If I am not in the right denomination, will I be lost?

While membership in a Bible-believing church is important, it does not determine a person’s salvation. Salvation is founded upon a person’s acceptance of the Lord’s grace and surrender to His will.
I believe there are many people from a broad spectrum of churches who are saved. God judges people based on their walking in the light they have received. “For man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart”
(1 Samuel 16:7). Obviously, many churches embrace inaccurate beliefs, but that does not mean God doesn’t have loyal children in these churches. They simply have not heard the truth or do not yet recognize it as truth. God will not hold them accountable for something they do not know. (See James 4:17 and John 9:41.) However, again, these sheep are living up to the light they have received.

It is also true that people can be members of a biblical denomination and still be lost because their hearts are not right. This is a common theme in Jesus’ teachings. “Many shall come … and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom. … But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness” (Matthew 8:11, 12).
Fortunately, God is a very wise and compassionate judge who knows each individual’s heart, and we can trust Him to decide who belongs in heaven.

At the same time, do not be deceived into thinking that membership in a particular denomination has no bearing on your spiritual life. It can profoundly affect your relationship with God. And again, it is always essential that we live up to the truth that we know once it is revealed, no matter the cost.
There is a special last-day message given in Revelation 18 in which God urges His children to come out of Babylon, a false system of worship where truth is mixed with error. I believe it is crucial to take this warning seriously and to study carefully so we can know that every teaching we follow is from Scripture. Remember, Jesus said, “Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold” (John 10:16). But when He calls them, they will hear and follow Him to His fold.
Ultimately, at the end of time, there will be only two churches. One of these will receive the mark of the beast; the other will receive the seal of God. In this context, being in the right church is a matter of life and death. Standing for God’s truth and with His people will be paramount. That’s why, when determining what church to join, ask yourself if it is based on the Bible’s words or the teachings of someone else? Does it preach the importance of obeying God’s commandments? (See Revelation 22:14.) Is it a church working to reach others around the world? (See Revelation 14:6.) Is it preaching the three angels’ messages, found in Revelation 14?
I’m thankful that Amazing Facts has many great materials that can assist you in evaluating how to recognize God’s end-time church. I hope you will give us a call or go online to see how we might help you in your search. I highly recommend Joe Crews’ book Search for the True Church.

Finally, I encourage you to keep an open mind and study God’s Word very thoroughly so that you know for sure what course to pursue. Do as the noble Bereans did in Acts 17:11: “They received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” And claim the promise of John 16:13 as well: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.”

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Must we confess our sins to our Christian brethren to be forgiven?

Principally, all sin in general is against God and must be confessed only to Him in the closet of prayer.Notice that even after David sinned with Bathsheba and killed Uriah, he prayed,“Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight” (Psalm 51:4). When Achan was identified by God for stealing, his sin was against God and the people. Joshua told him,“My son, I beg you, give glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me” (Joshua 7:19 NKJV).


Because his sin directly affected the people, or church, he was commanded to acknowledge this publicly. But the confession was to God, not man—because only God can forgive sin. “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25 NKJV). But if we hurt, offend, or abuse another human, whether Christian or pagan,we should acknowledge it to them and ask them to forgive us. “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift”(Matthew 5:23, 24 NKJV). The simple rule is this: Public sin should be acknowledged publicly, offenses against individuals should be addressed only with those involved.And private sin should be confessed to God in private.

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Some people say that when we’re in heaven, we’ll be wearing robes of light. Is this biblical?

The Bible does talk about angels that appear to be clothed with light, but nowhere in the Bible will you find the words “robes of light.” Let’s go back to Eden to get a clear picture of
what it may be like for us in heaven. There is a major misconception that Adam and Eve were streaking around the Garden of Eden—naked like a new-born baby! But in reality,Adam and Eve had garments of light
that clothed them—an aura of light if you will—because they were righteous and they dwelled in the presence of God. Here’s another example:When Moses spent 40 days and 40 nights on the mountain talking to the Lord, he came down and was glowing. Exodus 34 says he was shining so brilliantly that the people said,“Veil your face.We can’t even look on you.” So those who dwell in the presence of the holy God, those who are
righteous, are surrounded by an aura of light. Jesus said to the church,“You are the light of the world.” I don’t believe the Lord is going to have cotton robes, or linen robes, or wool or camel for robes in the kingdom.

