FAQ's

1. How can we know that God is real?

The first piece of evidence that there is a God is existence. The world and everything that exists provides solid evidence that there was a creator. The complexity of the universe and everything in it, the way everything links together in innumerable ways, and the way a variety of natural laws keep everything in balance, defy random chance.

The second piece of evidence that God exists can be found when we examine history and archaeology. Literally every civilization on earth, though separated by time and distance, has worshipped some form of god. There appears to be a natural inclination in people to worship. This does not make sense apart from the existence of a higher power.

Finally, there is the evidence of the human conscience. Every civilization (again, separated by time and distance) has had laws and customs defining what is good and what is bad. An inherent understanding of good and evil so universally embraced and understood seems too incredible to ascribe to chance.

The evidence of existence (Psalm 19:1), man’s inclination to worship (Rom 1:23), and an inherent understanding and recognition that there is good and evil in the world (Jn 3:19), are strong indicators that a higher power exists (Rom 1:18-25).

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2. Why are there so many religions in the world?

God provides specific information about Himself and His plans for mankind in the Bible. There is overwhelming evidence that the Bible is the Word of God (see Josh McDowell’s Evidence that Demands a Verdict).

According to the Bible, after the flood every human in existence knew the truth about who God was and the history of the world (creation to the flood). They knew the truth about how to have fellowship with God. Then, something happened that changed all of that.

Great migrations occurred after the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:9); this resulted in the civilizations that we learn about today via archaeology and history. As man spread out, he took the knowledge of God with him. Unfortunately, many men turned from serving the living God to serving idols (Rom 1: 21-23). The knowledge of God was forgotten or perverted over time by most men because of their sinful hearts.

Whenever mankind strays from the truth, he invents some new method of worship that is man-centered, rather than God-centered. As each new civilization developed, new religions sprang up with them.

Today, man in his pride continues to reject the plain teachings of the Bible and invents doctrines that satisfy his own lusts. As a result, new religions are created. All the religions of the world have one thing in common, however: they involve various types of works (ceremonies, rituals, good deeds, etc.) that must be followed to achieve heaven, Nirvana, paradise, etc. Only Biblical Christianity is different.

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3. How do we know that the Bible is really God’s Word?
Many religions have books that they claim contain the revelations of God. The Bible, however, is unique among all the books in the world. God used men to write out His words, so the words were inspired (the literal meaning of the Greek word in the New Testament is “God-breathed”. See 2 Tim 3:16).

The Bible was written by over 40 different men, on three different continents, over a period of 1600 years. The authors included Kings, poor men, religious leaders, eunuchs, etc. Most of them did not know one another and many had never seen the writings of the other authors. Yet when compiled, the 66 books of the Bible (Genesis through Revelation) form one, comprehensive whole. In fact, there are many books that cannot be understood or properly interpreted apart from the others.

In addition, the Bible is the only book where God’s authorship is claimed so extensively. Unlike the world’s other “holy” books, the Bible provides proof. There are countless prophecies with examples of their fulfillment. For example, Jesus Christ fulfilled hundreds of prophecies from the Old Testament (the odds of any one man fulfilling so many prophecies is astronomical).

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4. Aren’t other holy books as good as the Bible (e.g., the Koran, Book of Mormon, Hindu Vedas, etc.)?

As noted in question #3, the Bible is unique among the world’s religious books. No other text can claim divine authorship with any degree of legitimacy. For example, in many of the ancient Hindu writings, there are hundreds of discrepancies and contradictions between different copies of the same texts.

In contrast, there are over 14,000 New Testament manuscripts extant, and of those 95% of the text are in perfect agreement! This is unheard of in ancient literature. Of the 5% of “discrepancies”, the vast majority of the differences are merely spelling and grammatical differences. The miniscule percentage outside of that has no bearing on any major Christian doctrine.

The Book of Mormon was written by Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church. There are virtually no manuscripts extant from which his book was translated (he claimed to have received golden tablets from God which he translated with the help of an angel named Morani).

In spite of the lack of evidence to support their “holy” book, the Mormons believe it to be the pure word of God while they believe that the Bible is only to be accepted as God’s word where it was “properly translated”. Given the 14,000 manuscripts that exist, and given that thousands of scholars have been capable of reading ancient Greek over the last 2000 years, the Mormons’ willingness to accept their book as the “pure” word of God with no manuscript evidence while rejecting the Bible, is rather curious.

