If my past sins are forgiven when I am baptized in water, and it is possible for me to "lose my salvation" and go to hell after being baptized, then wouldn't my best chance of going to heaven be to drown in the baptistery before I had a chance to sin and be lost again?!!  If I wanted to be absolutely sure of heaven, isn't that my best opportunity?

Sincerely,
Waterlogged

Dear Waterlogged,

Heb 3:12 says that we can fall away from God and lose our salvation, but it specifies how that happens.  We fall away when we have an “evil heart of unbelief”.  God continually cleanses us of our sins when we confess them and are faithful and loyal to Him (1 Jn 1:9-10).  Christians have security and confidence in their salvation as long as they are living for God and trying to serve Him according to His Word.  We fall away when we stop trying.  In reality, drowning yourself in the baptistery (which is an intentionally absurd and extreme example) is giving up.  Christians are forgiven of their sins and have committed to a new life in Christ (Rom 6:4).  Drowning in the baptistery isn’t a new life… it’s suicide.

According to your example, Paul (who spent a lifetime dedicated to God) would have been better off dead right after conversion.  Paul said the opposite was true.  “To live was Christ” (Php 1:21), and though Paul admitted that even an apostle could fall away (1 Cor 9:27)… he was confident of the salvation that awaited him (2 Tim 4:8).  All christians can be confident of their salvation if they are living faithfully.  All christians fall short and sin, but only when we turn our hearts from God and willfully live sinful lives do we need to be fearful (Heb 10:26-27).

I've been dating my fiancé now for almost three years, and I'm twenty-four, almost twenty-five years old.  We got engaged this past September.  He is the only man I have done anything sexual with.  We have not had sex, but we have done everything else.  I want to have sex so badly, and so does he, but I'm hesitant to because I don't want to sin more than I already have.  Our wedding is not until next September.  Is it really a sin to give yourself to one man who you are committed to be with for the rest of your life and love so much?  What does the Bible say?  And does it matter that when the Bible was written, women married much earlier in life, and a woman's honor was everything she had?  Now there isn't a stigma against a woman who sleeps with a man she loves.  Please give me your opinion.

Sincerely,
Ready To Wed

Dear Ready To Wed,

Yes, it would be wrong if you slept with him before marriage.  God understands the strain and toll that waiting for marriage takes upon young couples, and He provides a solution if the strain becomes too great… get married.  1 Cor 7:9 specifically says that it is better to marry than to burn with passion.  You said that you are getting married next September.  Wedding dates are set for reasons of convenience, location, weather, etc.  All of those reasons pale in comparison to living pure and faithful lives before God.  If you and your fiancé cannot wait without sinning, then you must flee fornication (1 Cor 6:18) and get married now.  The pomp and circumstance of a formal wedding ceremony is not as important as going to heaven.  Pre-marital sex will taint your relationship with your future husband and with God.

The Bible’s teachings are timeless and unwavering.  Just because culture changes doesn’t mean God does (Jas 1:17).  It is a sad thing that today’s society accepts pre-marital sex.  Be bold; be different… be pure (2 Tim 2:22).

I heard that some churches REQUIRE you to give ten percent of your income in order to be a member of the church; do you think that's right?  This also means that you have to let people know how much you make every year (the exact amount) just to be a member!!!!!  I think that's an invasion of people's private life.  However much someone makes is none of anyone's business.

Honestly, I don't have a problem giving my tithe; I do it faithfully, but for those who don't want to give faithfully, I think that should be between them and God.  God will decide what to do with them, not us.

What do you think about this issue?  Is it right to make it a REQUIREMENT for people to give a tithe in order to be a member of a church?

Sincerely,
Not Paying For A Pew

Dear Not Paying For A Pew,

No, it isn’t right to require people to give ten percent of their income… in fact, tithing isn’t even a commandment in the New Testament.  In the New Testament (which is the law that christians follow), we are told to “give cheerfully” and “give as we have purposed” (2 Cor 9:7).  Ten percent is a good rule of thumb because we see that being the standard in the Old Testament, but it isn’t a requirement.  If any congregation teaches that you have to give ten percent to be a member of the church – it is a false church.  That kind of teaching goes beyond the Scriptures and should be condemned for its arrogance (1 Cor 4:6).  On the first day of the week (Sunday), the church should take up a collection from the christians, and each member must decide for themselves to give as they have been prospered (1 Cor 16:1-2).  The religious world is full of greedy and covetous religious leaders, and they are wrong (Tit 1:10-11).  If you would like help finding a congregation that is faithful to God’s Word in your area, please e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org, and we will do our best to help you find a church in your area.

Are we born sinners or born into sin?  My boyfriend’s mom said we are all saved, but the Bible says that if you believe with your heart and confess with your mouth, then you will be saved... so if you haven’t done either, how are you saved?

Sincerely,
Lost On Salvation

Dear Lost On Salvation,

We aren’t born sinners (all babies are born pure and without sin just like Adam and Eve – read “What About The Children” to better understand the spiritual state of children), but we also aren’t all saved (Matt 7:13).  Though it is true that all adults have sinned (Rom 3:23), sin is a choice… not a genetic birth defect.

When an adult breaks God’s laws and commits sin (and we all do), they die spiritually (Rom 6:23).  The only person to never sin was Jesus Christ (Heb 4:15).  All the rest of us have sinned and, therefore, are impure and unfit to dwell eternally in heaven.  It is only through Jesus’ blood that we can be freed from our sin (1 Jn 1:7).  Jesus says that He will cleanse us of our sin if we have faith in Him (Gal 3:22).  We learn how to have faith in Jesus through the Bible (Rom 10:17).  In our post “What Must I Do To Be Saved”, we explain what the Bible requirements are for salvation.  (You mentioned belief and confession, which are two of the requirements).  If we haven’t put our faith in Christ, we will not be saved.  The only way to get to heaven is through faith in Jesus (Jhn 14:6).

Would Jesus approve of people today praying where others can hear them (which all churches do today)?

Below is what I find in the Bible from Jesus:

Jesus said,  "When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites who love to stand up and pray in the houses of worship and on street corners, in order to be noticed.  I give you My word, they are already repaid."

"When you pray, go to a room, close the door, and pray to your Father alone.  And your Father who sees what no person sees, will hear your prayer and repay you."

"Do not pray like the pagans who use a lot of meaningless words in their prayers and think that God will hear them because their prayers are long.  Do not be like them."

"When you pray, keep in mind that the Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

Sincerely,
Solitary Confinement

Dear Solitary Confinement,

Jesus had no problem with public prayer... He prayed publicly in front of five thousand people (Jhn 6:10-11).  Jesus only rebuked public prayer when it was done “in order to be seen by men” (Matt 6:5).  Our prayers should never be about being noticed; they should be fervently and faithfully directed at God (Jas 1:5-7).  There are times to publicly pray, especially when we are praying together for a common concern (like the christians who prayed for Peter’s freedom - Acts 12:12).

Pray with others, pray publicly… but pray sincerely and avoid showmanship and other vain behaviors (Matt 6:7).  And above all, don’t only pray publicly.  God wants to hear from you privately as well (Matt 6:6).