Posts Tagged ‘salvation’
I stopped many of my bad habits, but I’m still plagued by doubts. What do I do?
Question: I had a friend die recently last weekend, and this caused me to really think about what am I doing with my life. Out of curiosity and interest I researched near-death experiences, which I believed some of them to be true. I read about people seeing hell and realizing how horrible it is for…
Read MoreWhat Saves Us from Sin?
by Clem Thurman via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 57, No. 28, July 11, 2008 We are not saved by one thing to the exclusion of all others, for there are many factors that work out our salvation. Rather than focus on just one passage that speaks of our being saved, we must learn the truth of…
Read MoreOnce you are saved, can you live a sin-free life?
Question: Do you believe that once you’re truly saved that you can live a “sin-free” life? Answer: John stated, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse…
Read MoreWill fasting show God that I want to change?
Question: I am a twenty-year-old girl who recently back-slid heavily from our Father’s ways. I thought that I was really sorry that last time I committed the sin of fortification and drunkenness and would stay away from it; however, it is proven not to be that way, and recently I committed those sins, several times,…
Read MoreWould I be saved if I died before I was baptized?
Question: What if I already accepted Christ in my heart as my personal savior today, and my baptism is tomorrow, due to conflict schedule, and suddenly the night before my baptism I would die. Do you think I will be saved? Answer: I cannot answer for each individual. That is the realm of God’s judgment.…
Read MoreThe gospel doesn’t judge us, Jesus judges us
Question: I really appreciate your articles; they are very informing and biblically-based. I recently read an article that you wrote on why those who never heard the gospel would be/could be/ may be lost (the title was something like that). In it, you mentioned Romans 2:12-16: “For as many as have sinned without law will…
Read MoreHow could you possibly say baptism does not save?
Question: I enjoy going to your site and looking at your pictures, but today I was reading some of the off-the-wall comments made by Jeffrey Hamilton. He is out in left-field when it comes to salvation. In one comment he said e-mail me I could use a good laugh. Well, he better laugh now because if…
Read MoreWhat if a person dies after accepting God but before he can be baptized?
Question: I have a question about baptism. People always ask what if a person is about to die and accepts God into his heart, does he go to heaven or hell? My response is two things: I tell them the guy had chances before, so God would be just in condemning him to hell. Even…
Read MoreHow do you start over?
Question: I have sent you an email before and I was so happy that you replied. But now I have a much larger problem. I don’t go to the church I want to go to and I’m only 12 so I can’t switch without my parents’ approval, which they won’t give. But every day I…
Read MoreDo you believe that the only way to heaven is by accepting Jesus as your Savior and not by good deeds or grace?
Question: Does the church of Christ believe that the only way to heaven is through the Lord Jesus Christ, by accepting Him as your Savior and not by good deeds or grace? Thanks. Answer: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). You cannot claim to accept the Lord as your Savior if you…
Read MoreIs baptism required to go to heaven?
Question: If you don’t get baptized, do you not go to heaven? Answer: Assuming you are talking about responsible adults, consider the following: Can the disobedient enter heaven? “But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness–indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does…
Read MoreI keep questioning my beliefs. Does that mean I’m no longer saved?
Question: I need help in reconciling what I have always been taught and what I am being taught now. I was baptized a few years ago in the church and at the time I did truly believe that it was necessary, since then I begin to question whether it was necessary and I question many…
Read MoreHow do I get back to God?
Question: I was a spiritual person until certain events took place in my life. Having God in my heart is what got me through my very unstable childhood, and most of my military career. While deployed I did and saw things no one should ever have to do or see. I saw true evil in…
Read MoreI’m not certain if we are ready to raise children
Question: I have just spent some time reviewing your site and it is incredible. I am having some issues right now and was hoping you could help me, not sure where to turn because I don’t want anyone in my church to think horribly of me. Anyway, here goes. My husband and I met six…
Read MoreDoes Romans 4:9-12 indicate that we are saved prior to baptism?
Question: Can you explain why Romans 4:9-12 does not indicate that we are saved prior to baptism? I am not sure how to put the answer into words for an acquaintance that insists that he was saved prior to baptism regardless of clear passages of Scripture. Thank you! Answer: When a person argues against what…
Read MoreCan you explain all these similar phrases about dying with Christ and dying to sin?
Question: What do these phrases mean? I have been crucified with Christ I am dead in Christ I have died to Christ I am dead to sin I am dead in sin I am resurrected with Christ Answer: Let’s examine each phrase in the statement in which it was given: I have been crucified with…
Read MoreIs there a second chance of salvation after death?
Question: Is there a second chance of salvation after death? Answer: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). The writer is clear that this life is our chance to do God’s will. After this life is over, what comes next is our Judgment. “For we…
Read MoreCan a person live a completely sinless life and enter Heaven without Jesus?
Question: Can a person live a completely sinless life and enter Heaven without Jesus? Answer: The question is pure speculation since God has said, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). One point of Jesus’ coming to earth was to prove that a sinless life was not completely impossible.…
Read MoreDoes losing your faith means losing your salvation?
Question: Hello, I was reading I Timothy and came across mention of Hymenaeus and Alexander. Not knowing anything about them, I did a google search and found your site with your explanation of them. In it, you say that it is possible to lose one’s faith as seen in Hymenaeus, Alexander, and Philetus. Does that also…
Read MoreThe Plan of Salvation in One Passage
by Dan Gatlin “Wouldn’t it be nice if the New Testament were laid out like a book of theology? In just a chapter or two God could have explained the work, worship, and organization of the church. He could have stated in clear, unambiguous language all of the doctrines we are to believe and teach. …
Read MoreThe Pearl of Great Price
by Richard Thetford In Matthew 13:45-46 Jesus is trying to emphasize to us how precious the kingdom of heaven is. He says “the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”…
Read MoreWhat does it mean to “inherit the kingdom of God?”
