Answers

This page is intended to answer questions many persons have asked about the Bible. If your question does not appear here, you may email our pastor at calvarybaptist@cebridge.net or you may visit the websites www.christiananswers.net or www.gotquestions.org which answer more questions than we have included here.

The questions that appear on this page include:

1. How can I be sure the Bible is true?

2. What version of the Bible is true?

3. How can I be sure I'm going to heaven?

4. Why do I doubt my salvation?

5. What happens when you die?

6. What will heaven be like?

7. If Jesus is God, why did He pray to God the Father when He was on the earth?

8. Why do Christians believe that they are the only ones who are going to heaven?

9. If Christians are the only ones going to heaven, how were people saved before Jesus came to earth?

10. What happens to people who never got the chance to hear the gospel?

11. Can a person reject Jesus all their life, live a very sinful life and still go to heaven if the person asks Jesus to save them just before they die? 

12. How can I know for sure if my loved ones will be in heaven?

13. When I go to heaven, will I miss my loved ones who rejected Jesus and are not in heaven?

14. Why would a Loving God send people to suffer in hell forever? 

15. Why would a loving God create the Devil and Demons when He knew that they would torment people on earth?

16. Why would a loving God allow infants, children and good people to suffer?

17. If a Christian is forgiven forever the second he or she calls upon Jesus to save them, why did Jesus command His believers to pray "forgive us for our debts" by praying His Lord's Prayer every day?

18. Can a person be reincarnated?

19. Are there ghosts on earth?

20. Are there aliens in outer space?

21. What about dinosaurs?

22. Will we be with our pets again in heaven?

Now for the answers:

1. Question: How can I be sure the Bible is true?

Answer: There is overwhelming evidence that the Bible is true. Click on the above icon "Evidence" or go to the website: www.carm.org/questions/other-questions/how-do-we-know-christianity-true-and-we-are-not-deceived 

2. Question: What version of the Bible is true?

Answer: There are many conservative Christians who will give many different opinions on this topic. As a conservative Southern Baptist Christian pastor who has studied the Bible since 1969, taught the Bible as a minister since 1982 and earned my Master of Divinity degree and Doctor of Ministry degree, it is my educated opinion, based on my indepth studies of the Greek New Testament and the many versions of the Bible, that the King James Version and the New King James Version come closest to the exact, literal translation of the original Greek New Testament. The Interlinear Bible is a very large Bible that contains the original Hebrew Old Testament and the original Greek New Testament with the English translations; this is another exact, literal translation of the original texts that is even more exact in word order than the King James Version and New King James Version. This is also the conclusion of most conservative Southern Baptists. 

Please know that there are other Bible versions that have accurate translations, although the above mentioned versions come closest to the original texts and are therefore more trustworthy and accurate translations.

Please know that there are false versions of the Bible that have changed the meaning of the original texts. The Jehovah's Witness "false Bible," or "book of false teachings," called "The New World Translation," has changed every reference to Jesus as Jehovah God, since that cult does not believe that Jesus is Jehovah God. Jesus said that a person must believe that He is God to be saved (John 8:24,58). Jesus said that all people should honor Him just as they honor God the Father (John 5:23). Jesus received worship as God and receives worship as God from those in heaven and on earth (John 9:38; John 20:28-29; Revelation 5:11-14).     

 3. Question: How can I be sure I'm going to heaven?

Answer: The Lord in 1 John 4:13 says: "These things are written that you may know that you have eternal life." You can be sure you are going to heaven by believing the gospel of Jesus.To read what you must believe to go to heaven and receive eternal forgiveness, click on the icon above entitled, "How to Become a Christian."

Once you have believed the gospel, pray and believe for Jesus to forgive you forever and surrender to Jesus as your God and Master; the Lord Jesus gives you His gift of assurance that you will go to heaven when you die. The Lord said in Romans 10:13: "Whoever calls upon the Name of the Lord will be saved." True saving faith is the Lord's gift of assurance that He saved you and forgave you forever when you asked Him to. 

In addition, the Lord said there will be specific evidences that you have received eternal life:

a. You will have assurance that Jesus paid the penalty for all of your sins on the cross and that you are forgiven forever. Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:16-18.

b. You will have assurance that you began a personal relationship with Jesus when you asked Him to forgive you; you continue to know Jesus personally through prayer as your God, Savior and Friend. John 17:3-5.

c. You will have assurance that after you received the Spirit of Jesus into your heart you became a different person; you now have the desire to live for the Lord by obeying His commands in the Bible; you have conviction when you disobey your Lord; you are led by the Spirit of Jesus to daily turn from sin and become more like Jesus in how you think, how you prioritize, how you act and react toward others. John 3:3; John 14:15; John 15:14; 1 John 2:3-6. 

d. You will have assurance that after you received the Spirit of Jesus into your heart you have professed Jesus to others by telling others you are a Christian. Matthew 10:32-33.          

