DR. JOHN THOMAS, MD
APOSTLE OF LEGALISM
Rhoderick D. Ice
"You are not a Christian unless I say you are a Christian." In a nutshell, this how Dr. Thomas seemed to think. He was "Unitarian" and "Adventist" in his thinking. Thomas' ideas culminated in the strange cult known as the Christadelphians (Christ's Brethren).
John Thomas came from England in 1844. He became part of the Stone-Campbell Movement. But later he was convinced that they were the apostate church predicted in the Scriptures. So he withdrew to form a group of local meetings who finally took the name, Christadelphians (Brethren of Christ). They were "mutual edification" in having no paid or ordained ministers. In 1967 there were some 600 "ecclesias" (congregations) in the USA, with larger numbers in Australia, Britain, Canada , and Germany.
Thomas taught that Jesus is "a son" of God, but not God the Son; and that Jesus had no existence before being born of Mary. He rejected the Trinity, and a personal devil.
B. L. Smith wrote in the "Millenial Harbinger Abridged": "He was a magnetic, attractive man, and became very popular with some people. Soon he began to teach a spirit of dogmatism and exalted his own opinions above other teachings. Among other teaching was that one coming into the church should be re-baptized; that immersion, as administered by Baptists or any other, was utterly invalid."
Dr. Thomas deserves further study for two reasons: he was perhaps Campbell's severest critic within the "movement;" his type of mind set and thinking introduced a "factor of distortion" which is still with us today.
We learn much about Dr. Thomas and about Alexander Campbell by the controversy recorded in the "Millenial Harbinger." Campbell accepted more as "Christians" than some in our movement would today. He stressed immersion into Christ, and was himself immersed. [Campbell accepted the King James translators as Christians.]
Campbell received a letter from Lunenburg County, VA, in which a woman who, influenced by Dr. Thomas, challenged Campbell's definition of a "Christian." Campbell wrote: "In reply to this conscientious sister, I observe, that if there be no Christians among the Protestant sects, there are certainly none among the Romanists, none among the Jews, Turks, Pagans; and therefore no Christians in the world except ourselves, or such of us as keep, or strive to keep, all the commandments of Jesus. Therefore, for many centuries there has been no church of Christ, no Christians in the world; and the promises concerning the everlasting kingdom of Messiah have failed, and the gates of hell have prevailed against His church! This cannot be; and therefore there are Christians among the sects."
Campbell wrote: "But who is a Christian? I answer, Every one that believes in his heart that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Son of God; repents of his sins, and obeys Him in all things according to his measure of knowledge of His will.. .And hence it is possible for Christians to be imperfect in some respects without an absolute forfeiture of the Christian state and character."
According to J. W. Hunnicutt, Thomas taught the following [which things were contrary to what Campbell taught].
1. All infants, idiots [mental defectives], and heathens will sleep through endless duration - they can never rise.
2. Man has no soul nor existence separate, distinct, and independently of the body.
3. The Spirit of God does not operate on any person apart from the word written.
4. It is sinful for an unconverted person to pray to God.
5. Christ will reign upon the earth in person a thousand years, the seat of government being at Jerusalem.
The Christadelphians deny some essential doctrines of Christianity; namely, that Jesus is God (John 8:58)and that salvation is by grace. Like so many other cult groups that claim to be the Restored Truth, they have their own interpretations of the Bible that deviate greatly from orthodox Christianity.
Note: Some of these things have carried over into present day Churches of Christ without our being aware of it. "Old Uncle John" may have been very sincere in his ideas yet mistaken when compared to truth. We need the witness of the Four Gospels plus the rest of the New Testament plus the witness of the Old Testament to be on solid and safe ground. What God is, the Eternal Word (LOGOS) is also. John 1:1-4; Col. 1:15-17. The ETERNAL WORD came in a body of flesh and blood to be the Lamb who takes away sin. John 1:29; 1 John 3:23; 4:1-4; 5:5-13; Hebrews 1:3; 2:14-18; Romans 8:1-4
GOD is One Lord (Deut. 6:4). Campbell could speak of: Jehovah the Father, Jehovah the Son, Jehovah the Holy Spirit (in his book: The Christian System.).
Monday, December 6, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
FEEL GOD'S PRESENCE
FEEL GOD'S PRESENCE
A person prays: "May we feel Your presence in our worship assembly today?"
Is this possible? or scriptural? Do we "quench the Spirit" and so prevent God's presence happening? [at least quench our awareness of Him.]
Yet surely God is always present every time and everywhere. An English writer of the 19th Century wrote: "The whole world is a temple and man is everywhere a worshipper." And Jesus spoke of being present where "two or three are gathered in My name." We are aware of His presence by the knowledge of faith, yet perhaps we have mistakenly learned to turn a deaf ear to Him. (Or have not at all been taught to be aware of His presence.)
In the Churches of Christ we sometimes credit Alexander Campbell for (extreme) logical reasoning and lack (or rejection) of emotion and feelings. Was he too much influenced by the "common sense philosophy" of John Locke?
But perhaps Campbell was more capable of delicate and devotional feelings than we think. This from the Millenial Harbinger, Vol. 3, No. 1, 1839. [Thanks to http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/subs/texts.html and Google search.]
