A Statement of the Faith forming our basis of fellowship

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A Statement of the Faith

forming

our basis of fellowship

This Statement of Faith is the basis of fellowship

of Pioneer Christadelphians worldwide

It is called 'The Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith'

& includes 'Doctrines to be Rejected' and 'The Command-

ments of Christ'.. it is called "amended" because over time

it has been found necessary to clarify and further explain

(not change) the Truth which God has committed to our

trust…..The Truth must be preserved from corruption, and

also we must not add man-made burdens to the essentials-

-it will be useful to read our 'appeal' letter-

The B.A.S.F.

Including Doctrines to be Rejected & the Commandments of Christ

THE FOUNDATION.– That the book currently known as the Bible, con-

sisting 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 (2Tim. 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

I- 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 burn-

ing 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,

39 and 40; Deut. 6:1-4; Mark 12:29-32; 1 Cor. 8:4-6; Eph. 4:6; 1 Tim.

2:5; Nehem. 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).

II- That Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God, begotten of the Virgin

Mary by the Holy Spirit, without the intervention of man, and after-

wards 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; Luke 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).

III– That the appearance of Jesus of Nazareth on the earth was necessita-

ted 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).

IV– 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" 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).

V– That Adam broke this law, and was adjudged unworthy of immortal-

ity, 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).

VI– 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. 1v10;

1 John 2:25; 2 Tim. 1:1; Titus 1:2; Rom. 3:26; John 1:29).

VII– That He inaugurated this plan by making promises to Adam, Abra-

ham, and David, and afterwards elaborated it in greater detail

through the prophets (Gen. 3:15; 22:18; Psa. 89: 34-37; 33:5; Hosea

13:14; Isa. 25:7-9; 51:1-8; Jer. 23:5).

VIII-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 res-

urrection 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. 2:14-18; 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).

IX– 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 right-

eousness of God (Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-35; Gal. 4:4; Isa. 7:14;

Rom. 1:3-4; 8:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 2:14-17; 4:15).

X– That being so begotten by God, and inhabited and used by God

through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was Emmanuel,

God with us, God manifest 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, in-

cluding the death that passed upon all men, which he shared by par-

taking of their physical nature (Matt. 1:23; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 2:14;

Gal. 4:4; Heb. 2:17).

XI– 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 di-

vine sonship and Jewish kingship; and the proclamation of the glad

tidings that God would restore their kingdom through him, and acc-

omplish all things written in the prophets (Mark 1:15; Matt. 4:17;

5:20-48; John 10:36; 9:35; 11:27; 19:21; 1:49; Matt. 27:11-42; John

10: 24-25; Matt. 19:28; 21:42-43; 23:38-39; 25:14 to the end;Luke 4:

43; 13:27-30; 19:11-27; 22:28-30; Matt. 5:17; Luke 24:44).

XII– That for delivering this message, he was put to death by the Jews

and the Romans, who were, however, but instruments in the hands

of God, for the doing of that which He had determined before to be

done–viz., 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 basis for the remission of sins. All who app-

roach God through this crucified, but risen, representative of Adam's

disobedient race, are forgiven. Therefore, by a figure, his blood

cleanseth from sin (Luke 19:47; 20:1-16; 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 Peter 3:18; 2:24; Heb. 9:14; 7:27;

9:26-28; Gal.1:4; Rom. 3:25; 15:8; Gal. 3:21-22; 2:21; 4: 4-5; Heb. 9:

15; Luke 22:20; 24:26, 46-47; Matt. 26:28).

XIII– 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 the obedience of the truth (1 Cor. 15:4; Acts

10:40; 13:30-37; 2:24-27).

XIV– 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. 4:14-15; John 17:9; Heb. 10:26;

1 John 2:1; Prov. 28:13).

XV– 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).

XVI– 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 obser-

vance 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; 8:12; Gal. 3:27-

29; Rom. 6:3-5; 2:7; Matt. 28:20; John 15:14).

XVII– 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).

XVIII– That the things of the Kingdom of God are the facts testified con-

cerning the Kingdom of God in the writings of the prophets and

apostles, and definable in the next twelve paragraphs.

XIX– 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, 6; 2:3, 4; 11:9, 10).

XX– 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).

XXI– That the kingdom which he will establish will be the kingdom of Is-

rael restored, in the territory it formerly occupied, viz., the land be-

queathed for an everlasting possession to Abraham and his seed

(the Christ) by covenant (Micah 4:6-8; Amos 9: 11, 15; Ezek. 37:

21, 22; Jer. 23:3, 8; Gen. 13: 14, 17; Heb. 11: 8, 9; Gal. 3:16; Lev.

26:42; Micah 7:20).

XXII– 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 me-

tropolis of the whole earth (Isa. 11:12; Jer. 31:10; Zech. 8:8; Ezek.

36:34, 36; Isa. 51:3; 60:15; 62:4; Jer. 3:17; Micah 4:7, 8; Joel 3:17;

Isa. 24: 23).

XXIII– 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 collect-

ive "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.

24: 34, 46).

XXIV– 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

judgement seat "to be judged according to their works"; and "re-

ceive 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).

XXV–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. 7:21-23; 8:12; 25:31-46; Dan.12:2; Gal. 6:8; 5:21;

2 Thess. 1:6-10; Heb. 10:26-28; 2 Pet. 2:12;Rev. 21:8; Mal. 4:1; Psa.

37: 27-40; Prov. 10: 24-30; 1 Cor. 15: 51-55; 2 Cor. 5:1-4; Jas. 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).

XXVI–That the Kingdom of God, thus constituted, will continue a thous-

and years, during which sin and death will continue among the

earth's subject inhabitants, though in a much milder degree than

now ( Rev. 20: 4-8; 11:15; Isa. 65:20; Ezek. 44: 22, 25; 1 Cor. 15:

24, 28).

XXVII–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 know-

ledge of the glory of Yahweh, as the waters cover the sea" (Micah 4:

2; Isa. 42: 4; 11:1-5; 2:2-4; Hab. 2:14).

XXVIII–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 re-

ality) at their close (1 Cor. 15: 25, 26; Rev. 21:4; 20:12-15; Isa. 25:

6-8).

XXIX–That at the close of the thousand years, there will be a general res-

urrection and judgment, resulting in the final extinction of the wick-

ed, 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).

XXX– 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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