"Plan B" - Jesus Christ seen as an afterthought
(stub - might need references to more examples of the concept of the "rationale" of Jesus Christ)
Motion 8: Our common understanding of the creation of man and entry of sin and death into the world.
(Withdrawn motion from Brisbane Conference 2018)
Preamble
The last few years have seen the promotion of teachings concerning God-directed-evolution (GDE) amongst our community, particularly on the internet. These teachings contradict parts of our Australian Unity Agreement. Your attention is directed particularly to clauses 4 and 5 of the Birmingham Amended Statement of Faith and also to the early sentences of the Cooper-Carter Addendum. Those who promote GDE do not share a common understanding of these documents. The movers of the motion believe it is timely to draw attention to this issue.
Motion
It is moved by [Redacted] Ecclesia and seconded by [Redacted] Ecclesia with the support of [Redacted] Ecclesia that:
The following is our common understanding of the Australian Unity Agreement and basis of fellowship in relation
to the creation of man and entry of sin and death into the world.
- 8.1. Adam was the first and only human in existence when God created him. There were no other humans on the earth at this time.
- 8.2. God created Adam with a nature different to the one we now possess. God did not create Adam with a nature prone to sin. After Adam sinned there was a change and he became prone to sin.
- 8.3. Human death was introduced for the first time, as a consequence of Adam’s sin. Human death had no part in God’s creation, prior to Adam’s sin.
- 8.4. Sin and death in humans is a consequence of man’s actions not part of God’s creative design.
Literal serpent, etc, understood to be the "rationale" of Jesus Christ and the Gospel
In summary then this debate about a secondary line of evolving beings existing as contemporaries with Adam and Eve is not just a fanciful idea – it is contrary to the principles of our Statement of Faith and a departure from the Christadelphian faith.
If the Genesis account is metaphorical there is no literal serpent, no tree of knowledge of good and evil, no lie, no fruit, no sin, no sentence of death; Jesus Christ, our Saviour and his Gospel of salvation have no rationale or basis, as set forward by the Apostle Paul in Romans etc.
(as of February 2024, hidden behind paywall)
