I believe, or should say I want to believe, I am love and called for something more, but have yet to feel the full presence of God.  But tonight, in a very real time of doubt, I was called to a non-existent verse, yet it led me straight to a passage that read, "These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues;” (Mk 16:17)

Please tell me this is not false faith?  Am I not just as important as Moses, Noah, Job, or other "men" of faith?

Sincerely,
Hoping For Spirituality

Dear Hoping For Spirituality,

We are all equally important in God's eyes, but that doesn't mean that we all are called for the same purpose or that we all should receive miraculous abilities to prophecy, speak in tongues, or cast out demons.  Miraculous gifts are no longer present in the church.  They are no longer needed because we have the complete and perfect Word of God (1 Cor 13:8-10).  For further details on this, read “Speaking in Tongues”, “The Lost Art of Prophecy”, and “Spoken Like A True Friend”.

Mark 16:17 is not referring to all Christians, but instead it is referring to the “signs that would accompany” Christianity.  As the gospel first spread, God used miracles to attest to the authenticity of the apostles’ claims that Jesus was the Son of God (Mk 16:20).  These signs and wonders were God’s way of supernaturally bearing witness to the preaching (Heb 2:2-4).  Miracles do not make you a Christian; obedience to the will of God does (Rom 12:2).  Read “What Must I Do To Be Saved?” to understand, verse-by-verse, what it takes to become a Christian.  Do not accept anything but the Scriptures.  Only God’s Word holds the answers to our salvation (Rom 1:16).

     After Jesus' time on Earth, there were people spread throughout the entire Earth.  What happened to the Indians of America and South America?  None of them had any idea whom Jesus was until the Spanish Catholic missionaries forced them to listen.  There was a thousand plus year difference between Jesus' death and that Spanish conquering.  If the only way into heaven is through Jesus Christ, how is it that someone who has never heard of Him is going to spend an eternity in damnation?  I know this is quite a lot, but as a Christian, I need to search for these answers to further myself as a better minister.

Sincerely,
Spanish Inquisitor

Dear Spanish Inquisitor,

Let’s address your concerns about those who didn’t hear about Christ until many years after His death and resurrection.  God has always given every human the chance to live a life of faith in Him.  During the transitional period from Judaism to Christianity, and during the time it took for God’s Word to spread across the globe, God dealt with ignorant nations the same way He always has.

We have a single statement in the book of Romans that hints at what kind of law the nations were under before hearing of Christ.  Rom 1:14-15 says that the Gentiles (Gentile means ‘non-Jew’) had a law of conscience written by God on their hearts.  This doesn’t tell us much, but it does point out that God had a system for judging the Gentiles… it was just different than the system He used for judging the Jews or today uses for judging Christians.  Rom 1:20 says that God’s invisible attributes are clearly seen in the world around us and that everyone is accountable for recognizing God’s sovereignty regardless of what other knowledge they have.  These verses just give a glimpse at the pre-Christian Gentile world, but it is enough to paint a picture that God had a plan; we just don’t know exactly how it worked.  We do, however, know that God judges righteously, and no one will ever accidently end up in hell (2 Tim 4:8).

     Will a Christian man ever get back on the path of life after sleeping with an adulteress woman?

Sincerely,
I Really Messed Up

Dear I Really Messed Up,

Yes, you can be forgiven, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences for your actions.  Paul said that he was chief amongst sinners, and yet, Christ forgave him (1 Tim 1:15-16).  Forgiveness is available when we confess our sins to Christ (1 Jn 1:9) and repent of them (Acts 3:19).  ‘Repentance’ means to ‘change your mind’… literally to make a change in how you think and act.  If you haven’t already stopped the adulterous relationship, you need to – now.  You also need to come clean about it; honesty and truth are a foundational concept in Christianity (Jhn 8:32).  Deception destroys; open truth illuminates (Jhn 3:19-20).  You have dug a big hole for yourself… it is time to get to work filling that hole back in.

Of course, all of this is moot if you aren’t a christian yet.  To see what the Bible says it takes to become a christian, read “What Must I Do To Be Saved?”.  It is obvious you want God’s forgiveness, and the Bible is the only book that can tell you how to get it.

