spiritual FAQ’s
(1) HOW DID GOD SHOW HIMSELF IN THE BEGINNING?
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
The Lord created the heavens – He is the one Who is God! He formed and made the earth – He made it firm and lasting. He did not make it a desolate waste, but a place for people to live in. It is He Who says, “I am the Lord, and there is no other god. I have not spoken in secret or kept My purpose hidden. I did not require the people of Israel to look for Me in a desolate waste. I am the Lord, and I speak the truth; I make known what is right.” (Isaiah 45: 18 – 19)
(2) HOW HAS GOD MADE HIMSELF KNOWN?
The heavens are telling the glory of God; they are a marvellous display of His craftsmanship. (Psalm 19:1)
Ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. (Romans 1:20)
Long ago God spoke in many different ways to our fathers through the prophets (in visions, dreams and even face to face), telling them little by little about His plans. But now in these days He has spoken to us through His Son, to Whom He has given everything, and through Whom He made the world and everything there is. (Hebrews 1:1 – 2)
(3) WHAT IS THE NATURE OF GOD?
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no-one can fathom. (Isaiah 40:28)
“I am the high and holy God, Who lives for ever. I live in a high and holy place, but I also live with people who are humble and repentant, so that I can restore their confidence and hope. (Isaiah 57:15)
God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. (1John 1:5)
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. (1John 4: 8-9)
(4) WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE?
And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? But (reverently) to fear the Lord your God (that is) to walk in all His ways and to love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your (mind and) heart and with your entire being. (Deuteronomy 10:12)
Jesus said: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)
And this is His order (His command, His injunction): that we should believe in (put our faith and trust in and adhere to and rely on) the name of His Son Jesus Christ (the Messiah), and that we should love one another just as He has commanded us. (1John 3:23)
(5) CAN PEOPLE, UNCHANGED, UNDERSTAND THE WAYS OF GOD?
But the natural, non-spiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them (of progressively recognising, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them) because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated. (1 Corinthians 2:14)
My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
(6) WHAT SEPARATES PEOPLE FROM GOD?
But the trouble is that your sins have cut you off from God. Because of sin He has turned His face away from you and will not listen any more. (Isaiah 59:2)
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. (Psalm 66:18)
And he who believes in (has faith in, clings to, relies on) the Son has (now possesses) eternal life. But whoever disobeys (is unbelieving toward, refuses to trust in, disregards, is not subject to) the Son will never see (experience) life, but (instead) the wrath of God abides on him. (God’s displeasure remains on him; His indignation hangs over him continually) (John 3:36)
He who believes in Him (who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him) is not judged (he who trusts in Him never comes up for judgement; for him there is no rejection, no condemnation – he incurs no damnation); but he who does not believe (cleave to, rely on, trust in Him) is judged already (he has already been convicted and has already received his sentence) because he has not believed in and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ’s name.) The (basis of the) judgement (indictment, the test by which men are judged, the ground for the sentence) lies in this: the Light has come into the world, and people have loved the darkness rather than and more than the Light, for their works (deeds) were evil. (John 3:18-19)
(7) WHAT IS SIN?
All wrong-doing is sin. (1John 5:17)
Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Romans 14:23)
For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts of lust, theft, murder, adultery, wanting what belongs to others, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, pride, and all other folly. All these vile things come from within; they are what pollute you and make you unfit for God. (Mark 7:21-23)
Take care….lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart. (Hebrews 3:12)
(8) DOES EVERYONE SIN?
All have sinned and are falling short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)
The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who are wise, who want to please God. But no, all have strayed away; all are rotten with sin. Not one is good, not one! (Psalm 14:2-3)
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way (Isaiah 53:6)
If we say we have not sinned (refusing to admit that we are sinners), we delude and lead ourselves astray, and the Truth (which the Gospel presents) is not in us (Does not dwell in our hearts) (1 John 1:8)
(9) WHAT IS THE RESULT OF SIN?
When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. His sin spread death throughout all the world, so everything began to grow old and die for all sinned. (Romans 5:12)
The soul that sins shall die. (Ezekiel 18:4)
These evil thoughts lead to evil actions and afterwards to the death penalty from God. (James 1:15)
The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23)
And he who believes in (has faith in, clings to, relies on) the Son has (now possesses) eternal life. But whoever disobeys (is unbelieving toward, refuses to trust in, disregards, is not subject to) the Son will never see (experience) life, but (instead) the wrath of God abides in him. (God’s displeasure remains on him; His indignation hangs over him continually.) (John 3:36)
(10) WHAT IS GOD’S ATTITUDE TO PEOPLE AND THEIR SIN?
“Say to them, ‘as I live! declares the Lord God, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways!’” (Ezekiel 33:11)
He isn’t really being slow about His promised return, even though it sometimes seems that way. But He is waiting, for the good reason that He is not willing that any should perish and He is giving more time for sinners to repent. (2Peter 3:9)
So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return (to God), that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord. (Acts 3:19)
God now commands all men everywhere to repent. (Acts 17:30)
(11) HAS GOD DONE ANYTHING ABOUT SIN?
