Expert: Rev. Robert Woods - 10/24/2005

Question
Dear Pastor Woods. I have some questions I would like to ask you. If you have the time, I would appreciate even just a small explanation to them. Thanks. To give you just a background about myself, I'm a 28 year old conservative Baptist.
Here are my questions:
(1) What is the stand of Baptists on the issue of capital punishment?
(2) Why is there a difference in the God of the old testament and the new testament? God seems to be a very angry, jealous, vengeful God in the old testament while we see a more calm, more compassionate God in the new testament.
(3) How do I prove to a non-believer that the Bible is not inconsistent and that it is the Word of God?
(4) What is the difference between a Baptist and Protestant today?
(5) Do you think the majority of Catholics will go to heaven (I know it is wrong to judge people but maybe by answering this question, I can have  better understanding of salvation)?
(6) My wife is Catholic. I've shared with her the way to salvation. I believe that many Catholics believe that Christ died for their sins. Is truly believing in Christ and truly believing that he died for our sins enough to guarantee one's salvation?
(7) And if you have some prepared answers for these, I would really love to lear more about these topics: when is Jesus going to return, what are the signs of the end of time, is the battle of Armageddon going to come soon
Thank you very much for your time Pastor. Also, may I ask if you could pray for my wife. She is on her 30-week of pregnancy and she is having some spotting/bleeding. This is our first baby. We are very worried, especially since her family has a history of miscarriages. Thank you again. God bless you, your family, your church, and your ministry.

Answer
Blessings and thank you for your questions.

Before I begin, you need to know that Baptists vary widely on beliefs and practices.  What may be right for one group of Baptists may be totally different for another.

1.  Capital Punishment - This is one of those questions that varies.  I have found that Baptists in the South support capital punishment while more liberal nothern baptists are against it.    For those in support, they quote Romans 13:1-7.  They believe that the Government has the moral right to punish and kill.  
Those against it, quote the commandment that thou shall not kill.

2.  God in OT and NT - God the Father does not change.  He is the same God of both the Old and New Testament.  God is so Holy that He cannot be in the presence of sin.  Man is full of sin.  God provided a way for man to worship him and to obey him.  Yet man constantly turned away from God.  God's punishment on nations was an ultimate attempt to bring justice and to return people to himself.  When you read the prophets you see how much God loved us, yet we choose to turn away from Him.  God instituted the sacrifice as a way to have our sins atoned for.  Yet man ultimately did not follow.  God in his ultimate love for us, sent Jesus to die for us.  Jesus simply gave us a clearer picture of the love and gentleness that have always been evident in God's dealings with man.

3.  Bible - you cannot prove the Bible is true to an unbeliever.  Only the Holy Spirit can do that.  Now I do not believe that the Bible is inconsistent.   It is the story of God's relationship with mankind.  I believe it is true.

4.  Baptist and Protestant - there are only really 3 types of churches.  Orthodox, Catholic and protestant.  Baptists are protestants.  We are part of the Reformation of the church that Martin Luther began.

