1.
Does God really see and take note of you personally?
“You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees” (Genesis 16:13). “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; you understand my thought afar off. You… are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether” (Psalm 139:1–4). “The very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Luke 12:7).
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Answer: Yes. God knows you and every person on earth better than we know ourselves. He takes a personal interest in every human being and sees all that we do. Not one word, thought, or deed is hidden from Him.
“You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees” (Genesis 16:13). “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; you understand my thought afar off. You… are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether” (Psalm 139:1–4). “The very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Luke 12:7).
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Answer: Yes. God knows you and every person on earth better than we know ourselves. He takes a personal interest in every human being and sees all that we do. Not one word, thought, or deed is hidden from Him.
Search the Bible for God’s will. It is
your only safety.
2. Can anyone be saved in His kingdom without obeying His Word?
“Not everyone who says to Me,‘Lord,Lord,’shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
“If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17). “He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9).
2. Can anyone be saved in His kingdom without obeying His Word?
“Not everyone who says to Me,‘Lord,Lord,’shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
“If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:17). “He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9).
Answer: No. Scripture is very clear on
this. Salvation and the kingdom of heaven are for those who obey the Lord’s
commands. God does not promise eternal life to those who merely make a
profession of faith or are church members or are baptized, but rather to those
who do His will, which is revealed in Scripture. Of course, this obedience is
possible only through Christ (Acts 4:12).
3. Why does God require obedience? Why
is it necessary?
“Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14).
“He who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death” (Proverbs 8:36).
“The LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive” (Deuteronomy 6:24).
Answer: Because only one path leads to God’s kingdom. All roads do not lead to the same place. The Bible is the map—a guidebook with all the instructions, warnings, and information on how to safely reach that kingdom. To disregard any of it leads us away from God and His kingdom. The universe of God is one of law and order—including natural, moral, and spiritual. Breaking any of these laws has fixed consequences. If the Bible had not been given, people would have sooner or later discovered, by trial and error, that the great principles of the Bible exist and are true. When ignored, they result in sickness, torment, and unhappiness of every kind. Thus, the words of the Bible are not merely advice that we can accept or ignore without consequences. The Bible even tells what these consequences are and explains how to avoid them. A person cannot live any way he wishes and still become Christ like—any more than a builder can ignore the blueprints for a house without running into trouble. This is why God wants you to follow the blueprint of Holy Scripture. There is no other way to become like Him and, thus, be fitted for a place in His kingdom. There is simply no other way to true happiness.
4. Why does God permit disobedience to continue? Why not destroy sin and sinners now?
“Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him” (Jude 1:14, 15).“As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God” (Romans 14:11).
Answer: God will not destroy sin until everyone has been fully convinced of His justice, love, and mercy. All will finally realize that God, by asking for obedience, is not trying to force His will upon us, but rather is trying to keep us from hurting and destroying ourselves. The problem of sin is not settled until even the most cynical, hardened sinners are convinced of God’s love and confess that He is just. It will take, perhaps, a major catastrophe to convince some, but the horrible results of sinful living will finally convince all that God is just and right.
“Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14).
“He who sins against me wrongs his own soul; all those who hate me love death” (Proverbs 8:36).
“The LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive” (Deuteronomy 6:24).
Answer: Because only one path leads to God’s kingdom. All roads do not lead to the same place. The Bible is the map—a guidebook with all the instructions, warnings, and information on how to safely reach that kingdom. To disregard any of it leads us away from God and His kingdom. The universe of God is one of law and order—including natural, moral, and spiritual. Breaking any of these laws has fixed consequences. If the Bible had not been given, people would have sooner or later discovered, by trial and error, that the great principles of the Bible exist and are true. When ignored, they result in sickness, torment, and unhappiness of every kind. Thus, the words of the Bible are not merely advice that we can accept or ignore without consequences. The Bible even tells what these consequences are and explains how to avoid them. A person cannot live any way he wishes and still become Christ like—any more than a builder can ignore the blueprints for a house without running into trouble. This is why God wants you to follow the blueprint of Holy Scripture. There is no other way to become like Him and, thus, be fitted for a place in His kingdom. There is simply no other way to true happiness.