For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He (even) gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life. (John 3:16)
But God shows us and clearly proves His (own) love for us by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed one) died for us. (Romans 5:8)
That Christ died for our sins just as the Scriptures said He would, and that He was buried, and that three days afterwards He rose from the grave just as the prophets foretold. (1Corinthians 1:3-4)
The Son of Man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45)
(12) WHAT MUST WE DO TO BE SAVED?
Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (give yourself up to Him, take yourself out of your own keeping and entrust yourself into His keeping) and you will be saved. (Acts 16:31)
I am the Door; anyone who enters in through Me will be saved (will live). (John 10:9)
For if you tell others with your own mouth that Jesus is your Lord, and believe in your own heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in his heart that a man becomes right with God; and with his mouth he tells others of his faith, confirming his salvation. (Romans 10:9-10)
He saved us. It was not because of any good deeds that we ourselves have done, but because of His own mercy that He saved us… (Titus 3:5)
(13) WHY DID CHRIST DIE TO SAVE US?
He gave Himself for us, to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a pure people who belong to Him alone and are eager to do good. (Titus 2:14)
Under the law, almost everything is purified by means of blood, and without the shedding of blood there is neither release from sin and its guilt nor the remission of the due and merited punishment for sins. (Hebrews 9:22)
You were ransomed… with the precious blood of Christ. (1 Peter1:18-19)
Christ has appeared once for all … to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. (Hebrews 9:26)
For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit. (1 Peter 3:18)
Our message is that God was making all mankind His friends through Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:19)
(14) IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY TO BE SAVED?
The name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth … Salvation is to be found in Him alone; in all the world there is no-one else whom God has given who can save us. (Acts 4:10&12)
Jesus said: I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no-one comes to the Father but by Me. (John 14:6)
That God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus Himself man, is between them to bring them together by giving His life for all mankind. (1 Timothy 2:5-6)
(15) CAN WE BE SURE THAT OUR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN?
Jesus … Who was betrayed and put to death because of our misdeeds and was raised to secure our justification (our acquittal), (making our account balance and absolving us from all guilt before God). (Romans 4:25)
He is the sole expression of the glory of God (the Light-Being, the out-raying or radiance of the Divine), and He is the perfect imprint and very image of (God’s) nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had offered Himself and accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt He sat down at the right hand of the Divine Majesty on high. (Hebrews 1:3)
All the prophets spoke about Him, saying that everyone who believes in Him will have his sins forgiven through the power of His name. (Acts 10:43)
As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12)
The testimony is this: God has given us eternal life, and this life has its source in His Son. Whoever has the Son has this life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I am writing this to you so that you may know that you have eternal life – you that believe in the Son of God. (1 John 5:11-13).
(16) WHAT DOES JESUS CHRIST GIVE TO THOSE WHO TRUST HIM?
A. FORGIVENESS OF SINS; PEACE WITH GOD.
So let it be clearly known and understood by you, brethren, that through this Man forgiveness and removal of sins is now proclaimed to you; and that through Him everyone who believes (who acknowledges Jesus as his Saviour and devotes himself to Him) is absolved (cleared and freed) from every charge from which he could not be justified and freed by the Law of Moses and given right standing with God. (Acts 13:38-39)
So now, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith in His promises, we can have real peace with Him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. (Romans 5:1)
“I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give you isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives so don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27)
B. ETERNAL LIFE
The testimony is this: God has given us eternal life, and this life has its source in His Son. Whoever has the Son has the life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life (1John 5:11-12)
I assure you, most solemnly, I tell you, the person whose ears are open to My words (who listens to My message) and believes and trusts in and clings to and relies on Him who sent Me has (possesses now) eternal life. And he does not come into judgement (does not incur sentence of judgement, will not come under condemnation), but he has already passed over out of death into life. (John 5:24)
C. THE RIGHT TO BECOME A CHILD OF GOD
Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name He gave the right to become children of God – children not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)
But when the right time finally came, God sent His own Son. He came as the son of a human mother and lived under the Jewish Law, to redeem those who were under the Law so that we might become God’s sons. To show that you are His sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, the Spirit who cries out, “Father, my Father.” (Galatians 4:4-6)
D. NEW LIFE
When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same any more. A new life has begun! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, which has been given us. (Romans 5:5)
But I say, walk and live (habitually) in the (Holy) Spirit (responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit); then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God). (Galatians 5:16)
(17) HOW IS THIS NEW LIFE STRENGTHENED?
Last of all, I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. Put on all of God’s armour so that you will be able to stand safe against all the strategies and tricks of Satan (Ephesians 6:10-11)
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)
Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God – what is good and is pleasing to Him and is perfect. (Romans 12:2)
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:18)
The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us to do what is right. It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
(18) HOW IS THE CHRISTIAN HELPED IN HIS/HER DAILY LIFE?
