Do babies who die unbaptised go to heaven?

Babies, just like all other people, are born in sin (Psalm 51:5: "I have been evil from the day I was born; from the time I was conceived, I have been sinful" - Good News Translation).
 We do understand that babies are still without the power to choose to commit sin or not to commit sin. They haven't got the choice to do right or wrong which adults have. The Bible teaches us, on the other hand, that we are saved from eternal death only by faith in Jesus Christ. Babies are not able to exercise that faith. But if we believe in the Covenant of grace, we know that the Word of God teaches clearly that the children of Covenant parents are saved by the faith of their parents. In other words babies of Christian parents are saved by the faith of their parents. So we have Scriptural ground to believe that when babies of Christians die, they go to the abode of glory where the Lord is (See Matthew 19:14; Acts 2:39; 1 Corinthians 7:14). Other babies, those of non-Christian parents do not have the privileges of Christian childrens they are not in the Covenant of Grace.
 All we can do is to leave this matter in the hands of God, who can never be unjust. We do not know what happens to them when they die. We must trust Him, their Creator to be just in His dealings with them. His thoughts are not our thoughts. To try to answer a question that only He can answer, is impossible.
 On the other hand, there are many things that we know and can do something about. We as Christian parents can lead our children to Christ through our words and example. We can pray for them and guide them. And if you are not yet sure whether you are a Christian, you can do something about it. Go and see someone who can help you come into the right relationship with God, and carry on from there!

 

You ask if liquor (drink containing alcohol) is sinful:-

I would answer you as follows:
 1. Alcohol is known to be a habit-forming drug. Some people are able to drink small amounts, but many continue to increase their drinking until they cannot handle the problem. A good percentage of social drinkers become alcoholics and each of them affects many people.
 2. Alcohol is the cause of many domestic problems with poverty and hunger causing suffering to children and an unstable relationship between husband and wife.
 3. It is well known how much damage is done on the roads through drinking and driving.
 4. Drinking too much (which often starts with only a little) breaks down a person's control of himself and leads to other sins.
 5. Alcohol can also destroy one's health.
 For a Christian this is the kind of life which should be left behind (Proverbs 20:1; 1 Corinthians 6:10). He is a new person in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) and he should have a new set of values and standards which are to please the Lord (Ephesians 4:22-24). Our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16-17) and should be kept clean and pure. The Christian life is a joyful one and we can be happy in Him (Philippians 4:4) without any outside stimulant.
 On the other hand, the Bible is clear that drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:10). Christians are warned against getting drunk with wine, but should rather be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18).
 It is not sinful to use wine as Christ did, but it becomes sin as soon as the alcohol takes control of your life. The best way to avoid becoming a drunkard and alcoholic is to avoid alcohol altogether!
 And if you are an alcoholic already, or someone whose drinking causes problems, there is deliverance. Jesus can set you completely free (John 8:34-36). The Corinthian Christians experienced this themselves (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). May this be your experience as well!

 

Is the devil God's eldest son?

No! God exists as: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The Son came to this world as a man, so that He could be able to die, as a man, for our sins. His name on earth was Jesus.
 The devil was a beautiful angel in heaven who, filled with pride, opposed God. He became the evil one, the devil. He is not God's eldest son. We must be careful not to be misled by this notion.
 The devil was originally created as a good angel, to serve God. But after that he became proud, and rebelled against God's authority (1 Timothy 3:6-7). Then he was thrown out of heaven with the angels which followed him. The devil is evil, and in God there is no evil whatsoever.
 Eventually the devil will be punished in a lake of fire for all eternity (Revelation 20:10).
 Unfortunately it will not only he who will suffer. The Bible continues, "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars -- their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." We pray that you will not be one these unfortunate souls, because you accepted Christ as your Saviour while you still had the time!

What is the devil's name? The devil is called by different names. One is Satan, a Hebrew word meaning "Opponent" or "Enemy" (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6; Zecharia 3:1-2; Revelation 12:10). In Greek his name is "Diabolo" meaning "Slanderer". He is also symbolicly called "the Great Dragon" (Revelation 12:9) or the "Old Serpent" (snake) referring to the form in which he appeared to Eve in Eden (Genesis 3). In Matthew 12:24 we hear about Beelzebub, but it is believed that he was the head of the devils who possessed the people of those times. The devil is also called "a murderer from the beginning" and "a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44).