4. Why does God permit disobedience to continue? Why not destroy sin and sinners now?
“Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him” (Jude 1:14, 15).“As I live, says the LORD, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God” (Romans 14:11).
Answer: God will not destroy sin until everyone has been fully convinced of His justice, love, and mercy. All will finally realize that God, by asking for obedience, is not trying to force His will upon us, but rather is trying to keep us from hurting and destroying ourselves. The problem of sin is not settled until even the most cynical, hardened sinners are convinced of God’s love and confess that He is just. It will take, perhaps, a major catastrophe to convince some, but the horrible results of sinful living will finally convince all that God is just and right.
All who choose not to follow Christ
will finally be destroyed with the sin they love
5. Will the disobedient actually be destroyed?
“God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment” (2 Peter 2:4). “All the wicked He will destroy” (Psalm 145:20).
“In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:8).
Answer: Yes. The disobedient, including the devil and his angels, will all be destroyed. This being true, surely it is time to abandon all fuzziness regarding what is right or wrong. It is not safe for us to depend on our own notions and feelings of right and wrong. Our only safety is depending on God’s Word. (See Study Guide 11 for details on the destruction of sin and Study Guide 8 on Jesus’ second coming.)
5. Will the disobedient actually be destroyed?
“God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment” (2 Peter 2:4). “All the wicked He will destroy” (Psalm 145:20).
“In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:8).
Answer: Yes. The disobedient, including the devil and his angels, will all be destroyed. This being true, surely it is time to abandon all fuzziness regarding what is right or wrong. It is not safe for us to depend on our own notions and feelings of right and wrong. Our only safety is depending on God’s Word. (See Study Guide 11 for details on the destruction of sin and Study Guide 8 on Jesus’ second coming.)
6. You want to please God, but is it
really possible to keep all of His commandments?
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find” (Matthew 7:7). “Be diligent [study] to present yourself approved to God … rightly dividing the word of truth” (Timothy). “If any one wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God”(John 7:17).“Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you”(John 12:35).“As soon as they hear of me they obey me” (Psalm 18:44).
Answer: God promises to keep you from error and lead you safely to all truth if you will (1) pray earnestly for guidance, (2) sincerely study God’s Word, and (3) follow truth as soon as you are shown.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find” (Matthew 7:7). “Be diligent [study] to present yourself approved to God … rightly dividing the word of truth” (Timothy). “If any one wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God”(John 7:17).“Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you”(John 12:35).“As soon as they hear of me they obey me” (Psalm 18:44).
Answer: God promises to keep you from error and lead you safely to all truth if you will (1) pray earnestly for guidance, (2) sincerely study God’s Word, and (3) follow truth as soon as you are shown.
7.
Does God count people guilty for disobeying Bible truth that has never been
made clear to them?
“If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see. ‘Therefore your sin remains” (John 9:41). “To him who knows to do well and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you” (Hosea 4:6). “Seek, and you will find” (Matthew 7:7).
Answer: If you have had no opportunity to learn a certain Bible truth, God does not hold you accountable for it.The Bible teaches that you are responsible to God for the light (knowledge of right) you have. But don’t be careless with His mercy! Some refuse or neglect to study, seek, learn, and listen and they will be destroyed because they have “rejected knowledge. “To play the ostrich in these crucial matters is fatal. It is our responsibility to search diligently for truth.
“If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see. ‘Therefore your sin remains” (John 9:41). “To him who knows to do well and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you” (Hosea 4:6). “Seek, and you will find” (Matthew 7:7).
Answer: If you have had no opportunity to learn a certain Bible truth, God does not hold you accountable for it.The Bible teaches that you are responsible to God for the light (knowledge of right) you have. But don’t be careless with His mercy! Some refuse or neglect to study, seek, learn, and listen and they will be destroyed because they have “rejected knowledge. “To play the ostrich in these crucial matters is fatal. It is our responsibility to search diligently for truth.
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