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Faith Q&As

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Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and the Unforgivable Sin

What does it mean to “blaspheme the Holy Spirit”?

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Cremation: A Biblical Perspective

Does the Bible have anything to say about cremation? My spouse and I have been discussing our final will and testament, including our personal preferences regarding funeral arrangements. I feel strongly that cremation is the best way to go, but my husband says that it’s a “pagan” practice. He claims that the Bible condemns it. …

Dead-end road with a sign cautioning you to turn left or right

Understanding the “Generational Curse” of Exodus 34:7

Is the “generational curse” real?

Shown from behind, a young woman sitting on a high hill overlooking a green valley with a winding road

How to Become a Christian: Understand God’s Love and What It Means to Follow Jesus Christ  

Maybe you have questions about your own spiritual journey. Or maybe you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior and want to be able to explain His love to someone else. We hope this article offers a helpful understanding of what it means to have a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.  

a solitary man sitting with his back to us, looking out at far mountains

Mindfulness: A Christian Approach

What is mindfulness?

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Spiritual Warfare: Winning the Battle

Could the psychological and emotional struggles I’m going through be an attack from Satan and his demons?

woman holding apple looking into distance

God’s Sovereignty and Human Free Will

I haven’t been a Christian very long — and I’ve read conflicting teachings that make it hard for me to reconcile God’s sovereignty with the idea of human responsibility and free will.

hand reaching toward heaven prayer

Understanding the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

Do all people – even unbelievers – have the Holy Spirit? My theory is that He lives in everybody, but they don’t become aware of His presence until they accept Christ as Savior. I remember stealing something once when I was a child – long before I became a believer – and hearing a little …

Pulpit with phone and Bible, hand of man preaching

A Biblical Perspective on Leadership

What does genuine biblical “leadership” look like? “Leadership” in general is an idea that seems to be getting a lot of promotion these days. Whether I’m at church, in a bookstore, or at work, it seems the assertion that “everybody needs to be a leader” is always being pushed. I’m not sure if this is …

Christianity and Its Claim As the Only Path to God

Why should I accept Christianity as the “one true religion?” I’m put off by the intolerance of most Christians. I might become a believer myself if you people weren’t so narrow-minded. Can’t you see that there are many different pathways to spirituality – like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Wicca – and that no path is better …

Man in volunteer shirt pushing older man in wheelchair

Faith, Works, and Salvation

Am I saved by faith or good works? As a new Christian, I was relieved to hear that salvation doesn’t depend on works, but solely on God’s gift of grace. But then someone told me that “faith without works is dead” and that God cares as much about my actions as He does about my …

creation painting adam hands God

How Can Woman Be Made in the Image of a Male God?

How is it possible for both men and women to be made in the Divine Image when the Bible speaks of God primarily in masculine terms? I’m wondering if all the talk I’ve been hearing about the biblical basis for equality between the sexes is just an attempt on the part of liberal theologians to …

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Perspectives on Christian Community and Communal Living

What do you think about the current emphasis on communal living in some Christian circles? We’re seriously worried about a couple of close friends of ours. Over the past year they’ve become increasingly obsessed with the idea of creating “community.” Now they want us to sell our home, move with them to a rural area, …

elderly man bowed head near flower trees wooden cross

Rediscovering Christian Faith

How can I regain my childhood faith? I was brought up as a Christian but stopped believing in God a few years ago. More recently, I’ve been feeling as if something is drawing me back to the faith of my childhood. My fear is that this is purely a matter of sentiment and emotion and …

person beside large cross sunrise

The Fall of Man and “Total Depravity”

Does God view me as “inherently evil?” I recently heard a pastor use this phrase in a sermon on the doctrine of “total depravity.” It’s been bothering me ever since. In the first place, I think it’s unbiblical. Scripture says that God made mankind in His own image, and that everything He made was inherently …

What Bible translations does Focus recommend?

I heard that Focus on the Family doesn’t recommend gender-neutral Bible translations. What translations does Focus recommend?

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A Biblical View of Survivalists and Preppers

What do you think of Christians who adopt a “survivalist/off-the-grid” mentality? Who sell their homes, move to remote desert or mountain locations, stockpile food, grow their own crops, live like “pioneers,” and strive to be as independent of the “system” as possible? I know several people who are moving in this direction. I don’t completely …

mountain tree scene with cross

Christianity, Pagan Religions, and Family Life

Can pagans be good family people? I’m a young Pagan/Wiccan woman and I appreciate many of the articles, Q&As, and other features posted on Focus on the Family’s website. But I wonder what you, as Christians, think of a person like me. Would you agree that a strong, healthy religious belief system of any kind …

girl on hill looking out on road in front of her

Finding God’s Will

How do I seek God’s guidance when faced with major decisions? In other words, how can I get a handle on His will for my life? I’ve been told that it’s important to do this, and for the most part I believe it’s true. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to go about it. I …

younger man helps older man with computer

How Churches Can Support Immobile and Confined Senior Citizens

Can you offer any suggestions for organizing an effective church outreach to shut-ins and residents of nursing homes?