Regarding the Koran, once again, one man claimed to have received revelation from God (with no accountability). In fact, the Koran was not written down and compiled until after Muhammad’s death. His violent life, and the methodology used since the inception of Islam to spread their faith, is proof that the Koran is not from the Creator, but rather the work of the destroyer.

In the case of any “holy” book you consider, you must study its origins, its content, its continuity over the ages, and the doctrines that are espoused from its contents. This, along with prayerful consideration is the best means for discovering the truth regarding the World’s “holy” books.

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5. Aren’t there many ways to Heaven?

Jesus Christ said “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (Jn 14:6). Either Christ was telling the truth, or he wasn’t. The fact is the entire Bible is God’s testimony to the truth of Christ’s statement. God gave us one sure path to eternal life because to offer many different, contradictory paths would be antithetical to the nature of God.

God is just, and as such, He must punish sin. You would not want someone who murdered your dear friend to go unpunished, would you? The fact is, our sense of justice comes from our having been made in the image of God (Gen 1:26).

Fortunately, God is also merciful and loving, so He made a way to cleanse us of our sins. Jesus Christ took our sins upon Himself, and in exchange, His righteousness is placed upon us (2 Cor 5:21). There is no way we can get rid of our sins through good works (Gal 2:16). Only through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ can we be saved (Jn 3:16; Eph 2:8, 9).

When man objects and insists that he knows of another way, or a better way, he is defying the clear teachings of God on the subject (Rom 1:21). Man’s pride leads him down a path of destruction (Prov 16:18). Ultimately, men choose to remain in darkness because their deeds are evil (John 3:19) and the light of Christ reveals that evil (John 1:5).

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6. Is Hell a real place?

Jesus Christ spoke more about hell than he did about heaven (Lk 16:19). Christ – God the Son, creator of heaven and earth (John 1:3), would certainly have known if hell was not a real place. In fact, it is not only real, it is the abode of the unsaved dead until the final judgment when death and hell are cast into the lake of fire. There they will suffer in torment forever and ever (Rev 20:14; 14:11).

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7. How could a loving God send anyone to a place like Hell?

Many have wrongly believed that the torment of hell is unjust – such a belief fails to recognize the holiness of God, and what existence apart from God would be like. Apart from God, there is no hope, no comfort, no companionship, no pleasure, no light, etc.

In essence, if you chose to reject Christ, and live apart from God on earth, then that decision carries on into eternity. On earth, you still benefit from God’s presence and the presence of His children, even though you choose to reject Him. In hell, His presence will cease to be, and there will be none of the benefits you enjoy now.

God is good and when He is absent only that which is evil and horrifying will continue to exist. Thus, the Biblical descriptions of hell make perfect sense. It is important to recognize that God does not send anyone to hell - people choose to go there by rejecting God’s free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

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8. How do I get to Heaven?

As mentioned previously (# 5), Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven (John 14:6). By faith if we receive Him, we will be saved (Jn 1:12, Jn 3:16, Rom 10:13).

Jesus said in the Gospel of John that we must be “Born Again” (John 3:3). Our sin separates us from God, and when we repent (turn away from) our sin (Mk 1:15) and trust Christ’s finished work on the cross to save us (1 Cor 15:1), our spirit, which is dead in trespasses and sins is made alive – quickened (Eph 2:1). That is what is meant by the second birth (born again).

If you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (God the Son); that His death, burial, and resurrection are sufficient to pay for your sins; then you can, by faith, ask Him to save you, and He will. You can pray a simple prayer like this:

Lord Jesus, I know you died on the cross to take away my sins. I trust that your blood cleanses me from all of my sins, and that your resurrection proves you are God and I can have eternal life with you. I repent (turn) from my life of sin, and give my life to you. Come into my life and be my Lord (king) and Savior. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you have been honest, sincere in your heart, then you have entered by faith into the family of God (Jn 1:12) by the second (spiritual) birth (John 3:3)! You now have eternal life through Jesus Christ your Lord! (John 5:24). Please contact us so we may rejoice with you!

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9. How can we know that Christianity is the only true religion?

You can know that Biblical Christianity is the only true religion a number of ways. First, by the testimony of the Bible (you must recognize it is God’s Word – see # 3 above).

Second, all of the religions of the World teach salvation through works or works plus faith. Only Biblical Christianity teaches salvation by faith in Christ alone. Biblical Christianity is exclusive and unique.

Finally, we know that Christianity is the only true religion because the Spirit of God bears witness in the Christian that we are the children of God (Rom 8:16). Those of us who have been Born Again have witnessed the transforming power of God in our lives and in the lives of countless other Christians (Rom 12:1, 2).