4. Question: Why do I doubt my salvation.

Answer: There are many reasons Christians doubt their salvation:

a. Satan. The father of lies, Satan, loves to lie to Christians. When you begin to believe the lies of the enemy, go to the Bible to replace lies with the truths of the Lord. Romans 10:13; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 13:5.

b. Sin. When we sin (disobey God) we often listen to the lie of Satan that if we were true Christians we would not have sinned. The Bible states no person can be perfect; this is the reason Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins at the cross. As Christians, we can know we are saved because we receive the conviction of the Spirit of Jesus to turn away from our sin. Christians often mistake "conviction of sin" for "guilt" (if you were still guilty for your sins you would need to pay the price for your sin). We are never again guilty for our sins since we received God's free gift of forgiveness and because Jesus paid the penalty in full for our sins at the cross. "Conviction of sin" is simply the Holy Spirit of God reminding us after we have sinned that we need to turn from that sin and seek the power of God to overcome that sin. Matthew 12:6-8; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9.

c. Emotions. Some Christians, at times, do not "feel saved." After you have sinned or forgotten to pray for awhile, you may experience the emotion of anger toward yourself; you may feel sad that you have disappointed Jesus, others and/or yourself; you may become angry at God because of a disappointment in life; these emotions can result in a Christian concluding: "I don't feel saved."

Please remember that our emotions can change like the weather but the truths of God in the Bible never change. Jesus promised you in Romans 10:13 that if you would call upon Him to save you, He will save you forever! That is an eternal promise that never changes! If you were sincere when you asked Jesus to forgive you forever, if you trusted Him to eternally forgive you, if you surrendered to Him as your God and Master, if you trusted Jesus as the only way to heaven, then Jesus kept His promise, His Spirit entered your heart and you became an eternally forgiven child of God. Nothing can change your status as a child of King Jesus! Even when you don't "feel saved," Jesus promises you are still saved and nothing can ever change that! Once you sincerely ask Jesus to forgive you forever, you never need to say that prayer again because He saves eternally! Now that's great news! For a study on Biblical truths about eternal forgiveness, click on the above icon entitled "About us" and scroll down.    

5. Question: What happens when you die?

Answer: The Lord says in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that the very instant we die, our spirit leaves our body and instantly we are in His presence. Christians know Jesus and believe in His forgiveness. Christians know that after we die we will stand in the presence of God with Love for Jesus; joy that we are forgiven forever; we know that we will remain in His presence forever and we will remain in heaven and in His Love forever; Christians maintain peace that we are right with the Lord forever as our God, Savior and Friend. Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 10:19-20; 1 John 4:7-19.

The Bible gives other evidences that we are completely conscious and alive in our spirit immediately after death. Jesus stood on the mount speaking to the living, conscious spirits of Moses and Elijah. Moses and Elijah had died hundreds of years before the body of Jesus was born. Matthew 17:1-3.

Jesus said that He is the God of the living; Jesus referred to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as living persons (in spirit)...not dead persons. Matthew 22:32. Jesus said that His children will never spiritually die. John 11:25-26.

In the DVD "The Evidence For Heaven" (hosted by Jerry Rose and produced by Grizzly Adams Productions, Inc.) many Christians give accounts of their after death experience. They were all medically dead (documented as truth by their medical doctors, recorded in their medical records at the medical centers where they died) and they all came back to life to tell about a literal place called heaven. They all confirmed that it is true that when your body dies, your spirit goes to heaven; they were all greeted by Christian family members and close friends who welcomed them to heaven. All Christians should watch "The Evidence For Heaven" DVD because of the joy it gives you to hear about all we have to look forward to in heaven.

Some have asked the question: "If persons go to heaven immediately when they die, what does the Bible mean that at the time of the rapture, 'the dead in Christ will rise first?'" Most conservative Christians believe that at the time of the rapture, those who have died will be conscious, alive spirits with the Lord. Our Lord Jesus will come to earth in the clouds, surrounded by His angels and the spirits of those who are Christians. The dead in Christ, the bodies of those who have died, will become perfect bodies and rise to meet their living spirit in the air (like clothing). Then all Christians alive on earth will receive perfect bodies and rise up to meet the Lord in the air. All who are Christians at the time of the rapture will not experience the plagues that come upon the earth. After the old, present earth is destroyed, the Lord will create a new earth and a new heaven. See Matthew 24; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Revelation 21:1-3.      

