Why are you classified as a cult?

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From: Harrell01@aol.com
To: higher-fire@prairienet.org
Date: Monday, May 12, 1997 6:50 AM
Subject: Re: Why are you classified as a cult?

>No, we are not saying that we are saved by works...we are saved by
>grace through faith, but faith without works is dead! We confess our
>faith and make our faith live by obeying God's word and getting baptized
>in His name (there is only ONE baptism).

We are not saved by the works of _the law_.

Without faith it is impossible to please God.

Without works our faith is dead.

I feel that the mistake most people who think that _no_ works are necessary
make is reading that the works of the law (Gal 2:16, 3:2, 3:5, Rom 3:27) do not
bring salvation, and fail to see that James 2:14-26 _clearly_ states that works
are neccessary for a man to be justified.

There seems, in my feeble brain, a clear distinction between the works of _the
law_ and the works of faith (maybe a better term is the works of grace).  The
statements made in Galatians and Romans are directed at preventing the
judaizers' doctrine.  You don't have to have your flesh circumcized anymore,
you do need to be baptized in "the name above every name"-- Jesus.

Jesus told a story in Luke 13:7-9 about a tree that would not bear fruit.  What
did the master have to say about this tree?  "cut it down; why cumbereth it the
ground?"  Did the husbandman say, "Wait!  That tree has good intentions?"  No! 
He asked for another year to fertilize it.  He went on to say, "If it isn't
producing fruit next year, I'll cut it down."

The tree was not judged by the root structure that it had (the unseen part of
the tree), or even by the quality of the leaves.  It was judged solely by what
it produced.

Brad

Bradley E. Young,  UNIX bigot
byoung@spry.com    +1.206.957.8249	http://home.sprynet.com/spry/byoung
We have a criminal jury system which is superior to any in the world; and its
efficiency is only marred by the difficulty of finding twelve men every day
who
don't know anything and can't read.  -- Mark Twain