That can be a hard concept to accept. How will helping others first get me what I want? That’s what faith is all about.

Jesus gave us the root of this concept in the Sermon on the Mount with the commonly-called "golden rule". Matt. 7:12, Luke 6:31. Jesus’ entire life is based on service to others above himself.

The Scriptures resonate this theme — the idea of the Good Samaritan, the concept service to others above ourselves.

What do we know about the "Good Samaritan" written about in Luke 10:30-36? We know that as a Samaritan, he was a bitter rival of the Jew who lay distressed in the road. Surely the Samaritan had his own problems. But he went out of his way to help another — even an enemy — placing the interests of that individual above his own interests. The Samaritan interrupted his own schedule and his own problems, and stopped first to help another.

What was Jesus’ instruction given with the Sermon on the Mount? "Go, and do thou likewise."

Stop for a minute and think about someone you know. What problem does that individual have? What can you do to help that person solve his/her problem?

Do we let ourselves get too busy to help others? Do we let our own problems and troubles cloud our mind to preclude us from considering the problems of others. If we are too busy to help other people with their problems, then we will always have trouble solving our own problems.

Your problem should be my problem. When I help you solve your problem, its amazing how much better and easier it becomes for me to address my own problems.

Read the 13^th Chapter of First Corinthians; it is only 13 verses.

There is "faith, hope and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity."

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A TRIBUTE TO 100 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP

BETWEEN THE MORGAN AND RICHARDS FAMILIES

As related by Jimmy S. Dutton

Our family first came in contact with the Richards family through my uncle, Will Morgan. My Uncle Will had gone to Dublin, Texas. There was to be a hanging at the courthouse and a large crowd had gathered.

There was a hush in the crowd and there he saw a man [as related by Edrie Richards Barnard] kneel in prayer, then rise to sing, "Show Pity Lord, Oh Lord Forgive" at the request of the condemned man, [a horse thief]. Uncle Will said something inside told him, "That is a Primitive Baptist." Afterwards, he met the preacher and it was Elder Hamp Richards. This was in the early 1890's. From that time on our families were, and still are friends. A few years afterward, at the Duffau Association, my grandmother Morgan and my great-aunt, Carrie Weaver Morgan, were baptized. A little later they moved to Rule and both women were charter members of the Rule Church that Elder Richards helped to constitute.

My great-grandmother died in 1919 and Elder Charlie Richards preached her funeral. Brother Charlie had three daughters, Hampie Lou, Edrie, [Edrie passed away this year at 95 years of age], and Audrie Ellen. Brother Charlie lived in Santa Anna for many years.

Years and years later, Billy Dale, [Brother Roy Dale's son], and I were on our way to Austin to see about going to college. We were so busy talking that we ran out of gas. I walked up to a farmhouse, and an elderly woman opened the door and peeped out. I told her our troubles and asked to use her phone. She asked, "Do you know anyone in Santa Anna?"

I spoke up and said that I knew Sister Mattie Richards and her daughter, Ellen. She said, "If you know them, you can use my phone." We called for gas and the man came out and I told him the same thing. He had so much respect for those two women that he didn't even charge us a delivery fee.

In 1947 my Grandfather, Waldrup had the honor of being in the presbytery when Afton, Alton, Harvey Bass, and Zed Wadzeck were ordained to the office of Deacon. Elder Hamp Richards, who was 86 at the time, was there. They called on him to give the ordination prayer. My Great-Aunt, Annie Morgan, said she had never perceived such spiritual depth in her life as that prayer was. The old Church house at Rule had hard plank, one by fours, and Afton and Alton had to help their grandfather down on his knees, a very touching scene.

My great grandmother, who was a Morgan by birth, had grown up a Methodist. At 91 years old, she told my great Aunt Vickie to buy her a nightcap, a "fancy one," because she didn't have much hair. She had been going to Union Grove to listen to Brother Richards preach, so my great-aunt bought her a night cap and brought it to church. That day, she joined the Church and was baptized at the age of 91.

I am not sure where, but Sister Ila Randolph Phelps, Sister Thelma Gibson Rock, and my grandparents, and my mother's brothers were all baptized. Brother Richards started at one end and Elder Mahurin at the other. Brother Hamp Richards baptized all three of my mother's brothers; Floyd, Loyd, and Lynn. Brother Henry Patterson, who lived at Vera, had built a big rock house, and had built a tank with steps going up and down, for the purpose of baptizing. My mother and my mother's great -aunt, Vicky Waldrip were baptized there.