What is the devil's name? The devil is called by different names. One is Satan, a Hebrew word meaning "Opponent" or "Enemy" (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-6; Zecharia 3:1-2; Revelation 12:10). In Greek his name is "Diabolo" meaning "Slanderer". He is also symbolicly called "the Great Dragon" (Revelation 12:9) or the "Old Serpent" (snake) referring to the form in which he appeared to Eve in Eden (Genesis 3). In Matthew 12:24 we hear about Beelzebub, but it is believed that he was the head of the devils who possessed the people of those times. The devil is also called "a murderer from the beginning" and "a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44).

Is there a waiting place after death? Where is it? Where was Jesus after His death before Sunday?  What we can deduct from the teaching of Scriptures about this subject all souls of people who have died, and who die, go to a place called "Sheol" in Hebrew and "Hades" in Greek. It means "The place of the dead". But "Sheol" ("Hades") has two seperate abodes: One for Christians who die, one for the unbelievers.  The story of Lazarus and the rich man gives us a glimpse of the circumstances there (Luke 16:19-31). The abode of the blessed is called the bosom of Abraham or the place of the righteous dead.  There all will stay until the resurrection of the bodies, when souls and bodies will be united to live forever: The saints in the places named in Revelations 21-22. The unsaved will go to hell - body and soul (Revelations 20:11-15).  We do not know where Jesus was. But he promised the dying thief that he would be with him in Paradise. Perhaps this is another name for "the place of the righteous dead".

 

Why doesn't God answer my prayers? When we pray as Christians requesting something from God, we must remember that He always answers our prayers. He can say:  1. Yes! - then he grants our request because we prayed according to His will.  2. No! - then he refuses to grant our request because he knows that it may bring harm to us. The African proverb says "A mother will always, when she gives her child a knife, grasp the sharp cutting blade."  3. Wait! The time to grant your request is not ripe. Most people then stop praying. It is wrong. The Bible teaches that we should wait on the Lord and trust him (Psalm 37:5). It is important to wait. It shows that you trust the Lord. Read also: Psalm 25:5; Psalm 27:14; Habakuk 2:3; Matthew 7:7-11; Luke 18:1-8.  But heed the following points:  God refuses to answer our prayers if:  1. We pray with wrong motives, as James 4:3-8 tells us. Read it.  2. If we do not forgive others who trespass against us - Matthew 20:15.  3. If we harbour sin in our hearts - Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 59:1-2.  4. If we have too little faith. But we can ask God to help us to increase our faith - Mark 9:23-24; Hebrews 11:6.  5. Remember, God will not do for us what we can do for ourselves. A student who does not study faithfully cannot ask God to help him to pass his examinations.  6. If God for some reason known to him does not answer our prayer, he will give us power to persevere. Remember Jesus in Gethsemane.  FELLOW CHRISTIAN, PRAY FAITHFULLY!

How do I become a child of God?

How do I become a child of God?

John tells us in his Gospel (John 1:12) that those who received Jesus, the Word of God, were given the right to become his children. Jesus came to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). He lived a life of perfect obedience on our behalf. He was a perfect sacrifice for our sins on the cross. He has done everything necessary to save us. He certainly and assuredly saves those who turn to Him in faith and repentance. Here is what you should do:
 1. Come to Jesus in prayer. Jesus promised that He will not drive away anyone who comes to Him (John 6:37). Cast yourself on his mercy. He will hear you (Mark 10:46-52).
 2. Confess your sins to Him. He promises to forgive your sins if you confess them and give them up (1 John 1:9; 2:1; Proverbs 28:13).
 3. Ask Jesus to become the Lord of your life. He promises to come in as soon as you open the door of your life (Revelation3:20). Surrender your life to Him (Romans 12:1-2).
 4. Receive Jesus as your Saviour. By doing this, you will be a child of God (John 1:12). You can only receive Him by faith, in prayer. Ask Him to come into your life.
 5. Thank Him in faith that He did come in to change your life. He keeps his promises (Hebrews 11:6).
 6. Tell others what you have done, and how your sins have been forgiven (Roman 10:9-10).
 7. Start to live in obedience to Christ (Philippians 1:21; Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15), also by meeting regularly with other children of God.

The seven words that Jesus spoke on the cross

The seven words that Jesus spoke on the cross

I am going to give you these words as listed in a book: "The Seven Sayings of the Saviour on the Cross" by Arthur W Pink. You can look them up yourself.
 The Word of Forgiveness Luke 23:34
The Word of Salvation Luke 23:42-43
The Word of Affection John 19:25-27
The Word of Anguish Matthew 27:46
The Word of Suffering John 19:28
The Word of Victory John 19:30
The Word of Contentment Luke 23:46

How can you be sure that God loves you?

