The Bible Says
Our pastor, Curt Daniel, wrote a weekly column for the local newspaper. It is entitled “The Bible Says.”
1/15/00
Question: What is the greatest of all God’s commandments?
Answer: Jesus answered this very question in Matthew 22:37, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” It outweighs all other commandments and is a summary of all that God requires of us.
We should love God above everything and everyone else (Matthew 10:37 ). It leads to obeying His other laws (John 14:15 ). Without it, life is empty and religion is worthless. But in loving God, we fulfill our reason for existence. God wants us to love Him with our whole being – from the bottom of our heart to the top of our mind.
Unfortunately, we sinners are “lovers of self, lovers of money, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:2,4). We are guilty of breaking God’s greatest commandment. But God loved us and sent Christ to save us. We can be forgiven by faith in Him. We then show our gratitude by loving Him (Luke 7:47 ). This is how we are able to truly love God. Then we can spend all eternity loving God and being loved by Him.
1/22/00
Question: What is the most popular verse in the Bible?
Answer: Surveys show that the most popular verse by far is John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” It sums up most of the Bible in a few words. Martin Luther called it “the Gospel in a nutshell.”
It is so profound that the greatest theologians in history have pondered its many deep implications. Yet it is so simple that little children learn it in SundaySchool.
It tells us that there is a God and that He loves us. He sent Jesus Christ to become a man and live a perfect life. Chrsit then suffered and died for our sins. He also rose from the dead and returned to Heaven – mission accomplished.
Though we all deserve to go to Hell, God says we can go to Heaven by faith in Christ. God will forgive all our sins and make us His children. For centuries, people around the world have believed John 3:16. Millions have taken great comfort in it as they died. Truly it is a wonderful verse.
1/29/00
Question: Is Jesus God?
Answer: Yes. There are over a hundred places in the Bible that show that Jesus is God. First, Jesus Himself said He was God by saying He is the great “I AM” (John8:24 , 58) and “The Almighty” (Revelation 1:8; 22:13 ). The Apostles called Him “God” in John 1:1, Romans 9:5, Titus 2:13 , 2 Peter 1:1, etc. Thomas called Jesus “My Lord and My God” (John 20:28 ). He is “God with us” (Matthew 1:23 ).
Next Jesus has all the unique qualities of deity. He is omnipotent (Revelation 1:8), omniscient (John 16:30 ), eternal (Hebrews 1:12 ) and unchangeable (Hebrews 13:8). He created all things, even the angels (Colossians 1:16 ). Jesus is not an angel, as some think (Hebrews 1:4-14). Hebrews 1:6 says the angels worship Jesus.
Nor was Jesus merely a perfect man. He is God “manifested in the flesh” (I Timothy 3:16 ). He was not a man who became God, but God who became the God-Man (Philippians 2:5-7). To go to Heaven, we must believe in the deity of Christ. To reject it leaves us in our sins and doomed to Hell (John 8:24 ). The good news is that Jesus is indeed “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Revelation 17:14 ).
2/5/00
Question: Do guardian angels exist?
Answer: Yes, but not in the way some people think. The Bible says, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them” (Psalm 34:7). Angels help Christians in many unseen ways (Hebrews 1:14 ). Sometimes they protect us from harm (Psalm 91:11-12). For example, an angel delivered Peter from prison when he was about to be wrongly executed (Acts 12:7).
The Bible does not say there is a specific angel assigned to each Christian. There may be several angels nearby at times (2 Kings 6:16 -17). The Bible forbids us to worship or pray to angels (Revelation 19:10 ). It never says that angels can “earn their wings” by some great deed or other such ideas we sometimes hear. Angels are very powerful, holy and intelligent beings. They may sometimes inflict great harm or even death on unbelievers (I Kings 19:35 ). Their main duty is to help Christians, but they many sometimes help unbelievers so they may become believers.
The Bible says a lot about angels. Many popular ideas are wrongly based on fairy tales, movies and urban legends. As on many other subjects, it is best to rely on what “the Bible says.”
2/12/00
Question: Is Jesus Christ the only way to God?
Answer: Yes. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). He said He is the only door (John 10:9). He alone grants the privilege of knowing God (Matthew 11:27 ), for to know Jesus is to know God (John 8:19 ). Acts 4:12 says, “There is salvation in none other, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 1 Timothy 2:5 says, “There is one God and one mediator between God and Man, the man Christ Jesus.”
According to the Bible, one cannot know God by good works, philosophy, other religions, or anything else. Though these ways may seem right to us, they only end in Hell (Proverbs 14:12 ). There is only one road to Heaven (Matthew 7:13 -14).
We need to remember that we are all sinners and do not deserve a way back to God. We deserve punishment, not grace. God mercifully provided a way of salvation – but only one way. Rather than complaining that this is not fair, we should thank God that we can be saved by faith in Christ.
2/19/00
Question: Can we know when Jesus will come again?
Answer: No. Jesus said, “Of that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of Heaven, but My Father only” (Matthew 24:36). “It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority” (Acts 1:7). Such secrets are known only to God (Deuteronomy 29:29). Since God has not revealed the date, it is futile and wrong to try to guess.
Many people – especially the cults – have set dates for the Second Coming: 1843, 1914, 1975, 1988, 1994, 2000, and many others. They have all been wrong. We should ignore such date-setting. The Bible is not a puzzle, in which we can figure out the date if we piece the clues together right. Nobody will ever know. It may be soon, it may not be for hundreds of years.
Jesus said, “Be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matthew 24:44). Since we do not know when that time will be, we should be ready at all times. If we have faith in Christ, we will be ready. It will be too late to get ready when He comes.
2/26/00
Question: Is Satan real or a myth?
Answer: Satan is very real – too real. He was created as a good angel named Lucifer. But he rebelled against God and was cast out of Heaven (Luke 10:18 ). He then enticed Adam and Eve into sin (Genesis 3) and has continued to do the same with everyone else. The Bible calls him the Devil, Beelzebub, the Prince of Demons and other titles.
Jesus called him a “liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44 ). One of Satan’s biggest lies is that he is only a myth. He is delighted that many people do not believe he exists. 2 Corinthians 11:14 says, “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” God says that Satan is real, and the existence of evil proves it.
Satan is evil, but not all-powerful. Jesus defeated him at the cross (Colossians 2:15 ). One day Satan will be thrown into Hell permanently (Revelation 20:10) . The Devil wants to take people to Hell with him. The only escape is salvation through Christ. When we trust in Christ, Satan’s hold on us is broken forever. Satan is not a myth – and neither is Jesus Christ.
3/4/00
Question: Why did God create the universe?
Answer: The Bible says that God created the universe in order to display His glory. “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1). For example, the vast size of the universe points to God’s infinity. A gorgeous sunset tells of God’s beauty. The laws of Nature show God’s wisdom. An earthquake reminds us of God’s power. Romans 1:18-20 tells us that the universe reflects God’s qualities in all sorts of ways.
God created humans as a special means of displaying His glory. We were created in His image (Genesis 1:26 ). Sin defaced that image, but it is renewed when a person believes in Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18 ). God displays the glory of his love when He forgives those who repent of sin (Romans 9:23 ). He also reveals the glory of His justice when He punishes those who do not repent.
We now see only sparkles of God’s glory. But one day, it will shine forth in full splendor. “The Lord has made all things for Himself” (Proverbs 16:4), and He will display His glory to His universe for all eternity. The Bible says so.
3/11/00
Question: Does God love us?
Answer: Yes. We know it in three main ways. First, God tells us. “God is love” (1 John 4:8). “God so loved the world” (John 3:16 ). The Bible says that God is loving, merciful, kind, compassionate and good. He has generously given us many good things in this life (James 1:17 ). So, God tells us in Scripture and in Nature that He loves us.
Second, God shows us by Christ. “God demonstrates His love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God loved us when we were His enemies. The cross is the supreme display of God’s love (1 John 4:9-10). If we ever doubt the love of God, we need to look at Christ on the cross and say, “The Son of God loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 ).
Third, God proves his love by offering to freely forgive all our sins. He fills our hearts with love when we believe in Christ (Romans 5:5). Then He will take us to Heaven and lavish His love on us for all eternity (Ephesians 2:7). Yes, God does indeed love us.
3/18/00
Question: Is the Bible infallible?
Answer: Yes. Jesus said, “Thy Word is truth” and “The Scripture cannot be broken” (John 17:17 , 10:35 ). “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16 ). Since “God cannot lie,” the Bible is infallible (Titus 1:2). “The words of the Lord are pure words” (Psalm 12:6). It has no errors, contradictions or myths. It is “the Holy Scriptures” (Romans 1:2).
Some parts of the Bible are hard to understand, as 2 Peter 3:15 says. The apostles and prophets sometimes used figures of speech and poetry. But since they were controlled by the Holy Spirit in what they wrote (2 Peter 1:21 ), they wrote the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. It is inerrant in all areas – history and science as well as theology and ethics.
The Holy Spirit inspired Holy Scripture and proves its truth. “The Spirit is the witness because the Spirit is the truth” (1 John 5:6). Historically, most Protestant and Catholic churches have believed in the infallibility of Scripture, though some no longer do. Attacks on the Bible come and go, but it is as true today as when it was first written. We can rely totally on whatever the Bible says.
3/25/00
Question: How do we know God exists?
Answer: We know because God says so. First, He tells us through Creation that He is our Creator. “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1). Romans 1:18-21 says that God has revealed His invisible existence through the visible thing he has created. Second, God tells us in our consciences that He is real (Romans2:15 ). Third, God tells us in the Holy Bible that He exists. Fourth, Jesus Christ is “God manifested in the flesh” (2 Timothy 3:16 ). In Christ, God personally came into his Creation and introduced himself to us.
We do not need to prove to people that God exists, for they already know it. Everything around and inside us reminds us. Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” In this sense, there is no such thing s as an atheist or agnostic. There are only those who foolishly deny what they know is true.
Though we all know that God exists, we do not know Him personally except through Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:27 ). By faith in Christ, we can know God personally as Father. Read the Bible and find out for yourself.
4/01/00
Question: Will we see God in Heaven?
Answer: Yes. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). “They shall see his face” (Revelation 22:4). “We shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2). Theologians call this the Beatific Vision – the joyful and blessed privilege of seeing God Himself. Though all Nature points to God, God Himself is presently invisible to us (Romans 1:20 ). He says, “No man can see my face and live” (Exodus 33:20). If we sinners saw God now in His perfect holiness, we would be immediately incinerated. We need to be made ready to see God one day. Salvation by Christ makes us ready. To see Jesus is to see the Father (John 1:18 , 14:9).
All those in Heaven see God in His glory and splendor. When we are raised up in new bodies, we will see God with our very own eyes (Job 19:26 -27). It is the deepest longing of every Christian to see God. However, lost sinners will tremble in terror when they behold God in His wrath (Revelation 6:16 , 20:11 ). God has now provided the way of salvation. One of its greatest blessings will be spending all eternity gazing at God in wonder, love and worship.
04/08/00
Question: What does “born again” mean?
Answer: Jesus said, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God . You must be born again” (John 3:3, 7). We were born physically by means of our parents. We need to be born a second time spiritually by the Holy Spirit.
The new birth is a miracle that God performs in the heart. We do not do it for ourselves by good deeds or self-reformation, any more than we gave ourselves physical birth (John 1:13 ). The Holy Spirit does it in us by means of the Bible (James 1:18 ). He radically transforms our very soul so that we truly believe in Christ and love God (1 John 4:7, 5:1). The Bible says it is like being raised from the dead, being created all over, and giving sight to the blind. It is how we become children of God.
Not everyone has had this life-changing experience. A person can know for sure if he has been born again. The book of 1 John tells us about it. Those who have been truly born again know it is real and wonderful. They would not trade it for anything.
04/15/00
Question: Who killed Jesus?
Answer: The Bible says many people were involved in the crucifixion. First, Satan is a murderer and the instigator of all murders (John 8:44 ). He moved Judas to betray Jesus to certain Jewish religious leaders who wanted Jesus dead (Luke 22:2-4). They in turn stirred up the crowds to demand Jesus’ execution at His trial (Matthew 27:20). Pontius Pilate then condemned Jesus to death, even though he knew Jesus was innocent (Mark 15:14 -15). Finally, Roman soldiers did the job (Mark 15:24 ).
This does not at all mean that all Jews today are to be blamed, as they often were in the past. In a way, we are all guilty of killing Jesus, for “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3). Hebrews 6:6 and 10:29 say that those who reject the Gospel thereby re-crucify Christ, as it were.
There’s more. Jesus said, “No man takes my life from me, but I lay it down of myself” (John 10:18 ). He allowed people to murder Him. And in the ultimate sense, it was God who killed Jesus. God planned the crucifixion in eternity and sent Jesus to die for our sins (Acts 2:22 -23, 4:27 -28). That’s what the Bible says.
04/23/00
Question: Did Jesus rise physically from the dead?
Answer: Yes. Some people mistakenly think that Jesus rose only as a kind of ghost without a physical body. But Jesus said to His disciples, “Handle me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have” (Luke 24:39). He then ate a piece of fish to prove it. Ghosts don’t eat fish.
His body was as physical as it was before he died. He arose as more than a ghost, myth or nice memory. If He did not rise, He failed in everything. But He conquered death. True faith believes in the physical resurrection of Christ. If one rejects it, he is still lost in his sins. (1 Corinthians 15 is the classic chapter on this subject.)
Christ’s body was also glorified. It was not less than physical, but physical with new qualities. For example, He could walk through walls and even disappear (Luke 24, John 20). He later went back to Heaven in this glorious body. One day, He will return and give perfect resurrection bodies to all those who belong to Him (1 Corinthians 15:52 ).
04/29/00
Question: How can I get rid of a guilty conscience?
Answer: God gave us a conscience as a kind of alarm clock to tell us that we have sinned (Romans 2:15 ). Some people have very sensitive consciences. Their sins haunt them and accuse them day and night. In reality, it is the Holy Spirit convicting them of sin (John 16:8).
There is only one cure for a guilty conscience: God’s forgiveness. It works like this. We are all guilty of sin. God sent Christ to die for our sins (Romans 5:8). When we repent of sin and trust in Christ, God forgives us all our sins. Then he cleanses our consciences. “How much more shall the blood of Christ cleanse your conscience” (Hebrews 9:14 ) . We then have “a pure heart and a good conscience” (1 Timothy 1:5). “If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart” (1 John 3:20 ).
We should not ignore a guilty conscience, nor let it lead us to despair. We should turn to God, who alone can forgive us. One of the greatest blessings of being a Christian is having a clear conscience. The Holy Spirit even tells us in our heart that we are God’s children (Romans 8:16 ).
05/06/00
Question: Are there any myths in the Bible?
Answer: No. The Bible itself warns us not to believe myths (1 Timothy 1:4, 4:7, Titus 1:14 , 2 Peter 1:16 ). The events in the Bible actually happened, including the miracles. If we had been there, we would have seen and heard them. This includes Adam and Eve, Noah and the ark, Jonah and the whale, and Jesus. The Bible is not a collection of make-believe fairy tales, but God’s Word on historical facts.
Scripture records many of Christ’s parables, such as the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son (Luke 10 and 15). But a parable is not a myth. It is only a simple illustration drawn from life. The four Gospels do not contain myths. Also, the Bible records the lies of Satan, but that doesn’t mean the Bible is a lie. God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). Therefore God’s Word has no myths.
We do not need to sort out myths from truth in Scripture, for it is all truth. We need to believe the Bible and listen to what God tells us. That’s what the Bible says.
05/13/00
Question: What is the Trinity?
Answer: “Trinity” is a word we use to describe the Bible’s teaching that the one true God exists as “the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). It is shown in 2 Corinthians 13:14 , 1 Peter 1:2 and elsewhere. It is based on three main truths. First, there is only one God (Exodus 20:3). “The Lord our God is one Lord” (Deuteronomy 6:4). The Trinity is one God, not three gods.
Second, God has three aspects or persons. The Father is God (1 Corinthians 8:6). The Son is God (John 20:28 ). The Spirit is God (2 Corinthians 3:17 ). Each is fully and eternally God. Third, these three are not identical. For example, the Son and not the Father died on the cross. We see all three distinctly at Christ’s baptism in Matthew 3:16-17. They are not identical in person, but are equally divine in nature. Each is “God and with God” (John 1:1).
This is a very deep mystery. Sadly, many cults reject it. We should believe it and pray for more understanding. We should bow in holy awe and worship the one God in three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
05/20/00
Question: Why do bad things happen to good people?
Answer: This is a popular question, but it is the wrong question. The real question should be, “Why do good things happen to bad people?” The Bible says, “No one is good but one, that is, God” (Mark 10:18 ). We are not good people who do not deserve bad things. We are bad people who deserve punishment for our sins (Romans 6:23 ).
We need to look beyond the problems and pain we experience in this sinful world. Sometimes God allows them to come our way to draw us to Himself, or to test us, or to help us sympathize with others. Remember Job. Even so, we are now getting far less than we deserve (Ezra 9:13 ).
God is temporarily withholding our punishment. He is giving us many good things to show us He loves us (James 1:17 ). This should move us to repent of our sins (Romans 2:4). If we do, God will forgive us. For believers, the blessings of Heaven will far outweigh the afflictions of Earth (Romans 8:18 ). But if we do not repent, then we show gross ingratitude for God’s many good gifts. If so, we will then receive what bad people deserve – Hell.
05/27/00
Question: What is the shortest verse in the Bible?
Answer: The shortest verse is John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” Jesus was standing at the grave of His friend Lazarus. He was deeply moved with grief (verse 33), as we are at funerals. He comforted the family and then surprised everyone by raising Lazarus from the dead.
Luke 19:41 tells us that Jesus also wept when He looked out over the city of Jerusalem . He was grieved at their unbelief and foresaw their doom. Hebrews 5:7 says Jesus prayed with “vehement cries and tears” in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before He was crucified. Jesus probably wept many other times, for Isaiah 53:3 says He was “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”
Though He was God, Jesus was also human and had human emotions. He sympathizes with our pain, our loneliness and our grief (Hebrews 4:15 , 5:2). He cares for us deeply from the bottom of His heart. Jesus knows what it is to weep. He can comfort us in sorrow as nobody else can. “Casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you” (1Peter 5:7). One day, He will wipe away all tears from those in Heaven (Revelations 21:4).
06/03/00
Question: What does the Bible say about philosophy?
Answer: The Bible says, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit” (Colossians 2:8). The word “philosophy” means “love of wisdom.” It refers to the wisdom of man, not God. It reached its peak in ancient Greece . When Paul visited Athens and met their philosophers, he preached the Gospel to them, not philosophy (Acts 17).
1 Corinthians 1 contrasts the philosophy of Man with the wisdom of God. Man cannot know God by philosophy, but only by the wisdom of God. God’s wisdom appears foolish to the philosophers, but in reality it is philosophy that is foolish. The Biblical book of Ecclesiastes shows the philosophy of Man only ends in despair and death. It leads away from God, not back to Him.
Philosophy is fundamentally wrong because it does not start with the main principal of true wisdom: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10). The apostles and prophets who wrote the Bible were far wiser than Plato or Aristotle. And the sum of all wisdom is found in Jesus Christ, who is called “the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24 ). It is wise to trust Christ, foolish not to.
06/10/00
Question: What is the “Rapture”?
Answer: The “Rapture” is a term that describes what happens to Christians at the Second Coming of Christ. It comes from the Latin word “rapio,” which means “take away by force.” “The Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:16 -17).
Jesus said, “I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3). At the Second Coming, “He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds” (Matthew 24:31).
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 says it will happen “in the twinkling of an eye.” Christ will suddenly take Christians out of the world without dying. He will give them new and perfect bodies like His own resurrection body (Philippians 3:21 ). Christians differ on various details of the Rapture, but they agree on two things: it will certainly happen and it will be glorious.
06/17/00
Question: What will happen when we die?
Answer: The Bible says the spirit leaves the body at death. “The body without the spirit is dead” (James 2:26 ). When Jesus died, He gave up His spirit (John 19:30). “The dust will return to the Earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Doctors may be able to keep some parts of the body functioning for a while. The usual medical definition of death is total cessation of brain waves. But if the spirit has left the body, the person is dead.
