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God’s promises to David Nearly 1,000 years after Abraham, when his descendants, the nation of Israel, had become a kingdom in the land of promise, God made further momentous promises to David the king: “I will set up thy seed after thee . . . and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be My son” (2 Sam. 7:12-14). These promises too were affirmed by God by covenant and oath (Ps. 89:3,4), and were reiterated by the angel Gabriel at the annunciation of Jesus’s birth (Lk. 1:32,33). God’s promises to Jesus All of these promises are centred in Jesus, the Son of God (Acts 13:32,33; Rom. 15:8,9; 2 Cor. 1:19,20), and so the New Testament begins with the words: “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Mt. 1:1). But there are other promises in the Old Testament directed personally to him. For example, Jesus is personally promised rulership of God’s Kingdom: “Ask of Me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession” (Ps. 2:8). Exalted to God’s throne in heaven, Jesus is affirmed by an oath to be a priest or mediator for all believers: “Sit thou at My right hand . . . The LORD hath sworn . . . Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 110:1,4; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 5:5-10). God’s promises to us While God’s promises cannot fail to be fulfilled, for us as individuals they are conditional upon our faith, our covenant with Jesus the Saviour through baptism, and a patient seeking for godliness: “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ . . . And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:27-29). By believing and acting upon God’s promises, we can obtain eternal life and share in the marvellous blessings of God’s Kingdom which is to come on this earth. ------- This leaflet is produced by The Testimony Magazine, 26 Tiercel Avenue, Norwich NR7 8JN, to encourage personal and ecclesial study of Bible principles. Further copying for distribution is encouraged. http://www.testimony-magazine.org Promises.pdf

BASIC BIBLE PRINCIPLES GOD’S PROMISES The true hope of salvation in Jesus Christ, the hope of the gospel, is founded upon promises made by God in the Bible. These are described by the Apostle Peter as “great and precious promises”, by which we may share “the divine nature”, that is, eternal life (2 Pet. 1:4). A promise is an undertaking from one person to another, guaranteeing to do or give something in the future. The promises of God are concerned with the future, both of mankind and of the world He has created. Unlike men’s promises, which can be and often are broken, God’s promises cannot fail. But to become effective for any individual, they must be believed; in Biblical terms, faith is the belief of God’s promises, centred in the Lord Jesus Christ. The phrase ‘to give one’s word’ has the same sense as ‘to promise’. In the Scriptures, God gives His word concerning the future, with all the force of a promise. All of the prophecies in the Bible concerning the future are therefore, in a sense, promises. But those principal promises that constitute the gospel are linked to covenants, or binding agreements. It is remarkable that the Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, should be prepared to enter into covenants with mortal men and women, and to affirm them by solemn oaths, but this is what the Bible records. The beginning of the promises The expression of God’s gracious intention to save sinful men and women begins in Scripture immediately after the Fall of Adam and Eve, in this pronouncement: “I will put enmity between thee [the serpent] and the woman [Eve], and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Gen. 3:15). Although enigmatic, these words foretell a conflict between good and evil that would be resolved by the victory of a Saviour provided by God, the promised seed (or descendant) of Eve. In the course of time, man’s wickedness drove God to bring the judgement of the Flood upon the earth. But in the aftermath, He made a second great promise to faithful Noah: “I will not again curse the ground any more . . . While the earth remaineth . . . summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (8:21,22). This promise of the permanence of the earth was confirmed by a covenant, made by God with all flesh, and symbolised in the rainbow (9:11-13). God’s promises to Abraham The next great development in the unfolding of God’s promises for the future was made to Abraham (originally Abram). He was called by God, about 2000 B.C., to leave his home in Mesopotamia to journey to Canaan, which was to become known as the Promised Land. The promises God made to him were amazingly wide in scope: “I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great . . . and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 12:2,3); “Lift up now thine eyes, and look . . . for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever” (13:14,15); “Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be” (15:5). Abraham’s belief in the last of these promises from God was “counted . . . to him for righteousness”, in other words, his sins were forgiven because of his faith (v. 6; cf. Rom. 4:3; Gal. 3:6; Jas. 2:23). These promises once again focused on the promised seed, descended from Abraham, eventually revealed as the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:16). The multiplication of that seed “as the stars of heaven” refers to the multitude of people of all ages who would gain salvation through Jesus, by believing the same promises (Dan. 12:3; Heb. 11:12,13). God endorsed His promises to Abraham by covenants, first a covenant for the land of Israel (Gen. 15:18) and then one with his seed, that He would be their God. This was marked in Abraham’s natural descendants, the nation of Israel, by the rite of circumcision (17:1-14). Finally God sealed all of His promises and covenants with a solemn oath: “By Myself have I sworn, saith the LORD . . . that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven . . . and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (22:16-18). These promises, subsequently reiterated to Isaac and Jacob (Israel), are the very founda-tion of the gospel of salvation (Gal. 3:8,9). They require that Abraham and all the faithful must rise from the dead, as Jesus did, in order to enjoy them (Acts 24:14,15; 26:6-8).

Revealed in the faithful down the ages Reception of the Word of God is made the mark of a member of the Elohim, as in the case of the judges of Israel (Jno. 10:34-36; Ps. 82:1,6; Ex. 21:6; 22:8,28). Immersion into “the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Mt. 28:19)involves understanding, believing and obeying a body of truth defined in the Word of God. By this we become children of God—that is, we are “born from above” (Jno. 3:3, mg.). God-manifestation should be part of the daily living of the man or woman of God (1 Tim. 6:6,11; 2:10). Abiding in the doctrine of Christ is essential, and by it we ‘have’ or manifest both the Father and the Son (2 Jno. v. 9; 1 Jno. 5:12). Even now we are the sons of God (1 Jno. 3:2), but are being changed into or conformed to the image of God’s Son (2 Cor. 3:18; 4:6,7; Rom. 8:29; 1 Jno. 3:10). The ecclesia, the one body of Christ, is spiritually one with Christ (1 Cor. 10:16,17; 12:12,13; Gal. 3:27,28; Eph. 4:12). He is its head and through him its members enter the Name to the glory of God (Eph. 5:23,27; Jno. 17:22,23). To be revealed in the saints The future manifestation of God in the saints will fulfil promises and prophecies: To partake of the Divine Nature, incorruptible and immortal (2 Pet. 1:4; 1 Cor. 15:53,54; Jas. 1:12). To reign in glory with Christ in the earth (Dan. 7:27; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 5:10). Sons of God are being brought to future glory, and by sanctification through Jesus are of the one Father with him (Heb. 2:10,11). The full significance of this glory cannot be appreciated by mortal man (1 Jno. 3:2). God’s title “Father of glory” will take on an extended meaning through “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Eph. 1:17,18; Col. 1:27). We wait for “the glory which shall be revealed in us”, “the manifestation of the sons of God”, “the glorious liberty of the children of God”, “the redemption of our body” (Rom. 8:18,19,21,23). Today we are either prospective manifestations of God as saints, already bearing some Divine likeness, or manifestations of the natural man, the adversary of God (1 Jno. 4:4). ------- This leaflet is produced by The Testimony Magazine, 26 Tiercel Avenue, Norwich NR7 8JN, to encourage personal and ecclesial study of Bible principles. Further copying for distribution is encouraged. http://www.testimony-magazine.org GodManifestation.pdf

