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To: bannie; Zakeet
Another weak monkey wrench tossed into the discussion.

Really? Then don't go around here posting in large Red font and screaming like this.

They're no authorities on God. They're authors who have a purpose--an agenda to prove. They are not closer to God's answers due to "research."

So then no book or work by any author is valid? I guess C.S. Lewis, Dr. Ravi Zacharias, Rev. Billy Graham, and any other author can be thrown in that mix of yours because they have an "agenda?"

God has authority - and the Bible is His work. Those who practice in cults violate the Bible.

Let's take just one sentence from that post about cults.

B. Second, cult teachers will proclaim a “gospel message” that is ultimately is a message of works-centered salvation, in sharpest contrast to the Good News of saving grace through faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). They’ll preach “another gospel.”

So tell me, what do you disagree with? Is Ephesians 2:8-9 wrong, or are the cultists who violate it more correct vis a vis what God says?

Surely, you jest.

Oh, for crying out loud, if the largest search engine in the history of humanity is not to your liking, so be it. But there is a plethora of information out there in the world, and yes - some of it is pretty darned useful. I guess because Shakespeare, Physics, and Calculus are also found on Google we should discount those topics as unworthy of discussion as well.

The reason that there are so many variations of Christianity is because there are so many ways to read our current translations of The Bible. You cannot argue--or insult--that away.

I accept many denominations as my brothers and sisters in Christ. Baptists, Methodists, Presbetarians, Missionary Alliance, and nondenominational bible believing churches. That is why when go to Christian church websites, they have a statement of faith. All of them do. This clarifies that they believe what the bible teaches.

It will be something like this:

_______________________________________________________________________

Statement of Faith

- There is one God, who is eternal and infinitely perfect, and who exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This idea of one God existing as three persons is expressed in the Bible and described by the church as the Trinity.(Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

- Jesus Christ is God, the Son. Like the Father and the Holy Spirit, Jesus is fully God, but He is also fully man. He existed eternally as God with the Father and the Spirit and became a man when He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died upon the cross as a substitute for sinners. He was the just and righteous One who died on behalf of those who are unjust and unrighteous. Because of His sacrifice, everyone who believes in Him is justified and considered righteous in the sight of God. He also physically rose from the dead after three days in a tomb. Today He lives in Heaven at the right hand of God the Father where he represents believers like an advocate and intercedes on their behalf. One day, He will come again to earth to establish His government of righteousness and peace. (John 1:1-18; Philippians 2:1-11; Luke 1:36-38; 1 peter 3:18; Hebrews 2:9; Romans 5:9; Acts 2:23-24; Hebrews 8:1; Matthew 26:64; 1 John 2:1-2; Romans 8:34)

- The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. Like the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is fully God. He is sent from the Father and the Son to live within the souls of Believers in order to guide, teach, and empower them as they follow Jesus in this world. He also acts to convince the world of its guilt regarding sin, and of the righteousness of Jesus Himself, and of the judgment of Satan, the prince of this world. John 14:15-18; John 16:13; Acts 1:9; John 16:7-11)

- Salvation has been provided through Jesus Christ for all men. Everyone who repents of their sin and trusts that Jesus died for them on the cross and that God accepts Jesus' death on their behalf receives salvation as a gift from God. Like being “born again,” they receive a new nature from the Holy Spirit, and become children of God. (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:4-7)

____________________________________________________________________

If it isn't along those lines, run for the hills.

I'm not Mormon; my family is not Mormon; and I have never been Mormon. You cannot, however, claim LOGIC or ACCURACY when you decry the religion as a cult because other competitors for "perfection" vote to say that they are.

Wrong. I absolutely can.

Cults are real. Cults are dangerous. Cults exist.

You would do best to educate yourself about them, rather than sticking your head in the proverbial sand and attacking those who point out their characteristics.

Here you go:

Kingdom of the Cults


386 posted on 04/06/2008 11:07:41 AM PDT by SkyPilot ("I wasn't in church during the time when the statements were made.")
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To: SkyPilot
There is one God, who is eternal and infinitely perfect, and who exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This idea of one God existing as three persons is expressed in the Bible and described by the church as the Trinity.(Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

The apostles never believed in a three person Trinity. That was hatched out of the Council of Nicea. See Colossians 2:9: For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Nowhere in the passages you cite is 'persons' mentioned.

397 posted on 04/06/2008 11:26:42 AM PDT by DaveMSmith (Nothin' worse than a leaky dame)
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