I was reading in Rev 22:19, and I firmly believe that once saved, always saved, but I’m having a tough time figuring this verse out.  What are your thoughts on it?

Sincerely,
Conflicted

Dear Conflicted,

We wouldn’t be so quick to hold firm to the teaching “once saved, always saved”.  The idea that you can’t ever lose your salvation is a warping of Christ’s message in Jhn 10:27-29.  “Once saved, always saved” is a basic doctrine of Calvinism (read “Calvin And Sobs” for more details on the errors of Calvinism).

The Bible clearly says that you can lose your salvation.  Heb 3:12 says that we must be wary and protect our hearts because an evil, unbelieving heart can fall away.  2 Pet 3:17 says that we can lose our salvation if we get caught up in false teaching (1 Tim 4:1 also states this).  If we return to a life of ungodliness, then we crucify Christ again (Heb 6:4-6).  Rev 22:19 is another great example of how our lives must be faithful unto death if we wish to receive the heavenly prize (Rev 2:10).

     My wife says she won't be submissive; she says she never has and never will, and if that’s the way I think, maybe we should end our marriage.  She also says that submission was only a thing of that time period.  I want to live the best christian life that I can; what should I say or do?

Sincerely,
Too Aggressive?

Dear Too Aggressive,

The Bible never commands a husband to make his wife submit.  God commands husbands to love their wives and wives to submit to their husbands (Eph 5:24-25).  You cannot force your wife to submit to you, nor is it your job to do that.  She will answer to God for the choices she makes in your marriage, and you will answer to God for the choices you make.

Love your wife and care for her as you do your own body (Eph 5:28).  Don't be embittered against her (Col 3:19).  These are the commands to a husband.  When you live a godly life and follow your responsibilities, you show her that there is another way to live.  When a husband lives up to his biblical responsibilities, he becomes a leader in his home.  When he does that, his wife has a leader worth following.

    After Christ's sacrifice, the Old Testament law things were done away with (like circumcision and animal sacrifices), so then, why does James say to abstain from blood in Acts 15:20 and also in a letter saying the same thing in Acts 15:29 if this, too, was part of the Old Testament law?  And is this after Jesus' death?

Sincerely,
Legal Trouble

Dear Legal Trouble,

Not every Old Testament law was done away with in the New Testament.  For example, murder is wrong in both the New and Old Testament (Rom 1:29, Ex 20:13).  Christians are not bound to follow the Old Testament law because we are no longer under that law (Gal 3:24-25), but if an Old Testament law is repeated in the New Testament, that means the rule is applicable to christians.

The Old Testament laws concerning what could and could not be eaten can be found in Lev. 11, but there is only one type of food that christians still cannot eat – blood (Acts 15:29).  When an animal is killed, some cultures will strangle the animal so as to keep the blood in the meat (as opposed to draining the blood out).  Things like blood sausage, blood soup, blood stew, etc. are popular dishes in some countries, but eating them is wrong.  All other food is clean for New Testament christians… Jesus said so Himself in Mk 7:19.

     Hello, preacher.  I am a sixteen-year-old young lady who is living in fear, and I want it to stop.  I’m scared that God will come at this very moment, and I had an anxiety attack over that.  I’m scared of death, and I’m trying to accept it because it is a part of life, but it just scares me so much.  I’m also scared that if I die, God won’t accept me in His kingdom, and I don’t want to go to hell.  I feel like I’m living in fear, waiting for the worse to happen, when I want to live in faith and wait for good to happen.  Please help me get over this fear.

Sincerely,
Afraid

Dear Afraid,

We fear that which we don’t feel prepared for.  Someday, Jesus will return, and we need to all be ready for that day.  Anyone that tells you they know when Jesus will return is lying because the Bible says He will return like a thief in the night when we least expect it (1 Thess 5:2-3).  However, Jesus will return, and whether it happens two days from now or two hundred years from now, we must all be prepared to meet our Maker.  There are two things that you can do to make sure you are ready for the Judgment Day.  The first is to make sure you have properly obeyed the Bible and become a christian. Read “Five Steps To Salvation” for exactly what the Bible says God expects us to do to get forgiveness from our sins.  After you have made sure to obey the Bible’s call for salvation, God expects us to live a life of faith where we learn and grow closer to Him (1 Pet 2:1-2).  One of the most important parts of that growth process is to become involved with a faithful church that can help you learn and encourage you as you grow (Heb 10:24-25).  Not all churches are faithful, and there is a lot of false teaching in the religious world (1 Jn 4:1, Matt 24:11).  We would be happy to help you find a faithful congregation near you; just e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org.

     What if you have done something that’s a sin, but you didn’t know it was?

Sincerely,
Ignorant

Dear Ignorant,

An unintentional sin is still a sin, and we need the grace of God to forgive us of it.  In the Old Testament, Jews were commanded to offer sin offerings for unintentional sins (Lev 4:2-3).  A sincere person making mistakes is certainly better than someone purposefully seeking out sin, but an honest mistake is still a mistake.

Jesus Christ came and gave His life, so those who wish to live godly lives could get a second chance and forgiveness for the sins they regretted.