BASIC BIBLE PRINCIPLES GOD-MANIFESTATION “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (1 Tim. 3:16). “For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us” (1 Jno. 1:2). God-manifestation is the display of the glory of God within His creation, His fundamental purpose in all creation (Num. 14:21). It is particularly seen in the display of His character and attributes. When Adam fell he no longer displayed the image of his Creator as previously, and became estranged (Gen. 1:27; 3:24). God’s purpose is that men and women should become even greater manifestations of Himself than Adam and Eve were originally. God—source of all No man can see God and live (Ex. 33:20; 1 Tim. 6:16; Jno. 1:18). So He has shown Himself by intermediaries, by God-in-manifestation. God is revealed in the meaning of His Name, Yahweh. The angel in the burning bush spoke to Moses (Ex. 3:2) as God: “I am . . .” (v. 6). He explained His Name as signifying “I am That I am” (v. 14), or “I will be Who I will be” (RSV), emphasising that He is a God of the future as well as the present and past (6:2-8). His Name is a memorial to all future generations (3:15), most especially to those whom He is creating as manifestations of Himself, and who will become part of the glorified Israel symbolised by the bush which continued burning unconsumed (Ps. 22:30; Hos. 12:5,6; Isa. 53:10; 2 Pet. 1:4). He is the Source and Sustainer of all things, and they are created for His glory (1 Cor. 8:6; Acts 17:28; Rom. 11:36). Revealed in the angels Angels displayed the joy of God (Job 38:7; Lk. 2:10-14), carried the Name of God (Gen. 16:13; 18:1; Ex. 23:20,21), and at the Exodus and at Sinai showed the power and glory of God (Ex. 14:19,20; Acts 7:38). Yahweh’s angel proclaimed His Name and character to Moses, “abundant in goodness and truth”, merciful and forgiving (Ex. 34:6,7). Revealed in Christ “The Word [or Logos] was God”; that is, the thought, mind and purpose of God was expressed in speech and later personally in Adam’s flesh as the Son of God, “the only begotten of the Father” by the overshadowing power of the Holy Spirit (Jno.1:1,14,18; 2 Sam. 7:14; Lk. 1:35). As a result he was called Emmanuel, “God with us” (Mt. 1:23; Isa. 7:14). One purpose of his manifestation as the Son of God was to destroy the works of the devil (1 Jno. 3:8; Heb. 2:14). It is essential to recognise that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh (1 Jno. 4:2,3; 2 Jno. v. 7). Made “in the form of God” by his birth, he is “the image of the invisible God”, “the express image of His person” (Phil. 2:6; Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:3). He has “declared” the Father, and manifested His Name (Jno. 1:18; 17:6,26). In him the Father was seen (12:45). He brought life for the human race and was thus “the light of men” (Jno. 1:4,9; 12:46; 2 Cor. 4:4). This light is not of himself but of the Father, shining “in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6; Jno. 1:14-17). By service and suffering he was made perfect, a full manifestation of his Father (Phil. 2:7,8; Heb. 2:10; 5:8,9). He has therefore been raised to the manifestation of God in Divine nature, inheriting a name greater than angels, and glorifying God in the process (Heb. 5:5; 1:4; Phil. 2:9-11). He is now the anointed Son of the Father in a greater sense (Acts 13:33; Heb.1:9). He carries the name Yahweh our Righteousness and, particularly when he returns, men will bow to the Father through him, and his glory will be revealed (Isa. 45:23; Jer. 23:5,6). “Christadelphians are neither Arians, Socinians, nor Trinitarians; but believers in the ‘great mystery of godliness, Deity manifested in Flesh’, as set forth in ‘the Revelation of the Mystery’, preached by the apostles” (Eureka, vol. 2, p. 336).

His mind and purpose He has made all things for His pleasure (Rev. 4:11). This pleasure is realised in the outworking of His purpose, which is that “as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD” (Num. 14:21; cf. Isa. 11:9; Hab. 2:14). This will be achieved through people who have believed His promises and obeyed His commandments. Such will allow the Word of God to influence their lives so that they are “conformed to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29). As the Creator, God is, in a sense, the Father of all mankind (Acts 17:29), but the position of the children of God is reserved for those who have believed Him. He has from the time of Adam, when His righteousness condemned Adam to death for sin, made His laws and commandments available. Those who obeyed them were counted as ‘sons of God’ who looked for a day when they should be raised from the dead, share the promised Divine nature and have fellowship with God (Jno. 8:56; Heb. 11:19). God’s selection of Abraham led to the choice of Israel as His people, from which nation he raised His Son Jesus, in fulfilment of promises about the seed who was coming. Jesus, born by the action of the power of God, the Holy Spirit, on the virgin Mary, is the “only begotten of the Father . . . full of grace and truth” (Jno. 1:14). Through Him God has provided redemption from sin, and brought into being a new creation of His children, who are being redeemed from this present world to be revealed as the sons of God when Jesus returns to establish His Kingdom upon the earth. God’s judgements have been committed to the Son, who will “put down all rule and all authority and power . . . that God may be all in all” (1 Cor. 15:24-28; cf. Ps. 8:6; Ps. 2). The One to Whom all glory is due The wisdom and graciousness of God are evident in the arrangements He has made to fill the earth with His glory manifested in believers “delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Rom. 8:21). Understanding this great work of salvation evokes praise and wonder. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? or who hath first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto Him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Whom be glory for ever. Amen” (Rom. 11:33-36). “. . . to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 1:25). ------- This leaflet is produced by The Testimony Magazine, 26 Tiercel Avenue, Norwich NR7 8JN, to encourage personal and ecclesial study of Bible principles. Further copying for distribution is encouraged. http://www.testimony-magazine.org god.pdf

BASIC BIBLE PRINCIPLES GOD “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev. 4:11). “God That made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though He needed any thing, seeing He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us: for in Him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:24-28). How can we know God? Although the order and design of the world can encourage belief in a Creator, we can only know God through His revelation of Himself and His ways. This revelation is in the Bible, which clearly claims to have been authored by Him through faithful men (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21; Heb. 1:1,2). In it we find His revelation of His nature, His character, His mind and His purpose. The superiority of all His ways and thoughts over those of men is to be expected and is stated: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8,9; see too 1 Cor. 1:25-29). His nature God reveals Himself as the Supreme Being, Who has always existed, immortal, of infinite power, wisdom and understanding (1 Tim. 1:17; 6:15; Ps. 90:1-3; 145:3; 147:5; Isa. 45:5,18). He is declared to be the Creator of the heavens and the earth and the giver of life to all that lives (Gen. 1:1; Jer. 10:7,10-12; Acts 14:15; 17:24). Not only does He create life, but He sustains it, and when He deems fit He will take life away (Ps. 104; Deut. 32:39; Acts 17:25,28). His character God declared His character particularly to Moses: “The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty . . .” (Ex. 34:6,7). His character is seen in His dealings with mankind, particularly with the nation of Israel. God’s work with the nation of Israel illustrates His kindness and longsuffering, but also His intolerance of sin and rebellion against His ways (Ps. 103:8-13; Hab. 1:13; Deut. 4:24). Paul describes these two aspects of the Almighty’s character as “the goodness and severity of God” (Rom. 11:22). God’s character is fully revealed in the birth, life, death, resurrection and ministry of His Son Jesus, the Christ. His longsuffering, His love and His righteousness are displayed in the provision of Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for sin and the example of the kind of life that men and women should lead: “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them . . .” (2 Cor. 5:19; cf. Jno. 3:16; 1 Jno. 4:7,8,16). However, His righteous judgements will also be carried out on those who reject His ways (2 Thess. 1:6-10; Rev. 11:18; Heb. 10:30,31).

