Bible Questions and Answers

First of all, we must understand that God has a purpose with his creation.

This purpose is explained in the scriptures that make up the Bible.

The scriptures were written by inspiration of God and can be trusted.

2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

God made the earth to be inhabited.

Isaiah 45:18 For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the LORD; and there is none else.

God intends to fill the earth with his glory,

Numbers 14:21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.

This glory will be in the form of men and women raised to the divine nature, in whom and with whom God will live for eternity.

2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

God doesn’t want robots.

He designed us with free will so that we can choose whether to obey him or not.

We can obey God and live or disobey God and die.

Disobedience to God is sin.

The penalty for all sin is death.

Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die…

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death…

Adam and Eve disobeyed God in Eden by eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

By disobeying God, they brought sin and death upon themselves and all their descendants.

We all sin and are therefore condemned to death.

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Despite a common false belief that we have an immortal soul that lives on after death, the Bible doesn’t teach this.

The bible teaches that we do not possess a soul but rather are a living soul which at death becomes a dead soul.

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul…

When we die and are placed in the grave our soul is placed in the grave.

Job 33:22 Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.

Psalms 30:3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

Psalms 49:15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

Psalms 89:48 What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave?

In death there is no consciousness.

Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing…

Psalms 146:4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

For this reason, death is likened to sleep.

1 Kings 2:10 So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.

Acts 7:60 And he (Stephen) kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

God has provided a way of escape for those who do not desire to live in sin but want to be part of God’s purpose.

God has provided Jesus Christ as a redeemer for us.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Because of Christ’s sinless life and sacrifice we can have our sins forgiven, be raised from the dead when Christ returns, and be given eternal life.

John 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

How this is possible is described in the gospel preached by Jesus Christ and his apostles.

When we hear the gospel, God requires a response from us.

1. We must understand and believe the gospel.

2. We must repent of our sinful way of life (change the way we live).

3. We must be baptised into Christ by immersion in water for the remission (forgiveness) of past sins.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…

4. After baptism we must live a new life by the commandments of Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

5. We must hold fast to the end of our lives.

Matthew 10:22… he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

We cannot live a sinless life.

After baptism we will still sin, but providing we are making a determined effort to live by Christ’s commandments our sins will be forgiven by confession in prayer.

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

When we are baptised into Christ we are baptised into a body of believers.

1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

In this body we each have our part to play for the edification of the whole.

One ordinance is enjoined upon the body – That is to meet often and share bread and wine in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice.

1 Corinthians 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.

We must take this as an opportunity to examine ourselves to see whether we are living by Christ’s commandments.

1 Corinthians 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

When we die, we ‘sleep’ in the grave awaiting the return of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

When Christ returns, he will raise the dead and judge the world in righteousness.

Acts 17:31 Because he (God) hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Those who are found faithful will be given eternal life.

Christ will restore the kingdom of David as the kingdom of God and reign from Jerusalem over the mortal population of the earth for 1000 years.

Luke 1:32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Matthew 6:10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Isaiah 2:1 The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

At the end of the millennial reign there will be a second resurrection and final judgment.

Those rejected will die again and perish forever, those who are found faithful will be given eternal life upon earth and God will be ‘all in all’.

Paul describes what is going to happen:

1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign (the millennial reign), till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

In Christ we are to live lives guided by love for others, helping them in practical ways.

Matthew 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

If we live by Christ’s precepts, we will be rewarded with eternal life on the earth in the age to come.

Psalms 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

This is described in Revelation 21:

Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

May I suggest that you read:

Your Share in God's Promises https://www.thisisyourbible.com/library/show/181

I hope you find this helpful.

God bless,
Glenn