The spirit is the invisible part of us. The Bible calls it the soul, the heart, the inner man. It is where we think and love, where we sin and believe. It does not cease to exist when it leaves the body, nor is it unconscious. The Bible does not teach “out-of-body experiences” as popularly reported. To leave the body is to die.
The spirit will one day be reunited with the body to face God on Judgement Day (Revelation 20:11 -15). Lost sinners will go to eternal Hell, while saved people will go to eternal Heaven (Matthew 25:46). Death is real. We need to ready for it.
06/24/00
Question: What are demons?
Answer: Demons are evil angels. They were created as good angels, but followed Satan in a rebellion against God. They were then cast out of Heaven. Some were thrown into Hell to await Judgement Day (Jude 6). Others were allowed to roam the Earth. In rare cases, they inhabit people. The Bible calls this demon-possession. Demons are at war with good angels (Revelation 12:7).
The Bible is the only reliable source of information on demons, not TV or rumors. Demons are real, not mythological. They have minds, but not bodies. They are not ghosts of dead people. The Bible says they have rank like soldiers under their leader Satan (Ephesians 6:12 ). They are evil and therefore speak lies, present temptation and oppose God.
Jesus cast out many demons, for He is stronger than they are. They tremble before Him. Colossians 2:15 says Christ defeated them at the cross. One day, Christ will condemn all demons to eternal Hell (Matthew 25:41). There is no hope for them. But there is hope for us. When we believe in Christ, the demons have no power over us. They may oppose believers, but they can never possess one.
07/01/00
Question: Is the phrase “In God we trust” in the Bible?
Answer: These words first appeared on some coins in 1864 and were authorized by Congress for all currency in 1908. The phrase is based on Psalm 56:11, “In God I have put my trust.” It was meant to be a public acknowledgement that America as a nation believed in God. It is like when the words “under God” were added to “one nation” in the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954.
Unfortunately, the true meaning of the phrase is now ignored or denied by many people. For many it should be, “In gold we trust.” Our nation has forsaken God. It ignores the Bible and mocks God’s laws. Though many individuals can say “In God I trust,” as a nation we do not trust God any longer.
The Bible says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 33:12). God provides blessings for those who seek to follow Him. God made Americagreat. But he warns of judgement as well. “The wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17 ) . May our nation forsake its sin and return to God, and truly say “In God we trust.”
07/08/00
Question: Can we become gods?
Answer: No. Some Eastern religions mistakenly teach that we can become gods or goddesses through good works and reincarnation. Some even say that this is how Jesus became a god. Oddly, some cults teach that a person becomes a god when he becomes a Christian, or can become one in the next life.
One of Satan’s lies to Adam and Eve was, “You shall be as gods” (Genesis 3:5). Many people still believe that lie. Satan himself tried to become a god and was thrown out of Heaven (Isaiah 14:12 -15). It is high blasphemy and self-idolatry to try to become a god. It is not only a ridiculous idea, but a futile attempt. It only brings a person down to Hell (Ezekiel 28:6-9).
There is only one true God, but many false gods (I Corinthians 8:5-6). Jesus was not a man who became a god, but was the true God who became the God-Man (John 1:1,14). When we believe in Christ, we become children of God by adoption (Galatians 4:5). We do not become little gods, however. Christians will be made perfect in Heaven one day, but they will always remain human, not be made divine.
07/15/00
Question: What does the Bible say about drugs?
Answer: The Bible mentions drugs in Galatians 5:20 and Revelation 9:21, 21:8 and 22:15 . In the original Greek of the New Testament, the word is “pharmakeia,” from which we get the English word “pharmacy.” It is sometimes translated “sorcery.” It refers to the use of drugs such as opium and marijuana. Ancient pagans sometimes used drugs in their occult practices to try to attain religious ecstasy. Others used drugs just to get high.
God condemns the use of drugs in these ways. Just as He forbids intoxication with liquor, so He forbids intoxication with drugs. “Do not get drunk with wine, which is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18 ) . We should not allow mind-altering substances to cloud our thinking. Nor should we abuse our bodies, for they belong to God. And one cannot know God through drugs, contrary to the foolish claims of the late Timothy Leary.
Of course, some drugs have a legitimate medical use. Proverbs 31:6 permits the use of strong pain-killers. But the non-medical use of drugs is morally wrong. Drugs have ruined millions of lives and families. Drugs aren’t the answer – Christ is.
07/22/00
Question: Is man basically good or evil?
Answer: Most people think that we are all basically good. They admit that we have done some bad things and that some people are worse than others. But they feel that even the worst people are still basically good and that some people are so good that they make it to Heaven.
This is totally wrong. Jesus said, “You are evil” (Matthew 7:1). The Bible says, “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10 ). We are evil, not good. In fact, we are not only basically evil, we are totally evil. Our hearts are “full of evil” (Ecclesiastes 9:3). “Every intent of the heart is only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). We are filled with sin from head to toe (Isaiah 1:6). We are not good people who occasionally do evil – we are evil people who never do good out of pure motives. Our “good deeds” are only sins in disguise. We all deserve Hell.
God has provided a solution. Christ was the only good person. He was punished in our place (1 Peter 3:18 ). We can be forgiven by believing in Him. God then changes us so that we are truly able to do good.
07/29/00
Question: Did Jesus ever marry?
Answer: No. Every now and then, someone propounds the odd theory that Jesus was married and had children. Some say He married Mary Magdalene. Some even say He had several wives. Others think His children had children, and so on, and that His bloodline was the true “Holy Grail.” One bizarre book even suggests that the authors located a true descendant of Jesus in France .
All such theories are false. The truth is, Jesus never married. The Bible nowhere even hints at the idea of Jesus being married, let alone that He had children. Surely the Apostles and early Christians would have mentioned it if it had happened. Jesus stayed single to better serve God (see 1 Corinthians 7:32 ). It would also have been an inappropriate and unequal match for the sinless God-Man to marry a sinful human.
In a spiritual sense, all true Christians are the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:22 -23). A person becomes engaged to Christ when he is converted (2 Corinthians 11:2). One day Christ will return to Earth and be united with His people in a holy spiritual wedding (Revelation 19:9, 21:1). Christians will live with Him forever in an eternal honeymoon of bliss and joy.
08/05/00
Question: Will there be more people in Heaven or Hell?
Answer: Jesus answered this question in Matthew 7:13-14, “Enter by the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Many go to Hell. Few go to Heaven.
Each of us is on one of these two roads. Most people are on the road to Hell, though they do not know it. They usually think they will end up in Heaven. Only a few have gotten off the road to Hell and are now on the road to Heaven. Though their number is large in itself (Revelation 7:9), it is far out-numbered by those who go to Hell.
It is absolutely essential that each of us knows for sure which road we are on. There will be no second chance. There are only two destinies. The Bible alone has the answer. Christ is the only way to Heaven (John 14:6). Otherwise, we go to Hell. Which road are you on?
08/12/00
Question: What is a soul?
Answer: Our soul is the invisible part of us. It is the “inner man” (Ephesians 3:16 ) that lives inside our bodies. It includes our heart, mind and conscience. It is our spirit. With our soul we think, feel emotion, love and sin. It is also with our soul that we can know God through faith in Christ.
Humanistic philosophy denies that we have a soul. It says that we are only animals and that the idea of a soul is superstition. But God says otherwise. We are not animals at all, but humans. God created Adam by breathing life into his body and making him a “living soul” (Genesis 2:7). He then gave Adam charge over the animals.
One day we will die. Our bodies will return to the dirt and our souls will go to be judged by God (Ecclesiastes 12:7, 14). Jesus asked, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36 ). Lost sinners will be cast into Hell in both their soul and body (Matthew 10:28 ). But the souls of believers in Christ will go to Heaven and get perfect bodies. Is it well with your soul?
08/19/00
Question: Is it ever okay to tell a lie?
Answer: No, never. The Bible says, “Putting away lying, let each of us speak truth with his neighbor” (Ephesians 4:25 ). The ninth of the Ten Commandments is, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16 ). God always speaks the truth and never lies (Titus 1:2), and He tells us to do the same. Satan is the “father of lies” (John 8:44 ). God hates lies and punishes unrepentant liars in Hell (Revelation 22:15 ).
All lying is sin. It is common in politics and business, but it is still wrong. That includes slander, perjury, deception, gossip and hypocrisy. Some people say there are times when lying is acceptable – for example, lying to an armed burglar to save an innocent life. But the Bible does not allow for exceptions to God’s clear command. In hard cases, a person might remain silent, pray, change the subject, take the consequences, or try to stop the danger.
The end does not justify the means. God condemns the error that says, “Let us do evil that good may come” (Romans 3:8). Truth is sacred because God is holy. It is always right to tell the truth, never right to tell a lie.
08/26/00
Question: What does the Bible say is a husband’s main duty?
Answer: The main duty of a husband is this: “Husbands, love your wives” (Ephesians 5:25 ). This is the key to being a good husband. If he does it right, everything else will fall into place. Without it, all else will fail.
This kind of love is more than romance or sex. It is the love of sacrifice. A loving husband will put his wife’s needs above his own. That’s real love. He will exercise his God-given authority as head of the family with gentle love, not brute force. 1 Peter 3:7 tells husbands to be understanding to their wives. That means patience and kindness. He will protect and provide for her both physically and emotionally. A loving husband will not strike or demean his wife. Instead, he will “nourish and cherish” her (Ephesians 5:28 -29). This is what every wife needs and wants.
A husband should imitate Christ, who loved the Church and died for her (Ephesians 5:25 ). A loving husband will not just say he loves his wife – he will prove it by action and attitude. He will honor her with respect, value her as a treasured jewel, and treat her like a queen.
09/02/00
Question: Does the Bible say that wives must submit to their husbands?
Answer: Yes, three times. Ephesians 5:22 says, “Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as to the Lord.” Colossians 3:18 and 1 Peter 3:1 say almost the exact same words.
God created the family and made the rules. The family is to be a hierarchy of loving authority, not contentious anarchy or tug-of-war. God says the husband is the head of the wife (1 Corinthians 11:3) and has authority over her (1 Timothy 2:11 -12). Just as the Church is to submit to Christ, so a wife is to submit to her husband and show him due respect (Ephesians 5:24 , 33). Of course, if he tells her to do something contrary to the Bible, she must obey God, not him (Acts 5:29 ). She should love, honor and obey him – much in the same way that children should honor and obey their parents (Ephesians 6:1-3).
This way of looking at marriage is not very popular anymore. But it is God’s way and God’s way is best. A wife’s primary duty is to submit to her husband. A husband’s primary duty is to love his wife with a sacrificial love like Christ has for the Church (Ephesians 5:25 -33).
09/09/00
Question: Can we know if we are going to Heaven?
Answer: Yes. 1 John 5:13 says, “I write these things to you who believe, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” Most people don’t know. Some say that nobody can know. Others are wishing and hoping. Many say to themselves, “I would give anything to know for sure.” God says we can know.
The Bible gives us the answer. We cannot save ourselves from our sins. God sent His son Jesus Christ into the world to save us. “Christ died for our sins and rose again” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31 ). If we truly trust in Christ, we shall go to Heaven. God says so.
We cannot earn Heaven by good deeds, for we could never do enough of them to merit salvation. This is why many people are unsure. When we believe in Christ, we are freely forgiven all our sins (Acts 10:43 ). God gives believers the Holy Spirit, who inwardly tells them they are saved (Romans 8:16 ). Our changed lives confirm it. Read the book of 1 John and find out for yourself.
09/16/00
Question: What is predestination?
Answer: Predestination means that God eternally planned everything that happens in time. The word “predestine” is used in Romans 8:29-30 and Ephesians 1:5, 11. Many other verses teach the same truth (such as Ephesians 3:11 , 2 Timothy 1:9, Isaiah 14:24 , 27, etc.). God foreordained everything that comes to pass, like pre-programming a computer. It is God’s ultimate “purpose” (Romans 8:28 ) and destiny for Creation.
There is no such thing as chance or coincidence. God determined everything in advance down to the smallest detail. We are still responsible for our actions and will be called to account by God (Romans 14:12 ). But it is God, not us, who has the final say. He consulted only with Himself in predestination. He appointed all things, including who will be saved (2 Thessalonians 2:13 ) and even the crucifixion of Christ (Acts 2:23 , 4:27 -28). God guides everything in history by this unchangeable blueprint. All happens on schedule.
This is a deep mystery that should move us to a holy awe of God. The final destiny of predestination is the glory of God. “From Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be the glory forever” (Roman 11:36 ).
09/23/00
Question: Is sex evil?
Answer: No, not always. God created sex. When God made Adam and Eve, He told them to multiply. They had sexual relations and produced children (Genesis 1:28, 4:1-2). God uses sex to reproduce the human race. He blesses it in other ways. Sex is a means of intimacy and spiritual union between husband and wife. It fulfills a God-created drive (1 Corinthians 7:1-9). God even tells married couples to enjoy it (Proverbs 5:18 -20).
God made sex a wonderful thing. But it can only be truly good within the limits God lays down. God allows sex only within marriage. Outside marriage it is adultery. “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14 ). God forbids all pre-marital sex, rape, incest, homosexuality, prostitution and perversion. “Marriage is honorable among all and the bed undefiled, but God will judge fornicators and adulterers” (Hebrews 13:4).
God provides forgiveness for those who have broken His laws for sex. We must repent of our sin, confess it to God and forsake it. When we believe in Christ, we are forgiven all our sins, even these. Christ forgave an adulterous woman and said, “Go and sin no more” (John 8:1-11).
09/30/00
Question: Can God make a rock too big for Him to lift?
Answer: This is a trick question often used by atheists. They argue like this: If God cannot make such a rock, then He cannot do everything. And if He cannot lift it, then He cannot do everything: Therefore, there is no God who can do everything. It sounds logical, but it has a fatal flaw.
The answer is simple. God cannot make a rock too big for Him to lift. No such rock could exist. The idea is nonsense and therefore impossible. This is not weakness in God, but a perfection. There are several things God cannot do. “God cannot lie” (Titus 1:2). He cannot approve of sin (Habakkuk 1:13 ). He cannot die (1 Timothy 1:17 ). He cannot cease to exist. God cannot be less than or other than He is. All these are not weaknesses, but perfections.
This trick question is like the one that asks, “Have you stopped beating your wife?” The question itself is improper and misleading. Unbelievers who ask about the big rock are really mocking God. Behind their foolish speculations is a heart of sin (Romans 1:18 -22). They need to cease their rebellion and submit to God.
10/07/00
Question: What is faith?
Answer: Faith is basically two things: belief and trust. To believe God is to agree that what He says is true (John 3:33 ). Conversely, “He who does not believe God has made Him a liar” (1 John 5:10 ). Faith is not believing something you know is not true, but rather believing it is true because God says so. It is not a leap into the darkness, but a step into the light.
Faith is also personal trust. A person truly has faith in Christ when he commits his whole self to Him. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31 ). It is not enough simply to agree that the Bible is true. The demons believe it is true, but obviously they do not submit to God or trust Christ (James 2:19 ). We are saved by trust in Christ alone, not by relying on our good works (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Faith is very important. “He that does not believe shall be condemned” (Mark 16:16 ). Few people really have true faith in Christ. But others have experienced the great miracle of the gift of faith. They know that the Gospel really is true after all. Do you have faith in Christ?
10/14/00
Question: Does the Bible advocate capital punishment?
Answer: Yes. The Bible repeatedly advocates capital punishment, especially for murder. “The murderer shall surely be put to death” (Numbers 35:16,17,18,30). “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed” (Genesis 9:6). It is upheld in both the Old Testament (Exodus 21:12 , Leviticus 24:17, etc.) and the New Testament (Matthew 26:52, Luke 23:41 , Acts 25:1, Romans 1:32 , Revelation 13:10 , etc.).
The Fifth Commandment is, “Thou shalt not murder” (Exodus 20:12 ). Capital punishment is not murder, but the just penalty for murder. The accused is to be given a fair and legal trial. If found guilty, he is to be executed. It is the just exchange of “life for life” (Exodus 21:23 ). God authorizes the State, not individuals, to carry it out (Romans 13:1-4). Numbers 35:31 explicitly states that there is no acceptable substitute or lesser penalty for murder. When it is not enforced, crime increases (Ecclesiastes 8:11 ).
Most people favor the death penalty. Studies show that is deters crime. It certainly prevents the executed murderer from killing again. But the ultimate reason why it is just us very simple: God says so. We would be wise to obey God on this matter.
10-21-00
Question: What is the Golden Rule?
Answer: Jesus gave us the Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12, “Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them.” Somehow it got re-phrased to the popular version, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It was called the Golden Rule at least as far back as 1674. It is a good principle to practice in all situations. Even children can understand it.
The Golden Rule challenges us to put ourselves in another person’s place and treat him in the way we ourselves would want to be treated. Thus, we should show courtesy, patience and fairness to all people. The Golden Rule can also be put in a negative form: “Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you.” The world would be a much better place if we all followed this rule. So would our families.
Some people mistakenly think they can get to Heaven by keeping the Golden Rule. No one has ever perfectly kept it, except Christ. First we must believe in Christ and be saved from sin. Then and only then are we really able to live the Golden Rule. And we should.
1/06/01
Question: What is the Gospel?
Answer: The word “Gospel” means good news. It is the basic message of Christianity, the central theme of the Bible. It is the sum of what Christians believe, and is sometimes called “the Faith” (Jude 3). God used Matthew, Mark, Luke and John to write down the Gospel in detail.
The Apostle Paul summarized the Gospel in I Corinthians 15:3-4, “Christ died for our sins and rose again according to the Scriptures.” Jesus Christ was a sinless man who was also the Son of God. He took the penalty for our sins and died so we could be forgiven. He said, “Repent, and believe the Gospel” (Mark 1:15 ). God calls us to trust in Christ alone, not our good deeds. The good news is that we can be freely pardoned all our sins and not go to Hell.
There is only one true Gospel, but many false gospels (Galatians 1:6-9). Avoid the false ones that contradict the Bible. Believe the true Gospel. It is the key to happiness and salvation in this life and eternal joy in Heaven. Truly the Gospel is the best news in the world. It is “good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10 ).
1/13/01
Question: Are there different kinds of angels?
Answer: Yes. The Bible mentions a variety of angels. Often they are described by military rank as “the host of Heaven” (the army of Heaven). Among these are “principalities and powers” (Colossians 1:15 ). The highest rank is archangel, of which there are two: Michael and Satan. They have angels under them who are engaged in spiritual warfare (Revelation 12:7). Sinful angels are known as demons or unclean spirits.
Genesis 3:24 mentions the kind of angel known as a cherub, or cherubim in the plural. Then there is the angel of fire known as a seraph, or seraphim in the plural. They worship God with the song, “Holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:2,3). Revelation 4 describes unusual angels with six wings, different faces, and covered with eyes. Then there are Guardian Angels which God sends on errands to help and protect Christians (Hebrews 1:14 , Psalm 34:7).
Angels do not marry or reproduce (Mark 12:25 ). Evidently they are all male, since they are always called “he,” never “she.” Thus, there are no baby angels or female angels. Television and movies give many wrong ideas about angels. Read the Bible to find out for yourself what the truth is. It is a fascinating subject.
1/20/01
Question: Will there really be a Judgement Day?
Answer: Yes, indeed. Jesus called it “The Day of Judgement” (Matthew 11:22 ). Romans 2:5 calls it “The Day of God’s Wrath.” Everyone who has ever lived will appear before God to be judged. “Each of us shall give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12 ). You will be there.
God has recorded all our sinful deeds, words, and even our thoughts. “God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ” (Romans 2:16 ). God will open the books onJudgement Day (Revelation 20:12 ). Jesus Christ will be judge, jury and executioner. There will be no appeal or retrial, nor second chance. God will accept no excuses. He will not let us off if we think we have done more good deeds than sins (Matthew 7:21 -33).
If you die in your sins, you will have no hope on Judgement Day. “He that does not believe shall be damned” (Mark 16:16 ). Jesus will say to you, “Depart from Me, you cursed ones, into the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). But those who have believed in Christ will go to eternal Heaven. Are you ready for Judgement Day?
1/27/01
Question: What is truth?