When Adam and Eve sinned, the light went out and then they were aware of their nakedness. They had no artificial clothing in the garden; that’s why it says they were naked. But they weren’t streaking around and suddenly realized it after eating the fruit. That would make it sound as though the fruit actually made them smarter. In the kingdom, when it talks about the saints who have these robes,we believe that these are “living” robes of light. It’s similar to what the angels wear—the angels of light. I don’t think there are weaving looms spinning in heaven.

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Why did God order the genocide of the Amalekites, including the women and children?

By Pastor Doug Batchelor

Many are perplexed by what appears at first glance to be a paradox in God’s actions and character. He commands us to love and forgive one another, even our enemies. And one of the Ten Commandments tells us not to kill (Exodus 20:13). So is what God commanded against the Canaanites and Amalekites a contradiction?

First, the sixth commandment word “raw-tsakh,” translated as kill in the King James, has a deeper meaning that just “to kill.” According to Strong’s Concordance, it applies “especially to murder.” Christ bears this out in Matthew 19:18 when He says, “You shall not murder.” Perhaps Matthew Henry explains it best: “It does not forbid killing in lawful war, or in our own necessary defense, nor the magistrate’s putting offenders to death, for those things tend to the preserving of life …” This explains how David could be a man after God’s own heart and still be honored for his courage in killing Goliath.
Regarding the command to eradicate these nations, I believe that God had to order it because their influence left unchecked would ultimately lead to the death of many more innocent people. It’s helpful to keep in mind that nations like the Canaanites engaged in human sacrifice, even offering their children to devil gods. (See Deuteronomy 12:31.) Additionally, not only did God use Israel’s might to punish evil nations like these, He used the Babylonian, Assyrian, and Egyptian kings to punish Israel. God will often use human forces to mete out His discipline.

It’s an imperfect illustration, but often, infected cattle or poultry are destroyed for the purpose of stopping an epidemic and saving vastly more livestock. Likewise, left unchecked, these nations would have plagued the world with such depravity that they simply were not redeemable. So as much as it broke the heart of God, the order was given to eliminate these infected nations.

The Consequences of Failure

The Amalekites were a source of constant woe to Israel. Shortly after the Israelites left Egypt, the Amalekites attacked the weary people, slaughtering the weak and elderly (Deuteronomy 25:18). Even the Babylonians had a bad opinion of them, calling them “Khabbati,” or “plunderers.” The Amalekites and Canaanites, among other nations, practiced child burning, torture as public entertainment, and sexual immorality as sport.
The Israelites later avenged the attack and defeated the Amalekites, but failed to completely eradicate the nation. Israel was then plagued with continuous Amalekite raids (Exodus 17; Numbers 14:45; 1 Samuel 15:2 ). We can safely assume that God knew Amalekite descendants would always bear rage against His people. In the book of Esther, Haman the son of the Agagite, who was an Amalekite king, sought to exterminate all the Jews. Even today, the name Amalek is a symbol for hatred against Jews. How different things might be had Israel obeyed God to the letter!
You should also remember the story of the Ninevites. God was warning them through Jonah to change their ways or be utterly destroyed, and they repented. God deals far more justly and mercifully than most people are willing to admit.

No Easy Answers

This is a very difficult issue. Honestly, I don’t always understand God because I’m not God. But at the same time, I trust God that He is just and that He is love. We serve a sovereign and eternal God who knows better than we do, and though we now look at Him through a glass darkly, one day will come when we will have clear answers. Remember that God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9; Romans 11:33–36). We have to be willing to trust God and have faith in Him even when we do not understand.

Often, questions like these aren’t honest. Rather than seeking an answer to help them believe, many skeptics use it as a weapon to discourage belief. It is certainly not a new question. It also presumes that God is incompetent or not wholly sovereign. They say, “I wouldn’t do anything like that, so God shouldn’t either.” But the framework of the Bible is that God is indeed sovereign, just, and competent, which is exactly why writers left the story in. God wasn’t hiding, and He’s hoping people come to Him for the answer.
Yet a genuine question deserves a genuine response, and I hope I’ve given you some helpful nuggets of wisdom to answer a truly difficult question. Quite simply, for God’s faithful, it is a matter of trust. Yes, we know that God is good, that He wants the best, but ultimately, we have to trust Him

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Why does God judge His people if they have already repented from their sins and the blood of Jesus has washed their sin away?

This is a very good question. If people are saved, why must they appear before the judgment? The Bible says that everyone will stand before the judgment seat of Christ; that must include professed believers (Romans 14:10). But those who have sincerely accepted Christ need not fear the judgment, because His blood covers them. They are judged as righteous by virtue of His righteousness, but they’re still judged.

