I read about the 14 steps of losing your salvation and I totally agree, but one of the arguments some Christians have is, What about your free will? Can you give the free gift of salvation back once have received it from God by announcing that you don't believe and want it anymore? Will God accept his free gift back? Is our Free Will so strong and powerful, that God has to honour it?
Since the word "doctrine" means teaching, I always thought that the doctrine of Christ is the whole Bible. I've recently been told that the doctrine of Christ is to love God and love your neighbor. I admit this is very hard to do and am familiar with the verse that tells us these are the greatest commandments. However, I constantly hear that Jesus is the issue and doctrine is not important. How can one love Jesus and not be at all interested in His teachings. My Bible says that Jesus hates the false doctrine of the Nicolaitans. How, then, can one know false doctrine if one is not interested in knowing the doctrine of Christ. (The Bible).
Recently, I have been discussing man being made in the image of God. Some say that God's essence is spirit and, therefore, that image is mind, will, and emotions (or similar variations) and cannot include anything physical like a body.Some put forth that the image is spirit, soul, and body. But even most of those admit that the body is looking forward to Jesus as God in the flesh. My question for you is, why couldn't the Word have had a spiritual/physical body before the incarnation and, thus, man being made in God's image would be body, soul, and spirit?
Can you tell me what is meant by 1 John 5:6 "water and blood"? What is water? What does "He came by water and blood" mean?
I understand the Bible says that God requires a blood sacrifice (Hebrews 9:22). I have heard preachers say that if Jesus had not shed any blood, then his death would not have been a valid sacrifice. Why does God require a blood sacrifice? I know the life of the flesh is in the blood (you can not live without blood), but you can die without bleeding. What is the significance of the blood sacrifice?
