Category: salvation

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Benefits of Being in Jesus

Is it possible to be in christ (be born again)and not enjoy the benefits of being in him?
~ Bornitah

ANSWER

Dear Bornitah,

Yes, it is possible to be born again and not enjoy the benefits of living in Christ; but, I do not know why anyone would want to live that way. It is possible that someone like that has not been taught how to grow spiritually or how to walk in the Spirit.

Paul speaks of people like this as “infants in Christ” (1 Cor. 3:1). Peter exhorts such people: “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” (1 Peter 2:2-3).

There are many excellent books and study tools available to assist people in their spiritual growth. The main thing is to get alone with an open Bible, read part of it, and seek God’s face for understanding. It is also helpful to get a mentor. A suitable mentor is someone who has an obvious, humble walk with Jesus. A spiritual mentor should be well versed in the Bible.

By-the-way, the Navigator’s Topical Memory System is a tremendous growth tool. Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life is a book every believer would do well to read as it is filled with Scripture and spiritual insight.

Sincerely,
Pastor Chris

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Afraid to Speak of My Past

QUESTION

Pastor Chris,

Before I became a Christian, I had an ungodly life, full of lies and fornication. I am afraid to speak of my past. What can I do? Since coming to Jesus, I feel full of life and want to share my experience with others.

~ Mai Solange

ANSWER

Dear Mbi,

It is a wonderful moment when someone comes to Christ! He or she finds forgiveness and eternal life, as well as a purpose for living. I am excited about your desire to tell others about Jesus. Take your Bible and read John 4:1-42. In this story you will find a woman with a similar story to your own. You will see how Jesus changed her life and how she told others about Him. It will encourage you.

~ Pastor Chris

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I am an Awful Person

QUESTION

Hello Pastor Chris,

I am from Ethiopia. I am practically a loner. I have a non-Christian girlfriend and I have been totally awful to her. I have been lying to my girlfriend and also have cheated on her. We are still together and I have lied to my friends and family. I am a notorious liar. My mind has evil in it. I am kind of addicted to pornography and everything that is related to it. I do not respect my parents. I think about revenge on people. I manipulate people. I only pray to God when I am in serious trouble. Even now I am in trouble and I am considering church solely because I need relief from my troubles. I have an anxiety problem and many more mental illnesses I notice on myself. My sister once gave me 300 (Ethiopian $) to give to church and I took it for myself. I stole money from my parents. I’m stubborn and just an awful person. I have been thinking about going to church but I am scared the pastor there will speak of my wrong doings to the congregation because they record it live on a Christian channel. I know that should not stop me and I do not know what to do next about my relationship and friends. Please pastor I am an awful person and I absolutely have no one to talk to. I need your advice and prayer. Thank you pastor and pray for me. I am a wreck.

Bereket

ANSWER

Dear Bereket,

There is hope for you! You need to completely turn your life over to Jesus Christ. Give yourself to Jesus without reservation, without hesitation. Jesus is the Savior for the world regardless of what anyone has done, regardless of where they live, and regardless of their ethnicity. Jesus welcomes all people. The Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever (even you and even me!) believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NAS). Then meet with the pastor of your church so that he can guide you as you grow in Christ. Get a Bible and start reading the Gospel of John. This is your opportunity for a new life!

~ Pastor Chris

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How do I receive Jesus into my life?

QUESTION

Dear Pastor Chris,

I’m very happy for affording us this opportunity to ask you questions. I
want to know the process of receiving Jesus into lives because to me I
started by receiving the Holy Spirit before a prayer of salvation. Again I
don’t really believe my salvation because the one who led me to receive
salvation used to practise magic ( removing living insects from my body)
but he preached like all other relevant ministers. Again I didn’t receive
Correct baptism because I was immensed 7 times in water.

Yours sincerely Edson from Zimbabwe

ANSWER

Edson, your salvation depends only on knowing Jesus (John 14:6). The messenger is not important (Philippians 1:15-18).