In 1 Peter 4:17, God’s Word teaches, “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.” There are several judgments in the Bible, and one of these, called the pre-advent judgment, is happening right now. This is the judgment concerning God’s church. It is the same kind of judgment spoken of in Ezekiel 9:6 in which the Lord declares that His judgment will begin at His sanctuary. Revelation 22:12 says, “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (emphasis added). You can also read about this judgment in Daniel 7:10, where “the judgment was set, and the books were opened.”

Christians are being judged through the things written in these books, before the judgment throne of God. But we are not actually standing present for this judgment going on in heaven because we are here on earth, nor are those deceased Christians (who are still in their graves).

So why the pre-advent judgment—the one that occurs before Christ comes with His reward? It’s because many people call themselves Christians, but really aren’t. Jesus said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21–23). Within the church, hypocrites abound—we would all agree with that. Judas is one example of someone who professed faith and performed miracles but did not do the will of the Father. When Jesus comes, the angels—those looking into the books—will know who they are coming to take to heaven.

We must always remember that the judgment is not for the Lord’s benefit; He does not need to discover our true status because He already knows all things. But there are countless other intelligent beings intently interested in what has transpired here on earth. This pre-advent judgment helps to demonstrate that those who have professed Christ are genuinely transformed. (See Romans 12:2 for the Bible’s definition of transformation.)

We must be careful not to interpret this judgment to mean that if you accept Jesus and are baptized but then sin again, you are forever lost because of those sins. You still must repent of your sins, but you are on a new walk. When you’re baptized, you are justified. You have come to the Lord, you’ve consecrated your life to Him, and your old sins are washed away.

After you leave your personal Egypt, you begin a wilderness journey on your way to the Promised Land—a process called sanctification. In this part of your spiritual experience, you learn to follow Jesus and be more like Him. That’s a process called a walk—like how a baby learns to walk.
Of course, if a baby still can’t walk when he or she turns five, there’s a problem. So I think we must be showing progress and every day become more like Christ.

We might also consider the purpose of this pre-advent judgment as a loving action on the part of our heavenly Father. Perhaps one reason He begins with those who already had the opportunity to know the truth is to delay judgment of those who don’t know so that they have as much time as possible to find out and accept His truths.

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What does it mean to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit? How do we know we haven’t committed this “unpardonable sin”?

Jesus speaks in Matthew 12:31, 32 about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. He says,“All manner of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven man, except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.”Now this blasphemy against the Holy Spirit does not mean you lose your temper, shake your fist at God, and call Him names. That is certainly
an outrageous sin, but that is not the “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” of which Jesus is speaking.

The Jewish leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy when He claimed equality with God and the right to forgive sin. Of course, they would have been correct to do so if Jesus were not God. However, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is a perpetual, constant resisting of the drawing love of God’s Spirit, so much so that you lose the capacity to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice.The conscience becomes seared (1 Timothy 4:2). This deadly blasphemy is also called “grieving away” the Holy Spirit.Paul refers to “Grieve not the Holy Spirit,wherewith you are sealed,”meaning we can permanently grieve away the Spirit. Eventually, a person loses the capacity to repent, and therefore cannot be saved. It is for this sin that a person cannot be forgiven, because they have rejected the Spirit that convicts of sin (John 16:8). So if we still feel convicted of sin and have the desire to repent, then we have probably not committed the unpardonable sin.

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What form does God take? The Bible says He is a spirit, but then man was made in His image.

In John 4:24,we read,“God is a Spirit.”And those who worship Him must do so in spirit and truth. But keep in mind that because God is a spirit, it does not mean that He is just ethereal vapor or that  He can’t have a body.Many believe that spiritual things cannot be physical. That’s a misconception. God wants you to be spiritual, and yet you still have a physical body. Angels are spirits living in a spiritual realm, but the Bible repeatedly identifies them as having a form. “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14). God the Father is a spirit, but Daniel sees God on His throne and describes what He looked like in that vision (Daniel 7:9). Of course, Jesus now has a physical, human body.When He rose from the dead, He received a glorified body. Remember what Jesus said to His disciples: “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:39). He said a spirit, or ghost, does not have flesh like Him. He had a spiritual body, yet He ate in front of them to emphasize that He was real.When we get our new bodies, they will be real but also spiritual—like Jesus now has. “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:44). And Philippians 3:21 adds, “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.” Hebrews 1:3 says,“Who being in the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person … sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Now, doesn’t it ring true that God must have a form if Jesus is sitting at His right hand?

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