FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

How can I be saved?

Admit you are a sinner and realize that your sin separates you from a loving relationship with God. Sin is choosing to disobey God.

 

"Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned" (Romans 5:12)

 

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)

 

The punishment for sin is death. This death is more than a physical death. It means to be forever separated from a holy God in a place the Bible calls hell.

 

"The wages of sin is death"  (Romans 6:23)

 

Your sin is the only thing that keeps you separated from God. God loves you so much and wants to be in a relationship with you now and forever, that he provided a way to remove the barrier of sin. He sent his son Jesus to forgive our sins.

 

"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)

 

Jesus accepted the penalty or punishment for our sin by dying on the cross. The cross is a picture of God's grace.

After Jesus died, men buried him in a tomb. Three days later God raised Jesus from the dead, proving that He truly is the Son of God and that God accepted his death as payment for our sin.

 

The only way to be saved is through faith in Jesus Christ.

 

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father (God) except through me." (John 14:6)

Knowing the facts doesn't save us. We must respond to God's grace by trusting in Jesus Christ alone as the only One who can forgive our sin and give us God's gift of eternal life.

 

"If you confess with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)

 

Are you trusting in Jesus for your salvation? if so, tell God by praying:

 

Dear God,

Thank you for loving me. I confess that I have sinned against you. I believe that your Son, Jesus died on the cross to pay for my sin and that you raised Him from the dead. I trust Jesus alone to forgive me and take away all my sins. I confess that Jesus is my Lord and Savior. Thank you for your gift of eternal life! In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

 

How do I join Berea Baptist Church?

Any person may offer himself/herself as a candidate for membership. All such candidates are presented to the church at any regular church service for membership in any of the following ways:

(1) By profession of faith and for baptism according to the policies of the church.
(2) By the promise of a letter of recommendation from another Baptist church.
(3) By statement of prior conversion experience and baptism when no letter is obtainable.

 

Is joining Berea, or any other church, the same as being saved?

No. Church membership does not save you. Joining the church is something you do after getting saved. The Bible teaches us to become an active part of a body of believers for worship, fellowship, discipleship, and the ministry of sharing Jesus Christ with others.

 

I am a good person. I don't have any bad habits, and I am constantly doing good for others. Isn't that enough to go to heaven?

By whose standards? Because of the holiness of God, it is impossible to measure up to His standards of perfection. Since God is the judge and the jury, it is His approval we have to meet. All of us have disobeyed God in some way and there is nothing we can do on our own to pay the penalty for our sin. I we could, then God would not have sent His Son to die for us. Only the blood of Jesus can wash away our sins.

 

"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." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

 

I go to church every Sunday. Does that mean I'm saved? Does that mean I'm going to heaven?

Going to church every Sunday does not erase your sins. There are only two ways to get to heaven: either you have to be perfect, never once commit a sin in word, deed, or thought, or you have to become born again. You can become born again by accepting in your heart Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins.

 

I run into "saved" people all the time who seem to behave no differently than me or my friends. Why should I be saved?

There is a huge difference between a hypocrite and a genuine person. Just because a person says he represents Christ does not mean he is a true representative of Christ. Only Christ knows his heart. Jesus said not to follow the hypocrites, but to follow Him. Despite what we see in others, in the end, we are personally accountable to God for our behavior and our decision. Don't let a dishonest person stand in your way of knowing God's love for you.

 

There is sin in my life, and I just can't seem to let go of some bad habits. Is there hope for me?

The first sign of hope is being honest with yourself and God, and admitting your personal struggle with sin and habits that control your life. Give your life to Jesus Christ and realize you are no longer alone in your efforts to change. By ourselves, we are helpless in the face of temptation. Pray and ask God to be your strength through the power of His Spirit working in your life.

 

"I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)