Men who were whoremongers, murderers, and thieves have been transformed into ministers of the Gospel; women who were harlots, backbiters, and liars have become godly women who have served Christ as loving mothers and faithful wives.

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10. What does it mean to be “Born Again” or “Saved”?

The term “Born Again” means that a man has been “born of the Spirit”, that is, his spirit, which was dead in sin, was made alive unto God through Christ Jesus (Eph 2:1). To be “Saved” means that a man, having been Born Again, is not subject to the wrath of God and punishment reserved for the wicked (Col 1:13; 1 Thes 1:10). He is thus saved from damnation by the grace of God in Christ Jesus.

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11. Is baptism necessary for Salvation?

There are some religious groups that teach baptism is a necessary step for salvation. Since baptism is a work (it is something we do), it cannot save us, nor is it necessary for salvation. Faith in Christ alone saves us (see # 8, 10 above).

Religious sects that teach baptism as a necessary part in salvation are placing the eternal fate of the convert into the hands of men – for if baptism were necessary, then you would need someone to baptize you or you couldn’t be saved.

The bottom line? Anytime someone adds “something” to faith, then you have “works salvation” and it is condemned in the Bible (Rom 5:15; Eph 2:8,9).

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12. Are the Genesis accounts of Creation and the Flood supposed to be true?

If the Genesis accounts of Creation and the Flood are fairy tales, then Christ didn’t know what He was talking about, since He clearly subscribed to both (Mt 19:4; Lk 17:26). Since the Gospel of John ascribes creation to Christ (John 1:1), the n clearly the Genesis account is true.

In addition, the Bible clearly teaches that death came upon all men as a result of Adam’s sin (Rom 5:12). In other words, after God created man in perfection, man sinned and ushered in death (that is why he needs a savior).

If evolution were true, then man’s existence was the result of death and dying, not the cause of it. As such, man would not be responsible for death as the Bible claims, and death would not be the last enemy to be defeated by the Savior (1 Cor 15:26). In essence, death would have been man’s friend via the evolutionary process (survival of the fittest), and not an enemy.

In short, unless the Genesis accounts are true, then the whole essence of what Christianity is collapses. Man did not usher in death by sin, so why does he need a savior?

Jesus Christ believed the Genesis account. Since He is God, He certainly knows what He is talking about. The Bible is God’s Word and is 100% reliable (2 Tim 3:16; 1 Pet 1:21; see also # 3 above). Also, the scientific evidence clearly supports creation (see Kent Hovind’s Creation seminars at www.drdino.com). In addition, the heavens declare the handiwork of God, proving there is a creator (Ps 19: 1-4).

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13. Doesn’t Evolution disprove the Bible?

Evolution is a non-scientific model of the world’s origins. It is non-scientific because it cannot be proved or disproved via the Scientific Method. The Scientific Method requires that any hypothesis be tested, the processes be observed first hand, and then the experiment be repeated numerous times to rule out anomalies.

Since no one was there at “the beginning”, there is no way to scientifically prove or disprove evolution. The evidence, however, only points to evolution if it is altered or misinterpreted (see Kent Hovind’s Creation seminars).

In all fairness, creation is not a scientific model for the same reasons. We believe that if you consider the truthfulness of the Bible, and examine the scientific evidence in the light of the Scriptures, however, then you will come away believing that the God of the Bible is indeed the Creator of heaven and earth.

Both the evolution and creation models require some degree of faith. With evolution, you must put your faith in chance (so astronomical as to be ludicrous). The natural philosophical outgrowth of such a belief system is atheism and the subjective reality that is derived from that belief system. Hundreds of millions of people were murdered during the 20th Century by men who espoused atheistic relativism (Hitler, Stalin, Mao Tse Tung, etc.)

If you put your faith in the creation account from Genesis, then you can believe in a life-giving God whose philosophy is one of absolute truth with clear distinctions between good and evil.

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14. Why are Christians so intolerant of other religions?

Christians subscribe to the absolute truth found in the Bible. They rightly reject any false religious doctrine, since such doctrine leads to the eternal death of those deceived by it (Acts 4:12).

If a bridge was out on a dark night and you drove past a man on the road who knew it was out and he didn’t warn you, what would you think of him as you plunged to your death? What if he tried to stop you, and because you were in a hurry his jumping up and down in the middle of the road merely agitated you and you drove around him?

