The Christadelphians and Knowledge

The Christadelphians and Knowledge

Most Christadelphians would disagree that their faith is Gnostic but there are two types of gnosis the Mythological Gnosis and Non-Mythological Gnosis I would class the Christadelphians as a gnostic group which does not believe in Mythological Gnosis 

I have studied Christadelphian teachings since 2006 I was baptized in 2009, there is a great enpsis on knowledge in Christadelphian meetings 

I began to study the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha and the Nag Hammadi Texts around 2011
after studying certain Gnostic groups I have come to the conclusion that Christadelphians share some understandings with the Valentinians

what is Gnosicism Gnostics considered the principal element of salvation to be direct knowledge of the remote supreme divine being, esoteric knowledge (gnosis) of whom enabled the redemption of the human spirit

Christadelphians believe that there is a process based around knowledge and work that leads to salvation.

One must also possess knowledge of what the Bible teaches if one would be saved Christadelphian Messenger, No. 4, “The One Hope of Everlasting Salvation”; No. 47, “Christendom Creeds not Christianity,” p. 1; No. 11, “A Refuge from the Judgment Storm,” p. 4
Christadelphians believe the Correct Knowledge (ἐπίγνωσις, εως, ἡ, epignósis ) of the Gospel is essential for salvation. Christadelphians call this Resurrectional Responsibility the teaching is summarized in Bible Basics by Duncan Heaster:

1. Knowledge of God's Word brings responsibility to Him.

2. Only the responsible will be resurrected and judged.

3. Those who do not know the true God will therefore remain dead like the animals.


the Christadelphian Statement of Faith also known as the Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith (BASF) The entire Christadelphian Statement of Faith includes the truth to be recieved, the Commandments of Christ, and the Doctrines to be Rejected.

In Clause 24 of the truth to be recieved we read
 
That at the appearing of Christ prior to the establishment of the Kingdom, the responsible (namely, those who know the revealed will of God, and have been called upon to submit to it), dead and living -- obedient and disobedient -- will be summoned before his judgment seat "to be judged according to their works," and "receive in body according to what they have done, whether it be good or bad."

2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Tim. 4:1; Rom. 2:5-6, 16; 14:10-12; 1 Cor. 4:5; Rev. 11:18.

The part underlined was inserted to rule out the belief that baptism made a person responsible rather than knowledge.

In Clause 22 the Doctrines to be Rejected

22. We reject the doctrine - that those without knowledge - through personal choice, immaturity, or lack of mental capacity - will be saved.

23. We reject the doctrine - that man can be saved by morality or sincerity, without the Gospel.

24. We reject the doctrine - that the Gospel alone will save, without obedience to Christ's commandments.

Christadelphians have a dualism between the flesh which these view has sin is self and he spirit what they want to be come called God manifestation

There are two basic doctrines of the Bible: (a) The nature of flesh; and (b) the spirit manifestation of God. The former teaches us what we are, and what we must guard against; the latter outlines what we can become, and what we must aim for.

Men were not ushered into being for the purpose of being saved or lost! God manifestation not human salvation was the great purpose of the Eternal Spirit. The salvation of a multitude is incidental to the manifestation, but was not the end proposed. The Eternal Spirit intended to enthrone Himself on the earth, and in so doing, to develop a Divine family from among men, every one of whom shall be Spirit, because born of the Spirit, and that this family shall be large enough to fill the earth, when perfected, to the entire exclusion of flesh and blood (1 Cor. 15:28)."

Christadelphians also have two classles of believers like some gnostic groups 

into two classes the one the fellowservants, and the other the brethren, of the deceased souls. The brethren are fellowservants, but all the fellowservants were not brethren -- even as Christadelphians are christians, but all christians so-called are not Christadelphians.

I am a Gnostic Christadelphian

I am a Gnostic Christadelphian

You may say that this is, is a contradiction if ever I've heard one. That's like saying "I'm a Muslim Catholic" or "I'm a Buddhist Mormon".

Well it is a self-definition and self-designation, it is very good to defy the laws of labels and be who you are!