What does the word ‘predestination’ mean in the Bible? The word ‘predestinate’ occurs four times in the Authorised Version translation of the New Testament. Although according to Collins English Dictionary ‘predestinate’ means “to decree from eternity (any event, esp. the final salvation of individuals)”, this is the general understanding of the word. It does not accurately represent what the original Greek word means in the Bible, where it occurs six times and is translated in the AV as follows: “predestinate” (Rom. 8:29,30; Eph. 1:5,11) “ordain” (1 Cor. 2:7) “determine before” (Acts 4:28). The original word is derived from two Greek words meaning ‘mark out’ or ‘determine’, and ‘beforehand’, respectively. As we have seen above, God has determined beforehand His purpose with the earth, particularly in relation to His Son. Two of the above references are Jesus to his death upon the cross. 1 Corinthians 2:7 reads: “we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory”. In context this is talking about the wisdom of God which is foolishness with men, the achieving of man’s salvation through the crucifixion of Christ. There is no difficulty with the idea of predestination in this context. Are individuals predestined to salvation? The two passages in which the word ‘predestinate’ occurs in the AV, Romans 8 and Ephesians 1, are often taken to be referring to the salvation of individuals, and it is true that the word is used of the salvation of people, rather than of Jesus Christ as the means of that salvation. However, a careful look at these passages shows that Paul is speaking collectively of those who are saved. In Romans 8:29,30 he uses the word twice: “For whom [God] did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified”. God’s plan is to develop a class of people to become like His Son. He determined beforehand that they should be called, made righteous and eventually glorified. The word also occurs in Ephesians 1:5,11, where we read, “In Christ [God] chose us before the world was founded, to be dedicated, to be without blemish in His sight, to be full of love; and He destined us—such was His will and pleasure—to be accepted as His sons through Jesus Christ . . . In Christ indeed we have been given our share in the heritage, as was decreed in His design” (vv. 4,5,11, NEB). Here the AV “predestinate” is represented by “destined” and “decreed”. Here again Paul is referring to God’s plan being fulfilled in the saints of his day, not the selecting of individual saints; it is “us”, not “each of us”. A simple analogy will illustrate the difference between God’s predetermined purpose and man’s free will. We are in a railway station and a train is scheduled to leave for London; this is predestination. Each individual can choose whether or not to get on the train and whether or not to leave the train before it reaches London; this is free will. God’s calling The idea that individuals are predestined to receive eternal life involves the idea of a call, by which is meant the action of God upon the mind of a person to make them respond to the gospel. Such an idea is contrary to Scripture. God does call, but it is by His Word, to which people respond by either accepting or rejecting it. We are saved by faith, and “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). This does not, however, mean that people accept the gospel simply because they happen to have had the good fortune to hear it preached. God can and does arrange that individuals who will be responsive to the gospel have it preached to them. However, they still have to respond to it in faith and then hold fast to it if they are to receive eternal life. Final thought Scripture teaches that God has foreknowledge and man has free will. It is difficult for finite human minds to understand how both can be true, and ultimately all we can do is accept that it is so. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8,9). ------- This leaflet is produced by The Testimony Magazine, 26 Tiercel Avenue, Norwich NR7 8JN, to encourage personal and ecclesial study of Bible principles. Further copying for distribution is encouraged. http://www.testimony-magazine.org FreeWillandPredestination.pdf

BASIC BIBLE PRINCIPLES FREE WILL AND PREDESTINATION The Bible says that we are all mortal because of sin, but that God has provided a way to obtain eternal life through Jesus Christ. Is this way open to all who choose to take advantage of it, or does God select only certain people to follow that way? The former is what is meant by free will, the latter is what is usually understood by the term ‘predestination’. Which does the Bible teach? There is much in the Bible to support the idea that we have free will. Although the word ‘predestinate’ does occur in the Bible, it is a misunderstanding to suppose that it means that God has determined already who will receive eternal life. Man’s free will and God’s foreknowledge The following is a selection of passages which speak of man’s free will: Moses said to Israel: “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (Deut. 30:19); “By faith Moses . . . refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Heb. 11:24,25); “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17). There is no doubt, however, that God has foreknowledge, as the following passages show: “I am God . . . there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure” (Isa. 46:9,10); “But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all His prophets, that Christ should suffer, He hath so fulfilled” (Acts 3:18). Moreover, God does not just declare what will happen, He causes it to happen, as the following passages show: “fear thou not, O My servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid” (Jer. 30:10); “against Thy holy child Jesus, whom Thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever Thy hand and Thy counsel determined before to be done” (Acts 4:27,28). The question is, Does God do this on an individual basis?

God’s covenant with Noah and his descendants God’s covenant with Noah after the Flood guarantees that all flesh will not again be destroyed by a flood: “I will establish My covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth” (Gen. 9:11). The token of this covenant is the rainbow. It may be that the rainbow had not been seen before the Flood. But whether it had or not, the significant point is that “the bow shall be in the cloud; and I [God] will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth” (v. 16). Noah saved by faith and works God spared Noah, “a just man and perfect in his generations” who “walked with God” (6:9). Although a man of outstanding character, whose name is linked with Daniel and Job as a righteous man (Ezek. 14:14,20), Noah was required to believe God’s warning about the impending Flood and to prepare an ark to escape from its devastation (Gen. 6:14): “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” (Heb. 11:7). The Flood—a figure of salvation through faith and baptism The Ark, built by Noah in faithful response to God’s warning, became the means of salvation from the Flood. Being in the Ark, shut in by God, was the only way to be saved from the catastrophe that engulfed that civilisation. Peter uses this event to represent the way of salvation available today, through belief, baptism and faithful way of life: “the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 3:20,21). Just as Noah responded to God, so too men and women are required to believe God’s Word. The resulting baptism is thus more than a wash; it becomes “the answer of a good conscience towards God”. Like Noah, believers will continue to live their lives by God’s standards. The Flood—a warning to us of God’s judgements to come Jesus likened the state of society at the time of his return to that in Noah’s time (Mt. 24:37-39; Lk. 17:26,27). That society was violent, godless, and concerned only with day-to-day material activities. Peter warned that people would wilfully ignore the fact that God had destroyed the world in Noah’s day, despite its witness to a God of judgement, Who intends to “judge the world in righteousness” by Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:5-7; Acts 17:31). He further warns, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night . . .” (2 Pet. 3:9,10). Those who heed the warning of the Flood will, “according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (v. 13). ------- This leaflet is produced by The Testimony Magazine, 26 Tiercel Avenue, Norwich NR7 8JN, to encourage personal and ecclesial study of Bible principles. Further copying for distribution is encouraged. http://www.testimony-magazine.org TheFlood.pdf

BASIC BIBLE PRINCIPLES THE FLOOD “God . . . spared not the old world, but saved Noah . . . a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly” (2 Pet. 2:4,5). “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” (Lk. 17:26,27). The Flood—a real historical event The Bible always speaks of the Flood as a real historical event, which has lessons for succeeding generations. It was a dramatic Divine judgement on a totally godless, wicked world. Noah’s contemporary world is described thus: the world of the ungodly (2 Pet. 2:5) all flesh had corrupted His (God’s) way upon the earth (Gen. 6:12) the earth was filled with violence (v. 11) the wickedness of man was great in the earth . . . every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (v. 5; cf. Job 22:15-17) society was wholly preoccupied with everyday activities (Mt. 24:37-39; Lk. 17:26,27). There are references in ancient literature to a flood which destroyed all human life except one man and his family, the best known being the Babylonian Gilgamesh Epic. The Flood—totally destroyed Noah’s contemporaries The Divine judgement destroyed the world of Noah’s day completely. God promised it: “behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die” (Gen. 6:17); “every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth” (7:4). God carried out His word: “And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: all in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died” (vv. 21,22). Peter reminds us of the fact: “. . . the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished” (2 Pet. 3:6). The Ark was a very large structure, much bigger than Noah and his family needed for their own safety. God used it to house the animals and birds that would otherwise have perished but would be needed to replenish the earth after the Flood had receded.

