Bible Questions Answered:
I want to follow God, I'm thinking of becoming a Christian, but my friends all are trying to talk me out of it.
Bryan/ San Francisco, California
Bible Answer:
Your story is somewhat reminiscent of one Sergius Paulus, who was the governor (Proconsul of the island of Cyprus.)
The Apostle Paul, and Barnabas his companion, on Paul's first missionary journey, met him, and a wiley friend of his by the name of Elymas.
Acts 13:4-12 NLT (Paul’s First Missionary Journey)
4 So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. They went down to the seaport of Seleucia and then sailed for the island of Cyprus.
5 There, in the town of Salamis, they went to the Jewish synagogues and preached the word of God. John Mark went with them as their assistant.
6 Afterward they traveled from town to town across the entire island until finally they reached Paphos, where they met a Jewish sorcerer, a false prophet named Bar-Jesus.
7 He had attached himself to the governor, Sergius Paulus, who was an intelligent man. The governor invited Barnabas and Saul to visit him, for he wanted to hear the word of God.
8 But Elymas, the sorcerer (as his name means in Greek), interfered and urged the governor to pay no attention to what Barnabas and Saul said. He was trying to keep the governor from believing.
9 Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye.
10 Then he said, “You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord?
11 Watch now, for the Lord has laid his hand of punishment upon you, and you will be struck blind. You will not see the sunlight for some time.” Instantly mist and darkness came over the man’s eyes, and he began groping around begging for someone to take his hand and lead him.
12 When the governor saw what had happened, he became a believer, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.
Sergius Paulus, was an honest seeker of truth, an intelligent man, who wished above all else to hear what Paul and Barnabas were teaching.
But, he was berated to no little extent by his court magician, Elymas, who did his best to interfere and urge the governor to pay no attention to what Barnabas and Saul would have to say, for the fear of loosing his position of influence.
The Apostle Paul called Elymas, a sorcerer, a son of the devil, an enemy, and pronounced a curse of temporary blindness on him.
After hearing the truth of the gospel, Sergius Paulus, became a believer.
Whenever we decide for God, to accept, or to serve Him, be ready for the evil one and his emissaries to oppress and try to block us at every turn.
Which leaves a thinking person to one and only one conclusion. If we indeed decide for God, and His precious Son, the Lord Jesus, then we must be a determined people!
Matthew 4:1-11 KJV (Our Saviour)
1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungred.
3 And when the tempter came to Him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
5 Then the devil taketh Him up into the holy city, and setteth Him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6 And saith unto Him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
8 Again, the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto Him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.
11 Then the devil leaveth Him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.
In His consecration, and dedication to the Father, Jesus did not entertain the queries of Satan.
Standing on the sure word of God, rather He rebuked him.
When one decides for the Lord Jesus, then let His voice only be heard, and may we do what He calls us to do!
I John 5:1-5 NLT
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves His children, too.
2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey His commandments.
3 Loving God means keeping His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.
4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.
5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
