Q: Should a person have read the entire Bible thoroughly before even considering to get baptized?

A:  While it is not necessary to a person to have read the entire Bible before becoming a Christian and "qualifying" for baptism, it is important for one to have that goal in reading and studying the Scriptures.

A person getting baptized should have:

• an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ that is maturing through the spiritual disciplines of reading scripture, prayer, worship, fellowship and serving
• an understanding and conviction of who Jesus Christ is and how He died for us on the cross to deliver us from our sins
• a desire to rise above sin through the power of Jesus Christ; all the while understanding we are sinful and the need to rely on God

For more information about baptism, please visit THIS tab within our Ask Us Blog.

[answered by Pastor KJT]

Q: Are there certain people in this world who are just never destined to know God?

In John 6:44, it says that people can't go to Jesus unless God has drawn them near to Him. Maybe I'm interpreting this Scripture incorrectly.

I've answered various forms of this question before. Please read this previous post. In it, I quote from the GotQuestions ministry website, which states:

If God is choosing who is saved, doesn’t that undermine our free will to chose and believe in Christ? The Bible says that we have the choice—all who believe in Jesus Christ will be saved (John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10). The Bible never describes God rejecting anyone who believes in Him or turning away anyone who is seeking Him (Deuteronomy 4:29). Somehow, in the mystery of God, predestination works hand-in-hand with a person being drawn by God (John 6:44) and believing unto salvation (Romans 1:16). God predestines who will be saved, and we must choose Christ in order to be saved. Both facts are equally true. Romans 11:33 proclaims, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!”

Please also read our post on this very issue. Here is an excerpt:

If God doesn't choose, then you don't have the ability to turn to Him. Salvation only comes when God chooses us and works in our heart so that we have the ability to respond to Him. Listen to what theologian Donald Bloesch (Essentials of Evangelical Theology, Volume I: God, Authority and Salvation. Peabody, MA: Prince Press, 1978) says:

'To give all the glory to God in the accomplishing of our salvation is not to reduce man to nothing. Yet we must also not say that man gets some of the credit for his salvation, that man can help in the procuring of his salvation... Our position is that we must affirm both the sovereignty of grace and the responsibility of believers. The two errors to be avoided are the following: that one is saved exclusively by the work of grace upon him thereby not including or allow for personal faith and decision in the salvific process...the second error gives man a determinative role in his justification so that he virtually becomes a co-redeemer with Christ...Only the person who is transformed by divine grace can make a positive response to God's gracious invitation, but only the one who does make such a response is indeed transformed by grace.'

Summarily, there are certainly people in this world who are just never destined to know God. As it states in John 6:44, God must draw a person to Himself in order for that person to be saved (i.e. we cannot come to salvation on our own). However, this does not mean human beings do not have free will. We must embrace and accept this salvation by faith and in trust.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: My classmate asked me how do we know that our interpretation o the Bible is correct and that it actually means something else.

How should I answer them?

I'll point you to two articles: (1) A previous post I've written that talks about interpreting different genres of the Bible (2) "How To Interpret the Bible" by Matt Slick. Please read both carefully and slowly. Here is an excerpt from the latter source:

The Bible is God’s Word. But some of the interpretations derived from it are not. There are many cults and Christian groups that use the Bible, claiming their interpretations are correct. Too often, however, the interpretations not only differ dramatically but are clearly contradictory. This does not mean that the Bible is a confusing document. Rather, the problem lies in those who interpret and the methods they use.

We need, as best as can be had, the guidance of the Holy Spirit in interpreting God’s Word. Because we are sinners, we are incapable of interpreting God’s word perfectly all of the time. The body, mind, will, and emotions are affected by sin and make 100% interpretive accuracy impossible. This does not mean that accurate understanding of God’s Word is impossible. But it does mean that we need to approach His word with care, humility, and reason. Additionally, we need, as best as can be had, the guidance of the Holy Spirit in interpreting God’s Word. After all, the Bible is inspired by God and is addressed to His people. The Holy Spirit helps us to understand what God’s word means and how to apply it.

Summarily, I would tell your friend:

1. There is a proper and an improper way of interpreting any given passage or verse in the Bible.

2. The proper way to interpret any given passage/verse is to read the text carefully; study its historical/cultural context; find out the author's original intention; understand it in accordance with its genre of writing, ask the right questions about it (such as the ones listed in the "How To Interpret the Bible" or this article) and apply its timeless principle. Remember, you can always make something say whatever you want it to say if you don't do good, solid interpretation.

I'd recommend you and your friend read a good book about proper biblical interpretation such as this free e-book by Gordon Fee and Doug Stuart.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: Christianity....religion or a personal relationship with Christ? or Both?

Christianity is a relationship with the true and living God through the person of Jesus Christ by whom we are forgiven of our sins. Without Jesus, a person is separate from God and cannot no relationship with Him. Ephesians 2:12-15 says:

...remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility

So fundamentally, Christianity is a relationship with God. Is Christianity also considered a religion? It depends on how you define religion. If you define religion the way Wikipedia has defined it, a religion is a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a supernatural agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs, then yes. Christianity is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ, so it is a faith system or a religion according to this definition. However it is NOT a religion if we define religion as a set of rules one must follow to gain salvation or to earn God's favor. In fact, Christianity stands apart from all other belief systems because it teaches salvation by GRACE. All other systems tell us we must do certain good things in order to be in God's presence. Christianity tells us we are not made right before God by our efforts, sincerity, or works.  Instead, we are made right before God by faith in what Christ did on the cross.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Reference: "What is Christianity" by M. Slick

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