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Last Updated on : November 23, 2014

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Christadelphianism of God or Men?
A Reply to the Aug. 1962 Watchtower Article
By. R. W. Abel

FOREWARD

 


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1. This reply is the product of a young Christadelphian (brother of Christ) still in university. He believes that the Christadelphians are representative of first century Christianity, and that they have ascertained the basic elements of the Gospel message. He does not make the presumption that they have ascertained all Truth.

2. The writer is of the conviction that the Truth of the elements of that message are clearly evident to anyone who searches with his whole heart. He believes, therefore, that this Truth can be clearly shown. If he fails to display the Truth with this clarity, he has only two alternatives to face:

a. His exposition has failed because he lacks the depth of understanding and communication that more astute Christadelphians could afford.

or

b. That he has been deceived, and he doesn't really have the Truth. (then the sooner he is put right the better)

3. The examinations contained here appeal to only one criteria of Truth, the authority of the "Law and the Testimony" (Isa. 8:20). Christadelphians cannot share the half allegiance given to the Scriptures by nearly all of Christendom. The tragedy of history has shown that while lip service has been paid to the Book, really two authorities have existed.

For Example:

a. Roman Catholics understand the Bible as the Church sees fit to interpret it. The Church then becomes in effect, the authority.

b. Christian Science accepts the Bible, but the real authority is the writings of Mary Baker Eddy.

c. Seventh Day Adventists have their prophetess, Ellen White.

PAGE (ii)

d. Evangelicals claim that the Bible is the word of God, yet they are quick to inform one that without an "experience" with Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in a mystical way, one can never understand the Book. The real authority then, is the Holy Spirit and not the Book. Many become sceptical of this "kind" of Christianity when two Evangelicals, equally convinced they are being "led into all Truth" by the Holy Spirit, come up with repeated varying interpretations of the same verses. Is the Holy Spirit the author of confusion?

e. And may I suggest that you, the "Jehovah Witnesses" to whom this work is sent, have your dual authority as well. Notice in a discussion how fast you pull out Let God Be True or Make Sure of All Things as soon as a difficulty is reached in your explanations. It would seem that you are as regimented, and tied to a second authority as the people mentioned above. While you claim sole allegiance to the Book, in reality you only interpret the Book by what your pioneers and current writers teach. A challenge to your Witnesses sends them far faster to a 'Watchtower" publication than to the Scriptures, and this is wrong. I suggest that with the Word and it alone, the search be made to see whether these things be so or not, for it is the Word that is able to build us up and give us an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

The wisdom of this is best demonstrated with a practical example. If you wanted to find out as to whether or not the Jewish return to Palestine has been in fulfilment of Bible prophecy and you consulted Rutherford's Harp of God, 1928, you would find that he said "yes" (see page 256). If, however, in 1963 you consulted the scriptural "guides" offered by the anonymous writers Let God Be True, the answer would be an emphatic "no" (see page 218). Obviously one is a "false witness" and if a blind follower is led by a blind false witness, "both will fall into a pit." (Mt. 15:14)

CONTENTS

 

 

 

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