How can you be sure that God loves you? God cannot lie. He says in the Bible that He loves you and you must believe Him. Take for example John 3:16 and insert your name where it says "whosoever" (that means you too, does it not?). For God loved you so much that He gave his only Son, so that you who believe in Him may not die but have eternal life. (Good News Translation.)  See also 1 John 3:1; John 15:12, 16:27; Ephesians 2:4-5; 5:2; Hebrews 12:6; 1 John 4:10, 19.  Also examine your life and you will find many tokens of his love in the blessings that you can enjoy. Sometimes we can rejoice even in our disappointments. Someone said that when he became blind, he could not understand it. But in his blindness God saved his soul and gave him an amazing joy and peace of mind. Now he rejoices in his blindness because he found God in it.  Please be sure: God loves you just as you are. Will you respond to His love by doing what he asks in Revelation 3:20?

Why do parents refuse to allow their children to choose their own boy- or girlfriends? It happens because many African parents still hold on to the marriage customs of the different tribes. It was customary that, when their boy reached marriageable age, and had passed the initiation rites, the parents would look for a suitable wife for him among the girls they knew. They arranged a meeting with the family of the girl where they arranged the dowry (lobola) and the wedding.  This is one of the main reasons why many parents in Africa, even today, refuse to allow their children to choose their own boy- or girlfriends.  Without despising the old customs, we must say that things have changed, especially when people become Christians. Christians believe that the Lord Himself can and wants to bring two people, whom he intends to be life-partners, together. He gives the love for a special life-partner in the heart of the Christian. We must trust Him to do so, and we must be prepared to obey Him first, rather than the old customs.  But please do not quarrel with the parents who still adhere to the old customs. Let us discuss the matter with them and try to convince them that the Christian must obey the Bible. Read Genesis 2:24: "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

Why do parents refuse to allow their children to choose their own boy- or girlfriends?

Why do parents refuse to allow their children to choose their own boy- or girlfriends?

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How can I know that my boy- or girlfriend is the right one - the one God wants me to marry?

How can I know that my boy- or girlfriend is the right one - the one God wants me to marry?

This letter is written for Christians only. If you are a real Christian, saved by the Lord Jesus, who has the Holy Spirit in your heart, you must pray that God will lead you to the one he intends to be your life-partner, whom you must marry.
 If you pray thus, you must remember that God will answer your prayer in His time and manner.
 Trust God to do so. But remember that it is the will of God that a Christian only marry another Christian (2 Corinthians 6:14-15). Therefore you can know that if an unbeliever wants to marry you, he/she is not God's choice for you.
 If you meet someone who seems to be your partner, do the following:
 1. Make sure if he/she is a true Christian or not.
 2. Establish how many of your interests are the same.
 3. Ask him/her to go and pray to ask God for the assurance that He wants you two to be life partners. If he/she refuses to do that, it is not the right one.
 4. It is a plus-point if both are of the same church, but it is not essential.
 5. Remember that sex before marriage is always sin before God.
 6. Ask God to give the assurance in your heart that your friend is the chosen one whom you must marry.

Why does God allow His people to suffer?

Why does God allow His people to suffer? This is a question which people often ask, especially Christians. They argue that God is a God of love and cannot allow suffering.  The Bible teaches quite clearly that all pain, suffering, disappointment, sickness, death, etc., are the results of sin which came into the world. The world in which Adam and Eve lived before they fell into sin, was a world full of joy and happiness. There was no suffering and pain and sorrow. At the end of time when God shall renew the whole world and heaven (which is prophesied in Revelation 21:4-5): "There will be no more death, no more grief or crying or pain. The old things have disappeared. Then the one who sits on the throne (will say), `And now I make all things new.'"  But in the present dispensation as descendants of Adam (Acts 17:26) we will experience suffering as a result of the fall of man. God said to Eve: "I will increase your trouble in pregnancy and your pain in giving birth" (Genesis 3:16). And to Adam: "Because of what you have done, the ground will be under a curse" (Genesis 3:17).  We find the same connection between the curse upon sin and human suffering in Romans 8:16-22 (Please read it in you Bible). But note the wonderful promise to believers in verse 18. "I consider that what we suffer at this present time cannot be compared at all with the glory which is going to be revealed to us". Until then suffering will be prevalent - because we live in a world which is under the curse of sin.  The whole Bible emphasises the fact that God is love (1 John 4:8-10); that He loves us with a wonderful love. The children of God are in the world. They are not in heaven yet. We are travellers, pilgrims to a better abode. We won't experience heaven on earth, because of the fact that we are Christians. Yes! true Christians have a joy in their hearts which enable them to sing, even in times of suffering (read Acts 16:22-28). But one day everything will change and God's children, the true Christians, will suffer no more, because God will wipe away all tears from their eyes (Revelation 21:4).  For the Christians there is everlasting joy awaiting them in heaven, but on earth there is grace to suffer also to His glory. I have a little card on which is written: "God has not promised sun without rain,  joy without sorrow,  peace without pain.  But God has promised  strength for the day;  rest for the labourer;  light on the way; grace for the trials; help from above; unfailing symphathy, undying love."  Remember this always.

