Hello, I have a question.  If God forgives all, why do people go to hell?

Sincerely,
Firefighter

Dear Firefighter,

God is ready and willing to forgive all (Ps 86:5), but we must seek that forgiveness through Christ.  Christ paid the price, so all the world would have a way to escape hell (Jhn 3:16).  However, if we don’t take advantage of the gift that He gave, we will still be lost.  There is no sin so big that God won’t forgive it if we honestly seek Him… but we must seek Him (Heb 11:6).  We are saved by faith in Christ (Eph 2:8, Rom 10:17), but that means we must trust Christ.

Think of it like someone drowning in the ocean.  A lifeguard throws them a life preserver, but the drowning person must grab that life preserver in order to be saved.  Jesus’ death on the cross is our life preserver.  We must grab it; otherwise, we will be lost.

I have a few questions.  Is it possible to feel righteous (I am assuming, of course, that I once was), then regress in your life, and then return to righteousness?  Is it possible to feel spiritually complete but temporally drained?  How does one know when they are considered righteous in the eyes of the Most High?  Or are we supposed to not worry about that, but live as if the plateau is always getting higher, so we will not fall short?  My ultimate question would be: is it possible to sin against the Most High directly and be able to return to righteousness?  Or must the sin be atoned for before redemption?

Sincerely,
Backslider

Dear Backslider,

Once we obey God, we can fall way and lose our salvation, and many people feel righteous without actually being righteous.  We are warned about drifting away (Heb 2:1) and falling away from the Lord (1 Tim 4:1).  It is also important to remember that physical fatigue is not the same as spiritual failure (2 Cor 4:16)… righteousness isn’t about how we feel or what we want… it is about what God says.  Many people call upon the name of the Lord but don’t do what He says (Matt 7:21-24).  God makes us righteous through faith (Rom 4:5), and we gain faith through hearing and obeying the Bible (Rom 10:17).

There is time to repent and return to God if we have fallen away.  God is ready to forgive if we confess our sins (1 Jn 1:9).  Until the day of our death, there is still time to return to God (Heb 9:27) through obedience to His Word (Jhn 14:15).

I believe God will forgive every sin except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.  I am confused though.  I know we are all sinners, but what if you commit sin after you accept Jesus as Savior?  I know a person that committed a vile sexual sin after she accepted Jesus as her Savior.  Is it possible to repent of that sin?  I believe she truly believes Jesus died for all sin, and He is the only path to salvation.

Sincerely,
Concerned Friend

Dear Concerned Friend,

All sin can be repented of and forgiven.  1 Jn 1:9 makes it clear that if we confess our sins, Jesus is ready to forgive us of all unrighteousness.  There is no single act that is so evil that Jesus’ blood couldn’t wash it away (1 Jn 1:7).  Many of the first century christians had many horrible sins in their pasts (1 Cor 6:9-11).  The key is to get up every time you fall down (Pr 24:16).

I started going to church at three years old, and I’m a christian (as far as I know), but my question is: how do christians live?  I came from dancing, drinking, etc., but now I am trying to live like a christian, but I don't know how.

Sincerely,
Starting Fresh

Dear Starting Fresh,

Christianity is about living by faith and knowing that God will reward us for seeking Him (Heb 11:6).  Our first act of faith is to become a christian; since it sounds like you aren’t completely sure that you are one, we recommend you read our post “What Must I Do To Be Saved?”.

After becoming a christian, you must begin to grow and practice what the Bible says (1 Pet 2:2).  A large part of that growing process is becoming an active member in a faithful congregation that can teach and encourage you (Heb 10:24-25).  Not every church is doing what God says, and it is important that you search for a congregation that is faithfully preaching and teaching the Bible.  We have an article entitled “Finding A Church” that can help you search for a congregation.  We would also be happy to help you find a congregation in your area.  If you would like our help, e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org, and we will try to put you in contact with a congregation nearby.

Hello, I watched a program on TV about this small African tribe.  The people of this tribe were amazingly kind and welcoming, but they didn't even know we have been to the moon or of Jesus.  They believed in different gods, and they were brought up that way from birth.  Their whole tribe is kind of separated from the rest of the world.  There has to be hundreds of these same kinds of situations out there; what happens to these people when they die?

Sincerely,
Hermit Helper

Dear Hermit Helper,

What God does with the African tribe that is isolated from society is between Him and them.  We know that God doesn’t hold people accountable for things that they cannot do (2 Cor 8:11-12).  We also know that He says all mankind is without excuse because the Creation speaks of His greatness (Rom 1:20).  We also know that God has a certain expectation that we will seek Him out (Matt 7:7-10).  All of these principles must be balanced out when considering the fate of isolated peoples.

Ultimately, the Lord is judge… a righteous one (2 Tim 4:8).  The Lord doesn’t desire any of the wicked to perish (Ezek 18:23).  He will fitly and properly judge all mankind.