Keeping in fellowship Baptized believers continue in fellowship by regularly partaking of bread and wine as a continued act of association with Christ’s work of salvation. Those baptized on the Day of bread, and in prayers”, “breaking bread from house to house” (Acts 2:42,46). The Apostle Paul writes: “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread” (1 Cor. 10:16,17). The word translated ‘communion’ is also translated ‘fellowship’; believers renew their fellowship with Christ and with one another by partaking of the emblems together. Believers also retain fellowship by holding fast to the apostolic teaching they believed at their baptism, and behaving in ways appropriate for those who are Christ’s. Those who cease to do these things are no longer truly in fellowship: “If we say that we have fellowship with Him [God], and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth” (1 Jno. 1:6). Doing the truth implies both believing the true doctrines taught by the apostles and following a way of life in accordance with them. Nevertheless, through weakness all sin, and for those who “walk in the light . . . the blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth [them] from all sin” (v. 7). Keeping in fellowship also involves keeping separate from those who are in darkness. In 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Paul, writing to those who had come away from idol worship, sets down principles of separation based upon baptized believers being God’s people, saying, “what communion hath light with darkness?”, where ‘communion’ is the word for ‘fellowship’. Maintaining true fellowship Certain practical steps are needed in order to maintain true fellowship. The main ones are: Ensuring that those who are baptized know and believe the doctrines taught by the apostles. This involves careful instruction from the Scriptures, and an interview to confirm that these doctrines, and the way of life which should follow, are known and understood. Having a common understanding of what the doctrines taught by the apostles actually are, the document containing this understanding being called ‘The Statement of Faith’. Agreeing that certain things are incompatible with being in true fellowship, for example involvement in military service or politics, or wrong behaviour towards others. Expecting that those who are baptized become members of an ecclesia which accepts the above principles before they can break bread. Ensuring that those who cease to “walk in the light” because of wrong beliefs or behaviour are no longer permitted to break bread with the ecclesia. The above things represent our best attempts to maintain true fellowship, but do not always operate perfectly due to human weakness. The responsibilities of fellowship The fellowship which brethren and sisters have together is truly a wonderful thing, uniting believers from all parts of the world, from all walks of life and of all ages and both sexes. This special relationship of believers one with another brings with it responsibilities towards each other. The Greek word translated ‘fellowship’ and connected words are translated in a number of other ways, some of which illustrate these responsibilities. Here are some examples: “ye [the Philippian ecclesia] have well done, that ye did communicate with my [Paul’s] affliction” (Phil. 4:14); “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Heb. 13:16); “. . . distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality” (Rom. 12:13); “. . . your [the Corinthian ecclesia’s] liberal distribution unto them [the needy Jerusalem ecclesia], and unto all men” (2 Cor. 9:13). ------- This leaflet is produced by The Testimony Magazine, 26 Tiercel Avenue, Norwich NR7 8JN, to encourage personal and ecclesial study of Bible principles. Further copying for distribution is encouraged. http://www.testimony-magazine.org fellowship.pdf

BASIC BIBLE PRINCIPLES FELLOWSHIP We are told in Acts 2 that the 3,000 who were baptized on the Day of Pentecost “continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (v. 42). From the beginning of the first-century ecclesia there was such a thing as fellowship amongst believers; but what was it? The original Greek comes from a word meaning ‘common’, and fellowship therefore refers to believers having things in common, sharing together. But what do believers have in common? It is, of course, the things that they believe. Notice that doctrine precedes fellowship in the above statement; believers have fellowship with each other on the basis of agreed doctrines. These doctrines are not originated by man; it is the apostles’ doctrine which unites believers together, that is, the things the apostles taught, as revealed to them by the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Fellowship with God and Christ 1 John 1 adds another dimension to the idea of fellowship, speaking of believers having fellowship with God and Christ. The Apostle John says, referring to his apostolic ministry to declare the truth concerning Jesus Christ: “that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (v. 3). In this chapter the fellowship that a believer has is depicted as being fourfold: “with the Father” “with His Son Jesus” “with us [the apostles]” “one with another” (v. 7). Fellowship here comes from acceptance of the teaching of the apostles. Those who accept that teaching enter a special relationship with God though Jesus Christ. All who do this are in fellowship with each other. Entry into fellowship How does a person come to have fellowship in these ways? At Pentecost it was those who believed the teaching of Peter, and responded to his appeal to repent and be baptized, who were in the apostles’ fellowship. By baptism a person becomes associated with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is consequently forgiven his or her sins, and stands in a new relationship with God and Christ (Col. 2:13,14). This relationship with Christ through belief and baptism is central to the idea of fellowship. There is a unity between Christ and his believers which is expressed in a number of different ways in Scripture; for example: Believers are “one in Christ”, and thus part of the seed of Abraham and inheritors of the promises made to him (Gal. 3:26-29) Christ and the believers are collectively considered as one person, with Christ as the head and believers as the body (Eph. 1:22,23) Christ is “the true vine” and believers are “branches” (Jno. 15:1-6)

Faith and works Though we are saved by faith, not by works, true faith does not exist apart from works: “faith without works is dead” (Jas. 2:20). This means no more than that if we really believe something to be true then we act on it. Abraham believed that God had the power to bring the dead to life, so he was prepared to sacrifice Isaac when God asked him to; Rahab believed that God was with Israel, and was prepared to help the Israelite spies (Jas. 2:21-26). Hebrews 11 is full of examples of people whose faith caused them to act; read carefully this chapter and note such words as ‘offered’, ‘prepared’, ‘went’, ‘blessed’, and so on. We cannot say we have faith yet take no action. Declaring our belief in Christ is insufficient; association with him in baptism is required. Declaring our belief in God’s Kingdom is insufficient; we must try to live as would-be citizens of it now. Abraham and faith Abraham is presented in Scripture as the great example of faith. “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness”, was declared of Abraham when he believed God’s promises, and is quoted of him three times in the New Testament (Gen. 15:6; Rom. 4:3; Gal. 3:6; Jas. 2:23). The life of Abraham shows that he constantly believed God’s promises, and based his life on them: leaving his home to go to Canaan in the belief that he would inherit it for ever; believing that God would give him and Sarah a son, even when it was humanly impossible; even being prepared to sacrifice that son at God’s command. The life of Abraham also illustrates the development of faith. When God counted Abraham as righteous because of his faith he was about eighty (cf. Gen. 16:16). James says that when Abraham was prepared to offer up Isaac he was showing that his faith was perfect (mature, or complete), and Genesis 15:6 was fulfilled (Jas. 2:22,23). By this time he was well over 100. His faith had developed to maturity over the years. Justification by faith Justification means ‘counting as righteous’. God says that, though we are sinners, He will count us as being righteous if we truly have faith, just as he counted Abraham as righteous through his faith (Rom. 4:3-5). Note the constant recurrence of ‘count’, ‘reckon’ and ‘impute’ in Romans 4—all the same Greek word. Trust and faithfulness Though faith Biblically is synonymous with belief, ‘belief’ in normal English usage is perhaps too weak a term to convey fully the Biblical idea of faith. Perhaps we might like to think of faith as believing what God has said and trusting in Him to carry it out; or as not only initially believing in what God has said, but remaining basically faithful to that belief all our lives, in the face of difficulties, and despite times of doubt and sinfulness. Such ideas give a deeper meaning to this vital concept of faith. ------- This leaflet is produced by The Testimony Magazine, 26 Tiercel Avenue, Norwich NR7 8JN, to encourage personal and ecclesial study of Bible principles. Further copying for distribution is encouraged. http://www.testimony-magazine.org faith.pdf

