Bible Questions and Answers

After we are "saved", does God tell us if something is keeping us from Him?

The Bible says nothing about ‘accepting’ Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour.

The New Testament is very clear and specific about we need to do to be saved from sin and death.

Jesus Christ gave his life as a sacrifice for sin.

If we want forgiveness of sin, and a future resurrection from the dead to eternal life in the kingdom of God, the response that God requires from us is as follows:

1. We must understand and believe the gospel of the kingdom of God preached by Jesus and his apostles.

Mark 16:15  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16  "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

2. We must repent of our sinful way of life. This means we must change the way that we live.

Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Acts 2: 38  Then Peter said to them, "Repent…

3. We must be baptised by immersion in water for the remission (forgiveness) of our past sins.

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

Acts 2:41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.

Acts 8:12  But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.

Acts 22:16 ‘And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

4. After baptism we must live a new life by the commandments of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 28:20  "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;

Romans 6:3… do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4  Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

John 15:14  "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

James 1:22  But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

5. After baptism we will still sin (for we cannot live a sinless life) 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… if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses 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.

6. When we are baptised, we are baptised into a body of believers. We must meet often with our fellow believers to share bread and wine in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice, and take the opportunity to examine ourselves to see whether we really are living by his commandments.

1 Corinthians 11: 23  For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24  and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." 25  In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 26  For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 27  Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29  For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

7. We must read the Bible regularly because it is the scriptures themselves which make us ‘wise unto salvation’.

2 Timothy 3:15  and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

1 Peter 1:23  having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.

8. We must pray.

Luke 18:1  Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

Philippians 4:6  Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

We draw closer to God when we obey the commandments of his Son.

John 14:23  Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24  "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

James 4: 8  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9  Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10  Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

We become familiar with Jesus’s commandments by reading the Bible.

The commandments of Jesus Christ are built on two commandments.

Mark 12:29 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30  ‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31  "And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these." 32  So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33  "And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." 34  Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."

Loving our neighbour includes loving our enemies.

Luke 6:27  "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28  "bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.

We are to harm no one.

Matthew 10:16 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

1 Thessalonians 5:15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

If we do what God requires of us, he will not cast us off.

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33  Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34  Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36  As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." 37  Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I hope this helps

God bless,

Glenn