Answer: Philosophers and poets have long asked this great question. Even Pontius Pilate asked it with sarcasm (John 18:38 ). Some people say, “All truth is relative. What’s true for you may not be true for me. Nothing is absolute. You make your own truth.” This is called Relativism, Situation Ethics or Values Clarification. Others say, “Truth is absolute. Everything is black or white. Why? They just are that way, that’s all.” Both of these ideas are wrong.
What is truth? God. God Himself is the ultimate Truth. He is “the God of Truth” (Isaiah 65:6). Jesus said, “I am the Truth” (John 14:6). “The Spirit is Truth” (I John 5:6). God is the only absolute truth, and things are true only insofar as they rightly relate to God. God alone determines what is true. Two plus two equals four, because God made it so. Murder is wrong, because God says it is wrong.
We know the truth of God from the Bible. Jesus said, “Thy Word is Truth” (John 17:17 ). It is infallible and inerrant. If something contradicts the Bible, it is necessarily false. That is why we need to study the Bible to know what is truth.
2/03/01
Question: Why did Jesus die?
Answer: Jesus died for three main reasons. First, God foreordained it (I Peter 1:20 ). It was the eternal plan of God that Jesus would become a man and die. Jesus said that He was obeying the father’s orders to lay down His life (John 10:18 ). Thus, it was not an accident or tragedy. It was planned.
Second, Jesus had no sin, so He did not have to die as we do. He became our substitute. He suffered the penalty for our sins. The Bible calls this atonement and propitiation. He bled and died on the cross to pay for our sins. He died so that we could be forgiven and go to Heaven.
Third, Jesus died to display the great love of God. “God demonstrates His love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “This is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (I John 4:10). “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 ).
2/10/01
Question: Where can I find real love?
Answer: Everyone needs love. Most people are searching for love in all the wrong places. So they are always disappointed. Their hearts are empty and hungry. They need greater love than friends and family can provide. Many are so desperate for love they will do almost anything for it. Tragically, some can’t take it any longer and commit suicide.
There’s good news for you: “God is love” (I John 4:8). He created us to have a loving relationship with Him. Sin broke it, and so we are empty without God’s love. But God still offers love to us through Christ. “God demonstrates His love for us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). When we trust in Christ, “the love of God is poured out in our hearts” (Romans 5:5). “The love of Christ surpasses all comprehension” (Ephesians 3:19 ).
God provides a feast of love, mercy, kindness and grace for us through Christ (Ephesians 2). Believers will spend all eternity loving God and being loved by God. There is no love in Hell. Come to Christ in repentance and faith. Receive salvation and more love than you can imagine. It’s free. And it really satisfies.
2/17/01
Question: Is it true that God is all and all is God?
Answer: No. This is what is known as pantheism. It is taught by Buddhism, the New Age Movement and certain philosophies and cults. It says we are all part of God. Sometimes it takes the form, “There is a spark of deity within each one of us” or “The cosmos is all that is or ever has been.” It says there is no God outside the universe, for the universe itself is God.
But this is not what God says. God created the universe out of nothing, not out of Himself (Genesis 1:1, Hebrews 11:3). God is everywhere, but is not everything. He is infinite and eternal; the universe is finite and temporal. We are not made of the same stuff as God, nor are we extensions of His being. There is a fundamental and essential difference between God and the universe.
Pantheism is Nature-worship idolatry. It “worshipped and served the Creation rather than the Creator” (Romans 1:25 ). It often worships the pagan goddess know as Mother Earth (or Mother Nature). It is another vain attempt by sinful Man to de-throne God and make himself God. It is self-idolatry. Worship God alone, not yourself or Creation.
2/24/01
Question: Could Jesus sin?
Answer: No. We need to know three facts about Jesus. First, Jesus was tempted by Satan. In Matthew 4 and Luke 4, the Devil tried to lure Jesus into sin. “He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15 ). As a man, Jesus was tempted by the opportunity to sin. Satan threw all he had at Jesus.
Second, Jesus did not sin. He resisted all Satan’s temptations from the least to the greatest. “He committed no sin” (I Peter 2:22 ). Unlike every other person, Jesus was born without sin and never broke any of God’s commandments. The Bible calls Him “The Holy One of God” (Luke 4:34 ).
Third, Jesus was “God manifested in the flesh” (I Timothy 3:16 ). As such, He was beyond the reach of sin. God cannot sin, for He is perfectly holy. Indeed, “God cannot be tempted by evil” (James 1:13 ). So, Jesus could be tempted, for He was man. But He could not sin, for He was also God. The failure of Satan’s temptations showed that Jesus was more than a sinless man. He was holy God. Jesus thus defeated Satan and is able to save us sinners.
3/03/01
Question: Are there any “lost books” of the Bible?
Answer: No. Every now and then we hear rumors of so-called “lost books” that belong in the Bible. Pseudo-scholars have even compiled some of them into volumes that cause confusion and doubt. These “lost books” are often just the writings of early Christians or Jews who did not claim to be writing Scripture. Others are ancient forgeries by religious frauds pretending to be Enoch or other prophets.
Then there are the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Apocrypha, and other ancient Jewish books. They are not inspired and usually contradict the Bible in many areas. The Bible mentions a number of non-inspired books that we no longer have, such as the Book of Jasher (Joshua 10:13). Lastly, the Apostles themselves wrote books that we longer have, such as the Letter to the Laodecians (Colossians 4:16 ). These letters were useful in their day, but were not inspired Scripture.
God gave us the complete Bible with sixty-six books. None have been lost. God has miraculously preserved all the true Bible down through the ages. Jesus said, “Heaven and Earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35). Ignore the so-called “lost books.” Read the real Bible itself.
3/10/01
Question: What does the Bible say about abortion?
Answer: The Bible teaches that a human life begins at the moment of conception (Psalm 51:5, 139:13-16, Job 10:8-10). This is seen clearly with Jesus in the womb of Mary (Luke 1). The Bible calls it a baby both before and after birth. God considers motherhood a great blessing, not to be taken lightly. Mothers should love and protect their babies. Our bodies belong to God, not ourselves (I Corinthians 6:19 -20).
Exodus 21:22-24 says it is a major crime to harm a pregnant mother and her unborn baby. If the baby dies, the assailant is guilty of murder. Therefore, abortion is murder. “Thou shalt not murder” (Exodus 20:13 ). The Bible nowhere approves of anything resembling abortion. God condemns the killing of helpless infants (Exodus 1, Matthew 2) and the human sacrifice of babies to pagan gods (Deuteronomy 12:31 ). God says abortion is sin.
Yet abortion is not unforgivable. God offers total forgiveness to both the abortionist and the mother. “Christ died for our sins” (I Corinthians 15:3). “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin” (I John 1:7). If you are guilty, confess it to God. Come in faith to Christ and be forgiven.
3/17/01
Question: What is the cure for loneliness?
Answer: Loneliness is more widespread than is generally acknowledged. Millions live in the heavy shadow of loneliness: widows, divorced persons, singles of all ages, soldiers, prisoners, the homeless, many more. They often drown their pain in tears or alcohol and cry, “I’m so lonely.” God hears those cries and sees those tears. “He cares for you” (I Peter 5:7).
God provides various ways to handle loneliness. First, family. “He sets the solitary in families” (Psalm 68:6). Also, marriage. “It is not good that man should be alone,” so God made Eve for Adam (Genesis 2:18 ). Also friends, especially close friends. Lonely persons are not so lonely when they share themselves with others. Two lonely persons together can become good friends.
It takes God Himself to cure the greatest loneliness: the lonely soul. We need God. We are spiritually lonely until we know God. We come to know God by faith in Jesus Christ. He becomes our Father and best friend. Even the most solitary person can be filled with God’s nearness. By God’s love, your solitude can be a golden opportunity for deep fellowship with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
3/24/01
Question: What is repentance?
Answer: Repentance is not the same as penance. Some people think that we can make up for our sins by some good deed. That is not what the Bible says. We cannot earn God’s forgiveness (Ephesians 2:8-9). And yet, we must repent in order to receive forgiveness. Here’s how.
First, repentance is a change of mind about sin. When we repent, we see that sin is evil and we are guilty. Jesus said, “Repent, and believe the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). Second, repentance is truly feeling sorry that we have sinned against God. It is “a broken and contrite spirit” (Psalm 51:17). “Godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation” (II Corinthians 7:10 ). It offers no excuses. It takes the blame (Luke 23:41 ).
Third, repentance is when we turn from sin (Isaiah 55:7). “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). “Repent and turn from all your transgressions” (Ezekiel 18:30 ). “Repent and be converted, so that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19 ). “God commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30 ). “Unless you repent, you will perish” (Luke 13:3). Have you repented of your sins? Do it now.
3/31/01
Question: Did Jesus claim to be God?
Answer: Yes, many times. He said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, who was and is and is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8). “I and the Father are one. He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 10:30 , 14:9). The Jewish leaders twice attempted to kill Jesus because they knew He claimed to be God (John 5:18 , 10:33 ).
In Exodus 3:14, God called Himself “I AM.” Jesus frequently used this name for Himself, especially in the Gospel of John. “You shall die in your sins unless you believe I AM. Before Abraham was, I AM” (John 8:24 ,58 ). He applied Old Testament verses about God to Himself. He forgave sins as only God could do (Mark 2:5-7). He accepted worship that belongs only to God (Matthew 28:17). So, by word and deed, Jesus repeatedly claimed to be God.
If Jesus was not God, then He was either a liar or a lunatic. If He was only a good man, He would not have made the stupendous claim to be God. The truth is that Jesus is indeed just what He said He is: God.
4/07/01
Question: How did Jesus die?
Answer: The Bible says, “They crucified Him” (Mark 15:24 ). Roman soldiers drove spikes through His hands and feet, and literally nailed Jesus to a wooden cross. “Christ suffered for us” (I Peter 2:21 ). He shed His blood. He thirsted. He writhed in agony. He experienced excruciating pain throughout His body. After six hours of such torture, He died. A soldier then drove a spear into His heart to make sure He was dead (John 19:31 -37).
Theologians and doctors have long debated the exact physical cause of Christ’s death. Among the theories: heart failure, shock, loss of blood, stroke, and asphyxiation. Some scholars say there is not enough data to determine the exact cause.
The Bible itself gives us the answer. Christ died willingly in a unique way: “He gave up His spirit” (John 19:30 ). Jesus said, “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself” (John 10:18 ) . Being divine and perfect, Christ could not be killed. He was invincible. He therefore died like no other person. It was not the nails or the torture that killed Christ. He voluntarily laid down His life for us. What a Savior!
4/14/01
Question: Where is Christ’s body now?
Answer: In Heaven. “Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day” (I Corinthians 15:3-4). Forty days later, He went back to Heaven (Acts 1). He took His body with Him (Luke 24:51). For 2000 years, Christ has been physically enthroned in Heaven.
Wild rumors circulated long ago regarding the body of Jesus. The Jewish leaders spread the lie that the Apostles stole the body (Matthew 28:11-15). An ancient Jewish book called the Toledoth Jeshu said that the body was dug up, dragged through the streets by a horse, and thrown into a ditch. More recently, an ex-priest has said that Christ’s body was probably eaten by wild dogs. Some people think that Christ’s body is still buried somewhere in Israel . A few disreputable archeologists have tried to find it. They are on a fool’s errand. Islam says Jesus went to Heaven without ever dying or rising. All these theories are wrong.
The truth is that Jesus rose physically from the dead and returned to Heaven in a glorified physical body. One day, He will visibly come back to Earth again in that same body. He will give perfect bodies to all those who believe in Him.
4/21/01
Question: Does the Bible say, “God helps those who help themselves”?
Answer: No. Many, if not most, people think that this saying is in the Bible. But it is not. Rather, it is an old English proverb that has been traced back at least as far as 1698. Benjamin Franklin popularized it in his book Poor Richard’s Almanac of 1757. Variations of it are found in many languages and even in ancient Greek literature of the fifth century B.C.
As nice as the proverb sounds, it actually contradicts the Bible. We cannot help ourselves. We cannot save ourselves from sin. Yet God mercifully helps us. He does for us what we cannot do for ourselves. To be true, the proverb should really be: “God helps those who cannot help themselves.” He is the help of the helpless, the hope of the hopeless. Romans 5:6 says, “When we were still without strength, Christ died for the ungodly.”
The proverb wrongly suggests that God helps and saves only those who first do their part. Or that He only gives a little assistance. Well, we are responsible to do what we can and God does indeed help us. But we need to know what the Bible says about how God helps us.
4/28/01
Question: How can a God of love send people to Hell?
Answer: Because God is also holy and just. “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 6:3). He is too holy to look favorably on evil (Habakkuk 1:13 ). He is disgusted and offended by sin. God hates sin. Sin is rebellion against God. Those who ask this question do not yet realize the enormous guilt of their sins.
Yes, God is loving. He has patiently given us time to repent of our sins. But God is also absolutely holy. He will not compromise His holiness for anyone. Being holy, God is angry with us sinners. “God is angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11 ). God created Hell as the place where He will unleash His righteous wrath against unrepentant sinners forever. Nobody can blame God for sending them to Hell, for we all deserve to go there. As God sends sinners to Hell, the choir of Heaven sings, “Hallelujah! For true and righteous are His judgements” (Revelation 19:2).
The real question we should ask is, “How can a God of holiness allow sinners into Heaven?” The answer: “Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Believe in Christ. Turn from sin. Get saved now. Or God will send you to Hell.
5/05/01
Question: Was Jesus an angel?
Answer: No. Some cults think Jesus was an angel who became a man. But the Bible says otherwise. Hebrews 1 explicitly says Jesus is not an angel but the Son of God. Angels are higher beings than humans, but Jesus is “better than the angels” (Hebrews 1:4). He is the very Son of God, infinitely greater than the angels.
Jesus Christ created the angels (Colossians 1:16 ). They belong to Him and are under His authority. In fact, the angels worshipped Jesus at His birth (Hebrews 1:6) and now worship Him in Heaven (Revelation 5:11 -13). Angels are not to be worshipped (Colossians 2:18 ), and they strongly reject any attempt by people to worship them (Revelation 19:10 ). But Jesus rightfully accepts the worship of men and angels. To say Jesus is an angel is not a compliment, but a denigration. He deserves worship, not mere admiration.
Hebrews 2 says that Jesus became a man to save men, not an angel to save angels. No angel ever became a man. No angel could save us. It took the Son of God to pay the infinite debt for our sins. “Christ died for our sins and rose again” (I Corinthians 15:3-4).
5/12/01
Question: Are some sins worse than others?
Answer: Yes. Jesus said to Pontius Pilate, “The one who delivered me to you [Judas] has the greater sin” (John 19:11 ). Murder is worse than hate, though both are wrong. The deed is worse than the thought. A deliberate sin is greater than a thoughtless one (Numbers 15). A sin against one person is not as bad as a sin against many people. It is more evil to steal from God than from men. The greater the sin, the greater the guilt. The Jews had the Law and were more guilty than Gentiles without it (Romans 2).
This does not at all mean that any are “little sins.” None are small. Every sin is against an infinitely holy God. Therefore, each sin deserves eternal punishment. Some persons will be punished more in Hell than others because they did worse sins (Luke 12:42 -48). But all will suffer forever.
Jesus said that religious hypocrisy is worse than even a heinous sin like homosexual rape (Matthew 11:24 ). The murder of God’s Son was the worse crime in history. But to reject God’s offer of salvation is to re-crucify Christ (Hebrews 6:6, 10:26 -31). To knowingly reject Christ is the worst sin of all.
5/19/01
Question: Is the New Testament God of love the same as the Old Testament God of wrath?
Answer: Yes. A popular but mistaken idea is that the God of the Old Testament was an angry God without love. This is totally wrong. The Old Testament is filled with wonderful descriptions of the love of God. It repeatedly says, “His mercy endures forever” (26 times in Psalm 136 alone). It states over and over that God is loving, good, kind, compassionate and merciful.
An equally mistaken notion is that the New Testament portrays a God of love who is never angry. This is far from the truth. Jesus and the Apostles frequently spoke of the wrath of God and warned us of Hell. For example, Jesus Himself said, “Fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell” (Matthew 10:28 ). The New Testament repeatedly speaks of God’s anger, justice, wrath and holy hatred of sin. God has never ceased to be holy and just.
We cannot pick and choose between these facts. Both are true. God is both loving and angry. “God is light . . . God is love” (I John 1:5, 4:8). God never changes (James 1:17 ). “Behold the goodness and severity of God” (Romans 11:22 ).
5/26/01
Question: Did Jesus have brothers and sisters?
Answer: Yes. Mark 6:3 says, “Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” They are also mentioned in Matthew 12:46 , 13:55 , Luke 8:19, John 7:5, Mark 3:32, Acts 1:14 , I Corinthians 9:5 and Galatians 1:19. Jesus therefore had at least four brothers and two sisters.
Some churches suggest that these were Christ’s cousins, not children of Joseph and Mary. John the Baptist was a cousin (Luke 1). Another explanation is that they were children of Joseph by a previous marriage. Another view says they were adopted. These are all possible theories, but rather unlikely.
The natural explanation is that they were half-brothers and sisters. Jesus was conceived of the Virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit, not by Joseph (Luke 1:35 ). Jesus was Mary’s firstborn. Later, Mary and Joseph had other children. At first, these brethren did not believe Jesus was the Son of God (John 7:5). After the Resurrection, they believed (Acts 1:14 ). We become Christ’s spiritual brothers and sisters when we too believe (Matthew 12:50 ). We are adopted into His family and God becomes our heavenly Father.
6/02/01
Question: How can I get ready to die?
Answer: We will all one day die. “It is appointed unto man once to die, and after that the judgement” (Hebrews 9:27 ). We need to get ready. “Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live” (Isaiah 38:1). “Prepare to meet your God” (Amos 4:12 ).
Others have died before you. Your turn will come. You will not be able to stop it. Your soul will leave your body and go to face God (Ecclesiastes 12:7). It will be too late to get ready after you die. You are in this life for only a short time. You will live in the next life forever – in Heaven or in Hell. Only a fool ignores death. Get ready now. Tomorrow may be too late.
The only way to be ready is by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. “Christ died for our sins and rose again” (I Corinthians 15:3-4). Repent of your sins. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31 ). Then you will go to Heaven with God in peace forever when you die. Are you ready? Do not put it off. None of us knows when we will die. But die we must.
6/09/01
Question: Why should I go to church?
Answer: That depends on whether you are a Christian or not. If you are a Christian, the answer is plain: God commands it. Hebrews 10:25 says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some.” God has ordained local churches for His people to meet together for worship, preaching, prayer, fellowship and other purposes. We should imitate the early Christians (Acts 2:42 ). We need other Christians. Birds of a feather should flock together.
No church is perfect, but every Christian should join and regularly attend one that truly believes the Bible. Being part of a church is good for our spiritual health. Failure to do so leaves us spiritually weak and disobedient to God. Those who ignore church usually do not want to submit to pastoral authority or church accountability (Hebrews 13:17 ). That is a bad testimony to their children and unbelievers.
Non-Christians should attend a good Bible-believing church, too. They need to hear the Bible explained to them so they may be saved (I Corinthians 14:25 -25). All in all, we should be in the Lord’s house with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s Day (Psalm 122:1). Jesus did.
6/16/01
Question: What did Jesus look like?
Answer: We do not have an authentic picture or photograph. Artists only use their imaginations or models. Some paintings have shown Jesus as handsome or humble, while others are awful. The Bible forbids us to make pictures of God (Exodus 20:4). Since Jesus is God, pictures of Jesus are also forbidden.
The Bible gives us few clues as to His appearance. “He had no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isaiah 53:2). Jesus was Jewish, so He probably had a dark complexion, neither black nor white. He had a beard (Isaiah 50:6), but not long hair, since I Corinthians 11:14 says long hair on a man is a disgrace. Jesus may have resembled His mother Mary, but not his step-father Joseph. He did not have a halo. His inner character was shown in His countenance.
Revelation 1:15-16 describes what Jesus looks like now: “His hair was white like wool and His eyes like a flame of fire. And His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.” Unconverted sinners will be terrified when they see Him (Revelation 6:16 ). Believers will be filled with love and joy when they behold Him in all His beauty and glory.
6/23/01
Question: Does the Bible teach reincarnation?
