Questions With Everlasting Consequences
Our great God and Savior spent His entire earthly ministry proclaiming the Gospel of salvation. In His mission to seek and to save the lost, our Lord asked 339 questions that are recorded in the Gospels. Christ's example of asking questions is a method we would all do well to follow in our evangelism (1 Pet. 2:21). Questions are an effective way to engage people in conversation and to challenge them to think about compelling issues that have eternal consequences.
Questions Jesus Asked of Religious People
He challenged Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, about his knowledge of the Kingdom of God, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?" (John 3:10). He asked the stubborn-hearted Pharisees, who were blinded by religious tradition, "If I speak the truth, why do you not believe me?" (John 8:46). Then He exposed how corrupt their religion had become with this pointed question: "Why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?" (Mat. 15:3). Possibly the most important question Jesus ever asked was, "Who do you say that I am?" (Mat. 16:15). Clearly, the response carries eternal consequences because Jesus warned, "If you do not believe that I Am [He], you will indeed die in your sins" (John 8:24).
Questions Jesus Asked About Faith and Truth
Jesus challenged people about their faith. "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" (John 9:35). "When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8). "Where is your faith?" (Luke 8:25)."Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart?" (Mark 8:17). "Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God?" (Mark 12:24). "Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:26). "What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" (Mat. 16:26).
Questions We Can Ask About Truth
As we seek to follow the example of our Savior, here are some questions we can use to challenge people as we evangelize. What is your most trustworthy source for truth? People will give many different answers, but there is only one source for truth that will never mislead or deceive them. It is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God! It must become our supreme authority for discerning truth from error. Jesus Christ, who is the personification of truth, declared His Word is truth and He came to testify to the truth (John 14:6, 17:17, 18:37). He said, "If you abide in My Word...you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32). Free from what? Free from the bondage of religious deception and free from the snare of the devil who holds people captive to do his will (2 Tim. 2:25-26). We must encourage people to test the uninspired words of men against the inspired Word of God. It is my prayer that those who are lost in religion will believe only what God says and not what man says God says.
Questions We Can Ask About Salvation
Ask people if they know that there is only one way God saves sinners and that all other way leads to destruction (Mat. 7:13-14). We must tell people that salvation is offered only to confessed sinners who repent and trust the Lord Jesus Christ, His perfect life, His atoning death and burial, and His glorious resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1-4). He is the only way to the Father and the only mediator between God and man (John 14:6, 1 Tim. 2:5). Salvation is offered only by God's grace apart from works (Eph. 2:8-9). Any attempt to add human merit to Christ's all sufficient, finished work of redemption is an insult to the Savior.
Questions We Can Ask About Eternity
Ask people "Where will you spend eternity?" Most people will respond "I hope its heaven." We can share with them from God's Word that we can know for sure. The apostle John wrote, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). This is an excellent verse to create interest in God's Word and the glorious Gospel of grace!
Questions We Can Ask About Jesus
Why did Jesus have to die? This question gets to the core of the Gospel. Since the punishment for sin is death, the sinless Savior had to die as a substitute for sinners to satisfy divine justice for all who repent and believe the Gospel (Isaiah 53; 2 Cor. 5:21). Those who reject Christ as their substitute will suffer divine justice in the eternal fires of hell (Rev. 20:11-15). This leads to another question about Jesus: Are you ready to meet your Creator? Everyone will meet Jesus when they take their last breath. He will either be their sin-avenging judge or their merciful Savior.
Questions We Can Ask Catholics
Why does your priest continue the work of redemption on an altar when Jesus finished it on the cross? (John 19:30). Why do you believe in purgatory when the blood of Jesus purifies believers from all sin? (1 John1:7). Why do you invalidate the word of God by your tradition? (Mark 7:13).
Here are some more good questions to ask. What is the most important decision you face in this life? What is the greatest gift you’ve ever received? If you could ask God one question, what would it be and why? Are you a Christian? What does your church teach about salvation? Remember, asking questions shows people you care for them and you are interested in their responses. Most people don't care what you know until they know that you care. May God help us to care enough for lost souls that we will share the greatest news they will ever hear!
Letters to Edify and Encourage the Saints
Mike, I wanted to thank you for your timely article, The Lord Jesus May Divide Families. My son, who professes to be a born-again Christian, is converting to Catholicism to marry his fiancée and I am devastated. I asked him to research the church he is swearing allegiance to, and told him that they don’t believe in being born again, and that they worship idols and have changed the Ten Commandments. Now, I have been angrily ostracized by my son and his fiancée. It seems that Jesus may be asking me to make the ultimate sacrifice, which I am willing to do because I love Him with all of my heart. I am so sad but trusting in God for the deliverance of my son. Thank you again for this reassurance of living for Christ. There are very few people who understand this. God bless you, M.B.
Dear M.B., My heart breaks for your son’s decision to depart from the faith to join the apostate Catholic Church. From our experience in 31 years of this ministry, whenever a Protestant marries a Catholic, 90% of the time, the Protestant is the one who converts to the RCC. Protestants, who are called to contend for the truth of God’s Word, are the first to compromise, while Catholics, who stand on the error of a false and fatal gospel, refuse to compromise. Have you asked your son to consider the warning from God's Word, "Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?" (2 Cor. 6:14-15). Ask your son if he and his fiancee would consider reading my book Preparing for Eternity and then having a conversation with me. I will join you in prayer for divine conviction.
