Replies

We do believe that faith without works is dead. We believe you must shun evils as sins. The rules are embodied in The Ten Commandments. We don't believe in legalisms such as dress codes or prohibition of drinking that take away from that.

It's fine with me if you believe that being born again is a one time event. Do you also believe that once saved, always saved? For our entire time on earth, evil is always around us and we must WORK to avoid it. Temptation is very real.

The story in Mark 10 means that with men ALONE it is impossible and with God (with men), all things are possible. This goes to the heart of our beliefs that if we cooperate with the Lord, we can accomplish anything.

My understanding of the Hindu religion is that each of the deities offer a different path to the ultimate One (which I understand as Jesus Christ).

In order to believe that Faith must be coupled with Works, one must ignore many passgaes that directly teach the contrary. While I agree it makes sense that man must earn a part of his salvation by works, this is nowhere in view in the Book of John, in which Jesus repeatedly states that Belief on Himself (Jesus) is what saves (John 3:16, 14:1, 20:3, etc). In Romans, Paul plainly teaches that no one is save by work of the flesh. I would leave you with Ephesians 2:8-9

8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9. Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The whole point is that we are sinful, and cannot be good enough. Only through Jesus is a man saved. Our righteousness is but filthy rags, and meaningless in His sight concerning salvation.

Now, how then should I live? Love God and love my neighbor. But I do this to please my Father, because of what he has done for me, not so that he will do it.

BTW, how good must I be to be saved? How many times can I break a commandement? Why did Jesus die, anyway?