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1. Is anyone really saved now or are people only on probation awaiting their physical death to see if they will be saved at that future point?
Yes, people are saved now, this side of the grave, as long as their heart is pure before God. However, just because a person was once saved in the past does not mean he is still spiritually pure before God and, therefore, saved. A righteous person can die spiritually and get back on the road to damnation again. See the listings in 1 Cor. 6:9,10; Eph. 5:5-7; Gal. 5:19-21; Mark 7:21-23; Rev. 21:8; etc. Also, lust, hate and unforgiveness are all sins which are often overlooked to the detriment of people who consider themselves saved. Guard yourself against these and other attacks.
2. If people are saved now, how does that fit in with what Jesus said in Mt. 10:22 that the disciples would have to endure [persecution of being hated] to the end to be saved?
Mt. 10:22 is referring to final salvation or an actual entrance into God's kingdom upon physical death. The way the word saved is used throughout Scripture is sometimes cited to refer to an entrance into God's kingdom, which can be confusing until that truth is grasped. Another example of how saved is used like that is found in Lk. 13:23,24.
3. Is it true that only if a person endures to the end he will get eternal life and that will be after his death?
No and Yes! A person who has salvation now also has eternal life now. However, there is an aspect of eternal life, which is yet a hope (Titus 1:2; 3:7) and future promise (Mark 10:30; Luke 18:30; 1 John 2:24,25), which only those who endure to the end will get, Mt. 10:22.
4. If a person goes back to the sins he had before his salvation, does that assure he can never get saved again?
No. Such a person can get saved again, as the prodigal did (Luke 15:24), as long as he didn't commit eternal sin. Eternal sin is believing and saying Jesus had a demon and by the power of the devil he performed his miracles.
5. Can a saved person turn away quickly after salvation OR does a quick turning away mean one was never saved?
A saved person can quickly turn away from God and lose his salvation, Gal. 1:6,7; 1 Tim. 5:15; etc.
6. Can a saved person also turn away slowly after salvation?
Yes. A prime example would be through lukewarmness, Rev. 3.
7. What is one of the best ways to acquire spiritual protection so that you don't backslide?
Keeping your mind on Scripture and eternal things is one of the best overall things anyone can do for himself. Memorizing God's word will make this easy. If your mind is on God's word your behavior and value system will conform, especially as you ask God for help in these areas.
8. Can going to "church" actually be a detriment to salvation?
Yes. The teachings from the pastor(s) and the observed examples of others will affect some in the congregation. Hence, if one is going to the wrong type of congregation, it will surely drag him down spiritually. That is especially true if sin is tolerated or allowed through false doctrine, etc. and Christian evangelism is neglected.
9. If a righteous man dies spiritually because he turned to evil (Ezek. 33:18; Rom. 8:13; etc.), does that death happen at the same point of his physical death like a few say?
No. As with Adam, Eve, David, Peter, the prodigal son and others who were unnamed, spiritual death occurs before physical death and when they turn to evil. The ones who teach one dies spiritually, at his death unless he repents, are actually teaching a license to sin by saying neither David nor Peter lost their salvation after they sinned. Don't be deceived by any of the many wolves in sheep's clothing!
10. Before one can die spiritually through sins of the flesh (or the sinful nature), must that sin(s) be habitual, lifestyle or ongoing for a time?
No. One can lose salvation over one sin, as Adam and Eve did, by disowning Jesus before man, taking the mark of the beast, etc. It certainly doesn't have to be repeated sins. Hence, do not be deceived by those who emphasize "practice" of adultery, drunkenness, slander, theft, etc. being necessary for loss of salvation. That type of message is a distortion of grace, spiritual snare and license for immorality.
11. There are many views of how to come to initial salvation. How can a person know he was ever truly initially saved or born again?
When a person gets saved or born again, he becomes a new creation in Christ with a heart of love, especially towards Christians (John 13:35). He is also set freed from sin addictions (Rom. 6:22; etc.). Obeying God's commands is the key way to identify salvation (Heb. 5:9) and saving grace in one's life:
We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1 John 2:3,4)
12. Why should we be doubtful regarding some reports of people who say they died and went to heaven or hell known as near-death experiences?
Experiences must be tested, according to Scripture. If they do not align themselves to God's word, we must reject them to avoid deception. Also, many of the life after death near death experiences contradict themselves, showing there must be error. Go by the Bible alone and be safe.