Questions With Everlasting Consequences
Our great God and Savior spent His entire earthly ministry proclaiming the Gospel of salvation. In His mission to seek and to save the lost, our Lord asked 339 questions that are recorded in the Gospels. Christ's example of asking questions is a method we would all do well to follow in our evangelism (1 Pet. 2:21). Questions are an effective way to engage people in conversation and to challenge them to think about compelling issues that have eternal consequences.
Questions Jesus Asked of Religious People
He challenged Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, about his knowledge of the Kingdom of God, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?" (John 3:10). He asked the stubborn-hearted Pharisees, who were blinded by religious tradition, "If I speak the truth, why do you not believe me?" (John 8:46). Then He exposed how corrupt their religion had become with this pointed question: "Why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?" (Mat. 15:3). Possibly the most important question Jesus ever asked was, "Who do you say that I am?" (Mat. 16:15). Clearly, the response carries eternal consequences because Jesus warned, "If you do not believe that I Am [He], you will indeed die in your sins" (John 8:24).
Questions Jesus Asked About Faith and Truth
Jesus challenged people about their faith. "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" (John 9:35). "When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8). "Where is your faith?" (Luke 8:25)."Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart?" (Mark 8:17). "Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God?" (Mark 12:24). "Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:26). "What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" (Mat. 16:26).
Questions We Can Ask About Truth
As we seek to follow the example of our Savior, here are some questions we can use to challenge people as we evangelize. What is your most trustworthy source for truth? People will give many different answers, but there is only one source for truth that will never mislead or deceive them. It is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God! It must become our supreme authority for discerning truth from error. Jesus Christ, who is the personification of truth, declared His Word is truth and He came to testify to the truth (John 14:6, 17:17, 18:37). He said, "If you abide in My Word...you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:31-32). Free from what? Free from the bondage of religious deception and free from the snare of the devil who holds people captive to do his will (2 Tim. 2:25-26). We must encourage people to test the uninspired words of men against the inspired Word of God. It is my prayer that those who are lost in religion will believe only what God says and not what man says God says.
Questions We Can Ask About Salvation
Ask people if they know that there is only one way God saves sinners and that all other way leads to destruction (Mat. 7:13-14). We must tell people that salvation is offered only to confessed sinners who repent and trust the Lord Jesus Christ, His perfect life, His atoning death and burial, and His glorious resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1-4). He is the only way to the Father and the only mediator between God and man (John 14:6, 1 Tim. 2:5). Salvation is offered only by God's grace apart from works (Eph. 2:8-9). Any attempt to add human merit to Christ's all sufficient, finished work of redemption is an insult to the Savior.
Questions We Can Ask About Eternity
Ask people "Where will you spend eternity?" Most people will respond "I hope its heaven." We can share with them from God's Word that we can know for sure. The apostle John wrote, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 John 5:13). This is an excellent verse to create interest in God's Word and the glorious Gospel of grace!
Questions We Can Ask About Jesus
Why did Jesus have to die? This question gets to the core of the Gospel. Since the punishment for sin is death, the sinless Savior had to die as a substitute for sinners to satisfy divine justice for all who repent and believe the Gospel (Isaiah 53; 2 Cor. 5:21). Those who reject Christ as their substitute will suffer divine justice in the eternal fires of hell (Rev. 20:11-15). This leads to another question about Jesus: Are you ready to meet your Creator? Everyone will meet Jesus when they take their last breath. He will either be their sin-avenging judge or their merciful Savior.
Questions We Can Ask Catholics
Why does your priest continue the work of redemption on an altar when Jesus finished it on the cross? (John 19:30). Why do you believe in purgatory when the blood of Jesus purifies believers from all sin? (1 John1:7). Why do you invalidate the word of God by your tradition? (Mark 7:13).
Here are some more good questions to ask. What is the most important decision you face in this life? What is the greatest gift you’ve ever received? If you could ask God one question, what would it be and why? Are you a Christian? What does your church teach about salvation? Remember, asking questions shows people you care for them and you are interested in their responses. Most people don't care what you know until they know that you care. May God help us to care enough for lost souls that we will share the greatest news they will ever hear!
Letters to Edify and Encourage the Saints
Mike, I wanted to thank you for your timely article, The Lord Jesus May Divide Families. My son, who professes to be a born-again Christian, is converting to Catholicism to marry his fiancée and I am devastated. I asked him to research the church he is swearing allegiance to, and told him that they don’t believe in being born again, and that they worship idols and have changed the Ten Commandments. Now, I have been angrily ostracized by my son and his fiancée. It seems that Jesus may be asking me to make the ultimate sacrifice, which I am willing to do because I love Him with all of my heart. I am so sad but trusting in God for the deliverance of my son. Thank you again for this reassurance of living for Christ. There are very few people who understand this. God bless you, M.B.
Dear M.B., My heart breaks for your son’s decision to depart from the faith to join the apostate Catholic Church. From our experience in 31 years of this ministry, whenever a Protestant marries a Catholic, 90% of the time, the Protestant is the one who converts to the RCC. Protestants, who are called to contend for the truth of God’s Word, are the first to compromise, while Catholics, who stand on the error of a false and fatal gospel, refuse to compromise. Have you asked your son to consider the warning from God's Word, "Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?" (2 Cor. 6:14-15). Ask your son if he and his fiancee would consider reading my book Preparing for Eternity and then having a conversation with me. I will join you in prayer for divine conviction.
Questions With Everlasting Consequences