There are many funny stories about the times that Brother Richards was with us. He loved to come, and they all loved for him to be there. My grandfather loved to fish and Brother Richards loved to eat them. They said, he would put them in his mouth on one side, the bones would come out the other.

Another member of this family that we knew and loved dearly was Gustava. We all called her "Gusty" She said that my Grandmother Waldrip was like a second mother to her. She worked at the hospital in Knox City, and we would pick her up on Sunday morning to go to church. It was always my duty to get her.

One Sunday morning I was "grumbling" about my job and my Grandmother Waldrip said, "You should consider it a blessing to have known a living saint." She had a way with people who were sick. They would bring in a bunch of workers from Mexico, who were housed and treated like dogs, and were sick. They would request, "The tall lady in white" to sit with them. Gusty was like all Richards, tall with thick white hair.

Once while she worked there, a tornado came to Knox City and it hit the hospital where she worked. After Gusty had helped secure the patients by moving them away from the windows, Miss Jones, the bookkeeper/receptionist, said that she and three housekeepers were just sort of running in hysterics and Gusty got them down in the hall on their knees and had all four put their heads down, she leaned over them, with her arms around them and prayed.

Through the storm and the loudness of the tornado noise they could hear Gusty praying. We went to town to see about my uncles and my grandfather, and we had to go to the hospital to see about Gusty, since the hospital was hit the hardest. He and I waded water knee deep to get to the hospital. When we got there, there was Gusty with sticks in her hair and blood on her uniform, still doing her duty, but she was just fine. We loved her dearly. On her days off she would call and stay with my grandparents. Often on Sundays, we would sit on my grandparents front porch or in the living room, if it was cold, and we would be singing. I told my mother, that was the closest to heaven we'll get, until we get there. When I was sixteen, I had gone to Gatesville to an association with Elder E. J. Norman. Alton and Merle and their children were there. I was sorta' depressed. That night, Brother J. P. Dale preached and I felt that he was talking directly to me. When they gave an opportunity for members, I went forward. And as they gave the right hand of fellowship, the first one to me was Brother Afton Richard's daughter, Marybeth, weeping and crying.

Another of the Richards that I remember was Brother Strat Richards. There was a couple of elderly members of the Church there in Rule, who had four children. The old man had died, three of his children had married people of a denomination that was very opposed to the Old Church. One of the boys had made a preacher, and was after his mother to join. He demanded to talk to her minister.

She called Brother Strat and he willingly met with him. The man was very rude and ugly to Brother Strat. Brother Strat was very patient with the young man and quoted scripture to confirm his belief. He would get the Bible and look it up to see if it was true. Of course, it was. When they left that night, his mother, who was very wealthy, told him to tell his brother and sister, that if either one ever said another word about the Church, that she would give all the money, that she was to give them, to the Church, and not one cent to them. He had said in the past, that his daddy was going to hell, because of his belief and that she would too. Brother Richard's name was Phillip Wade Hampton Richards. He was named for the old General Wade Hampton. Brother Charlie Richard's oldest daughter was named Hampie Lou. Brother Donny Richard's son is named Reid Hampton.

Brother Richard's first wife died and he married Rosa Cleveland Barnard of Manitou, Oklahoma. They had two daughters, Ila Marie and Sally Lee.

Sister Rosa had a brother, Ed, and a sister, Addie, and a sister, Lizzie. One time my grandparents and my mother were getting ready to go to the association at Union Grove, and up drove a truck with no top on the back. Brother Manuel Welch was driving with Brother Marvin Smith seated beside him. In the back, sitting in straight back chairs were Uncle Ed, Aunt Lizzie, Aunt Addie, and Juanita, [Aunt Addie's daughter] ready to go to church.

One time, Ila Marie told me, that they were having an "old photo" contest, sponsored by the University of Oklahoma. She had an old picture of her father, Brother Hamp Richards, baptizing her Aunt Addie in a farm pond, in the Elk Creek Church area. The picture was taken by Brother Robert Latham. It showed Brother Richards and Aunt Addie. He had his hand raised, the wind blowing, and it looked like a storm was brewing. His hair was standing up and there were horses and buggies in the background.

The picture was judged first of many, many pictures, and got a blue ribbon and a fifty dollar prize. It was on display in the library of the University of Oklahoma. After display it remained in the Western Historical Societies Archives at the University of Oklahoma.

I had been in California for several years. When I came home and heard that Brother Afton was in the hospital, I went to visit him. There were already two people in the room with him. They had asked that there be only two in there at once. Brother Afton asked them to leave, because he said, he saw them all the time, and he hadn't seen this boy in a long time. We had a good visit.

