Bible Questions and Answers

Salvation carries a caveat:

1 Corinthians 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2  By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

Jesus Christ and his apostles preached the gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Luke 8:1… he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,

Jesus explained that his death was a sacrifice whereby our sins can be forgiven, and we can be raised from the dead to eternal life.

Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament (covenant), which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

He gave his twelve apostles a commission:

Mark 16:15… Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned (condemned).

When the Jews asked what they should do Peter explained:

Acts 2:38… Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…

Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

From this we understand that to be saved we must:

1. 1. Understand and believe the gospel.

2. 2.  Repent of our sinful way of life (change the way that we live).

3. 3. Be baptised by immersion in water into Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our past sins.

4. 4.   After baptism, we must live by the commandments of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…

By baptism, we begin a new life in Christ.

Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

We cannot live a sinless life.

After baptism we will still sin, but providing we are making a determined effort to live by Christ’s commandments our sins will be forgiven by confession in prayer.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Because we cannot attain to righteousness by obedience, God has promised to account our faith in Jesus Christ for righteousness.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

But as James points out without works our faith is dead and will not save us.

James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works… 20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?... 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

We must hold fast to our faith until the end of our lives, we will be raised from the dead when Christ returns and be given eternal life in the kingdom of God.

Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

The Kingdom of God will be the restored kingdom of David.

Luke 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Jesus Christ will rule over the mortal population of the earth for 1000 years and those given eternal life will rule with him.

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Isaiah describes this time:

Isaiah 2:1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

At the end of the millennial reign there will be a second resurrection and a final judgment.

Sin and death will be eradicated and all who live on will possess the divine nature.

God will live in and with his people.

Paul explains what is going to happen:

1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

No one other than Jesus Christ goes to heaven.

John 3:13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

The purpose of God is to fill the earth with His glory.

Numbers 14:21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.

When we are baptised we are baptised into a body of believers and we each have our part to play for the edification of all.

We must meet regularly to share bread and wine in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice and use the opportunity to examine ourselves to see whether we are living by his precepts.

God doesn’t speak to us directly; He speaks today only through his word.

John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

In conclusion: if we want salvation through forgiveness of sin we must be baptised into Jesus Christ, have faith in him, and try to live by his precepts, which we find in the word of God. Salvation is assured if we hold fast to our faith to the end of our life.

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,
Glenn