5.  Catholics and heaven - Let's begin with salvation itself.  Why do we die?  The Bible says, "It is appointed for men to die" Hebrews 9:27.  Yet when it occurs, people have difficulty in accepting the reality of the event.  Paul called death "the last enemy" 1 Cor. 15:26.  He also taught that death entered the world as the result of sin, Romans 5:12.  If there had not been sin, there would have been no death, Romans 5:17.  Death is more than a natural phenomenon:  "The soul who sins shall die" Exek. 18:4  When Paul describes death as receiving the "wages of sin," he means much more than its inevitable consequence Roman 6:23.  Death is God's verdict upon human sinfulness Romans 1:23.  Jesus Christ conquered death when He overcame sin and the devil.  Spiritually, believers have already passed from death to life John 5:24, and the broken relationship with God has been restored.  Believers still face the weakness and pain that accompany dying, but they need not be afraid of death itself.  Jesus Christ the victor will finally overcome the last enemy also 1 Cor. 15:26, 54-57.
Our penalty for sin is death.  Sin is the reason we are condemned to Hell.  The only way to go to heaven is to have that sin forgiven.  The Bible says the only way to do that is to have salvation through Jesus Christ.  In fact, the Bible says no one or other way is available for salvation except Jesus.  John 14:6  “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”  You cannot get to God except through Jesus.
How are we saved? God wants you to know that you are a sinner and cannot save yourself. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) God wants you to know that Jesus Christ has already provided the way of salvation. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but will have everlasting life." (John 3:16) You must repent of your sins, confess them and forsake them. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (I John 1:9) God wants you to know that acceptance or refusal determines your destiny. "Everyone who has faith in the Son has eternal life. But no one who rejects Him will ever share in that life, and God will be angry with them forever." John 3:36  “Those who call upon the name of the Lord, will be saved Romans 10:13.   “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.” Eph. 2:8 If you wish to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life, then you must pray to God and let Him know that you believe, you repent of your sins, you ask for forgiveness, and you ask Him to save you and be your Lord (Master).  A Prayer would go something like this: "Dear God, I believe Jesus died on the cross for me and is alive today. I know I am a sinner. I am sorry for my sin. Please forgive me. I want Jesus to live in me as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for hearing me. In Jesus' name. AMEN."
All those who are saved go to heaven.  All those not saved, go to Hell.  It is that simple.
Remember, God does not send anyone to hell because they never heard of Christ or never accepted Him.  He sends people to Hell because they have sinned.  Romans 3:9-12 tells us “What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. 10 As it is written:  "There is no one righteous, not even one;  there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless;  there is no one who does good, not even one." Even a Child knows the difference between what is right and wrong.  As an adult, we cannot say that we are ignorant of what is right and what is wrong.  The judgment for sin will be in relationship to how much they knew.  A person growing up in the U.S. with a church on every corner will be judged more harshly than someone who never even heard the name of Jesus.  But even someone who grew up in an uncivilized jungle knows in his conscience that there is a god that is worthy of worship.  The Bible says his conscience will either accuse him or excuse him on the day of Jesus Christ.  God is not going to condemn people if their own consciences excuse them.  Regretfully, every human being has sinned against his or her own conscience.  God does not judge people for failure to believe in Jesus, but because they are sinners.  The Bible says that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."
What about those people in the Old Testament?  Before Jesus came to this earth, it was faith that put people in right standing with God.  Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. (see Hebrews 11)
Original sin is the term for being born a sinner.  Remember, man was created in the image and likeness of God.  Man was a free moral agent, freely able to choose God or turn away from him.  By eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he did the one thing he was asked not to do.  Breaking God's one commandment to him was sin.  At that point Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden and cut off from the tree of life.  From that moment on, the spirit of man was damaged.  It is as if man is now born with a moral handicap.  He is lame in the most important part of his being- his spirit.  That is original sin.  There is a rebellious nature in most children.  They just like to do whatever you tell them not to do.  This natural rebellion stems from man's original sin.  Instead of being morally free, man has a decided tendency toward sin - urged on toward evil by what is called "the world, the flesh, and the devil."  Original sin is a tendency to do evil, not an act of evil itself.  God does not punish people for tendencies to do evil, only for what evil they do in light of what they know.  In other words, babies and children do bad things but do not truly understand the difference between good and evil.  They may even know that what they are doing is wrong, but they do not understand that it is evil.  Therefore, little babies and young children do not go to hell because of original sin, because babies have never committed any sinful acts.  So babies do not even need to be baptized until they are old enough to choose Christ and baptism themselves.
Baptists believe that once you are saved you are always saved.  That accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and believing in Him means you go to heaven.  Nothing else will give you salvation.  We believe that you are saved forever because: 1. there is security because of God's Promises (Romans 8:31-39), 2.  God's presence assumes security (John 10:27-30 & John 3:16), 3.  Because of God's power the believer is kept (1 Peter 1:3-5),  
My wife and I adopted a child.  We have come to love her just as we love our other 2 children.  Can you imagine that we would stop loving her just because she did something wrong or was disobedient to us?  When you are saved, you are adopted into the family of God.  You must, out of your love for God, try to live a Godly life.  Acts of sin or rebellion will take away the joy of salvation.  When David committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed, he lost the joy of his salvation.  When he wrote Psalm 51 about it, he said, "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation." He had no joy, because he had rebelled against God.  He did not lose his salvation, only the joy of it.  Jesus said in John 10:29 that "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand."  Once you belong to God, you can never be taken away.    There is a difference between being immature in Christ (that is still sinning) and rebellion (those who sin without salvation).
However while a person can not lose his salvation, a person can openly denounce God.  If a Christian were to become a Muslim or a Satanist, then they are publicly and spiritually saying that they denounce their salvation.
Hell is both physical and spiritual. It is a place and not simply a condition. It is the place where all those who have refused the gift of salvation from Jesus Christ go upon death. Jesus presented it as a place of eternal torment for the devil, his angels, and the sons and daughters of Adam who rejected him and his sacrifice for their sins.  It is a place of damnation where the fire is not quenched (Matt 23:33; Mark 9:48). Their soul leaves their body and descends into the physical place hell.  Now, at the end of time in Rev. 20:11-15, all those who died without Christ will rise from the dead.  Their literal bodies will reform and stand before God in judgment.  Then their bodies will join their souls in hell for eternity.  
It has been said that if Jesus is not God, then we should worship the man who thought him up. Never has anyone in history spoken the way he did.  I see that the teachings of Jesus are self-validating.  Throughout history, they have been proven true over and over again.  When the teachings of Jesus are put into practice, they lead to peace, harmony, victory, and love.  This does not mean His teachings do not bring conflict.  For evil will always fight against the truth.  Jesus' words pulsate with wisdom.  For example, about governments "Give to Caesar the things of Caesar and to God the things of God."  The teaching that God the Father is a Spirit, not a man or woman.  The Sermon on the Mount has a treasury of wisdom, "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you."  Remember, "Love your neighbor as yourself."  
Ultimately, I know that Jesus is God.  The only true God.  I know this because of the Holy Spirit.  The Bible tells us that our faith is foolishness to those who do not believe.  When I accepted Christ into my life, the Holy Spirit of God became a part of me.  I can feel His power.  I know the truth as He reveals it to me.  It is an overwhelming knowledge, joy, and peace.  Most other faiths cannot claim that they have true joy and peace.  I have been with a lot of people when they have died.  I have noticed that Christians seem to die at peace.  But non-Christians fight, and fight, and fight to their last breath and still die unhappy.

