Posts Tagged ‘salvation’
Restore Such a One
by H. E. Phillips Those who have very little concern for the lost will not make much effort to restore them to the Lord. Those who love the lost and are concerned about their eternal destiny will work and pray for the salvation of their souls. The difference between these two groups is the difference…
Read MoreSince I blamed God for my miserable childhood and left God, is it possible to return and be saved?
Question: I’ve had a lot of anger toward God. When I was a child I was molested by a family member who lived in our house. My father was an alcoholic (he got help when I was in high school) who would abuse my mother, threaten to kill her and try to kill my mother…
Read MoreDoes the Holy Spirit come to us at our baptism?
Question: Jeffrey, Thank you for your wonderful work in teaching the Bible and for your web site. I have become much stronger in the faith as a result of your help. I have come upon a statement that I am not sure is correct: “At baptism God sends His Spirit to dwell in us. He…
Read MoreWhat do you mean by “Ultimately, these sins will cause you to lose your salvation”?
Question: What do you mean by “Ultimately, these sins will cause you to lose your salvation”? Once saved, always saved. Answer: See: Once Saved, Always Saved. Question: Without eternal security then the whole concept of being a ‘born again’ Christian is meaningless. A person would never know if they are going to heaven or hell. I’m…
Read MoreI believe I am saved, but I haven’t been baptized yet. What happens if I die before I am baptized?
Question: I recently turned my life to God. I’m on your website all the time learning about what things to do and not do. I’m also reading the Bible. I don’t know everything in the Bible, so I’m currently educating myself. I’ve come to be a bit confused since I have a hard time understanding…
Read MoreI keep promising God to do good, but I always fail. How can I not let God down anymore?
Question: I have made many promises to God. I have said this is enough I will do good from now on no more bad, but every time I fall back. I feel as if God is tired of me and is done. I don’t feel good enough or worthy enough to be a Christian. When…
Read MoreThe Sinner’s Prayer
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/SinnersPrayer.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Acts 9:1-19 I. A key feature of salvation in many denominations is the praying of the sinner’s prayer. A. It is generally presented at the end of a service to tell people how they may be saved. B. Each “Sinner’s Prayer” varies in detail, but generally carry the same theme: that…
Read MoreI deceived myself into thinking I was saved when I was lost
Question: Dear Minister, I have been in a state of utter despair for the past 1.5 years. I feel like I am in a horrific state of having rejected the gift of Jesus and now finding myself with no place for repentance. I had deceived myself into thinking that I was saved when I was…
Read MoreHow do I gain the various crowns?
Question: Is it possible to still be good for God while in the military and get the eternal rewards of the crowns? I know what the crowns are: the crown of righteousness incorruptible crown crown of life crown of rejoicing crown of glory What does each one of those mean? I know what some of…
Read MoreHow can sins keep you from getting to heaven if you are saved?
Question: Hi, I’m confused with the passage I Corinthians 6:9-10. Because if these things send a person to hell, then wouldn’t that go against what the churches teach today when they say you just have to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior and you are going to Heaven? Answer: “Do you not know that…
Read MoreNo one can live righteously, so am I lost?
Question: Hello, I want to love God with all my mind, heart, and soul. I respect God and by God, I mean YHWH, Yeshua, and the Holy Spirit. God is indeed good and has blessed me and my family much. I have been and am still living quite a sinful life. I recognize my sin…
Read MoreWhat is the difference between seeking and striving to enter the narrow gate?
Question: I know in the Bible if say many shall seek but only a few shall find then it says to strive. So what’s the difference between seeking and striving? What’s the definition Bible-wise. Can give me an example? And the example can be about anything between a seeking person and striving. I ask because…
Read MoreSalvation Is Neither Deserved nor Earned
by Doy Moyer Salvation cannot be earned for the simple reasons that: If deserved, it isn’t salvation. We deserve what we are saved from, not what we are saved to. If deserved, it isn’t grace. Grace grants something good that we don’t deserve. Sin makes it impossible to earn or deserve salvation (Romans 3:23; 6:23),…
Read MoreI know that there are bad people in churches and being in church won’t save them, but why does God threaten to punish the good people who don’t worship Him?
