Frequently Asked Questions
The Bible tells us that all of creation points to the existence of God and informs us to a certain degree about what He is like.
Psalm 19:1-3
The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.
Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard. (Psalm 19:1-3)
“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made…” (Romans 1:20)
But, because God has revealed Himself to us in the Bible, through Jesus Christ, the Apostles and the Prophets, we can know with more certainty of His existence and His attributes.
God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. (Hebrews 1:1-3)
And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; (1 John 5:20)
God not only exists but He knows and loves each one of us very much. This is an awesome thought and one worthy of further investigation.
We explore this topic in greater depth on a separate page and invite you to give this further consideration there: God’s Existence
We can find lasting meaning and purpose in life because the foundation of our existence is God who created us to know Him and live the life He planned for us. God has created us so that we might experience His love and and the home He has provided for us to enjoy in His magnificent creation. God’s desire for us is to be in fellowship with Him and other people, loving and being loved, as we live the life He has planned for us all.
We explore this topic in greater depth on a separate page and we invite you to give this further consideration there: Meaning and Purpose
Because we believe that there is a God in heaven who has spoken to our world in the Bible revealing the truth about life, we also believe that we can know the answer to the question, “What will happen to me when I die?”. Jesus and the Apostles taught on many occasions that when a person dies they do not cease to exist but their soul continues to live on. Furthermore, that every soul will come before God to be judged after they physically die.
We explore this topic in more depth on a separate page and invite you to give this further consideration there: Life after Death
The apostle Paul who was called by God to proclaim the Gospel message explained that Jesus went to the cross and died for our sins so that those who believe in Him would be forgiven and saved.
Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 1:1-4)
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)
Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. (1 Corinthians 15:1-8)
To dive deeper into the topic of the Gospel Click Here.
A person is saved when all their sins have been forgiven. The apostle Paul compares all our sins to what he calls a “certificate of debt” which we have no way to cancel out by ourselves. But Jesus took that debt to the cross of calvary and died in our place paying the penalty of sin so that our debt of sin could be completely cancelled out.
When you were dead in your transgressions…, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. ( Colossians 2:13-14)
You can learn more about how to be saved here: “The Will of God”
To view a video presentation on how you can be saved please go to this youtube video by Pastor Mike Winger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajWdkuvrT6s
Yes, God wants you to begin a relationship with Him as your loving heavenly father. You can do that by believing in Jesus and receiving Him into your life as Savior and Lord.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name (John 1:12)
See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God (1 John 3:1)
You can learn more about knowing God here: https://harvest.org/know-god/how-to-know-god/
The apostle Paul wrote that all scripture is inspired by God.
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; (2 Timothy 3:16).
The Greek word “theopneustos” translated into the English word “inspired” means more literally “God-breathed”.
The apostle Peter helps us understand what inspiration means when he explained that the Old Testament prophets were men moved by the Spirit of God who then “spoke from God”.
…for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (2 Peter 1:20-21)
To learn more about why we believe that God has spoken to us in the Bible and the topic of Inspiration Click Here.
No, because the scriptures have been very carefully copied and passed down to us, the Bible we have today, except for minor copyist errors, is an accurate translation of the originals scriptures. This is consistent with what the Bible says about itself in both Old and New Testaments.
The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever. (Isaiah 40:8)
For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished (Matthew 5:18)
Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. (Matthew 24:35)
…you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. (1 Peter 1:23-25)
For an in depth treatment of the reliability of the text of the New Testament and how it has been passed down to us today Click Here.
Suggested Reading: “How We Got the Bible“; Neil R. Lightfoot; Baker Book House; Grand Rapids, Michigan. 2003.
God is spirit; (John 4:23-24) God is light; (1 John 1:5-6) God is love; (1 John 4:7-8); God is good; (Luke 18:19); God is eternal and immortal; (1 Timothy 1:7; 1 Timothy 6:15-16) God is the creator of all things; (Acts 17:24-25) He is the only true God; (Isaiah 45:22-23; John 17:3) to learn more about what the Bible says about God CLICK HERE.
The apostle Paul explained that the Bible can provide us with the spiritual wisdom and knowledge by which we can obtain salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, and that it is profitable in helping us learn about God and how He wants us to live our lives.
...from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:15-17)
The apostle John explained that the purpose of his Gospel was to demonstrate the Jesus was the Son of God, and that by believing in Him one could gain eternal life. It may not be an overstatement to say that in a way the entire Bible has this purpose.
Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:30-31)
If you have not already done so we encourage you to go to the home page and read through the first three main topics: God’s Word, God’s Love and God’s Will. There you will learn why it is believed that Jesus is the Son of God and more about the need that each person has to be saved. In the third topic “God’s Will” there is a clear explanation of what the Bible teaches about believing in Jesus and being saved. HOME PAGE
Yes, you can know for certain that when you die you will go to heaven. The apostle John wrote to assure those who had believed in Jesus of this very thing.
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:13)
Visit here to learn more about how you can know for sure about going to heaven: https://heavenornot.net
When a person breaks God’s law they have sinned. (1 John 3:4) When a person knows the right thing to do and does not do it they have sinned. (James 4:17) Even though sinful behavior can sometimes be pleasurable in the short term, it will bring unhappiness and enslavement in the end. (John 8:34-36) All men have sinned, and unless our sins are forgiven we will remain separated from God forever. (Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1-2; Revelation 20:14-15)
To learn more about the topic of sin CLICK HERE.
Jesus called Satan a murderer and the father of lies. (John 8:44) The apostle Paul refers to Satan and the demons as the “spiritual forces of wickedness” in heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:10-12) The apostle Peter describes the Devil as our enemy who is actively seeking to do us harm. (1 Peter 5:8) The apostle John wrote that Jesus came to destroy the works of the Devil. (1 John 3:8) Even though Satan has been allowed for a time to operate in this world he and the demons will one day be cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:10; Matthew 25:41)
Jesus said that He came to speak the words of God and to bear witness to the truth. (John 12:48-50; John 18:37-38) The apostle John wrote that Jesus came to give us understanding that we might come to know God. (1 John 5:20) Jesus also said that He came to seek and to save that which was lost and to give His life on the cross for the sins of the world. (Luke 19:10; Mark 10:45) The apostle Paul said Jesus came to save sinners. (1 Timothy 1:15)
If you have not already done so we encourage you to go to the home page and read through the first three main topics: God’s Word, God’s Love and God’s Will. There you will learn how God has spoken to our world through Jesus Christ and how He has provided for our salvation from sin. HOME PAGE
Yes, in fact this is what becoming a Christian is all about! The apostle Paul wrote that when a person believes in Jesus they are letting go of their past life in order to bring in a brand-new one. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Jesus Himself said that when a person believes in Him they will be born again and start a new spiritual life. (John 3:1-8)
Here is where you can learn more about starting a new life: forgive.me