13. If a person had a dream or vision from God, does that prove he was or is saved at the moment?
No. Some unsaved people in the Bible had visions and/or dreams. Pharaoh in Genesis 41 is one example.
14. Isn't it possible to get saved and have no evidence or behavioral change for others to observe?
No. There will be a major radical change in one's behavior when he passes from death to life, from darkness to light and from the power of the devil to the power of God. When one gets saved his view about money and sin will change also. He becomes a slave to God from being a slave of sin, Rom. 6:16-22.
15. Why does the devil want to separate (or steal) God's word away from people?
Because God's word is a must for salvation, getting built up, and will give light on any given subject it mentions. Since the devil is a liar he hurts others by deception. God's word will prevent many deceptions, if understood.
16. If one fears God or is humble, doesn't that prove he is saved?
No. Unsaved people in the Bible have feared God and been humble before they got salvation.
I7. If a person is religious, with a belief in the supernatural, is he a child of God?
Not necessarily. Many are not children of God yet are very religious. Even demons believe in God, so being religious or having a belief in God doesn't mean much regarding personal salvation. One must be committed to the Lord Jesus as a follower of his in this sinful society. If you are ashamed of him he will be ashamed of you. Also, many profess a belief in God, but not in the Lord Jesus.
18. If a Christian sins, how does he get forgiven?
He needs to repent of that sin [turn away from it], ask God for mercy, forgive others who sinned against him and confess that sin to God. However, the Prodigal got forgiven before he even spoke to the father:
So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." (Luke 15:20)
19. Isn't repentance just a change of mind?
True repentance occurs when a person turns away from his evil ways. If turning away from sins is missing, repentance did not occur.
20. Why are some people hostile to Christians, who declare the precious truths of God regarding salvation? Shouldn't they be thankful to hear about heaven and how to get there?
Because of sins, which some love and don't intend to turn away from, hostility can certainly flow. For such a person the word of God will hurt them. The most hateful and persecuting types of people over the centuries have been religious people embracing false doctrines.
21. How can a saved person know he is being fruitful? Must he win souls to be fruitful?
Basic simple obedience to God is fruitfulness. One does not have to win souls to be fruitful, but this is a very important endeavor nonetheless. Winning souls is being fruitful, but not the only way to be fruitful. It is fruit or fire.
22. Can whole congregations be lukewarm?
Yes, as we see at Laodicea, Rev. 3:15,16. Lukewarmness is contagious, as is zeal, and often spreads out from the spiritual leaders.
23. Why did the early NT Christians sacrifice so much and themselves for the sake of souls getting saved and staying saved?
Because this life is only a spiritual test, everything in this life is temporary and God wants us to do such for SOULS, who need rescued. They clearly knew the job they were given and went forth even though there would be sufferings to do so, 2 Tim. 3:12.
24. Since Jesus is the Good Shepherd, won't he see to it that souls come to salvation and remain saved?
Jesus is definitely the Good Shepherd, but that understanding of his office is wrong. If it was true then we would never see so much effort and sacrifice being displayed by the early Christians for SOULS. Also, if it is only left up to God, no person would ever backslide or fail to come to salvation, since God doesn't want any to perish (2 Peter. 3:9). It is possible for Christians to become enemies of God again! It is also possible to backslide and finally die in a spiritually lost condition (pdf).
25. Can false prophets jeopardize one's present salvation or salvation hopes of entering heaven?
Yes. False prophets are very dangerous, yet can appear to be harmless and Christian-like. False prophets will point people in a wrong direction somehow, but not necessarily with every word. They will mix truth with lies. They are not always easy to detect, especially since false prophets are deceitful in various ways.
26. Are false prophets and false teachers aggressive and zealous?
Yes. Jesus said they will come to us (Mt. 7:15). They will also travel over land and sea for a single convert (Mt. 23:15)! Even the devil can quote scripture (Mt. 4:6)! Be on your guard.
27. Why are souls so priceless?
Because they will exist forever, unlike these physical bodies we now have.
28. Must we place Jesus first, even before our own families and physical lives, to have salvation?
Yes. To be "worthy" of Jesus and his great salvation, we must put him first in our lives (Mt. 10:37,38 cf. Rev. 2:4). Do you still think you are saved?