In previous posts, you said that you had to be baptized to be saved.  What about the thief on the cross?  Wasn't he saved?  And what about those that accept Jesus by grace on their deathbeds?  Are they in Hell today because they never were baptized?  Isn't baptism a work?  Then how do you interpret Rom. 11:6 and Eph. 2:8-9?

Sincerely,
By Grace Alone

Dear By Grace Alone,

The thief on the cross is a bit of a different issue than Rom 11:6 and Eph 2:8-9.  Read our post “The Thief On The Cross” for a full answer to the baptism issue in regard to the thief.  Now, let’s address the issue of baptism being a “work”.

Baptism is a work – it is a work of faith.  Romans and Ephesians are addressing people who think they can be saved by working hard enough to earn salvation.  Rom 3:28 says that a man isn’t saved by the works of law, but Jas 2:18-20 says that there is such a thing as works of faith, and without works of faith we can’t be saved.  Works of the law are when people try and earn salvation by living perfect or “good enough” lives.  We are told that this won’t work because if we stumble in even one area of live, we are now sinners and guilty as law breakers (Jas 2:10).  However, when we admit that we sin and seek to live a life of faith in Christ, we still must show obedience to what the Word of God says (Rom 10:17).  The difference is that we aren’t expected to be perfect anymore, instead we are told to admit our sin and move forward (1 Jn 1:9).  The Bible says that we must be baptized to be saved (1 Pet 3:21, Mk 16:16, Acts 2:37-38, Rom 6:4, Gal 3:27).  If the Bible says it is a requirement, then we must each faithfully accept God at His Word.  We should leave the deathbed confessions to God’s judgment and make sure that we are baptized and ready before it gets to that point.  Thankfully, God is the final judge of such situations, not us (2 Tim 4:1).

     I'm a born-again christian.  I believe the Bible and have faith in Jesus Christ.  However, there is one sin that I seem to continuously go to willingly.  After this sin, I pray and ask God to forgive me and to give me help to not commit the sin again, yet, I find myself committing it once more.  After sinning, I'm always fearful for my spiritual life and repent saying that I will never do it again.  Idle hands truly are the devil’s work!  Should I be fearful for my salvation?  I'm not looking for a ‘yes’ in hopes of continuing to commit the sin.  I'm just trying to put my mind at rest and for answers on how to stop committing this sin.  Thanks and God bless.

Sincerely,
Repeat Offender

Dear Repeat Offender,

There are two parts to your question:

1. How many times can I ask for forgiveness for the same sin?
2. How do I remove this sin from my life?

The answer to the first question is simple. You can ask for forgiveness an innumerable amount of times. Christ told Peter that we should forgive ‘seventy times seven’ (Matt 18:21-22). Paul was forgiven of his sins even after killing christians and actively persecuting the church (1 Tim 1:16). As often as we truly repent, God is ready to forgive (Lk 17:4). It is quite possible to truly repent of something and then find yourself doing that same thing not minutes later. It happens in arguments all the time! You say something mean, apologize, then find yourself upset again, and again use rash words. The repeating of the cycle is not necessarily an indication of false sorrow.

However, the second part of your question deals with stopping this cycle. God will forgive you for stumbling again into the same sin, but only if you are truly attempting to change your mind. Paul reminds us that we are to do everything we can to flee from the slavery to sin (Rom 6:1-2, Rom 6:12-13). Without knowing what sin you are caught up in, I can’t give specific advice, but I recommend getting help if it is as consuming as you say. Many sins can become addictions that are very hard to break. Here are some things to consider:

1. Are you trying to change all on your own? God says two are stronger than one (Eccl 4:9-10). In the case of sin like pornography, many people try and struggle through it alone without seeking help because of the shame involved in it becoming known. This rarely, if ever, works. Telling someone, even just one trusted friend, and using things like Covenant Eyes accountability software can make all the difference in such circumstances.
2. Are you putting yourself in compromising situations? People with drug and alcohol addictions are often tempted back into their old habits by drinking buddies or parties where drugs are made available. You may need to cut off certain people and habits from your life in order to escape that sort of sin. Remember, Christ said it would be better to remove even your own hand if it would free you from a sin (Matt 5:30).

Removing sin from our lives is a constant struggle. God is ready to forgive you ‘seventy times seven’ as you fight to defeat this sin, but you must look yourself in the mirror and make sure you are taking the steps necessary to change your life.