What is love? What is sex?

JOHN 3:16 REFERS TO THE TRUE LOVE.IT IS A ONLY ONE LOVE.

What is love? What is sex? When someone asks us: What is love? he/she wants information about love between a young man and a girl, or between a man and wife, and not love in general, such as love to God and your neighbour, etc. Our reply is therefore limited to love in marriage or romantic love.  We can understand quite well when an African asks this question. Old cultural customs, in some cases, required that the parents choose a wife for their son. The young man and the girl were usually satisfied with each other and accepted one another without asking questions. They knew nothing about "Western" love, and did not worry about it. Marriage was regarded as a contract between families. The groom and his family paid the bridesprice called lobola or bogadi and the bride in return had to give birth to children for the husband's family.  Western culture and Christianity, based on Biblical teaching, brought the concept of Christian love. We did, of course, sometimes find that some young people, inspired by a "force" which they could not define, chose their own loved ones. We find something of this kind, for example in the Zulu custom called ukubaleka or ukuganisela, where the girl runs away to her boyfriend's parents, or in ukuthwala where the young man abducts the girl of his choice and forces a marriage contract.  Many Africans have accepted the Biblical marriage in our changing society today. They know the Bible says: "Husbands love your wives" (Ephesians 5:25). Men ought to love their wives just as they love their own bodies (Ephesians 5:28). Titus 2:3-4: The older women "must teach what is good, in order to train the younger women to love their husbands."  Now they ask: What is this love? Love which, they say, is the bond which binds people together in marriage. The modern media have changed this "love" into a caricature. That is why the word "love" means "sex" to many people.  What love is not  If you read 2 Samuel 13:1-20 with me, you will hear the tragic story of Tamar. Amnon, her half-brother, said these words to his friend Jonadab: "I am in love with Tamar." Jonadab, a shrewd man, gave him instructions. He had to pretend to be ill and to request that Tamar come and prepare two cakes in the form of hearts in his house. (There is something ironical in the "heartlike" cakes - a symbol of love?) Read the whole story. He raped her (forced her to have sex with him). Then his "love" changed into hate. Amnon did not love Tamar. Love never acts like that. Amnon loved only himself and desired the physical beauty of Tamar's body. When he had finished his abominable deed, her physical attractions vanished in his eyes and he chased her out of the house. That is not love. That is sexual roguery.  What is love then?  We find details about the love of God in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. This kind of Godly love must be present in every Christian love-relationship. It must be the main element. It starts when a young man and a young woman feel strongly attracted to each other. The danger that it may be mere physical attraction is always there. She admires him, his appearance, his power, his manners, his whole personality. He likes her, her face, her body, her behaviour - Oh! everything she does is too wonderful for him. Perhaps he can say, like Amnon, "I am in love with her!" But to merely "be in love" does not last very long. If the excitement and romance wears off, it dies like the flame of a candle. Many a marriage has ended in divorce too early because it was built on "I fell in love" only. Love is a gift of God - a permanent relationship.  True love is patient and also accepts the faults or imperfections of the beloved. It is friendly and will never insult the other. It is not selfish. It is happy when the loved one achieves something praiseworthy. It is not conceited and ill mannered. A man who wants a girl's honour in exchange for the fulfilment of his sexual drive acts like Amnon. That is why the great test whether it is love or not, is to ask yourself these questions: "Am I really unselfish? Do I really intend to spend my whole life with my life partner? To always seek his/her happiness before my own? To forgive his/her mistakes or imperfections?" To act in such a way that he/she can always proudly confess: "That is my loved one"? Yes, always to do as the Bible says, to cleave to him/her (Genesis 2:24) until death do us part. To have mutual respect.  What is sex?  When God instituted marriage, he clearly stated the order in which his command in Genesis 1:28 "have many children" should be performed. We read in Genesis 2:24: "That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united with his wife and  they become one."  A man  1. leaves his father and mother. He has found someone who is very, very important to him. He wants to live with her for the rest of his life (this applies to the girl too). Then the second step:  2. is united - that is when they get married. But then the last word:  3. they become one. That is when they, already married, become one in the sex act. This is a gift of God. This is not sin. This is sex in its proper place, and not confined to intercourse to beget children or for pleasure only.  But in our times sin and the devil have robbed sex of its holiness and purity. Sex is advertised on TV programmes, in bioscopes, magazines, books and in advertisements as the most important human enjoyment. Women sell their bodies on the streets to any man who is willing to pay what they charge.  Young people reckon that the first thing to do when they fall in love with someone, is to get under the blankets "to become one". The gift of God in marriage is abused in many ways. The gift of sex is changed into sin.  Then we haven't even mentioned the terrible things about which Paul spoke in Romans 1:18-28 (Please read it now). Sex alone is not love. Sex must be seen in the context of marriage as one of God's wonderful gifts of love. Outside marriage, sex is always sin. And this sin is the cause of the plight of thousands of "fatherless" children in our cities and towns, and the unhappiness of scores and scores of unmarried mothers, beautiful intelligent girls who lost the honour God bestowed on them: their purity. Teenage pregnancies is a serious social problem.  Sex without love is a "devil". Some of the most dreaded diseases, like AIDS, are spread by uncontrolled sex outside of marriage. That which God intended to be his children's most enjoyable experience, becomes their greatest enemy. It always pays to listen to God and obey Him. If you haven't done so, please study Biblecor's popular course: Love, Sex and the Bible. It will help you tremendously.

