S. Michael Houdmann - Got Questions?: Bible Questions Answered-Answers to the Questions People Are Really Asking

Copyright 2010, 2014 S. Michael Houdmann, General Editor.

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scriptures are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. WWW.ZONDERVAN.COM

Scripture references marked kjv are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture references marked nasb are taken from the New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked nkjv are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-3274-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-3275-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-3273-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014905924

WestBow Press rev. date: 4/28/2014

CONTENTS

T HIS BOOK IS dedicated to the more than 500 individuals who have served as volunteer writers for Got Questions Ministries in the past twelve years. Their hard work, commitment and passion are what make this ministry possible.

Special thanks goes to Kevin Stone, Rebekah Largent, MeLissa Houdmann, and Gwen Sellers, who contributed greatly to this volume in writing, editing, organizing, and indexing.

E VERY DAY, MORE and more people are going to the internet to find answers to their questions about spiritual matters. Topics related to spirituality are the second most searched-for subjects online. Sadly, websites that present false teachings far outnumber those that proclaim the truth of Gods Word.

In February of 2002, www.gotquestions.org was launched to help fill this gap and meet the needs of millions of spiritually-minded web surfers. Since our launch, we have personally answered over 380,000 questions that have been submitted to us. Over one hundred million people have found answers to their questions via our Frequently Asked Questions archives, giving us a unique understanding of what questions are truly on peoples minds.

This volume is a collection of the most important and/or most frequently asked questions. Each question is answered directly from the Bible if the Bible specifically addresses the particular issue. Where the Bible is silent on an issue, biblical principles are used to lead to a solid and correct understanding of the issue. The Lord Jesus Christ is our passion, and declaring His Word is our mission.

Mission Statement of Got Questions Ministries:

Got Questions Ministries seeks to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ by providing biblical, applicable and timely answers to spiritually-related questions.

INTRODUCTIO N
THE ULTIMATE QUESTION

Question: What does it mean to accept Jesus as your personal Savior?

Answer: Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? To properly understand this question, you must first understand the terms Jesus Christ, personal, and Savior.

Who is Jesus Christ? Many people will acknowledge Jesus Christ as a good man, a great teacher, or even a prophet of God. These things are definitely true of Jesus, but they do not fully define who He truly is. The Bible tells us that Jesus is God in the flesh, God in human form (see John 1:1, 14). God came to earth to teach us, heal us, correct us, forgive usand die for us! Jesus Christ is God, the Creator, the sovereign Lord. Have you accepted this Jesus?

What is a Savior, and why do we need a Savior? The Bible tells us that we have all sinned; we have all committed evil acts (Romans 3:10-18). As a result of our sin, we deserve Gods anger and judgment. The only just punishment for sins committed against an infinite and eternal God is an infinite punishment (Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:11-15). That is why we need a Savior!

Jesus Christ came to earth and died in our place. Jesus death was an infinite payment for our sins (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins (Romans 5:8). Jesus paid the price so that we would not have to. Jesus resurrection from the dead proved that His death was sufficient to pay the penalty for our sins. That is why Jesus is the one and only Savior (John 14:6; Acts 4:12)! Are you trusting in Jesus as your Savior?

Is Jesus your personal Savior? Many people view Christianity as attending church, performing rituals, and/or not committing certain sins. That is not Christianity. True Christianity is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Accepting Jesus as your personal Savior means placing your own personal faith and trust in Him. No one is saved by the faith of others. No one is forgiven by doing certain deeds. The only way to be saved is to personally accept Jesus as your Savior, trusting in His death as the payment for your sins and His resurrection as your guarantee of eternal life (John 3:16). Is Jesus personally your Savior?

If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, say the following words to God. Remember, saying this prayer or any other prayer will not save you. Only believing in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross for you can save you from sin. This prayer is simply a way to express to God your faith in Him and thank Him for providing for your salvation. God, I know that I have sinned against You and deserve punishment. But I believe Jesus Christ took the punishment I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. I receive Your offer of forgiveness and place my trust in You for salvation. I accept Jesus as my personal Savior! Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgivenessthe gift of eternal life! Amen!

Have you made a decision to receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior because of what you have read here? If so, please send us an email at .

Chapter
QUESTIONS ABOUT GOD

CONTENTS

Does God exist? Is there evidence for the existence of God?

Who is God?

What are the attributes of God? What is God like?

What does the Bible teach about the Trinity?

Who created God? Where did God come from?

Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?

Did God create evil?

Why is God so different in the Old Testament than He is in the New Testament?

What does it mean that God is love?

Does God still speak to us today?

What does it mean to have the fear of God?

Does God change His mind?

Does God love everyone or just Christians?