BASIC BIBLE PRINCIPLES FAITH Scripture is clear—we are saved from sin and death because of our faith, not through any deeds that we do. Eternal life is God’s gift, it cannot be earned. “By grace [that is, an undeserved gift] are ye saved through faith” (Eph. 2:8); “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:28). What is faith? Faith is synonymous in Scripture with belief; to have faith is to believe. It is therefore not a mysterious quality which people possess. The faith that saves is, however, not belief in just anything, but in what God has declared in the Scriptures—in particular, what He has said He will do. Note how faith and belief are synonymous in the following passage: “But without faith it is impossible to please [God]: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6). What must we believe? The things God wants us to believe are what He has revealed in the Bible, summarised as “the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12). God not only purposes to set up His Kingdom on earth, He has made it possible for sinful humans to live for ever in it by the work of Jesus Christ. This is the essence of what we must believe. How do we obtain faith? Faith is not given to us by God, it is our response to God. We cannot, because of our weak natures, perfectly obey God, but we can at least believe what He has revealed to us in His Word. We cannot believe what we do not know, however; hence “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). It was necessary first for God to give His Word; then we must hearken to it and believe it. Developing faith Faith does not come in an instant, however; it develops. We can think of three stages in developing faith: The wonder and variety of the natural world should lead us to believe in the existence of a supreme Being Who created it. Fulfilled prophecy should convince us that the Bible is uniquely the Word of this supreme Being so that we read it and believe it. If we continue to read the Scriptures, we will recognise more and more their internal harmony and consistency, and the influence they have on us, and so grow in our faith. Also, our awareness of the hand of God at work in our lives and in the world will grow, and with this too our faith will grow.

Ecclesial life A central aspect of ecclesial life is remembering the sacrifice of Christ by breaking bread and drinking wine, usually “upon the first day of the week” (Acts 20:7). The meeting on the first day of the week is also an appropriate time when collections can be taken (1 Cor. 16:2). When we meet together we should also exhort one another: “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb. 10:25). Another Old Testament word which matches with ekklēsia is the Hebrew word miqra. This word is made up of the Hebrew words for ‘out’ and ‘called’, as found in “and called My son out of Egypt” (Hos. 11:1). Strong’s Concordance defines it as meaning, ‘something called out’. It is translated ‘convocation’ (Ex. 12:16), ‘assemblies’ (Isa. 1:13) and ‘reading’ (Neh. 8:8). In Nehemiah 8:8 the Hebrew is better translated ‘in convocation’ or ‘in assembly’. This assembly in Nehemiah 8 provides us with an example of the kind of things an ecclesia should do when it meets together: gather together as one (v. 1) read the Word of God (v. 3) worship God (v. 6) expound the Word (v. 7) teach (v. 9) have joy in understanding the Word (v. 12). Other points When a member of the ecclesia persists in wrong behaviour then he or she should be withdrawn from: “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us” (2 Thess. 3:6). The letters to the seven ecclesias in Revelation provide us with much instruction and warning for ecclesial life. The ecclesias varied in their spiritual health. For example, the Ephesians were commended for their works, labour, patience, refusal to bear evil, and their hatred of things which Christ hated, although they had left their “first love” (Rev. 2:2-6). But the Laodiceans were rebuked for being materially rich but spiritually “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (3:17). ------- This leaflet is produced by The Testimony Magazine, 26 Tiercel Avenue, Norwich NR7 8JN, to encourage personal and ecclesial study of Bible principles. Further copying for distribution is encouraged. http://www.testimony-magazine.org TheEcclesia.pdf

BASIC BIBLE PRINCIPLES THE ECCLESIA Ekklēsia is a Greek word which occurs over one hundred times in the New Testament. It is usually translated ‘church’ or ‘churches’. The word comes from two words: ek (‘out of’) and kaleō (‘called’). The two words occur separately in the following quotation: “Out of Egypt have I called My son” (Mt. 2:15). The ecclesia is a group of people who have been ‘called out’. Usually the word is used of the believers in Christ who have been called out from the world to be a people for their God, but it is also used of Israel in the wilderness (Acts 7:38) and of the “assembly” of Diana worshippers in Ephesus who gathered at the theatre (19:32,39,41). Particular ecclesias and the ecclesia in general To avoid confusion with the way the world uses the word ‘church’, Christadelphians usually use the word ‘ecclesia’. In this leaflet ‘ecclesia’ is used instead of ‘church’ in quotations from the New Testament AV. Ecclesia can refer to groups of believers in specific locations: “the ecclesia which was at Jerusalem” (Acts 8:1); “the ecclesia that is in their house” (Rom. 16:5); “the ecclesia of the Laodiceans” (Col. 4:16); “the ecclesia of the Thessalonians” (1 Thess. 1:1). Ecclesia can also refer to the believers as a whole: “upon this rock I will build my ecclesia” (Mt. 16:18); “I persecuted the ecclesia of God” (1 Cor. 15:9); “concerning Christ and the ecclesia” (Eph. 5:32). The ecclesia and the promises In Hebrews 2:12 the writer quotes from Psalm 22:22. The Greek word ekklēsia is used to translate the Hebrew word qahal (‘congregation’). So qahal is an Old Testament word for ecclesia. The first occurrence of qahal is in Genesis 28, where it is translated ‘multitude’: “And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people” (v. 3). Thus the ecclesia has its roots in the promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Later on in Genesis 28, Jacob set up a stone as a pillar and called it “God’s house” (v. 22). Paul alludes to this in writing to Timothy, when he likens the ecclesia to a house and a pillar: “. . . the house of God, which is the ecclesia of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:15). The ecclesia and Christ The ecclesia is likened to a body with Christ as the head: “And he is the head of the body, the ecclesia” (Col. 1:18); “Now ye [the ecclesia] are the body of Christ, and members in particular” (1 Cor. 12:27). Just as a body has many different parts, each with its own function, so the ecclesia is made up of many brethren and sisters, each with their own role: “If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him” (vv. 17,18). As parts of this body, brethren and sisters should avoid schisms (divisions), and “care one for another” (v. 25). In Ephesians 5 the ecclesia is likened to a bride with Christ as the bridegroom. The husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the ecclesia (v. 23). Wives should be subject to their husbands just as the ecclesia is subject to Christ (v. 24). Christ loves the ecclesia as a husband should love his wife; such is his love that he gave himself for the ecclesia (v. 25). The bride is to be cleansed by “the washing of water by the word” (v. 26), and so the Word of God should play a central part in the life of an ecclesia.

