* ALL Questions about the Christian Life *

[Patriot]

How can a Christian stop fearing God’s wrath and punishment?​

Answer

The Bible confirms that all people are guilty in God’s sight and deserve His wrath and punishment for sin (Psalm 51:3–5; Romans 3:9–26). However, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, God provides the means of removing our guilt and fear of punishment (Isaiah 53:10–12; Hebrews 9:14; John 1:29). Jesus’ death and resurrection opened the way for believers to experience the blessings and freedom of being in a right relationship God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Christians can stop fearing God’s wrath and punishment because the blood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, cleanses them from all sin (Hebrews 10:11–14; 1 John 1:7).

Satan is “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). He is “the accuser of our brothers” who “accuses them day and night before our God” (Revelation 12:10, ESV). Our adversary, the devil, attempts to separate us from God with baseless fears about wrath, judgment, and punishment. But fear is one of Satan’s traps to keep us ineffective and useless in God’s kingdom (1 Peter 5:8–9).

Believers can stop fearing God’s wrath and living under the weight of guilt because “now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1, NLT). Jesus gave His life to silence the voice of our accuser. Satan can no longer incriminate us (Romans 8:33–34). The apostle Paul writes, “For God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. . . . Nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from . . . the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:35–39).

Once a person repents and is saved, he must still contend with temptation and evil (1 John 1:8). But Scripture says, “If we confess our sins [to God], he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:8–9, NLT; see also Proverbs 28:13). A Christian no longer must live with a guilty conscience (Hebrews 10:22). Nevertheless, believers must be prepared for an ongoing, lifelong battle with temptation and sin (Romans 7:14–25; see also 1 John 1:8).

Thankfully, Jesus understands our weaknesses, and He and the Holy Spirit act as our heavenly attorneys, interceding continuously on our behalf before God (Romans 8:26–27, 34; Hebrews 4:15; 7:27; 1 John 2:1–2). We are also given God’s armor to wear (Ephesians 6:11–20; Romans 13:12) as we “fight the good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). When we fall short of the mark, we confess our sins and receive God’s forgiveness. Christ’s blood has already paid the price for all our offenses, past, present, and future (1 Peter 1:18–19; 2 Corinthians 5:19; 1 John 2:2).

Sanctification is not instantaneous but a work in progress (2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:13). The Christian life is meant to be “a living and holy sacrifice” (Romans 12:1–3) by which God transforms us a little at a time into the image of His Son (Philippians 3:12–14; Ephesians 4:15; 1 Thessalonians 4:3–7; Hebrews 12:14; 2 Peter 3:18).

It is appropriate for Christians to have a healthy, respectful, and reverential fear of God and His holiness (1 Samuel 12:24; Proverbs 1:7; Hebrews 12:28–29; Revelation 14:7). But we don’t have to fear His divine wrath and punishment, which are reserved for the godless, disobedient, and wicked who refuse God’s offer of salvation in Jesus Christ (Romans 1:18–20; Matthew 25:31–33, 41–45; Ephesians 5:6; Colossians 3:6; 2 Peter 2:4–9).

Christians can stop fearing God’s wrath and punishment because His perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18). The Lord’s forgiveness, compassion, and mercy are infinite and eternal for those who put their faith and trust in Him (Exodus 34:5–7; Nehemiah 9:16–17; Isaiah 43:25; Micah 7:18–20; Philippians 3:13–14). Believers can rejoice and rest in Christ’s comforting promise: “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life” (John 5:24, NLT).

For Further Study​

The Quest Study Bible

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software

 

[Patriot]

What is God’s plan for my life?​

Answer

The Bible reveals a beautiful plan for our lives. We can know with all certainty many aspects of God’s plan because they are revealed in His Word. Other parts we discover as we walk in ever-deepening fellowship with God. Some pieces of the puzzle will only be revealed to us in eternity when we see Jesus face to face (1 Corinthians 13:9–12; see also 1 Corinthians 8:2).

God’s plan for my life is salvation. God’s paramount plan for us is to be saved through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9; 2 Peter 3:9). Our loving heavenly Father wants us to come to Him as trusting children (John 1:12; 1 John 3:1) and depend on Him daily to satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts (Psalm 42:1–2; 63:1; John 4:13–14; 6:27, 35, 50–51; 7:37; Revelation 22:17). Through a personal, one-on-one connection with Him, God fulfills the purposes for which He created us.

God’s plan for my life is fellowship. We get to know God’s plan through living in communion with Him. At first, we have many questions. It’s impossible to see the whole picture from the start. A parent doesn’t disclose the intricate details of adulthood to an infant. New believers must rest in God and trust Him to reveal what we need to know about His plan as we mature and grow in faith. What we can know from the beginning is that God desires to have daily fellowship with us through the Holy Spirit because of Christ’s redeeming sacrifice on the cross (John 14:16–17, 23; Ephesians 2:18–19; Romans 5:10; 1 Corinthians 1:9).

God’s plan for my life is obedience. As we remain in fellowship with the Father, we begin to understand that He calls us to a life of submission to His will and His Word (John 14:15, 21; 1 John 3:24; 2 John 1:6). Jesus, who is our example in everything, said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (John 4:34, ESV; see also John 5:30; 6:38; 14:31; Matthew 26:39). Christ demonstrated selfless obedience to the Father as His life’s mission (Hebrews 10:9 Philippians 2:8; Romans 5:18–19). Just as it was for Christ, wholehearted obedience to the Father’s will is God’s plan for our lives(Matthew 7:21; 12:50; 19:17; John 15:10; Ephesians 6:6; Romans 1:5).