6.  I believe that a lot of Catholics will go to heaven.  But ultimately, as I stated above, only those who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ will go to heaven.

7.  Prophecies Concerning the Last Days

Increase of wars and rumors of war
Joel 3:9-10; Matt. 24:6-7
Extreme Materialism
2 Tim 3:1-2; Rev 3:14-19
Lawlessness
Ps 78:8; Proverbs 30:11-14; 2 Tim 3:2-
Population Explosion
Genesis 6:1
Increase in speed and knowledge
Dan 12:4
Departure from Christian Faith
2 Thess 2:3; 1 Tim 4:1-4; 2 Tim 3:5, 4:3-4;
2 Peter 3:3-4
Intense Demonic Activity
Gen 6:1-4; 1 Tim 4:1-3

Unification of the world's religious,
political, and economic systems
Rev 13:4-8, 16-17; 17:1-18, 18:1-24

Universal Drug Usage (the word    Rev 9:21
sorceries can refer to drugs)
Immoral & Abnormal Sexual Activity
Rom 1:17-32; 2 Pet. 2:10, 14, 3:3; Jude 18
Widespread Violence
Gen 6:11-13; Rev 9:21
Rejection of God's word
2 Tim 4:3-4, 2 Pet. 3:3-4, 16
Rejection of God
Ps 2:1-3
Blasphemy
2 Tim 3:2, 2 Pet. 3:3; Jude 18
Self-seeking and pleasure seeking
2 Tim 3:2-4
People minus a Conscience
1 Tim 4:2
Religious Hucksters
2 Pet. 2:3
Devil Worshipers
Rev 9:20, 13:11-14
Rise of false prophets and Antichrists
Matt 24:5, 11; 2 Pet. 2:1-2
False claims of Peace
1 Thess. 5:1-3
Great political and religious upheavals in the promise land
Matt 24:32-34

SCRIPTURE ON 2nd Coming

Matthew 24                  
Acts 1:11   This same Jesus
John 14:1 6   If I go away
2 Thessalonians 1:7 12   To you who are troubled
Titus 2:12 15   Looking for that blessed hope
Hebrews 9:27 29   He shall appear 2nd time
2 Peter 3:8 13   "“Day of Lord"” will come
1 John 3:1 2   When he shall appear, we shall be like
Rev. 1:7   Every eye shall see Him
Rev. 22:20   Amen, even so come, Lord Jesus
Philippians 3:2O,21   Who shall change this body
1 Thessalonians 1:10   Wait for His Son;
1 Thess 4:13 18   Caught up to meet the Lord

Events Occurring with the Tribulation

Formal organization of the harlot church
1 Tim. 4:1 3; 2 Tim. 3:1 5; Rev. 17

Appearance of the Antichrist and his prophet
Rev. 13

Revival of the Roman Empire
Dan. 2:41; 7:7; Rev. 13:1; 17:12

The Antichrist's seven year covenant with Israel
Isa. 28:18; Dan. 9:27

Pouring out of the first six seals
Matt. 24:4 8; Rev. 6

Mass return of the Jews to Palestine
Isa. 43:5 6; Ezek. 34:11 13; 36:24; 37:1 14
Conversion and call of the 144,000
Matt. 24:14; Rev. 7:1 4

