Bury St Edmunds Christadelphians

In a multi-faith society there is confusion and uncertainty. Are all faiths equally valid? Is there only one right way based on one set of beliefs?

The Christadelphians are convinced that the Bible is the one true revelation from the one true God and that only by reading, understanding, believing and obeying that Word can anyone have a hope beyond the grave. All statements on religious topics should be assessed in the light of Bible teaching, a practice commended in the days of the apostle Paul.

We invite you to search the Scriptures with us.

For much more information and news visit our regularly updated website at www.christadelphiansuffolk.org.uk. There you will find out what we believe, what we are doing, why we believe that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ will be in the near future and what he will do when he comes.

We recognise that all our arrangements are subject to God's will.

Bible talks on Sunday afternoons

Public Bible talks have been resumed. Additionally the Bible talks can be heard on the website by clicking here.

For the latest news see the website -

www.christadelphiansuffolk.org.uk

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Two series of locally produced presentations have been uploaded to this site -

The Bible in our own tongue

tells how we came to have the Bible in English

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Let's open the Bible

is an overview of the Bible content

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Monarchy

The world looked on during the funeral and ceremonial following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island, whose influence had been felt also throughout and beyond the Commonwealth of which she was head. On her death, her eldest son became king, choosing to be called Charles III [not all previous kings have been known by their first given names after accession, his grandfather being one example]. The king has become monarch at nearly three times the age that his mother did, with little prospect of a long reign.

Much has been written and spoken about expectations of the new king. Modern monarchs no longer lead their troops into battle, even though they are heads of their respective armed forces; constitutional monarchs usually remain aloof from politics, while being available to politicians for consultation; laws are mostly drawn up and agreed by parliaments, to be merely signed into law by the monarchs. Their greatest influence upon the public seems to be in their manner of life and their speeches.

Many countries have discarded monarchy and chosen other kinds of head of state, usually an elected president over an elected parliament or equivalent, eliminating the continuity and stability provided by a politically neutral hereditary head of state. Some elected heads have polarised their people instead of uniting them, promoting extreme views, and even ignorantly contradicting established experts to the detriment of their nation’s health.

An ideal form of government is coming shortly, to provide continuity, stability, justice and international peace, an absolute monarchy. Its king is waiting to take his throne and reign, and when he appears the whole world will know and submit, whether or not willingly. He will not reign alone, but will be assisted by an international corps of prepared rulers whose training is spread over several thousand years.

Even before this king was born, his coming and power were promised. In the Bible, in the book of Daniel we read

I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
Daniel 7:13-14

a promise of the Lord Jesus Christ, yet to return in glory to fulfil this prophecy, with an enduring kingdom and kingship. We also read

And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.
Daniel 7:27

a promise of those who shall rule with him, in enduring positions of authority. The saints are not those designated so by men, but those approved of God through judgment by Christ at his return.

The kind of king we should expect is shown clearly in Psalm 72, and the nature of his reign in Isaiah 11:1-9.

To be accounted saints at Jesus’ return, when he raises and judges the dead and judges the living, we need to prepare for rulership now, by reading, understanding, believing and obeying God’s Word, the Bible. There will be no place for ignorant, unprepared rulers in the coming Kingdom – the responsibilities and privileges are too great for incompetence.

Signs in the world, such as increasing extremes of weather, escalating international violence and threatening, drastic re-alignment of nations, man’s abuse of his environment, all point to the nearness of divine intervention in man’s affairs. Our status then depends on our response now.