Though God knows what is going to happen, God also knows how we are going to be involved in the process.  Consider the example of Abraham and Sodom and Gomorrah.  The angels told Abraham what was going to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah.  Abraham interceded on behalf of the cities.  The cities weren’t saved, but Abraham’s nephew, Lot and his two daughters escaped.  Genesis 19:29 records, “So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he rememberedAbraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.”

God heard Abraham’s prayers.  God spared Lot.  Your prayers are incredibly significant.

Question:  Can Satan read your thoughts or just hear your spoken words?

Answer:  We must be careful not to attribute to Satan attributes that belong to God.  God is omniscient–meaning He knows all things.  Satan does not.  Satan only knows what he can find out, or what he has already learned.  God is omnipresent–He is able to be everywhere at all times.  Satan is limited spatially.  He can only be one place at a time.

Therefore, you can deduce that Satan cannot read your mind.  He can hear what you say, but you cannot assume that he is listening to everything you say.  I even question his ability to listen to more than one person at a time.  I may be wrong on that, though.

You can pray for someone else, but ultimately they must decide to dress themselves for battle.

Question:  What if you were baptized as an infant and when you were 7 you were baptized so that you could try the juice cups (communion).  Are you still saved?  Do you still need to be baptized?

Answer : Your salvation is not dependent upon your baptism.  Baptism follows salvation, and is based on one’s belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Therefore, your question has more to do with what constitutes salvation than the connection between your two baptisms and salvation.  Regarding rebaptism, I encourage anyone who has received Christ to be baptized again after receiving Christ.  However, it is not essential to salvation; it is only an act of obedience that follows salvation.

Question:  Please comment on 1 Corinthians 15:29.  Can you be baptized for the dead?

Answer:  1 Corinthians 15:29 reads “Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?”  Paul is addressing two ridiculous notions:  First, the Corinthians were doubting the resurrection.  Second, being baptized for the dead.”  So Paul is in effect saying, “How ridiculous would it be to be baptized for the dead, when you don’t even believe in the resurrection!”  Both are ridiculous notions.

Therefore, Paul is not encouraging baptism for the dead.  He’s simply pointing out two equally ridiculously held beliefs by the Corinthians.

Question:  I know that Scripture tells us to go and make disciples of men, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Is there anything that prevents me, as the spiritual head of my household, from baptizing my family personally?

Answer:  Nowhere in Scripture is baptism relegated to ordained clergy.  Anyone who is a believer can baptize another believer.  Here at Grace, minister typically baptize.  However, that is not set in stone–it is simply our practice.

Question:  So I was taught by a Catholic friend, that asking the saints to pray for you is the same as asking your friend to pray for you.  Is that a different opinion?  How do you feel about that?

Answer:  Praying to the saints has several problems.  First of all, it assumes that some human beings have attained a better status than others.  The Bible clearly teaches that we come to God by grace, not by our own merits.  Second, it assumes that saints are focused on what’s happening on earth, when in fact they are worshiping Jesus.  Third, it assumes that we have to go through someone else in order to get to Jesus.  When Jesus died on the cross, he opened the way for us into God’s throne-room.  Our prayers can have the same effect as any other person’s.  Finally, we are told to ask other believers (who are alive) to pray for us.

Question:  Is there power in speaking Scripture aloud when you are under attack by Satan?

Answer:  There is power in Scripture.  Hebrews 4:12 speaks to this:  “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”    Ephesians 6 describes God’s Word as the only offensive weapon in the armor.  Therefore, the primary way we will advance is through knowing and using God’s word.

Regarding saying it aloud–I’m not sure if there is any extra power because it is said aloud.  Memorizing and applying God’s Word is the most effective way, in my opinion, to use its truths for the problems you are facing.

 

Question:  How does a believer in Christ convince a member of another religion that their scriptural texts are false and the Bible is true, when their texts claim truth and they see the Bible as fallacy?

Answer:  First of all, if any convincing happens, it will be done by the Holy Spirit.  It is the Holy Spirit who draws people to Jesus Christ.  Still, it is our responsibility to communicate the Gospel as clearly and compassionately as possible.  With that in mind, we can direct them to works by Lee Strobel and Josh McDowell that chronicle their journey from unbelief to belief.  Their personal testimonies combined with their intellectual pursuits are convincing.

The best thing you can do is to live the Gospel in front of your friend and pray for an opportunity to share.  Then, when the opportunity arises, be ready to share.  Know that this may take years.  And that’s ok.  Also, don’t forget that it isn’t your job to convince anyone of anything.  Your job is to be available to the Holy Spirit.

I thank Bugs Loftis for her help on this question.

Answer:  300 out of 700 have been fulfilled!