Christians can be like either man; some know the truth and do not warn others because they don’t want to be viewed as “intolerant”. Faithful Christians do not care what others may think or say, because they know that if they do not warn people, the consequences will be far worse than driving to one’s death over a cliff.

Unfortunately, there are Christians who can be belligerent and even arrogant. That is a shame, and certainly not God’s will, for we are to speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15). Still, it would be better to judge each Christian on his or her own merits, rather than to lump them all into one category. Doing that would be intolerant…

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15. How are Baptists different from other Christians?

Christ was the founder of the Christian Church. Many churches over the centuries have claimed to be the church Christ founded, but they cannot all be. Why? Each church has its own distinctive interpretations of the Scriptures, and some also include the writings and teachings of man as part of their “scriptures”.

The differences are often great, and simple reasoning tells us they cannot all be right. If you care about truth, you will want to find the church that Christ established.

As you seek the truth, keep in mind that if the church was started by a man other than Christ, it is already ruled out. For example, the Protestant churches were all started by men: Henry VIII started the Church of England (Anglican, Episcopalian); Martin Luther started the Lutheran Church; John Calvin started the Reformed Churches (e.g., Presbyterian); John Wesley started the Methodist Church, etc.

The Catholic Church got its start about the early fourth century after Constantine made “Christianity” a legal religion in the Roman Empire. The Catholic Church would dispute that, claiming their origins in the Apostle Peter, but the historical evidence (outside the Catholic Church and mainstream secular histories) provides a different perspective.

As you study the doctrines of the Bible, you can learn what the original church was like and look for a modern church that espouses those views. We believe you will come to the same conclusion that we have, namely that the Independent, Fundamental, Bible-believing Baptist churches of today are doctrinally sound from a Biblical standpoint, and the history of the Baptists can be traced back as far as the early church (see The Trail of Blood by JH Carroll for more in-depth research).

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16. Is church attendance really important?

In the New Testament, we learn that Christ established His church (Mt 16:18). It was an, independent, local, visible body of believers (Mt 18:15-17). God established leaders for the local church (1 Cor 12:28; 1 Ti m 3:1-13). Christ established two ordinances for the local church, Baptism (Mt 28:19) and the Lord’s Supper (Mt 26:26; 1 Cor 11:20). The church members met on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2, 3). They gave tithes and offerings for the work of the church (ministries, missions, etc.) (Mt 23:23; 1 Cor 16:2, 3; 1 Tim 5:18).

Christ choose the marital relations of a man and his wife as a picture of Him and His bride, the church (Eph 5:31, 32). In addition, the Holy Spirit gives us our spiritual gifts to minister in the church (1 Cor 12:1-31).

Given all of these things, it should be very clear how important the local church is to the Lord Jesus Christ and for believers. Suffice it to say that the Lord ordained that we should enjoy worship and service through the local church and not forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Heb 10:25).

It is essential to our spiritual well-being that we unite with a good, doctrinally-sound, Bible-preaching, local church through baptism (Acts 2:41) as soon as we are Born Again, and continue in worship and service using our spiritual gifts.

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17. Is the traditional family the only one approved of by God?

In the beginning, God created them male and female (Gen 2: 18-25; Mt 19:4-6). He then told them to be fruitful and multiply – that is, to bear and raise children together (Gen 1:28; Mal 2:15), raising them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Lev 10:11; Deut 4:9; Eph 6:4).

The marriage union was intended to last a lifetime (Rom 7:2). The only time divorce was permitted was when an offending spouse committed adultery (Mt 5: 32) or an unbelieving spouse left the believer (1 Cor 7:15). In such instances, a single-parent family would result. Under such circumstances (death and divorce), the remaining parent would raise the children alone, though this was not God’s perfect plan.

Today, in our relativist culture, where “anything goes”, we see couples living together outside of wedlock (with and without children), homosexual couples living together under the false pretenses of “marriage” (sometimes raising children), etc. Not only are these situations not approved by God, but His Word very clearly condemns them all. (See # 18 below.)

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18. Is married sex the only sex God approves of?

Married sex is the only sex God approves of for a number of reasons. As mentioned in #17 above, God’s plan is for one man and one woman to join together as husband and wife and raise children together – a godly seed (Mal 2:15). God, our Creator, knows us better than we could possibly know ourselves, and since He designed us, He knows what will best bring us true joy, happiness, peace, and contentment. As such, God rejects the notion of the non-traditional “family”.