Answer: Absolutely not. Reincarnation is a false belief of Hinduism, Buddhism and the New Age Movement. It says we come back after death as another person or animal to pay for our bad deeds. Eventually, it says, we all become divine. The primitive religion known as Animism teaches that deceased human souls inhabit trees, rocks and animals that must be guarded and appeased. This is a variety of reincarnation known as transmigration of souls.
But it is not taught by the Bible. “It is appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judgement” (Hebrews 9:27 ). We are not given a second chance, nor do we ever become divine. We can be saved only by Christ’s atonement, not by our good deeds. Those who think they are the reincarnation of a previous life are mistaken. And those who hope to be reincarnated after death will be rudely awakened when they face God to account for their sins.
The good news is that there is salvation in Jesus Christ. He gives believers the new spiritual birth. One day, God will raise them from the dead in perfect everlasting bodies. Believe the solid truth about Christ, not the vain error of reincarnation.
6/30/01
Question: Is the phrase “One Nation Under God” in the Bible?
Answer: Not exactly. The words “under God” were officially added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954. Congress wanted our nation to take a public stand for believing in God. It offended the atheists and still does. It is like the phrase “In God we trust” on our coins. Such phrases are in many of our official national documents.
The phrase is based on Psalm 22:13, “Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lord.” The Pilgrims who came over on the Mayflower wanted this to be one nation under God. The Founding Fathers who signed the Declaration of Independence explicitly dedicated this country to the official acknowledgement of God. Every nation has its God, false god or no god. America wanted the Lord as its only God.
God holds nations accountable to Him. When they follow Him, they receive His blessings. But when they forsake Him as a nation, they face judgement. “The wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17 ) . God has richly blessed America . Sadly, for the most part we are now “one nation against God.” That means we are also one nation under God’s wrath. We need to repent.
7/07/01
Question: What is “Original Sin”?
Answer: Original Sin is the sin nature that we are born with. We inherit it from Adam and Eve through our parents. David said, “In sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:5). Job said, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? No one” (Job 14:4).
All of us were born with this wicked nature and guilt. “We were by nature children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3). Yes, even newborn babies are sinful and guilty. “The intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Genesis 8:21 ). Being evil by nature, we spend our whole lives sinning. Original Sin is the root. Individual sins are the branches (Matthew 7:17 -18). We deserve to be punished for what we are by nature and do by choice.
But there’s hope. Jesus was born without Original Sin (Luke 1:35 ). He alone never sinned. He came to save us from our sin. “Christ died for our sins” (I Corinthians 15:3). Just as sin came into humanity through Adam, so salvation comes to us through Christ (Romans 5). For those who believe in Christ, Original Sin and all sins are forgiven. One day, this sin nature will be removed when we go to Heaven.
7/14/01
Question: Did anyone go to Heaven without dying?
Answer: Yes, two. First, there was Enoch. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:24 ). “By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death” (Hebrews 11:5). Second, there was Elijah. “A chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into Heaven” (II Kings2:11 ). A few prophets briefly went to Heaven, but returned to Earth and later died. The Bible also records that several people went to Hell without first dying (Numbers 26:10).
For centuries, some people have thought that others went to Heaven without dying. Some think it happened to Mary. Moslems say Mohammad. Some cults say their leaders. But Enoch and Elijah are the only ones that the Bible says went to Heaven like this. For the rest of us, “It is appointed unto men once to die, and after that the judgement” (Hebrews 9:27 ).
When Christ returns to Earth, He will take Christians to Heaven without dying. “We who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (I Thessalonians 4:17 ). What a blessing!
7/21/01
Question: Does the Bible permit women pastors?
Answer: No. The Bible is quite explicit. God ordains only men to the pastoral ministry. In the Old Testament, only men were to be priests (Exodus 28-29). All of the Apostles were men. Men only are to be pastors, elders and bishops (I Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:6-9). I Timothy 2:11-12 is conclusive: “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man, but to be in silence.”
Godly women may serve the Church in many ways. They may teach children and other women (Proverbs 1:8, Titus 2:4). They may gather for prayer (Acts 16:13 ), show mercy to the needy with food and clothing (Luke 8:2-3, Acts 9:39 ), and many other needed ministries. They usually do these better than men, for God has given women greater sensitivity and compassion than men. But God has reserved the office of pastoral leadership to men only.
This is unpopular with much of modern society. But the ultimate standard of truth is not polls, fads or opinions. It is what the Bible says. God has settled the matter for us.
7/28/01
Question: What language was the Bible written in?
Answer: Most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew. The letters and words are read from right to left, not left to right as in English. Originally Hebrew had only consonants. Later scribes added vowels.
By the fifth century B.C., Hebrew was used almost exclusively by the priests, scribes and rabbis. The average Jew spoke Aramaic, a similar language in the Semitic family of languages. Thus, some of the Old Testament was written in Aramaic, such as parts of Ezra and Daniel. Hebrew later revived and is spoken in Israel today.
The New Testament was written in Greek. It was not the classical Greek of the philosophers like Aristotle, but the common Greek used by the average person. We have over 5,000 ancient Greek manuscripts of the New Testament preserved today.
Jesus and the Apostles spoke Aramaic. Some of them knew Greek. Some may have known Hebrew. The Apostle Paul had been a highly educated rabbi and Roman citizen, so he knew all three and probably also Latin (Acts 21:39 -40). Fortunately, the Bible has been translated into English. Read God’s Word for yourself and learn about God.
8/04/01
Question: How can I find peace?
Answer: You can have peace – true peace – from God. Here’s what the Bible says. We lack peace in our hearts because we are sinners. “There is no peace for the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22). We are at war with God. Therefore we are guilty, lonely, troubled. Augustine said, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.” Nothing else can bring true peace – not alcohol, fun, sex or wealth.
Christ made it possible to restore the broken relationship with God. “He made peace through the blood of His cross” (Colossians 1:20 ). Christ died for our sins. When we trust in Him, we are reconciled to God. “Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God” (Romans 5:1).
God then floods our hearts with His peace. “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you” (John 14:27 ). “Thou will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3). A Christian will have inner peace through the storms of life. Wouldn’t you like to have that peace, too?
8/11/01
Question: Is sex outside marriage always wrong?
Answer: Yes. The Bible says, “Marriage is honorable among all and the bed undefiled. But God will judge fornicators and adulterers” (Hebrews 13:4). The world glorifies it as cool fun or romance. God calls it fornication. It is related to adultery. “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14 ).
God created sexual relations as holy within marriage. But we have cheapened it by mere lust. “Flee youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:22 ). All sex outside marriage is wrong. Some ask, “But what if they love each other?” That does not make it right. God says it is sin. Our own consciences tell us it is wrong. We feel guilty. Too many people confuse lust with love. Love is patient and holy. Lust is selfish and impure. Fornication is fundamentally no better than prostitution. God forbids it along with rape, homosexuality and other sexual sins. If you are guilty, you need to repent.
God offers free and total forgiveness to those who have committed this sin. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18 ). “Christ died for our sins” (I Corinthians 15:3). Repent of your sexual sin and ask for forgiveness. Believe in Christ and be cleansed.
8/18/01
Question: Why is there so much suffering in the world?
Answer: Because of sin. It was not always like this. There was great peace and happiness when God created Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2). But they sinned. This opened the door to suffering and death (Romans 5:12 ). This is why there is disease and crime.
All suffering can be traced back to sin. Sometimes it is because of our own sin. Sometimes it is because we are in a sinful world. God allowed suffering to enter and He allows it to continue. This does not disprove His existence or mercy. God has His reasons and will set all things right one day.
Suffering should draw us to God. It reminds us that we will one day die and face God. If we die in our sins, we will suffer for our sin in Hell forever (Revelation 14:10-11). God gives believers strength and peace in the midst of their suffering (2 Corinthians 12:9). One day, all their pain will end. “There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying” (Revelation 21:4). “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
8/25/01
Question: What happens to those who never hear the Gospel?
Answer: The Bible tells us very clearly: they will go to Hell. The book of Romans explains it like this. Chapters 1 and 2 say that God shows His existence to all men through Nature and conscience. “You are without excuse, whoever you are,” even if you have never heard of the Ten Commandments (2:1,12). Chapter 3 says we are all guilty. We deserve Hell.
Romans 3 to 5 then says that God has provided salvation through Jesus Christ. “Christ died for us” (5:8). We can be saved only by faith in Christ. Chapter 10 says that no one can believe in Christ unless he hears the Gospel. Unless he hears and believes, he will go to Hell. So, he is lost if he does not hear. He is lost if he hears and does not believe.
Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Other religions cannot take us to Heaven, only to Hell. This is not unfair. Remember, we are all guilty and deserve Hell. God owes us nothing but punishment. What about you? Have you heard the Gospel? Do you believe it? Read the book of Romans and find out for yourself.
9/01/01
Question: What is the unforgivable sin?
Answer: The Bible says there is only one sin which is unforgivable. Jesus said, “Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men” (Matthew 12:31 ). The religious leaders committed this sin when they saw Christ perform miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit and accused Him of doing them by the power of Satan (verse 24). Only first-hand witnesses of Christ’s special miracles could commit that sin, not us today.
People have suggested that other grave sins are unforgivable: murder, adultery, homosexuality, sacrilege, Satan-worship, suicide, etc. They are wrong. God offers to forgive all our sins. “He forgives all your iniquities” (Psalm 103:3). “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin” (I John 1:7). Note the wonderful word “ALL.”
To receive this forgiveness, we must confess and turn from our sins (I John 1:9). We must trust in Christ. “Whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43 ). But if we die in our sins, our sins remain unforgiven. We will be judged, condemned and doomed to eternal punishment in Hell. Come to Christ and receive a full pardon for all your sins.
9/08/01
Question: What does the Bible say about horoscopes?
Answer: The Bible strictly forbids horoscopes and astrology in Isaiah 47:12-15. Divination, or predicting the future by looking for signs in Nature, is condemned in Deuteronomy 18:9-14. Astrology is also a form of star-worship. God utterly prohibits that in Deuteronomy 4:19, 17:3, 2 Kings 17:16, 23:5, Ezekiel 8:16, Jeremiah 8:2, 19:13 and elsewhere. Jeremiah 10:2-5 calls astrology a pagan practice akin to idolatry. The astrologers of Daniel 2 and 4 were shown to be false prophets.
Many astrologers are frauds, but others take it seriously. Millions of people read their daily horoscopes. But it is neither harmless or innocent. God says it is sin. It isoccultic and Satanic. You cannot learn the future from astrology, and it is both futile and wrong to try. God, not the stars, determines our destiny.
God created the stars for other reasons. For one, they are useful for navigation at sea. The science of astronomy is valid. The main purpose of the stars is to move us to worship God. “The heavens show forth the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1). We should worship the Creator, not the Creation (Romans 1:15 ). Read the Bible, not the stars.
9/15/01
Question: Was Jesus a wimp?
Answer: Absolutely not. The Bible nowhere describes Jesus as a cowardly weakling that wouldn’t hurt a fly. It never portrays Him as a soft-spoken guru who never offended people or got violent. Those who have such ideas of Christ have never read the Bible.
Jesus was a real man. A man’s man. A man of integrity and authority. He was a carpenter with muscle and sweat. He was thoroughly masculine, not phony macho. He was no effeminate sissy. He boldly faced down lynch mobs that tried to murder Him (Luke 4:28 , John 10:39 ). When Jesus commanded, “Follow Me!” people fell in line like soldiers obeying orders (Mark 1:17 -18). He was the kind of man any guy would like for a best friend or that a boy would want for a dad. He is “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Revelation 19:16 ).
On two occasions Jesus physically threw the religious hypocrites out of the Temple – with a whip! (John 2:15, Matthew 21:12). While He could be tender and kind, He also caused people to be deathly afraid of Him (Luke 8:37 ) . He was dangerously holy. One day He will return to judge the world with fire. Are you ready?
9/22/01
Question: Are all religions basically the same?
Answer: Some people say, “All religions are basically the same. They all lead to God. Take your pick.” Wrong. For one thing, the world’s religions greatly differ on basic points. Some believe in one God (Judaism and Islam), many gods (Hinduism), or that everything is God (Buddhism). They widely differ on ethics, salvation and life after death. They cannot all be right, for they contradict each other.
God repeatedly warns against false religions in the strongest possible terms (Deuteronomy 13 and 18). He condemns them as idolatry (Psalm 96:5). The Bible states that the gods of other religions are really Satan’s demons in disguise (1Corinthians 10:20 ). Jesus said their leaders are false prophets, thieves and murderers of the souls of men (Matthew 7:15 , John 10:8-10). Their “holy books” are lies and poison. Yes, the Bible is that blunt about it.
In one sense, they are all the same: they all lead to Hell (Matthew 7:13 -14). Christ is the only way to God (John 14:6). Some religions are close to the truth (especially Judaism), while most others are miles away. God does not say, “Take your pick.” He says, “Believe in Jesus Christ.”
9/29/01
Question: Is life worth living?
Answer: Yes. Many people feel empty inside. To them, life is a bad joke. Or a nightmare. They’ve tried all sorts of things and they all end in despair. They’re sad and angry, lonely and afraid. They cry out with tears, “What’s the use? Nothing matters anymore.” They’re burned out. They see no meaning in life. Some commit suicide.
A man named Solomon felt that way a long time ago. He wrote a little book called Ecclesiastes, which is in the Bible. Solomon tried desperately to find meaning in life through wealth, sex, music, philosophy, even hard work. Nothing helped. He cried, “All is vanity and a chasing after the wind! I hate life.” He almost went insane. He even considered suicide.
Solomon eventually realized that God created us so that we might know Him. Without God in your life, life is meaningless. “There is no peace for the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22). And we will one day die and give an account to God. So Solomon turned back to God and found the meaning of life. Jesus Christ invites you to come to Him and have true peace, too. Then you will know that life is indeed worth living.
10/06/01
Question: What does the Bible say about homosexuality?
Answer: The Bible says, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination” (Leviticus 18:22 ). It is classed with adultery, human sacrifice and bestiality (verses 19 to 23). God destroyed Sodom and Gommorah for this sin (Genesis 19, 2 Peter 2:6, Jude 7). Homosexuality is condemned in 1 Kings 14:24 , Judges 19:22 , 1 Timothy 1:10 , and many other places. Leviticus 20:13 says it deserves death according to the Law of Moses.
Romans 1:24-27 condemns both male homosexuality and female lesbianism as extreme sins. All sex outside the husband and wife is forbidden (Hebrews 13:4). Even impure sexual thoughts and words are morally wrong (Matthew 5:28 , Ephesians 4:29 ). The world may glorify the “gay lifestyle” as a mere “sexual preference.” But God calls it sin. And like all sin, it leaves us guilty and subject to the wrath of Almighty God in Hell.
God offers total forgiveness to homosexuals. Some of the early Christians were converted out of homosexuality (1 Corinthians 9:9-11). The Bible says, “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). You can be forgiven and set free and made a new person by Jesus Christ.
10/13/01
Question: Were Adam and Eve real people or a myth?
Answer: They were real people. They were the first two humans. Jesus considered them actual individuals (Mark 10:6). So did the Apostle Paul (Romans 5, 1 Corinthians 15:22 , 45, 2 Corinthians 11:3, 1 Timothy 2:13 -14), Luke (Luke 3:38 ) and Jude (Jude 14). Unbelievers like to think it was a myth. But the Bible is all true, not myth. The Bible itself warns against believing myths (Titus 1:14 ).
Genesis 1 to 3 tells us that God created Adam first, then Eve. They were innocent and lived happily in the Garden of Eden. But Eve disobeyed by eating the forbidden fruit. Adam also gave in to Satan’s temptation and sinned. God sent them out of the Garden, but promised to send a Savior one day. Adam and Eve later died. All mankind is descended from them. We inherit their sinful nature. We, too, need a Savior.
Jesus was the promised Savior. Unlike Adam and Eve, He never sinned. Instead, “Christ died for our sins and rose again” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). He defeated Satan and provides salvation from sin and Hell. If we believe in Christ, we will live forever in the ultimate Garden of Eden, which is Heaven.
10/20/01
Question: Do I have to submit to Jesus as Lord to be saved?
Answer: Yes, definitely. There is a popular error that says you only have to accept Jesus as Savior, not submit to Him as Lord. It’s so easy: no cost or self-denial required. You do not have to turn from sin. So it goes.
But that’s not what the Bible says. Jesus Christ demands total allegiance: “Follow Me!” (Mark 1:17 ). With Him, it’s all or nothing (Luke 14:26 -33). Christ requires unconditional surrender, or we remain His enemies and He ours (Matthew 12:30 ). “Unless you repent, you will perish” (Luke 13:3). Christ must be Lord of all or He is not Lord at all. God does not say, “Ask Jesus into your heart.” He says, “Repent and be converted” and “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 3:19 , 16:31 ). Faith is total commitment. Christ must be our Lord and Master, not just a good friend. We must become His slaves (Romans 5:16 -23). “Easy Believism” is a false gospel (Galatians 1:9).
Many people think they are Christians because they repeated a little prayer or walked forward at an evangelistic meeting. But they were never truly converted. Read the Gospels and see what Christ really requires of us. Don’t play games with God.
10/27/01
Question: Should we love ourselves?
Answer: Pop psychology says we need to love ourselves. It says that our greatest need is self-esteem and self-worth. Too many people have an “inferiority complex,” it says, and need more pride in themselves. Even some churches teach the gospel of self-love.
But that’s not what the Bible says. For example, 2 Timothy 3:2-4 warns: “Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money . . . unloving . . . lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.” God hates selfishness. Pride is always condemned in the Bible. Jesus summed up God’s Law in two (not three) commandments: love God and love others (Matthew 22:37 -40). Our problem is that we have too much self-love, not too little. In a word, all this emphasis on “self” is just old-fashioned “sin.”
By contrast, Jesus calls for self-denial. “Let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34 ). We must lose ourselves. “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” (Philippians 2:3). All this is another example of how God’s way is the exact opposite of the way of the world (Isaiah 55:8).
11/03/01
Question: Did Jesus say He is the only way to God?
Answer: Yes. He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). There are no exceptions. Jesus said He is the only door to Heaven (John 10:7-9). Our eternal destiny depends on our relation to Christ. In John 8:24, He stated: “You will die in your sins unless you believe I AM.” Peter (Acts 4:12 ) and Paul (I Timothy 2:5) also said that Jesus is the only way to God.
The reason is obvious. Jesus is the only person in history that is both God and man. Mohammad, Buddha and other founders of religions were only men. Jesus said they were false prophets (John 10:8). By contrast, Jesus is the Son of God. He said, “No one knows the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him” (Matthew 11:27 ).
Some people think this is unfair and undemocratic. They feel that any and every way will take them to God (except possibly Satanism). They forget that none of us deserves a way back to God. We should be humbly thankful that God has given us the way through Christ.
11/10/01
Question: Aren’t all churches filled with hypocrites?
Answer: Most, but not all. Most church-goers don’t really believe the Bible and they certainly don’t live it. They are just “playing church.” They pretend to be true Christians, but are only “false brethren” (2 Corinthians 11:26 ). On the other hand, most Americans claim to be Christians, but less than a third attend church. So most non-attenders are hypocrites, too. Our nation is filled with hypocrites.
God hates hypocrisy. Jesus opposed the religious hypocrites in His day. Read Matthew 23. He ripped their masks off and exposed them for what they are. “Woe to you hypocrites, blind fools” (Matthew 23:15 -16). Twice He drove them out of the Temple with a whip (John 2:15 , Mark 11:15 ). The lowest part of Hell is reserved for self-righteous church-going hypocrites (Matthew 11:24 , 23:14 -15). Remember, it was the religious hypocrites who crucified Christ, not those who didn’t go to church.
But not everyone is like that. There are still a few true Christians in some churches. They’re the real thing. Don’t let the hypocrites stop you from becoming a true Christian. Come to Christ. And if you are a religious hypocrite, God’s Word to you is blunt: Repent or you will go to Hell.
11/17/01
Question: Is Thanksgiving a holiday in the Bible?
Answer: Yes and no. The Pilgrims first celebrated it in 1621. It was observed off and on after that by several of the original colonies. George Washington proclaimed November 26, 1789 as the first official Thanksgiving for the newly formed United States . Later, Abraham Lincoln appointed the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving. Franklin Roosevelt moved it to the third Thursday, but Congress settled it in 1941 by decreeing the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving.
