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I have to confess that I am still trying to really settle in my mind what it means to be saved by grace through faith. Doesn’t faith in Christ have to produce some kind of evidence of salvation to be real? You cannot just pray a prayer and “get in” so to speak. If my salvation is based on my “belief” in Jesus, could you define what “believing in the Son of God” means? What is that word in the Greek in the New Testament and is it the same meaning as faith or “believe” in the Old testament?

Re: How Are We To Believe? Is not the Love we receive from Jesus the assurance we have in Him, the fact that He knows us, and loves us, and has a relationship with us? Is it not through this love He expresses to us that we are shown all things of His Kingdom? A scholarly approach to the Bible is great for argument, especially with the unbeliever, or the person who hasn’t learned to trust faith, but isn’t the revelation of the Truth, given by the Holy Spirit, the aim of scripture? There is nothing easy about believing, and I have found that the greatest stumbling block is me, my thinking, my need to think that I can understand.

Re: 1 Peter 3:15. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.”

Why is it only a hope that we have? I’ve always considered that a strange phrase. Why is it not a sure thing? I hope for many things all the time, but a hope is wishful thinking. I hope all my family will be saved, but I have no assurance of it. How is Salvation any different? How can we be sure of our Salvation when it’s only a hope that we have?

In Genesis 1: 26 God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness.” Then in Genesis 1: 27 it says So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

I know there is only one God and I believe in the Father, Son & Holy Spirit. But who does he mean by “Our Image & Our likeness”? (When ever you use our it normally means more than one) but then verse 27 says “So God created man in His own image”? Can you also clarify the terms “Our Image & Our likeness” as well?

I have been converted to OSAS (eternal security: once saved, always saved) by your ministry. However, I must disagree with your use of the parable of the prodigal as proof of the OSAS doctrine. That is the story of the licentious son and the legalistic son, neither had a relationship with their father, as one was in a far country and the other was in a far field. The only way a person can be saved is through repentance and before the prodigal repents, he is merely a lost youth trying to find fulfillment in life.

Re: Whose Image Is It? I have a question about God’s image upon mankind post-fall, since as you pointed out, we all “bear the fallen image of Adam…what we call the ‘sin nature’ “. Is there a remaining “image of God” alongside the “fallen sin nature” then?

In our Sunday service we say “the Lord’s Prayer”. The wording has been changed to “forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”. Is sin the same as trespass? I know that I must forgive others who do me wrong but am I forgiving sin or trespasses? Thank you for your help.

I was thinking today about agency, which is freedom of choice right? It has become apparent to me, through experience and through being told so, that we cannot avoid sinning,. If we can’t avoid sinning, is that a lack of agency, since if some of us could choose it, we wouldn’t sin?

Thank you so much for all your understanding in all these topics, and may God continue to bless you with profound wisdom!

I thank God for your study on Hebrews. It really helped me understand that our Lord Jesus Christ is there waiting for us. Can you please explain to me further this verse in Genesis because I am a little confused.

And the LORD God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” Genesis 3:22.

Hebrews 5:9 says ‘and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.’ Is the word obey referring to all who believe in the Gospel or some other kind of obedience?