Some "If" Questions

The following four questions are “if” questions that we need to ask from time to time, and then provide a Bible answer:

1) "If" faith comes in answer to prayer, why are we told that faith comes by "hearing" the Word of God? (Romans 10:17).

2) "If" we are saved by faith alone, why did James write that we are "not justified by faith only"? (James 2:24).

3) "If" an individual becomes a Christian the moment he or she "believes" — why wasn’t King Agrippa a Christian? (Acts 26:27-28).

4) "If" the Lord saves us without the element of baptism, why did He and the apostles "command" it? (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:46-48).

Using our God-given reasoning capabilities (Isaiah 1:18), let us look up the above Scriptures in context (see rule #4), and see if we can come to a reasonable and logical answer to the above questions (Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets