Archive for category: Bible FAQ

The plan of salvation is very simple and some try to make it very complicated. When Jesus described salvation as a new birth, He was describing it as a new beginning, only in a different dimension. A person is saved by admitting he or she is a sinner, deserving of Hell because of sin, but trusting the finished work of Christ on the cross as the payment for sin. Salvation is not of works, lest any of us should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-10) “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Notice what the above Scriptures say. We are saved without our working righteousness, but good works should follow our salvation. Jesus calls baptism a work of “righteousness,” at His baptism by John. Read Matthew 3: 15 “And Jesus answering said unto him, ‘Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he suffered him.” John had hesitated baptizing Jesus, but our Lord told him that it was needful to “fulfil all righteousness.” God imputes righteousness to us through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He does this through faith, and faith alone. Romans 4: 5-7 “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, ‘Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.’”

No one is ready for baptism until they have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Paul, in describing his gospel that he received from Jesus Christ, in First Corinthians 15:1-4, never mentions water baptism. Paul told these same Corinthians that he was glad that he had baptized only two of them. (First Corinthians 1:14) Was he saying that he was glad that he had only led two of them to Christ? When the Phillipian jailer asked Paul and Silas what he had to do to be saved, they answered: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Later, after each member of the family accepted Christ, they were baptized as a testimony of their salvation, not as a part of being saved.

Some would point to First Peter 3:21 “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” Notice, though, that Peter is careful to point out that baptism does not put away the filth or sin of the flesh, but is an answer or a sign of the good conscience toward God. It is the symbol of identification with Jesus Christ or a confession of salvation.

Others would point to First John 5:6 “This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.” They would say that the water is baptism and that it is added to the work of Christ on the cross to achieve salvation. However, John makes it clear that he did not mean to teach that by giving a clear teaching later in that chapter in verses 11-13 “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

A couple of favorites for those who teach “Baptismal Regeneration” are Mark 3:16, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, etc. In each case, the word baptism follows belief or repentance. It is a sign that the person has done what God has said to be saved, or in the case of the Jews, that they had repented of not receiving the Messiah that God had sent. John the Baptist was baptizing Jews who were repenting of their sins, preparing them for the coming of the Savior. Twelve men, who had been baptized by John, later met Paul in Ephesus and were asked about their salvation. They had repented of their sin, been baptized by John, but were not saved. Once they professed Jesus Christ, they were baptized as a sign of their salvation and received the gift of the Holy Ghost.

In summary, to be saved you need to admit you are a sinner in need of a Savior to pay for your sins. Ask Jesus Christ to be your Savior and your Lord and trust His finished work on the cross for you. When you have done that, you are saved! To be an obedient Christian, be baptized and live the Christian life.

For more on this topic visit the BBN Bible Institute and register to study the course #00100 Basics Doctrines

What about the inspiration of the Bible? How do we know it is God’s Word? John Burton, Sr. wrote about this book,

Holy Bible, Book divine, Precious treasure, thou art mine:

Mine to tell me whence I came, Mine to teach me what I am.

Mine to chide me when I rove, Mine to show a Savior’s love;

Mine thou art to guide and guard, Mine to punish or reward;

Mine to comfort in distress – Suffring in this wilderness;

Mine to show, by living faith, Man can triumph over death;

Mine to tell of joys to come And the rebel sinner’s doom:

O thou holy Book divine, Precious treasure, thou art mine.

The Bible is the handbook for man, it is the instruction manual that gives the rules for life and for eternity. With everything that is manufactured, there are instructions for its use. Sometimes those instructions are hard to understand, and a phone number or address is given so that the reader can get in touch with someone who knows the meaning of the words in that document. The Bible does better than that. The Author of the instruction manual for mankind has promised to be with us at all times, especially when we are reading the Bible. Have you ever asked Him to explain to you what you have read in the Bible?”

The Bible gives the principles of life, life on earth and life in eternity, with more written on how we should live in this life than is written on how we need to live in Heaven. We will have changed bodies and minds when we get to Heaven, and we shall know, even as we are known. (First Corinthians 13:12. Its author is God, and it is the source of information about God, the textbook of Truth. Second Peter 1:21: “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”

Paul was led to describe the inspiration of the Bible in these words in Second Timothy 3: 16& 17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (or thoroughly equipped for every good work.)

The Bible is not to be judged by other books, but other ideas are to be judged by the Bible. There are those who would use science textbooks to evaluate the Bible and its content. Would these persons feel as comfortable using the textbooks of the 1800s or earlier for this same purpose? Or go back a few more centuries and use the scientific knowledge in vogue at that time. We must remember that true science is only a listing of truth learned by being able to duplicate a process. Theories should not be considered scientific truths, but are speculations based on the knowledge or experimentation that has been done. How would one go about duplicating the creation of the earth, or the miracles of the Bible. Has any scientist created a human being from the dust of the earth? Has any science book survived one hundred years of critical study and been accepted as truth? The Bible has withstood critical examinations for hundreds of years and is still Truth.

