How do we know that the kingdom has been fulfilled?  I have found many verses talking about the kingdom being set up, but where does it say it has been fulfilled?

Sincerely,
Royal Subject?

Dear Royal Subject,

There are several verses that tell us that the kingdom is already here.  The first verses to look at are Matt 16:28, Mk 9:1, and Lk 9:27.  In those verses Jesus makes it clear that the kingdom would come within the lifetime of those He was preaching to.  Considering it has been 2,000 years since Jesus preached… the kingdom is here.

Another verse to look at is Col 1:13 where Paul says that christians are already in the kingdom.  Since Paul said that we are already in the kingdom, the kingdom must already be here and complete.

The reason for this is because the kingdom is the church.  Jesus said that His kingdom wouldn’t be a physical kingdom (Jhn 18:36), but it would be a kingdom that reigned within the hearts of people (Lk 17:20-21).  As we already mentioned, this kingdom is made up of christians.  What group of people was created within one generation of Jesus’ preaching and contains christians?  That would be the church!  The church is the spiritual kingdom for which Jesus gave His blood.  We become citizens of this kingdom when we are born again through baptism (Acts 8:12, Jhn 3:5).

I have been searching for God and trying to convince myself of Jesus being my savior, but I am still on my journey, I suppose.  I'm concerned that I'll die and be unforgiven before I can finally convince myself of God.  Perhaps this is something only God can help me with?  I'm a true skeptic, but I have been finding increasing evidence of there being a divine creator, God.  Should I pray to Him that He reveals Himself to me?  I guess my real question is... will He forgive me for not believing in Him when I am not convinced of Him?  I haven't read the Bible yet, and I've been increasingly convinced; should I read the Bible, all of it?  What if I don't read it before I die?  It does sort of feel like I am being pursued by God to believe in Him... I'm just not yet convinced...

(I used to be christian; then I rejected Christ because I realized I was 'believing' without actually believing.  I couldn't live as a hypocrite to myself, still can't today).

Like Plato talked about, I don't wish to be a blind man just happening to take the right path.  That is not knowledge.  If knowledge only truly comes from Him, when will He bless me with it, so I may know Him?  It's so backwards to me... doesn't the Bible say that He will only reveal Himself to me after I put faith in Him before I can convince myself of Him?  Sometimes I want to believe; it's just the doubt... like I said though, maybe it's just the journey I have to take without any help.  Would God put me on one of those journeys?  Will I be lost as long as I strive to be an intelligent and rational human being that bases belief on incidences in my life I'm convinced of?

There have been times where God has answered me... I'd say "God, if you do this for me, I will never doubt you again."  It would then happen, but I ended up brushing it off as coincidence afterward... this was when I was really young though.

Doubt has to be the hardest problem to deal with... maybe I just want reassurance that I'll find Him; it's only a matter of time, and if I don't find Him, He'll be understanding as long as I was given a reasonable amount of time in my life and enough evidence to convince me that He is there.  I don't like dogma...

I apologize for this being so long; I guess I just needed to get it out... I also want some guidance I guess.  Is there any Bible verses online that could help deal with this?  Thanks for reading.

Sincerely,
Unconvinced

Dear Unconvinced,

No, the Bible does not say that God will only reveal Himself to you once you have faith.  God reveals Himself to all of mankind through creation (Rom 1:20) and through His Word (Rom 10:17).  Many religious groups that profess to be christian teach the circular logic that you can’t know about God until you trust in Him – that is wrong.  We have an entire section of AskYourPreacher.org that is dedicated to EVIDENCES.  We here at AYP became christians because of the evidence.  These evidences are found in creation, the proven fulfilled prophecies of the Bible, the uniqueness of the Scriptures, and the proven accuracy of the Bible (we recommend you read “God Is Alive” and “Who Wrote The Bible”).

God will not forgive you for not believing in Him because He has made so much evidence available to prove His existence.  From mountains to molecules, this world screams of a Creator.  Seek the truth, and the truth will set you free (Jhn 8:32).  We too once doubted God’s existence, but after reading books like Evidence That Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell, A Case For A Creator by Lee Strobel, and Has God Spoken? by A.O. Schnabel (too name a few) – it became very clear that there is real proof that God truly is alive.  After you’ve taken some time to read some of these articles and material, write us back at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org, and we would be happy to show you what it takes to become a christian and find a faithful church to be a part of.  The truth is out there for those (like yourself) seeking it (Matt 7:7).

