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Date Posted: 07:54:04 03/26/05 Sat
Author: Joe
Subject: Re: Soliciting opinions ;-)
In reply to: Mike K. 's message, "Soliciting opinions ;-)" on 00:50:01 03/16/05 Wed

>I'd like to hear some opinions on this small
>article... to me, it sounds very fishy:

It is fishy. The person who wrote it probably belongs to a fishy group, the Local Church, which once tried to "fish" me out of UBF.

>Never mind the name "brother Lee" in there, doesn't
>have anything to do with Samuel Lee.

The hook they used with me was their refusal to use a name for their group (hence, the "Local Church" title given to them by others). They said that churches and denominations using names led to division and exclusivism. But they themselves were most exclusive, not associating with Christians outside of their group. Then there was also the dominance of the teaching of "Brother Lee" within the group. Most of the reading material they gave me was written by him.

I think their exclusivism and their exultation of "super-apostles" like Lee naturally leads to the sprinkling of their works emphasis on the biblical gospel of salvation by grace. After all, if everyone is saved by grace alone, there would be no basis for their boasting, no basis for their internal boasting about themselves and putting down of everyone else, no basis for their exalting one man's works and teaching. This could also apply to UBF and the other Lee.

>"Paul says that we are saved by grace through
>faith. This is the gospel most people prefer -- being
>saved by grace through faith, and even with a faith
>that is not of ourselves.

Among those who understand and believe the gospel, yes, this is the gospel that they prefer because it is what Paul clearly teaches in the Bible. Duh! What else are we supposed to prefer?

"...and even with a faith that is not of ourselves?" I don't think anyone who has believed the biblical gospel thinks they can be saved through someone else's faith.

>It seems as if we have no
>responsibility, as if our salvation may be compared to
>falling into a gold mine."

Of course we have a responsibility. That responsibility is the faith, the act of believing the biblical gospel which sounds like foolishness to most peoples' ears.

And salvation IS like falling into a gold mine, like a man finding a priceless treasure in a field, like a merchant finding the finest pearl.

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