Abomination of desolation
Dan. 9:27; 12:11; Matt. 24:15; 2 Thess. 2:4; Rev. 11:2

Ministry of the two witnesses
Rev. 11:3 13

Gog and Magog invade Palestine
Ezek. 38—39

Martyrdom of the two witnesses
Rev. 11:7

Martyrdom of the 144,000
Rev.14:1 5

The casting out of Satan from heaven
Rev.12:3 15

The destruction of the false church
Rev.17:16

The full manifestation of Antichrist
Rev. 13:16 18

Worldwide persecution of Israel
Dan.12:1, Zech. 11:16; Matt. 24:21; Rev. 12:13

Pouring out of the last seal judgment
Rev. 8—9; 11:15 19

The messages of three special angels
Rev. 14:6 12

The pouring out of the seven vials of judgment
Rev. 16

The sudden destruction of economic and political Babylon
Rev. 18

The battle of Armageddon
Ps. 2:1 5, 9, Isa. 34:1 6, 63:3 4
6; Joel 3:2, 9 16; Zech. 12:2;
14:2 3,12; Rev. 14:14 20;
16.16; 19:11 21

The Nature of the Tribulation

Unbelievably bloody wars
Matt. 24:6 7; Rev. 6:2 4;14:20

Drunkenness                                                Matt. 24:38; Luke 17:27

Illicit sex
Matt. 24:38; Luke 17:27; Rev. 9:21

Gross materialism
Luke 17:28; Rev. 18:12 14

Rise of false messiahs and prophets
Matt. 24:5,11 24

Horrible persecution of believers
Matt. 24:10; Rev. 16:6; 17:6

People hiding in the caves of the rocks in fear of God
Isa. 2:19 21; Rev. 6:15 17

The pangs and sorrows of death similar
to those of women in labor, to seize people
Isa. 13:8; Jer. 30:6                       

Terrible worldwide famines
Rev. 6:5 6, 8

Humans to be slaughtered by predatory wild beasts
Rev. 6:8

Disastrous earthquakes
Rev. 6:12; 11:13; 16:18

Fearful heavenly signs and disturbances
Luke 21:25; Rev. 6:12 13; 8:12

Universal tidal waves and ocean disasters
Luke 21 :25; Rev. 8:8 9; 16:3

The stars, moon, and sun to be darkened
Isa. 13:10; Joel 2:10, 30 31; 3:15

The moon to be turned into blood
Joel 2:31; Rev. 6:12

The heavens to be rolled together like a scroll
Isa. 34:4; Rev. 6:14

Massive hailstones composed of fire and bloodto fall upon the earth
Rev. 8:7; 16:21
                                                          
Huge meteorites to fall upon the earth
Rev. 8:8 11

Stars to fall upon the earth
Rev. 6:13

Salt waters and fresh waters to become totally polluted
Rev. 8:8 11; 11 :6; 16:3 4

Universal disaster of land ecology
Rev. 8:7

Events to steadily go from bad to worse
Amos 5:19

A time of thick darkness and utter depression
Joel 2:2

No period in history to compare to it
Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1; Matt. 24:21  22

A time of famine of the word of God
Amos 8:11 12

A time of absolutely no escape from
God's fierce judgment
Amos 9:2 3

Worldwide drug usage
Rev. 9:21

Universal idolatry and devil worship
Rev. 9:20; 13:11 17

Murderous demonic invasions
Rev. 9:3 20

Subterranean eruptions
Rev. 9:1 2

Scorching solar heat
Rev. 16:8 9

Terrifying periods of total darkness
Rev. 16:10

Unchecked citywide fires
Rev.18:8 9,18

A plague of cancerous sores
Rev. 16:2

The total destruction of the earth's religious,
political, and economic systems                        Rev.17—18
                                            

A universal dictatorial rule by the Antichrist
Rev.13

An all out, no holds barred attempt to destroy Israel
Rev.12

Survivors of this period to be more rare than gold
Isa. 13:12

Human blood to be poured out like dust and their flesh like dung                 
Zeph. 1:17
                                                        

The slain to remain unburied and the mountains
to be covered with their blood
Isa. 34:3; 66:24

The earth to be removed out of its orbit
Isa. 13:13

The earth to be turned upside down
Isa. 24:1, 19

The earth to reel to and fro like a drunkard
Isa. 24:20

The most frightful physical plague in all history
Zech. 14:12

A 200 mile river of human blood to flow
Rev. 14:20

Scavenger birds to eat the rotted flesh of entire armies
Matt. 24:28, Rev. 19:17-19