DOES GOD LOVE YOU? Q I sometimes wonder if God loves me. If He is a loving God, why is there so much suffering and sorrow in the world? A In His book called the Bible, God explains that our sins are the cause for all the suffering and sorrow. It is true that God reveals His love to the whole world, as we read in one of the most quoted verses in the Bible: For God so [in this way]* loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. {* The words in brackets [ ] have been added for explanation purposes.} John 3:16 However, God has more to say: For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Psalm 1:6 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness. Proverbs 15:9 Q But I am not wicked. I am a decent, moral person. Surely the good I have done in my life far outweighs whatever bad I have done. How can these verses apply to me? A By God’s standard of righteousness, even the most moral person is looked upon by God as a desperate sinner on his way to Hell. The Bible teaches that no one is good enough in himself to go to Heaven. On the contrary, we are all sinners, and we are all guilty before God. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. Romans 3:10-11 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.Proverbs 14:12 Q If I am such a wicked person in God’s sight, what will God do to me? A The Bible teaches that at the end of the world all the wicked will come under God’s final punishment in a place called Hell on this earth and this time is very near. There is much Biblical evidence that the rapture of believers will occur on May 21, 2011 and this world will cease to exist on October 21, 2011. Please contact Family Radio for the free books,Time Has An End and “We Are Almost There” that offers a great amount of Biblical information concerning the time table and judgment for the end of the world. For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. I will heap mischiefs upon them; I will spend mine arrows upon them. They shall be burnt with hunger, and devoured with burning heat, and with bitter destruction: I will also send the teeth of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust. Deuteronomy 32:22-24 Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man’s heart discerneth both time and judgment. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. Ecclesiastes 8:5-6 Q Oh, come on now! Surely things are not that bad. God really does not mean that He will destroy man and burn up the earth, does He? A Indeed God does mean that it will be a horrible time to be alive when He makes this earth into a literal Hell for 5 months. Then God will destroy this earth, and everything that is in it, with fire. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. Revelations 9:5 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up 2 Peter 3:10 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:49-50 . . . the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. II Thessalonians 1:7-9 Q That is terrible! Why would God destroy man? A Because God created man to be accountable to God for his actions. God’s perfect justice demands payment for sin. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23 For the wages of sin is death... Romans 6:23 Q How terrible! Does the Bible offer any hope whereby a person can escape destruction? A Indeed it does; there exists someone who is the substitute in bearing the punishment of bitter and shameful destruction for our sins. That someone is God Himself, who came to earth as Jesus Christ to bear the wrath of God for all whom He came to save. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. I Corinthians 15:3-4 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. II Corinthians 5:21 Q Are you saying that if Christ is my substitute, the One punished for my sins, then I will not have to worry about being destroyed? A Yes, this is so! If I have become saved, then Christ as my substitute has paid for my sins. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:36 Q But what does it mean to believe on Him? If I agree with all that the Bible says about Christ as Savior, then am I saved from being destroyed forevermore? A Believing on Christ means a whole lot more than agreeing in my mind with the truths of the Bible. It means that I have come to trust the whole Bible as God’s Law book to me. It also means that I have an ongoing earnest desire to be obedient to all of the commands of the Bible. Thus I find I am truly happy when I am living like God instructs me in the Bible. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. I John 2:3 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24 Q Are you saying that there is no way that I can escape that destruction except through Jesus? What about other religions? Will their followers also be destroyed? A Yes, indeed. They cannot escape the fact that God holds us accountable for our sins. God demands that we pay for our sins. Other religions, including many who use the name of Jesus Christ, cannot provide a substitute to bear the sins of their followers. Christ is the only one who is able to bear our guilt and shame and save us. Therefore one must leave his religion and come to trust only the Bible. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; I Timothy 2: 5 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12 Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6 Q Now I am desperate. I do not want to be destroyed. What can I do to become saved? A There is nothing you can do to get yourself saved. The Bible tells us that only God can save you. God performs the mighty miracle of salvation by applying the Word of God (the Bible) to the hearts and lives of those He plans to save. The effect of this miracle of salvation on the saved person’s life is that now he has a love for God and the Bible. He now is happiest when he is obeying God’s Law book, the Bible. Thus if a person truly desires to become saved, he should spend much time carefully reading or listening to the Bible. