The Christadelphian Statement of Faith
THE FOUNDATION
That the book currently known as the Bible, consisting
of the Scriptures of Moses, the prophets, and the apostles, is the
only source of knowledge concerning God and His purposes at present
extant or available in the earth, and that the same were wholly
given by inspiration of God in the writers, and are consequently
without error in all parts of them, except such as may be due to
errors of transcription or translation.
2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Cor. 2:13; Heb. 1:1; 2 Pet. 1:21; 1 Cor. 14:37; Neh.
9:30; John 10:35.
TRUTH TO BE RECEIVED
1. That the only true God is He Who was revealed to Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob, by angelic visitation and vision, and to Moses at the
flaming bush (unconsumed) and at Sinai, and Who manifested Himself
in the Lord Jesus Christ, as the supreme self-existent Deity, the
ONE FATHER, dwelling in unapproachable light, yet everywhere present
by His Spirit, which is a unity with His person in heaven. He hath,
out of His own underived energy, created heaven and earth, and all
that in them is.
Isa. 40:13-25; 43:10-12; 44:6-8; 45:5; 46:9-10; Job 38-40; Deut.
6:1-4; Mark 12:29-32; 1 Cor. 8:4-6; Eph. 4:6; 1 Tim. 2:5; Neh. 9:6;
Job 26:13; Psa. 124:8; 146:6; 148:5; Isa. 40:25-27; Jer. 10:12-13;
27:5; 32:17-25; 51:15; Acts 14:15; 17:24; 1 Chron. 29:11-14; Psa.
62:11; 145:3; Isa. 26:4; 40:26; Job 9:4; 36:5; Psa. 92:5; 104:24;
147:4-5; Isa. 28:29; Rom. 16:27; 1 Tim. 1:17; 2 Chron. 16:9; Job
28:24; 34:21; Psa. 33:13-14; 44:21; 94:9; 139:7-12; Prov. 15:3;
Jer. 23:24; 32:19; Amos 9:2-3; Acts 17:27-28; Psa. 123:1; 1 Kings
8:30-39, 43, 49; Matt. 6:9; 1 Tim. 6:15-16; 1:17.
2. That Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God, begotten of the Virgin
Mary by the Holy Spirit, without the intervention of man, and afterwards
anointed with the same Spirit, without measure, at his baptism.
Matt. 1 :23; 1 Tim. 3: 16; Acts 2:22-24, 36; Matt. 1:18-25; Lk.
1:26-35; Gal. 4:4; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 3:16-17; Isa. 11:2; 42:1; 61:1;
John 3:34; 7:16; 8:26-28; 14:10-24.
3. That the appearance of Jesus of Nazareth on the earth was necessitated
by the position and state into which the human race had been brought
by the circumstances connected with the first man.
1 Cor. 15:21-22; Rom. 5:12-19; Gen. 3:19; 2 Cor. 5:19-21.
4. That the first man was Adam, whom God created out of the dust
of the ground as a living soul, or natural body of life, "very
good" [Publisher's Note: Gen. 1:31] in kind and condition,
and placed him under a law through which the continuance of life
was contingent on obedience.
Gen. 2:7; 18:27; Job 4:19; 33:6; 1 Cor. 15:46-49; Gen. 2:17.
5. That Adam broke this law, and was adjudged unworthy of immortality,
and sentenced to return to the ground from whence he was taken-a
sentence which defiled and became a physical law of his being, and
was transmitted to all his posterity.
Gen. 3:15-19, 22-23; 2 Cor. 1:9; Rom. 7:24; 2 Cor. 5:2-4; Rom. 7:18-23;
Gal. 5:16-17; Rom. 6:12; 7:21; John 3:6; Rom. 5:12; 1 Cor. 15:22;
Psa. 51:5; Job 14:4.
6. That God, in His kindness, conceived a plan of restoration which,
without setting aside His just and necessary law of sin and death,
should ultimately rescue the race from destruction, and people the
earth with sinless immortals.
Rev. 21 :4; John 3: 16; 2 Tim. 1: 10; 1 John 2:25; 2 Tim. 1: 1;
Titus 1:2; Rom. 3:26; John 1:29.
7. That He inaugurated this plan by making promises to Adam, Abraham
and David, and afterwards elaborated it in greater detail through
the prophets.
Gen. 3:15; 22:18; Psa. 89:34-37; 33:5; Hos. 13:14; Isa. 25:7-9;
51:1-8; Jer. 23:5.
8. That these promises had reference to Jesus Christ, who was to
be raised up in the condemned line of Abraham and David, and who,
though wearing their condemned nature, was to obtain a title to
resurrection by perfect obedience, and, by dying, abrogate the law
of condemnation for himself, and all who should believe and obey
him.
1 Cor. 15:45; Heb. 2:14-16; Rom. 1:3; Heb. 5:8-9; 1:9; Rom. 5:19-21;
Gal. 4:4-5; Rom. 8:3-4; Heb. 2:15; 9:26; Gal. 1:4; Heb. 7:27; 5:3-7;
2:17; Rom. 6:10; 6:9; Acts 13:34-37; Rev. 1:18; John 5:21-22, 26-27;
14:3; Rev. 2:7; 3:21; Matt. 25:21; Heb. 5:9; Mark 16:16; Acts 13:38-39;
Rom. 3:22; (Psa. 2:6-9; Dan. 7:13-14; Rev. 11:15; Jer. 23:5; Zech.
