Your Bible Questions Answered

Have you wondered why God has permitted wickedness for so long? And when you see crime and violence increasing, have you asked, ‘What’s this world coming to?’ What does the future hold?

Then again, perhaps you have experienced the loss of a loved one in death. Have you wondered what happens to a person when he dies? Why is it that man grows old and dies after such a brief existence, when even some trees live thousands of years? Did God make man to die?

Also, which of the many religions on earth does God approve? How can you determine which is the right religion? Really, what does God require of you?

All of these questions, and many others, do have an answer. But the answers that satisfy will never come from the teachings or philosophies of men. They can come only from the Almighty God and Creator, who originated life and who knows for a certainty what the answers are. And he has given mankind a source that provides the answers to such troublesome questions. That source is God’s own Word, the Bible.

God himself gives his assurance that what you read in the Bible is the truth. There he has had it recorded: “God . . . cannot lie.” (Titus 1:2) “It is impossible for God to lie.” (Heb. 6:18) So when you go to the Bible to find answers to your questions, you can have complete confidence that what you read is the truth.

Jesus Christ himself quoted the Scriptures as God’s Word. His disciples also accepted them as such. Other first-century Christians knew that God had revealed himself to mankind through his Word. That is why the apostle Paul said: “When you received God’s word, which you heard from us, you accepted it, not as the word of men, but, just as it truthfully is, as the word of God.”—1 Thess. 2:13.

So the Bible is not the product of men’s minds, but is the product of God’s mind: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight.” (2 Tim. 3:16) Hence, whatever your Bible questions are, you can be sure the Bible will ‘set things straight.’

However, you no doubt have observed people who have Bibles but who cannot authoritatively answer questions such as were raised at the beginning of this article. Why is that? One reason may be that they are not really searching God’s Word. When the first-century Christians wanted answers to Bible questions, what did they do? The record says: “They received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11) That was the key! They carefully examined the Scriptures to find answers to their questions.

Yet, many persons who read their Bibles wish they could have some help in understanding it. A disciple of Jesus named Philip once approached a man who felt this way. The man was reading the Scriptures. Philip asked him: “Do you actually know what you are reading?” The man answered: “Really, how could I ever do so, unless someone guided me?” (Acts 8:30, 31) Then Philip took time to explain what the portion of Scripture he was reading meant. It thoroughly satisfied the man. He had his Bible question answered.

Thus, in addition to our searching the Bible for answers, the assistance of persons who are well acquainted with the Bible, who understand it and believe it, is most beneficial. But are there persons like Philip today who will take the time to assist others? Yes, there are. In fact, there are hundreds of thousands of such persons who perform the same service that Philip did, free of charge.

You may already recognize that it is Jehovah’s witnesses who come to your home to offer you this free assistance in getting answers to your Bible questions. It may surprise you to know how many people take advantage of their service. In 198 lands throughout the world, they assist people in well over a million homes each week to find answers to their Bible questions.

Is there a ‘catch’ to this service? Is there an ulterior motive somewhere? You cannot be blamed for being suspicious, as so much that is done in the world today is motivated by selfishness. But Jehovah’s witnesses have no selfish motives in this. They take their own time, and at cost to themselves, to assist others.

Why do they do this? Because they take to heart the two great commandments Jesus noted, that of loving God and that of loving one’s neighbor. (Matt. 22:36-39) They have cultivated this motive of unselfish love because they appreciate how much genuine happiness, peace of mind and hope they have received themselves as a result of getting their own Bible questions answered. Therefore, they sincerely want to share with others what they have learned. This brings them further joy, for, as Jesus said, “there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”—Acts 20:35.

By letting God speak to you through his Word, you will no longer have to wonder about life’s perplexing questions. You will know for sure such things as why we grow old and die; where the dead are; what God approves and disapproves in religion; why God permits wickedness; what the increase of lawlessness in our time means; what the future holds; when God will bring perfect peace, happiness and life to mankind; and what God requires of you.

Yes, you can have such basic questions, and many more, answered to your complete satisfaction. Why not write the publishers of this magazine and request the free service that Jehovah’s witnesses provide for answering your Bible questions? Or the next time that Jehovah’s witnesses call, why not invite them in and ask them to show you how to find these answers? And why is this important to you? Because “if you search for [God], he will let himself be found by you.”—2 Chron. 15:2.