Please note that the article below would not appear to be written by our Bro. John Thomas. If we pay close attention, we can notice that the article is in quotation marks from the beginning to the end. It is obvious then, that the article was approved by Bro. Thomas and therefore was included in his Commentary without any comments. We must take this fact to heart, for Bro. Thomas was an instrument in Yahweh's hands who uncovered the Truth and promulgated it everywhere. If we want to challenge this article and state that it is wrong, then we will have to state that Bro. Thomas was wrong on a very fundamental issue. Furthermore, it is clear that this article is in complete harmony with the Scriptures and therefore to contradict it is to contradict the Scriptures. It would follow then that Yahweh must be a liar, and hence why read or study His Word. -- JBS

"When did Satan ever succeed but by plausible arguments? Doth he understand his trade so ill as to come forward in his own naked character? If that were the case, we had no need to be warned against the deceitfulness of sin. [Heb. 3:13]" Our Lord predicted false Christs; and if Satan is permitted to set up a mimic Christ,

[2 Cor. 11:13-15: For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

2 Thess. 2:3-12: Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

1 John 2:18, 22: Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time...Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

2 John 1:7 (RSV): For many deceivers have gone out into the world, men who will not acknowledge the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh; such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.

Rev. 2:9, 13: I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan...I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.]

he will surely set up mimic christians, and a mimic church. As to men of great piety being members of it, that is only another proof that infidelity under the mask of liberality has pervaded "the church [ecclesia]" in proportion as it has pervaded the outer world; and hence the great necessity of those who would be esteemed of God as his real servants, to come out and stand aloof both from the professing, as well as, from the non-professing world. This was the case with the church [ecclesia] at the period immediately preceding the Deluge; she had mingled herself with the men of the earth, and that judgment came upon her as well as upon them, Noah and his family -- a family of separatists -- alone, being saved. [Gen. 6:1-2:

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God [Elohim] saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.]

"If the study of the prophecies, and the belief which it inculcates of the speedy coming of Christ, had led merely to an intellectual speculation without its practical tendency being seen to draw the believer to a closer walk with God, and a greater separation from the maxims and practices of the world, it would not have been so much opposed as it has been; but professors [mimic christians] call every attempt to rise, and still more to lead others above the ordinary standard, a breach of Christian unity and love.

"But our first duty is to protest clearly and boldly against the sins of "the church [ecclesia]." She has settled upon her lees, and all she begs is, like the world, to be let alone. This sort of happiness consists in the conscience being asleep: the true believer tries to awaken it, and they detest him for his pains. Hence it comes to pass, that the Sons of God, who are children of peace, are, nevertheless, the occasion of much disturbance in the world, and of much suffering to themselves. "I am for peace," said David, "but when I speak, they are for war." [Psa. 120:7] Why speak then? Why not exercise love, and charity, and forbearance, and avoid giving offence by disagreeable truths? "I tried," he says, "to refrain even from good words, but it was pain and grief to me; as I mused the fire kindled, and at the last I spake with my lips." Jeremiah found the same thing; [Psa. 39:2-3] see Jer. 15:10; 20:7-11:

[Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me.

O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the LORD was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay. For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him. But the LORD is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.]

A greater than David said, even he who will be Prince of peace, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth; I came not to send peace, but a sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law; and a man's foes shall be they of his own household" -- Mat.10:34-36.

[Before continuing this presentation, it is felt that an additional discussion of Matt. 10:34-36 and related passages must be looked at. Many Christadelphians have a problem with the idea that standing up for the Truth requires opposing family members and friends who are not for the Truth. They support all sorts of errors justifying their actions "not to rock the boat". Unfortunately, those who are loyal and faithful to the Truth, must accept that those who are governed by the flesh must be withstood regardless of the cost. If they have to be by themselves or in fellowship with just a few, they must accept their lot. For after all, only eight people got on that very large ark prior to the flood. Please consider the following passages to see clearly what our duty must be and what we must expect -- which is just the opposite of peace.

Matt. 10:34-42: Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Luke 12:49-53: I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Micah 7:6: For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.

Ezek. 22:7-11: In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow. Thou hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my sabbaths. In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness. In thee have they discovered their fathers' nakedness: in thee have they humbled her that was set apart for pollution. And one hath committed abomination with his neighbour's wife; and another hath lewdly defiled his daughter in law; and another in thee hath humbled his sister, his father's daughter.

Deut. 27:16: Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Matt. 10:21-22: And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Luke 21:16-17: And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.

Mark 13:12-13: Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Matt. 24:37-39: But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Luke 17:26-30: And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

From the above we can see that our Commander-In-Chief only proclaimed war with the camp of the flesh. It did not matter how close the camp of the flesh might be in terms of flesh and blood relationship; it would nonetheless produce war whenever the camp of the Spirit made its case for the Truth. Please see our article entitled, "The Camp of the Flesh vs. The Camp of the Spirit." Noah found that only his immediate family, even though there were other relatives out there, would join him on the ark, and all the rest would be destroyed by the flood. Only Lot, along with his two unresponsible daughters, would make it to the city of Zoar before all the rest of the cities of the plain would be annihilated in fire and brimstone. His wife who was given the opportunity to go along ended up tarrying in the plain and was overcome by its destruction. The Scriptures make it clear that very small are the numbers that will remain loyal to the Truth. Thus, unlike what our flesh expects, there will be no peace with the enemy, but open hostility and complete destruction on the one side or the other. In the end, however, the Spirit will absolutely win. -- JBS]

"When holiness and zeal are combined in any man, that man becomes a sword in a wicked world. If a man be holy without zeal, he will be scoffed at indeed by many, but despised for his insignificance. If a man be zealous without holiness, he exposes himself to that withering rebuke, "Thou hypocrite first cast out the beam in thine own eye." This would be all easy if we had no contention but with the unconverted world; but we have a multitude who belong not fully to either camp. It seems uncharitable to call them enemies; it seems unfaithful to admit that they are friends. Hence arises the difficulty. It is the Lord's special and distinctive commandment to his disciples that they love one another. But who is a disciple? And how far is our love to one whom we suppose a disciple to be carried? I lay before you a statement which I believe to be the truth of God. There is a man whom I suppose not to be a Christian. This statement does, I say, offend that man. What is my duty? Should I out of love to the man, suppress the statement; or should I out of love to the truth, make the statement, though I offend the man? Suppose we adopt the former mode of keeping the peace; then it is clear that this consequence would follow; the prejudices of our brother, and not the contents of the Bible would become the measure and standard of our statements of truth; an evil than which I cannot imagine any thing more absolutely destructive. If this be admitted, the church [ecclesia], instead of growing to the measure of the stature of Christ, would dwindle into the dwarfish littleness of the most puny, timid believer in her communion. We must adopt the latter mode then, and speak out; and in so doing we must incur the consequence, namely, we shall be reproached for disturbing peace and harmony, and brotherly love; as renders of the body of Christ; as destitute of that meekness which characterized our Master, whose commandment we shall hear was love." [John 15:9-10, 12-14; 1 John 2:5, 10]