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Why do we still sin after salvation? Answer Salvation begins the moment we receive, by faith, God’s offer of forgiveness through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus (Ephesians 2:8–9; John 1:12). Jesus called it being “born again” (John 3:3). In repenting and giving up our old life, we...

What is the meaning of living for Jesus? Answer We all live for something. Parents may live for their children. Spouses may live for each other, and business owners may live for success. We say that we are “living for” something when that is the motivation for all we do. Living for Jesus means...

What is the key to growing as a new believer? Answer If you are reading this article as a new believer in Christ, welcome to the family of God! As a newborn baby must continue to grow after birth, so must new believers continue to grow in faith, in wisdom, and in holiness to become more like...

What does it mean to love like Jesus? Answer A Christian wants to be as much like Jesus as he or she can be. Part of being like Jesus is loving like Jesus loved. God has a goal of conforming us to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). Jesus was always obedient to the Father (John 8:29), He was...

Why should I get baptized? Answer “Why should I get baptized?” is an important question for Christians to answer. From the earliest days of the Christian church, baptism has been a foundational step of faith following salvation (Acts 2:38, 41; 8:12, 38). The act of baptism by immersion in...

What does God want me to do? Answer We ask the question what does God want me to do? for a variety of reasons. We may be facing a big life decision and truly want to follow God’s plan. Or we may be searching for God and believe that there are steps to follow or rules to keep in order to find...

How can I know what pleases God? Answer When talking about His Father in heaven, Jesus said, “I always do what pleases him” (John 8:29). Because Jesus was the Son of God, of one nature with the Father, He knew what pleased God. But we are fallible human beings. How can we know what pleases...

How do I hear from God? Answer Every Christian has probably wondered at one time or another, “How do I hear from God?” The question is natural because we want to know what God has in store for us, and we are eager to please our heavenly Father. The range of answers, however, has caused much...

What should be our response when a Christian leader renounces the faith? Answer The choice of a Christian leader to renounce his or her faith is tragic. We grieve at such an event, and the sorrow we feel is compounded by the fact that the falling away is usually accompanied by other...

How do I share the gospel with a ______? Answer Humans have a tendency to self-classify based on certain identifiers and to group together with others who are alike. For example, we might define ourselves or others based on ethnicity or interests or political affiliations or countries of...

Who does God say I am? Answer Many of us waste time worrying about what other people think of us. We want to be valued, loved, respected, and admired. But why base our identity and sense of self-worth on the opinions of other flawed beings when God’s view of us is the only one that truly...

Is it wrong for a Christian to have the goal of being rich and famous? Answer Being rich and famous is not sinful. However, making that a primary pursuit in life is sinful. “People who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them...

How can I achieve victory in Jesus? Answer As followers of Jesus Christ, we all want to live a triumphant Christian life. The Bible assures us that God and His Son Jesus are Victors and that believers can share in their victories: “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord...

Does God have a plan for me? Answer Many of God’s plans are detailed throughout the Bible. He has plans for nations, for people groups, and for individuals. Isaiah 46:10–11 summarizes what God wants us to know about His plans: “My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. From the...

Why should I forgive? Answer Forgiveness is a familiar topic in the Bible. In fact, God’s plan to forgive mankind of their sins is the major theme of the Bible (1 Peter 1:20; John 17:24). So, when wondering why we should forgive those who sin against us, we need look no further than the...

How can I stop being a grumpy Christian? Answer Grumpiness characterizes some personality types more than it does others. Some people are born with sunny dispositions and always see the glass half full. Others seem to be grumpy from birth, seeing every glass nearly empty—and who drank it...

What does it mean to be a servant of Christ? Answer In many places in the New Testament, the apostle Paul refers to himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ” (e.g., Romans 1:1; Colossians 4:12; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 4:6). The Lord’s half-brother Jude refers to himself in the same way (Jude...

The needs of the world overwhelm me. Am I too sensitive? Answer Sensitivity to the world’s needs is a healthy sign that you are not completely self-absorbed. Pain, hunger, sorrow, and tragedy are regular occurrences in this once-perfect world, now ravaged by the effects of sin (Genesis...

What is sanctifying grace? Answer The word grace denotes God’s unmerited love and favor toward human beings. It can be broadly understood as kindness or blessings from God that we don’t deserve. The word sanctify as it pertains to the life of a Christian means “to set a person apart for...