E
after reading and participating in many of these threads, it seems to me that anyone who speaks of Grace and not the law is cast instantly as a lover of sin, or not saved or whatever. I would ask all the " law" people please do not make that leap. will do no good, but I will ask.
so when someone comes and claims salvation is by faith not works.
1. it offends them, because it states all their hard work is for nothing (see pharisees, they killed Christ for that very reason)
2. since it offends them, they must protect themselves. what a better way than to say they excuse and love thier sin, when in reality, it is they who refuse to admit their sin.
3. for them to think a faith alone person could do more work and be more righteous and Christlike to them would be impossible. (even though in my 9 years at my current church, I see more people do more work for God, more people worried anout their sin struggles, and more people worried about serving others than I EVER did at my 30 some years in a legalistic church, who professed works, but had very little to show for it, it was mot judging others, then them actually going out and serving,