1) Sometimes, it takes a simple question to make us stop and wrestle with what we actually think. Wrestling with truth is rarely enjoyable, almost always making us uncomfortable, but it’s extremely necessary for maturity. What do you actually believe about how someone is saved? Or maybe it’s asking, “what do you believe happens after death?”. Or perhaps, “can you lose your salvation?”. If we are comfortable with our answer, we must ask ourselves the follow up, “how do you know that’s true?”.  These questions should make us squirm in our chairs until we can do the hard work of study and understanding the why behind what we believe. Will our belief system hold up? Keep in mind that truth remains true, regardless of whether we assent to it or not. When it comes to salvation and life after death, what do you know to be true? Explore it out until you find good answers!

2) How does it make you feel to know Scripture teaches we can be saved through faith alone? Nothing we can do can earn extra favor with God. We can’t manipulate the “smile of God” on our lives. Further, Scripture says even the ability to have that faith is itself a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8) Knowing there is nothing we can do to win God’s glance or blessing, does this evoke feelings of being incredibly loved, or do you feel angry frustration at being faced with inability? If you feel offended, that’s okay, and natural, as humans we are offended when we are told our work isn’t good enough. What would it look like for you to explore a love so vast it would encompass you if you simply surrendered to it? Where do you need a love like that in your life? Where are you pushing against it?

3) Have you ever wondered if there are many roads to God? Suppose Jesus was just a good man? What if Joseph Smith is equally valid as Jesus when it comes to prophecy? What if Jesus is close to God, but not quite as powerful as God? If the apostle Paul, who saw the resurrected Jesus with his own eyes, were sitting with us today, he would expound with excited animation, “If Christ has not been raised, our faith is worthless and we are still in our sins!” (1 Corinthians 15:17) He would further say, “If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!” (Galatians 1:9) He said these things because there simply is no other gospel! Only a perfect being who was fully human, lived the human life absolutely perfectly could be offered as a sacrifice. The only way to live that perfect life was if the Being was fully divine. Only God Himself could atone for the debt of payment owed because of sin. There is only one who fits this description, Jesus Christ. What do you believe about Jesus? Get a sheet of paper and set a timer for 90 seconds then write as many beliefs about Jesus as you can get out before the timer goes off. Commit to studying the Bible more in depth to better know this human man who was God Himself!