Within the church congregation, questions are often thought of and asked, yet the church leaders rarely answer them. In our present day, it is important that churches answer these questions in order to shed light on disputable matters. We all have questions, and though some of these questions are harder to answer than others, we have been called to seek and stand for truth.
With that in mind, I have a list of five questions the church rarely answers but needs to speak up on for the sake of believers and non-believers alike:
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1. Do I Have to Share the Gospel?
One question that the church rarely answers is if it's mandatory or not to share the Gospel. It's easy to dodge this answer in the pulpit, yet Scripture, time and time again, proves how crucial it is that we share the Good News. In short, the answer to this question is yes—all Christians are commanded to share the Gospel. The Lord tells us directly, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20). From this passage of Scripture, Jesus is telling us that we are supposed to go out and share the Gospel with all people.
It can be scary to share the Gospel, yet it is what Jesus commands us to do. If we do not share the Gospel, we are disobeying God. The more we share the Gospel, the less scary it will become. Also, God will give us strength when we are sharing the Gospel with others. When sharing the Gospel, it is always best to build a friendship first before diving deep into the Gospel. By building a genuine friendship, the individual will trust you more and be more open to the message of the Gospel. Thus, all Christians are called to share the Gospel, even if it is rarely brought up in church.
2. What is the Church?
A second question the church rarely answers is “What is the church?” Most times, we only think of the church as being a physical building, but the true biblical definition of the church is not defined by a building. The biblical definition of the church is the meeting and gathering together of believers. In other words, the church is the body of believers. Wherever the body of believers is gathered, that is where the church is. When a person becomes a Christian, they become a member of the church and a member of God’s family (John 1:12).
Oftentimes, we think of church as only being our local church, but the true church of all believers extends across the globe. This is what we call the universal or international church that stretches across the world. Our local church is not the only “church” because the true term of the church extends to all believers whether they are a member of a physical church or not. Thus, the answer to the question of “what is the church?" is the body of believers across the entire world—not solely a church building.
3. What is My Responsibility as a Christian?
A third question the church rarely answers is “What is my responsibility as a Christian?” This question is often avoided within the church because sadly, many churches and Christians are more focused on comforts rather than living on purpose for Jesus. Our responsibility as Christians is to serve Him, love Him, and obey Him. We can serve, love, and obey God by following the Bible, loving others, and loving Him. Jesus tells us directly, “If you love me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). A major responsibility of being a Christian is to obey Jesus’ teachings and to live on purpose for Him.
Furthermore, as a Christian, it is our responsibility to love others. Jesus tells us this truth, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 14:15). It can be hard to love others at times, but it is our responsibility to extend love, kindness, and compassion to others. Part of loving others is sharing the Gospel with them and helping them to know Jesus as their personal Savior.
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4. Can I Lose My Salvation?
A fourth question the church rarely answers is “Can I lose my salvation?” This is a common question I have heard from other believers I know. I also struggled with this question for many years, yet we here few pastors and church leaders address this question head-on. No one provides Scripture, a deep dive into God's character, a better look at the origins of the question—nothing. Yet, this is a deeply important question. In theory, this question could be the difference between heaven and hell for someone.
However, If you are wondering today if you can lose your salvation, let me clear up the truth that you cannot lose your salvation. Once you have placed faith in Jesus, you cannot lose your salvation. Just as we did nothing to earn salvation, we can’t do anything to lose our salvation.
I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one" (John 10:28-30).
I personally feel this question needs to be talked about more within churches to help relieve any doubts from believer’s minds. Believing that you can lose your salvation would cause anyone to have anxiety and to feel insecure in their salvation. Satan wants us to question our salvation in order for us to be unproductive for the Lord. If you are struggling today with fearing you can lose your salvation, rest in the knowledge that when Scripture says "no one" can be snatched out of God's hand, that "no one" includes you—you can't do anything to snatch yourself out of God's hand.
5. Is Homosexuality Okay?
A fifth question the church rarely answers is the question: “Is homosexuality a sin?” This is an ethical and biblical question that can cause tensions to rise within the church. While Christians should not push away or condemn those struggling with homosexuality, homosexuality is declared to be a sin in the Bible (Leviticus 18:22; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11). An important aspect to remember is that homosexuality is a sin just like lying, stealing, or adultery. It seems that individuals condemn this sin more than other sins because it is a more visible sin than lying, cheating, or envying. As Christians, we don’t need to condemn anyone, but rather extend love and kindness. God is the only One who can condemn anyone (James 4:12).
Homosexuality is a sin and the church needs to address this topic, but we should never say bad things or persecute those struggling with homosexuality. It is best to help them learn the truth of the Bible and help them to know the Gospel. If they are already a Christian, we can pray for them and allow the Holy Spirit to work in the individual. All in all, we need to remember that homosexuality is a sin, but we do not need to push those struggling with homosexuality away from Christ by condemning them. Jesus wants us to extend love to all people, and we can allow the Holy Spirit to convict and help the individual. Just because a Christian struggles with homosexuality does not mean they are not a Christian. This is a misnomer among the Christian community. A Christian can struggle with the sin of homosexuality just as a Christian can struggle with the sin of adultery, lust, or stealing.
Never Be Afraid to Ask
There are many questions that are not addressed in the church today, but they should be talked about. If you have a question, don’t be afraid to speak up and ask the members of your church or your pastor. It is vital that more Christians start speaking up about the less talked about questions in order to help educate others and increase our knowledge of God, the Bible, and Christian doctrines. By you speaking up and asking questions, you could help encourage another person to ask their own questions. We all have questions, yet it is up to us to ask them. It can be scary to speak up, but there are truly no silly questions when trying to understand the character of God.
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Originally published Thursday, 16 June 2022.
