Anthony Buzzard's False Gospel

The following is an analysis of Anthony Buzzard's statement of belief that was found on his website called Restoration Fellowship (www.mindspring.com/~anthonybuzzard). This analysis will attempt to show that Anthony Buzzard is teaching a false Gospel.

(False teacher/prophet quotes are in purple and indented, my
comments are in plain text and scripture is in teal. False teachers rarely use scripture. I have only included those portions I intend to comment on.)

Buzzard's Restoration Fellowship believes:

There is one God, the Father (1 Cor. 8:6), the one God of the creed of Israel affirmed by Jesus Christ (Mark 12:28ff.). The Father is "the only true God" (John 17:3). The "one God of the creed of Israel" does not promote a belief in Jesus as God

"The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath." (Acts 13:27)

There is one Lord Messiah, Jesus (1 Cor. 8:6), who was supernaturally conceived as the Son of God (Luke 1:35), and foreordained from the foundation of the world" (1 Pet. 1:20)

Buzzard apparently believes that Jesus is the Son of God and the Messiah and foreordained from the foundation of the world but He is apparently still not God. Here are several scriptures that tell us differently:

"I and the Father are one." (John 10:30)

Philip said, 'Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us. Jesus answered: 'Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Sow us the Father?' (John 14:8,9)

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. . . .The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us." (John1:1-14)

"Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen." (Romans 9:5) *

"For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form." (Colossians 2:9)

"The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word." (Hebrews 1:3)

* Because of different translations "seeming" to interpret Romans 9:5 differently, here is a study that shows how they are all claiming Christ's deity: Romans 9:5

There are other verses too numerous to list here that state that Christ was the creator (John 1:3, Collossians. 1:16), he was omnicient (John 2:25; 4:18, 16:30), omnipresent (Matthew 28:20), omnipotent (Matthew 28:18), immutable (Hebrews 13:8), the forgiver of sin (Mark 2:1-12 Isaiah 43:25), receives worship Deuteronomy 6:13; 10:20; Matthew 4:10; Acts 10:25-26), etc. These are all qualities of God.

The Holy Spirit is the personal, operational presence and power of God extended through the risen Christ to believers (Ps. 51:11).

Buzzard indicates the Holy Spirit is only an "operational presence and power of God" but apparently not a person, and not God either. Scripture gives us a different picture of the Holy Spirit:

The Holy Spirit is a person (John 15:26; 16:13, 14), he is omniscient (1 Corinthians 2:10:12), omnipotent (Job 33:4), omnipresent (Psalms 139:7-10; John 14:17), eternal (Hebrews 9:14), etc.

So what we have in Buzzards statements above is a denial of the Trinity.

The Bible, consisting of the Hebrew canon (Luke 24:44) and the Greek New Testament Scriptures, is the inspired and authoritative revelation of God (2 Tim. 3:16).

It doesn't do any good to have an "inspired and authoritative revelation of God" if one denies the Trinity because they do not get a complete picture of who Jesus really is--God in human flesh coming to earth to die on the cross on our behalf. Nobody else could qualifiy to do this for us. Jesus was the only one without sin.

Jesus said the Holy Spirit is imparted only to believers and only believers can understand scripture. When asked by his disciples why he always talked in Parables when confronting the Pharisees and other supposedly learned scholars of his day, Jesus said:

"The Knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. . . . In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah [Isaiah 6:9,10]: 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes." (Luke 13:10-15)

In the atoning, substitutionary death of Jesus, his resurrection on the third day, and his ascension to the right hand of the Father (Ps. 110:1; Acts 2:34-36), where he is waiting until his enemies are subdued (Heb. 10:13).

If he doesn't believe Jesus is God (and therefore perfect) then how could He substitute his death for ours???

In the future visible return of Jesus Christ to raise to life the faithful dead (1 Cor. 15:23), establish the millennial Kingdom on earth (Rev. 20:1-6, etc.) and bring about the restoration of the earth promised by the prophets (Acts 1:6; 3:21; 26:6, 7).

Please read 1 Cor. 15:23 for yourselves and you will see that it neither mentions "the visible return of Jewus Christ,"; nor "raising to life the faithful dead." This verse is talking about first fruits and about the fact that when Christ comes those who belong to him will be coming with him. It does not say anything about when they are raised.

Also, please notice he left out any mention of the Rapture of living believers--just the dead believers. This is the Manifest Sons of God (MSOG) line--i.e., the living believers will supposedly be glorified while still on earth (this is a "new and improved" interpretation of the Rapture) and take over the earth and bring in the kingdom for Jesus themselves so He can come back, because He apparently can't do it without their help.

