Safely Home
By Randy Alcorn

"This book has been recommended to me by more people than any other book. An incredible story." - Steve H.

"Is this the day I die?" wonders Li Quan as he endures persecution for his faith. Half a world away his college buddy, businessman Ben Fielding, steps on the plane to China. Reunited after 20 years, both men face decisions that will determine their destinies---and the fates of their nations and the world. 400 pages, softcover from Tyndale.

How are Christians called to live?

An interesting book that looks at this question is In His Steps by Charles Sheldon. This is a fictional account of a town in the 1800's that faces the question, what would Jesus do? This easy-to-read book presents a well-written story showing how several people answered the question, "What would Jesus do?"

Looking at the specific behaviors listed on the previous page:

Divorce: With very limited exceptions, Christians are called to stay married; to work through troubled times and not get divorced. See 1 Corinthians chapter 7 (sample section below):

"Now, for those who are married I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband. But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else go back to him. And the husband must not leave his wife." - 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 (NLT)

Living together: Even secular research shows that living together before marriage is not the right thing to do. People who live together before getting married are much more likely to get divorced than couples who have not moved in together before getting married.

A Christian lifestyle excludes sex before marriage. The Bible says that when a couple engages in sex they become as one. It is an act of commitment to each other.

"Don't you know that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her?" - 1 Corinthians 7:16 (NLT)

In the Old Testament we read in Genesis: "This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife; and the two are united into one." - Genesis 2:24 (NLT)

Gambling: Here's what Paul says about gambling: "But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction." - 1 Timothy 6:9 (NLT)

The occult: The Bible talks about occultism a lot, and in every case God warns us against the occult, including astrology and fortunetelling. Here are just a few references related to astrology and fortunetelling:

Astrologers can not save you: Isaiah 47:13
Do not try to read the future in the stars: Jeremiah 10:2
Do not practice fortunetelling - Leviticus 19:26
Do not listen to fortunetellers - Jeremiah 27:9

Salvation: The bad news is that, in spite of what most American's believe, not everyone will go to heaven. And the fact is, although it does not sound very nice, if you are not going to heaven, you ARE going to hell -- for eternity.

I suggest reading Luke 16:19-31.

There is a very specific requirement that must be met in order for you to have eternal life in heaven. One of the most famous verses in the Bible says:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16 (NLT)

The only way to get into heaven is through the free gift of grace from God. There is nothing we can do -- no amount of good works will get any one of us into heaven. All we need to do is repent of our sins and ask Jesus into our lives as our Lord and savior.

The Trinity: 73% of Catholics and 52% of born-again Christians deny the existance of the Holy Spirit.

A foundational belief of Christianity is that we believe in one God, who is shown to us in three persons: God the Father; God the Son; and God the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit guides us and gives us our spiritual gifts. And the Bible leaves no doubt that we are given the Holy Spirit when we accept Jesus as our savior:

The Bible says, "If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him." - Luke 11:13 (NLT)

"And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us." - 1 John 4:13 (NLT)