Brother Afton had married Sister Opal after Sister Mary died. She was so good to him and loved him dearly. Now that he is gone, Sister Opal has carried on his work and has done such a great job with the help of Brother Donny. If not for them, we would have no Banner of Love.

When my father died, we asked Brother Donny, whom we could get to take care of the will, and etc. He recommended a person. This person wanted a large sum of money to help us. We told Brother Donny about it and he was shocked and he said, he was sorry, and that he was disappointed in the man, and would take care of it. I told him that I didn't want to come between him and his friend. Brother Donny said, "What is a two or three year acquaintance compared to One Hundred Years of Friendship!"

This is 1999, and I am Jimmy Dutton.

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In 1st Peter, chapter 1, verses 18 - 21 we read; Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot. Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by him do believe in God, that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. What would make the blood of Jesus Christ so precious to a child of grace? This blood that we are talking about, is not precious to everyone. In chapter 2, verse 7 Peter says; Unto you therefore which believe he is precious, the same is made the head of the corner, he is the chief corner stone, it is that by which the building stands.

If you believe that this blood is precious, it is because you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, and a peculiar people that ye should shew forth praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

First, I would like to look at the word precious; this word is to be esteemed, in the highest degree, that this blood includes honour and dignity, that it is costly, that it is beloved, that it had and has a reputation, that it is magnificent, that is one of a kind, that there is no other blood like this blood, it is blood that has not been polluted with sin. It is blood that has power to cover, to cleanse, to purge, to make alive, to make holy and to take away your sins. Oh, the more I think about the blood of Jesus Christ, the more I can see what it has done for a sinner like me.

When John was baptizing in the River Jordan and looked up and saw Christ, his statement was, "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." Do you realize that redemption came through and by the blood of Jesus Christ? Where Peter made the statement in verse 20; Who verily was ordained before the foundation of the world. He is saying that Christ was not only foreknown in the mind and purpose of God, but that he was also appointed to take away the sin of the world by the sacrifice of himself, to shed his blood for the remission of sin, that he might save his people from their sins.

In 2nd Peter, chapter 1, verse 4 Peter says: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Do you realize that only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ that we were made a royal priesthood, a holy nation, that you have been made a king and priest, that you have been cleansed, that you have

been sprinkled with his blood, that only through him we live, move and have our being. That you have been accepted in the beloved, that you are able by his grace to offer up both gifts and sacrifices to him that laid his life down for you. That he did this voluntarily.

He said; They take not my life, I lay it down, I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again. I will close with chapter 2, verses 3 and 4; If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious.

This is the one that Isaiah speaks of that is despised of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely, he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with stripes we are healed.

Can you think of a greater love than this, that Christ would lay down his life, that he would bleed and die to take away our sins, that he would rise victorious over death, hell and the grave for sinners like us? Oh! how precious is the blood of Jesus Christ that took away the sin of the world. AMEN.

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ALL THE COUNSEL OF GOD

By Brother B.N. [Bob] Mahurin

And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Acts 20:25-27

What is all the counsel of God? Is it not the Holy Bible? As Paul said, All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2nd. Tim. 3:16. If a minister fails to preach all the counsel of God, he is guilty of their blood, because he failed to teach them all counsel of God.

So, thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shall hear the word at my mouth, and warn them for me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shall surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul. Ezekiel 33:7-9. The scripture is given by the inspiration of God, therefore, when the minister proclaims unto us the scripture, it is the same as God speaking to us. The minister must rightly apply the scripture, by providing at least two or more proof texts, then we are to obey that minister's admonition, for it is the same as God speaking to us. This is where the church errs, or I should say, it is where I err so many times, when I rebel against the admonitions of the minister.

The minister is only trying to bring us to maturity, as he does the work of the ministry, to the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Eph. 4:11-13.

Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness; when your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest.

Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, for we are partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, To-day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. Heb. 3:7-15. For many years I have wondered why I could not find peace and rest when I attended church service. I knew it was my fault, but I could not find the reason for my failure to feel the Spirit. I used to sit on the edge of my pew and rejoice under the sound of the gospel, as many others did and see much weeping and shouting as we feasted on the glorious sound of the gospel, but due to my rebellious nature, I lost that wonderful blessing of communion with God.

As I related my troubles to a dear Elder, he told me I had lost the joy of God's salvation to me, and I remembered Hebrews 12: 4- 5. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him; for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

And I realized that the loss of the joy of God's salvation was the beginning of God's chastisement upon us when we harden our hearts and rebel

against the gospel, when the minister would admonish us for our errors, not realizing that it is God speaking to us through the minister for our good.

