. We do believe that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. He was tempted in all points as we are. God cannot be tempted, He cannot lie, He cannot die, He is omniscient, omnipotent, He is ONE.

When Jesus was "tempted," the meaning is "tested." He was not tempted to sin.

It is trinitarians who believe that GOD came in the flesh. How & why ?

Because that is what Scripture teaches. I suggest you read my article proving the Trinity by logic:
http://watchmansbagpipes.blogspot.com/2010/09/trinity-proven-by-logic.html

By the way, what is a cult? Are you a cult?

In reference to Christianity, a cult is a group claiming to be Christian while violating non-negotiable doctrines. They are founded usually by one or a few individuals, claim new knowledge - often by direct revelation. They have their own writings to supplement the Bible as their doctrinal teachings (not just commentaries), usually claim to be the only true Christian group, etc.

Since I am not a group, I cannot be a cult. Since I do not follow a cultic group, I am not a cult member.

Glenn E. Chatfield said...

Jesus is one with God as a member of the Trinity. We are one with God in the sense that we are His adopted children and are of one belief - the belief that God's ways are the right ways, that His teachings are to be followed, etc.

suusiess said...



"The wicked shall perish . . . they shall consume away" (Psalm 37:20).
"He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light. Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish" (Psalm 49:19,20).
"The wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it" (Proverbs 2:22).
"They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish" (Isaiah 26:14).
"They shall be punished with everlasting destruction" (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
Gehenna is a place in Jerusalem.

Glenn E. Chatfield said...

suusiess,

These are obviously "proof texts" but all these prove is your lack of proper hermeneutics principles, as well as lacking understanding of the Bible in general.

You have filled my inbox with comments, but none of them will be published. This is the last comment of yours which will be posted. You have become a troll trying to spread your false teachings.

I suggest you repent of your worshiping a false christ and seek the true Jesus of the Bible.

Glenn E. Chatfield said...

For readers who, like the Jehovah's Witnesses, Seventh-day Adventists, and Christadelphians, who think hell does not exist and that the wicked are annihilated, I want you to think about this:

If we cease to exist, then one of two things happened:

1. God's wrath has been satisfied
2. God's wrath has not been satisfied.

If God's wrath has been satisfied, then it would be unjust to terminate the life.

If God's wrath has NOT been satisfied, then it would be unjust to terminate punishment.

God is just.