Who Is Saved?

Answer To begin with, let us first ask the question, "Why do we need to be saved?" The answer of course is, sin. It is being guilty of sin that causes the wrath of God to be justifiably placed against us.

1JOHN 3:4 Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

COL 3:5 ś Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. COL 3:6 For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, COL 3:7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.

The question now would be, "Are babies guilty of sin?" The answer is NO. Sin is a conscience choice made by responsible human beings who know right from wrong and decide to do what is wrong. True, we are deceived many times into sinning, but still it is our choice, just like it was the choice of Adam and Eve in the beginning. Babies do not have the ability to make such choices. They are not guilty of sin. further, they are not guilty of Adam's or anyone else's sins. Each of us must bear responsibility for our own sins.

GEN 3:6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

DEU 1:39 'Moreover, your little ones who you said would become a prey, and your sons, who this day have no knowledge of good or evil, shall enter there, and I will give it to them, and they shall possess it.

EZE 18:20 "The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

Therefore, we must conclude that since children have not sinned and are not guilty of anyone else's sins, they are in a position of being in an acceptable relationship with God and would be with the Lord if they should die in that condition.

When do children become sinners? Simply put, when they learn and practice sin. Sin is something we learn to do, not something we inherit or contract as if it were a contagious disease. We learn to sin. When we do, whatever age that is, we become accountable to God for our actions.

Thankfully, when we become sinners, God, by His grace, has given us the way by which we can be saved. If we believe in Jesus' death and resurrection, repent of our sins, confess Him as the Son of God before men and are baptized (immersed) in water for forgivingness of sins, we can be saved from the wrath to come.

ACT 2:36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ-- this Jesus whom you crucified."

ACT 2:37 ś Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?"

ACT 2:38 And Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

ACT 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. Contact Gary

Question 2. What happens to peoples of cultures who never knew who Jesus was, like American Indian peoples, or many African peoples? When they died did they go to hell? Were they saved?

Answer The Bible does not address this directly. We are told that the gospel is God's means for saving individuals all individuals from whatever culture they may come from. And, as the Christians encounter various cultures, they taught all people about the gospel, whether they were Jew or Gentile.

ROM 1:16 ś For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. ROM 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "But the righteous man shall live by faith."

ACT 2:36 "Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ-- this Jesus whom you crucified." ACT 2:37 ś Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" ACT 2:38 And Peter said to them, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

ACT 18:8 And Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.

Therefore, our goal is to reach as many as possible with the truth of the gospel. As to those that do no hear, God will righteously judge according to His will. Contact Gary

Question 3. What will happen to the Jews who have already died, but did not believe that Jesus was their Savior. If they do get second chance, will the dead un-believers also get a second chance?

Answer As we read the New Testament, we must come to realize that the only means by which anyone, whether Jew or Gentile, can be saved is through the gospel of Jesus Christ. This was God's plan for all people.

Jesus, as He spoke to the Jews, warned them that if they were to reject Him, there was no other alternative for their salvation. To be saved, they must accept Him and His word.

JOH 8:24 "I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins."

JOH 8:31 ś Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; JOH 8:32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. "

Further, the apostles made it clear to both Jews and Gentiles that only through Jesus can we be saved.

ACT 2:26 'Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; Moreover my flesh also will abide in hope; ACT 2:27 Because Thou wilt not abandon my soul to Hades, Nor allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay. ACT 2:28 'Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; Thou wilt make me full of gladness with Thy presence.'

ACT 17:30 "Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, ACT 17:31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. "

Therefore, while we live, we seek to convince all to come to Jesus before it is too late. After death, the Bible does not indicate that there is any second chance for any of us. If we reject the grace of God now, the only thing left is His judgment.

HEB 9:27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, HEB 9:28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. Contact Gary

Question 4. Can I be a Christian and a Freethinker?

Answer If you mean by this question, are we have to have free choice in our thinking when we serve God, the answer is "yes". But, if you mean, can I think anything I want to and be a Christian, the answer is "no".

In his word, God has revealed that sinful thinking has led humanity away from God and into a world of pride, idolatry and immorality. See Romans 1:16-32.

In order to serve God, we must humble ourselves and follow after His will, yielding our thinking and action to His word. See Matthew 18:1-6, Luke 8:15, Acts 17:10-12.

To follow our own way of thinking, leads us to a life of deception and sin. God did not create us so that we could guide ourselves, but gave us free choice, so that we might freely choose Him over sin. See Jer. 10:23, Josh. 24:14-15. Contact Gary

Question 5. When a child is born into the world, what type or kind of spirit is there living within that body? Is it empty or undeveloped? Did God write His law on the hearts of man?