God Answers Your QuestionsUpdated Mar. 16th 1999 by Harold SmithQ. I am young yet, and likely to live for a long time. Why should I think of eternal things now? God says: "Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth" (Prov. 27:1). "What is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away" (James 4:14).
Q. If I do die, will that not be the end of me? "The rich man died, and was buried; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments" (Luke 16:22,23).
Q. Must we not wait until the judgment day to see who goes to hell? "He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:18).
Q. But I have lived a fairly good life; am I condemned? God says: "There is none righteous, no not one ... There is none that doeth good, no not one ... all the world [is] guilty before God" (Romans 3:10,12,19).
Q. God is a merciful God. Won't He pass over my sins? "The Lord God...will by no means clear the guilty" (Exodus 34:6,7). "The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).
Q. But I say my prayers, and have given to God's work. Won't that count in my favor? "Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord ... in Thy name [we have] done many wonderful works. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me" (Matthew 7:22,23).
Q. Why would God judge me the same as the grossly immoral, the drunkard or the criminal? "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "All we like sheep have gone astray" (Isa. 53:6). "Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10).
Q. If that be the case, I must plead guilty. I have sinned. What must I do to be saved? "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house" (Acts 16:31).
Q. Tell me exactly what I need to believe.That: "The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6); "The Son of God, ... loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Gal. 2:20); "Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18).
Q. But must I do nothing to gain salvation?"A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ" (Galatians 2:16). "For by grace are ye saved...not of works" (Eph. 2:8,9).
Q. To be saved just by believing seems too simple."If the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?" (2 Kings 5:13). Jesus says, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life" (John 6:47).
Q. Did God really love me before I was saved?"God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Q. I often think I am too great a sinner to be saved."Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1:18). "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).
Q. Won't I have to give up many things if I become a Christian?"What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Matthew 16:26). "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).
All inquiries to: Harold Smith
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