Frequently Asked Questions
Q Is God real? | A We can tell that God is real just by looking around at creation (Romans 1:20). We also know that God is real by looking at His handiwork in the sky and the universe (Psalm 19:1). | ||
Q If God is real, why doesn’t He just appear to me right now? | A If God appeared to you right now you would no longer have a choice about whether to believe in God or not (this would take away your free will). Plus it would take away the need for faith. God wants us to freely love Him back because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). | ||
Q Who made God? | A God is eternal (1 Timothy 1:17). God always has been and always will be (Psalm 90:2). God has no beginning and no ending. This is hard for us to comprehend. An example of this concept would be a ring. A ring has no beginning and no end. | ||
Q Why is there suffering in the world? |
A We live in a fallen world. Adam and Eve sinned and God said the ground would be cursed because of their sin. We are all born with a sinful nature (Psalm 51:5). The world won’t always be like this. Believers in Jesus Christ are looking forward to the new Heaven and the new earth, where there will be no more pain and suffering. | ||
Q Why does God allow evil? | A God created us with free choice. We can choose good or evil. Romans 5:12 says that we are all born with a sin nature. We have free will and we choose evil or sin (just like Adam and Eve did) which leads to physical and spiritual death. God wants us to choose life by trusting in Jesus Christ. | ||
Q How do you know that Christianity is the right religion? | A Bill Hybels answers this by saying that all other religions are spelled DO – you have to do something to earn your salvation. Be good, do good works, do more good than bad during your lifetime, etc. Christianity is spelled DONE – Jesus has done for us what we could never do on our own. He lived a perfect life and died on the cross. Jesus paid our death penalty for us. We just need to accept this gift by asking for His forgiveness and leadership. | ||
Q Is Jesus the only way to God? | A The Bible says that there is no other name under Heaven by which men can be saved (Acts 4:12). Our sin (rebellion) separates us from our Holy God. We can’t do anything on our own to make it right – by ourselves or through any other human or any man made religion. Jesus is the only one who lived a perfect and sinless life. Jesus didn’t sin in thought, word or deed. He willingly suffered and died for us. Jesus took our place for us if we accept His incredible gift. | ||
Q Because Jesus died for all, isn’t everyone already saved? | A Jesus did for us what we could not do on our own. Jesus was fully God and fully man. Jesus didn’t break a single commandment of the Ten Commandments. He kept the physical law and the spiritual nature of the law. This is something none of us have done or can do. God wants everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Jesus died for all of us, but we have to accept this. It is the free gift from God, but we have to accept this free gift (Ephesians. 2:8-9). Salvation is available to everyone who believes. That is to anyone who turns from their sins and puts their trust in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. | ||
Q Is repentance necessary for salvation? | A Our sin separates us from God. In Acts 20:21 Paul said that we need repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. The first thing Jesus said when he started his ministry was, “I have come for the repentance of men” (Matt. 4:17). Jesus said there is joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents. On the day of Pentecost Peter told his hearers that they needed to repent. The Bible clearly shows that Repentance is necessary for salvation and this repentance starts in your heart, by turning away from sin. | ||
Q What is the purpose of the Ten Commandments? | A The Ten Commandments are like a mirror to show us that we don’t measure up to God’s perfect standard. They help us see that we are lost and that we all have broken the Ten Commandments. In the book of James it says that if you break one of the commandments you have broken all of them (James 2:10). | ||
Q How can God forgive me after all of the bad things I’ve done? | A Some people believe that they are unworthy of God’s grace. They think they are too bad or need to clean up their act before the come to God. This is a misconception of who God is. Because God is righteous, Holy and just, any sin no matter how small separates us from God. God’s grace is more than sufficient for us. If you repent and put your trust in Jesus, God will save you no matter what you have done wrong in the past. In fact the Bible says that God won’t remember your sins if you put your trust in Jesus (Heb. 10:17). | ||
Q I don’t believe in Heaven or Hell. When you’re dead you’re dead, right? | A The Bible clearly tells us that there is an after life. Everyone will go to Heaven or Hell. If you have repented and put your faith in Jesus Christ alone you will go to Heaven. If you die in your rebellion (sins) you will be judged by the Ten Commandments and you will go to Hell. This is a reality whether people believe it or not. If I walk outside and there is 12 inches of snow on the ground and I walk around and say that I don’t believe in snow, it doesn’t change the reality that there is snow. God has written his Law on your heart and your conscience bears witness against you when you break the Ten Commandments. | ||
Q Since the Bible was written by men, why should I believe it? | A Yes the Bible was written by men, but they were led by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is inspired by God and only what He wanted written was written (2 Timothy 3:16). God created us and the entire universe. He could easily inspire men to write what He wanted them to write, and that's exactly what He did. | ||
Q If God is love, how could He send people to Hell? | A God is love, that’s part of His nature. Another part of His nature is holiness. God is perfect so He can’t tolerate sin. Or sin separates us from God. The eternal punishment for breaking the Ten Commandment is in a real place called Hell (Mark 9:47-48). Of course God doesn’t want to send us to Hell, that’s why He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. We need to accept Jesus as our forgiver and leader. | ||
Q My God would never send anyone to Hell. How come your God does? | A The Bible challenges us to make sure that we are worshipping the one true God. The Bible also tells us that because of God’s righteous (Holy and just) nature He must punish us for our sins if we don’t accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and repent from our sins. Hell is a real place and sinners will be sent there for breaking the Ten Commandments (Rev. 20:15 and Rev. 21:8). Accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and turning away from your sins is the way to Everlasting Life. | ||
Q What does believing in Jesus really mean? | The Bible says that even the demons believed in Jesus so believing in Jesus is more than just "believing". To believe in Jesus is to believe that He lived a sinless life, that He suffered and died for your sins and that God raised Him up on the third day. To believe in Jesus is to confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved (Romans 10:9). You are to repent from your sins by turning away from them and turning toward God. Jesus said that if you love me, you will keep my commandments. Keep the 10 Commandments not for legalistic reasons, but keep them out of your love for Jesus. | ||
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