Questions Commonly Asked

God is the Creator of everything that exists. He has always existed and always will. The Bible reveals Him as holy, righteous, loving, merciful, and all-powerful. He created us, knows us personally, and desires that we know Him.

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
Genesis 1:1

“I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:”
Isaiah 45:5

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is not merely a teacher, prophet, or good man. He is God who came into this world in human flesh. He lived without sin, willingly died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and rose bodily from the dead three days later.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 1:1

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us…”
John 1:14

The Bible is God’s Word. Although God used human writers to record it, its message came from Him. It tells us who God is, why we are here, what has gone wrong between mankind and God, and how we can be reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ. At Old Pueblo Baptist Church, the Bible is our authority for what we believe and teach.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God…”
2 Timothy 3:16

“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
2 Peter 1:21

Sin is more than doing something society considers bad. Sin is disobeying God and falling short of His perfect standard. The Bible teaches that every one of us is a sinner. That is why every person needs the salvation that God offers through Jesus Christ.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Romans 3:23

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 6:23

Yes. God’s love for you is not based upon how good you have been or whether you deserve it. The Bible tells us that God loved us even while we were sinners. He demonstrated that love by sending Jesus Christ to die for us.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son…”
John 3:16

The Bible says that you can know that you have eternal life. Salvation is not based upon hoping that you have been good enough. Eternal life is found in Jesus Christ. When you recognize that you are a sinner and place your faith in Christ and what He did for you, God promises to save you.

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Romans 10:13

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life…”
1 John 5:13

No one can be good enough to earn Heaven. We have all sinned, and our good works cannot take away our sin. Salvation is a gift from God. We receive that gift by trusting Jesus Christ, not by earning it through good works, religion, baptism, or church membership.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”
“Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8–9

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…”
Titus 3:5

To be saved means to be rescued from the penalty of sin and given eternal life through Jesus Christ. Jesus paid the price for our sin when He died on the cross and rose again. Salvation takes place when a sinner turns to God and puts his faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”
Acts 16:31

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”
Ephesians 2:8

Being born again is not turning over a new leaf or simply becoming more religious. Jesus used this expression to describe the new spiritual life that God gives to a person who believes on Christ. Our first birth gives us physical life; the new birth gives us spiritual life.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:3

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
John 3:6

Repentance is a change of mind toward God that results in a change in the direction of our lives. When we truly change our mind about God and about our sin, that change will affect the way we live. Repentance is not simply feeling sorry for our sin, nor is it trying to make ourselves good enough to be saved. It is turning to God with a changed mind that leads to changed actions.

“I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
Luke 13:3

“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Acts 20:21

Our sin separates us from God, and the penalty for sin is death. Jesus had no sin of His own, yet He willingly took our sins upon Himself and died in our place. Because He paid the price for us, forgiveness and salvation are available through Him.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
2 Corinthians 5:21

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree…”
1 Peter 2:24

Yes. The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is central to the Christian faith. After Jesus died and was buried, He rose from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures had foretold. His resurrection demonstrates His victory over sin and death and is essential to the good news of salvation.

“And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”
1 Corinthians 15:4

“He is not here: for he is risen, as he said…”
Matthew 28:6

The Bible teaches that death is not the end of our existence. Every person will spend eternity somewhere. Those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Saviour have the promise of eternal life with Him. Those who die without Christ remain separated from God.

“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”
Hebrews 9:27

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Philippians 1:21

Yes. Jesus taught that Hell is real. It is a place of punishment and eternal separation from God. God does not want anyone to perish, which is why He provided salvation through Jesus Christ. A person does not have to wonder whether he can escape Hell—God offers eternal life as a free gift through His Son.

“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
Matthew 25:46

“The Lord is…not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9

Going to church does not save us, but church has an important place in the life of a Christian. It is where believers gather to hear God’s Word preached and taught, worship the Lord, pray, encourage one another, and serve together. God never intended the Christian life to be lived alone.

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another…”
Hebrews 10:25

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
Acts 2:42

You can expect a friendly welcome and a service centered on God and His Word. We sing, pray, and hear straightforward preaching and teaching from the Bible. You do not need to know when to stand, where to turn in your Bible, or how everything works. Come as our guest, and we will be glad you’re here.

“I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.”
Psalm 122:1

No. You do not need special clothes to visit Old Pueblo Baptist Church. You will see people dressed in different ways, and we don’t want concerns about clothing to keep you from coming. Come as you are. We will be glad to have you as our guest.

“…for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7

No. We do receive an offering as part of our worship, but as our guest, you are not expected to give. Giving is an opportunity for God’s people to worship Him and support His work. We want you to come and receive something from the service, not feel that we want something from you.

“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity…”
2 Corinthians 9:7

That’s okay! You don’t need any previous knowledge of the Bible to visit our church. We want to help people understand God’s Word and learn how its truth applies to their lives. If you don’t own a Bible or aren’t sure how to find a passage, we’ll be happy to help.

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”
Psalm 119:105

Come visit us! We would be glad to meet you, answer your questions, and help you learn what the Bible says. You can also contact us privately if there is something you would like to discuss with the pastor.

Most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask questions. God wants you to know the truth, and His Word is where we find the answers.

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13