Last Judgment (Post) (Rogers) n. 359

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359. [295.] They were sent first to the church which existed among the peoples at Colossae,* and to begin with they spoke with the Colossians as though they were of a church like theirs. However, on being asked about the Lord, they said that they pray the Father for the sake of His Son, but that they do not approach the Son. The Colossians replied that they approach the Lord, because He said that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him.** He also said that people ought to have faith in Him.*** They said, too, that no one can approach the Father directly, and that the Moravians climbed up above what was permitted.**** When asked about charity, the Moravians said that they practice charity with each other, and that it is because of this that they call themselves brethren. But the Colossians said that this was friendship, not charity, and they asked whether the Moravians did not know that charity is to do good, and that this is primary, adding that they call good "brother" and call truth "companion." However, the Moravians said that doing good accomplishes nothing in regard to salvation, and so neither does charity, but faith only, and that faith is to believe that the Lord was sent by the Father to take away the condemnation of the law through His suffering of the cross, and that they are consequently no longer under any law. And when the Moravians said this, the Colossians, incensed at it, drove them from their midst, calling them fanatics and not apostolic. * Actually, according to Leviticus 24:5-9, every Sabbath. Cf. Exodus 25:30. ** John 14:6. *** John 3:13-18, 6:29, 35, 40, 47, 11:25, 26, 12:35, 36, 44-46, 14:1, 12. Cf. John 1:12. **** Cf. John 10:1-9.


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