I believe that we have the ability to make choices, but not TOTAL free will. For that matter, it can be said that we don't actually have free will because we are inordinately influenced by the unnatural condition called "sin". Jesus said those that "practice" sinning are "slaves" to sin. He also said that many are "blind". So, how can one actually have "free will" when they are blind to the truth and sinfully influenced?
But how do you know what the Apostles taught when the doctrine itself has been the subject of documented theological debates. The Nicene Creed postdates Jesus by hundreds of years.
Nope, but I will if you can show me in the Bible where we are commanded to do so. Are you Catholic? I used to be.
Romans 16:16 "Greet one another with a holy kiss." 1 Corinthians 16:20 "Greet one another with a holy kiss." 2 Corinthians 13:12 "Greet one another with a holy kiss." 1 Thessalonians 5:26 "Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss." 1 Peter 5:14 "Greet one another with a kiss of love." No, but my closest friends growing up were Catholics.
I had a baby sitter growing up who'd take me to her pentecostal church. I did not understand the appeal then nor now, but let people be.
I dont believe that I'm qualified to make such a judgment. I like the modern ESV and NIV for their ease of reading but any scriptures that refer to time (everlasting, eternal) need to be verified with Bibles such as Young's Literal Translation and/or the Concordant Literal New Testament, although sometimes they don't always have the EXACT same translation. However, one thing that I am SURE about is that NO BEING is excluded forever from our Father's Kingdom.
Admittedly I know little about them. There are innumerable Christian denominations. I focus on what Jesus and the Apostles taught, although faithful and reasonable can and do differ on the meaning of some scriptures.
One doesn't need to be a theologian, donate to a church, or even attend a church to be a faithful follower of Christ, aka a "Christian". I think we can summarize what it means to be a "TRUE" Christian. Love our Father. Love Jesus. Obey them. Repent from sin. Love one another. That's it. Here are supporting verses. Matthew 7:21 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. John 14:15 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. Matthew 22:36-40 Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. Galatians 5:13-14 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
You would make a good pentecostal. They love quoting scripture, more so than any denomination I've seen. The bible is a guide, not a rule book. Philosophy, not science. Nobody needs to prove God, or Jesus or any event in the bible actually happened (which Christians often are obsessed about). proof/science is on the other end of the spectrum of faith. Once you have proof, faith is dead.
Not a christian, but I'm a regular church attender in the Calvinist tradition. Okay, but I'm sensing the church you attend is nominally non-denominational but in the Baptist tradition. #3 is where my church would strenuously object (well, they would be polite to your face and later pray for your soul, probably), and why I say you sound to lean Baptist. My church would probably quibble on #2 as well and say we are all sinful and that Jesus does not fix us but atones with God for us. They would say you may want to reform your life out of the joy of your faith in your salvation, but in no way is it a requirement to be saved. Jesus' death alone is sufficient. I suppose this belief may be the motive you have for starting so many anti-social threads trying to moralize to everyone else here. Maybe you could be more winsome if you didn't feel this obligation. Now this one does sound like an ancient heresy that all organized denominations that recognize one another as christian reject. I'm not calling you a heretic because, remember, I'm not even a christian. But, you're a theological outlier. I find this meme ironic because it implies that people are basically mechanistic constructs like the AI robot in the picture that somehow believe in some fantastical origin story, instead of being divinely made beings who believe in some base mechanical origin story.
I don't attend a church. I read the Bible and try to live according to God's will, not that I always do, of course.
