My son is 11 years old and has high functioning autism. He does average in school, poorly in social settings, and excels in the area of art. While he is not mentally disabled (therefore “unaccountable”), he is not quite fully “there” either. He seems to understand enough but when I try to tell him about Jesus, it’s like I’m talking to a wall.

At Sunday School he just sits there silently without interacting with anyone, even the teacher. When I talk about Jesus, he forgets everything I said within a matter of minutes even when I explain it as if he was five. When we pray, he never has any idea how to pray so I have to lead him every time. He is very underdeveloped.

I’m so scared for him. I want to know he is saved. If the rapture happens in our lifetime, I want him to be included. He is my heart and it terrifies me that I will fail him in the one area that matters more than anything. Spiritually, what can I do other than pray? I just bought some children Bible story books so I am hoping those will help him learn but nothing has worked yet.

Once again, thank you for your continued words of wisdom.  My question is regarding the sentence before each letter to the seven churches; “To the Angel of the Church, write.”  Who is the Angel of the Church; is it an angel, a pastor, preacher, etc.”  My understanding is these letters were to be read aloud to the church body.  I don’t believe an angel would be standing in the church reading the letters, so I don’t understand who is the angel?  I do so appreciate reading on your site daily for answers to questions and your wonderful articles.

In light of recent developments in the Mid East, do you believe the build up in Syria is setting the stage for Ezekiel 38 or is this something unrelated. One thing that’s perplexing is that seeing that Persia will become part of the coalition how will Israel ever be dwelling at peace and unguarded so long as a sworn enemy like Iran remains a viable threat? Is this some sort of oxymoron or is there a logical explanation? What do you think?

You say we are saved by what we believe and not by how we behave. I really would like to believe that but I also know that I made a profession of faith, went to a Bible teaching church, read my Bible every day, prayed, and thought I was living the life as a Christian but fell in to gross sin for a number of years then while still living in sin had a catastrophic event happen that left me no where else to go but flat on my face crying out to Jesus to save me and forgive me. I believe I was a false convert otherwise I would not have lived those years in a life of habitual sin. Isn’t that what this scripture teaches? I am confused.

Will raptured Saints rule and reign with Jesus physically on earth during the millennium? Revelation and Zechariah both describe Jesus’ 2nd coming when He comes with His army “clothed in fine linen, white and clean”, which are the clothes given to Jesus’ bride in Revelation 19. To me this means that we are with Jesus when He comes back to reign on earth.

If the church is supposed to reside in the New Jerusalem, then how can it also reign with Jesus on Earth? How can the church be leaders of the temple when the Jews will still be under the temple law during the Millennium? If we are at the temple, who is in the New Jerusalem?

Below is what you wrote when you responded to the question entitled “Pillars in the Temple.” I’ve also read “The Coming Temple” that you wrote which says that the Jews will be in Israel and the Church will be in the New Jerusalem. Can you clear up the confusion? Are we going to be in both places?

“Rev. 3:12. Here’s the picture: during the Millennium the church will be kings and priests who reign with Jesus on earth. Isaiah 2:3 tells us that during that time the law will be the temple law. And we will be esteemed as leaders of the temple. Never leaving or forsaking its principles.”

I’ve been a Christian just over 3 years now. Several things in my life have changed as a result; however, there are somethings that no matter how hard I try to convince myself I won’t, I continue to fall into sin. I know there are some temptations that we need to flee from, but at the same time, I feel like I should have victory over this sin and not continue to fall to it. Is there something I’m missing or should I just keep running? I don’t like that sin is able to dictate how I live my life.

I know I am saved by grace through faith and Jesus is my Lord and Savior. I know my citizenship is in heaven and I am living for Jesus from heaven to earth (Colossians 3:3-4). I just feel like I have to be careful not to indulge in sin or drift away so I will “stay saved”, or stay a new creation in Christ or make sure that my spirit, soul and body is sanctified. It is this constant fear of going to hell that bombards me if I choose to live in sin or walk in the flesh (which I strive to live in the spirit). I want to live for Jesus since I am his son and I want to please him and serve him, but I feel like this issue of OSAS and Losing Salvation gets in the way of living for Jesus. I am so focused on that instead of living for Jesus and serving him because I do not want to find out that I can lose my salvation and it will be too late. I know there are scriptures on eternal security for the church age but I just do not want to be wrong since I have noticed about 95% of the church teaches you have to stay saved (and I get tired of arguing with them about it).

Hello pastor Jack. I suffer from extreme intrusive thoughts.  These thoughts can be blasphemous, or doubtful, or sometimes pure evil. My greatest fear is being rejected by God, and considered unforgivable by Him.

And some tell me “These thoughts aren’t yours. So long as you fight against them, and don’t agree with them, you have nothing to worry about.” And then I think okay, yes, that makes sense. But then I worry: *Am* I fighting against them? What if I absentmindedly agree to an evil thought, or let it sit too long? Then the thoughts come back again, and I find myself evaluating my feelings towards the thoughts as well as the thoughts themselves. “Was that a hint of admiration? Was that a bit of assent? Did I just agree to something I should not have?”

I’m sorry for bugging you with this, sir, but I’m a trainwreck right now and need some definitive answers from someone more knowledgeable of the Bible than I am. Would you say that I am in fact condemned? Or is there hope even for me?

I wasn’t sure if my uncle was a true believer or not, so I have been sending some things to him regarding bible prophecy, etc. With the Rapture so close, I guess I just wanted to make sure he had his act together regarding belief in Christ. His e-mails seemed to reflect someone who is very bitter and angry. He revealed to me that he used to go to church, pray, etc., but since the murder of his daughter years ago, he turned his back on Christianity. I think he’s angry at God for what happened and wants nothing to do with religion of any sort. I don’t know if he was ever a true believer (ie, accepting Christ as his savior), but how does one provide and explanation or comfort one who has become so angry and bitter.