Why are you classified as a cult?

• Messages sorted by:[ date ][ thread ][ subject ][ author ]

Once upon a time Kathy wrote (and quoted):

>>"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, 
>>shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; 
>>but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."   
>>Matthew 7:21
>>
>>Just because one confess or professes to believe in, follow, or 
>>even serve Jesus does not mean that person will not be lost. 
>>It is those who DO the will of the Father that shall enter 
>>into the kingdom.

Dave replied:
>None of us can be God nor do any of us knows the heart of man. (snip)
>
>The best thing to do is "not worry" about who is saved or who is not saved.
(snip)
 What I mean is, if there
>are those who claim to be Born Again, then Praise God! Don't scrutinize them
>and tear them to shreds because they are not "Apostolic".


I reply:  (Sorry for the long quote but I thought it was necessary for context)


Matt 7:13-21
13	Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the
way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14	Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto
life, and few there be that find it.
15	Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but
inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16	Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or
figs of thistles?
17	Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree
bringeth forth evil fruit.
18	A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree
bring forth good fruit.
19	Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into
the fire.
20	Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21	Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
(KJV)

Notice in verse 15 that it says "Beware of false prophets".  Notice in
verses 16 and verse 20 "Ye shall know them by their fruits."  How do we
determine those things if we aren't willing to scrutinize?  How do we
"beware" if we simply accept everything that every person says that "claims"
to be saved?

You see Dave, I don't "scrutinize" people to determine if they are saved or
not.  I scrutinize them to see if they have followed the plan of salvation
that God has laid out in His Word.  

I have no other basis on which to base it.  Either they follow the plan
according to Acts 2:38 or they don't.  If they don't then the best I can
tell, they are lost.  I then have a responsibility to reach out to them and
introduce them to the Biblical plan of salvation.

If God chooses to save people by a plan that is not in His Word, that is
God's business, but I have to respond according to that which God has laid
forth in HIS WORD.

Andy (Acts 2:38 is still the only way) Gossett