I know that God is the only one who is good, and I know that my understanding of God may not be complete due to the sin in my life, but I have a problem understanding something.  If I were a parent and I had a newborn son, what kind of environment would I create for him?  Would I create a living room with a couch, a coffee table, TV, etc...?  Would I provide food and drink, companionship, and love?  Of course, I would.  I would want the best for my child.  What kind of parent would you think I was if I put a loaded gun on the coffee table and then told my newborn son that he should not put the gun to his head and pull the trigger.  He can do anything else, but he cannot do this.  Of course, I would want him to listen to me and not blow his brains out.  Now, throw into the mix my hated enemy, allow him into the living room, and allow him to convince the child to pick up the gun.

Why did my Father put the tree in the garden and then let the evil devil into the garden to deceive Adam and Eve?  Why didn’t He protect them and us?  I am confused, and prayer is not helping.  Am I wrong to think of this, or is it my cross to bear?  Please help me.

Sincerely,
Gun Safety

Dear Gun Safety,

If God hadn’t put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil into the garden (Gen 2:9), Adam and Eve wouldn’t really have had free will… which is an integral part of what makes mankind “in the image of God” (Gen 1:27).  If Adam hadn’t had the opportunity to choose to do the wrong thing, he really wouldn’t have had the opportunity to choose to do the right thing either.  It is that choice that sets us apart from the animals.  God made it very clear to Adam and Eve what would happen if they ate of the tree – they would die (Gen 2:17).  Adam and Eve weren’t children; they were full-grown adults with highly developed intellects (consider the fact that Adam had the mental capacity to name all of the animals – Gen 2:20).

God gave Adam and Eve, fully responsible adults, the choice to listen to Him and live – or to ignore Him and die.  They chose death.  Eve knew what she was doing was wrong (Gen 3:2-3), as did Adam.  Their situation isn’t the same as your analogy of a gun with an immature child – these were adults.

Furthermore, God prepared beforehand a way back to Him for those who rebelled (Eph 1:5-6).  God allows us to choose, and through the blood of Christ, He allows us to choose to return to Him (1 Pet 2:25).

Doesn't the Bible (or Jesus) clearly state you must receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit in order to be saved or enter heaven?  If so, how do I receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Sincerely,
Want To Be Holy

Dear Want To Be Holy,

You do not need to be baptized in the Holy Spirit in order to be saved.  In fact, the book of Acts gives a clear example of a group of people who were christians but hadn’t been baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:12-16).  The baptism of the Holy Spirit was a miraculous event that endowed people with miraculous abilities.  It happened to the apostles on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), and it happened to Cornelius and his household when the first Gentiles were preached to (Acts 10:44-45).  Holy Spirit baptism doesn’t save you; water baptism is what saves you (1 Pet 3:21, Mk 16:16).  In fact, when Cornelius and his household were filled with the Holy Spirit, Peter said that they still needed to be baptized in water (Acts 10:46-48).  Holy Spirit baptism was a temporary miraculous gift used to spread the Gospel in the first century before we had the completed Bible, but now that we have a perfect Bible, there is no longer any need for miracles (1 Cor 13:8-10).  If you want to have your sins forgiven, you need to be baptized in water.  Read “What Must I Do To Be Saved” for further details.

Why do Baptists believe in eternal security and the Methodist don’t?

Sincerely,
Pondering The Protestants

Dear Pondering The Protestants,

The idea of ‘eternal security’ is a doctrine accepted by many of today’s Protestant churches.  Eternal security is the teaching that once you are saved, you can never be lost.  It is based off of the teachings of John Calvin (read “Calvin And Sobs” for a more in-depth look at the doctrine of Calvinism).  Methodists don’t subscribe to that teaching, but the Baptists do.  Although, neither the Baptists nor the Methodists are God’s church, in this case, the Methodists are right.

God very clearly teaches that someone can lose their salvation.  Heb. 3:12 tells us to be watchfull, or we will fall away from the living God.  Heb 6:4-6 talks about those who crucify Christ again.  Even after someone has been enlightened and tasted the blessings of salvation, they can fall away.  You have the freedom to choose or reject God (Mk 7:9).  1^st Corinthians chapter five is an entire chapter dedicated to someone who had turned his back on God and had once again immersed himself in a life of sin.  Even the apostle Paul said that he himself had to live faithfully or face rejection (1 Cor 9:26-27).  We will only be eternally secure when we get to heaven; until then, continue to fight the good fight.  Live so that on your deathbed, you can say what Paul did – “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness” (2 Tim 4:7-8)