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Ephesians 2:8 And a certain woman named Lydia. . . heard us [Paul who brought the Gospel to her]* whose heart the Lord opened. . . Acts 16:14 Q You keep referring to the Bible. How important is the Bible? A The Bible is the most important book in the world because it is God’s Law book to the human race. By reading or listening to the Bible, a person is in a place where God can save him, if that is God’s will for that person. Additionally he will also learn many wonderful and awesome truths about God, His wrath and His salvation plan. Effectively, he is hearing the voice of God because God is the author of the Bible, and therefore is speaking to him by His Words (The Bible). The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. Psalm 19:7 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Psalm 119:1 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.[the Bible]* Romans 10:17 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. Revelations 1:3 Q Can I pray that God might be merciful and save me? A Absolutely YES! God is very merciful. Therefore, the Bible tells us that we can and should pray to Him, begging and pleading for mercy, for salvation, admitting that we are sinners who deserve the wrath of God. This will not get us saved, but we will have the assurance that God knows of our intense desire to become saved. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Luke 18:13 Q Should I attend a church? A Definitely NOT! The Bible tells us that for almost 2000 years after Jesus died on the cross, those who believe in Jesus, if possible, were to be members of a church. But now we learn from the Bible that God is no longer saving people through the ministry of the churches. The church age has come to an end. Fact is God commands in His Law book, the Bible, that the true believers are to leave their church. This is because God’s righteous Judgment is upon all local congregations as God is preparing the world for Judgment Day. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, whoso readeth, let him understand, Then let them which be in Judaea [the local churches]* flee into the mountains:[to Christ] Matthew 24:15,16 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God [the local churches]: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:17) We must remember we cannot be saved by a church or by a pastor or by a priest, or by water baptism or by the communion service. Only the Lord Jesus Christ who is God Himself can save us. The Bible teaches that at this present time, when we are very near the end of time, that it is outside the churches that God is saving a great multitude of people. After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; Revelation 7:9 You can obtain from Family Radio without any cost or obligation the free books “The End of the Church Age and After” and “Wheat and Tares” . They offer a great amount of Biblical information that shows us that we have come to the end of the church age. To receive free copies, call 1-800-543-1495 (USA only) or send your request to: Family Radio 290 Hegenberger Rd Oakland, CA 94621. Make sure to give your full name and mailing address. Q Please tell me more how God saves people. A The Bible in John 11 gives an outstanding example showing that God alone does all the work of saving us. Christ brought to life a man named Lazarus who had been dead for four days. Jesus stood outside of the tomb of Lazarus and commanded “Lazarus come forth”. Obviously the stinking corpse within the tomb could not hear Him or obey Him. Yet Lazarus did hear Jesus’ command and did come out of the tomb, a live person. How did that happen? It meant that when Jesus commanded the dead Lazarus to come forth, Jesus in His Spirit had to enter that tomb and give that stinking corpse physical life, ears to hear, and a will and strength to obey the command of Christ. The Bible tells us that before we are saved, we are spiritually dead. Yet God commands us to seek God, to believe, to repent. However, just as it was impossible for the dead Lazarus to obey Jesus’ command to come out of the tomb, it is impossible for a spiritually dead person to obey God’s command to believe on Jesus for salvation. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44 Likewise for those whom God plans to save as He commands us to believe, to repent, to become saved, He is speaking to spiritual corpses who of themselves could never become saved. Yet there are those who begin to believe on Jesus as Savior, who find that they are happiest when they do God’s will. The evidence is in their life that somehow they had become saved. This can only happen because as God commanded them to believe, God also entered their life and saved them. Because He saved them they found they had come to believe on Jesus. They found that sin had become very unpleasant to them. It was evident God had chosen them to become saved. As they heard the Gospel, God applied the Word of God to their lives and they became saved. If you are not saved, listen diligently to the Bible. Carefully and prayerfully read and read the Bible. It may be that you, too, will receive salvation as God through His Law book, the Bible, calls you. Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger. Zephaniah 2:3 NO MATTER HOW AWFULLY YOU HAVE LIVED OR HOW TERRIBLY YOU HAVE SINNED, IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THAT BY GOD’S MERCY YOU, TOO, HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY GOD TO BECOME SAVED. Remember, however, that God does everything in His time. Therefore, you should patiently wait upon the Lord while you continue to learn from the Bible. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. Lamentations 3:26 In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:7, 8 May God have mercy upon you and save you from His final destruction.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 09:47:44 +0000
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