Who are the Christadelphians and what do they Believe ?

Christadelphians are a body of people from all walks of life, many of whom in the normal course of events, would not have had a lot in common. Around the world, they include among their number some with high academic qualifications and some without any formal education of any kind. There are a few who hold enviable positions in industry or commerce, and many who perform unskilled labour. However, one thing unites them all, and that is the belief they share in the Bible and the hope which it brings.

They have only the Bible as a source for their beliefs. No other writings and no traditions of any kind, form any part of the basis of what they believe. True, Christadelphians, over the period of their existence, from about 1840 to the present day, have produced a formidable number of books, commentaries, expositions, and the like, all centring around the Bible. However, none of these works holds any claim whatsoever to shape what Christadelphians believe. Certainly they reflect it; but the sole source of authority for any Christadelphian is the Bible.

Christadelphians find the age they are living in, the start of the twenty-first century, to be a most exciting one. They believe that the present time is that time foretold in the Bible as being the 'last days'. While they are warned that these will be very difficult days for believers, indeed a time when there will be few who do believe God's word, they are also aware that the 'last days' herald the time of Jesus Christ's return to establish God's kingdom.

However, this is putting things in a strange order, and the Lincoln Christadelphians wish the information they provide you with to be as clear as possible. So we shall start at the beginning.

Christadelphians believe …

• That the God who inspired and is revealed in the Bible is the eternal creator of all. There is no other source of authority for belief other than the inspired word of God.
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• That He is one God, that his work is carried out by his Spirit, and by angels. His Holy Spirit is that same Spirit set apart for work in God’s of redemption, and is not possessed by anyone today.

• That Jesus is both Son of God and Son of Man, begotten of God through the Virgin Mary. He shared our human nature, and his death and resurrection are essential in God's plan of salvation. That Jesus died for our sins, he being sinless, and was raised from the dead. He ascended to Heaven and acts as a priestly mediator between the Father and those who seek Him.

• That the first man, Adam, through disobedience, became a mortal creature. Man, being sinful, is mortal, and after death remains in the grave unconscious until the resurrection.

• That the way appointed to accept the salvation offered through Jesus Christ is by belief, repentance and then baptism, which entails full immersion in water, symbolising being buried with Christ.

• That the believer’s aim is to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and his disciples. They meet together week by week to remember their absent Lord, and their hopes are centred upon his return.

• That Jesus will return to the earth to judge all who have known the gospel and grant everlasting life to the faithful. There is no eternal torment.

• That Jesus will establish a world kingdom in righteousness and peace, and rule from Jerusalem, thus fulfilling promises made repeatedly in the Old Testament. After a thousand-year reign, death will finally be abolished and God will be all in all.

You are invited to find out more on any of these issues from the links provided.