BASIC BIBLE PRINCIPLES DUAL FULFILMENT OF PROPHECY About one-third of the Bible is prophecy. Much of it has more than one fulfilment. Are there any principles which help us in seeing how a prophecy might be fulfilled more than once? Here are three ways in which Bible prophecies can be fulfilled more than once. A typical fulfilment first Some Bible prophecies have their complete fulfilment in the long term, but in the short term there is a partial fulfilment in events which are types of the complete fulfilment. Example. The promises to David are quoted with reference to Solomon; compare 1 Chronicles 17:12,13 with 22:9,10. This is because Solomon’s reign was a type of Christ’s Kingdom; compare 1 Kings 4:25 with prophecies of the Kingdom in Jeremiah 23:6 and Micah 4:4. However, their complete fulfilment comes with Christ; see Luke 1:32,33 and Acts 13:33. Other examples. Micah 4,5 was initially fulfilled by Hezekiah in relation to the Assyrian invasion, but will be more completely fulfilled by Christ setting up the Kingdom. Some features of Psalm 72 were fulfilled by Solomon’s kingdom, but the psalm will be completely fulfilled in the future reign of Christ. A typical fulfilment later Some Bible prophecies are fulfilled completely initially but this fulfilment is typical of something greater to come. Example. Isaiah 17 was fulfilled in the Assyrian invasion in Hezekiah’s time, culminating in the destruction of the Assyrian host (v. 14). Yet this fulfilment is also typical of the host which invades the land at the time of Christ’s return, and is destroyed. Other examples. Jeremiah 50 and 51 are prophetic of the overthrow of the kingdom of Babylon, but the extensive use of the language of these chapters in Revelation 17 and 18 shows that this overthrow was typical of the overthrow of spiritual Babylon at Christ’s return. Psalm 41 (not strictly prophecy) is about David’s experiences in the revolt of Absalom, but his betrayal by Ahithophel is typical of Judas’s betrayal of Christ(v. 9, quoted in John 13:18). Prophecies fulfilled on a number of occasions Some Bible prophecies are fulfilled on several occasions because of situations which keep occurring. Example. Deuteronomy 28:49 prophesies of “a nation . . . from far” which God would send against Israel if they forsook Him. Note how the terms of this verse were fulfilled by Assyria (Isa. 5:26; 33:19; Hos. 8:1) and Babylon (Jer. 4:13; 5:15) as well as Rome (Mt. 24:28). Other examples. Cannibalism, prophesied in Leviticus 26:29, is recorded in both 2 Kgs. 6:26-31 and Lamentations 4:10, and according to Josephus occurred in A.D. 70. The opposition to Christ by rulers foretold in Psalm 2:1-3 occurred at his birth (Mt. 2) and his crucifixion (Acts 4:25-28), and will occur at his Second Coming (Rev. 17:12-14)and at the end of the Millennium (20:7-10). ------- This leaflet is produced by The Testimony Magazine, 26 Tiercel Avenue, Norwich NR7 8JN, to encourage personal and ecclesial study of Bible principles. Further copying for distribution is encouraged. http://www.testimony-magazine.org prophecy.pdf

How old is the universe? Scripture gives no clear answer to this question. Some believe the heaven and earth to be ancient, already in existence when the six days of Creation began. In this view the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters 6,000 years ago to fit the earth for living organisms to live in. Others believe that the entire universe was created in the six days, and that the universe, including the earth, is therefore young, only 6,000 years old. Both views have fervent adherents who can set forth evidence to support their respective standpoints. In the absence of clear Scripture teaching there is liberty for difference of opinion, much as there was in the first century over keeping or not keeping special days, or eating meats or not. We must be prepared to be open-minded about the age of the heaven and earth, and have respect for those whose views differ from our own. Creation, not evolution Science can be rightly used to give glory to the Creator. Great scientists such as Isaac Newton, Michael Faraday and Ernst Chain believed the Genesis account and worshipped the Creator. The theory of evolution, however, introduces a denial of God as the Creator of life. The theory is plainly contrary to Bible teaching, and we must reject evolution on Scriptural grounds. But there are also several scientific objections to evolution. The powerful witness of the creation to its Maker Throughout Scripture we are encouraged to see the greatness and complexity of creation as a witness to the power and wisdom of God, in contrast to the puniness of man: “Where wast thou [Job] when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding” (Job 38:4; see also the whole of this chapter) “I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well” (Ps. 139:14) “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead” (Rom. 1:20). Even in its present cursed condition creation silently witnesses to God’s power and wisdom, His love of variety and His great generosity. The evidence is there for all to see, particularly today when, by means of powerful microscopes, telescopes and other techniques, we are privileged to know more of the Creator’s handiwork than in any previous age. The spiritual creation The natural creation foreshadows God’s spiritual creation which takes place over a period of 7,000 years. The millennial Kingdom is described as a sabbath rest in Hebrews 4:9 (mg.), which lasts for the final thousand years of this 7,000-year period (Rev. 20:2-7). It is termed by Isaiah and Peter “new heavens and a new earth” (Isa. 65:17,18; 2 Pet. 3:13). God’s faithful servants undergo renewal (Ps. 51:10; 2 Cor. 5:17; Gal. 6:15) after the pattern of the man Jesus Christ, who is called the first-born of this new creation (Col. 1:15,16). This new creation will ultimately bring pleasure and glory to the great Creator. May we remember our Creator and obey His Word, so that we become part of that blessed and glorious creation which the Almighty will once again pronounce “very good”. ------- This leaflet is produced by The Testimony Magazine, 26 Tiercel Avenue, Norwich NR7 8JN, to encourage personal and ecclesial study of Bible principles. Further copying for distribution is encouraged. http://www.testimony-magazine.org creation.pdf

BASIC BIBLE PRINCIPLES CREATION God the Creator The Bible opens with God describing His creation of the heaven and the earth, and throughout the rest of the Scriptures His supreme position as the Creator and Sustainer of the universe is set before us. God is from everlasting to everlasting, all-powerful and all-wise, a living God Who takes care of, and delights in, all that He has made: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1) “When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained . . .” (Ps. 8:3) “He hath made the earth by His power, He hath established the world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by His discretion” (Jer. 10:12) “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them” (Mt. 6:26) “Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created” (Rev. 4:11). Jesus and the apostles endorse the Genesis Creation account Every major detail of the Genesis Creation is confirmed by the preaching of Jesus and the apostles in the New Testament. We cannot believe some things in Genesis but reject others. We must take our stand with Jesus and accept the Creation account given to us in Genesis. The seven days of Creation (Heb. 4:4) The creation of Adam and Eve (Mt. 19:4; Mk. 10:6; Lk. 3:38; 1 Cor. 15:45; Jude v. 14) Adam made in the Creator’s image (1 Cor. 11:7; Jas. 3:9) Adam made from the dust of the earth (1 Cor. 15:47) Adam first formed, then Eve (1 Cor. 11:8,9; 1 Tim. 2:13). Adam was created about 6,000 years ago A study of the Bible records of the ages of the men living before and after the Flood (Gen. 5 and 11), the 430 years of Exodus 12:40, the 480 years of 1 Kings 6:1, and the lengths of the reigns of the kings of Israel and Judah, enables us to calculate how long ago Adam and Eve were created. Such a study leads to the conclusion that today (A.D. 1999) we are living approxi-mately 6,000 years after. Other studies lead to the same conclusion. Genealogies are given in Genesis, 1 Chronicles 1 and Luke 3. These enable us to trace the descendants of Adam, and in particular give us the pedigree of the Lord Jesus Christ. The unbroken line of descent from Adam to Christ places a limit on how far back Creation can be dated. The number of generations is compatible with Adam being created 6,000 years ago. Thirdly, there is evidence that God’s overall plan and purpose with the earth spans 7,000 years, with 6,000 years of spiritual creation and development followed by 1,000 years of completion and rest in the Kingdom (Heb. 4:4,9; Rev. 20:2-7).

