Answers to Some of Life’s Most Pressing Questions – Part II

“The West has lost Christ, and that is why it is dying; that is the only reason.” Fyodor Dostoevsky  Russian novelist, short story writer, essayist, journalist and philosopher   1821-1881

Even though this stark observation was made somewhere around 150 years ago, it still has surprising relevance to the spiritual condition of most Americans. Even though we have multiple Christian churches in every town (compared to other nations), in some places seemingly on every block, there is an alarming lack of theological and experiential knowledge of the risen Lord of lords and King of kings Jesus Christ among most Americans.

Thankfully in the U.S.A. we have a history of waves of spiritual revival and awakening breaking forth at some of our darkest moments as a nation over these last three hundred years or so. Some believe we are on the verge of another such wave.

Thankfully our God in His goodness has provided clear answers in the Bible to questions more and more people are asking in these days. May the Holy Spirit open your eyes and ears to His truth as you seek to answer these next seven questions.

7.        What will be the penalty for those found to not be acceptable in God’s sight when He returns or when we die?    

·       “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.” Daniel 12:2

·       “Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 22:13

8.        What do I need to know about the coming judgment?  Who all will be judged?        

·       “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways.” Ezekiel 33:20

·       “For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”  Ecclesiastes 12:14

 9. How early does sin and wickedness begin to develop in a person?

·       “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.” Psalm 51:5

·       “The wicked are estranged from the womb; Those who speak lies go astray from birth (lit. the womb).”   Psalm 58:3

10.  Did Jesus just come to spread love, spread some nice teachings and then die a tragic death?                                                                                                                                       

·      “And He (God) ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this (Jesus) is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.” Acts10:42      

·      “because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”Acts17:31     

·       “ I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom;” II Tim. 4:1

11.  Can I keep any secrets from God? Is there such a thing as a secret sin?  Just how much does God know about me?                                                                                                       

·       “O God, it is You who knows my folly, And my wrongs are not hidden from You.” Psalm 69:5

·       “You have placed our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your presence.”  Psalm 90:8

·       “For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.”  Ecclesiastes 12:14

• "on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus." Romans 2:16

·       “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:13

12.  Can any amount of good works get me favor with God and help me receive the gift of eternal life?                       

·      “being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;” Romans 3:24

·      “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.” Romans 3:28

·      “But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.”  Romans 4:5

·      “….but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9               

·      “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”  Titus 3:5

13.  What do I need to know about Jesus’s death on the cross?

·      “All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.”  Isaiah 53:6

·      “this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.” Acts 2:23,24

·      “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8     

·      “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” Romans 5:9 

·       “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of  His grace.” Ephesians 1:7

·       “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.”  I Peter 3:18

·      “And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” I Peter 2:24

·      “And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”  Revelation 5:9

Our Lord Jesus once declared, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand.”  John 10:27,28  May you have the joy of being one of His sheep as you learn to cling to His every word.