God commanded the Jews to celebrate with thanksgiving the annual harvest with the Feast of Tabernacles for a week (Deuteronomy 16:13 -15). Some Jews still observe it. It appears that the Pilgrims based the first Thanksgiving upon this feast. However, the Old Testament annual feasts were fulfilled in Christ, and so are not now mandatory (Colossians 2:16 -17).
All of us should be thankful to God. A nation should publicly express its thanks to God for all His blessings. Ingratitude is a great sin (Romans 1:21 ). There is a verse found dozens of times in the Bible: “O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever!” (see especially Psalm 136). Let us all give thanks.
11/24/01
Question: What do people do in Heaven?
Answer: Many things. They reign with Christ over the universe (Revelation 22:5). They joyfully serve God without getting tired or bored (Revelation 7:15 ). They meet other believers and the angels. They never sleep, feel pain, get sad, commit sin or die (Revelation 21:4). They learn the mysteries of the universe, and more.
The main thing that people do in Heaven is worship God (Revelation 4 and 5). God displays His glory in Heaven. “They shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). As they behold the radiant splendor of God, they reflect it back to Him in worship and praise. They sing, they shout, they kneel, they rejoice. They take their highest delight in worshipping God, for this is why they were created and redeemed. And they will love God and be loved by God forever and ever.
Those who are now in Heaven are already doing all this. Those in Hell are not. God now invites us unworthy sinners to enter His Heaven. We must personally trust in Christ and repent of sin. Those who do this will go to Heaven. Those who do not will go to Hell. How about you?
12/01/01
Question: Is God male or female?
Answer: In one sense, God is neither male nor female. “God is not a human” (Numbers 23:19 ). He does not have a physical body, for “God is Spirit” (John 4:24 ). He does not have gender, as humans and animals do.
On the other hand, the Bible says there is a sense in which God is male. He is “our Father who art in Heaven.” The words He, Him and His are used of God. When God took on human nature, He did it through Jesus Christ – a male. He is husband to those who believe in Him (Isaiah 54:5).
God is not female. He is not a she. He is not a mother or wife. God is not a goddess. There is an erroneous view that says that God is female. This follows the pagan worship of the Mother Goddess (Jeremiah 44:17-25, Acts 19:27 -28, 1 Kings 11:33 ). This is commonly believed by Wiccans (lesbian witches). Another false idea is that God is an androgynous male-female. This is held by some homosexuals. Both errors attempt to re-make God in their own image, which is idolatry and blasphemy. Better to believe what God says about Himself.
12/08/01
Question: Why is Christmas sometimes spelled Xmas?
Answer: Some people mistakenly think the word “Xmas” is an attempt to take Christ out of Christmas. Well, much of our culture does just that, but that’s not what “Xmas” means.
The word “Christmas” originally meant “Christ’s Mass. ” It was a Roman Catholic term for the special Mass performed to celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25. It is similar to Michaelmas, the Mass for Michael the Archangel . Later, someone (we don’t know who) decided to shorten the word. The Greek word for “Christ” starts with the letter “X” (chi). Thus, “Xmas” is an abbreviation for “Christmas.” Monks used such abbreviations when they copied manuscripts of the Bible. “X” stood for Christ.
Some Christians point out that the Bible does not use the word Christmas, nor command us to celebrate it. They’re right. Others reply that Romans 14:5-6 allows Christians to celebrate such a day if they wish. There’s truth in that, too. Sadly, many non-Christians are like Ebenezer Scrooge. They hate Christmas because they hate Christ (John 15:24 ). May God melt their hearts so they may love the Christ of Christmas. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15 ).
12/15/01
Question: Is Santa Claus in the Bible?
Answer: No, of course not. Santa Claus is an American form of the Dutch name Sinter Klaas, or Saint Nicholas. In Germany , he is Kris Kringle; in England , Father Christmas; in France, Pere Noel. The legend is loosely based on Bishop Nicholas of Turkey in the fourth century A.D. Santa Claus is only a myth.
Unfortunately, many people think of God as a kind of Santa Claus: friendly, generous, unthreatening, not too bright, but very kind-hearted. They are comfortable with this God and feel warm inside. They smile and think they are religious, especially at Christmas. In reality, they don’t believe in God any more than they believe in Santa Claus. Their “God” is a myth.
The God of the Bible is not at all like that. He is real. He is all-powerful and all-wise (1 Timothy 1:17 ). He is truly loving, not a jolly old grandfather who says “Ho, ho, ho” and “There, there.” The true God is all-holy. He is not to be trifled with or joked about. Parents ought to teach their children the Bible, not misleading myths that foster a distorted view of God. God is real. Santa Claus is not.
12/22/01
Question: Who were the wise men who came to Bethlehem ?
Answer: The wise men of Matthew 2 were known as Magi. We get the word “magician” from this word. They were pagan priests who practiced astrology according to the ancient religion known as Zoroastrianism. History tells us they belonged to the Medes, who united with the Persians. Ancient Persia is modern-day Iran . Similar Magi are mentioned in the book of Daniel, who lived for awhile in Persia .
The Magi wore long robes, coned hats and curled slippers. They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh, so they must have been wealthy. There were at least three of them, possibly more. They were not kings, nor do we know their names. They did not bring a little drummer boy. They may have had a large entourage with them. They probably traveled by camel for the long 1000-mile journey.
The wise men probably learned the prophecy about the star in Numbers 23:17 from the Jews in Persia . They also probably knew the prophecy of the coming Messiah in Daniel 9:26-28. God touched their hearts and guided them by the miraculous star. They came, they believed, they worshipped. Wise men still come, believe and worship Christ the Lord.
12/29/01
Question: What is eternity?
Answer: Eternity is two things. First, eternity is a different kind of time than we know. Some theologians call it the Eternal Now. It is infinite time. In this sense, God alone is eternal. He is the “Eternal God” (Deuteronomy 33:27). “He inhabits eternity” (Isaiah 57:15). God lives in the past, present and future all at once (Revelation 1:8). “From everlasting to everlasting, you are God” (Psalm 90:2).
In another sense, eternity is endless time. It goes on and on for millions of years without stopping. Each of us began our existence at a certain point in time. But we will go on living forever. After we die, we will face God on Judgement Day (Hebrews 9:27 ). Believers and unbelievers will then enter different destinies. “These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matthew 25:16). Both Heaven and Hell are eternal.
Those who die in their sins “will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 14:10 -11, 20:10 ). On the other hand, those who have been saved in this life “will live in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6). Where will you spend eternity?
2002
Question: Does God approve of war?
Answer: The Bible says, “There is a time for war and a time for peace” (Ecclesiastes 3:8). God commanded Israel to go to war on occasion, as in the Book of Joshua. God blessed godly soldiers such as David, Joshua and Gideon. Exodus 15:3 even says, “The Lord is a man of war.” “Many fell slain because the war was of the Lord” (I Chronicles 5:22 ). “Prepare for war” (Jeremiah 6:4). There are many other such verses in Scripture.
Obviously God forbids wars of aggression or terrorism. But God does approve of the just war fought to defend a people. Romans 13 says God has ordained the government to have the power of the sword (police and army). A war of national defense protects the innocent from the guilty (Proverbs 24:11). It is unpleasant but necessary. A just war must have just cause and be fought in a just manner. The Bible, not opinions, defines what is just with regard to war (for example, Deuteronomy 20).
The Bible does not teach pacifism. One day, God will abolish all war (Psalm 46:9). Meanwhile, let us believe and obey what God says about this serious subject.
Question: How should we worship God?
Answer: In the way God tells us to. God does not leave it to our own taste or imagination. We should not pattern worship services after the world’s ideas. We should do only what God commands and not go “beyond what is written” (I Corinthians 4:6). Unbiblical worship is idolatry.
The Bible says, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth” (John 4:24 ). True worship is spiritual, not superstitious. It is not a mindless repetitive ritual (Matthew 6:7). The Bible gives us no detailed liturgies. Above all, worship must be God-centered in everything. That excludes Man-centered entertainment and silly gimmicks. It is a church, not a circus. Worship must be reverent and done “decently and in order” (I Corinthians 14:40 ). Preaching must be based firmly on the Bible alone, not church tradition or human opinion (2 Timothy 4:2). It should give in-depth teaching and application to all, including unbelievers (2 Timothy 3:15 -17).
A Biblical worship service will include prayer, Bible-reading, preaching, hymns, Communion, baptism, and an offering. Our attitude should be praise, love, joy, humility, faith and reverence. You cannot improve on God’s way, can you?
Question: What does the Bible say about sorcery?
Answer: Sorcery has been sensationalized recently in the Harry Potter books and movies. Many people are now dabbling with it for fun, while others are being led into it with all seriousness. Is it harmless? No.
God condemns sorcery. It is forbidden by name in Deuteronomy 18:10-12, Jeremiah 27:9, Isaiah 47: 9-12, Malachi 3:5, Acts 8:11, 13:6-11 and 19:19, Galatians 5:19-21, Revelation 18:23 and elsewhere. It is related to witchcraft and other occult black arts. The Greek word for sorcery is “pharmakeia” – the use of illicit drugs. It often involves sexual perversion, too. Sorcery is basically a form of Satanism, for it calls upon demonic spirits for magical powers to cast spells. Satan cannot perform true miracles, but he can deceive people and lure them into evil (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10, I Timothy 4:11 ).
Revelation 21:8 and 22:15 say that unrepentant sorcerers will go to Hell. If you have ever been involved in anything like sorcery, you need to repent (Revelation 9:21). You need to be “delivered from the power of darkness and conveyed into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Colossians 1:13 ). The spells of sorcery have no effect on God’s children (Numbers 23:23 ). God is more powerful than Satan.
Question: Does the Koran mention Jesus?
Answer: Yes, but it contradicts the Bible. Mohammad and his followers wrote the Koran in the 7th century A.D. Moslems greatly respect Jesus and the Bible, but they say that Mohammad and the Koran are superior.
The Koran says Jesus was a great prophet, but not God. The Bible, however, says Jesus was God (John 1:1, 20:28 ). The Koran says Jesus was born of a virgin by means of an angel. The Bible says Jesus was born of the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35 ) . The Koran rightly says Jesus was sinless, did miracles and will come to Earth again. But the Koran strangely says Jesus was never crucified. Most Moslems say it was Judas, not Jesus, who died on the cross. The Koran says Jesus went to Heaven without dying. But the Bible says, “Christ died for our sins and rose again” (I Corinthians 15:3-4). The Koran thus presents a false Jesus different from the true Jesus (2 Corinthians 11:4).
Since the Bible is the infallible Word of God, the Koran is in error. So was Mohammad. Allah is not the God of the Bible. Fortunately, some Moslems have read the Bible and come to believe in the true Jesus Christ. Have you?
Question: What does the Bible say about infant baptism?
Answer: Nothing. It might come as a surprise to many people that the Bible nowhere mentions the baptism of infants even once. In fact, the first historically recorded instance occurred almost 200 years after Christ. The practice developed when some Christians feared that their dying infants would go to Hell if they were not baptized.
In the New Testament, those who were baptized were already believers in Christ (for example, Acts 2:31 , 8:35 -38, 10:44 -48, 16:30 -34, 18:8, 19:1-5). Christ and the Apostles required that a person must believe and repent before being baptized (Matthew 28:19, Mark 16:16 ). “Repent and be baptized” (Acts 2:38 ). John the Baptist refused to baptize those who did not repent (Luke 7:29 -30). There are examples of babies being dedicated with a prayer for blessing (Mark 10:16 ), but there is not a single example of any baby being baptized. Nor is there any command to baptize babies.
A sinner is saved from sin by faith in Christ, not by baptism (Acts 16:31 ). A dying infant is saved without any reference to baptism (Matthew 19:14 ). The Bible says the order is faith, salvation and then baptism – not the other way around.
Question: What does “Sola Scriptura” mean?
Answer: It is a Latin phrase for “Scripture alone.” It is a good one, too. The Bible is the infallible Word of God (John 10:35 , 17:17 ). Scripture alone is our final authority in everything (Isaiah 8:20 ). “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). We are told “not to think beyond what is written” in the Bible (I Corinthians 4:6).
No preacher, priest or church is infallible. Only God is infallible. Church tradition and creeds are true only insofar as they agree with Holy Scripture (Matthew 15:1-9). Anyone who contradicts the Bible is in error (Matthew 22:29 ). All unbiblical methods of salvation are condemned (Galatians 1:8). Philosophy and psychology are not infallible (Colossians 2:8). Science and scientists are not infallible (I Timothy 6:20 ). Any man-made theory that contradicts Scripture is necessarily wrong.
We must submit all our thoughts to God (Proverbs 3:5, 2 Corinthians 10:5). The Bible says, “Test all things” (I Thessalonians 5:21 ). How? By the Bible (Acts 17:11). “Let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). Scripture alone is our final authority. Why? Because God says so. Period.
Question: What does “holy” mean?
Answer: It is one of the most important words in the Bible and, indeed, of all human language. It means pure and separate from sin. The Bible is called “the Holy Scriptures” (Romans 1:2). Heaven is holy, for there is no sin there (Revelation 21:27 ). The good angels are “holy angels” (Mark 3:38 ).
God is holy. “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty” (Revelation 4:8). The Father is called “Holy Father,” the Son is the “Holy Child,” and the Spirit is the “Holy Spirit.” God is perfectly and infinitely holy, absolutely pure without the slightest moral imperfection. “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (I John 1:5). “You are of purer eyes than to behold evil and cannot look on wickedness” (Habakkuk 1:13 ). Sin offends God’s holiness and ignites His holy wrath.
God says, “Be holy, for I am holy” (I Peter 1:15 ). But we are filthy, guilty sinners. God has the answer. Holy Jesus took our punishment. If we repent of sin and trust in Christ, God will forgive all our sins. He will put Christ’s perfect holiness to our account (2 Corinthians 5:19 -21). One day, we will be made spotlessly holy in Heaven. What about you?
Question: What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
Answer: The Bible mentions it in seven places. It is not the same thing as water baptism (Luke 3:16 ). Nor is it some special experience that makes us incapable of sinning (I John 1:8). Pentecostals think it is an experience that is different from conversion. To them, it produces spiritual power and is associated with speaking in tongues.
I Corinthians 12:13 is the crucial verse: “By one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body. . . and have all been made to drink of one Spirit.” It is an experience that happens to all believers. All true Christians have received the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9). Christ puts us into the Spirit and the Spirit into us. At he same moment, we are put into Christ and He into us (Galatians 3:27 ). This all happens at the moment a person is saved. It is part of being born again (John 3).
The Bible never tells Christians to seek the baptism of the Spirit. They already have it. They are told to go on being controlled by the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18 ). This may sound mysterious to unbelievers. If that’s you, may the Holy Spirit lead you to believe in Jesus Christ and be born again.
Question: Why do some people get away with doing evil?
Answer: We are all angry when we read about a criminal being released on a technicality. Or when we think about criminals and terrorists who are never caught. It especially hurts when we are the victims. We cry, “Is there no justice?”
Yes, there is justice – God’s justice. Nobody ever gets away with their crimes or sins. God has recorded everything. The books will be opened on Judgement Day (Revelation 20:12 ). “There is nothing covered that will not be revealed” (Luke 12:2). There will be no escape. David said he was angry with evil men who prospered, “until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end” (Psalm 73:17). God will judge all evildoers one day. God’s bloodhound will track them down. “The wicked shall be turned into Hell” (Psalm 9:17 ). God’s justice is perfect – and final.
But what about you? What about all the sins you have committed against God? Do you think you have gotten away with them because you have not been caught yet? “Be sure, your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” ( Luke 13:3). Turn to Christ now while there is still time.
Question: What is “the sovereignty of God”?
Answer: It means God is King over everything. “His kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19). “The Lord God omnipotent reigns” and He is “Lord of Lords and King of Kings” (Revelation 19:6, 16). He did not become king; He is “the eternal King” (I Timothy 1:17 ).
God is perfect and self-existent. He needs nothing and nobody (Acts 17:25 ). God is therefore totally independent in what He chooses to do. “He does whatever He pleases” (Psalm 115:3). The Lord prepared a plan for the universe and predestined everything that will ever happen (Eph. 1:11 ). “For of Him and through Him and unto Him are all things, to whom be the glory forever” (Romans 11:36 ). Everything exists by the mere good pleasure of God and will glorify God in the end, even everything in Heaven and Hell (Revelation 4:11 ). God never fails.
God is in control of history. We are accountable to God. Even so, God intervenes even in the hearts of men. It is futile and sinful to rebel. God will triumph in the end. Therefore, we should praise and worship only God. The Lord is God! That’s what he Bible says about the sovereignty of God.
Question: What is a “saint”?
Answer: In the Bible, a saint is simply another word for a Christian. All believers are saints, not just a select few. For example, Romans 1:7 addresses the Christians in Rome as “all who are in Rome , beloved of God, called to be saints.” Saints are “faithful brethren” (Colossians 1:2). They are “those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints” (I Corinthians 1:2).
The word means “holy one.” How does a person become a saint? We are not holy by nature, but evil (Romans 3:10 -18). We cannot make ourselves holy by prayer, baptism or good deeds (Ephesians 2:8-9). But God has the solution. Christ was punished for our sins. If we repent of sin and truly believe in Him, God will put the perfect holiness of Christ to our account. God legally pronounces us righteous (Romans 5:1). The Holy Spirit then gradually transforms us so that we become partly holy in this life. In Heaven, we are instantly made totally holy (Hebrews 12:23 ).
A saint is not a semi-divine person who has made himself holy by sacrificial good works. God is the one who make holy. Are you a saint in the Biblical sense?
Question: Why did Jesus shed His blood on the cross?
Answer: The Bible says, “Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). He had no sin, but took our punishment in our place. Since Hell is a place of suffering, “Christ also suffered for us” on the cross (I Peter 2:21 ). But it was also essential that He shed blood.
Hebrews 9:22 says, “Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.” God provided bloody animal sacrifices in the Old Testament as pictures of what Jesus would do for us on the cross. He was the sinless Lamb of God, whose blood was not tainted by sin like ours is. We are “redeemed by the precious blood of Christ” (I Peter 1:18 -19). Life is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11 ), so Christ gave up His life in a special way when He bled and died.
This is symbolized in the Lord’s Supper. Jesus said, “This is my blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). When we truly believe in Christ, His blood washes away our sins (I John 1:7). Even in Heaven, believers will eternally praise God for the blood of Christ (Revelation 5:9). Do you believe in the blood of Jesus Christ?
Question: Does it really matter if Jesus really rose from the dead?
Answer: It makes all the difference in the world. It is no small thing or optional detail of Christianity. It is absolutely essential to the Gospel. Any so-called preacher who rejects the historical, physical resurrection of Christ is preaching a false gospel and is under God’s judgement (Galatians 1:9). It is fact, not myth.
I Corinthians 15 is the key chapter on the subject. The resurrection is of primary importance (verses 1-4). “If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty” (verse 14). If Christ is still dead, we are lost in our sins (verse 17), there is no life after death (verses 18-19), God’s promise failed, Jesus broke His word, and Satan won. All that would be the case if Jesus did not really rise from the dead.
“But now Christ is risen from the dead” (verse 20). He is victorious over death. He will raise His people from the dead, too, when He returns one day (verses 26-58). Mohammad, Buddha and other religious leaders are all dead. Jesus Christ is alive! He rose from the dead and is King of Kings forever. Hallelujah!
Question: What is the Millenium?
Answer: The word “millenium” is the Latin word for thousand years. In the Bible, the Millenium is the thousand year period during which Jesus Christ will rule the world after the Second Coming. It is described in Revelation 20.
When Christ returns, He will destroy all His enemies. He will throw Satan and the demons into Hell. Christians will be raised from the dead. “They lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years” (Revelation 20:4). There will be peace on Earth at last, a worldwide paradise like the original Garden of Eden. No war, no disease, no crime. Christ will be acknowledged as King of Kings and Lord of Lords on Earth for a thousand years.