~ Pastor Chris

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I have some tough questions about my faith that have brought me anxiety and sadness

Hi, My name is Eric, I am 19. I have been a Christian for 3 years now and just recently I have started asking my self some very tough questions which in turn has left me very doubtful of my faith and left me often times in despair. Such as couldn’t God have saved us another way, why is there evil, did God create evil. These question have left me paralyzed and in despair. I question my faith, and that leads to anxiety and deep sadness. I don’t want to fall into indifference and give up. I even wonder if I am even elect because I am even asking these questions. I fear that through these thoughts I may lose my faith completely but I keep asking for grace and understanding. I don’t expect these questions to be answered but it would be nice to know if anyone else has gone through this and what I should do to get through this. Is it wrong to ask these questions? It has produced tons of apathy in my spiritual life…

~ Eric

Answer

Eric,

Yes, others have asked similar questions, myself included. One of those questioners was John the Baptist. You will remember that John the Baptist had the assignment of preparing the way for the Messiah. He was busy doing that when he got thrown into prison because he spoke out against King Herod who had taken his brother’s wife and married her (Mark 6:17-18). You can readily see how difficult prison life would be for anyone, especially someone like John who was an outdoors-man. He preached in the open air and baptized people in the Jordan River. John ate locusts and wild honey (Mark 1:6).

Matthew records John sending his followers to Jesus to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Matthew 11:3, NIV). This question was put to Jesus while John was in Herod’s dungeon. It must have been a dismal time for John. He wasn’t where he wanted to be and he wasn’t doing what he felt he was called to do. Negative thoughts no doubt plagued him. John, like all of us, had to battle the flesh, the devil, and the world. His incarceration made those battles all the more difficult.

So, what did John do? He took his doubt to Jesus. He went ahead and asked the question burning in his mind. In the process John also asked the right person, Jesus Himself, and Jesus answered him (Matthew 11:2-5).

For you and me, Jesus is still the right person to ask for answers. He gives us answers to life’s questions in the text of the Bible. The Bible is “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16). Therefore, we prepare our hearts and minds for Jesus’ answers by gaining a thorough understanding of the scriptures. So, prayerfully read the Bible. Ask the holy Spirit to illumine its words to your heart and mind (John 16:13-14).

As to your question concerning salvation, remember that God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). Since all of us are unholy (Romans 3:23) and cannot make ourselves holy, we need help because “without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14b). God solved this problem at the cross. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NIV). “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, NIV). When we place our trust in Christ alone for salvation, His righteousness is transferred to us and we become children of God (John 1:12). “…if Christ is in you…your spirit is alive because of righteousness” (Romans 8:10, NIV). We are justified (made right before God) by faith in Christ. This salvation is available to everyone (John 3:16).

As to your question about evil, God did not create it. Lucifer chose to rebel against God, which is sin. Lucifer then became Satan and tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve listened to Satan who was disguised as a serpent. They chose to disobey God and sin entered this world.

God did not create evil, but He does permit it…for a time. It will not always be so. Evil will be put away forever in eternity (Revelation 20:10; 21:3-4; 22:14-15). The triumph of Jesus at the cross reveals God’s love and justice. God’s love for us was on full display as Jesus laid down His life for us and sin was judged.

What an amazing God! What an amazing plan! And now, “to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ!” (Romans 16:27, NIV).

~ Pastor Chris

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How do you answer someone who thinks Christianity is narrow minded?

Pastor Chris,

 

What do you feel would be the best answer when someone says, so if someone doesn’t believe the way you do they cannot reach Heaven? Don’t you think that is narrow minded?

 

I said because I believe in God’s Whole word, the Bible. It is not inspired or written by man but by the Holy Spirit thru Man and because of life changes visible by us.

 

I could not get the man I spoke with to believe that. He does not have much faith but likes the Muslims.

 

~ Blake

 

 

ANSWER

 

 

Blake,

 

You have answered well…

 

You might also take your friend to John 14:6 where Jesus says that He is the only way to heaven. Either Jesus is the Lord, a liar, or a lunatic.

 

We can easily rule out lunatic. Lunatics do not behave the way Jesus did.