It is truth and speaks accurately even when the truth explained ran contrary to the accepted teaching of the time. In Isaiah 40:22, the Bible says: “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:” This was written when the earth was thought to be flat, and yet the idea of a round earth was taught accurately in the Bible.

For years, man tried to figure out what was holding up the earth. Interesting, but absurd ideas were concocted. Some has Atlas holding the world on his giant shoulder. Then someone asked what was supporting Atlas. Various ideas came forward, not the brightest of which was the suggestion that he stood on the shells of two giant turtles. Then, some inquiring mind asked what supported those two turtles. After some thought, someone decided that turtles can walk on mud, so they had the turtles on mud ponds. No one questioned what held up the mud, so this was accepted for years. Meanwhile, the Bible had already stated, in Job 26:7 “He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.” Oh, and by the way, modern telescopes confirm that empty place toward the north in the heavens. (Had the Bible stated that this empty space was in the east or west, there would have been reason for calling it in error, since east and west directions toward the heavens change each hour!)

In Leviticus 17:22, the Bible states that “For the life of the flesh is in the blood:” This was written thousands of years before that became medical truth. In fact, our first President died at Mount Vernon with a Bible alongside his bed. He had taken a horseback ride around the fields in a rain and caught a chill. His condition worsened, and a man was summoned who knew how to let blood, a common practice of the day to get rid of fever or disease. The report reads that the bloodletting continued until the blood ran very slowly from the vein. He was literally bled to death because the truth of the Bible was not accepted. While the Bible is not a science book, it is scientifically correct.

The Bible is not a textbook of history, but it is historically correct. For many years, critics of the Bible scoffed at its claim that Abraham came from Ur of the Chaldees. There was no “scientific proof that such a place existed. However, later excavations gave the proof that some were looking for. Ur of the Chaldees is mentioned in the Bible as the birthplace of Abraham, although there is no real evidence to support this statement. On a surer footing, it was the capital of the ancient civilisation of Sumeria, and was first excavated in 1922-34 by Sir Leonard Woolley. In fact, a search on the web recently turned up over 74,000 sites that mentioned Ur of the Chaldees. Again, the Bible has outlived its historical critics.

The Bible, alone, stands the test of time. A man once came to the blacksmith and watched him hammer red hot metal on the anvil. When the blacksmith put the metal back in the fire, and reheated it, the man asked him how many anvils he had gone through in his career. He said, “This is the one I started with, my friend.” I have had many hammers and a lot of metal has been formed on this anvil, but it is the same anvil. You see, it is the anvil that stands when all hammers and metal is gone.” The Bible is that anvil for the Christian. God has said, “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.” Psalm 119:89 Even if someone had the hammer that would break the Bible (and they do not), there is no way it could be used on the Word, because it is settled forever in Heaven.

Matthew Henry comments on this verse: “thou art the same, and with thee there is no variableness, and this is a proof of it. Thy word, by which the heavens were made, is settled there in the abiding products of it; or the settling of God’s word in heaven is opposed to the changes and revolutions that are here upon earth. All flesh is grass; but the word of the Lord endures for ever. It is settled in heaven, that is, in the secret counsel of God, which is hidden in himself and is far above out of our sight, and is immovable, as mountains of brass. And his revealed will is as firm as his secret will; as he will fulfil the thoughts of his heart, so no word of his shall fall to the ground; for it follows here, Thy faithfulness is unto all generations, that is, the promise is sure to every age of the church and it cannot be antiquated by lapse of time. The promises that look ever so far forward shall be performed in their season.

He produces, for proof of it, the constancy of the course of nature: Thou hast established the earth for ever and it abides; it is what it was at first made, and where it was at first placed, poised with its own weight, and notwithstanding the convulsions in its own bowels, the agitations of the sea that is interwoven with it, and the violent concussions of the atmosphere that surrounds it, it remains unmoved.”

Each cult has its own bible. It may be a book that is added to the Bible or it may be a book that substitutes for the Bible. In either case, the replacement book is a false source for truth. God said about His Book, the Bible, “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18 & 19. The Bible stands alone as God’s Word, and needs no additional book to explain or complete it.

For more on this topic see 050303 Divine Inspiration

It is said that on one occasion when the Green Bay Packers had played well beneath their capabilities, that then coach, Vince Lombardi came into the locker room and said (displaying a football in his hand) “Gentlemen, this is a football.” He meant that they needed to go back to basics and learn again the first principles of the game. We, too, I am afraid, need to go back to the basics of the Bible and learn all over again.

There is a God, just One, but there is a God who created this universe with all of its complexities and wonder. It did not just happen, it was created by an intelligent being, called God.