A. BY READING THE WORD OF GOD EVERY DAY
So Jesus said to those who believed in Him, “If you obey My teaching, you are really My disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)
The people there (in Berea) were more open-minded than the people in Thessalonica. They listened to the message with great eagerness, and every day they studied the Scriptures to see if what Paul said was really true. Many of them believed; and many Greek women of high social standing and many Greek men also believed. (Acts 17:11-12)
Everything written in the Scriptures was written to teach us, in order that we might have hope through the patience and encouragement, which the Scriptures give us. (Romans 15:4)
B. BY PRAYING EVERY DAY
Jesus told His disciples a parable to show that they should always pray and not give up. (Luke 18:1)
Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favour to us sinners), that we may receive mercy (for our failures) and find grace to help in good time for every need (appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it). (Hebrews 4: 16)
Jesus said, If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. (John 15:7)
When you ask in My name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you ask anything in My name, I will do it. (John 14:13-14)
If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask Him, and He will gladly tell you, for He is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask Him; He will not resent it. But when you ask Him, be sure that you really expect Him to tell you, for a doubtful mind will be as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. (James 1:5-6)
Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petitions (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. (Philippians 4:6)
C. BY THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
I (Jesus) will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, who will stay with you forever. He is the Spirit who reveals the truth about God. The world cannot receive Him, because it cannot see Him or know Him. But you know Him, because He remains with you and is in you. (John 14:16-17)
Haven’t you yet learned that your body is the home of the Holy Spirit God gave you, and that He lives within you? Your body does not belong to you. For God has bought you with a great price. So use every part of your body to give glory back to God, because He owns it. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
D. BY WORSHIPPING AND SERVING GOD
Let us, then, always offer praise to God as our sacrifice through Jesus, which is the offering presented by lips that confess Him as Lord. Do not forget to do good and to help one another because these are the sacrifices that please God. (Hebrews 13:15-16)
And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities, not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together (as believers), as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging and encouraging) one another and all the more faithfully as you see the Day approaching (the return of Jesus Christ). (Hebrews 10:24-25)
So then, my dear brothers, stand firm and steady. Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord’s service is ever useless. (1 Corinthians 15:58)
E. BY TRUSTING IN CHRIST FOR VICTORY OVER SIN AND TEMPTATION
So then, submit to God. Resist the Devil and he will run away from you. (James 4:7)
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. (1John 5:4)
For because He Himself (in His humanity) has suffered in being tempted (tested and tried), He is able (immediately) to run to the cry of (assist, relieve) those who are being tempted and tested and tried (and who therefore are being exposed to suffering). (Hebrews 2:18)
But if we confess our sins to God, He will keep His promise and do what is right: He will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrongdoing. (1 John 1:9)
F. BY WITNESSING FOR CHRIST
And Jesus said to them, come after Me and be My disciples, and I will make you to become fishers of men. (Mark 1:17)
You shall be My (Jesus’) witnesses. (Acts 1:8)
Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you. (Luke 8:39)
“If anyone publicly acknowledges Me as his friend, I will openly acknowledge him as My friend before My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32)
He (Jesus) said to them, ” Go throughout the whole world and preach the gospel to all mankind”. (Mark 6:15)
(19) WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE?
A. WHERE IS THE BELIEVER IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEATH?
Jesus said to him, Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise. (Luke 23:43)
Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:1&8)
B. WHAT PROMISES ARE THERE THAT CHRIST WILL RETURN?
There are many rooms in My Father’s house, and I am going to prepare a place for you. I would not tell you if this were not so and after I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to Myself so that you will be where I am. (John 14:2-3)
There will be the shout of command, the archangel’s voice, the sound of God’s trumpet, and the Lord Himself will come down from heaven. Those who have died believing in Christ will rise to life first; then we who are living at that time will be gathered up along with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
But our homeland is in heaven, where our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ is; and we are looking forward to His return from there. (Philippians 3:20)
This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw Him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11)
(20) SOLEMN WARNINGS
Jesus said: Do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! (Luke 12:4-5)
Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God. (Hebrews 9:27)
Each of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12)
Anyone who rejects Me and persistently sets Me at naught, refusing to accept My teachings, has his judge (however); for the (very) message that I have spoken will itself judge and convict him at the last day. (John 12:48)
Unless you repent you will all likewise perish. (Luke 13:3)
(21) THE SAVIOUR’S INVITATION
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)
Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time). All whom My Father gives (entrusts) to Me will come to Me; and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out (I will never, no never, reject one of them who comes to Me). (John 6:35 & 37)
Look! I have been standing at the door and I am constantly knocking. If anyone hears Me calling him and opens the door, I will come in and fellowship with him and he with Me. (Revelation 3:20)