Q: 1 Corinthians 10:13 says that we won't get tempted beyond what we can bear. But sometimes I feel overwhelmed by temptation. Why is that?

The Scriptures tell us that we all face temptations. First Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man.” Perhaps this provides a little encouragement as we often feel that the world is caving in on us alone, and that others are immune to temptations. We are told that Christ was also tempted: “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).



Where do these temptations come from? First of all, they do not come from God, although He does allow them. James 1:13 says, “For God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” In the first chapter of Job, we see that God allowed Satan to tempt Job, but with restrictions. Satan is roaming around on the earth like a lion, seeking people to devour (1 Peter 5:8). Verse 9 tells us to resist him, knowing that other Christians are also experiencing his attacks. By these passages we can know that temptations come from Satan and he knows to attack your most vulnerable area. We see in James 1:14 that temptation originates in us as well. We are tempted when we are “carried away and enticed by our own lust” (verse 14). We allow ourselves to think certain thoughts, allow ourselves to go places we should not go, and make decisions based on our lusts that lead us into the temptation.



How then do we resist the temptations? First of all, we must return to the example of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness by Satan in Matthew 4:1-11. Each of Satan’s temptations was met with the same answer: “It is written,” followed by Scripture. If the Son of God used the Word of God to effectively end the temptations—which we know works because after three failed efforts, “the Devil left him” (v. 11)—how much more do we need to use it to resist our own temptations? All our efforts to resist will be weak and ineffective unless they are powered by the Holy Spirit through the constant reading, studying, and meditating on the Word. In this way, we will be “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). There is no other weapon against temptation except the “sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.” If our minds are filled with the latest TV shows, music and all the rest the culture has to offer, we will be bombarded with messages and images that inevitably lead to sinful lusts. But if our minds are filled with the majesty and holiness of God, the love and compassion of Christ, and the brilliance of both reflected in His perfect Word, we will find that our interest in the lusts of the world diminish and disappear. But without the Word’s influence on our minds, we are open to anything Satan wants to throw at us.



Here, then, is the only means to guard our hearts and minds in order to keep the sources of temptation away from us. Remember the words of Christ to His disciples in the garden on the night of His betrayal: “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). Most Christians would not openly want to jump into sin, yet we cannot resist falling into it because our flesh is not strong enough to resist. We place ourselves in situations or fill our minds with lustful passions, and that leads us into sin.

We need to renew our thinking as we are told in Romans 12:1-2. We need to no longer think as the world thinks, or walk in the same way that the world walks. Proverbs 4:14-15 tells us, “Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not proceed in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not pass by; Turn away from it and pass on.”

We need to avoid the path of the world that leads us into temptation because our flesh is weak. We are easily carried away by our own lusts.
 Our faith in Jesus entitles us to his power and authority because we are literally co-heirs to God’s kingdom with Christ (Romans 8:15-17). We can enact that power and authority against the enemy in a several ways. Here are some examples:

• Binding evil thoughts and their sources
• Rebuking evil spirits and the works of evil whenever we’re being tempted
• Taking our thoughts captive and making them obey Jesus / Casting evil thoughts out of our minds
• Putting on the full armor of God
• Speaking appropriate Scriptures that diffuse the lies of temptation

If we are doing the above actions while trusting in the Lord’s power and not our own strength, we will be successful in repelling the devil’s attacks. These aren’t magical incantations that ward off evil, but rather, they are legitimate and rightful claims to the authority of Jesus Christ.

Our faithful walk with the Lord each day will bolster our success in using his power and authority over evil. A faithful walk involves a daily surrender to God’s will and a commitment to keeping our “vessels” (body, soul and spirit) pure as much as possible. We do this by steering clear of temptations and quickly returning to God in repentance when we stumble in sin.

If at any point we’re feeling overwhelmed by the temptations of the devil, we can readily call on Jesus for help in prayer. Jesus, fully God, yet fully man, faced as strong a temptation as any of us will face in life. He was victorious and stands ready to help us resist the temptations we face. He offers to help us whenever we are tempted, because he cares for us and knows our struggles firsthand: “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:18).

May you continue to trust in God’s power and not in your own power. May you continue to focus on the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ that is above all other names. May you continue to equip yourself with the full armor and Word of God in all you do! Finding a trusted friend, adult or Pastor to talk to or to be your accountability partner would be a wise option to consider.

HOPE THIS WAS HELPFUL! THANKS FOR ASKING!

[Answered by Ray Lee, Summer Intern]

Q: Is there really a religion called Satanism?

A:  The term "Satanism" can be seen in 5 different ways:

(a) Satanism can refer to those people who actually worship Satan but who do not engage in any type of criminal or ritual abuse
(b) Satanism can refer to those who worship Satan and DO engage in criminal activities and ritual abuse
(c) Satanism can refer to those who use the language of worshiping Satan but through an expression of hedonism and anti-Christian lifestyle and philosophy. 
(d) Satanism can refer to any type of witchcraft
(e) Satanism can refer to practices that some dabble in the occult and use satanic imagery as a form of rebellion against social norms

As you can see, there is a wide variety of what people consider "Satanism".  In reaction to Satanism, Christians have 2 main views.  Firstly and most importantly, the Christian worldview asserts the sovereignty of God over Satan.  Secondly, as Christians, we do not ignore the evil in the world.  We recognize that there is spiritual warfare and thus do not take lightly to the evil that persists in this world. 

