Microsoft Word - ChristianityNotReligionBkMSS.doc

(WallPaper) #1

introduced it supplants the singular sufficiency of Jesus
Christ and constitutes "another gospel."
(9) Morality is "salvation by works." Morality posits
activity that is supposedly derived from oneself, and is
therefore "salvation by works." Paul wrote to the Ephesians
explaining, "For by grace are you saved through faith, that
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any
man should boast" (Eph. 2:8,9). Salvation is always enacted
by the dynamic of God's saving work in the provision of
His grace. The commencement of that salvation is in
conversion, but the continuing dynamic of the "saving life"
of Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:10) makes us safe from satanic
misuse, abuse and dysfunction in order to restore us to the
functional use God intended by His grace activity in the
Christian.
(10) Morality is legalism. Morality sets up a "standard"
of behavior, a codification of acceptable conduct. These
rules and regulations of right and wrong form an
independent, external law, to which all subjects are
expected to conform. Striving to conform to the law is thus
the moralistic objective of "obedience." Moralistic,
legalistic "obedience to the law" is far removed from the

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