MAN VS. GOD

By Rick Mathes

Romans 2:10 (NASB) ¹⁰  but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

HUMANIST MANIFESTON

We believe that traditional dogmatic or authoritarian religions that place revelation, god, ritual or creed above human needs and experience do a disservice to the human species.

Promises of immortal salvation or fear of eternal damnation are both illusory and harmful. They distract humans form present concerns, self-actualization and from rectifying social injustices.

We affirm that moral values derive their source from human experience.

Ethics is autonomous and situational, needing no theological or ideological sanction. Ethics stem from human need and interest. To deny this distorts the whole basis of life.

Reason and intelligence are the most effective instruments that humankind possesses. There is no substitute, neither faith nor passion suffices in itself.

No deity will save us; we must save ourselves.

CALVINISM

Total Depravity

One speck of sin (darkness) forbids you to stand in God’s Light. We must be totally holy or wee will never see God’s presence; only the imputed righteousness of Christ will do.

Unconditional Election

We didn’t save ourselves, we can’t. God chose us or we wouldn’t have chosen Him.

Limited Atonement

Those who refuse His death on the Cross with languish in Hell forever. This is His justice.

Irresistible Grace

Like metal to a magnet, we are drawn to Him, His purposes and His will.

Perseverance of the Saints

We don’t give up!

The choice is yours to make: by grace or works. Consider, the effect is not the cause of the effect. The cause caused the effect. Think, a lighter flame did not cause the lighter flame, the lighter fluid and a spark was the cause. A tear does not cause crying. The physical and emotional sadness causes the tears. It is not by works that we are saved or everyone would be bragging.

When you see the word “works” just substitute it with “effect.” With this in mind, you will see all other “works faith” including the religion of humanism in a whole different light. His Light!