At the end of the Millenium, Satan will be let loose again for a short time to lead a rebellion against Christ. It will end in his swift defeat (Revelation 20:7-10). Unbelievers will then be raised from the dead. All mankind will then appear at the Last Judgement. We must get ready now. Christ may or may not return in our lifetime, but “we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10 ). Are you ready?
Question: Where did the different races come from?
Answer: The Bible says that everyone is descended from Adam and Eve (Genesis 1 and 2). As such, we are all related to each other. “He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the Earth” (Acts 17:26 ). It is a sinful and lost human race.
About 1000 years after Adam, God flooded the whole world (Genesis 6 to 8). Only Noah and his family were spared (I Peter 3:21 ). All mankind can be traced back to one of his three sons. For example, the Jews and Arabs came from Shem; therefore they are Semites. Others come from Japheth or Ham. After the Tower of Babelincident, God scattered people all over the world (Genesis 11:8-9). As they migrated around the world, God developed them into different languages and races.
Jesus told His followers, “Go and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19). For 2000 years, people from many nations and races have believed in Jesus. There will be believers in Heaven “out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9). We are saved by grace, not race. This is the true family of God.
Question: Is there a second chance to be saved after death?
Answer: No. The Bible nowhere teaches that idea. It does not support the strange view of some movies, that God may send us back to Earth for temporary probation to see if we prove ourselves worthy of Heaven. Nor does it teach reincarnation. Nor do angels, preachers or God Himself preach the Gospel to dead people who never heard of Christ when they were alive. These are all sheer fabrications by those who either do not know or do not believe the Bible.
The Bible says, “It is appointed unto man once to die, and after that the judgement” (Hebrews 9:27 ). Those who die lost in their sins go to Hades and the eternalLake of Fire . There is no escape or second chance there (Luke 16, Revelation 20). Their doom was sealed in this world when they died guilty before God. Yes, God raised some people from the dead, who came back to Earth for a short time. But they were already believers.
Remember, God owes us nothing. He does not even have to give us a first chance to be saved, but He does. Our only hope is faith in Christ now.
Question: What is a miracle?
Answer: People use the word “miracle” too loosely these days. If an underdog teams wins a game or if someone wins the lottery, it is called a miracle. Those are not miracles, just unlikely events. And, of course, the “miracles” performed by magicians and faith-healers are just tricks.
A miracle is a special act of God that is above the laws of Nature. It is supernatural, not natural, and therefore has no natural cause or explanation. Skeptics scoff at the idea. But since God exists, miracles are possible. The God who created the universe of out nothing can surely interrupt the course of Nature whenever He wishes. The Bible records many of His miracles. Jesus proved He was the Messiah by working hundreds of miracles and instantaneous healings (Acts 2:22 ).
The greatest miracles have to do with Jesus Christ. He was miraculously born of a virgin (Luke 1), miraculously atoned for our sins in His death (John 19), and miraculously rose from the dead (I Corinthians 15). The Holy Spirit works the miracle of spiritual birth when God saves a lost sinner and makes him a new person (John 3). Has that happened to you? Do you believe in miracles?
Question: Does it really matter what you believe so long as you are sincere?
Answer: It most definitely DOES matter. It is very popular to think that sincerity is all that matters: “There are no absolutes, you make your own truth, etc.” That’s utter nonsense. By that standard, Hitler and Osama Bin Laden were right, for they sincerely believed their views were correct. A person can be sincerely wrong. One plus one does not equal five, no matter how “sincere” you are.
The Bible says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of it is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12 ). You might sincerely think you are taking medicine, but it may be poison – and sincerity won’t save your life. By far most people in the world are sincere in their notions of life. But they are wrong and on the way to Hell. We need truth, not just sincerity.
The Bible alone gives the answer. God does not say, “Choose your own way.” He says “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 16:31 ). Jesus is the only way to God. God loves us enough to tell us the hard truth that we are evil sinners with wrong ideas. That’s why God gave us the Bible. Read it for yourself.
Question: Is alcoholism a disease or a sin?
Answer: Both. It is dangerous to deny either. Alcoholism is certainly a disease of sorts. When a person drinks to excess for a long time, he becomes addicted to alcohol as a drug. If he tries to stop, his body reacts with withdrawal symptoms and an intense craving for alcohol. Many alcoholics deny they are hooked. They need to get good sound medical treatment to overcome their addiction.
But it is also a sin, and in that respect is different from most diseases and afflictions. The Bible calls the alcoholic what he is: a drunk. The Bible condemns intoxication: “Do not be drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery” (Ephesians 5:18 ). That includes hard liquor, beer and drugs. Even when one is addicted, intoxication is still sin. Alcoholism ruins families and brings poverty (Proverbs 23:20 -35). The drunk wallows in his own vomit (Isaiah 23:20 -35) and would sell his own children for another drink (Joel 3:3). Unrepentant drunks will go to Hell (Galatians 5:19 -21).
But there’s hope. If the drunk repents of sin and turns in faith to Christ, God will forgive him. God can totally transform him into a new person. Be sober. Do the right thing. Come to Christ.
Question: How good do I have to be to go to Heaven?
Answer: The answer may surprise you. It is not what most think. Many people think they will go to Heaven if they have more good deeds than sins. Others feel they have very few good deeds, but God will somehow make up the difference. Still others are proud of their good lives and think God must accept them. None of these are right.
The Bible says: “You shall be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48 ). God is absolutely “Holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3). He will allow no sin whatsoever into His Heaven (Revelation 21:27 ). If we have even one sin (and we have billions), we cannot go to Heaven. Good deeds cannot outweigh our sins, nor can we earn Heaven by being good (Ephesians 2:8-9).
God provides the answer. Christ is perfectly holy. He took our punishment at the cross. If we truly believe in Him, God will forgive all our sins and put Christ’s perfect holiness on our record (Romans 3:21 -26). We are then allowed into Heaven. In Heaven, all vestiges of sin are removed from us. Do not try to be good enough to earn Heaven. It’s impossible. Trust in Christ alone.
Question: Does the Bible teach Evolution?
Answer: No. The Bible teaches Creation by God, not Evolution by chance. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth” (Genesis 1:1). Some think God used Evolution, but all forms of Evolution contradict the Bible. Since the Bible is the infallible Word of God, Evolution is not true. The two are irreconcilable.
Consider the Biblical facts of Genesis 1. God created everything out of nothing by speaking it into existence. There was no “Big Bang.” There is no such thing as chance. God created the cosmos in only six days about 6,000 years ago, not over billions of years. God created Man as a being distinct from the animals, who were created in separate species without change from one species to another. Adam and Eve were specific individuals, from whom all humanity has descended. There are no missing links. We did not come from monkeys. Man is not an animal.
The theory of Evolution is really just a form of atheism. It is self-contradictory, too. True wisdom believes that God is our Creator and that the Bible gives us the truth about how He created the universe. Do you believe?
Question: What is the meaning of life?
Answer: Someone said that the three great questions are, “Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going?” Some say there is no answer. They say we are meaningless beings on an insignificant planet in one of billions of galaxies, all here by sheer chance. The Bible says that if that were true, then we should eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die (I Corinthians 15:32 ).
But there is meaning in life. God created the universe to display His glory (Romans 11:36 ). He made us so that we might know Him and His love. Because of sin, we reject God and His love and His glory. And so we are guilty, lonely and miserable. Read Ecclesiastes in the Bible.
But there’s Hope. God still loves us. Jesus said, “I have come so that they might have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10 ). By faith in Christ, we have our sins forgiven. We know God and His love. Our eyes are opened and we discover the meaning of life. It is better than we could ever have dreamed. Come to Christ and know real life and real love. Come and know God Himself.
Question: Who is the “Antichrist”?
Answer: The word is found in I John 2:18, 2:22 , 4:3 and 2 John 7. An antichrist is a false prophet who is against Christ while pretending to be for Christ. Jesus warned about “false Christs” who pretend to be the Messiah or even the Second Coming of Jesus (Matthew 24:24). They are evil and deceptive.
I John 2:18 speaks of one main Antichrist. He is usually identified with the “Man of Sin” in 2 Thessalonians 2 and the “Beast” of Revelation 13. The Antichrist is the evil counterpart of Christ, a sort of Son of Satan as Jesus is the Son of God. The many antichrists of history are preparing the way for the last Antichrist who will arise shortly before the Second Coming of Christ. He will be acclaimed by the world as a savior and dictator, something like Hitler. There have been all sorts of guesses as to his identity (Napoleon, the Pope, etc.).
Christ will throw the Antichrist and the Devil into Hell forever after He returns (Revelation 20:20 ). Those who follow Antichrist will also be condemned. Jesus is the true Christ. He alone is Lord of the universe. Follow Him.
Question: How many languages has the Bible been translated into?
Answer: The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and some Aramaic. Before the time of Christ, it was translated into Greek, and some parts into Samaritan and more Aramaic. The New Testament was written in Greek. By 600 A.D., it was translated into Latin, Syriac, Coptic (Egyptian), Gothic, Georgian, Armenian, Ethiopic and Arabic.
Small parts of the Bible were translated into English in the Middle Ages. John Wycliffe and his helpers did the first complete English translation around 1380. The King James Version was published in England in 1611. There have been over 100 other translations of the Bible into English since then, plus many more of just the New Testament.
The complete Bible has been translated into 383 different languages around the world. The New Testament alone has been translated into another 987 languages. 891 further languages have only small portions, such as one of the Gospels. Thus, 2,261 languages have at least some part of the Bible. This accounts for 32% of the world’s 7,148 languages and 91% of the world’s population. Missionaries hope to have the whole Bible available in every language one day. “All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16 ).
Question: What is a “false prophet”?
Answer: Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets” and called them wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15 ). The Bible warns of false teachers (2 Peter 2:1), false messiahs (Matthew 24:24), and false brethren (2 Corinthians 11:26 ). The strongest condemnations of the Bible are reserved for them. False prophets are called antichrists (I John 2:18 ) and ministers of the Devil (2 Corinthians 11:13 -15). Jesus said they are thieves and murderers (John 10:10 ).
A false prophet may take several forms. He may make up messages that he claims came from God (Jeremiah 14:14 ). He may lead you to follow false gods rather than the one true God (Deuteronomy 13:1-5). He may be a religious con-artist deceived by his own lies (2 Timothy 3:13 ). He is always a religious hypocrite (Matthew 23). He resembles Judas Iscariot. False prophets are still with us. They are dangerous.
The main thing is this: the false prophet distorts God’s Word (2 Peter 3:16 ). Any preacher who denies the infallibility of the Bible is a false prophet. He preaches a false way of salvation. “If anyone preaches any other gospel, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:9). God will judge false prophets. Recognize them and avoid them.
Question: Does the Bible say, “Spare the rod and spoil the child”?
Answer: Not in those exact words. It is an old English proverb that has been traced back at least to the year 1000 A.D. Many people mistakenly think it is in the Bible, together with other old sayings. We need to read the Bible for ourselves to learn what is and is not in it.
This saying is evidently based on a proverb that is indeed in the Bible: “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly” (Proverbs13:24 ). The Bible also says, “Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you punish him with a rod, he will not die” (Proverbs 23:13 ). It is called “the rod of correction” (Proverbs 22:15 ). God Himself chastens His children (Hebrews 12:7). So, the Bible does approve of spanking as punishment.
Parents must raise their children according to the Bible (Ephesians 6:3). This means they must use love and wisdom. Of course, some parents use too much violence, which is certainly wrong. Others are too lax, which will spoil the child and encourage wrong behavior. God’s way is wisest and best.
Question: Is Jesus Christ a man or God?
Answer: Both. First, the Bible says that Jesus was “a man” (Acts 2:22 ). He was a male, a Jew and a member of the Semitic race. He worked as a carpenter before He began His special ministry. Jesus had a human body of flesh and blood (Hebrews 2:14 ) and experienced love, sorrow, joy and other emotions. He was tempted as we are, but He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15 ). He was the only perfect man.
The Bible also says Jesus is “God” (John 1:1, 20:28 and many other places). He is “the Almighty” and “King of Kings and Lord of Lords” (Revelation 1:8, 19:16 ). He is the same God who created the universe and gave the Ten Commandments. Jesus identified Himself as God in John 8:58 and elsewhere. As God, Jesus deserves our unreserved faith and worship.
Jesus is both God and man. He was not a man who became a god, as some cults teach. He was the eternal God who became the God-Man. Jesus is “God manifested in the flesh” (I Timothy 3:16 ). He is the only person to be both God and man. As such, He is our Savior and the only mediator between God and man (I Timothy 2:5).
Question: What is the “Book of Life”?
Answer: The Bible describes the Book of Life in several places. It is God’s list of all persons who are in a right relationship with God. Philippians 4:3 mentions those “whose names are in the Book of Life.” Jesus said, “Rejoice that your names are recorded in Heaven” (Luke 10:20 ).
The book of Revelation especially describes it. God wrote some people’s names in the Book of Life from eternity, but did not write other names there (13:8, 17:8). The names in that Book will never be erased (3:5). Revelation 20 says that we will appear before God on Judgement Day. God will open “the books” that have recorded all our sins (verse 12). Then God will open the Book of Life to show if our names are written there. Verse 15 says, “Anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire (Hell).”
We do not get our names in that Book by doing good deeds. It is God, not us, who writes names in it. We get saved only by repenting of sin and believing in Christ (Acts 20:21 ). Is your name in the Book of Life?
Question: What is “John 3:16 ”?
Answer: Fans sometimes hold signs saying “John 3:16” at football games and even wrestling matches. It refers to a famous sentence in the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse 16. It reads: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
It tells us that God really does love us. He loved us so much that He gave us the greatest gift of all – His Son. God sent Jesus Christ into the world to become a man. Jesus lived 33 years and never sinned. Then He died in our place to take the punishment for sin. Three days later, He rose from the dead. If we truly trust Christ to save us, God will forgive all our sins. We will live forever in Heaven with God’s love and not go to Hell to be punished.
Surveys show that John 3:16 is considered the favorite verse among Christians. Many memorized it when they were children. It is a good summary of the Bible’s main message. Do you believe in Christ? Let God’s love melt your heart and give you faith and everlasting life.
Question: Is the story of Noah’s ark and the Flood a myth?
Answer: It is historical fact, not myth. The Bible is the infallible Word of God. It contains no myths. Indeed, it warns against myths (Titus 1:14 ). Jesus Christ Himself considered the Flood to be a true historical event (Matthew 24:37-39). Even ancient cultures and the geological strata confirm there was a worldwide Flood.
Genesis chapters 6 to 8 records it as follows. About 3000 B.C., God was angry with mankind’s evil. He told Noah that He would flood the whole world. Noah built a large boat (an ark) and brought his family and a large number of animals on board. Everyone else was drowned as a judgement.
God later warned of another worldwide flood, still to come. Jesus said, “As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:37). At the Second Coming, God will destroy the world with a flood of fire (2 Peter 3:3-12). The only people who will be spared are those who truly believe in Jesus Christ. Just as surely as the first flood happened, so the next flood will surely happen. Are you ready?
Question: Does the Bible allow divorce?
Answer: Various churches differ on this question. Some allow for no divorce at all, but permit annulment. Others allow divorce for one or two grounds. Still others allow it for almost any reason. What the Bible says is what really matters.
The Old Testament allowed for divorce in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 and elsewhere. God Himself divorced Israel (Jeremiah 3:8). In the New Testament, the clearest words were spoken by Jesus: “Whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery” (Matthew 19:19. See also 5:31-32). This allows for divorce where there has been sexual immorality such as adultery. Without that ground, divorce is wrong and a later marriage to another is adultery.
I Corinthians 7:10-16 says that a Christian may allow an unbeliever to divorce him or her. That and adultery would thus be the only two Biblical grounds for divorce. The Bible says still more on the subject. Reconciliation through repentance and forgiveness is always the ideal. The vast majority of divorces today are unbiblical and therefore sinful. Those involved need to re-examine themselves by the Bible and seek God’s forgiveness and healing.
Question: Does God know everything?
Answer: Absolutely. The Bible says, “His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:15). God knows everything about everything and everybody. He knows everything past, present and future. He even knows things that could happen but never do happen (Matthew 11:21 ). God is omniscient – “He knows all things (I John 3:20 ). “He is perfect in knowledge” (Job 37:16).
There is a dangerous error today called “the openness of God” that says God does not know the future. That heresy is a direct insult to God. The Bible says God predestined everything that will ever happen (Ephesians 1:11 ). God gave hundreds of accurate predictions in the Bible of things to come. This proves He is God (Isaiah 44:6-8, John 14:29 ). God does not guess. He knows “the end from the beginning” and everything in-between (Isaiah 46:10). God neither learns nor forgets, for He has always known everything.
“The Lord knows the thoughts of Man” (Psalm 94:11). He knows our “secret sins” (Psalm 90:8). God knows who is a true Christian and who is only pretending. He also knows our fears and our hurts, and He cares. The omniscience of God is a great comfort to His children, but a forboding threat to His enemies.
Question: Is God the Father of all mankind?
Answer: The Bible says God created all mankind. In that sense, He is our Father and we are His offspring (Acts 17:26 -29). However, the Bible does not teach the theory of “the universal Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of Man” as popularly taught by those who do not believe the Word of God.
The Bible emphasizes something else. Because of sin, we are God’s enemies, not His children (Romans 5:10 ). God is not our Father, but our judge. Jesus rebuked unbelievers who claimed God was their father. He said: “You are of your father the Devil and you want to do the desires of your father” (John 8:44 ). We have more in common with Satan than with God. We are evil, not holy. Unless we repent of sin, we will go to Hell with the Devil (Matthew 25:41).
But there’s hope. When we truly believe in Christ, we are adopted into God’s family (Galatians 4:5). We then have God, not Satan, as our true Father. Other Christians are our brothers and sisters. When we die, we go to live in our loving heavenly Father’s home forever (John 14:2). Who is YOUR father?
Question: Are there any errors in the Bible?
Answer: None whatsoever. The Bible is totally inerrant and absolutely infallible. Jesus said, “Thy Word is truth (John 17:17 ). He also said, “Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35 ). To those who questioned the Bible’s truth, Jesus charged, “You do err, not knowing the Scriptures” (Matthew 27:29). The Holy Spirit inspired the Bible and proves its truth.
“All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:16 ). Since the Bible is the very Word of God and “God cannot lie” (Titus 1:2), it cannot be in error. “The words of the Lord are pure words” (Psalm 12:6). Some parts are hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16 ), but none contain errors. There are no contradictions, myths or forgeries in the Bible. It is 100% true in everything it says, whether in theology, history, ethics or science.
It is a serious matter to question the full truth of the Word of God. Scripture says, “He that does not believe God has made Him a liar” (I John 5:10 ). Any so-called preacher or teacher who denies Biblical infallibility is a false prophet (Isaiah 8:20 ). The Bible is true when it condemns sin – and when it promises salvation through Christ.
Question: How can God forgive my many sins?
Answer: Some people feel guilty for their sins. Perhaps their conscience is reminding them of one sin in particular. It may be something nobody else knows about. It may be a sexual sin, stealing something, or even a crime. They realize they are guilty before God and deserve to go to Hell. Does this describe you?
The Bible has good news for you. God knows you are guilty, but still loves you. He provided the answer: “Christ died for our sins and rose again” (I Corinthians 15:3-4). God can now legally and justly forgive you (I John 1:9). You must repent of your sins and trust Jesus Christ to save you. If you do, God will erase all your sins and put Christ’s perfect holiness to your account (2 Corinthians 5:19 -21). “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18 ).
All your sins? Yes, all. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (I John 1:7). “You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19 ). Only God can forgive you and He will. Believe in Christ. The you will have a clean conscience and a clean record.
Question: What are the “Five Points of Calvinism”?
Answer: They are five great truths taught in the Bible. They were ignored for many centuries, but were rediscovered by John Calvin and others in the sixteenth-century Reformation. Augustine and Martin Luther more or less accepted them, too.
First, Man is totally depraved. He is completely controlled by sin and unable to obey God (Roman 8:7). Second, God lovingly chose some but not all sinners to be saved (Ephesians 1:3-4). “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14 ). None deserved to be chosen. Third, Christ died especially for those whom God chose (Ephesians 5:25 ). He made salvation available to all, but He guaranteed it only for those whom He chose. Fourth, the Holy Spirit overwhelms the chosen sinner with God’s love and gives him faith and the new birth. It is irresistible (Psalm 65:4). Fifth, God keeps His people saved forever. They cannot lose their salvation (John 10:28 ). They will continue in faith and obedience to the end, in spite of their weaknesses (Job 17:9).
