Cults and Non-Christian Religions

We who formerly delighted in fornication, now embrace chastity alone; we who formerly used magical arts, dedicate ourselves to the good and unbegotten God; we who valued above all things the acquisition of wealth and possessions, now bring what we have into a common stock, and communicate to everyone in need; we who hated and destroyed one another, and on account of their different manners would not live with men of a different tribe, now, since the coming of Christ, live familiarly with them, and pray for our enemies, and endeavor to persuade those who hate us unjustly to live in conformity with the good precepts of Christ, to the end that they may become partakers with us of the same joyful hope of a reward from God the ruler of all.

The mark of sound doctrine given by our Savior himself is its tendency to promote the glory not of men, but of God. Our Savior having declared this to be the test of doctrine, we are in error if we regard as miraculous works that are used for any other purpose than to magnify the name of God. And it becomes us to remember that Satan has his miracles, which, although they are tricks rather than true wonders, are still such as to delude the ignorant and unwary.

Every religion, except one, puts you upon doing something in order to recommend yourself to God.… It is only the religion of Christ, which runs counter to all the rest, by affirming that we are saved and called with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to the Father’s own purpose and grace, which was [not sold out to us on certain conditions to be fulfilled by ourselves, but was] given us, in Christ, before the world began.