Thanks for the links. I will check them out.
But understand, I’m an attorney by training. I believe in the adversarial method of getting at the truth. I am as interested in what your enemies say as much as what you say about yourself. To rely only upon favorable sources would be like taking Baghdad Bob at his word without checking other sources. It’s even a biblical model. Remember that passage from Solomon, about you hear one side of the story and it all sounds true, then you hear the other side and they’re believable too. I forget the reference.
Anyway, I’ve used carm a lot for quickly getting a general context, and they’ve never steered me wrong. If you think they are factually incorrect, make your case. I’ll listen to almost anything once. But I won’t waste precious time going in endless circles. I’m not rich, can’t get away with that. :)
They're steering you wrong. :-)
From the website:
The United Church of God is a non-Christian cult that denies the Trinity, the true divinity of Christ, and requires both baptism and obedience to the commandments to be saved. It teaches that there is a "God family" of which we can become members through keeping the Law.
The United Church of God is a non-Christian cult
They start off with a lie (non-Christian) and a pejorative use of "cult". If they wanted to be honest they could have said "non-traditional" or "unorthodox" Christian.
that denies the Trinity, the true divinity of Christ,
UCG doesn't embrace the trinity doctrine because the trinity doctrine is not biblical...it's an evolved doctrine that didn't become an offical part of church teaching until 3 centuries after the death of Christ. The second part implies that UCG denies the true divinity of Christ. This is either a deliberate lie or an error of massive proportion. UCG believes completely and fully in the true divinity of Christ.
and requires both baptism and obedience to the commandments to be saved.
A lie or half truth at best. The only thing "required" to be saved is the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is a free gift but obedience is expected in return.
Heb 5:8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
Heb 5:9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.
It teaches that there is a "God family" of which we can become members through keeping the Law.
Again, a deliberate lie or outright misrepresentation. We are children of God...God family is a way of describing our relationship with our father in heaven. We don't become children by "keeping the law". We become children through the grace of God through Christ...but again obedience to the Lord is expected of his people.
In short, this analysis seems to take the position of the counterfeit church described in the article. The main thrust of this false church is that the law of God is somehow "bad" and to be avoided and that obedience to the Lord is something that Christians shouldn't practice.
Thanks for giving me the chance to set the record straight. Clearly it's hard to sum up doctrine in a few words so I recommend you peruse the links provided earlier.