A. The only place in Revelation where the Book of Life is mentioned in connection with a judgment is in Rev. 20:11-15 at the Great White Throne. This is a judgment for unbelievers only and takes place at the end of the Millennium 1000 years after the 2nd Coming.

Believers will be judged in heaven after the Rapture at the Bema Seat judgment (1 Cor. 3:10-15)  This judgment will not concern our salvation and is not about sin.  It concerns the quality of the works we performed during our life on Earth and will result in various crowns being distributed to those deemed worthy.  That’s the only judgment we’ll ever face because as you say the Lord already paid the penalty that was due us for our sins (Colossians 2:13-15).

You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.

But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple. Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies-make straight your way before me.

Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit. Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

Years ago I acquired the habit of daily prayer while driving to work. Each morning I thanked the Lord for the blessings of yesterday, asked forgiveness for the sins I had committed and thanked Him for granting it, and prayed for safety for my family and for guidance for the day. The twenty minutes or so it took to get to my office was just long enough and since I went to work early traffic was light and there were few distractions. I arrived at work feeling energized and ready to meet the day. It seemed that my morning prayer time gave me a spiritual cleansing just like my daily shower had made me physically clean.

Then I affiliated with a group whose office was only five minutes from home. Not enough time for prayer. Within a few days I knew something was wrong. I just didn’t feel the same. By getting up a few minutes earlier I was able to take a short walk before going to work and used that time for my prayers. Immediately I felt better.

Sure I know that all my sins, past present and future, were forgiven at the cross. And believing in eternal security I know I can’t lose the salvation that was purchased for me there. But I also know that 1 John 1:9 was written to believers years after the resurrection.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

This verse has been called the Christian’s bar of soap with good reason. Our unconfessed sins can’t make God change His mind about saving us, but it can and does hinder our current relationship with Him. David was right, the Lord is not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with Him the wicked cannot dwell. That has never changed, but here’s what has. David had to go through an elaborate ritual that included slaughtering a lamb every time he sinned. Our Lamb was slain once for all time. And because God is faithful to the promise He made to His Son, forgiveness is ours just for the asking. Once we ask, we’re immediately purified from all unrighteousness; we again become as holy as God is, our relationship is restored to intimacy and we are blessed. For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

As it was with our salvation, so it is with our relationship. It’s free for the asking, but we have to ask. David wrote that he chose the mornings to ask. Believe me, it’s a great way to start each day.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this day.  Thank you for this new opportunity to work and learn, and to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Please forgive me for the sins of yesterday.  Cleanse me and purify me from all my unrighteousness, and grant that I might spend today basking in the warmth of Your presence.  Amen

My question for you is this: after studying Wicca and Satanism, does God still love me and am I still saved? I never denounced God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit when I was studying the preceding, but I’m still unsure as to whether or not I am still saved.  I have asked for forgiveness, stated all of my sins, and gotten rid of everything having to do with Wicca and Satanism, but I still feel unclean.  Does God still love me and am I still His child?

A. God knew every sin of your life long before you were born.  When Jesus went to the cross He took all of them upon Himself and paid your penalty.  (Colossians 2:13-15).  When you asked Him to be your savior He agreed and wiped the slate clean for you. From that point on, There was nothing you or anyone else could do to get you away from Him (Romans 8:38-39, John 10:27-30).  And if you’ve sincerely asked Him to forgive you, it’s as if you’ve never sinned (1 John 1:9).  When you accept His forgiveness and forgive yourself you’ll feel clean, because in His sight you already are.

A. The Old Covenant was given to the Jewish people at Mt. Sinai and consists of 613 laws to be obeyed in order to maintain their special relationship with God. It also included a worship system that was symbolic of the coming redeemer who would pay the penalty for the sins of mankind. Although obedience to the Law was required to maintain their relationship, salvation could only be obtained through belief in the coming redeemer. John the Baptist is widely regarded  as the last prophet of the Old Covenant, sent to introduce the Lord Jesus to Israel.

The New Covenant is the basis for the Church’s relationship with God.  It’s built upon the belief that Jesus is the redeemer to whom the Old Covenant pointed, and that His death purchased a pardon for all who choose to accept it, Jew or Gentile.  We must only believe in Jesus to attain eternal life. Living a life that’s pleasing to Him is our way of saying thanks for the free gift of salvation.

A. God knows the motives of our heart.  He also knows that fear can cause us to do things we wouldn’t otherwise do.  The example of Peter’s denial is a good one (Matt. 26:69-75). Having denied the Lord 3 times in a single night, even after the Lord warned him about it, Peter was fully restored and became a leader in the early Church.