Let us respect our ministers for they are only doing what God directs them to do for our benefit.

With love for the cause,

E.N. [Bob] Mahurin

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Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Why do Primitive Baptists use real wine and real unleavened bread in communion?

While scriptural descriptions of the original communion use the terms bread, the cup, and fruit of the vine, it may be conclusively inferred that the bread was unleavened and the drink was fermented wine. This follows from:

a.    The communion took place immediately after the Passover. This was a time in which leavened bread was prohibited both by scriptural law and by Jewish tradition (Ex 12:3-8, Num 6:9-11, Deut 16:1-3, Mt 26:17, Mk 14:12, Lk 22:7)

b.    Leaven is used in the scriptures as an emblem of sin (Lk 12:1, I Cor 5:6-8, Gal 5:7-9) and is therefore an unsuitable representative of the Lord's body.

c.    Wine is symbolically consistent with unleavened bread in the neither contain leaven. On the other hand, unfermented grape juice would contradict all that is portended by the unleavened bread because grape juice typically does contain leaven. There are some who erroneously assert the opposite is true - that wine contains leaven but grape juice does not. The reader is invited to consult any authority on wine chemistry to resolve the matter.

d.    Wine was a traditional part of the Jewish Passover.

e.    Without modern methods of refrigeration, grape juice could not be preserved for all times of the year. The Passover season was not conducive to grape juice since it was well between harvests.

f.    The Corinthians obviously used a fermented substance in their communion service since they perverted it into a drunken festival (I Cor 11:20-30). Paul condemns them for their impiety and excesses, but not for the usage of wine in communion.

The importance of adhering to the scriptural example in these matter cannot be questioned since God punished the Corinthians with illness and death for departing from it (I Cor 11:29-30) The usage of a leavened substance, such as grape juice, to represent the Lord is, in our opinion, a severe negligence, and is at risk of being chargeable as failure to discern the body of the Lord (I Cor 11:29)

Question: Why do Primitive Baptists commune only with baptized believers of like faith and practice?

The primary reason for requiring communion participants to be baptized believers is expressed by the words of Paul: Wherefore, whosoever shall eat of this bread, and drink of this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lord's body (I Cor 11:27-29) A person who has not yet submitted to the obedience of baptism has yet to examine himself in matters of Christian duty, and therefore, should not partake of communion. Nor should the church sanction such participation since this would make baptism appear inconsequential, thereby dulling the individual's sense of conviction over there negligence in this matter. Such churches also carelessly treat others in that they fail to alert them to the gravity of communion and the consequences of being an unqualified participant.

Jesus' final statement to his disciples clearly specified the proper order of gospel obedience: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen (Mt 28:19-20). Hence, the proper order is: belief of the gospel, then baptism, then observance of all that Jesus commanded. This pattern is consistently followed elsewhere in the scriptures (Mk 16:16, acts 2:41-42, Acts 8:36-37, Rom 6:3-4)

Neither should baptized persons participate in the communion of churches espousing principles contrary to their own. Paul's statement in I Cor 10:16-21 forcefully argues that communion denotes the highest degree of fellowship in matters of principle. Communion is in effect a common union with the implied principles. For this reason, Primitive Baptist communion services involve only baptized individuals of like faith and practice.

Question: Why do Primitive Baptists require baptism by immersion?

The example set by Jesus is clearly one of baptism by immersion. Mark described Jesus' baptism with these words: And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him (Mk 1:10) A baptism followed by one coming up out of the water cannot be by sprinkling or pouring. We must take Jesus' example as being the ultimate authority in the matter.

John baptized in Aenon because there was much water there (Jn 3:23). An abundance of water is not needful for sprinkling or pouring. Accordingly, the Ethiopian eunuch was baptized in a body of water (Acts 8:36).

Paul explains in Romans 6:1-5 that baptism represents a death, burial and resurrection. Nothing about pouring or sprinkling depicts these events. Immersion obviously does.

Question: Why do Primitive Baptists rebaptize persons joining them from other orders.

The scriptural precedent for rebaptism is taken from Acts 19:1-7. These verses teach that persons formerly baptized under improper principles should be baptized again, and that failure to do so can prevent the proper reception of the Holy Spirit.

Since baptism is an ordinance of the church, it is necessarily tied to the principles maintained by the church. When these principles are significantly changed, the baptism should be changed also. The claim that baptism is an ordinance of the church is proven by the fact it is the scriptural means of induction to the church (Acts2:41). Further proof is provided in Paul's statement: Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel (I Cor 1:17). This statement refers to Paul's evangelical duties, and implies that baptism is principally the responsibility of local churches and their pastors.

