I'm worried.  I don't go to church.  I don't pray.  I do good deeds, and I try to live right, but my friends keep saying I am gonna go to hell because I believe in evolution and the Big Bang.  Will I end up in hell?

Sincerely,
Good Enough?

Dear Good Enough,

Though evolution and the Big Bang are worthwhile issues, they aren’t the core values that impact our eternity – Jesus is.  Jesus made a radical claim when He walked this earth; He claimed that sin had created a giant rift between mankind and God (Rom 6:23) and that He had come to heal that rift (Jhn 3:16).  Either Jesus is telling the truth, and He is the only way to receive reconciliation with God in order that we may go to heaven (Jhn 14:6), or Jesus was a liar and should be disregarded like all other crazy people.

The validity of Jesus’ claims stand or fall on the authenticity of Bible.  If God wrote the Bible, then Jesus is the only way to heaven, and all His teachings must become our roadmap to life.  We here at AYP believe that the evidence very clearly points toward the Bible being divinely inspired and unique among literature.  Read the article “Who Wrote The Bible?” for our favorite evidence that the Bible is God’s Word.

It is a sign of your character that you are anxious and worried about this issue.  Where we will spend eternity is the most important question we have to answer in this life.  We believe Jesus is God’s Son and that He is the redeemer of our souls when we put our faith in Him (1 Pet 1:9).  If after seeing the evidence we present on this site (and if you have more questions, please continue to ask them), you agree that the Bible is God’s Word – then praying, attending a faithful church (we can help you find one – not all churches follow the Bible), and all the other details of behavior fall into line.  We aren’t saved by doing good deeds; we are saved by faith in Jesus… good deeds are just part of a living and obedient faith (Jas 2:17-18).

If you have further questions about what it takes to be saved, the Bible, Jesus, or any other spiritual concerns, do not hesitate to e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org.

Can you explain how we have forgiveness for past, present, and future sins – must every sin be confessed?

Sincerely,
Something On My Chest

Dear Something On My Chest,

We receive forgiveness for all past and present sins by becoming christians (Acts 22:16).  Baptism saves the lost person from their burden of sins (1 Pet 3:21).  After we become christians, God asks us to continue to grow (1 Pet 2:2).  After baptism, all future sins are dealt with by confession (1 Jn 1:9) and repentance (Acts 8:22).  1 Jn 1:9 says that God cleanses christians from all unrighteousness when they live repentant, faithful lives.  The word ‘cleanse’ literally means ‘continually cleanse’ in the Greek.  As we live faithfully through God’s Word (Rom 10:17), we are continually cleansed and freed from our sins as we confess them and repent of them.

I believe in God and believe He loves me and has a plan for me.  But what if that plan is for me to be miserable?  What if my loneliness and suffering serve His greater plan for the world?  Are there any Scriptures that say God wants us to have a good life?

Sincerely,
Down In The Mouth

Dear Down In The Mouth,

God’s plans for our lives may often involve trials and tribulations, but we can learn to have contentment in all circumstances.  Paul warned the early christians that God’s children will be besought with troubles (Acts 14:22).  However, no trial will ever come upon us that is too difficult to handle (1 Cor 10:13).  As we learn and grow, God promises that we can learn to be content in whatever situation we find ourselves in (Php 4:11-13).  God desires for us to love life and see good days (1 Pet 3:10).  This life is full of simple pleasures that are God’s gifts to us (Eccl 3:13).  There may be times when our trials seem never-ending, but remember… even Job eventually saw a happy ending to his tale (Job 42:12).

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.

This is sort of difficult.  It concerns my uncle, who, over the last few years, has... rediscovered his faith?  I suppose that works.  He's completely changed his lifestyle, which isn't a bad thing.  No smoking, no drinking.  Fantastic.  However, he's also completely changed his personality.  He has a growing list of things he can't watch, listen to, or say, all because he's “christian".  He's become so... judgmental of everyone around him and is alienating his family.  I wasn't under the impression that to be "christian" you had to give up everything in life that you enjoyed.  He doesn't laugh anymore; at least, he doesn't around us.  Can you give me any guidance on how to respect his faith and understand his choices?  He was always a good man… an EMT, police officer, husband, and father.  He's always believed, but he also lived.  Now, it's like he's set himself, and everyone else, to standards that can't be met.  And he's very vocal with his views.  I just don't understand him anymore.  Any advice or insight you could give would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
Disheartened Niece

Dear Disheartened Niece,

There is a fine line between removing worldliness from our lives and secluding ourselves from life – it sounds like your uncle may be having trouble finding that balance.  Jesus clearly tells us to purify our hearts and minds (Jas 4:8).  However, we are also told to enjoy the wholesome blessings of this life (Eccl 3:13).  Christ lived a perfectly sinless life (Heb 4:15), and yet, he was often accused of being too friendly with the lost (Matt 11:19).

There is a balance between living in the world, but not being of the world (1 Cor 5:9-10).  If we remove ourselves from all society, we will never be able to reach those who so desperately need God’s Word (Mk 16:15).  We are warned against religion that finds its strength in self-deprecation (1 Tim 4:1-5).  Our strength should be found in the love of Christ (Jhn 3:16) and in His Word (Rom 10:17).  Hopefully, some of these verses might allow you to have a dialogue with your uncle.