Under extreme duress, we can be forced to say or do just about anything.  But no one can ever force us to  change what we believe in our heart, and the Lord knew Peter’s heart was true.  If that Vietnamese man has truly trusted the Lord for his salvation, then his tormentors have achieved a hollow victory at best, and he will be there when the Lord takes vengeance on them.

As for Matt. 10:33, it obviously applies to non-believers whose hearts are hardened against the Lord.

A. Both of these passages in Isaiah speak to the necessity of keeping the Sabbath.  The Old Testament commandment to keep the Sabbath was meant to remind His people that God rested from His work when the creation was done.  It’s the only one of the 10 that’s not specifically repeated in the New.  In Hebrews 4 we learn why.   The Old Testament prohibition against working on the Sabbath was also meant to remind New Testament believers to rest from our work after becoming a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).   In other words, for us the Sabbath rest is spiritual, not physical.  It begins on the day of our salvation and lasts for the rest of our lives because the work of salvation is done.

Therefore New Testament “believers” profane the Sabbath by continuing to work to earn or keep their salvation after they’ve finished their work by accepting the Lord’s death as payment for their sins, which is the only work of salvation we can do. It’s a sign that they don’t really believe the Lord did it all, so they have to finish the job themselves.  If pursued to its ultimate conclusion, this profanity leads to spiritual death just like physical work in the Old Testament led to physical death, because it means they’re really trying to save themselves.  You can’t mix grace and work.  If you don’t believe He did everything necessary to save you, the only option is to save yourself, and that’s impossible .

Romans 4 says, “Abraham believed God, and it (faith) was credited to him as righteousness” – no mention that he had to keep the commandments as part of his security because we know that the Ten Commandments and many more were given to Moses for His chosen people much later – making it look like there are two models for OT salvation, pre-law (i.e., Abraham) and post-law.  So what are the “commandments” spoken of in Rev. 14:12?

A. Faith has always been the condition for salvation.  Sacrifices for sin began in the days of Eden.  (Cain got in trouble by bringing the wrong kind.)  Noah brought seven clean animals on the ark instead of two for this purpose, and Abraham offered sacrifices to God as well. This was evidence of their faith.

The law was given to make mankind aware of the extent of his sin.  In the dispensation of Law salvation was still by faith but obedience to the Law was required as evidence of faith.  In the absence of faith obedience by itself was not acceptable (Isa. 66:2-4).  As the Jews migrated beyond Israel’s borders, many laws were impossible to keep and sacrifices could not be conducted. When all the Jews were taken to Babylon, Ezekiel developed the synagogue form of worship to compensate for this. After the Temple was destroyed by the Romans the center of the Jewish religion moved to Tiberius where Ezekiel’s synagogue method was updated and expanded. It’s still in use through out the world today.

Other than the verses I’ve cited, the Bible does not offer specifics on maintaining one’s salvation in the post Rapture world. My guess is that these verses refer to the 10 commandments and that obedience will be similar to that which is evidenced by Jews today. But the overarching consideration will be faith, as always.

A. In all my writing I’ve been very clear in saying that I believe Catholics who adhere to the simple gospel of salvation by grace alone and reject the additional requirements imposed on them by Catholic doctrine will be taken in the rapture.  Those who die before the rapture are with the Lord now, awaiting the Resurrection.

A. I’m not sure I agree with your premise.  Psalm 19:1-4 says the Heavens declare the glory of God in every language, and in Romans 1:18-20 Paul wrote that the creation itself offers irrefutable evidence of its Creator, leaving mankind without excuse.  In both Old and New Testaments we’re told that whoever seeks the Lord will find Him.

God is just, so He can’t automatically condemn anyone.  He’s also on record as saying He doesn’t want any to perish but for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).  Therefore since the only way to the Father is through the Son (John 14:6), we have to conclude that anyone who has recognized the existence of God has also received a legitimate offer of salvation based on the message of the cross.

A. This is a very weak argument.  1 Tim 6:15-16 says that only God is immortal, which simply means that he will never die.  In 1 Cor. 15:53 Paul, the same writer, said that at the rapture/ resurrection all believers will become immortal.   Also in Matt. 25:41 Jesus said that after the so-called sheep and goat judgment, the goats (unbelievers) will be sent into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  So there will be humans there, too.

In 2 Thes. 1:9 Paul had already written that unbelievers will be punished with everlasting destruction.  That literally means destruction that never ends.  The same Greek word is used in the phrase everlasting life.  It also means eternal, or without end.  Put it all together and you realize that both believers and unbelievers will exist forever.  So the question is not whether we have eternal life but how we will spend eternity.