"But a devotional and sanctifying reading of that sacred Book, is essentially different from the readings of the theologian, the moralist, the sectary, and the virtuoso of every caste and school. The man of God reads the Book of God to commune with God, "to feel after him and find him," to feel his power and his divinity stirring within him; to have his soul fired, quickened, animated by the spirit of grace and truth. He reads the Bible to enjoy the God of the Bible; that the majesty, purity, excellency, and glory of its Author may overshadow him, inspire him, transform him, and new-create him in the image of God. Such a reader finds what he seeks in the Bible as every other person finds in it what he searches for. The words of Jesus to such a one are spirit and life; they are light and joy; they are truth and peace. Such a one converses with God as one who speaks by- signs. His readings are heavenly musings. God speaks: he listens. Occasionally, and almost unconsciously, at intervals he forgets that he reads, he speaks to God, and his reading thus often terminates in a devotional conversation with God. The Lord says, "Seek you my face;" he responds, "Thy face will I seek." The Spirit saith, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;" the Christian reader replies, "Open thou my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." The Spirit saith, "Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart;" and the devout reader answers. "With my whole heart have I sought thee. O let me not wander from thy commandments." The Bible reading of all enlightened Christians generally terminates in a sacred dialogue between the Author and the reader. There is a peculiarity attendant on this reading which I beg leave to remark with emphasis. The Author of the Bible is always present with his Book. This is not true of any other book in the world. Most authors are dead; and we sometimes regret that we cannot speak to them. But this Author for ever lives, and is for ever present; and, therefore, while we read his written word it is as natural as life sometimes to speak to him on certain subjects as they occur. "Truly, then, our communion is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
Robert Richardson wrote in Communings In The Sanctuary: "WHEN the Patriarch (Jacob) arose from his dreamy slumbers in the field of Luz, he exclaimed, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not!" How many thus enter into the sanctuary of God, without any realizing sense of the divine presence! How many, alas, from that sleep of error never waken! Yet the Lord is in his holy temple, and will there reveal himself to his people; even to the seed of Israel, his servant--the children of Jacob, his chosen. How fitting that we should enter into his gates [9] with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise! How proper that we should here repress each worldly thought, and yield our hearts up to those sacred communings in which Faith lifts a ladder to the skies, that angels may descend to earth, and God himself confirm his promises of grace!"
P.S.: In Bible times God often showed His presence in ways that could not be ignored. Jacob's ladder, Genesis 28. The "still, small voice" to Elijah. Shaking the house in Acts 4:31. The Gentile Pentecost in Acts 10&11. Answering prayer in Rev. 8:5. The Bible is full of references to God intruding Himself into human affairs.
A person prays: "May we feel Your presence in our worship assembly today?"
Is this possible? or scriptural? Do we "quench the Spirit" and so prevent God's presence happening? [at least quench our awareness of Him.]
Yet surely God is always present every time and everywhere. An English writer of the 19th Century wrote: "The whole world is a temple and man is everywhere a worshipper." And Jesus spoke of being present where "two or three are gathered in My name." We are aware of His presence by the knowledge of faith, yet perhaps we have mistakenly learned to turn a deaf ear to Him. (Or have not at all been taught to be aware of His presence.)
In the Churches of Christ we sometimes credit Alexander Campbell for (extreme) logical reasoning and lack (or rejection) of emotion and feelings. Was he too much influenced by the "common sense philosophy" of John Locke?
But perhaps Campbell was more capable of delicate and devotional feelings than we think. This from the Millenial Harbinger, Vol. 3, No. 1, 1839. [Thanks to http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/subs/texts.html and Google search.]
"But a devotional and sanctifying reading of that sacred Book, is essentially different from the readings of the theologian, the moralist, the sectary, and the virtuoso of every caste and school. The man of God reads the Book of God to commune with God, "to feel after him and find him," to feel his power and his divinity stirring within him; to have his soul fired, quickened, animated by the spirit of grace and truth. He reads the Bible to enjoy the God of the Bible; that the majesty, purity, excellency, and glory of its Author may overshadow him, inspire him, transform him, and new-create him in the image of God. Such a reader finds what he seeks in the Bible as every other person finds in it what he searches for. The words of Jesus to such a one are spirit and life; they are light and joy; they are truth and peace. Such a one converses with God as one who speaks by- signs. His readings are heavenly musings. God speaks: he listens. Occasionally, and almost unconsciously, at intervals he forgets that he reads, he speaks to God, and his reading thus often terminates in a devotional conversation with God. The Lord says, "Seek you my face;" he responds, "Thy face will I seek." The Spirit saith, "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;" the Christian reader replies, "Open thou my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." The Spirit saith, "Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart;" and the devout reader answers. "With my whole heart have I sought thee. O let me not wander from thy commandments." The Bible reading of all enlightened Christians generally terminates in a sacred dialogue between the Author and the reader. There is a peculiarity attendant on this reading which I beg leave to remark with emphasis. The Author of the Bible is always present with his Book. This is not true of any other book in the world. Most authors are dead; and we sometimes regret that we cannot speak to them. But this Author for ever lives, and is for ever present; and, therefore, while we read his written word it is as natural as life sometimes to speak to him on certain subjects as they occur. "Truly, then, our communion is with the Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."
Robert Richardson wrote in Communings In The Sanctuary: "WHEN the Patriarch (Jacob) arose from his dreamy slumbers in the field of Luz, he exclaimed, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew it not!" How many thus enter into the sanctuary of God, without any realizing sense of the divine presence! How many, alas, from that sleep of error never waken! Yet the Lord is in his holy temple, and will there reveal himself to his people; even to the seed of Israel, his servant--the children of Jacob, his chosen. How fitting that we should enter into his gates [9] with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise! How proper that we should here repress each worldly thought, and yield our hearts up to those sacred communings in which Faith lifts a ladder to the skies, that angels may descend to earth, and God himself confirm his promises of grace!"
P.S.: In Bible times God often showed His presence in ways that could not be ignored. Jacob's ladder, Genesis 28. The "still, small voice" to Elijah. Shaking the house in Acts 4:31. The Gentile Pentecost in Acts 10&11. Answering prayer in Rev. 8:5. The Bible is full of references to God intruding Himself into human affairs.
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