Regarding the verses Buzzard referred to above proclaiming a restoration of the Kingdom on earth:

Acts 1: 6 The Kingdom being referred to in this verse is the KINGDOM OF ISRAEL, not the kingdom of the Church which Buzzard is referring to. This is the same kingdom that has been promised to Israel way back in the Old Testament via patriots. The Church has a heavenly inheritance (Phil 3:20; 2 Cor 5:1; 1 Pe 1;3-5). Israel has an earthly inheritance.

All those who survive the Tribulation will go into the millennium in mortal bodies (Matthew 25:34), not glorified bodies as the MSOG teach. With Buzzard's claiming these verses are saying the Church will set up a kingdom on Earth, we see the first glimmers of Replacement Theology being promoted.

Acts 3:21 says Christ will remain in heaven until God decides its time to restore everything as he promised through his prophets. The prophets spoke of the Tribulation being the result of God's wrath on an unbelieving world, not some kind of godly revival/kingdom on earth BEFORE Christ returns. Scripture declares that the Church will be exempt from God's Wrath (Rev. 3:10)

Acts 26:6 relays what Paul tells King Agrippa:

"And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our father's that I am on trial today. This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me."

According to the context of the whole passage Paul is talking about the coming of the Messiah the first time (see verse 23). Buzzard has turned this around into some theory about the restoration of the Kingdom at the end of the Church age - more Replacement Theology.

In the regenerating power of the Gospel message about the Kingdom (Matt. 13:19; Luke 8:12; John 6:63), enabling the believer to understand divine revelation and live a life of holiness.

The Matt. 13:19 and Luke 8:12 scriptures Buzzard uses is the parable of the sower, where we are told very few will hear the Word and understand it. Yet according to the MSOG line they are going to restore the whole earth for Christ. Knowing their agenda I would say this means they will have to kill off a major portion of the population of the earth for this to occur.

In baptism by immersion upon reception of the Gospel of the Kingdom and the things concerning Jesus." Acts 8:12

The "Gospel message" and the coming "Kingdom" on earth are two entirely separate things. The Gospel message is what the Church proclaims. The Kingdom on earth was promised to Israel--not the Church. This scripture doesn't say one word about being baptised in water either.

Luke 24:27 This is where we are told that Jesus tells the two disciples on the road to Emmaus after his resurrection that he explained everything Moses and the Prophets said about him. This has nothing to do with the Kingdom unless you reinterpret everything through MSOG eyes.

In the future resurrection of the saved of all the ages to administer the renewed earth with the Messiah in the Kingdom of God

The Church has been promised to reign and rule with Christ from Heaven (see heavenly inheritance verses above) and this won't occur until AFTER we obtain our immortal bodies which occurs at the Rapture of all believers (1Thess 4:17).

1 Corinthians 6:2 This is referring to AFTER the Rapture when the Saints in glorified bodies will judge the world (they will also judge angels verse3). This occurs AFTER Christ returns to the Earth with his Bride (Rev 19:11-15) and not before.

2 Timothy 2:12 This verse says "if we endure, we will also reign with him,....." The key word is "WITH." The MSOG camp intends to reign without Christ. They don't need him.

Revelation 2:26 This is another overcomer verse where we are told "to him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations." The end of what is the question, and this authority doesn't start till the millennium either. However the MSOG camp claim they will gain this authority BEFORE Christ returns.

Rev. 3:21 to him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.

Christ's throne is in heaven and so is His Fathers. No mortal human will ever sit on either throne on this side of immortality.

Does it look like Buzzard has correctly interpreted even one scripture above?

Other sites refuting Anthony Buzzard's Anti-Trinitarian
(Jesus was not God), anti-Incarnation, Christadelphian-like views:

Anthony Buzzard: Who is Jesus?

Trinity Debate: Sanders vs. Buzzard

Critiques of Other Non-Trinitarians

Joel Hemphill

Heretic Engers Southern Gospel Hall of Fame (Joel Hemphill) Hemphill openly denies that Jesus Christ is God.

Hemphill Denies the Deity of Christ Hemphill denies that Jesus is God, a central doctrine of the orthodox Christian faith.

Southern Gospel Singer Denounces the Trinity and Deity of Christ Hemphill believes the doctrine of the Trinity is Biblically naked.

Lori Eldridge
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September 18, 2000. Updated 10-17-10
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