 6. Question: What will heaven be like?

Answer: The Lord said in John 14:1-11 that in heaven we will always be in His presence. Our Lord Jesus knows exactly what type of dwelling place in heaven you would enjoy most and He is personally overseeing and preparing your beautiful mansion for you to live in that is built especially for you. Heaven is described as our heavenly home where there is the eternal, unchanging awesome Love of God, His Light, His awesome beauty in all He has perfectly created; His joy, peace and fulfillment; He will provide our every need; there will be no more sin, death, sadness, pain, tears nor darkness. For more information on heaven read Revelation chapters 21-22.

7. If Jesus is God, why did He pray to God the Father when He was on the earth?

Answer: The Bible states that Jesus said He is God over and over again: "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad. Before Abraham was born, I AM. If you do not believe that I AM the great I AM, you will die in your sins. If you had known Me you would have known My Father also. He who has seen Me has seen the Father. The Father who dwells in Me does the works. I and My Father are one. He who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me. All should honor the Son just as they honor the Father; he who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word, and my Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him." (Luke 10:16; John 5:23,39,45-46; 6:37; 8:24,56,58; 10:30; 14:6,9,23). 

Jesus said that a person must believe that He is God and surrender to Him as God before he or she can be saved (John 8:24-58; John 5:23). The Bible states that Jesus was the part of God that created all things (John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:16). When Jesus came to earth, His body was 100% human (Son of God, Son of man) and His Spirit was 100% God (see above Scriptures). Jesus had the weaknesses of the flesh while on earth: He had pain, hunger, temptation, tiredness, weakness; therefore He needed to pray to the Father (the greater part of His Spirit while on earth: John 14:28) to overcome the weaknesses of the flesh. Although Jesus was tempted in every way, He showed evidence He was God by being the only human that never sinned (Hebrews 4:15). The Messiah had to be perfect, without sin in order to be the sacrifice (without blemish or defect) for our sin and pay the penalty for our sin (Isaiah 53:3-5). 

After Jesus was resurrected, He had a perfect body and no longer had any weaknesses of the flesh. He is worshipped in heaven as God with equal glory and equal power with God the Father and God the Spirit (Matthew 28:18; John 5:23; Revelation 5:13) . God is one God who has revealed/manifested Himself in three ways: Father, Son Jesus and Spirit. When the Spirit comes into a person's heart to save the person, the Father and Son Jesus come into the person by their Spirit as one God (John 14:23). When we enter heaven, the Father will be the Great Spirit of God, Jesus will be at the right hand of God (in His perfect body as one with God the Father) and the Spirit of God will proceed from the Father, through Jesus and into every believer, so we will all be with the Lord forever (Romans 8:34; 1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Many cult members try to prove Jesus was not God by mistranslating John 14:28 when Jesus said: "My Father is greater than I." As mentioned above, when Jesus spoke these words, He was in the weak flesh of man, He had the pains and temptations of the flesh and He had a dependency upon the greater part of His Spirit who was the Spirit of the Father in heaven. Therefore, the Father was greater than Jesus only while Jesus was in the weak flesh of man on earth and only because Jesus was in the weak flesh of man; Jesus always had equal glory with the Father, this is the reason Jesus always received worship as God from man (Matthew 8:1-4; 9:18-26; 14:33; 28:17; Luke 24:52-53; John 9:38) . As mentioned above, after the resurrection, Jesus had a perfect body with no weaknesses and has equal power and glory with the Father and will eternally have equal power and glory with the Father (Matthew 28:18; John 5:23; Revelation 5:13).

8. Question: Why do Christians believe that they are the only ones who are going to heaven?

Answer: The Bible states that Jesus Himself said: "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Some persons argue that Jesus was not saying in John 14:6 that He was the only way to heaven, but if one would look at the preceding words of Jesus in John 14:1-5, one would clearly see He had been speaking to His disciples about heaven and therefore He was referring again to heaven in John 14:6. In addition, there are other verses in the Bible that clearly indicate that only those who surrender to Jesus as Savior and Lord God will enter heaven. Jesus plainly spoke in John 5:23: "All should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him."

Other relevant passages:

John 17:3: Jesus was praying to the Father when He said: "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." 

John 8:19,24,58: Jesus was speaking to unbelieving Jewish leaders when He warned them: "You neither know Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known my Father also. If you do not believe that I Am He (the true God, Father God in the flesh of man) you will die in your sins. Before Abraham was born, I AM."