 

We can rule out liar because the people who heard Him (friends and enemies) never did accuse Him of lying. He Himself claimed to be the truth (again, John 14:6). Liars inevitably get caught in their lies (they get found out).

 

That leaves us with the question of whether or not Jesus is the Lord. His miracles attest to that fact, especially His own resurrection from the dead. The changed lives of the disciples are another evidence of Jesus’ Lordship. They ran away when Jesus was betrayed in the garden. They thought His death was permanent and went into hiding out of fear. Then, after Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples were bold announcers of the Gospel message. They fearlessly told others about Jesus’ resurrection even when it cost them their lives. Rarely, if ever, will people die for that which they know to be a lie.

 

It is not narrow minded to believe what Jesus has declared. It is rational. Jesus is the only way to God.

 

The presence of evil is an important consideration in this discussion. Evil seeks to distort the truth. Satan and his demons are busy deceiving the world concerning the truth of the God of the Bible and His Son, Jesus (1 Cor. 10:20; 1 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 9:20). Since there is only one way to heaven it makes sense that the enemy of our souls will try to keep us from finding it.

 

~ Pastor Chris

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How do I become saved and know for sure I'm saved?

Question

 

Pastor Chris,

How do I become saved and know for sure I’m saved?

~ Sabrina

 

Answer

 

Sabrina,

Jesus said that we must be born again (John 3:3). There is a physical birth and there is a spiritual birth when we receive Jesus as our Savior. John 1:12-13, NIV says, “to all who received him (Jesus), to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” We are born of the Spirit the instant we place our trust in Jesus alone for salvation.

How do we know that we are saved? Read the book of 1 John. It was written to give believers assurance of their salvation. Several additional thoughts come to mind.

Look for the fruit of the Spirit in your life (Galatians 5:22-23). You cannot produce fruit on your own. This is the Holy Spirit’s work and is therefore an evidence that you belong to Him.

Trust what God says. Your emotions can lie to you. Satan will lie to you. Believe the Bible and hold on to what it says. The Bible says that if you trust Christ you are saved and that God will never let go of you (John 3:16-18; 3:36; 5:24; 10:27-29).

Just as you cannot become unborn physically after you have been born; so you cannot become unborn spiritually after you have been Spirit-born.

See also 1 Peter 1:3-9 and Romans 8:16.

God bless you as you follow Jesus! Stay close to Jesus and remain in His Word. Jesus said that the words of God are food for us (Matthew 4:4). We need them to be spiritually strong and secure.

~ Pastor Chris

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Am I lost?

Pastor Chris, 

i was saved years ago i had thoughts in my head one day i said out loud the holy ghost was of satan after that i think i said not cause i don’t believe that but i went into all kinds of sin went away from god years i came back to god i wanted to go to church i wanted to so bad i gave up all sin in my life even my job at a bar i gave up all tv that was bad i cry all the time i want to have god in my life so bad i prayed for forgiveness over and over i want to know i believe Jesus is god in the flesh and the holy ghost is gods spirit Jesus cast out satan by the power of god , i am so worried that the holy ghost is no longer with me that i am lost because of what i said i want so much to go to heaven and to do right in gods eyes i pray all the time what is wrong with me is the holy ghost gone away am i lost?

~ Rebecca

 

ANSWER

 

Rebecca,

 

The enemy (the devil) is the accuser of God’s children (Revelation 12:10). He is the one that is tormenting you.

 

A person is born again when she comes to Christ and places her faith in Jesus alone for salvation (John 3:7, 16-18; Ephesians 2:8-9). When a person is born of the Spirit (John 3:8) she remains in that state. She cannot become unborn spiritually anymore than she can become unborn physically. It is forever (John 5:24; 10:27-30).

 

If a pig gets cleaned up it will go right back to its mud hole. It will do this because it is a pig’s nature. That is what pigs do. If a sheep happens to fall into a mud hole it will get out. That is because it is not in the nature of a sheep to stay in the mud.

 

The Bible says the children of God are like sheep (John 10:1-30). Our true nature is to follow the Good Shepherd (Jesus). The fact that you are following Christ is proof that you belong to Him.

