As we go to press, the brethren and sisters are casting their ballots on a California Unity Proposal which, with God’s blessing, could bring unity to brethren in California who hold the same truths.
We have been blessed in receiving the active involvement of the brethren of the Christadelphian Magazine Publishing association in England. Brethren Michael Ashton, Alfred Nicholls and Harry Tennant have personally flown to California to meet with brethren of both groups. As reported in The Christadelphian January 1987; they “were invited to meet the representatives of both groups and arrangements were made for his to take place during the weekend of 1-23 November. Some hours were were spent with the representatives of the Unamended group and a whole day was spent in a joint session of the representatives of both groups.”
A full report of that meeting is print-ad in the January 1987 issue of The Christadelphian. Their conclusion as found on page 28 says, “We went to California because we felt in need of positive assurance on the subjects mentioned within this letter. We received these in a spirit of frankness and understanding which we have never before experienced and had not expected. For these reasons, we are content to commend the proposals to our California brethren and sisters for their careful and prayerful consideration.
Because of the responsibility which the C.M.P.A. feels to the brethren and sisters in the Central fellowship throughout North America, we felt it proper to advise you in some detail of our findings It a time when the brethren and sisters Ln California will be receiving the reunion documents from their local representatives.”
Your brethren in the Truth,
Michael Ashton
Alfred Nicholls
Harry Tennant
(On behalf of the C.M.P.A.)
Almost everyone says that they want reunion if it can be accomplished on what they feel is a sound scriptural basis. The disagreement then begins as to what constitutes a sound scriptural basis.
Whatever our opinion may be on this, it is imperative that we all continue to act in a Christ-like way. We need to remember that “in the midst of the seven candlesticks (the ecclesias) is one like unto the Son of man.” He is fully aware of all that is transpiring and he is watching closely to see how we treat one another for the “King shall answer and say, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, we have done it unto me.”
What is happening in California is naturally being followed with great interest all around the world for we truly are a worldwide family in Christ. As Paul told Festus, “This thing was not done in a corner.”
It is Important for Us to Accept One Another’s Word
It is quite right for each of us to voice our opinions but we all need to remember to “let our speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt.” It is also important for us to accept the words of another and not say, “I heard what you said but I know what you really believe.” We are brethren and we must accept the word of our brethren.
In actual practice we all do this every day. When we read of someone being baptized, we accept that fact with joy although we can be sure that if every examining brother in the world had heard that particular interview, it is almost certain that some would have found fault with it. God has never made two Christadelphians who are exactly alike and He is looking for unity but not uniformity. God did not make us like peas in a pod or create the ideal Christadelphian and say that all must state every belief the exact same way. As the January 1987 Christadelphian says, “What we are aiming for is a reunion, and therefore where emotions and sentiment are involved it is important to make every brotherly gesture which is consistent with promoting true unity on a sound Scriptural basis.”
There is one thing on which we should all be able to agree and that is, the salvation of a brother or sister located some 3000 or 6000 or 9000 miles away is not in jeopardy if they find themselves in fellowship with someone who believes the same truths but did not word it just as the distant brother would have preferred.
On the other hand, our salvation could be in jeopardy if we attempt to sow discord among brethren by trying to legislate our opinions from great distances upon brethren who are “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
In the Acts of the Apostles we find Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, saying, “Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men . . . And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to naught: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.” We are told that the people agreed with Gamaliel, yet they took the apostles and beat them. If we agree with this sound advice, then let us refrain from beating on our brethren. “The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.”
We have to believe that God is working and that in the final analysis His will, will be done. Therefore we need to have faith that whatever the final result will be, it will be according to His will. He certainly is watching us to see if we are behaving in a Christ-like way in our desire to uphold His Truths and obey His commandments. Let us each take our petitions to His throne of mercy asking Him to bless us as we seek to surrender our wills to His. “Be ye there fore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, an shaken together ,and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”
At the judgment seat of Christ we are each going to need all the mercy we car possibly receive and so it behooves us to show this mercy and love to one anothe now.
It is important for the readers of The Tidings to understand the purpose o this article. It is not to influence the vote because the votes will have all beer cast before this is off the press. Our re actions to the issue is more important than the issue itself. God is able to bring salvation to members of any fellowship but our reaction to these issues and the way we treat one another will certainly affect our own salvation. The result o the voting is now known only to God In due time we will learn the result That is only the first of many steps to determine what may happen next. This effort may all come to naught. If that so, then we need to accept this. It has happened many times before in reunion efforts. We are not seeking reunion with those who believe differently and many in the Unamended fellowship out side California openly acknowledge that they do hold different beliefs than those we feel are first principles of our faith
On the other hand, we are seeking re union with those who believe the same truths. It is wrong to perpetuate a division between brethren who believe a like and it is also wrong to fellowship those who believe error on a first principle o our faith.
We are encouraged that our Unamended Brethren state in their letter of assurance to us: “We realize that ther have been and are individuals in the Christadelphian community with extreme views similar to those introduced in the 19th century. Whether or not such view were held by the Unamended in California has been a concern to some of our Central brethren in California. We recognize that the intent of the amendment to the BUSF was instituted to assure such extreme views were not held in fellowship. We concur with the intent of the BASF amendment (clause 24, parenthetical phrase) when it is accepted as intending to exclude such extremes but tolerant of the uncertainty of some as to the degree to which God will hold men in this dark age who reject God’s counsel accountable to a resurrection to condemnation. Brother Roberts when writing on this subject said, “There are subtle shades in the question which call for careful discrimination. The men who admit that light is the ground of responsibility, but who are uncertain whether (yet do not deny that) the amount of light upon Earth in an age so unlike the apostolic age as ours, is sufficient to subject rejectors to resurrectional condemnation, are not men to be branded by withdrawal as though they denied the truth.” When accepted in this spirit, we believe that the BASF (with positive and negative clauses, and the commandments of Christ) is a sound definition of the first principles of the one faith.”
Brethren Ashton, Nicholls and Tennant say in their article in The Chistadelphian, January 1987, page 28, The brethren we have met have assured us that they understand completely the implications of the statement on fellowship; incorporated in the reunion proposals which read as follows:
“We agree to restrict our fellowship at the Memorial table of the Lord to Christadelphian Ecclesias in the Central fellowship, and to Unamended Ecclesias in California who subscribe to these statements and honour them in fellowship.”
Our plea to our brethren and sisters around the world is to trust in the Lord and to accept “His will, according to His good pleasure which He hath purposed in Himself.”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One