Acts 4:10-12: The apostle Peter was preaching to thousands of people in Jerusalem by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit when he confirmed this important truth: "...By the Name of Jesus Christ...this is the Stone which was rejected by you builders...nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." 

John 3:16,18: Jesus said: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe (in Jesus as Savior and Lord God) is condemned already because he has not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God."

Please know that Jesus said that "whoever believes in Him" will receive eternal life in heaven. "Whoever" includes all persons of all religions, races, ages, income levels, etc. In other words, whoever includes anyone and everyone who chooses to surrender to Jesus as Savior and Lord God.

All a person must do is believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for all of their past and future sins, that Jesus is God and the only way to heaven, be willing to surrender to Jesus as God by turning from sin to obey Him by the power of His Spirit and then be willing to ask Jesus to forgive them forever and take control of their life. If a person truely means this prayer, Jesus will enter their heart, forgive them forever and empower the person to obey Him. The new believer meets Jesus when he or she says the prayer of surrender and will continue the relationship with Jesus every day throughout life. A new believer may choose to remain a member of a non-Christian church (usually in order to help others come to surrender to Jesus as Savior and Lord God and help others understand the gospel of grace) but the new believer will continue to believe the gospel of grace and the other truths from the Word of God (and oppose the false teachings of man, such as salvation by good works, as referenced in Ephesians 2:8-9).

Therefore, Christians believe that anyone of any religion, those of no religion, those of every race, ANYONE and EVERYONE can go to heaven IF they choose to surrender to Jesus as Savior and Lord God.       

9. Question: If Christians are the only ones going to heaven, how were people saved before Jesus came to the earth?

Answer: The Bible states that people were always saved by grace: faith in the Messiah for eternal forgiveness. God revealed to every generation, beginning with Adam and Eve, by His Spirit and through His prophets, how to be saved by trusting in God to forgive forever by the atoning death of the Messiah (Romans 4). Jesus said that Abraham, Isaiah and Moses believed in Him for their forgiveness (John 5:45-46; John 8:56; John 12:41). Peter writes that the prophets who lived before Jesus came prophesied of the grace of God (they trusted in the atoning death of the Messiah) and the Spirit of God was in them (1 Peter 1:10-11). The Apostle Luke writes that the Apostle Peter preached at Pentecost about how the Prophet King David prophesied about the coming Messiah and believed in His forgiveness through His death, burial and resurrection (Acts 2:25-36). 

All people of all time were led by the Spirit of God to seek the truth, and if they followed the Spirit, they found the truth that salvation comes only by surrendering to God as Master and trusting in His gift of eternal forgiveness through the atoning death of the Messiah, who would be God in the flesh, the only way to heaven.

10. Question: What happens to people who never got the chance to hear the gospel?

Answer: Infants, young children who die, persons with mental handicap: Jesus said that the little children will go to heaven (Matthew 19:14).

Baptists believe that children are safe and go to heaven until they reach "the age of accountability." At "the age of accountability" each child has the choice to seek God and His truths of God, receive Christ or reject Christ and the child is accountable to God for their choice. The age of accountability is the time when the child becomes old enough and mentally mature enough to understand the gospel and sense that God is urging them to seek Him and His truths. The age of accountability is different for every person.

The great preacher Charles Spurgeon stated that he reached the age of accountability when he was three years old. Most children who hear the gospel every week at home and at church reach the age of accountability at about age four or five. Other children who do not hear the gospel from home are unable to understand until about age nine or even older. For some children, their age of accountability may be even later as a teen.

Our church recommends for parents to keep the gospel simple for children: Believe Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for all the bad things you've done, believe that He will forgive you forever, ask Jesus to be your boss and help you live for Him. A child must be able to understand they are forgiven only because of Jesus being punished for them on the cross and that we cannot go to heaven by being good (Ephesians 2:8-9). Children should be encouraged by parents to receive Christ as young as possible because parents cannot be completely certain when they reach their age of accountability. 

Baptists believe that most persons with mental handicaps are safe and would go to heaven if they died like young children. 

Adults who never hear the gospel: The Bible states that all persons have the chance to seek the truth and find the truth, therefore, man is without excuse. Every person has the Spirit of God calling them to seek Him and His truths but most persons choose not to obey the Spirit, refuse to seek the truth and reject God by rejecting Christ (Romans 1:18-21, Luke 10:16). Jesus said He is the only way to the Father and the only way to heaven (John 14:6).