29. Does salvation, in part, mean we will be saved from the pain and torments of the lake of fire?
As long a person dies physically with a pure heart, he will escape fiery torment and will reside in a paradise environment with God.
30. Why will so many people be lost in the end?
It will be over deception of one kind or another. No person who was not deceived would ever be so foolish as to reject God's ways and stay in his sins.
31. What is the best way for a Christian to help deceived people snap out of their salvation delusions?
By giving them the truths of God's word. When people come in touch with reality, if they have a heart for truth, they change.
32. Is it possible to claim to teach holy living and stress obedience and yet teach a license for immorality?
Yes. In fact, it occurs much too frequently.
33. Should we want salvation more than anything?
Yes with no close second. To ever come to the place where you think your entrance into God's kingdom is an absolute guarantee is to be dangerously deceived and FAR from what Paul taught (Rom. 11:19-23)! NOTE: The Roman road to salvation presentation has excluded Romans 11:19-23 from its list, though it is referring to salvation! The glorious entrance into the kingdom of God is only held out for he who overcomes. It is our spiritual condition at the end of our lives which will determine our eternal destiny.
34. Once one gets salvation, should he guard his soul to keep himself pure and spiritually alive?
Yes, especially since our soul is our most valuable possession and the devil is ever plotting to lead us astray and devour us.
35. Can't we just trust what the priest, rabbi, pastor or leader is saying about salvation without spending time reading the Bible?
No! Absolutely not! We are living in a day of great deception. We must read the New Testament for ourselves to know the truth. Do not implicitly trust another to tell you what it says, even if it is someone you love and can trust in the natural. That person might be sincerely wrong. Many are in hell now who just trusted what others taught them. Joining them is your greatest danger.
36. Why are there different views of what the Bible says about salvation?
There are various reasons, such as the unsaved not having the Holy Spirit to teach them and consequently being unable to understand God's word. Another problem is, after a real salvation some are reading a translation which is often not understandable, like the KJV or he is not considering the context of what has been written.
37. How could once saved always saved be wrong, since so many people believe that way?
It is wrong because the Bible shows it is wrong, even though many have been taught otherwise. The majority belief does not make something true! There are 1.2 billion Catholics throughout the world. Without question, their salvation beliefs about Mary and other things are also deadly. BTW, the mythical god of eternal security is on a par with the mythical Mary of Catholicism -- neither exist!
38. How can I protect myself from religious deception?
Get very acquainted with the New Testament by reading, pondering and memorizing Scripture. Don't forget to put it into practice and talk about its precious truths to others.
39. Can a wicked filthy sinner go to Jesus directly for mercy and forgiveness or should he first go to Mary or someone else to get to the Lord?
Jesus invited us to go directly to himself for salvation (Mt. 11:28; John 5:40; etc.). All, with no exception, who did this in the Bible were accepted by him, as long as they met his conditions. To try to get to Jesus by first going to the mother of Jesus or anyone else is disobedience and will not work. You must do it God's way, if you want his salvation. Go to God now in sincerity and humility. He gives grace to the humble.
40. Should we trust in Jesus 100% for salvation or someone and/or something else also?
We are to trust in Jesus 100% for our salvation, as we unashamedly follow and obey him in this sinful world. To trust in Jesus 50% and something or someone else 50% is to show you are not believing on Jesus for your salvation. It takes a trusting-submitting and enduring faith in Jesus to enter God's kingdom after death, according to the Bible. After initial salvation, the new Christian is to be water baptized, by immersion, as soon as possible.
41. WHY does anyone teach the forever imputed righteousness of Christ at the point of salvation regardless how unholy and unrighteous such a person lives afterwards? Can't they see the obvious scriptural error and danger in that, besides how destructive that is to the holy image of a Christian?
Whatever the reason why people teach that erroneous and dangerous doctrinal lie, it is important that Christians fight against it (Jude 3,4). Such grace changers are not benefitting the kingdom of God, but instead laying a spiritual snare before those trying to learn God's truth! They are clearly wrong about grace and righteousness, according to God's word:
Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil ... (1 John 3:7,8)
Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? (Rom 6:16)
We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1 John 2:3,4)IF you are a Christian, don't be moved by the popularity of any teacher. ONLY be moved by scripture (2 Tim. 3:16,17), for your own soul's sake!
We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. (Heb 3:14)
For more details about salvation read the Plan Of Salvation. Pass this salvation quiz on to someone you care about.
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