 

You fell into a mud hole for awhile. However, you climbed out of that dirty place because you are a child of the King. Now, set your mind on God’s truth and His kingdom. Refuse to listen to the enemy or even your own memories of past failures. When Jesus died on the cross He paid for those failures, so follow Him with your whole heart. It is an incredible thing to be loved so much and forgiven so completely. Memorize 1 John 1:9 and Philippians 4:8. These verses will bless you and strengthen you.

 

For further guidance in these matters I recommend Counter Attack: Taking Back Ground Lost to Sin and Lifetime Guarantee.

 

God bless you! Keep following Jesus. His Spirit has not left you.

~ Pastor Chris

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Do unbaptized babies who die go to heaven?

Hi Pastor Chris,

I have a question regarding unbaptized babies who die, for example a few hours after birth. Do these babies go to heaven? In the new testament going to heaven requires “believing” and “baptizing” or just minimum “believing.” There is no age of accountability in the new testament and a baby is born in original sin, so they are not born “believing” Since they are not born believing and if they are not baptized and die a few hours after birth does this mean they go to hell? Many people try to use the old testament, but weren’t the conditions for belief in god different in the old testament and if you use the old testament shouldn’t christians be applying the old testament rulings for not eating pork and women wearing a viel??

~ Aneel

 

ANSWER

 

Aneel,

 

Thank you for your thoughtful question. I am encouraged to see that you are reading your Bible carefully and often. As you continue to dig into the Bible God will bless you with insight and wisdom for life’s challenging circumstances.

 

Baptism does not save a person. Baptism is an illustration of the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. It is also a testimony of our faith in Him and illustrates the death of our old life and our new life in Christ (Romans 6:3-5). The New Testament pattern is believer’s baptism. A person believes in Christ and then is baptized as a testimony to that fact (Acts 8:26-40). I do not find a Bible passage that teaches infants are to be baptized.

 

The question has to do with the character of our God and His grace. Is God unfair, harsh, unfeeling, uncaring? No. I am comforted in the story of Jesus and the children where He rebukes the disciples for preventing the children from coming to Him. Look at Matthew 19:13-14, “Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'”

 

Isn’t it wonderful that Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven belongs to children? Be comforted, Jesus loves children and receives them.

 

~ Pastor Chris

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Why Doesn't God Draw All People To Him?

Pastor Chris,

People can’t save. Only God can. Why doesn’t He draw all of the people to Him? Doesn’t He love all of His creation? 

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”

 John 6:44

~ Christina

Dear Christina,

As to your question,in his commentary on John’s Gospel, Leon Morris writes, “The thought of the divine initiative in salvation is one of the great doctrines of this Gospel…” (p.371). In other words, God chooses to pursue us. By choosing to pursue us God is saying that He wants to have a personal relationship with each of us. Think about how Jesus went from town to town speaking to crowds and talking with individuals. He was pursuing them. He told them the Good News that everyone who comes to Him will be given eternal life.

How do you know that God is pursuing you? Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit comes, “…He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). Let’s pick one of those three convictions for just a moment. Let’s pick sin. Jesus says that the Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin. That means everyone. Everyone feels the conviction of the Holy Spirit. We call that feeling “guilt.” It happens when we break one of God’s laws.

Have you ever felt guilty? Yes…so have I. That feeling of guilt is the work of the Holy Spirit. When guilt happens it is a good thing because you know that God is working in your life. Why is He doing that? He does that because He wants us to see our need for Christ. You see, we cannot get rid of sin by ourselves. We need someone to get rid of it for us. That Someone is Christ. He is the only one who can take away our sin and make us right with God.

God pursues everyone. The problem is that some respond and some do not. Jesus said, “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself” (John 12:32).

Remember, “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16). The nature of love is that it must be expressed. It must be shared. God, who is love, wants to express His love and share it with His creation. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Also, never forget that God desires everyone to be saved.

1 Timothy 2:3-4, 6, “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth… 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men…”

2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Hebrews 2:9, “But we see Jesus…now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”

-Pastor Chris