Through the years, I have met a few Christadelphians and had a good conversation with them, then they would keep a distance from me. Some years ago, I found out they are strictly instructed to do that – they are not allowed to have a Friendship or Fellowship with anyone including Christians – it is forbidden.
About 4-5 Years ago it came to my attention through YouTube that many Muslims and Mormons are leaving their religion when experiencing Jesus in a real way – a few thousand of them. People were leaving the Branham religion too. All these people did that when they experienced an Intervention with Jesus. He loosed them from Control and they broke Free from years of very strong mindsets that were ingrained into their minds. When I sought to find out if Christadelphians had experienced this wonderful Liberty too, I couldn’t find it. Instead, I found a bunch of people who were getting together to Deny the Existence of God. So that was a very drastic scenario. And I felt so sad for them and I could not find out WHY people were Leaving. But last year, I found a Webpage that gave me an understanding.
I have a new Friend who has a Christadelphian background. Her love for God and Scripture is very strong but she says that Jesus was not God (incarnate, clothed as one of us) but only a man. Jesus did however make certain Deity Claims Christadelphians are evading in order to keep their beliefs. And different to Christian’s appreciation of the Redemptive Work of Christ at Calvary for Our Salvation, Christadelphians are a Works-Based Religion that do not believe in the Atonement of Christ for our Sins, so what was the Point of His death and His Resurrection from death? A number of Bible Verses like these are in their Bible but have been debunked………aka……… when Jesus said “Before Abraham was I AM” and “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” speaking of His Death and Resurrection.
There are other Vital Words he said as well that speak of His Deity. I know it sounds strange to many people that Jesus could be God (clothed as a man) that’s human reasoning. But what if you Reduce Him to a mere Man (instead of equally God and Man) then our Faith is in Vain because so many mere Men lead a number of Religions. But the People in Jesus’ Time said things like “He speaks as One who has Authority, not like our Teachers” AND He did Many Miracles among them (not like Televangelists Fake stuff.)
Last year, it came to my attention that different Branches of Christadelphians consider themselves as Superior to other Members in other Branches due to “Spiritual Pride” that’s involved which is not a good thing when you are divided from your own kind. Jesus encouraged His disciples to “be One together” (Unified) not in conflict with each-other. And based on a young woman’s story who left the religion due to that kind of behavior that never sat tight with her, I am assuming that’s why a Lot of dear People leave it because no-one feels comfortable in an atmosphere given to rivalry. She said other things that are important to know and I am trying to find her Webpage again.
What I’ve learnt is, it is a religion of real Subservience and believes that our Creator is a God of Good AND Evil – that His Nature is given to both aka “He Creates both Good and Evil” but Scripture declares “He is Holy” AND “There is No Unrighteousness in Him”…… I can imagine Confusion like thinking God is Friendly when you do Very Well and like an Enemy if you don’t. They don’t believe there is a Devil, which is truly astonishing in a World with so much EVIL that even a lot of Atheists are convinced there is such a thing as Demons in recent years. Hey?
According to a Website faithandselfdefense Christadelphia began in the 19th century when many cults commenced (e.g. Mormonism, Christian Science, Jehovah’s Witnesses). It was a very active time for False Religious Groups to begin.
Many people who have left it describe the attitude of the religious people this way “The way they spoke to us was always condescending and patronising” and said there is no way they would go back to it when urged to do so. Someone also said on behalf of those who left a life with a lot of Hard Slogging (Man-Made expectations on them) “Questions we had were daunting, and we felt disoriented and sometimes completely lost. This was, of course, completely expected and very “normal” for someone who had experienced what we had been through. But we didn’t know what “normal” meant any more. We were playing catch up. After being moulded and shaped into a square peg for our entire life, we had discovered that the real world was round.
Then something else happened. The weekend came along and after enjoying the day on Saturday, we woke up Sunday morning and slowly realised that we didn’t have to be anywhere. We didn’t have to do anything, impress anyone, suffer through any monotonous talks that went on forever, pretend to have listened afterwards, nothing. Right then, at that very moment, we realised that we would be just fine. Life, from now on, was going to be good (it was now better)
There is still much to figure out, but we have time. For now the most important thing is to reconnect with who we really are.
To rekindle our hobbies and interests, and remember all the things that made us excited to be alive. We are seeing the world with new eyes and that’s pretty awesome, right?
Remember all those people who tried to tell you “your life is not your own”? Nonsense. Not only is our life truly ours, but it matters to us now more than it ever did. We’ve spent long enough in slavery…….now it’s time to start living life on our own terms”………. Not having others in their Ecclesias (People in that Sect) determine how spiritual they were or were not. My Friend for instance, makes up her own mind who she wishes to be Friends with. We have Interesting Conversations about Nature; Natural Health; Recipes and Gardening and some Spiritual Topics as well.
Someone who left Christadelphians said “Who should we serve now? What is the meaning of it all?
I cannot answer those questions for you but maybe I can point you in the right direction. We’ve spent so long taking orders from other people about how to live, that we never stopped to listen to our own inner voice. We don’t need to serve anyone. No-one else can tell us what we should find meaningful. The only meaning that actually matters is what we create or derive from our own lives. Our purpose can be anything we want it to be, and we’re not limited to a single one. Imagine you have a huge box of Lego. Meaning comes from what you create. Purpose comes from why you created it. As a child you didn’t need anyone to tell you what you enjoyed or why you enjoyed it. And you don’t need anyone to tell you that now.
Take the time to rediscover yourself. Find out what you’re interested in, and what really lights you up inside. You will start to become aware of things you really care about. Those are the things that give your life meaning and purpose. For some it may be volunteering or charity work. For others it may be art, or science, or hobbies, or nature, or spending time with close friends, or making a difference to the lives of others, or all of those things plus more.”
These Girls are right, that’s pretty much what I Encourage in Living with Jesus – each having their individual interests and expressing yourselves with others. So many Religious Sects try to press you into a mold; stereo type you or even Control your Mind. It doesn’t feel right because it isn’t right.
It’s so sad they feel a necessity to do those good things without Jesus now: no belief in a Creator because they have been spiritually damaged like people from the Mormon LDS religion. They take a long time to Heal too but many of them experience New Life with Jesus (His True Identity) I can just imagine being under Someone’s Thumb many months and years OR Multiple Instructors – demeaning, whatever. I would feel like saying in my thoughts “Would you please Leave me Alone so I can Enjoy Jesus!” But then again, to the Christadelphian, Jesus is not an “Advocate” who takes Pleasure in you, so I suppose that would be hard also, to actually Really ENJOY Jesus.
It’s a Precious Bond you experience with Jesus when you know He became our Sin-Bearer at the Cross of Calvary: He did a Redemptive Work to give us a “Right Standing with God”………..that takes the Hard Slogging out of “Living for God”…………
of-course, we live in Appreciation of that rather than “trampling the Cross under foot” (what He did for us) as many Pentecostals like Hillsong “Christians” do and others who follow Joel Osteen and Bill Johnson’s Bethel.
Some Things To Consider
Jesus also said things like “we will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God, and Coming with the clouds of Heaven” and He also claimed to do things that only God could do (e.g. forgive sins, grant Eternal Life, raise the dead, know what would take place in the future, Receive Worship from people) and He knew the thoughts that were in people’s hearts. That sets Him apart from any Man-Made religion.
This is the Wonderful Jesus I encountered unexpectedly as a 12 year old with NO religious background or seen a Bible, and again at the age of 20 after being detoured into Catholicism by an Aunty (who lived miles away and came for a visit) when I was too young to know better. And I decided never, ever to be cheated again.
Don’t you be either Folks, He Loves you too much for that.
