(This question is a follow-up to “Dangerous Minds”)

A while back, I wrote to you and told you about a problem I was having repeating bad things against God in my head.  It went away for a while, and now it has gotten worse.  I got paranoid that I had blasphemed the Holy Spirit, and I started to look up on the internet what it meant.  I became obsessed with it, and it seemed like I was on the computer everyday.  There were people on there that were saying good things and horrible things about it.  My problem is that I repeated those things in my mind, and the Bible says there is no forgiveness for that.  I did so much that now I am paranoid to even yawn because I am afraid that the words I am speaking in my head will come out of my mouth.  I have never said any of these things out loud or whispered them or anything like that.  I am worried because a couple of times I did have my mouth open, like while I was yawning or something, and in my head, I said the words.  I have asked God over and over for forgiveness, and I talked to other christians about this, including a couple of pastors, and they have all told me that I have not committed this, and I am forgiven because I asked God to.  My problem is I can’t feel forgiven within myself.  I do not believe the things I said in my head, and I don’t want God to send me to hell.  Can you help me?

Sincerely,
Paranoid

Dear Paranoid,

The problem isn’t with whether or not you can be forgiven – the problem is that you don’t feel forgiven.  The two issues are very different.  You already agreed that many people have told you that what you have been doing isn’t the sin against the Holy Spirit (read “The Unpardonable Sin” to see what the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit really is).  There are times when our head and our heart aren’t on the same page.  Guilt can drive someone crazy if they don’t learn to keep things in proper perspective.  God says that your heart can be wrong.  You feel that you can’t be forgiven, but the Bible says you can.  It is very similar to the problem that the apostle Paul faced.  Paul had murdered christians and felt that he was the worst of the worst, but he learned that Jesus would forgive him (1 Tim 1:15-16).

The apostle John said it best, “By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before Him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and He knows everything.” (1 Jhn 3:19-20).  Your act of faith is going to be letting go of your fears and trusting that living by God’s Word is what matters (Rom 10:17).  Sometimes, our feelings can be fickle and wrong, and we’ve got to ignore them until time and life change them.

I’m worried.  I don’t go to church.  I don’t pray.  I do good deeds, and I try to live right, but my friends keep saying I am gonna go to hell because I believe in evolution and the Big Bang.  Will I end up in hell?

Sincerely,
Good Enough?

Dear Good Enough,

Though evolution and the Big Bang are worthwhile issues, they aren’t the core values that impact our eternity – Jesus is.  Jesus made a radical claim when He walked this earth; He claimed that sin had created a giant rift between mankind and God (Rom 6:23) and that He had come to heal that rift (Jhn 3:16).  Either Jesus is telling the truth, and He is the only way to receive reconciliation with God in order that we may go to heaven (Jhn 14:6), or Jesus was a liar and should be disregarded like all other crazy people.

The validity of Jesus’ claims stand or fall on the authenticity of Bible.  If God wrote the Bible, then Jesus is the only way to heaven, and all His teachings must become our roadmap to life.  We here at AYP believe that the evidence very clearly points toward the Bible being divinely inspired and unique among literature.  Read the article “Who Wrote The Bible?” for our favorite evidence that the Bible is God’s Word.

It is a sign of your character that you are anxious and worried about this issue.  Where we will spend eternity is the most important question we have to answer in this life.  We believe Jesus is God’s Son and that He is the redeemer of our souls when we put our faith in Him (1 Pet 1:9).  If after seeing the evidence we present on this site (and if you have more questions, please continue to ask them), you agree that the Bible is God’s Word – then praying, attending a faithful church (we can help you find one – not all churches follow the Bible), and all the other details of behavior fall into line.  We aren’t saved by doing good deeds; we are saved by faith in Jesus… good deeds are just part of a living and obedient faith (Jas 2:17-18).

If you have further questions about what it takes to be saved, the Bible, Jesus, or any other spiritual concerns, do not hesitate to e-mail us at askyourpreacher@mvchurchofchrist.org.

Can you explain how we have forgiveness for past, present, and future sins – must every sin be confessed?

Sincerely,
Something On My Chest

Dear Something On My Chest,

We receive forgiveness for all past and present sins by becoming christians (Acts 22:16).  Baptism saves the lost person from their burden of sins (1 Pet 3:21).  After we become christians, God asks us to continue to grow (1 Pet 2:2).  After baptism, all future sins are dealt with by confession (1 Jn 1:9) and repentance (Acts 8:22).  1 Jn 1:9 says that God cleanses christians from all unrighteousness when they live repentant, faithful lives.  The word ‘cleanse’ literally means ‘continually cleanse’ in the Greek.  As we live faithfully through God’s Word (Rom 10:17), we are continually cleansed and freed from our sins as we confess them and repent of them.

I believe in God and believe He loves me and has a plan for me.  But what if that plan is for me to be miserable?  What if my loneliness and suffering serve His greater plan for the world?  Are there any Scriptures that say God wants us to have a good life?

Sincerely,
Down In The Mouth

Dear Down In The Mouth,

God’s plans for our lives may often involve trials and tribulations, but we can learn to have contentment in all circumstances.  Paul warned the early christians that God’s children will be besought with troubles (Acts 14:22).  However, no trial will ever come upon us that is too difficult to handle (1 Cor 10:13).  As we learn and grow, God promises that we can learn to be content in whatever situation we find ourselves in (Php 4:11-13).  God desires for us to love life and see good days (1 Pet 3:10).  This life is full of simple pleasures that are God’s gifts to us (Eccl 3:13).  There may be times when our trials seem never-ending, but remember… even Job eventually saw a happy ending to his tale (Job 42:12).

Hello, I have a question.  If God forgives all, why do people go to hell?

Sincerely,
Firefighter

Dear Firefighter,

God is ready and willing to forgive all (Ps 86:5), but we must seek that forgiveness through Christ.  Christ paid the price, so all the world would have a way to escape hell (Jhn 3:16).  However, if we don’t take advantage of the gift that He gave, we will still be lost.  There is no sin so big that God won’t forgive it if we honestly seek Him… but we must seek Him (Heb 11:6).  We are saved by faith in Christ (Eph 2:8, Rom 10:17), but that means we must trust Christ.

Think of it like someone drowning in the ocean.  A lifeguard throws them a life preserver, but the drowning person must grab that life preserver in order to be saved.  Jesus’ death on the cross is our life preserver.  We must grab it; otherwise, we will be lost.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

Sincerely,
Not Good With Faces

Dear Not Good With Faces,

The Holy Spirit is deity.  He was there at the creation of the world (Gen 1:2).  Acts 5:3-4 makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is synonymous with God.  The Holy Spirit is as close to God as your spirit is to you (1 Cor 2:10-11).  The Holy Spirit is part of the Godhead – alongside with Jesus and the Father (Matt 3:16-17).