All people on earth derived from Adam who believed the true faith, from Noah who had the true faith, but many people chose to reject the true faith, reject the true God, choose to believe their parents' false religion, or believe lies about God rather than seek the truth on their own. Even those in the darkest parts of Africa could seek the truth and find it if they chose to. 

The answer is: persons who die without hearing the gospel have chosen to reject God forever because they chose not to obey the Spirit of God to seek the truth of the gospel.                             

11. Question: Can a person reject Jesus all their life, live a very sinful life and still go to heaven if the person asks Jesus to save them just before they die?

Answer: Yes. The best example in the Bible of this happening is the thief on the cross. The thief that was being crucified on a cross beside Jesus had rejected God and Jesus all of his life, lived a very sinful life and then asked Jesus to save him just before he died. The thief was being crucified because he was caught stealing from others too many times. The thief said to Jesus: "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." Jesus replied to the thief: "Today you will be with Me in Paradise." (Luke 23:39-43).

Jesus was God who created the thief and He loved him regardless of his sin. The crucifixion of the thief is evidence that sin always has consequences while we are on planet earth. Regardless of the earthly consequences of our sin on earth, Jesus always stands waiting to forgive you forever and shower you with His Love!

Please know that it is not wise and a very dangerous thing to wait until the end of your life to surrender to Jesus as Savior and Lord God because many people die quickly and unexpectantly (car wreck, heart attach in sleep, sudden accident, etc.) and never have even a second to surrender to Jesus. It is wise to surrender to Jesus now while there is time! Why miss a lifetime of blessings in knowing Jesus and building up reward in heaven?!!!     

12. Question: How can I know for sure if my loved ones will be in heaven?

Answer: The Bible states that the only way you can know for sure if your loved one will be in heaven is if you have knowledge that your loved one, at some time in his or her life, surrendered to Jesus as Savior and Lord God (1 John 5:13; Mark 1:15; John 3:16; John 8:24). If you have no evidence that your loved one ever surrendered to Jesus, then you can never know for sure if your loved one will be in heaven. On the positive note, your loved one may have, at some time in his or her life, surrendered to Jesus. Even if your loved one said a heart felt prayer (even in his or her mind), like "Jesus save me," at the second before death, they went to heaven when they died and they will be forgiven forever just like the thief on the cross (Luke 23:39-43). 

On the other hand, if a person says "Jesus save me" and does not believe that Jesus will forgive them forever, or if the person does not believe that Jesus is God, or if the person does not believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven, or if the person does not surrender to Jesus as his or her God, Master and Boss, then Jesus will not forgive them and He will not give them His Spirit in their heart. Matthew 7:21-23; Mark 1:15; John 3:16-18; John 5:18,23; John 14:1-9,15,23-24; John 15:14; John 20:24-29.   

13. Question: When I go to heaven, will I miss my loved ones who rejected Jesus and are not in heaven?

Answer: No. The Bible states there is no sadness nor grief in heaven (Revelation 21:4). Therefore, most conservative, Bible believing Christians throughout the ages have believed and taught that, in heaven, we will not remember our loved ones who chose to reject Jesus.

14. Question: Why would a loving God send anyone to hell to suffer forever?

Answer: The Bible states that God does not send people to hell, rather, people choose to reject Jesus and heaven before they die on earth (Romans 10:13, Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:23; John 8:24-58). People who choose to reject Jesus on earth would not be happy in heaven with millions of Jesus lovers praising Jesus and serving Jesus forever.

The Bible states that hell was created for all angels and humans who choose to reject Jesus and choose to be their own god and live by their own selfish standards. In hell there is no Jesus, no Love (God is Love), no light, no happiness, no peace, no joy, nothing that is good because God is the giver of all good gifts. Hell is the opposite from heaven in every way (Ezekiel 28:15-19; 31:16-17; Matthew 8:12; 11:23; 16:18; 25:31-46; Luke 10:15-16; 16:19-31; Revelation 20:12-15).                   

15. Question: Why would a loving God create the Devil and Demons when He knew that they would torment people on earth?

Answer: The Bible states that when God created the Devil and Demons they were originally angels. As angels in heaven, they chose to rebel against God and reject God. In doing so, God changed their appearance and forced them to leave heaven to rule over hell. Hell is created for all angels and humans who choose to rebel against God and reject Jesus Christ as God, Savior and Friend. Although God knew the Devil and Demons would torment people, He created them for many reasons. God was loving enough to give them life and choice; they chose to reject Him and chose hell. God will always give humans and angels the choice to love, serve and obey Him or reject and disobey Him and serve self and Satan. Isaiah 14:12-17; Ezekiel 28:15-19; John 5:18,23; John 14:15; 15:14; Revelation 12:9-12; 20:10.     