Question: I am a religious Catholic, who has never been swayed by any sort of religious persecution or negative commentary, whatsoever. I believe that we should not judge other people because that is not our job to do. We are taught to live as good people on this Earth, no matter how ill many people…
Read MoreI want to know God and feel Jesus’ love, but I don’t know how
Question: Am I worthy of God’s grace? If so, why is it that I am lost and can’t control my sins? My whole childhood was a mess during my parents’ divorce. I guess never having a father around made me blame everything on my mother. Getting older I followed what everyone else was doing. I got…
Read MoreThe Redemption in Christ: An Examination of Romans 3:19-5:21
by Sean P. Cavender Paul indicted all people, both Jew and Gentile, as guilty of sin before God (Romans 3:19). It is due to man’s ungodliness that the wrath of God is revealed, and He will judge all sin as worthy of death (Romans 1:18,32). The reality of sin is frightening and condemning. What is…
Read MoreYour article on why water baptism is necessary for salvation helped me in a discussion with some Bereans
Question: Mr. Dvorak, I wish to thank you for this excellent summation of why water baptism is necessary for salvation! I could have looked all the Scriptures up of course, but this was concise and perfect. You see, sir, I began to feel the need to explain what my beliefs were on Facebook. I have several dear…
Read MoreCould I go to heaven after committing all these sins?
Question: I have a bunch of questions, but please answer them. If you Have sex before you are married, Drink, smoke, or do drugs, Use God’s name frivolously, Steal, and Tell people that you hate going to church and it’s a big waste of time will you go to hell, or at least go to spiritual jail?…
Read MoreThe Remission of Sins
by J. W. McGarvey Sermons by McGarvey, p. 56-57. The same word in Greek is translated remission that is translated forgiveness. The two English words, remission and forgiveness, are used interchangeably, and they mean the same thing. So then, if you are ever again in any confusion of thought about that somewhat unusual expression, remission…
Read MoreWhy didn’t you tell the girl with the Muslim father that she could be saved without baptism?
Question: Hello, I just discovered your website’s “questions and answers” page and felt that of the few that I read, the answers were extremely factual and reliable, though I must admit, with one exception! I just finished reading the one from a girl whose father is a Muslim, though she states she is a Christian and though she believes she is supposed to be baptized, she doesn’t know…
Read MoreWas the blood of Jesus limited only to the washing away of our sins?
Question: Please, was the blood of Jesus limited only to the washing away of our sins? Answer: For the forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His…
Read MoreThe girl I’ve been sexually involved with wants to be a Christian. What do I do?
Question: I am a Christian and she is not. We are in a relationship for three months, and we have had sex. I plan to live life fully with her. She even wants to believe in Christ after the preaching I did to her. I told her not to believe because of me. I said…
Read MoreA Savior Who Cares
by Steven Harper When was the last time you took a good look at the night sky and tried to count the stars? Can you still do that? If you live in the city, you most likely are not able to see the night lights as well because of the street lights or reflected light from…
Read MoreI am old and have been away from the Lord for a long time. Can I ever reach heaven now?
Question: Hello, I am troubled and need advice. I am in my late seventies. I want to go to heaven when I die, but due to my past, I am not sure this will happen. I was raised and baptized in the church. I have always believed that God and Jesus were real but during…
Read MoreHow can we be given grace without repentance?
Question: What does this mean? Does this mean that we are giving grace without repentance? I’m looking at a church and I looked up their beliefs, this was one of them. “That God has given us all a measure of grace according to our gifts: Ephesians 4:7 “But to each one of us grace was given…
Read MoreTerms of Membership
by Irven Lee Truth Magazine – January 3, 1980 The Lord built His church and paid for it with His blood. He is its head and has all authority in it. It is not my church, your church, or our church. It is not ours to plan its mission or work, nor do we enter it…
Read MoreDo you have to believe in Jesus to be saved from your sins?