There are cases where former baptisms are obviously in gross error (e.g. infant baptisms, sprinklings, etc.) and therefore necessitate rebaptism; however, the scriptures offer few guidelines as to the exact point at which rebaptism is required; consequently, the safest and most objective policy is to rebaptize as a general rule.

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A Tract

by Brother Elvin Dick

Greetings to all from the Smoky Mountains east of Tennessee!

The July banner article by Elder Hulan Bass on vacation Bible school messionaries, "saving souls" struck a chord.

Recently, I was at the Knoxville airport to meet my sister from Washington state to attend my father's passing and his funeral in Meade, KS. As her flight was two hours late, I came across a small tract entitled, "Something to Think About".

It was similar to Brother Hulan's subject on the "works system,' in that it concerned such in comparison to the "gifts system." In the following, i add "works" are gifts to show the difference of the two. Carefully look for what is a work and what is a gift.

The tract: "The Bible says that God will punish all murderers, rapists, theives, liars, adulterers, etc. He will even judge our words and thoughts. On Judgement Day, will you be found to be guilty or innocent of breaking His law? Perhaps, that you think that God is good, and will therefore overlook your sins. But it is His goodness sinners receive justice. he would be a corrupt judge, if He turned a blind eye to justice.

God, however, made a way where His justice and His goodness would meet. We broke the law, but He became a man to pay the fine. The love of God. He was bruised for our iniquities. Now, because of what Jesus did for us in satisfying the law, God can forgive us and grant us an everlasting life!

But here's where many people make a fatal mistake. They think that they will enter heaven if the live a good life. works. But isn't that true that the best of us have lied, stolen, lusted, hated, failed to love God above all else, and failed our neighbor as ourselves? how can we then, live a "good" life if we have already sinned against God? At best we are reformed liars and thieves ... law breakers.

Think of it this way, would you sell one of your eyes for one million dollars? Would you sell both of them for fifty million? I am sure you wouldn't. Your eyes are priceless yet they are merely the eyes of the soul. What then must your life "soul" be worth? With those thoughts in mind, what would be a fair price to pay for everlasting life? It is utterly without price. "Gift"

Yet, if we trust in our own goodness to enter Heaven, we are saying to God, I should enter heaven because I have done good -- I have earned my way in. "Work"

Imagine if you wanted to give me a brand new car, but I said that I can't take it! I feel embarrassed receiving such a gift ... here's ten cents for it. I am sure you would be really insulted by such a pathetic offer of payment. Besides, if I pay "work" for it, it is no longer a gift, it's a purchase ... it's mine by right.

When we talk of entering heaven by being good, by trying to keep the Ten Commandments, etc. "works" we are tossing God ten cents worth of self righteousness, which is a terrible insult to Him, in light of His sacrifice. The only thing we can do, "works" is humble ourselves, repent of our sins, "works" and receive "gift" by trusting "works" Jesus Christ alone.

Almighty God demonstrated how much He loved you. He loved you, "gift" when Jesus suffered for you on the cross. If you want to trust in your own goodness, "works" then you are saying that His agonizing death on the cross "gift" was in vain. The Bible says, for by grace are you saved through faith "gifts", and that not of yourselves, "work" it is the "Gift"  of God. You cannot earn a gift. "The goodness of God leads you to repentance". "gifts". When Jesus said to believe in Him "Gift", he was saying that we should have faith in Him, "gift" in the same way you would trust a parachute when you jump from a plane. You don't merely believe in a parachute, you put it on! "work"

Please don't jump without Jesus, "work". If you die in your sins there is no second chance. "work" God will give you justice, "gift", no, a wage of sin. Confess your sins to God right now: "works" put your trust in Jesus as Saviour, "works" and you will pass from death to life "gift". Then read the Bible daily and obey "works". Have faith in God "gift", he will never let you down, "gift" [end of tract]

Works system is equal to wages, "the wages of sin is death, but the Gift of God is eternal life", Romans 6:23. Jn 3:16 shows Christ as a gift same as the subject, belief is a gift. "This is the work [His gift] of God, that you believe." Jn 6:29, Romans 11:6, And if by grace "gift", then it is no more works; otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace, otherwise work is no more work."

Summary: You cannot earn a gift by works no more than you can earn a gift in your grandmother's will. She gave to you the gift our of her work, love

Tract stated correctly, "You cannot earn a gift." But, they do not believe it by uncontrollable denial.

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