16. Question: Why would a loving God allow infants, children and good people to suffer?

 Answer: The Bible states that before humans chose to sin, no one suffered on earth. After humans chose to sin, all humans and all mankind has suffered. Suffering and death is the natural consequence of sin present on earth. God created all humans and loves all humans. God is grieved when anyone suffers.

God gets a very bad wrap on suffering. God does not cause suffering. God is the giver of all good gifts. God enjoys giving His good gifts and He has joy in giving His good gifts to show humans how much He loves them. Even Jesus Himself suffered when He was on earth. God grieves whenever His creation suffers. Genesis 1:26-31; Genesis 3; Exodus 34:6-7; 2 Chronicles 36:15; Psalm 86:15; Psalm 145; Matthew 9:36; Matthew 14:14; John 1:1-4; John 3:16-18; Colossians 1:16; James 1:17; 1 Peter 5:7.     

17. Question: If a Christian is forgiven forever by God the second he or she calls upon Jesus to save them, why did Jesus command His believers to pray "forgive us our debts" by praying His Lord's Prayer every day?

Answer: When Jesus commanded His believers to pray "forgive us our debts," He never intended for them to mean by this "forgive us for our sins today so we can have a better chance to go to heaven." Matthew 6:12. 

The Lord intended "forgive us our debts" to mean "forgive us for the sins we have committed against You today so our relationship can remain strong and so I can have Your power to overcome the temptation to commit this sin in my future." Jesus never commanded that we say this prayer or the entire Lord's Prayer every day. The Lord's Prayer was intended to be a model prayer. The Lord's Prayer is one way to pray to God but not the only way to pray to God. 

"Forgive us our debts" is referring only to temporal, relational forgiveness. In other words, we are trusting Jesus to forgive us for the specific sins we confess are wrong so we can restore our close relationship to Him and receive His temporal power to overcome that sin.

Jesus gave us His parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32 to give us an example of "relational forgiveness." The prodigal son was a child of his father from birth. Even while deep in sin, the prodigal remained a child of his father. When the son "came to his senses" and returned home, his relationship with his father was fully and unconditionally restored. He received relational forgiveness (his "positional forgiveness" as a child of his father was never changed).

We receive "positional forgiveness" when we choose to call upon Jesus to save us (click on the above icon entitled "How To Become A Christian"). Positional forgiveness is eternal and there is nothing that can change that. We instantly and eternally become a child of God and our position as a child of God will never change. A person cannot become a child of God until the person believes Jesus to forgive them forever and surrenders to Jesus as Lord, God, Master and Friend. Read John 3:16 (eternal life is eternal...it begins and can never end). Other passages to provide evidence that the above is true: Mark 1:15; John 6:37; John 10:28; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 4:10; Ephesians 1:13-14; Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans 8:33-39; 2 Thessalonians 2:16; 2 Timothy 1:12). 

If our entrance into heaven depended on our memory of all of our sins no one could make it to heaven. It is a wonderful gift and blessing from God that our entrance into heaven fully depends on the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross and nothing else (Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Peter 2:24; John 3:16).

For more information on eternal forgiveness, click on the icon above entitled "About Us" and scroll down to the topic "The Truth About Eternal Forgiveness."      

18. Question: Can a person be reincarnated?

Answer: No. People must reject the truth of the Word of God to believe in reincarnation. The Bible states clearly: "It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgement." Hebrews 9:27. Reincarnation advocates teach that when a person dies, their spirit leaves the body and enters the body of another human body (a fetus in the womb, a new born baby or a person of any age). This belief denies the above Biblical truth that all persons die only once. To be reincarnated, a person would have to die twice or more times. In addition, the Bible clearly teaches that when a person dies, the spirit of the person leaves the body, goes to heaven to stand before God (Father, Son Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit: the One true God revealed in three different manifestations) to be judged. Matthew 25:31-46; Philippians 2:10; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 John 4:17. Those who are born again Christians, who know Jesus in a personal relationship as Savior, Lord God and Friend have had the penalty for their sins paid in full by Jesus on the cross and will remain in heaven with Jesus and other Christians forever.

On the other hand, those who have rejected Jesus as Savior, Lord God and Friend have chosen to be eternally separated from Jesus in the place Jesus called hell, where there is eternal punishment for all who have rejected Jesus as Savior, Lord God and Friend (Matthew 23:33; Matthew 25:46; John 5:23; 8:24).

