Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: llo@nuchat.sccsi.com (Larry Overacker) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Faith and Works:(Was Re: priesthood) Message-ID: Date: 24 Jan 91 08:54:38 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Houston Public Access UNIX Lines: 16 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu I have heard of Collosians 1:24 used rather obliquely to support the idea that works are necessary. It states "I am happy about my sufferings for you. For by means of my physical sufferings I help complete what still remains of Christ's sufferings on behalf of his body, which is the church". The argument advanced was that Christ's sufferings are neither complete nor completely adequate. They were nearly enough but needed something "extra" to put us up over the top, and we were expected to provide that ourselves. I feel that Col 1:24 can be interpreted differently, but read literally it does state that Christ's sufferings are not complete. Maybe this verse can be used as an argument against a literal reading of the Bible. Larry Overacker Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it. bertolt brecht