I look at a watch or an automobile, and I have no trouble believing that behind this thing there must be a person or person’s who designed and manufactured the item. There is the design, the functionality of the item, and a purpose for it. We would not assume that the watch or car resulted from an explosion in a junkyard. It was designed and made by a person, a thinking person. In like manner, the earth and man were designed and created by a person – God!

The Diest believe in a god who designed and created the world and mankind, then walked off into space and left man to figure out how to live and how to worship this unknown god.

The god of the Unitarian is not a person having life, but an invisible, intangible but very real something we call life. It is the total of all that we call good. Since our definition of “good” changes often, this would be a changing god.

The god of the Cults is created with the attributes that suit the teaching of each cult and will always resemble the personality of the cult leader. In the beginning, God created man, and the cults keep trying to return that favor by creating a god of their own.

The God of the Bible is a triune God, one God in three persons. We call this the Trinity. Each Person in the Godhead has a specific office. God the Father superintends the universe. God the Son is the Savior, and God the Holy Spirit is the in-dweller. All three were involved in the creation of the world and man. In Gen.1:1, the Hebrew word for God is ‘elohiym, which is a plural noun. It suggests a plurality in the Godhead. This is confirmed by the statement in Genesis 1:26 where God says, “Let us make man in our image.” Note the use of the plural pronoun but singular “image”.

Matthew Henry said this about man’s creation by God. “That man’s creation was a more signal and immediate act of divine wisdom and power than that of the other creatures. The narrative of it is introduced with something of solemnity, and a manifest distinction from the rest. Hitherto, it had been said, “Let there be light,” and “Let there be a firmament,” and “Let the earth, or waters, bring forth” such a thing; but now the word of command is turned into a word of consultation, “Let us make man, for whose sake the rest of the creatures were made: this is a work we must take into our own hands.”

In the former he speaks as one having authority, in this as one having affection; for his delights were with the sons of men, Pro. 8:31. It should seem as if this were the work which he longed to be at; as if he had said, “Having at last settled the preliminaries, let us now apply ourselves to the business, Let us make man.”

Since man is created in God’s image, let’s look at man for some clues to what God is like. Man is a trinity – body, soul, and spirit. Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” If, then, man is created in God’s image, God is also a trinity. Since each person is a single unit, God is one God, but a Trinity. Each part of man serves a different function. The body is the presence or that which gives uniqueness to the individual. The soul is the mind and personality of the individual, and the spirit is that part of man that enables him to communicate with the eternal God.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam was told: Genesis 2:15 “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 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.” Now, on that day on which the forbidden fruit was eaten, Adam and Eve did not die physically, their soul did not die. But they died spiritually that day, and had a wall between God and themselves. They ran and hid, rather than seek fellowship with God. They became guilty and in need of a Savior. The Word of God can cut deep into a person, bringing life to that spirit that is dead and giving new life. A redeemed person is, once again, the trinity that God created in the first man on earth, reflecting the Triune God.

This God has certain characteristics that are unique to Him. He is Omniscient, which means that He knows all there is to know about anything or anyone. Often we forget that He knows our every thought and our desires. We hesitate to confess our sins to Him, and yet He knows them better than we do. When Job was questioning God about his circumstances, God asked him some very pointed questions that Job could not answer.

Job 38: 4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. 5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? 6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; 12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place;”

God is also Infinite and Eternal. When Moses was confronted by God at the burning bush, and asked God for a name to give to Pharaoh for the One who was sending him on his mission, God answered: Ex 3:14 “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.” He is present at all times.

God is Omnipresent. The Psalmist put that this way in Psalm 139:7-10, “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.”

God is also Omnipotent, or all powerful. He said, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27. There is no one or nothing too hard for Him. My friend, your case is not too hard for Him.

God is also perfect Love. John 3:16 states His love most powerfully, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God loves you, my friend, and He wants you to enjoy Him forever in His heaven. Right now, where you are, you can receive His Son, Jesus Christ, as your personal Savior and Lord. Pray this prayer in your heart now, “God, I know that I am a sinner and that I need a Savior. I ask you to forgive all my sins and give me the eternal life that you promised in John 3:16..I now receive Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. Amen.” Now, if you prayed that prayer and mean it, contact us at www.bbnchat.org and tell us.

For more about this topic see: 080301 Biblical Doctrine of Creation
Or visit our BBN Bible Institute and register to study course # 50800 Understanding Creation

Reading the Bible is like eating food. It does the same thing for the soul that food does for the body. Neglecting the Bible reading and Bible study will make you a weak Christian. Just as eating food is a habit, and our body lets us know when we neglect it, so we need to stay in tune with the need of the soul for nutrition.