14:9; Eph. 1:9-10) -- [Publisher's Note: These passages in parentheses
must be considered together.]
9. That it was this mission that necessitated the miraculous begettal
of Christ of a human mother, enabling him to bear our condemnation,
and, at the same time, to be a sinless bearer thereof, and, therefore,
one who could rise after suffering the death required by the righteousness
of God.
Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-35; Isa. 7:14; Rom. 1:3-4; 8:3; Gal. 4:4;
2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 2:14-17; 4:15.
10. That being so begotten of God, and inhabited and used by God
through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was Emmanuel, God
with us, God manifested in the flesh-yet was, during his natural
life, of like nature with mortal man, being made of a woman of the
house and lineage of David, and therefore a sufferer, in the days
of his flesh, from all the effects that came by Adam's transgression
including the death that passed upon all man, which he shared by
partaking of their physical nature.
Matt. 1:23; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 2:14; Gal. 4:4; Heb. 2:17.
11. That the message he delivered from God to his kinsmen, the Jews,
was a call to repentance from every evil work, the assertion of
his divine sonship and Jewish kingship; and the proclamation of
the glad tidings that God would restore their kingdom through him,
and accomplish all things written in the prophets.
Mark l:l5; Matt. 4:17; 5:20-48; John 10:36; 9:35; 11:27; 19:21;
1:49; Matt. 27:11-43; John 10:24-25; Matt. 19:28; 21:42-43; 23:38-39;
25:14-46; Luke 4:43; 13:27-30; 19:11-27; 22:28-30; Matt. 5:17; Luke
24:44.
12. That for delivering this message, he was put to death by the
Jews and Romans who were, however, but instruments in the hands
of God, for the doing of that which He had determined before to
be done-namely, the condemnation of sin in the flesh, through the
offering of the body of Jesus once for all, as a propitiation to
declare the righteousness of God, as a basis for the remission of
sins. All who approach God through this crucified, but risen, representative
of Adam's disobedient race, are forgiven. Therefore, by a figure,
his blood cleanses from sin.
Luke 19:47; 20:1-26; John 11:45-53; Acts 10:38-39; 13:26-29; 4:27-28;
Rom. 8:3; Heb. 10:10; Rom. 3:25; Acts 13:38; 1 John 1:7; John 14:6;
Acts 4:12; 1 Pet. 3:18; 2:24; Heb. 9:14; 7:27; 9:26-28; Gal. 1:4;
Rom. 3:25; 15:8; Gal. 3:21-22; Gal. 2:21; 4:4-5; Heb. 9:15; Luke
22:20; 24:26, 46-47; Matt. 26:28.
13. That on the third day, God raised him from the dead, and exalted
him to the heavens as priestly mediator between God and man, in
the process of gathering from among them a people who should be
saved by the belief and obedience of the Truth.
1 Cor. 15:4; Acts 10:40; 13:30-37; 2:24-27; 4:27-33; [Publisher's
Note: The following passages were removed from Clause 14, where
they were wrongfully placed:] Luke 24:51; Eph. 1:20; Acts 5:31;
1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 8:1; Acts 15:14; 13:39; Heb. 4:14-15.
14. That he is a priest over his own house only, and does not intercede
for the world, or for professors who are abandoned to disobedience.
That he makes intercession for his erring brethren, if they confess
and forsake their sins.
Luke 24:51; Eph. 1:20; Acts 5:31; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 8: 1; Acts 15:14;
13:39; Heb. 4:14-l5.
15. That he sent forth apostles to proclaim salvation through him,
as the only Name given under heaven whereby men may be saved.
Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:19-20; Luke 24:46-48; Acts 26:16-18; 4:12.
16. That the way to obtain this salvation is to believe the Gospel
they preached, and to take on the Name and service of Christ, by
being thereupon immersed in water, and continuing patiently in the
observance of all things he has commanded, none being recognized
as his friends except those who do what he has commanded.
Acts 13:48; 16:31; Mark 16:16; Rom. 1:16; Acts 2:38, 41; 10:47-48;
8:12; Gal. 3:27-29; Rom. 6:3-5; 2:7; Matt. 28:20; John 15:14.
17. That the Gospel consists of "The things concerning the
Kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus Christ."
Acts 8:12; 19:8, 10, 20; 28:30-31.
18. That the "Things of the Kingdom of God" are the facts
testified concerning the Kingdom of God in the writings of the prophets
and apostles, and definable as in the next 12 paragraphs.
19. That God will set up a Kingdom in the earth, which will overthrow
all others, and change them into "the kingdoms of our Lord
and His Christ."
Dan. 2:44; 7:13-14; Rev. 11:15; Isa. 32:1, 16; 2:3-4; 11:9-10.
20. That for this purpose God will send Jesus Christ personally
to the earth at the close of the times of the Gentiles.