Maranatha: What does it mean?

Maranatha: What does it mean?

In 1 Corinthians 16:22 Paul says: "Marana tha! Come, O Lord!" It is a word in the Aramaic language "m ran ath " which means: "Come o Lord!" or "The Lord comes". The Aramaic language was the language the Jews generally spoke in the time of Jesus.
 The short verse, quoted above, formed part of Paul's expectation that Christ's second coming was near. It was one of the primary motives for a fervent Christian life. The Christians lived with the constant expectation that the Lord may come any day to establish the golden ages of eternity where there will be no more sin, no more sorrow, no more death, no more troubles.
 That is something we in our times seem to forget. We live as if the Second Coming of Christ is still far away. But if we look at the signs of the times (read 2 Timothy 3:1-5), it is clear that we must also remind one another by shouting: "Maranatha! The Lord comes!" or "Come o Lord".

Masturbation is a sin?

Masturbation is a sin?

Masturbation

Masturbation is the act whereby a person satisfies his/her sexdrive by handling his/her own genital organs.
 Christians ask: is masturbation a sin? It leaves a person who did it with a terrible sense of guilt. Some fear that it will ultimately lead to physical disability or disease, while others see it as a proof of sexual perversion and that it will harm future marriage relationships, or that God won't love them any more.
 The Bible gives us no direct answer to the question. It does not even mention masturbation. But we can deduct from Scripture principles that masturbation is an unnatural sexual practice. It is not according to the purpose of God who gave sex as a gift to be used between a man and his lawful wife, within the marriage bond only. Any other deliberate sexual act, where true love is not the main driving force, is unnatural.
 The Christian must always ask: What is God's purpose with my life? What is His purpose with the sex-drive which is one of the strongest in any human being? If someone misses God's purpose with his/her life, he sins. The original Greek word for sin, "hamartia" means to aim at a target and completely miss it.
 From this description of sin we can deduct the fact that masturbation misses the mark of God's purpose with sex.
 But don't see the sex-drive as sin. God made you that way. The sin comes in when we abuse it. And if you fight sin, God always is on your side.
 So you, as a child of God, must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit in you to practise self-control in this as well. If you read Galatians 5:22-23 you hear these words: "But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control. There is no law against such things as these." He will help you.
 Don't feed your mind with sexual thoughts. Exercise a lot and get rid of excessive energy by working hard.
 It is very important to adopt a positive attitude to this problem. Don't fret about it. If you committed this unnatural act, claim 1 John 1:9 as God's promise for you - not only to forgive you, but to cleanse your heart. Don't despair, keep on trusting that with God's help, you will be victorious. God bless you!
 Don't feel guilty. And don't do nothing about it. Ask God's forgiveness and overcoming power, and by trusting Him fight the battle every time when you are tempted. And never think that God will forsake His child in the midst of the battle. If you fall again, fall on your knees and keep on praying and believing that the God of love is also your strength. Say with Paul: "I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me" - (Philippians 4:13, Good News Translation).