One spiritual Christian came up with a good way to make sure that Bible reading had its proper place. His motto was “No Bible, no breakfast!” That is tough duty, but if it takes that, it is worth it. Eating will cease one day, because the body will die. The soul will live on forever, in Heaven or in Hell. Does it not make sense to nourish the one that is eternal?

Some have found that having an accountability partner can encourage Bible reading. That person can ask, occasionally, what have you learned recently from the Word? The Bible says, “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17. Some businessmen meet each other at a place where they can have breakfast together, read the Bible, and discuss what they have read. Husband and wives can hold each other accountable by asking the same type of questions. This should not be an inquisition, but a friendly reminder that the Bible is essential food for the family.

There are several ways to study the Bible. First, there is the method of reading straight through a book of the Bible. For beginners, I would not recommend starting at Genesis and going straight through the Old Testament before getting to the New Testament. I would suggest that new Christians start with First John, then the Gospel of John, the other gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) then Acts and on through the epistles.

Second, there is the search for doctrinal truths. Search out, through cross-references and a topical index, what the Bible says about Heaven, Hell, Faith, etc. There are many free online resources where you can search. Click here to try one.

We have a number of aids to Bible reading and study on our website. You can go to the programs page, click on any of the times that we give the Bible Quiz Question on BBN. You will be able to listen to any of the questions for the week. Try to answer them by looking them up in your Bible. We also have Bible memory verses for each week. The current one is on the English home page.

Third, you might want to do a character study on a Bible person. Study the life of Samson to see how a person with great potential falls short of what he could have been and take heed in your own life. Look at Nehemiah and realize what one person can accomplish if he or she is the proper person and yielded to God. It is a great study to see how to lead people through difficult times and circumstances. It may save you a lot of money spent on buying success books. The Author of the Book has reviews that go back centuries!

Perhaps you might want to do a study on a city and watch what happens there. Maybe a study on what the Bible says about fathers and sons, or mothers and daughters. Use a pencil or pen and paper, or use the computer to take notes on what you learn. Recently, on Father’s Day, I decided to carry my Father’s Bible to church. I noticed a number of notes he had made in his Bible and on the pages at the front and back of his Bible. Some verse references he had put there had a significant note alongside them, “For Harold and his children.” I was blessed as I looked up some of those verses and realized that he had claimed them for me. When you are in Heaven as my Father is, what will your children and those left behind read from your Bible?

Whatever method you use be sure to read your Bible daily. It is imperative. Sin will keep you from the Bible, or the Bible will keep you from sin. Psalm 119:11 “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” There is no other way. One way to put the Bible in your heart and soul is with Bible memorization cards. As you come across a verse that blesses you, write it out on a card, with the reference on the reverse side of the card. Then quiz yourself as you wait on the phone for the menu to cycle to the person you are trying to reach, or as you wait in line at the bank. Take them with you on the bus, train, or other means of transportation. DO NOT READ THEM WHILE YOU DRIVE!

Missionaries and others who have been imprisoned in some land for witnessing for the Lord had said that the only things that sustained them, spiritually, during those tough days was the Bible verses they had memorized and the hymns they knew. You may never be imprisoned for witnessing for the Lord, but suppose you would contract some disease that required you to be hospitalized and alone for long periods of time. What would give you that peace of mind that can sustain you in such times? Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about which version of the Bible is right and which one is wrong. There are ardent supporters for various versions and you can start a vigorous debate on this subject. For certain, some versions are better than others, but the version that I can assure you will produce the worst results in your life is the Unread Version!

For additional material on this topic please see:00500 Survey of the Bible

Some people give different reasons for not believing in Heaven, Hell, or God, for that matter. Some will point to calamities and say, “A loving God would not allow that to happen.” Others look at portions of the Bible that appear to contradict each other and say, “A God of truth who is all-knowing would not have written this.” Still others insist that they will not believe in anything they cannot see or understand. This seems to make sense until you look more closely at that argument.

That person has let his own mind or intellect become the measure of what is true and what is false. I would venture to say that the same person has never seen a thought wave nor understands how the brain works. Tell me what happens to all those thoughts, memories, and judgments that were processed by the brain, one split second after death? Yet, unbelievers worship at the shrine of their own brain and trust its reliability. I do not know about you, but my mind has failed me on occasion, and usually at the most embarrassing moment. I can remember a friend in the ministry meeting a fellow preacher whom he had known for years. His wife, my wife, and I were with him at that meeting. The two had talked for several minutes when my friend’s wife said, “Well, honey, aren’t you going to introduce us?” Poor fellow! My friend stalled until it became obvious to all that he had forgotten his friend’s name.

It may sound very intellectual to say, “I only believe in what I see and can understand,” but it is a poor excuse that will not stand before God. Trust Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and be sure of a home in that wonderful place called Heaven. Yes, He is alive and salvation, Heaven and Hell are real!

For more on this topic see: 00100 Basics Of The Faith