The Strand Study Bible

JOHN

JOHN

1727

Pantheism (a term coined by John Toland in 1705) – Pantheism is a polite form of atheism . AD 1800’s – The Great Awakening in England and America Methodists - God “ working ” to save men (Jn 3:16)

Most Methodist churches do bow down to God as a Trinity and most serve God’s great interest by teaching salvation by “grace.” Methodists, for the most part, believe in a literal eternal Hell. Mormonism was started in 1829 by a young man from Vermont by the name of Joseph Smith, Jr.. Born in 1805, Smith claimed to have received his first vision at the age of 15. For the next seven years he claimed that he heard God’s voice through an angel (Moroni). Then at the age of twenty-three Smith claimed that Moroni revealed to him where golden plates lay buried which contained the history of ancient America. These plates, according to Mormon beliefs, were written in “reformed-Egyptian characters” and were translated by Joseph Smith in three months using a special pair of transparent stones through which the translation appeared to him in English. As a result, Mormonism was born. Mormonism follows three books: the Book of Mormons , Doctrines and Covenants , and The Pearl of Great Price . According to the New Age Encyclopedia , Mormonism’s founder, Joseph Smith, a farmer’s son born in 1805 in Sharon, Vt.: “…founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Fayette, N.Y., in 1830.” 4 Mormonism neither bows down to God as a Trinity nor serves God’s great interest by teaching salvation by grace. Mormons try and reconcile salvation by “grace and works.” According to Bruce Bickel & Stan Jantz, in their book called World Religions & Cults 101 , there are approximately 11 million Mormons in the world today. About 6 million of them live in America. 5 What they believe and how they behave is based on three books: The Book of Mormons , Covenants , and The Pearl of Great Price . Mormonism believes in three heavens. They do not believe in a literal eternal Hell per se. The Apostolic Church of the Second Sending started in 1832 with the calling of twelve different men over a three-year period to take the place of the original twelve Apostles. Although separated from the original Twelve by 1800 years, these twelve men, led by John Bate Cardale, withdrew for a year of study and thenimmediately began traveling, teaching baptismal regeneration (Article 6), Holy Spirit sealing through one of their apostles in order to obtain the childhood in God (Article 8), and celebration of Service for the Departed, which is held on the first Sunday of March, July and November. The Apostolic Church of the Second Sending varies greatly in doctrine within its Movement. According to the New Apostolic Church USA FAQ website:

Mormonism (1830) - Men “ working ” to save themselves ( Psa 82:6 )

The Apostolic Church (1832) - Men “ working ” to save themselves

On October 31, 1832 the first Apostle of the second sending, John Bate Cardale, was called by divine prophesy. Over the next three years, eleven more men from various denominations, social positions and religious training were called to the Apostle ministry.” 11

Although some of the Apostolic Churches do bow down to God as a Trinity, most don’t . Most of the churches that have the word “apostolic” in their name are similar or almost identical to the United Pentecostal “Oneness” Movement ( II Tim 4:3 )Even fewer of the Apostolic Churches believe in salvation by grace. Most teach salvation by “works.” Their modern magazine is called Tomorrow ’s World .

Apostolic Churches have a current membership of approximately 10 million followers. Some believe in a literal eternal Hell, while others hold services for the departed dead (much like the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory). The Stone-Campbell “baptismal regeneration” Movement (1830’s) - Men “ working ” to save themselves ( Eph 5:19 )

Its first leaders (Walter Scott, Alexander Campbell, and Barton W. Stone) were Presbyterian in doctrine and so were “Calvinistic” in theology. However, they all came to reject their “Calvinistic” roots and started a movement that led to the Disciples of Christ , Church of Christ and United Pentecostal Church movements.

The Disciples of Christ (1830’s) - Men “ working ” to save themselves ( Jn 4:24 )

The Disciples of Christ Movement has its roots in the Stone-Campbell “baptismal regeneration” Movement that took place back in the middle 1830’s. Its first leaders (Walter Scott, Alexander Campbell, and Barton W. Stone) were Presbyterian in doctrine and so were “Calvinistic” in theology. However, eventually they all came to reject their “Calvinistic” roots: Scott in favor of an evangelistic agenda that called for a response of faith, Campbell in the light of his definition of faith, and Stone in the context of his revivalism.