Today, many would claim this perspective to be “intolerant”. There is a reason God is intolerant: the wages of sin is death. In every sexual union outside of God’s ordained plan, the people involved are embracing death and promoting it with their lover(s). Most deny this, because they do not readily see the deadly consequences of their actions. Yet God’s Word is clear that all such actions lead to destruction - the destruction of bodies (STD’s, AIDS, Abortion, etc.) and worse, the destruction of lives (destroyed marriages and broken homes) and souls (Prov 6:32).

When we recall that God chose the pure sexual relations between a man and his wife to symbolize Christ’s union with His Bride, the church (Eph 5:31, 32), it is clear that this is a very sacred subject for the Lord. All other sexual unions mar this beautiful picture of love, intimacy, and virtue. In the end the wages of sin is death (Rom 3:23) – even if it “feels good”.

Passionate sexual relations with the “wife of thy youth” (Prov 5:18), in a loving, committed, trusting relationship, trumps a night of sexual “thrills” with a lover who does not really care about you. With the former, you awake invigorated and rejoicing; with the latter, you awake lonely and empty. God really does know what is best for us.

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19. Why is there so much suffering in the world?

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1). God's creation was perfect, and God called it "good" (Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25). After God created man, however, He called His creation, "very good" (Gen 1:31). God created a perfect man and woman to live in paradise!

God did not create man to be a robot, forced to love and worship Him. He knew man could never fully enjoy Him or paradise without the freedom to choose. So God gave man the opportunity to love and serve Him forever in the Garden of Eden, or to choose sin and rebellion with death (separation from God) as the eternal consequence (Gen 2:16,17). As we know, Adam chose sin, and all of creation was impacted (Rom 8:22). But the greatest impact we feel, is the impact sin has upon each of us, for the "…wages of sin is death…" (Rom 3:23).

It was never God's design that man should live in a fallen, sinful world. His warning that man would "surely die" went unheeded, and much of the suffering in the world today is directly caused by mankind's ongoing sin. War, crime, reckless behavior, and sexual immorality all contribute to man's sufferings. Diseases are often spread by wickedness and selfishness, as well. Many innocent people suffer because of the sins of their fellow man.

In addition, there are the wages of sin that occur through no direct fault of our own. Many diseases occur in our bodies because of our fallen nature. Young, innocent children who have never smoked or abused their bodies get cancer. Not because of their own sins, but because of the sin nature which is a part of our physical being and corrupts our bodies (Gen 2:16, 17; Rom 5:12).

So what is the answer for all of this suffering, you may ask? Please read on (see question #20 below).

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20. What are the benefits of becoming a Christian?

The Lord Jesus Christ came to earth and died for our sins so that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly (John 10:10). But what exactly does it mean to “have life” and to “have it more abundantly”?

Since we are born sinners, and our sin nature condemns us (Lk 13:3; Eph 2:1; Col 2:13), we need a Savior (John 3:3, 16). Remember, the “wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23), but “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 6:23). We sin because we are sinners, and as such, we are guilty and condemned before a just and holy God who cannot let sin go unpunished (Rom 3:23, Rom 6:23; Mt 7:23; Lk 16:19).

God, in His wisdom, knew that man would sin in the garden, and He prepared a way for him to be saved even before it happened (Rev 13:8 with Gen 3:15). God is the righteous judge who will condemn the lost sinner, but He is the loving God who became a man so He could die in our place and be raised from the dead (1 Cor 15:3,4)!

The greatest benefit of becoming a Christian is that our sins are forgiven us, and we inherit eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lo rd (Rom 5:1,21; 1 Cor 15:57)! When we repent (turn from) our wickedness and sins and trust the Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross as payment in full for our sins, then we become children of God (Jn 1:12, Jn 3:16,18; Eph 2:8,9)! We are immediately transformed from the “children of wrath” into the family of God! This is what is meant by “that we might have life” (Jn 10:10).

The second great benefit of becoming a Christian, is to enjoy God’s Holy Spirit dwelling within us (Eph 1:13; Jn 16:17; 1 Cor 6:19). The Holy Spirit gives us power to overcome sin when we yield to Him (Eph 5:22). He transforms our lives and renews our minds so we can be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom 12:1,2; Rom 8:13,14). This is what is meant by having life more abundantly (Jn 10:10)

Would you like to experience a continual flow of “love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness (power under control), temperance (self-control)”? If so, you need the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord (king) and Savior (from sin). Won’t you turn from your sin and trust Him today?

If you have received Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, won’t you send us an email so we can rejoice with you, and pray for you? God bless you as you give your life to Him.

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