Expert: Mr. McClellan - 9/25/2008

Question
What is the scripture that says that we are supposed to defend God?

Answer
Hi Ashley,
My original message is just below this comment about how to become an actual Christian. There are a few different ways that you will eventually hear, if you haven't already heard them, but there is only one way that is correct and it is the only one that you can obey to actually have your sins forgiven. It is described in the second chapter of Acts. In brief, here is what that chpter says: Peter and the other apostles were given the miraculous ability to speak the various dialects of Greek and Hebrew and other foreign languages so that they could preach the gospel to everyone that they might meet. They did not speak languages that no one could understand. After the crowd that had gathered heard the apostles tell them about Jesus and his death and resurrection that proved he had the authority and power to forgive sins, they asked what they needed to do to be forgiven because they believed what Peter and the others said. Notice that even though they obviously believed what the apostles said, they still needed to ("must") "do" something in order to be forgiven. In Acts 2:38, Peter tells them. They needed to ("must")repent (feel sorry for their sins and determine not to continue doing them) AND (equally as important) be baptized (literally immersed in water as opposed to having a few drops sprinkled on them or a little poured over them) for the forgiveness of their sins ...
Now, the Greek word "eis" that is translated "for" in that verse, does not mean "because of" in this situation. It literally means "in order to" receive forgiveness, and not because you have received forgiveness. Peter was telling those people what they "must," or "had to do" in order for their sins to be forgiven. They had already accepted (believed) that Jesus was the savior (that is why they asked what they had to do), but they were not forgiven at that point. Ashley, when a person has been forgiven of their sins, it is as if they were born again with no sins at all as far as God is concerned. When they are immersed in wanter as Jesus commanded, trusting that Jesus will be true to his promise (when they actually begin to put their faith in him and obey what he says to do), their sins are forgiven and they come out of the water to begin living a new life. Read what Paul said in Romans 6. It's like dying and then coming back to life, but one that is different from the old one because you have a new start and a new purpose. Your sins will be gone as if they had been like dirt on you and were washed away in the water. This is how Peter could later say that "baptism" saves us. It allows you to answer God with a clear conscience because you have actually begun to obey him out of trust. Don't let anyone tell you that you don't have to be baptized. Those people are liars and don't have a clue to what the truth really is. Don't let anyone tell you that all you have to do is "just accept Jesus into your heart" and say a prayer that they invented. That method cannot be found in the Bible anywhere because it is just one of many false teachings invented out of ignorance about how to be saved that will not work.
Now, for my original message.

Hi Ashley,
I don't think that there is such a scripture, but there is one that tells people who believe that they are Christians that they should always be ready to defend what they believe. That passage is 1Peter 3:15.
NOTE:The vast majority of people who think that they are Christians are really just followers of one of the vast number of false Christs that have been invented by false teachers who twist the meaning of the biblical scriptures to make them say things that the writers of the Bible did not mean for people to believe. Many of these mislead people then create arguments to defend their false ideas that can sound very convincing to other people who do not know what the Bible actually says. This is part of the reason for so many different churches, all teaching things that differ from the others. Some differ only a little while others differ a lot. Bear in mind that when the New Testament Church [called "the Church of Christ," "the Church of God," "the Church of the First Born," and a few other descriptive names to identify it as being the one that belongs to Jesus, see the book of Ephesians where Paul clearly says that there is only one] began on Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus, all of the apostles were in agreement so that they all taught the same things. There was no division (denominationalism) among them. Paul plainly says, in 1Corintians 1:10, that in "the" Church there are to be no "divisions," or denominations. Paul and the other apostles all taught the very same teachings, or doctrnes, wherever they went and wherever they established a congregation of believers. Now, while many, or even most if not all, of the new converts to Christianity did not, at first, understand everything that they needed to understand in order to be faithful, the apostles were constantly encouraging them to learn and warning them of the consequences of remaining immature in their knowledge of the truth. This is what virtually all of the New Testament is about. In Galations, Paul plainly says that no one, not even an angel from heaven, is to teach anything that differs from what the apostles had already taught. This means that wherever there is a church it must teach exactly the same things that are being taught in every other church, or congregation. Any church that does not teach exactly what the apostles taught is not a true Church of Christ, but a false one where none of the members are saved, no matter how sincerely they think they are, because they are following a false Christ that cannot save anyone. The truth, Ashley, cannot be just anything you want it to be. It has to be what Jesus said it is. You cannot just pick out a church that teaches what you like to hear and be saved the way it says. If you are going to follow the true Jesus, you must become a member of the true church by being saved according to the instructions taught by Jesus and his apostles. There is no other way. This is what the Bible says, and if you are going to be true to the teachings of the Bible, then you are going to have to be sure that you know what it actually says. And, if you are ever going to be able to defend your beliefs, you are going to have to do a lot of studying. However, until you get to that point, here is a good rule to follow. First, follow the teachings of Peter and the other apostles found in Acts 2 to become an authentic Christian. At the same moment that your sins are forgiven, you will be added to the true church. Then, follow the "golden rule," treat other people the way you'd like for them to treat you. And, when you fail to do that, just be sincere and ask God to forgive you as you forgive others.
Read 1Corintians 13 - 15 a lot too, and learn the traits of character that real Christians are to possess.
I hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Mr. McClellan