Question: What is your position on Galatians 5:2? Is “inherit the Kingdom of God” compared to salvation or is it dealing with rewards? Answer: The Christian’s relationship to God is described by several metaphors in the Bible. One is seeing a Christian as a child of God. “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit…
Read MorePaul was filled with the Spirit before he was baptized, so wasn’t he saved before baptism?
Question: I figured I would just point out two significant points in the Bible. Acts 10:43-48 clearly illustrates that one can have the Holy Spirit before baptism. The passage also says “whoever believes in shall have remission of sins.” Once you have the Holy Spirit in your life you are saved. Also, you mentioned when Paul was saved.…
Read MoreNo Christian Was Ever Saved by Faith Alone
by Kent Heaton The doctrine of salvation by faith alone is a popular means by which many in the religious world have been deceived into believing they have obeyed the will of God and live under the presumption they are disciples of Christ. While the doctrine has been around for many years, Billy Graham did…
Read MoreWhy follow God’s word when we can lean on salvation and be covered for a disobedient life and be forgiven anyway?
Question: It appears from several Christian writers and ministries, that even if my wife did remarry and live in adultery, the sin of divorce or adultery is no less forgivable than any other sin in God’s eyes. So it would appear, as unfair as it may seem to other Christians, believers who have been saved…
Read MoreIs there a distinction between forgiveness and redemption?
Question: First, I must say that your web site is fantastic! There is much cool stuff here that I wish I had more time to read. At Bible class last night, the issue of forgiveness vs. redemption and taking away sin came up. The issue, and my question, is whether forgiveness and redemption are the…
Read MoreWhat If the Jews Had Accepted Jesus?
I. Among premillennialists, those who believe that we live in an age prior to a thousand-year reign of Christ, there is a belief that Jesus’ first appearance on the earth did not accomplish everything that God intended. A. The Jews believed that the Messiah would come to re-establish the throne of David in Israel. The disciples believed…
Read MoreHow can we be children of God and slaves of God at the same time?
Question: I have been struggling with the concept of “children of God.” I understand we are made children of God when we becoming Christians, yet we are bondservants to God and Christ — we are servants. I was wondering when it refers to us being children of God, is it a general reference like the…
Read MoreReligious Bargain Hunting
Text: II Peter 2:1-3 I. There are few of us who don’t like a good bargain when we can get one. A. There are some here who will look high-and-low for the best deal, whether it be groceries or a used car. B. Of course, some people don’t seem to have a clue as to what truly…
Read MoreObjections to the Essentiality of Baptism for Salvation
by Abraham Smith The Bible is very clear in its teaching on baptism’s role in our salvation. It is an act of obedience that is required of us by God “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). The Bible does not teach that baptism is “an outward sign of inward grace.” Neither does the Bible…
Read MoreCould someone who was abusing drugs and died of an overdose be in heaven?
Question: My pastor’s son recently died of a drug overdose. He was always in and out of jail and had a drug problem that ultimately ended his life. At the son’s funeral, my pastor said that he was confident that his son was in heaven because he witnessed his son praising God. He went on…
Read MoreAnswering Jeremiah Wright
by George Hutto When Jeremiah Wright, the former preacher at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, recently challenged the media in a National Press Club speech, he was asked a question concerning Jesus’ words in John 14:6 – “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but…
Read MoreWhere does it say that only members of the church of Christ will go to heaven?
Question: Does it say anywhere in the Bible that only the church of Christ will go to heaven? That is, only people who go to the church of Christ? What about the other churches, such as the Church of God, or a none denominational church, or the baptist? The reason I ask is that I…
Read MoreThe Harmony of the Scriptures
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Proverbs 30:2-9 I. The denominational world has long debated the relationship of faith, works, and grace in man’s salvation. A. Some argue that salvation is by faith alone while others argue the necessity of works. Some turn their attention to grace and argue that grace alone saves men. B. The problem has…
Read MoreIf I divorce, do I lose my salvation?
Question: I am in need of some spiritual advice. I have been married for almost 20 years, and am now in my third round of marriage counseling. I keep hearing, the very point being forcefully made, from various ministries, about how wrong divorce is and that I cannot even think it. Yet I live in…
Read MoreDoesn’t John 3:16 prove that you can be saved without baptism?
Question: Hi. I was reading your article on “Can a man be saved without baptism?” and was wondering (as a young bible student) what about John 3:16? “… Whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall not perish but have everlasting life.” This does not indicate that baptism is a requirement of salvation, but…
Read MoreWho initiates grace, God or man?
Question: I do a lot of reading on theology and it seems like there are all kinds of versions on certain topics. I pray for God to shake up Christianity one day so that all these different interpretations of the His Word are eliminated and the Truth is illuminated. It gets pretty confusing sometimes because…
Read MoreAre you born again?
Question: What I would like to know is are you a born again Christian church as in John 3:3? Jesus said no one will enter the kingdom of heaven unless they are born again so are you? Answer: No one can be a Christian without being born again. For more details, see the article “Are…
Read MoreIs it true that the purpose of baptism is not for salvation?
Question: Could I be baptized in a pool if I wanted to? One more question and I promise I will leave you alone: Would you agree with me if I said: “the purpose of baptizing is not for salvation, but for a public testimony of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ”? Is the only requirement…
Read MoreDon’t you know Israel will be saved after the fullness of the Gentiles is reached?
Question: Argh! I just read your nonsense about Israel! You even mixed in man’s flawed concept of ‘forever’ with God’s – how could you be so deceptive to your flock? How can you explain what is happening in Israel today…is not Jerusalem, as God said it would be, become a cup of trembling, a burdensome…
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