Question: Do you have to believe in Jesus to be saved from your sins? I mean, what if you were really trying to love your neighbor and do your best but you just kept looking at Christianity (very open-mindedly) and just kept thinking it must not be true? Could an all fair, all-loving God really…
Read MoreDo you need to be baptized in order to go to heaven?
Question: Hello, I have a couple of questions, but I hope I am not bothering you in any way. Do you need to be baptized in order to go to heaven? If so, what other things must you do? Do you need to be baptized to be a Christian? Can you be a Christian if…
Read MoreI want to change from being a sinner to living a holy life, but I don’t know when or how to start. Can you help me?
Question: Hello, I want to change from being a sinner to living a holy life, but I don’t know when or how to start. Can you help me? The thing is I’ve asked God for repentance two or three times before, and then there comes along a test, and I always fail them. Suddenly I…
Read MorePredestined to Glory
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PredestinedToGlory.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ephesians 1:3-14 I. The confusion over predestination isn’t due to understanding that it exists; rather, the questions is who was predestined and for what purpose. A. “the doctrine that God in consequence of his foreknowledge of all events infallibly guides those who are destined for salvation” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) B. “The doctrine…
Read MoreWhy don’t I feel God?
Question: Hello, I’m 15 and I have accepted Christ. You see I always say I’m sorry for my sins. But my friend told me that when he repented he could feel God in him like all of him was being hugged like a warm feeling. I don’t understand. Why haven’t I felt that? I always…
Read MoreCould Gentiles have been saved prior to Cornelius?
Question: In Acts 2, the Lord’s church was established. It’s my understanding that in Acts 10, the Gentiles were officially ushered into the church (with the conversion of Cornelius). My question is: if a Gentile wanted to be saved prior to Acts 10, what was his option? Could a Gentile be baptized and the Lord…
Read MoreI have a hard time stopping something I’m addicted to doing
Question: Hi there. I have an addiction to something I’d rather not say. (It’s not drugs ) haha. But it’s something I want to stop, but it’s so hard. I made a promise to God saying I will not do this addiction for one week. On the third day, I did it. I have broken…
Read MoreI keep repeating sins I’ve repented of. Am I really saved?
Question: I am 23 years of age and in need of some help and prayers. Lately, I have been faced with the question of if I am really saved or not and was wondering if I could get some advice on the situation. Also, I have been praying and praying and doing my best to…
Read MoreWhat is “the hope of His calling”?
Question: Dear brother, Thank you for your web site. It has been most helpful to me as I struggle to share with a person who believes in “Once Saved Always Saved.” Can you enlighten me as to what it means in Ephesians: “the hope of His calling”? Does it refer to heaven? Our resurrection on…
Read MoreWhat is “the hope of His calling?”
Question: Dear brother, Thank you for your web site. It has been most helpful to me as I struggle to share with a person who believes in “Once Saved Always Saved.” Can you enlighten me as to what it means in Ephesians: “the hope of His calling”? Does it refer to heaven? Our resurrection on…
Read MoreI want to repent. Can you tell me what I need to do?
Question: I am a sinner. I have suffered too much in this life. I have committed too many sins. The reason why I am writing to you is that I want to give my life to God. I love my boyfriend so much, and I told him my darkest secret, but I am scared that…
Read MoreWhy do we need both redemption and forgiveness?
Question: I’ve read The Living Redeemer article. But why do we need redemption and forgiveness? (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14). Is redemption not enough? Kindly explain. Answer: “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness…
Read MoreI gave my life to Christ, but I can’t seem to stop sinning
Question: I gave my life to Jesus when I was 7 years old because I was very interested in Jesus, When I did I was filled with the Holy Spirit and bawled my eyes out. I’m in my early twenties and what a journey in between all those years. I watch a lot of sermons…
Read MoreWhat happens after death? Will I be reunited with my loved ones?
Question: Hi, Right now I’m not a Christian, but I’ve been thinking a lot about it lately. Death kind of scares me, I mean I’m only 14 but still. I kind of wanted to know what you believe, why you believe it, and what I should do, and what happens after death. I also wanted…
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