Hey Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Well, the Book table got a few good conversations going and we got a few new names for the Bible Study.  The best part of the day was going through the Gospel with 2 girls from the Chicago Church of Christ, which is a cult that preaches Baptism is necessary for salvation.  Of the two girls, one said she thought she was saved by baptism and the other by her righteous works.  The cult of the International Church of Christ believes both of these necessary for salvation plus belief in Christ.  Like any cult that is really teaching salvation by works, the only essential thing in their doctrine we can agree with them on they omit.  In the end all believe they are saved by their good works after you are in the cult for a while.  After all, why would a Satan Cult emphasize any of the truth?  Someone might slip up and be saved by their faith.  I explained the Gospel to them.  The works girl seemed to accept it, though she was a transplant from their LA operations (she said she would like to come to the Bible study, an unlikely event but hey).  The second girl had her back up a bit but did not know what to say and I gave them both booklets to read through.  Neither had any assurance of salvation, and hey if you are going to be judged on the righteousness of your works, no introspectively honest person would think they had a shot.

Later a guy came by also from LA [International Church of Christ takes the name of whatever city it is from so these now said they were from the Chicago Church of Christ].  He seemed to be a little more well versed in their shtick and offered Titus 3:5 “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,” (NASB)  He claimed this washing was not a metaphor for justification but meant submersion and Baptism, which the verse is not about (even by superficial examination).  He put out things impossible to say about the Greek language, which I explained to him.  This is another mark of cult groups, they don’t know Greek but know what they have been told about one Greek word here and there.  The Jehovah’s Witnesses use the same pattern.  I got his e-mail to continue the conversation.  These groups are growing exclusively through campus work.  Colleges used to refuse them status on campus as, in effect, many kids leave school when the cult gets full hold.  But lately it seems they can’t be bothered to block them access.  Not surprisingly as in effect, colleges and cults work for the same kingdom of lies.  I pointed out to him that no one, by his examination historically, was saved on earth from about 400 AD until some Anabaptists surfaced at the time of the reformation and that all the reformers, Calvin, Zwingli, Huss and Luther would be in hell. Of course he had no problem with that, which is another characteristic of cults, arrogance.

We also had a brief visit from the woman who leads the Newman Club, a Catholic Group (and from everything I have heard her say a universalistic group opposed to evangelism, I pray against her at night before bed often, we have spoken b4). She interrupted, telling us her thoughts briefly while I was talking to an Indian man who was a professor on campus and an evangelical Christian. He immediately excused himself and she left which I was grateful for in consideration of Matthew 7:6. A verse he undoubtedly had in mind as he exited.

So thanks for your prayers today if you had a moment. Please pray for the destruction of the cults on campus, if you feel like throwing the Neman Club under the bus in your prayers as well feel free, I know I do.
In Him,
Bob Bollow