Reincarnation also teaches a works salvation: for a person to go to heaven and be with God they must be reincarnated over and over until they live a "good enough" life, "free from bad carma and negative relationships," in order to be "worthy" to go to heaven. This teaching rejects the Biblical truth that a person cannot be saved by good works but only by the work of grace (Jesus' atoning death on the cross that pays the penalty in full for all our sins). Ephesians 2:8-9.  

19. Question: Are there ghosts on earth?

Answer: No. People must reject the truth of the Word of God to believe in ghosts. Most people define a ghost as a person's spirit that leaves the body when the body dies and then the person's spirit remains on earth and can be occasionally seen by humans. The Bible clearly states that when a person dies their spirit immediately goes to God to be judged. Hebrews 9:27; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 2:10, 1 John 4:17.  If the person has been born again, knows Jesus in a personal relationship as Savior, Lord God and Friend, the person is welcomed into heaven to remain in heaven eternally. Matthew 25:31-46. The person who has rejected Jesus as Savior, Lord God and Friend chose to be eternally separated from God in a place Jesus called hell. Matthew 25:31-46; Matthew 23:33; John 5:23; John 8:24. Persons are unable to leave heaven or hell once they die. 

The spirits or ghosts that people see on earth are:

A. a figment of their imagination; or 

B. a demonic angel that appears to look like someone they knew; or 

C. an angel from the Lord. Matthew 17:18; Matthew 28:1-8.

There are only two occasions in the Bible that the Lord allowed the spirits of the prophets to return to earth for special purposes. 1 Samuel 11:8-20; Matthew 17:1-8. 

20. Question: Are there aliens in outer space?

Answer: No. First of all, there is no actual conclusive evidence that anyone has ever seen nor spoken to an alien. If, by chance, a person thinks he or she has actually seen or spoken to an alien, the alien was a demon trying to scare and/or confuse the person. Jesus and His angels never cause fear nor confusion (2 Timothy 1:7). Some have said that they spoke to an alien that did not scare them, and if this is true, it is very possible that they spoke to an angel of God. Hebrews 13:2 states, "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing, some have unwittingly entertained angels."

Some have shown photos and moving pictures on television of "flying sausers" and "unidentified flying objects (UFOs)." They believe that "no one can refute a photograph that these are alien being spacecraft." Truth is, any photograph and any moving picture can be altered to make others believe they are looking at an actual unaltered photograph. Even if the photos are actual, the objects flying across the sky, and other objects appearing and disappearing could be anything. Could these photographed UFOs actually be angels that appear as flashes of light to the human eye?            

The Bible states that God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). There is no mention of God ever creating other people or creatures on other planets. If God did create other persons on other planets, most Christians believe that He would have informed His children of this in His Bible. 

In addition, it is common sense to understand that the idea about aliens is alien, foreign and contrary to Biblical truth! Jesus died for the sins of all people on the cross; if there were people on other planets, they would not be perfect (Romans 3:23 and 2 Corinthians 5:21 reveal that only Jesus was perfect, without sin) and they would need Jesus as their Savior also. If there were people living on other planets, Jesus would have needed to go from planet to planet to tell those imperfect people that He died for their sins also on planet earth, they need His forgiveness and they too must call upon Him to be saved (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 10:13). Jesus would need to spend all of His time going around to trillions of planets all over the universe to tell them what He did on planet earth for them. Now common sense and the Holy Spirit in a Christian will confirm that the idea about aliens conflicts with the Word of God and Truth.

There is overwhelming real evidence that the Bible is true; there is plenty of evidence that demons and angels are real (demons and angels are the only alien beings people encounter) but there is no real evidence, never has been real evidence and never will be real evidence that there is life on other planets. To read about the overwhelming real evidence that everything in the Bible is true, click on the icon above entitled "Evidence."

When Jesus returns in the rapture, all unbelievers and secular news media will be fully convinced that "there has been an alien invasion on our planet and many have witnessed thousands of people physically lifted, live into outer space." That statement will be very true! To the unbelieving world, Jesus and His angels will look like aliens in the sky from another planet. 

Are you sure that you will be taken to heaven when the rapture occurs? If not, click on the icon above entitled "How to Become a Christian." You can be 100% sure that Jesus will include you in His rapture to heaven! Most conservative Christians, pastors and theologians believe that the rapture will occur within the next decade. Are you ready? Jesus created you, He loves you more than you can imagine and He wants you to have peace, joy and assurance that you will spend eternity in heaven with Him.     