Christening, infant baptism and the Baptists The Greek words for baptize and baptism mean being fully immersed. There is no suggestion in Scripture of baptism being a sprinkling with water. There are several passages that describe or imply bodily immersion; for instance, Matthew 3:16; John 3:23; Acts 8:38. Infant baptism was first heard of in the days of Tertullian (A.D. 200), who vigorously opposed the practice. The rite of infant sprinkling dates back to pagan Roman customs, when babies were sprinkled with holy water and named. Like many other pagan ideas, this rite of infant baptism was gradually superimposed on Christian teaching (2 Tim. 4:3,4). Infant baptism belongs to the apostate church. When the sect called the Baptists came into existence in the seventeenth century they believed the promises made to David, and looked forward to God’s Kingdom on earth, immersing only adult believers. Today, many Baptist churches believe in such doctrines as heaven-going, the Trinity and a supernatural devil, having abandoned their earlier Scriptural beliefs, and some do not even insist on total immersion, but sprinkle with water. The symbolic meaning of baptism Baptism is a symbol of sacrifice and of resurrection. Sacrifice always involves death. Baptism into Christ links us with his death, which destroyed “the body of sin” (Rom. 6:3,6). Baptism signifies death to the former way of life, enslaved to sin, and the commencement of a new life enslaved to Christ (vv. 4-13). Baptism also identifies us with Christ’s death and resurrection (v. 5), that we might one day inherit eternal life in the Kingdom (v. 23; Isa. 26:19). Baptism changes our position before God When, after a good confession of the one faith (Acts 8:37; Rom. 10:10; Eph. 4:5), a true baptism takes place, Scripture teaches that our past sins are forgiven us, for Christ’s sake (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 22:16; 1 Cor. 6:11; Col. 2:11,12). We become “a new creature”, as Paul teaches (2 Cor. 5:17). We become the children of God, and heirs of the life-saving promises made to Abraham (Gal. 3:26-29). We have access to God through Christ in prayer, being no longer “children of wrath” and alienated from God (Eph. 2:1-3,12,13). At what age should baptism take place? All the Scriptural examples are of persons capable of believing the gospel, defined as “the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ” (Mk. 16:16; Acts 8:12). Passages such as Colossians 3 set out the responsibility to lead godly, obedient lives which falls upon those who have “risen with Christ” (v. 1). The age a person is baptized will depend therefore on his or her maturity and understanding. All baptisms, of young or old, will be preceded by repentance (Mt. 4:17; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30; 2 Pet. 3:9). Some crisis of the mind will trigger the realisation that we must be baptized, as this is the will of God, and that only in Christ can we be saved (Acts 4:12). All manner of circumstances, people or events can lead to this crisis of mind. If we have not already been baptized, may we respond to the call of Peter, as 3,000 did on the day of Pentecost, to “Save [ourselves] from this untoward generation” (Acts 2:40). ------- This leaflet is produced by The Testimony Magazine, 26 Tiercel Avenue, Norwich NR7 8JN, to encourage personal and ecclesial study of Bible principles. Further copying for distribution is encouraged. http://www.testimony-magazine.org baptism.pdf

BASIC BIBLE PRINCIPLES BAPTISM — ESSENTIAL FOR SALVATION “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 3:21). In the passage quoted above, the saving of Noah in the Ark of refuge which he built is likened to baptism. The water saved Noah and his family because it lifted them above the destruction that swept away the ungodly world in which he lived. The waters of baptism can save us from the judgements that Christ will shortly bring upon all the wickedness of the age we live in (1 Pet. 3:20; Mt. 24:37). Baptism in Scripture Baptism is first mentioned in Scripture in relation to John the Baptist’s ministry (Mt. 3:5,6,11). His baptism was one of repentance (this means a change of heart, leading to a changed way of life). It anticipated the baptism of the Lord Jesus and was intended to prepare the Jewish people to believe in Christ (Acts 19:4,5). Israel had already been nationally baptized into Moses when they crossed the Red Sea (1 Cor. 10:2), but now Christ commissioned the apostles to baptize individual believers of the gospel, both Jew and Gentile, into his name (Mt. 28:19,20; Mk. 16:16). Baptism into Christ identifies believers with the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ, which, having been accomplished, render this baptism of more significance than either Moses’ or John’s baptisms, which it replaced (Rom. 6:3-6; Acts 2:37, 38). The need for correct belief Jesus said in Mark 16:16: “He that believeth [the gospel] and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned [condemned]”. Belief of the one gospel (Gal. 1:6-9; 3:7-9,26-29) and baptism are both necessary. The Acts of the Apostles gives us several impressive examples of correct belief preceding baptism: Acts 2:14-41 - Jerusalem Jews on the day of Pentecost Acts 8:12 - The Samaritans Acts 8:27-39 - The Ethiopian Eunuch Acts 10:1,2,34-48 - Cornelius and his companions Acts 16:14-34 - Lydia and the Philippian jailor and his family Acts 19:1-5 - The Ephesian disciples of John the Baptist Are there any exceptions? There is no record in Scripture of the repentant thief on the cross (Lk. 23:40-43) being baptized. Jesus promised he would be in the Kingdom. But he might have been baptized earlier by either John or the disciples of the Lord (Jno. 4:1,2). But the example of Christ must be our guide. He said, on the occasion of his baptism: “thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness” (Mt. 3:15). There can be no exceptions; all who wish to be saved must believe and be baptized.

Directing the affairs of the nations It is very clear from Scripture that the angels had a direct influence on the events concerning the nation of Israel, and in so doing affected lives and events in many other nations. This was done by both direct and indirect action, such as slaying an army as it slept in tents around Jerusalem, or changing weather patterns to bring about droughts, famines or floods. Rulers and governments are removed or installed, or influenced to react in certain ways, to the end that ultimately God’s will is fulfilled. This has been the case since the beginning of time, and the book of Revelation emphasises that it will continue until God’s Kingdom is established. The example of the scattering of Israel and then the regathering and subsequent establishment in the land is a clear witness to the work of the angels in this present day. Bible prophecy is dependent on angelic involvement. (Isa. 37:36; Job 37:12,13; Ps. 148:7, 8; Dan. 4:25,35; 10:13,21; Rev. 7:1-3; 8:2-6; 16:1) Ministering to the saints The care of the believer, and the moulding of the believer’s character through the experiences and events of his or her life, are important parts of the work of the angels. To them is given the responsibility, under the direction of Christ and his heavenly Father, of preparing the saints for the Kingdom. The psalmist came to understand that all his thoughts, words and actions were observed by the angels, communicated to God, and the events in his life influenced by them. The same was true for men such as Jacob, Daniel and Paul. Angels are acting on behalf of heaven with those called to be saints. Their function is to “minister” to us, to “encamp . . . round about” us, and to “keep [us] in all [our] ways”. They do not remove our free will, but strive to influence us in the ways of God. They are involved with our prayers, while remaining unseen, so that our faith might be developed as required by our heavenly Father. They will chasten and prove us as necessary. In this present life the believer is brought into the presence of “an innumerable company of angels”. (Gen. 28:12; 45:7; 48:15,16; Ps. 34:6,7; 91:11; Dan. 6:22; Acts 10:1-8; 27:23; Heb. 1:14; 12:22) Summary of the angels’ work This world is under the direction of the angels, and they are overseeing the work of drawing all nations to Jerusalem. Often in the New Testament their activities are described as the work of the Spirit—as in the case of Philip (Acts 8:26,29) and in the imparting of the Holy Spirit to the apostles (Ps. 104:4; Acts 2:2-4). They are involved in the lives of believers, exercising care over them. They will be involved in the judgement, with the raising of the dead and the gathering of the living saints to Christ. They rejoice in the purpose of God and in the fulfilment of His will, and joyfully praise His great and holy Name. They obey the Creator, and it will be the privilege of the faithful to be like them in the Kingdom age. (Ps. 103:20; Mt. 16:27; 24:31; 25:31; 1 Thess. 4:16; Heb. 2:5) ------- This leaflet is produced by The Testimony Magazine, 26 Tiercel Avenue, Norwich NR7 8JN, to encourage personal and ecclesial study of Bible principles. Further copying for distribution is encouraged. http://www.testimony-magazine.org angels.pdf

