Bible Knowledge for Starters
What you need to know before you take the journey.
Breaking God’s laws results in separation from Him
The Bible teaches us that our wrong doing separates us from God. We can see this vividly demonstrated in the account of Adam and Eve.
You can read the full historical record of the account in the first three chapters of the book of Genesis.
The prophet Isaiah said, “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2). Furthermore, the Bible also teaches us that when we do wrong, we “earn” death (Romans 6:23). God still loved Adam and Eve as much as ever, but because of His sense of justice, He could no longer commune with them as before. He couldn’t go on as if nothing had happened.
How to Escape from eternal death
The Bible teaches us that while the blood of animals could bring about the forgiveness of sins, it could never take away sin (Hebrews 10:1-4). There is a big difference between pardoning (forgiving) sins and erasing them.
The words “forgive” and “pardon” carry the idea of canceling a debt, giving up a claim against someone or being released from a penalty. When someone offered an animal sacrifice, God released them from the penalty of eternal death, but the animal’s blood did not take away their sins.
The sins were still there but they were “covered by the blood”, so to speak. This form of reconciliation was only temporary; the people had to continually sacrifice animals throughout their lifetime to make amends for their sins. God didn’t want the sins of the people merely covered, He wanted them to be taken away as if they had never happened. This meant the animal sacrifices were lacking and a perfect sacrifice was needed.
How do I become a follower of Jesus?
First, you must believe in God. The Bible says that “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
We must also accept that Jesus was who He claimed to be, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
If you believe in God and if you believe that Jesus is His son who came to rescue us from our sins, then you have already taken the first step.
Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment
One day, God will raise everyone from the dead to face judgment for the things we have done during our lifetimes. “…a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:28-29). What kind of condemnation do the people face who die without having their sins taken away? Let us look at a number of passages and let the Bible speak for itself.
The destiny of those who choose not to be a follower of Jesus
Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels… Then they will go away to eternal punishment (Matthew 25:41, 46)
The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:41-42)
This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:49-50)
1. WHAT precious promise has God made to His children?
“And this is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life.” 1 John 2:25.
2. How may we obtain eternal life?
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.
3. Who has everlasting life?
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” Verse 36.
4. Where is this everlasting, or eternal life?
“And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” 1 John 5:11.
5. What therefore follows?
“He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” Verse 12.
6. What does Christ give His followers?
“I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish.” John 10:28.
7. Why, after the fall, was man shut away from the tree of life?
“Lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.” Gen. 3:22.
8. What has Christ promised the over comer?
“To him that over cometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Rev. 2:7.
9. To what is the life of the redeemed compared?
“For as the days of a tree are the days of My people, and
Mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.” Isa. 65:22.
10. When will immortality be conferred upon the saints?
“We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on in-corruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” 1 Cor. 15:51-53.