Did Jesus say in the Bible, “I am a lord”?

Sincerely,
Quote Finder

Dear Quote Finder,

In Jhn 13:13, Jesus told His disciples that He was a lord, and in Jhn 8:58, Jesus stated that He existed before Abraham.  In Matt 16:16-17, Peter confessed Jesus as Christ and called Him the Son of God; Jesus praised Peter for making this good confession.  Jesus rarely overtly stated His deity, but He never denied it either.

My boyfriend doesn't believe in God.  Should I keep praying for him and hope for a change, or will being with him only hold me back?

Sincerely,
Holding Too Tightly?

Dear Holding Too Tightly,

It isn’t wrong, but tread lightly.  It isn’t a sin for you to have a boyfriend who isn’t a Christian, but it is important that you make appropriate boundaries.  The Bible teaches that we should only marry someone if they are in the Lord (1 Cor 7:39).  Marrying an unbeliever will tie you to someone who doesn’t have the same values as you (2 Cor 6:14).  The progress of your relationship will eventually need to stall if he doesn’t obey the gospel.  Religion is the most important factor in a marriage because it affects your morals, how you raise children, your finances, your hobbies, how you treat one another, and a thousand other elements of your future.  Be very careful when courting an unbeliever.

     I’ve made some mistakes in the past that I’m ashamed of.  Society reminds me everyday of my actions, and makes it hard for me to forgive myself, especially when I know they haven’t forgiven me.  I feel ashamed and worthless.  What can I do to erase my past?

Sincerely,
Can’t Get Past the Past

Dear Can’t Get Past the Past,

You can't erase your past, but you can change your future… but that isn't the real issue.  The real problem is that you don’t feel forgiven.  The two issues are very different.  There are times when our head and our heart aren’t on the same page.  Guilt can drive someone crazy if they don’t learn to keep things in proper perspective.  God says that your heart can be wrong.   It is very similar to the problem that the apostle Paul faced.  Paul had murdered Christians and felt that he was the worst of the worst, but he learned that Jesus would forgive him (1 Tim 1:15-16).

The apostle John said it best, “By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before Him, for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything.” (1 Jhn 3:19-20)  Your act of faith is going to be letting go of your fears and trusting that living by God’s Word is what matters (Rom 10:17)… not what society thinks of you.

     I was wondering; why does "John the Baptist" have the title of "the Baptist" because if I understand it right, the denomination of Baptists didn't come to be until around the Reformation.  And another question: is that where Baptists got the name for their denomination?  Thank you!  And God bless you!

Sincerely,
Troubled by a Title

Dear Troubled by a Title,

The word ‘baptist’ means ‘immerser’ because it comes from the same root word as ‘baptism’, which means ‘to immerse’.  John the Baptist went everywhere preaching that people should repent and prepare for the kingdom of heaven (Matt 3:1-2).  Those who obeyed John’s preaching were baptized by him (Matt 3:5-6).  That is where John got his name.

The Baptist denomination got its name because they have the unique teaching that baptism is necessary to become a member of their church, but it isn’t necessary for salvation.  This isn’t a Bible teaching because the Bible teaches that baptism is a requirement for salvation (1 Pet 3:21).  Ironically, the thing the Baptist church is most known for is something that is biblically wrong.

What happens to people (say in like the middle of Africa or in China) that die having never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Sincerely,
Isolated

Dear Isolated,

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.