21. Question: What about dinosaurs? 

Answer: The following explanation of dinosaurs, creation and the flood are the Biblical views of most conservative Christians. God created the world in seven twenty-four hour days. Dinosaurs were created by God on the fourth and fifth days of His creation (Genesis 1:19-25). Before the fall of man, dinosaurs and all other creation were vegetarians. After the fall of man, dinosaurs and all creation changed. This is when dinosaurs and many animals became carnivorous (Genesis 3).

Dinosaurs were still living when God commanded Noah to build the ark. God miraculously led all animals, including dinosaurs, birds and "all creeping things" into the ark, two by two, male and female (Genesis 7:7-9). God miraculously caused all the animals to become passive and vegetarian on the ark. In the years after the ark, after the population of creation increased, many animals became carnivorous again.  

All animals, including dinosaurs, were created by God to benefit mankind in one way or another. God's exact purpose for the various dinosaurs is still a mystery. Many answers we will not know until we ask God in heaven. This will be part of the joys of heaven. We can make intelligent assumptions based on facts and existing evidence.

Perhaps the larger dinosaurs kept certain types of lush plant life under control and cleared paths through the forest. Using their long necks, some dinosaurs could have eaten foliage at the tops of tall trees. In a thick forest, this would let light come down to the ground so smaller plants would have a chance to grow.

Why did God invent so many different kinds of beautiful, interesting and surprising animals? Perhaps because He wanted to delight Man with His power, wisdom and love.

Part of God's purpose for creating the particular types of dinosaurs that were very large was surely to impress man. Dinosaurs showed the great power of the Creator. No matter how big these creatures were, Adam knew God was always far greater. God designed every part of them, right down to the smallest cell. Even the largest dinosaur was like an obedient puppy in God's wise, powerful hands.

There have been many ideas to explain why dinosaurs became extinct. At least 55 different theories have been suggested and then thrown out because of problems. For instance, a theory that works for the large animals usually does not explain the extinction of the small animals or sea creatures. Whatever happened to dinosaurs, scientists agree, must have affected the entire planet. Many animals and creatures have become extinct since God created them.

There is some evidence that a few dinosaurs and great marine reptiles could still be alive, teetering on the edge of extinction. Scientists are still discovering unknown animals each year. Natives in a very remote jungle in Africa repeatedly told of seeing large animals that looked much like the sauropod dinosaurs. The sauropods included the Apatosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus and others like them. A group of natives claimed to have killed a small one in 1959. Scientists studied the reports and made trips into the deep jungle in hopes of finding a dinosaur still alive. None has been found so far.

22. Question: Will we be with our pets again in heaven?

Answer: The Bible is silent on this issue. The Bible does say that "the wolf and the lamb shall feed together" in heaven (Isaiah 65:25). Most conservative commentators believe that heaven will be just like the Garden of Eden on earth before sin and the enemy changed everything. There were animals in the Garden of Eden. Adam gave names to all of the animals; many believe that Adam and Eve enjoyed the animals like pets. The Bible also tells us that every good thing we have and experience on earth is a Love gift from the Lord (James 1:17). Therefore, pets we grow to Love are gifts from the Lord to us. It is my personal belief, based on the above Biblical principles, that our pets we had on earth will be with us again in heaven forever and we will enjoy them in heaven even more than we enjoyed them on earth.    

For more evidence for a young earth. the story of creation, and the story of Noah's ark, click on the above icon entitled "Evidence" or go to www.christiananswers.net and type in what you want to search for in the search engine.

Since we have clearly established the evidence that the entire Bible is true (click on the icon above entitled "Evidence"), we can believe the words of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught that the story of creation is true (Matthew 19:4) and He taught that the story of Noah's ark is true (Luke 17:26-27). Matthew gives us the geneology of Jesus from Adam to Joseph which is the greatest evidence for a young earth (Matthew 1).   

Remember that a person does not have to believe in a young earth, the creation story or the story of Noah's ark to go to heaven but a person must believe the gospel to go to heaven. To understand what you must believe to go to heaven, click on the above icon entitled "How To Become A Christian."

It is a dangerous risk to live one more moment without knowing Jesus Christ as your God, Savior and Friend. God loves you, He created you and He desires to give you His unconditional Love and eternal forgiveness right now. Please do not delay. Receive the Spirit of Jesus into your heart right now! After you receive the Spirit of Jesus, He will use you to tell others how they can have joy, peace and assurance that they have peace with God, eternal forgiveness and heaven as their home. 

Remember, if you desire an answer to a question that is not answered above go to www.christiananswers.net or www.gotquestions.org or email our pastor at calvarybaptist@cebridge.net.