Bible Questions and Answers

When God made Adam, he gave him a commandment to keep, with the warning that the penalty for disobeying it would be death.

Genesis 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Adam disobeyed and came under the sentence of death. Eventually he died. All Adam’s offspring share his nature and cannot live without disobeying God.

Disobedience is called sin. The sentence for just one sin is death.

Ezekiel 18:4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

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

Soul is a translation of a Hebrew word which means ‘creature’.

The same word is used of animals where it is translated ‘creature’.

Contrary to popular belief. the soul is not immortal.

This means that due to Adam’s disobedience and our own subsequent disobedience, we are born, and live, under the sentence of 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:

God’s purpose was, and is, 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.

God’s glory will be in the form of men and women raised to the divine nature in whom and with whom God will live forever.

After Adam’s sin, God promised a redeemer who would reverse the sentence of death for those who believed God and tried to live by his commandments. Thus, allowing God to forgive their sins and raise them from the dead to eternal life on the earth at a predetermined time in the future.

God’s promised redeemer was Jesus Christ, a man conceived of a woman by the power of God.

Jesus Christ was thus constituted the Son of God.

He lived a life without sin and gave it in sacrifice to redeem the faithful of all ages.

On the third day God raised him from the dead to eternal life.

Forty days later he ascended to Heaven to await the day appointed by God for his return.

Acts 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

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.

To take advantage of God’s offer of redemption, we must believe and obey the gospel preached by Jesus Christ and his apostles.

This involves:

1. Understanding the gospel

2. Repenting of our sinful way of life (changing the way we live).

3. Being baptised by immersion in water for the remission of past sins.

4. Emerging from the water to live a new life by the commandments of Jesus Christ.

Because of our nature, we cannot live a sinless life after baptism, but we are promised that providing we are making a determined effort to live by Christ’s commandments (described as ‘walking in the light’), 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.

Those who believe and obey the gospel will be raised from the dead to eternal life when Christ returns from heaven.

Only God knows the day of Christ’s return; it cannot be worked out from scripture.

Matthew 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

When Christ returns, he will restore the kingdom of Israel as the kingdom of God and will rule the world in righteousness for 1000 years.

During this time wars will cease; crime will be supressed, and everyone will be taught the truth.

At the end of this1000-year reign there will be a second resurrection and a final judgment. Sin and death will be eradicated and all who live on will posses the divine nature and God will be ‘all in all’.

Paul explains 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 1000-year 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.

So we see that salvation consists of being raised from the dead to eternal life to be a part of the glory of God with which he intends to fill the earth.

May I suggest that you read:  

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

I hope this helps.

God bless,
Glenn