Acts 3:20-21; Psa. 102:16, 21; 2 Tim. 4:1, Acts 1:9, 11; Dan. 7:13
[Publisher's Note: Additional passages: Luke 21:24-27; Rom. 11:25-26].
21. That the Kingdom which he will establish will be the Kingdom
of Israel restored, in the territory it formerly occupied, namely,
the land bequeathed for an everlasting possession to Abraham and
his Seed (the Christ) by covenant.
Mic. 4:6-8; Amos 9:11, 15; Eze. 37:21-22; Jer. 23:3, 8; Gen. 13:
14-17; Heb. 11:8-9; Gal. 3: 16; Lev. 26:42; Mic. 7:20.
22. That this restoration of the Kingdom again to Israel will involve
the ingathering of God's chosen but scattered nation, the Jews;
their reinstatement in the land of their fathers, when it shall
have been reclaimed from "the desolation of many generations";
the building again of Jerusalem to become "the throne of the
Lord" and the metropolis of the whole earth.
Isa. 11:12; Jer. 31:10; Zec. 8:8; Eze. 36:34-36; Isa. 5l:3; 60:15;
62:4; Jer. 3: 17; Mic. 4:7-8; Joel 3: 17; Isa. 24:23.
23. That the governing body of the Kingdom so established will be
the brethren of Christ, of all generations, developed by resurrection
and change, and constituting, with Christ as their head, the collective "Seed
of Abraham," in whom all nations will be blessed, and comprising "Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets," and all in their age
of like faithfulness.
Dan. 12:2; Luke 13:28; Rev. 11:18; 1 Thess. 4:15-17; John 5:28-29;
6:39-40; Luke 14:14; Matt. 25:34, 46 [Publisher's Note: additional
passages: Rev. 5:9-10; Dan. 7:27].
24. That at the appearing of Christ prior to the establishment of
the Kingdom, the responsible (namely, those who know the revealed
will of God, and have been called upon to submit to it), dead and
living -- obedient and disobedient -- will be summoned before his
judgment seat "to be judged according to their works,"
and "receive in body according to what they have done, whether
it be good or bad."
2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Tim. 4:1; Rom. 2:5-6, 16; 14:10-12; 1 Cor. 4:5; Rev.
11:18.
Note: Clause 24 was amended in Jan. 1898, to refute the teaching
that one may avoid being raised for judgement by refusing baptism.
With this change, this document came to be known as the Birmingham
Amended Statement of Faith (BASF). While nearly all Christadelphian
ecclesias worldwide have adopted this amended statement of faith,
a few ecclesias in North America still use the original Birmingham
Statement of Faith (BSF) which has also been called "Unamended"
or BUSF. This clause in the original document reads "... the
responsible will be summoned before his judgement seat ..."
25. That the unfaithful will be consigned to shame and "the
second death," and the faithful, invested with immortality,
and exalted to reign with Jesus as joint heirs of the Kingdom, co-possessors
of the earth, and joint administrators of God's authority among
men in everything.
Matt. 7:26; 8:12; 25:20-30; Dan. 12:2; Gal. 6:8; 5:21; 2 Thess.
1:8; Heb. 10:26-31; 2 Pet. 2:12; Rev. 21:8; Mal. 4:1; Psa. 37:30-38;
Prov. 10:25-29; 1 Cor. 15:51-55; 2 Cor. 5:1-4; James 1:12; Rom.
2:7; John 10:28; Matt. 5:5; Psa. 37:9, 22, 29; Rev. 5:9; Dan. 7:27;
1 Thess. 2:12; 2 Pet. 1:11; Rev. 3:21; 2 Tim. 2: 12; Rev. 5: 10;
Psa. 49:7-9; Luke 22:29-30.
26. That the Kingdom of God, thus constituted, will continue a thousand
years, during which sin and death will continue among the earth's
subject inhabitants, though in a much milder degree than now.
Rev. 20:4-9; 11:15; Isa. 65:20; Eze. 44:22, 25; 1 Cor. 15:24-28.
27. That a law will be established which shall go forth to the nations
for their "instruction in righteousness," resulting in
the abolition of war to the ends of the earth, and the "filling
of the earth with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh as the waters
cover the sea."
Mic. 4:2; Isa. 42:4; 11: 1-10; 2:4; Hab. 2:14.
28. That the mission of the Kingdom will be to subdue all enemies,
and finally death itself, by opening up the way of life to the nations,
which they will enter by faith, during the thousand years, and (in
reality) at their close.
1 Cor. 15:24-28; Rev. 21:4; 20:12-15; Isa. 25:6-8.
29. That at the close of the thousand years, there will be a general
resurrection and judgment, resulting in the final extinction of
the wicked, and the immortalization of those who shall have established
their title (under the grace of God) to eternal life during the
thousand years.
Rev. 20:11-15; 1 Cor. 15:24.
30. That the government will then be delivered up by Jesus to the
Father, Who will manifest Himself as the "All-in-All";
sin and death having been taken out of the way, and the race completely
restored to the friendship of the Deity.
1 Cor. 15:28.
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