These great truths show just how guilty and helpless we sinners really are. They also show how majestic, loving and powerful God really is. Praise God for these five wonderful truths.
Question: Will the Second Coming be secret or open?
Answer: The Bible says, “Behold, He is coming with clouds and every eye will see Him” (Revelation 1:7). Jesus warned of the secret coming of false messiahs, and added, “For as the lightning comes from the East and flashes to the West, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:23-27). “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27 ). It will also be very loud. I Thessalonians 4:16 says, “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God.” 2 Thessalonians 1:8 says Christ will come with blazing fire. Lost sinners will see Him and tremble in terror (Revelation 6:14 -17).
The Second Coming has obviously not happened yet. When it does, everyone will see and hear it. Are you ready?
Question: Is there any cure for a broken heart?
Answer: Yes. Our hearts are sometimes broken by those we love who no longer love us. Friends and family wound us. Grief, loneliness and depression can crush us. We try all sorts of things to help, but nothing works. The tears still flow. We need to turn to God. He can help in a way that others cannot. The Bible says, “He heals the broken-hearted” (Psalm 147:3).
God knows when we hurt. And He cares. “Cast all your burdens on Him, for He cares for you” (I Peter 5:7). He cares because He loves us. He counts every tear (Isaiah 38:5). “The Lord is merciful and full of compassion” (Psalm 145:8). Jesus said, “I have compassion on the multitude” (Mark 8:2). We need to go to God and ask for His comfort and love.
God sometimes lets tragedy happen to us to break our hearts. That lets us know that we need Him. Then we become sorry that we have sinned against the God who loves us so much. This helps us to repent (2 Corinthians 7:9-10). When we truly repent, we receive His mercy and forgiveness. May the Lord show you His love and lead you to Himself through Christ.
Question: Where did God come from?
Answer: God has always existed. He was not created by anything or anyone. Atheists say God is a myth created by superstitious people who feared the forces of Nature. They say God is only the projected image of man, a sort of make-believe “Big Man in the Sky.” Some cults say God was once a man who developed into a deity, and so can we. Not so.
The Bible’s first words are, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth” (Genesis 1:1). He created everything seen and unseen (Colossians 1:16 ). But God Himself was not created. “From everlasting to everlasting, you are God” (Psalm 90:2). God says, “I Am Who I Am” (Exodus 3:14 ). There never was a time when God did not exist. He is self-existent and He needs nothing outside of Himself (Acts 17:25 ). God was never lonely, for the Father, Son and Spirit lived together in perfect happiness and glory from all eternity.
No mere human can fully grasp this great truth. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’.” (Psalm 14:1). True wisdom believes in God because God says He exists. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10).
Question: How can I become a Christian?
Answer: Nobody is born a Christian. God makes you one. The Bible tells us what a true Christian is and how to become one. A Christian is a person who has been saved from his sins and is a follower of Jesus Christ.
A man once asked what he had to do to be saved. Paul told him, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31 ). Christ is the sinless Son of God and our Savior. “Christ died for our sins and rose again” (I Corinthians 15:3-4). When a person truly believes in Christ, he personally trusts Him to save him. He repents of sin and surrenders to Christ as his Lord. When he is saved, he is “born again” (John 3). He is forgiven all his sins and has the perfect holiness of Christ put on his record by God. He has eternal life and will go to Heaven when he dies.
You cannot become a Christian by the sacraments or by trying to keep the Ten Commandments or the Golden Rule. It is only by faith in Jesus Christ by God’s free mercy (Ephesians 2:8-9). Are you a true Christian?
Question: Will the world end in a nuclear holocaust?
Answer: No. Ever since the atomic bomb was invented in 1945, people have worried that nuclear war will one day destroy the whole world. This was especially feared during the Cold War. Thousands of nuclear bombs and missiles still exist around the world. What if terrorists get hold of them? Or if World War III broke out?
But the Bible says the world will not end in a nuclear holocaust. It will end in another way, a way that is far more devastating. It will end with the Second Coming of Christ. He will come from Heaven “in flaming fire” (2 Thessalonians 1:8). He will destroy all His enemies (Revelation 19:11 -12). “The heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat” (2 Peter 3:12 ). Just as God flooded the whole world in Noah’s day, so God will flood the whole world with fire one day. Only Christians will escape. Are you ready?
Then God will re-create the universe. “I saw a new Heaven and a new Earth, for the first Heaven and the first Earth had passed away” (Revelation 21:1). Believers will live there in eternal peace. Unbelievers will suffer in eternal Hell fire. Where will you be?
Question: Does the Bible say, “God is love”?
Answer: Yes. These three great words are found in I John 4:8 and 16. They describe the very essence of God’s nature. “God is light” (I John 1:5) means God is holy. “God is love” means God is loving. Ultimately, God loves Himself most. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit have eternally loved one another in perfect love.
God wanted to share this love, so he created Man. God commands us to love Him above all else (Matthew 22:37 -38). But we have rejected God’s love. We love ourselves, not God (2 Timothy 3:2-4). We are guilty. But there’s hope. “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 ). The proof that God loves us is that Jesus died for us (Romans 5:8).
If we turn from sin and trust Jesus Christ, we will be saved from sin. We then personally know God’s love. “The love of God is poured out in our hearts” (Romans 5:5). “We love Him because He first loved us” (I John 4:19 ). Do you know the love of God? Come to Christ and you will.
Question: Where did Satan come from?
Answer: God created Satan as a good angel. Satan is not an eternal second god, nor the brother of Jesus, as some cults teach.
Satan was originally named Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12 -15). He became proud and refused to worship God. He tried to become a god and was cast out of Heaven (Ezekiel 28:12-19, I Timothy 3:6). His name was changed to Satan, “The Enemy.” Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven” (Luke 10:18 ). A third of the angels followed him and became demons (Revelation 12:3-4). The Devil is the cause of all the evil in the world.
Jesus Christ defeated Satan when he died for our sins and rose from the dead (Hebrews 2:14 , Colossians 2:15 ). After the Second Coming, Christ will throw Satan and the demons alive into Hell forever (Revelation 20:10 ). Satan knows he is doomed and wants to take people to Hell with him (Revelation 12:9-12). If you die lost in your sins, Christ will say to you on Judgement Day, “Depart from me, you cursed ones, into the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:4). Repent and believe in Christ while there’s still time.
Question: Is money the root of all evil?
Answer: No. The correct wording is, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (I Timothy 6:10 ). Misquoting a Bible verse like this can lead to many wrong ideas, such as “All rich people are evil and all poor people are good.” But both rich and poor can love money and be evil.
When we love money, it leads to many other sins. It makes us love things instead of people. Greed leads to theft. A greedy person is stingy, not generous. Worst of all, this person worships gold rather than God. “You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24 ). Nothing is wrong with money itself. God Himself created gold. He tells us to work, save and give to those in need (Ephesians 4:28 ). Use it, not love it.
Jesus said that life is more than money. Money cannot buy true happiness or love, nor a ticket to Heaven. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on Earth, but treasures in Heaven. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19 -21). Trust in Christ for salvation and you will be rich in the things that really count.
Question: Should we have entertainment in church services?
Answer: Absolutely not. The Bible tells us how God wants to be worshipped. He does not leave it to our own imagination, for we are prone to idolatry. The Bible approves prayer, hymns, sermons, Bible-reading, Communion, baptism, offerings and the like. We must worship God “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24 ) and “decently and in order” (I Corinthians 14:40 ). If it is not in the Bible, we should not do it.
The Bible nowhere approves of entertainment in church. It is a service, not a show. It should be characterized by holiness and reverence, not flippancy and gimmicks. The whole purpose is to please God, not Man (see Galatians 1:10 ). Man-made methods are offensive to God. They make church a joke in the eyes of unbelievers. God wants Biblical worship, not a dog-and-pony show.
God is holy. He is jealous for His worship. He is not pleased with silly nonsense. In fact, He is angry with it. In Leviticus 10:1-3, God sent fire to destroy some people who broke God’s law of true worship. Let us repent of all unbiblical methods. Let us worship God in God’s way – by the Bible alone.
Question: Does God always want to heal us?
Answer: No. Some so-called “faith-healers” (especially on TV) say God always wants to heal us. They claim to have the gift of healing and tell dubious stories of their many healings and miracles. If someone is not healed, then he is blamed for not having enough faith. Many desperate people have been hurt and cheated by this scheme.
The Bible says God is certainly able to miraculously heal anyone. Jesus healed hundreds of people of all sorts of illnesses, even death (Matthew 4:23 -24). God also may bless medicine, therapy or natural physical processes to restore health. But the Bible never says that it is always His will without exception to heal everyone. Sometimes God allows illness in order to bless us in other ways. When He chooses not to heal, He offers mercy to sustain us (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Pray and leave it to God to heal or not.
We need to show mercy to those who are afflicted, not give false hope that will only disappoint. The true hope is that Christians will one day be totally healed when they are raised from the dead (Corinthians 15:51 -54). Trust God and go to the doctor, not to the faith-healers.
Question: Does baptism wash away our sins?
Answer: No. There are two errors on this. The first says that God magically uses baptism to wash away our sins and give us spiritual birth, whether as infants or adults. The other says a person must first believe and repent, but he is not truly saved and washed from sin until he is baptized. Neither view is taught in the Bible.
The Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31 ). Baptism follows, not produces, salvation (Acts 10:47 -48). Some were baptized but not saved (Acts 8:13 -23), while others were saved but never baptized (Luke 23:39 -43). The blood of Christ, not water, washes away our sins (I John 1:7). God uses the Bible, not baptism, to give spiritual birth (I Peter 1:23 ). “By grace are you saved through faith, not by works” (Ephesians 2:8-9). That includes baptism or any other good deed done by us or to us. Only believers, not infants, were baptized in the New Testament (Matthew 28:19).
Baptism is a solemn ceremony that symbolizes what has already happened to someone. The believer has already been saved, born again and washed from sin. Has this happened to you?
Question: Is there such a thing as chance?
Answer: No. There is no such thing as chance, luck, accidents or coincidences. These ideas are found in philosophy and even some religions. It is essential to the theory of Evolution. It says, “Things just happen.” It is really a form of atheism.
The Bible says that things do not happen by chance. Instead, things happen because God predestined them. “Being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11 ) . “Of Him and through Him and unto Him are all things” (Romans 11:36 ). God foreordained everything. God prepared a blueprint and carries it out perfectly. Even your reading these words was predestined by God.
God holds us accountable to obey His commands. From our perspective, things we do not expect may appear as chance (as in Luke 10:31 , Ecclesiastes 9:11 ). But from God’s viewpoint, all things are under His control. “Chance” is atheism. Predestination is the mysterious but wonderful truth that God is sovereign over all.
Question: Was Jesus the Messiah promised to the Jews?
Answer: Yes, He was. God gave the Jews many specific promises about the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled them all and is the “Christ” (Messiah), as He Himself said (Luke 24:44-46).
God said Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Jesus was (Matthew 2:1-11). Messiah would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14 ) and descended from King David (Jeremiah 23:5). Jesus was both (Matthew 1:1, 22-23). Messiah would be “God with us,” God in the flesh (Isaiah 7:14 , 9:6-7). Jesus was (Matthew 1:22-23). Messiah would do miracles and healings (Isaiah 35:5-6). Jesus did (Matthew 11:5). Messiah would be killed as a sacrifice for our sins (Isaiah 53, Psalm 22). Jesus was (I Peter 2:21 -24). Messiah would rise from the dead (Psalm 16:10 ). Jesus did (Acts 2:22 -30). Messiah would return as King and Judge (Daniel 7:13-14). Jesus will (Matthew 26:63-64).
Some Jews believed in Jesus when they reasoned, “When the Messiah comes, will He do more miracles than these which this man has done?” (John 7:31). Over the centuries, most Jews have found it hard to believe Jesus was the Messiah, but there have always been some who believed. One day, most Jews will believe that Jesus is indeed their promised Messiah after all (Romans 11).
Question: Why was Jesus born of a virgin?
Answer: The Virgin Birth of Christ is an essential truth of Christianity. It is explicitly taught in Matthew 1, Luke 1 and elsewhere. It is not a myth, but a unique historical fact with great spiritual significance. Here’s why.
Jesus Christ was born of a virgin for two main reasons. First, to be sinless. We inherit sin from our fathers (Romans 5:12 ). This is called Original Sin. But the eternal sinless Christ could not become a sinful human. Therefore, the Holy Spirit worked the miracle of sinless conception in the Virgin Mary without a human father. “The Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35 ). Second, if Jesus had a human father, then He would be only a mere man. But He was eternally God. By means of the Virgin Birth, Jesus would be the God-Man. He is “God manifested in the flesh” (I Timothy 3:16 ).
The rest of us are born sinful humans. We need a divine Savior without sin. Jesus became the sinless God-Man in order to suffer and die for our sins (Galatians 4:4-5). During this Christmas season, let us thank God for the miraculous Virgin Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Question: What is the true meaning of Christmas?
Answer: We often hear that love of our fellow man and worldwide peace is the true meaning of Christmas. Well, those are good things, but Christmas is more than that. It is more than giving gifts or visiting families. And it is certainly more than decorating trees or getting drunk.
The true meaning is far greater: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (I Timothy 1:15 ). Jesus was the eternal Son of God. He was conceived and born without sin by the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:35 ). God became a man in order to suffer and die for us. He was born to die. Jesus was laid in a manger as a baby and 33 years later was nailed to a cross as a sacrifice for our sins.
The angels told the shepherds that this is “good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10 ). If we do not believe in Christ, we are no better than Ebenezer Scrooge, even if we celebrate Christmas in other ways. Those who truly believe in Christ praise God for His birth 2,000 years ago. They alone see what the shepherds and wise men saw: “God manifested in the flesh” (I Timothy 3:16 ). Do you?
Question: What is infinity?
Answer: Infinity means that which is without limit. Only God is infinite. He is infinite in several ways. He has infinite power, for He says “I Am Almighty God” (Genesis 17:1). “With God, nothing is impossible” (Luke 1:37 ). God also knows everything. “His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5).
God is infinite in time. “From everlasting to everlasting, you are God” (Psalm 90:2). He lives in the past, present and future all at once. He is “the eternal King” (I Timothy 1:17 ). He “inhabits eternity” (Isaiah 57:15). God is also infinite in being. He is omnipresent. The universe is not infinite, for God is infinitely bigger than it. “Behold, Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain you” (I Kings 8:27 ). God is everywhere, but He is not everything. The infinite creation is not the infinite Creator (Romans 1:25 ).
God is also infinitely holy. “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come” (Revelation 4:8). He is infinite in love to His people. “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3). Compared with God, we are “less than nothing and worthless” (Isaiah 40:17). Let us bow in worship to our infinite God. How great Thou art!
2003
Question: Is there life after death?
Answer: Yes. The Bible tells us about it. We do not cease to exist when we die. Our souls go on living. We do not come back to Earth by reincarnation. Our bodies will one day be raised from the dead and reunited with our souls. We will then live eternally in one of two places.
The Bible says, “The wicked shall be thrown into Hell” (Psalms 9:17 ). We are all evil sinners. If you die unforgiven, you will go to Hell to be punished. No one ever escapes. They are tormented consciously in fire forever and ever (Revelation 14:10 ). Other people go to Heaven. Jesus called it “my Father’s house” (John 14:2). Revelation 21 and 22 describes it as God’s temple and palace. Heaven is a place of perfect peace, joy and love. There is no death, pain or sin there. People see God face to face and worship Him forever in Heaven.
Are you going to Heaven or Hell? There is only one way to go to Heaven and avoid Hell. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31 ). Trust Christ now. There will be no second chance after you die.
Question: What is the secret of a good marriage?
Answer: The secret is to do it God’s way. All marital problems can be solved by following the Bible’s directions. And all failures can be traced back to disobeying God’s Word on marriage. God’s way always works.
The key is for the husband and wife each doing their main duty. “Wives, submit to your husbands. Husbands, love your wives” (Ephesians 5:22 -33. Also Colossians 3:18-19 and I Peter 3:1-7). The wife must respect and obey her husband, except when he commands something contrary to the Bible. The husband is to love his wife with tenderness, patience and sacrifice. He must protect and provide for her, and she must follow and stand by him. He must not harm her. She must not nag him. And adultery is strictly forbidden.
When a marriage falls apart, both spouses must repent. They need to confess to God that they have not obeyed Him. Then they must humbly apologize to each other for not doing what God has told them to do (submit and love). Then they must forgive each other. Build your marriage on the Bible. Pray together. Dedicate yourselves to doing it God’s way. May the Lord help you to do so.
Question: Can you explain the Trinity for me?
Answer: The Trinity is a deep mystery that no one can completely understand or explain. The word Trinity means tri-unity, or three-in-one. Though the word is not in the Bible, the truth of it is taught in Matthew 28:19 and elsewhere.
First, there is only one God. “There is one God” (I Timothy 2:5). Second, within the one God are three entities. The Father is God (I Corinthians 3:17 ), the Son is God (John 20:28 ), and the Holy Spirit is God (2 Corinthians 3:17 ). They are not three separate gods, however. Third, these three are not identical. The Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Spirit. For example, it was Jesus, not the Father, who became a man and died for our sins. Matthew 3:16-17 shows the three to be distinct and not identical.
Some people deny that Jesus is God. Others admit that Jesus is God, but also say Jesus is the Father. Both of these are unbiblical errors. The Trinity is an awesome mystery that humbles our little minds. We should believe it because it is taught in the Bible. Let us worship the one God who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Question: What are the Ten Commandments?
Answer: The Ten Commandments are God’s Law. They are a summary of all that God commands us. They are listed in Exodus 20:3-17 and Deuteronomy 5:7-21. Here they are:
“You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourselves a graven image (statue or picture to worship). You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
God takes these commands seriously. He has not abolished them. We have all broken them. The penalty for disobedience is death and Hell. We cannot save ourselves by trying to keep the Ten Commandments. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is the only person to perfectly obey them. He also took our death and Hell at the cross and rose from the dead. If we repent of sin and personally trust in Christ, God will save us. Then we show our gratitude by obeying the Ten Commandments.
Question: What did God create the universe out of?
Answer: According to the Bible, God alone is eternal. The universe is not. Some philosophers and scientists think the universe has always existed and is still evolving. Others think it exploded into being in a Big Bang. Both theories are wrong.
The Bible’s first words are, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth” (Genesis 1:1). Before that, only God existed. Then God created time, space and matter in the course of six days. He did not create it out of Himself, otherwise the universe would be part of God. The Creation is not the Creator (Romans 1:25 ). Rather, God created the universe out of nothing. “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible” (Hebrews 11:3). It takes faith in the Bible to truly know how the cosmos began.
God simply spoke the universe into being (Psalm 33:6). For example, “God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Genesis 1:3). Only God could do that. It was a magnificent miracle. Truly God is awesome and far greater than we can imagine.
Question: Do I have to be “born again” to go to Heaven?
Answer: Yes. Jesus said, “Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God ” (John 3:3). He said that to a very religious man who went to church regularly and said his prayers. There are many people like that in church today. They are religious – but lost. When they die, they will go to Hell, not to Heaven. They have never been born again.
The Bible says that we were all born “dead in sin” (Ephesians 2:1). We deserve punishment. We cannot save ourselves by good deeds. Even being a preacher or priest cannot save you. The Holy Spirit alone can perform the miracle of the new birth. It does not happen through baptism. God does it through the Holy Scriptures (I Peter 1:23 ).
When a person is born again, he is radically transformed. “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17 ). His sins are forgiven. He truly knows God – and loves Him. It is the most wonderful and fulfilling thing you can ever experience. Has it happened to you? Repent of sin and trust Christ to save you. “You must be born again” (John 3:7).
Question: Does God have emotions?
Answer: Yes, indeed. The Bible says God has many kinds of emotions. He is not an impersonal “Force” or “Higher Power” out there. In fact, since God is perfect and infinite, He has perfect and infinite emotions far more than we do. He is not a celestial Stoic who is as unfeeling as a rock.