BASIC BIBLE PRINCIPLES ANGELS “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Heb. 1:14). From Genesis to Revelation, the Scriptures are full of the work of the angels. The first and last books of the Bible, in particular, show us angels dealing with individuals and nations; but they are featured throughout the whole of Scripture because this is the way God has chosen to work with His creation and to fulfil His purpose. This world is under the direction of the angels, who now receive their authority and power from Christ; and this will remain so until the Kingdom is established, when Christ and the saints will rule. The work of the angels can be divided into three sections: Representing God (Ex. 3:1-6) Directing the nations (Dan. 4:35) Ministering to the saints (Heb. 1:14) These have been their responsibilities since the Garden of Eden. The Hebrew word (malak) and the Greek word (aggelos) for ’angel’ both mean ‘messenger’, ‘one sent’, and relate to the function and not the nature of the one involved. The context and event will identify whether Scripture is describing a messenger who is a Divine being or a human being. For example, Malachi 2:7; 3:1 and James 2:25 clearly use these words of human beings, and Judges 13:20 and Acts 12:7 clearly use them of Divine beings. Hence in the first case the translation ‘messenger’ is used, and in the second, ‘angel’. Angels that excel in strength These Divine beings that come from the presence of God and Christ have been involved with this earth since they created it on the instructions of God. They are immortal, not influenced by evil, and carry out the commands of God and Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit which has been given to them. They have the ability to appear and disappear at will, and can manifest themselves as human beings or glorious beings, as a burning bush or a hand that writes on a wall, or a pillar of cloud or fire. The Scripture shows us that they have names, for angels called Gabriel and Michael are mentioned, and that they have different ranks, for some are called archangels. (Dan. 10:13,21; 12:1; 1 Thess. 4:16; Jude v. 9; Ex. 3:2; Judg. 13) Representing God In the Old Testament there is the Name-bearing angel that represents God. On occasions the angel is referred to as LORD (Yahweh), on other occasions as God. The word ‘God’ is often used of the angels; the plural Hebrew word elohim means ‘mighty ones’. It was the angels (‘God’; elohim) that said: “Let us make man in our image” (Gen. 1:26). It was an angel that spoke to Moses at the burning bush and said: “I am the God of thy father . . .”; and in the same passage we read: “And when the LORD [Yahweh] saw that he [Moses] turned aside . . .”, which teaches us that God was being represented by this angel. Jesus has now become the one who represents his Father, and the angels go forth under his command and in his power. (Ex. 3:1-6; 23:20-23; Heb. 1:1-5; 1 Pet. 3:22; Rev. 1:1) This post has been promoted to an article

La Bible à la fenêtre On ne saurait vous dire que vous serez capable d’imiter ceux qui opèrent des miracles de nos jours, ou même les apôtres et les anciens grands hommes de Dieu. Nous ne sommes pas au temps des « visions fréquentes » (1 Samuel 3.1). Car l’apôtre du Seigneur a dit lui-même que ces signes n’étaient que pour un temps : L’amour ne périt jamais. Les prophéties prendront fin (Segond), les langues cesseront, la connaissance disparaîtra » (1 Corinthiens 13.8). Le pouvoir de Dieu travaille encore, mais de façon moins évidente. Si vous avez la foi comme celle de Moïse et des apôtres, ou de chacun de ceux qui sont cités dans Hébreux 11, vous n’aurez pas peur des puissances des ténèbres, de la puissance du péché, du serpent. Vous pouvez vaincre grâce au sacrifice de Jésus-Christ (Apocalypse 12.11). J’ai une amie croyante, une sœur en Christ. C’est une femme d’une foi indomptable. Quand elle comprit le vrai enseignement de la Bible et qu’elle décida de se faire baptiser, son conjoint s’y opposa et l’abandonna avec tous ses enfants. Un sorcier s’engagea à l’ensorceler. Elle habitait un appartement interdit aux chrétiens. On la menaçait, se moquait d’elle et l’abusait. Chez elle il y avait une petite fenêtre, et elle réagissait en y exposant visiblement sa Bible. C’était il y a quinze ans, et elle continue à se réjouir dans la vérité. Elle ne connaît pas la peur. C’est une des plus heureuses femmes que j’ai jamais rencontrées. Si vous pouviez l’interroger, elle vous dirait que son passage préféré de la Bible est la suivante : « Qui nous séparera de l’amour de Christ ? Sera-ce la tribulation, ou l’angoisse, ou la persécution, ou la faim, ou la nudité, ou le péril, ou l’épée ? […] Car j’ai l’assurance que ni la mort ni la vie, ni les anges ni les dominations, ni les choses présentes ni les choses à venir, ni les puissances, ni la hauteur ni la profondeur, ni aucune autre créature ne pourra nous séparer de l’amour de Dieu manifesté en Jésus-Christ notre Seigneur » (Romains 8.35 39). Et elle ajouterait que vous aussi, vous connaîtrez la vraie joie comme elle, si vous êtes prêt à accepter le message de l’Évangile. La fin du serpent Quand l’Éternel envoya des serpents brûlants contre le peuple d’Israël dans le désert, souvenez-vous, ceux qui avaient été mordus ne guérissaient que quand ils regardaient le serpent d’airain que Moïse avait placé sur une perche devant eux. Bien sûr, ils moururent tous après, suite à d’autres causes, car ils avaient été guéris de la maladie seulement, et non du péché et de la mort. Mais le Seigneur Jésus reprend pour nous la même histoire, en disant : « Comme Moïse éleva le serpent dans le désert, il faut de même que le Fils de l’homme soit élevé, afin que quiconque croit en lui ait la vie éternelle. Car Dieu a tant aimé le monde qu’il a donné son Fils unique, afin que quiconque croit en lui ne périsse point mais qu’il ait la vie éternelle » (Jean 3.14 16). Voici comment la puissance du serpent est détruite : quand le Seigneur Jésus-Christ accepta d’être crucifié après une vie sans péché, il éloigna de lui une fois pour toutes la puissance du péché. Il fut rendu parfait par la mort (Luc 13.32 ; Hébreux 2.10 ; 5.9 ; 7.28), toutes les impulsions du péché étant détruites par sa soumission volontaire à la croix. Et sa victoire est une victoire pour nous tous : « Ainsi donc, puisque les enfants participent au sang et à la chair, il y a également participé lui-même, afin que par la mort, il anéantît (Segond) celui qui avait la puissance de la mort, c’est à dire le diable ; ainsi il délivre tous ceux qui, par crainte de la mort, étaient toute leur vie retenus dans la servitude » (Hébreux 2.14 15). Non seulement ne devons-nous jamais nous livrer à quelque culte démoniaque, mais nous devons surtout nous réjouir de ce que notre Seigneur ait vaincu pour nous la puissance du diable. De plus, vivant éternellement, il est capable de nous aider à ne plus tomber dans le péché : « Mes petits enfants, je vous écris ces choses, afin que vous ne péchiez point. Et si quelqu’un a péché, nous avons un avocat auprès du Père, Jésus-Christ le juste. Il est lui-même une victime expiatoire pour nos péchés, et non seulement pour les nôtres, mais pour ceux du monde entier » (1 Jean 2.1 2). ------- http://www.christadelphes.fr/ http://www.lisezlabible.fr/ http://www.cbm.org.uk/france.htm http://www.acbm.org.au/ CBMRVaudou.pdf