God’s plan for my life is holiness. God’s purpose for every believer is to be conformed to the character of Christ: “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters” (Romans 8:29, NLT; see also 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 John 3:2). Whether we are young or old, married or single, rich or poor, black or white, male or female, God’s plan is for us to be made holy (Leviticus 11:44–45; Hebrews 12:10; 1 Peter 1:15–16; 1 John 3:3).

God’s plan for my life is discipleship. God calls Christians to be witnesses for Jesus in the world (Acts 1:8; Matthew 10:17–20) and to follow Christ in laying down our lives for others (1 John 3:16; Matthew 16:24–26; John 13:12–17). Discipleship involves learning from God (John 6:45) and loving and serving others (Ephesians 5:1–2; 1 Peter 2:16; 4:10; Galatians 6:9–10).

God’s plan for my life is good works. The Bible likens believers to works of art in the studio of the Master Artist: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT). Before we were born, God designed a plan for us (Psalm 139:13)—an itinerary of good works waiting for us to accomplish through our union with Him. He is the master, and we are His instruments (2 Corinthians 4:7–18; Jeremiah 18:6; Romans 9:20–21).

God’s plan for my life is progress. God does not reveal the complete plan for our lives all at once. We don’t get the whole schedule or the nitty-gritty details but only what we need to keep moving forward. Our job is to trust Him on the journey and allow Him to do the creative work in and through us as we “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

For Further Study​

The Owner's Manual for Christians: The Essential Guide for a God-Honoring Life by Charles Swindoll

More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software

 

[Patriot]

What is a God moment?​

Answer

Some Christians refer to a meaningful or extraordinary experience of God’s presence or power as a “God moment.” The principle comes from a book by Alan D. Wright titled The God Moment Principle. Originally published in 1999 by Multnomah Publishers, the book encourages readers to focus on the positive, faith-building encounters they have had with God in the past as proof of His active, caring existence in their daily lives. Over the years, other similar books, apps, and devotionals have been published on the topic.

The term God moment is not found in the Bible, but the concept is scripturally sound. Wright cites young David as someone who found faith, courage, and strength in the face of overwhelming obstacles because he recognized and remembered the God moments in his past. In 1 Samuel 17:33–37, as David prepares to confront the giant Goliath, his faith is bolstered by thinking back to his boyhood days tending sheep. God had empowered David to kill a lion and a bear while shepherding and protecting his flock. Now, instead of dwelling on the smallness of his stature, David trusts in the already-proven greatness of his God. On page 29 of The God Moment Principle, Wright reflects, “A whole army of Israelite soldiers couldn’t produce one brave warrior. But one shepherd boy who remembered a God Moment could easily slay a giant. . . . Yesterday’s God Moments are stones in the sling of faith for tomorrow’s giants.”

Another biblical “God moment” is Israel’s miraculous exodus from slavery in Egypt, an event that becomes a recurring historical reminder of God’s incredible faithfulness and mighty deliverance in the lives of His people (1 Samuel 12:6; Micah 6:4; Hosea 12:13; Amos 2:10; Psalm 114:1). Later, Moses tells the Israelites to “remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey his commands” (Deuteronomy 8:2, NLT).

God is always with us, both in the ordinary and extraordinary moments of life, but sometimes we forget or fail to recognize Him in them. Often, we only recall the negative, “glass-half-empty” aspects of our experiences and circumstances. God wants us to remember Him in the sea-parting miracles and the mundane wilderness wanderings: “Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me” (Isaiah 46:9, NLT; see also Deuteronomy 5:15; 8:18; 1 Chronicles 16:12; Matthew 16:9–10).

Believers are called to remember God’s person, commands, and even His wrath (Numbers 15:38–40; Jeremiah 51:50; Jonah 2:7; Psalm 103:17–18; Deuteronomy 9:7–8). In the New Testament, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper so His followers would never forget Christ’s death on the cross (1 Corinthians 11:24–28; Luke 22:17–20). One of the functions of the Holy Spirit is to help believers remember Jesus and His teachings (John 14:26; 16:4).

Scripture affirms that remembering “God moments” builds our faith and trust in the Lord (Psalm 13:5–6; Deuteronomy 26:4–11) and leads to rejoicing (Psalm 66:5–6), repentance and forgiveness from sin (Matthew 5:23–24; Revelation 2:5; 3:3), spiritual understanding and discernment (Luke 24:6–8; John 15:20; 16:1–4), and hope for the future (Lamentations 3:21–24; Psalm 42:4–11; 103:1–2; Hebrews 10:32–36; Romans 15:4).

Many Christians define a God moment as an intimate, unique, or uncommon experience that helps them see that something or someone bigger than themselves (i.e., God) is at work in their lives. It might be an answered prayer, a sudden revelation, or a chance encounter. In truth, every second of a believer’s life is a God moment because “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). God’s plan for our good is ceaselessly in operation. He is always present and proving Himself faithful (Acts 17:27–28; Psalm 23; 139:7–10).

For Further Study​

Rediscovering Holiness: Know the Fullness of Life with God by J.I. Packer

The Quest Study Bible: Answers to Thousands of Your Questions About the Bible

 

[septuagint]