A Little history

The Christadelphians are a non-Trinitarian, millennial non-Christian group which was started by Dr. John Thomas who was born in London England. He immigrated to the United States in 1832. Thomas was a member of the Campbellite group known as the Disciples, after leaving the Campbellites he started Christadelphian movement.

Read up on previous post concerning the Christadelphians: Examining Cults (Christadelphians) | Why The Christadelphians Are A Cult. | Common Traits Among The Cults | Common Traits Among The Cults #2 | Common Traits Among The Cults #3 | Common Traits Among The Cults #4

Marks of a cult

A group that states they believe in the Bible and are Christians but in some way divert from the biblical teaching of Christianity aren’t Christian at all. In-fact all cults will in some way try to include “works” as a means of obtaining salvation.

“Doctrinally, the Christadelphians are unique in Christendom in our understanding of the nature of Christ, and the way in which we are redeemed by his death. We reject as unbiblical the idea that Christ could die as a replacement sacrifice for us, thus covering all our sins forever with that one act. Certainly it is through his sacrifice that we may be forgiven, but only if we walk the path of self-denial that he marked out for us.” — (christadelphia.org)

As the late Dr. Walter Martin put it “the Christadelphians a very small cult, …but very influential”. This quote from Martin given at a talk he gave about the Jehovah Witnesses and the doctrines the Watchtower absorbed from the Christadelphians through Charles Taze Russell. Jehovah Witnesses are one of the worlds largest cult behind Mormonism so we can see how a small cult influenced another. Both cults deny the Trinity or Godhead and this is where our focus will be.

We reject the doctrine that God is three persons.

The Christadelphians are a “restorationist” group, this Movement began in the United States during the “Second Great Awakening” (1790–1840) of the early 19th century. A lot of cults developed during this time due to much confusion of what the Bible teaches and claims of “new revelation” from God, some notable mentions are Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses and Christian Science.

Getting to the doctrine of the Trinity this is what one of their online pamphlets “One God or a Trinity?“ has to say.

“So far in this booklet everything that was said was supported by quotes from the Bible, and only the Bible. However when discussing the Trinity that will not be possible, because the Trinity is something that originates from outside the Bible. Nowhere in the Bible do we find the word ‘Trinity’, nor do we find the Trinitarian terms ‘God the son’ or ‘God the Holy Spirit’. Religious historians and commentators, who believe in the doctrine of the Trinity, admit that the doctrine is not a teaching from the Old Testament:” — One God or a Trinity? (christadelphia.org)

Must the words “God the Son” or “God the Holy Spirit” be expressed in this exact same way in order for the Trinity to be true? The word “Bible” is nowhere to be found yet we all agree to the word of God as being the Bible. The doctrine of the Trinity (Godhead) is found all throughout the scriptures.

To start John the apostle says “no man hath seen God at anytime” in the Gospel of John.

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him].

John 6:46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.

1 John 4:12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

John is very clear no man has seen God, but what does that mean? In the second verse quoted John says “Not that any man hath seen the Father” and we can all agree that the Father is God, I don’t think anyone would disagree on that. If that’s so does the Bible contradict itself? Absolutely not, not by any means therefore let us consider other passages in scripture.

Adam and Eve were the first man and woman created by God yet they walked with God in the garden (Genesis 2:15-3:24). They enjoyed direct fellowship with God before being removed from the garden after they sinned.

Abraham saw God and even had a meal prepared by Sarah for Him Genesis 18:1 “And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;” read Genesis chapter 18 for the entire account.

Genesis 18:6 And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead [it], and make cakes upon the hearth.

Hagar also saw God when she ran away and encountered the LORD in the desert (Genesis 16:9-16) God then told her she would have a son and to call him Ishmael.

Moses saw God and spake with him mouth to mouth (Numbers 12:8). Others who saw God include Jacob, Isaiah, David, Job, Gideon, Manoah and his wife. Plenty of accounts in the Old Testament with people seeing God, yet in John’s Gospel we read “Not that any man hath seen the Father…”. The question must be asked, who then did they see?

Old Testament and New Testament quotations

The Christadelphians affirm that the Father is God, as do all Christians but they are stuck logically when we compare verses such as in the book of Isaiah and the Gospel of John we read:

Isaiah 6:1-4 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, [is] the LORD of hosts: the whole earth [is] full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

Here we have the vision of Isaiah seeing the Lord sitting upon His throne. If you could ask Isaiah who did he see Isaiah would say he saw God Almighty. Keeping this in mind and reading in John’s Gospel the apostle answers the question of who Isaiah saw on the throne.

John 12:41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.

John tells us that Isaiah saw Jesus Christ in that vision and Isaiah says he saw the Lord. We must come to the conclusion that if the Bible has no contradictions which we believe does not. Then it’s straight forward to see Jesus Christ is God Almighty just as the Father and the Holy Spirit are also God Almighty.

It is a serious error on the part of the Christadelphians and the position they hold to is one concerning salvation. As they reject the fact Jesus is God then they cannot be saved no this premise alone as well as many other heretical beliefs they hold.

We beseech you if you’re part of this cult be aware you’re being mislead by false doctrine. We will be examining point by point more of the beliefs of the Christadelphians. The Bible tells us to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them (Ephesians 5:11). The Christadelphians teach another gospel which is not another and are accursed because of it.

Galatians 1:6-8 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

You can still come to know the true God of the Bible, Jesus Christ can be your redeemer if you place your trust in Him and in Him alone. We hope you enjoyed this reading, feel free to leave any comments. God bless and praise the Lord Jesus our Lord and our God (John 20:28).

1 Timothy 1:15 This [is] a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

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Additional sites to research Christadelphianism

1. allaboutcults.org
2. christianlibrary.org
3. evangelical-times.org