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Q. Where will I be after death?
That is kind of a morbid question isn’t it?
A. Yes it is, but it is something that
every human being must face for there is no
one that escapes death. The people in the
World Trade Center on
September 11, 2001 expected a routine day
at work and to return home at
night.
(Psa 49:10 KJV) For he seeth that
wise men die, likewise the fool and the
brutish person perish, and leave
their wealth to others
Q. How can you be sure there is an
afterlife?
A. The Bible teaches that there are one of
two places a person will spend eternity: Heaven or Hell.
(2 Cor 5:8 KJV) We
are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and
to be present with the Lord
(Psa 9:17 KJV) The
wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the nations that forget God
Q. I believe I will go to Heaven
because I have never done anything bad in my life, like stealing or
murder. Those who do these things should go to Hell because they are the
wicked, right?
A. The problem with that philosophy is
that God views sin as sin, no matter how we trivialize it. One sin can
send a person to Hell. A lustful look or thought is a sin equal to murder
and will condemn a person to Hell.
(Mat 5:28 KJV) But I say unto you, That
whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery
with her already in his heart
Q. Does God make a distinction
between little sins like "little white lies" and big sins like
murder?
A. In the Bible there is no difference. All
sin will lead to eternal damnation.
(Heb 9:27 KJV) And as it is appointed
unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
(Luke 12:5 KJV) But I will forewarn
you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power
to cast into Hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him
Q. Okay, then would you give me a
good definition of sin?
A. God does not make the definition
complex. Sin is the breaking of God’s holy law.
(1 John 3:4 KJV) Whosoever committeth
sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Q. Well I don’t break His law, I go
to church, I give to charity and live a decent, moral life. Doesn’t that
count for something?
A. Unfortunately, it is only good for
society that you do not break the law, but in God’s sight, every single
human being has broken His law and sinned.
(Rom 3:10 KJV) As it is written,
There is none righteous, no, not one:
(Rom 3:23 KJV) For all have sinned,
and come short of the glory of God;
(1 Ki 8:46 KJV) If they sin against thee, (for there is no man that
sinneth not, and thou be angry with them, and
deliver them to the enemy, so that they carry them away captives unto the
land of the enemy, far or near;
Q. On earth, if someone has done
wrong, they are innocent until proven guilty. Will each person have an
opportunity to explain to God why they did things?
A. They sure will. It is called the Great
White Throne Judgment when all human beings must give an account to God.
However, when a person shows up at this Judgment, there will be NO mercy
shown, and they shall be cast into
eternal Hell.
(Rev 20:11-15 KJV) And I saw a great
white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the
heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. {12} And I saw
the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened:
and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were
judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to
their works. {13} And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and
death and Hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were
judged every man according to their works. {14} And death and Hell were
cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. {15} And whosoever
was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Q. Do you mean I will be judged
too?
A. Yes, unless Christ becomes your Savior,
you will be judged for ALL actions in your life. This means that
everything you did in secret, said in secret, and heard in secret, will
be brought to light.
(1 Cor 4:5 KJV) Therefore judge
nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to
light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels
of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
(Psa 64:5 KJV) They encourage
themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they
say, Who shall see them?
(Psa 90:8 KJV) Thou hast set our iniquities
before thee, our secret sins in
the light of thy countenance.
(Eccl 12:14 KJV) For God shall bring
every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or
whether it be evil.
Q. It is obvious that according to the
Bible, that ALL humans are sinful and are under the wrath of God. Does
this mean there is no hope of going to Heaven?
A. It is true that every human being is
under the wrath of God, but that is not the end. God sent His Son, the
Lord Jesus Christ, into the world for the purpose of redeeming His
people.
(Mat 1:21 KJV) And she shall bring
forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his
people from their sins.
(Rom 5:8 KJV) But God commendeth his
love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Q. I have read the catechism,
confessions, creeds of my church and have taken Communion, plus I
was baptized. Doesn’t that count for something?
A. Unfortunately, going through the
rituals, traditions and membership of a
church does not guarantee anyone
salvation. In fact, many churches teach
that a person becomes saved at baptism and
through their ceremonies.
Jesus even chided the Pharisees and
Sadducees (the religious rulers of
Israel) for believing that just because they
read the Scriptures, their salvation was guaranteed.
(John 5:39 KJV) Search the
scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they
which testify of me.
(Mark 7:9 KJV) And he said unto them,
Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own
tradition.
Q. Now I am really worried. I can’t
do good works! I can’t rely on church traditions or ceremonies! I have
broken God’s Holy law! So then how does one get to Heaven?
A. The answer to that question is YOU
MUST BE BORN AGAIN!
(John 3:3 KJV) Jesus answered and
said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
(1 Pet 1:23 KJV) Being born again,
not of corruptible seed, but of
incorruptible, by the word of God,
which liveth and abideth for ever.
Q. I have heard that term
"born again" for many years, but just do not understand what
that means. Could you give me a brief explanation?
A. The term, "born again,"
actually means "born from above." It denotes the
result of God removing the sins of a
person and indwelling them with the Holy
Spirit (the third person of the triune
Godhead) who makes them alive unto God. It is basically a spiritual
resurrection, which makes a person clean
before God, as if they never sinned.
(Psa 103:12 KJV) As far as the east
is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
(Eph 1:13 KJV) In whom ye also
trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your
salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that
holy Spirit of promise,
(1 Cor 15:22 KJV) For as in Adam all
die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
(Rev 14:5 KJV) And in their mouth was
found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
Q. It seems God’s requirements for
salvation are very narrow, and it is evident that of myself, I could
never attain salvation. So how then can I become saved? I don’t want to
go to Hell!
A. A person must come to God for salvation
on God’s terms and not man’s. The sacrifice of the Lord Jesus was
equivalent to an eternity in Hell. Jesus paid
for the sins of those He came to save. If
one is going to become saved, they
must receive the Lord Jesus as their
personal Savior.
(John 1:12-13 KJV) But as many as
received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to
them that believe on his name: {13} Which were born, not of blood, nor of
the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
(John 6:37 KJV) All that the Father
giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise
cast out.
(John 19:30 KJV) When Jesus therefore
had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head,
and gave up the ghost.
Q. How then do I receive Jesus as
Savior?
A. God gives you the faith to believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ, and if you are one of those whom Christ came to
save, then you will be drawn to the Lord Jesus, and you will readily
admit you are a sinner and will want Him to be your
Savior. Only a person whom God has
qualified to receive salvation through
Christ will desire salvation. The
others will mock.
(John 6:44 KJV) No man can come to
me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him
up at the last day.
(Luke 18:13 KJV) And the publican,
standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but
smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
(2 Tim 2:25 KJV) In meekness
instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give
them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
Q. Can I wait until I am older?
A. The problem is that hundreds of
thousands of people tied their shoes this
morning but the undertaker will untie them
tonight. Remember the
answer to question number 1!
(Prov 27:1 KJV) Boast not thyself of
to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
(2 Cor 6:2 KJV) (For he saith, I have heard
thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured
thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of
salvation.)
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