The Bible says God has peace within Himself. He is “the God of peace” (Philippians 4:9). God is perfectly happy. Zephaniah 3:17 says that God rejoices with singing. He is also loving and caring. “God is love” (I John 4:8). One the other hand, God is grieved by our sins (Genesis 6:6). Moreover, God is angry with us. “God is angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11 ). His wrath is compared to the fury of a hurricane (Isaiah 66:15).
God has perfect self-control over His emotions, unlike us. He does not lose His temper or fall helplessly in love. He is not overwhelmed by grief or giddy with joy. God is never worried, confused or lonely. Read the Bible and find out more about God. Believe in Christ and you will know God personally (John 17:3).
Question: Is Hell temporary or eternal?
Answer: Many people think Hell is only temporary. Some say it is like a kind of Purgatory to prepare sinners for Heaven. They say it is like prison – once you have served your sentence, you are released. Still others think that sinners suffer for varying lengths of time according to the number and degree of their sins, then are annihilated. And others just deny Hell altogether. All of these argue that a loving God would not punish anyone in Hell forever.
But the Bible repeatedly says that Hell is eternal. Jesus called it “everlasting fire” and “everlasting punishment” as eternal as Heaven (Matthew 25:41, 46). “The fire shall never be quenched” (Mark 9:43 ). Those in Hell “will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 14:11 , 20:11 ). It never ends. No one ever pays the debt. No one is released. There is no escape. Hell is permanent, not temporary.
Man has sinned against an infinitely holy God and deserves eternal punishment. Even in Hell, sinners continue to sin and add to their guilt. Our only hope is to turn to the Lord Jesus Christ before we die. Do it now. Tomorrow may be too late.
Question: Why do you say that Jesus Christ is the only way to God?
Answer: Because that’s what the Bible says. It may not be popular in a day of pluralism and post-modernism, but God’s Word outweighs all our opinions and philosophies. If God says there is only one way, the matter is settled. It is not arrogance, just the truth.
The Lord Jesus Christ said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He is the only door (John 10:7). Nobody knows God except those to whom Jesus chooses to reveal Him (Matthew 11:27 ). Paul said, “There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (I Timothy 2:5). “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts4:12 ).
According to the Bible, all other religions lead to Hell, not to Heaven (Matthew 7:13 -14). Their prophets are false prophets (Matthew 7:15 ). Jesus said they are liars, thieves and murderers of souls (John 10:8-10). The Bible is crystal clear and blunt, for there is no compromise on something so important. We had better believe what God Himself says.
Question: Where was Christ’s spirit between the crucifixion and resurrection?
Answer: Here’s what the Bible says. First, when Jesus was dying on the cross, He said to the thief crucified next to Him: “Today you shall be with me in Paradise ” (Luke 23:43 ). Then they died. Christ’s spirit left His body, for that’s what happens when we die (John 19:30 , Genesis 35:18). Their bodies were buried, but their spirits were alive together in the bliss of the presence of God. Jesus was fully awake, not asleep.
Second, I Peter 3:18-19 says that Jesus “also went in spirit to make a proclamation to the spirits in prison.” He announced His victory to the defeated demons in Hades. He didn’t preach the Gospel to them or offer a second chance to lost sinners. Ephesians 4:8-10 says He took them captive. In His death and resurrection, Jesus sealed the doom of His enemies (Colossians 2:15 ). He personally announced this to them before He arose on Easter morning.
Ignore the bizarre views that say Jesus visited the Indians, went to Purgatory, suffered in Hell, got on a UFO, etc. That’s all nonsense. The Bible alone tells us the answer. He lived, He died, He arose. He won!
Question: Is adultery the unforgivable sin?
Answer: The Bible says, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14 ). God says that sexual relations are reserved for the husband-wife relationship alone. He strictly forbids adultery, fornication (sex between unmarried persons), homosexuality, prostitution, rape, pornography, perversion and other kinds of immorality. “God will judge fornicators and adulterers” (Hebrews 13:4). If they do not turn from their sin, they will go to Hell.
But adultery is not unforgivable. Neither is any other sexual sin. Jesus forgave a woman caught in the very act of adultery. He said to her, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more” (John 8:11 ). Many of the first Christians had once been prostitutes and homosexuals, but they repented and were forgiven (I Corinthians 6:9-11). God will forgive any sinner who repents and turns to Christ. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (I John 1:7).
Immorality is glorified on TV, but God calls it sin. It leaves a deep stain on our conscience. If you have fallen, there is hope. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18 ). Come home to God and be cleansed.
Question: Is Man an animal?
Answer: No. The theory of Evolution wrongly says that humans evolved from lower forms of animal life and therefore are still basically animals. But the Bible teaches the real truth. It says Man was created “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27 ). No animal has that. Just as rocks do not evolve into flowers, so animals do not evolve into humans. God created them all on uncrossable levels of being.
Humans are capable of doing right and wrong. Animals are not. Humans can think, love, believe and obey God. Animals cannot. God gave Man authority over animals (Genesis 1:28 ). When we think humans are animals, we begin to treat animals as humans and humans as animals. Thus, some people have distorted views of “animal rights,” and consequently they defend abortion, infanticide, euthanasia and even genocide. God says, “You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13 ). He approves capital punishment of murderers specifically because Man has the image of God and is not an animal (Genesis 9:6).
The theory of Evolution seeks to distort Man’s distinct dignity and even to deny the existence of God. But we humans are responsible to our Creator. The Bible says so.
Question: Should we fear God?
Answer: Yes, definitely. We rarely meet a true God-fearing man. “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:18 ). Even criminals rarely fear God as they are being executed (Luke 23:40 ). People openly mock God. Fearing God is rare even in churches.
To fear God is to have a serious reverence for His holy authority. The Bible says, “Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God” (Deuteronomy 6:13 ). “Fear God and give glory to Him” (Revelation 14:7). “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of every man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13 ). “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord” (Psalm 112:1). “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10). “By the fear of the Lord one departs from evil” (Proverbs 16:6). “So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him” (Psalm 103:11).
Jesus said, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell” (Matthew 10:28 ). Fear God and you will fear no one else. One day, lost sinners will tremble in utter terror when they face God in judgment (Jeremiah 10:10 ). Do you fear God?
Question: Why are we here?
Answer: God created us for a purpose. Therefore, our existence has meaning. Atheism and Evolution only offer meaningless chance. When you run from God, life is filled increasingly with despair. True meaning in life is found only in a personal relationship with God. Read the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible.
The Bible says, “The Lord made all things for Himself” (Proverbs 16:4). We exist for God, not for ourselves. He reveals His glory to us and calls on us to return it to Him in faith, love and worship. When we do, we fulfill the purpose of our existence. “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (I Corinthians 10:31 ). It is a God-centered universe and our lives should show it.
In the end, God will manifest His glory to the entire universe. Everything will reflect glory back to God. All of us will, too, whether by praise in Heaven or by suffering for our sins in Hell. We can now enjoy the fulfillment of our existence by knowing God and worshipping Him in love. The way to know God is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you fulfilling the purpose of your existence?
Question: Isn’t religion just a lot of superstition?
Answer: Most religions are, but not the true one. The Bible explicitly warns against superstitions and myths (I Timothy 1:4, 4:7; 2 Timothy 4:4; Titus 1:14; 2 Peter 1:16). True Christianity is based on fact, not fiction. The events in the Bible actually happened. God really does exist and has spoken to us in the Bible.
Romans 1:18-25 says that God has shown His existence to all men. But sinful Man has distorted God’s truth and perverted His true religion. The result is idolatry and superstition. All false religions are perversions of the truth. T hey promote false ideas about God. Their religious worship is based on superstitions like magic, luck and kharma. That’s why the one true God utterly condemns all false religions (Deuteronomy 18:9-14). God hates superstition, as do all true Christians.
True worship of God is not done by magical gestures, incantations and repetitious rituals (Matthew 6:7). True worship is “in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24 ). It is directed by the Holy Spirit according to the Bible. Avoid all superstitions, even the kind that seep into many churches. Believe and worship God according to the Bible.
Question: Did God choose who would be saved?
Answer: Yes. The Bible says, “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14 ). God invites everyone to believe, but chose to give faith only to some. The Bible calls this predestination and election. God pre-determined everything that will happen, including who will be saved.
Ephesians 1:4-5 says, “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, having predestined us to adoption according to the good pleasure of His will.” Back in eternity, God chose some to be saved. He did not select them because they are any better than the rest, nor because He knew they would believe. The decision was God’s alone. Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (John 15:16 ). God predestined who would be saved – and they shall certainly be saved (Romans8:29 -30). He did not choose everyone. He left the rest in their sins to be condemned (Romans 9:18 ).
Remember, no one deserves to be chosen. We are all guilty. God has the right to choose whomever He wishes. “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy” (Romans 9:15 ). This is a deep truth. It humbles us and gives glory to God.
Question: Why is there so much silliness in some churches?
Answer: It is because they do not fear God. If they did, they would never dare bring frivolity into a worship service. Sometimes they have over-reacted to the dullness of cold ritualism and gone to the opposite extreme. But that is no excuse.
Many churches are like the Israelites in Exodus 32:6. They forsook the true worship of God and “rose up to play.” They resemble a three-ring circus, complete with clowns. The preacher tells jokes. Some engage in hysterical laughter and other childish nonsense. They want entertainment, not holiness. They want to have fun, not worship God. They are bored with in-depth Bible preaching and teaching (2 Timothy 4:3-4). They must repent.
The Bible says, “Let all things be done decently and in order” (I Corinthians 14:40 ). “Those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24 ). Man-centered amusement is of the flesh, not the Spirit. We must never depart from the Biblical pattern. God is angry with Man-made church services (Leviticus 10:1-3). The main thing that should characterize a worship service is a holy reverence for God. Joy, yes. Silliness, never.
Question: How can I stop having nightmares?
Answer: Nightmares are caused by various deep problems. If the underlying root is taken care of, the symptoms should gradually cease. One cause of nightmares is fear (Genesis 15:12; Judges 7:13-15). People fear many things. The worst is the fear of death. Guilt is another cause. Our consciences remind us of our sins, perhaps one sin in particular. Painful memories, worry and grief can also cause nightmares.
But there’s hope. God offers to heal our inner problems by His grace. His loving promises alleviate our fears and worries (I John 4:18 ). Jesus overcomes the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14 -15). When we believe in Christ unto salvation, God cleanses our consciences (Hebrews 9:14 ). He gives comfort and healing for painful memories and grief.
The Bible says: “He gives sleep to His beloved” (Psalm 127:2). “You shall not be afraid of the terror by night” (Psalm 91:5). “When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet” (Proverbs 3:24 ). “I will both lie down in peace and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8). May the Lord help you to sleep peacefully in His love.
Question: Does the Bible approve of women priests?
Answer: No. In the Old Testament, only men were ordained as priests (Exodus 28-29; Numbers 18:7). Pagan religions had priestesses like Jezebel, but God forbade them in Israel (Deuteronomy 18:9-14; Revelation 2:20 ). In the New Testament, Jesus ordained only men as Apostles (Mark 3:14 -19). Only men may be ordained as pastors and elders. “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence” (I Timothy 2:12 . See also I Corinthians 14:34). Women may serve the church in many ways, but not be ordained.
God ordained priests in the Old Testament, but not in the New Testament. The church has pastors, not priests. A pastor is a shepherd, elder and overseer (Acts20:17 ; I Timothy 3:1-7 ; Titus 1:6-9). Priests offer bloody sacrifices on an altar. Christ is our only Priest. He offered Himself on the altar of the Cross (Hebrews 7-10). Since then, God abolished the priesthood, altars and sacrifices. In another sense, all Christians are priests (I Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6). We offer praise to God (Hebrews 13:15 ). We remember the perfect and final sacrifice – Jesus, the Lamb of God.
Question: How can I know God?
Answer: Everyone knows God exists, for He has revealed Himself through the created universe (Romans 1:18 -21). Some people know a lot about God. Many people pretend they know God (Titus 1:16 ; I John 2:4). But few actually know God personally. The good news is that we can indeed know God and “know that we know Him” (I John 2:3). Here’s how.
To know God, we need a personal introduction. God introduces Himself to us through Christ – and only through Christ (Matthew 11:27 ). Jesus is the Son of God who died and rose to save us from sin. When we truly believe in Him and are saved, we then know Him in our hearts. Paul said, “I know whom I have believed” (2 Timothy 1:12 ). Jesus said, “I know my sheep and am known by them” (John 10:14 ). “This is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3).
To know God is to be known by God, and to love and be loved by Him (I Corinthians 8:3; Galatians 4:9). Those who die without knowing God will be punished forever (2 Thessalonians 1:8). Wouldn’t you like to know God?
Question: Will I go to Heaven if I am a good person?
Answer: No, you won’t. You could never be good enough. No one is. “There is none righteousness, no, not one” (Romans 3:11 ). God is holy and demands absolute perfection. Nobody has been perfect except Jesus Christ. “There is no one good but one, God” (Mark 10:18 ).
This wrong notion is extremely widespread. Some parents say to their children, “Be a good boy or a nice girl, and you will go to Heaven.” Many churches teach this. Thus, many people think God will accept them if they do enough good deeds. But the Bible says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5). God does not weigh our good deeds and our sins to determine if we go to Heaven.
You cannot earn a ticket to Heaven by trying to be good. Some try, but fear they may not have done enough good. It’s all useless. God says, “By grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God; not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Stop trying and start trusting Christ. He alone can save you.
Question: What church should I attend?
Answer: Everyone should attend church. Believers are commanded to do so by God, and they harm their souls, families and testimonies if they do not attend regularly (Hebrews 10:25 ). Unbelievers should go to hear from the Bible how they might be saved (I Corinthians 14:24 -25).
A church should believe the Gospel and right doctrine. God tells believers to avoid those that preach false gospels and heresy (Galatians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 6:14 -17). A church should firmly believe in the infallibility of the Bible. The preacher must know and preach the Bible. “Preach the Word” (2 Timothy 4:2). The pastor and elders should be godly men (I Timothy 2-3). The services must be God-centered and reverent, not Man-centered entertainment (I Corinthians 14:40 ). They should not be mere repetitious ritualism (Matthew 6:7). There should be loving fellowship, prayer, hymns, evangelism, baptism of believers and Communion (Acts 2:41-42). Above all, it should be Bible-based and dedicated to the true worship of God.
No church is perfect. Many are filled with hypocrites – but not all. There are many fine churches that meet the Biblical standards. Find one and go regularly. The Lord bless you as you do.
Question: Are ghosts real?
Answer: Yes, but not in the way some people think. The spirits of dead people do not come back to haunt us. They do not hang around graveyards. The Bible strictly forbids us from trying to call them up at séances, including ouija boards (Deuteronomy 18:10 -14). That includes talking to people in Heaven. Those in Heaven and Hell cannot hear us or send us messages (Luke 16:19 -31). Pagan superstition thinks the ghosts of ancestors live in trees and animals.
Then there are spirits known as angels and demons. They are quite real. They do not have physical bodies, but they do think, feel and talk. On extremely rare occasions, they have appeared to humans, sometimes in disguise (Hebrews 13:2; 2 Corinthians 11:14 -15). We should not go looking for them out of curiosity. And of course, it is wrong to pray to an angel, let alone a demon. We should pray only to God.
Ignore the rumors and myths about ghosts that circulate around Halloween. Most reported sightings are hoaxes, hallucinations, mistaken identities or the dreams of over-active imaginations. The only reliable guide in these things in the Bible (Isaiah 8:19 -20).
Question: Is Allah the same as the God of the Bible?
Answer: No. There is only one true God, but many false gods (I Corinthians 8:5-6). God revealed Himself in the Bible. His name is “I AM” (Exodus 3:14 ), which is pronounced Yahweh in Hebrew and Jehovah in Old English. Islam claims the true God is named Allah and is revealed in the Koran.
There are many major differences between the two. God is “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). The Koran says Allah is not a Trinity nor a father. Scripture says Jesus is the eternal Son of God, but the Koran denies this. “God is love” and offers undeserved grace and mercy to all sinners. Allah loves only righteous Moslems, who must earn mercy. Allah’s justice is cruel and harsh. God is personal and knowable, but Allah is transcendent and personally unknowable.
Scholars have shown that Allah is the ancient moon-god of the Ishmaelites (Arabs) in Biblical days. The one true God commanded, “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3). He condemns all pagan gods. “All the gods of the nations are idols” (Psalm 96:5). “They sacrificed to demons, not to God” (Deuteronomy 32:17; I Corinthians 10:20 ). Believe in God, not Allah. They are not the same.
Question: What is Heaven like?
Answer: Heaven is a wonderful place far greater than we can imagine. The Bible tells us about it. “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain” (Revelation 21:4). There is only peace and joy there (Psalm 16:11 ). It is the Christian’s eternal home (2 Corinthians 5:1). We will meet the angels and other people there.
Jesus described Heaven as “my Father’s house” (John 14:2). It is God’s celestial palace and temple. Heaven is filled with God’s holiness and glory (Revelation 21:23). There is no sin or Devil there (Revelation 21:27 ). “They shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). Those in Heaven receive the love of God in their hearts to overflowing (Ephesians 2:7). In return, they love God and take their highest pleasure in worshipping Him. Heaven is where we worship God face-to-face forever.
Not everyone is going to Heaven. Most are going to Hell (Matthew 7:13 -14). How about you? Come and believe in Jesus Christ. Be saved from your sins. Then you too will go to Heaven when you die.
Question: Why did Jesus throw the money-changers out of the Temple ?
Answer: God provided the Temple to be a special place of holy reverence and prayer. The priests were to lead the people in worship according to the Bible. By the time of Jesus, it had become corrupt. The priests were cheating the people in a clever scheme to make money and consolidate their power. Jesus drove them out with a whip and declared, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer.’ But you have made it a den of thieves” (Matthew 21:13 . See also John 2:14-17). Then He publicly condemned them as “hypocrites and blind guides” (Matthew 23).
Many churches are the same today as back then. Rather than being houses of worship and prayer, they are filled with entertainment and frivolity. What would Christ think of bingo, raffles and other money-making schemes? Worse still, the holy worship of God has been corrupted by heresy and scandal. Religious hypocrisy is rampant. If Jesus were here today, He would do exactly what He did back then. It is time to clean up our churches and repent before the Lord. Let us examine our hearts and return to worship according to the Holy Bible.
Question: How could Jesus be both God and man?
Answer: The Bible says that Jesus was a perfect man without sin (Hebrews 4:15 ). It also says Jesus is God (John 20:28 ). He is not just one or the other, but both. But how? And why?
The key is found in His birth. Jesus had no human father. God was His father. He was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary by a special miracle. “God sent forth His Son, born of a woman” (Galatians 4:4). It is recorded in Matthew 1 and Luke 1 and 2. He was the only person ever born like this and therefore is totally unique. He is called Emmanuel, which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23 ). Jesus was God in the flesh with us.
Jesus was not a man who became a god, as some cults teach. He was already God from eternity. Rather, Jesus was God who became a man, the God-Man. “God was manifested in the flesh” (I Timothy 3:16 ). Being both God and man, He is the only mediator between us and God (I Timothy 2:5). We should marvel in holy wonder at this great mystery. Let us worship this Jesus, the one and only God-Man.
Question: Are “out-of-body experiences” real?
Answer: No, they are not. In recent years, there have been many reports about people who claim that they were in a hospital, then their spirit left their body, went down a dark tunnel, saw a bright light and found peace. Then, they say, their spirit re-entered the body and they recovered. There are other variations to the story.
Some of these reports are simply hoaxes to sell books or get attention. Others are best explained as dreams or hallucinations due to physiological phenomena or medication. Still others are occultic, perhaps even demonic. In any case, they contradict the Word of God. According to the Bible, we die when our spirit leaves our body (Genesis 35:18; John 19:30 ). “The body without the spirit is dead” (James 2:26 ). Our spirit does not wander around the body or go down some tunnel. It goes either to Hades in torment or Heaven in bliss (Luke 16:19 -31).
Paul and others were granted the unique privilege of going to Heaven and back (2 Corinthians 12:1-4). They told the truth about what awaits us after death. The popular reports clearly contradict what the Bible says about death, the afterlife, salvation and God. Therefore, they are false.