For more information, you can visit Got Questions here.

[answered by Pastor KJT]

Q: Since God is all-knowing...

...why did he create Lucifer knowing that he would turn bad? Also did God not make a mistake by creating humans? Where's the proof that God is all-knowing? Is he perfect?

These are tough theological questions. Allow me to answer the last two questions first.

1. Where is the proof that God is all-knowing?

There is no definitive proof of God's omniscience (How can a human being possibly know that God knows all things? It just doesn't work that way!) That being said, Scripture does REVEAL that God does have foreknowledge of all things. God's knowledge of events is described as his "omniscience," or his ability to fully know all things actual and possible in "one simple and eternal act." God is "perfect in knowledge" (Job 37:16) and knows all things (1 John 3:20). He knows all things ACTUAL, meaning all things that exist and all things that happen. He also knows all things that will happen in the future (Isa. 46:9-10) - even the smallest details of life (Matthew 10:30). In addition, God knows all things POSSIBLE, meaning God knows information regarding events that might happen but that do not actually happen. Jesus himself spoke about God's knowledge of possible events in Matthew 11:21, "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes." Jesus is saying that Tyre and Sidon WOULD HAVE repented if Jesus' own miracles had been done there.*

2. Is God perfect?

YES. God is perfect in all ways, even in his omniscience or his knowledge of all things actual and possible. The apostle John once wrote "God is light and in him is no darkness at all" (1 John 1:5). "Light" - in this context means that God is both morally pure and fully aware of everything.

3. Why did he create Lucifer knowing that he would turn bad? Also did God not make a mistake by creating humans?

I know you are wondering how can God be perfect if he made his creatures with the full knowledge that they would one day sin. The answer: Just because God is knew that his creatures would sin against Him does not make God imperfect. After all, the reason God created the universe (and everything in it) was for his glory (Psalm 19:1). Even though we may not understand it fully, God's glory is displayed in the act of redeeming his creation. At this point, please read the following article by GodQuestions. Thankfully, they have already answered your question in a concise, biblical manner. Their conclusion?

1. The rebellion of Satan and the fall of mankind were foreknown and foreordained by God.

2. Those who would become the people of God, the elect, were foreknown and foreordained by God.

3. The crucifixion of Christ, as atonement for God’s people, was foreknown and foreordained by God.

So we are left with the following questions: Why create mankind with the knowledge of the fall? Why create mankind knowing that only some would be ‘saved?’ Why send Jesus knowingly to die for a people that knowingly fell into sin? From man’s perspective, it doesn’t make sense. If the meta-narrative moves from paradise to paradise lost to paradise regained, why not just go straight to paradise regained and avoid the whole paradise lost interlude?

The only conclusion we can come to in view of the above assertions is that God’s purpose was to create a world in which His glory could be manifest in all its fullness. The glory of God is the overarching goal of creation. In fact, it is the overarching goal of everything He does. The universe was created to display God’s glory (Psalm 19:1), and the wrath of God is revealed against those who fail to glorify God (Romans 1:23). Our sin causes us to fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), and in the new heaven and new earth, the glory of God is what will provide light (Revelation 21:23). The glory of God is manifest when His attributes are on perfect display, and the story of redemption is part of that.

The best place to see this in Scripture is Romans 9:19-24. Wrath and mercy display the riches of God’s glory, and you can’t get either without the fall of mankind. Therefore, all of the above assertions—fall, election, redemption, atonement—serve the purpose of glorifying God. When man fell into sin, God’s mercy was immediately displayed in not killing him on the spot. God’s patience and forbearance were also on display as mankind fell deeper into sin prior to the flood. God’s justice and wrath were on display as He executed judgment during the flood, and God’s mercy and grace were demonstrated as he saved Noah and his family. God’s wrath and justice will be revealed in the future when He deals with Satan once and for all (Revelation 20:7-10).

God knew that Satan would rebel and Adam and Eve would sin in the Garden of Eden. With that knowledge, God still created Lucifer and Adam and Eve because creating them and ordaining the fall was part of His sovereign plan to manifest His glory in all its fullness. Even though the fall was foreknown and foreordained, our freedom in making choices is not violated because our free choices are the means by which God’s will is carried out.

I know you'll be frustrated as you wrestle with this issue. In my own experience, I have found the proper/best response when you have questions about why God allows certain things to happen is to be humble and trust in Him. God has perfect knowledge of all events AND He has our goodness in mind. This is reason enough to stay humble and trust Him - no matter what happens.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

*Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994), 190-191.

Q: My friend since a long time ago is not Christian, but another religion. We respect each other's religion and often tell each other of our beliefs...

 

...Recently, she has told me stories of how there are ghosts in her house, and how they have attacked her relatives, even though they are 'ghosts' and not human beings. She has claimed that these 'ghosts' have attempted to cause physical harm to her relatives and tried to kill them. She also claims that there is a 'Goddess' living inside her mother. Although we have been friends for a long time, I do not know how to counter these suppositions back from a Christian point-of-view without faltering our friendship. I do not know what may have happened, or the explanations of these events, but is it uncommon, in a sense, for this to be considered when someone is demon-possessed?

A:  First, I think it's great that you are able to share your faith with your friend.  And even though she has not accepted Jesus, I'm glad that you are able to be open with her and not have to hide that area in your life.  I pray that you'll be able to show her the extensive love of Christ through your actions and care.

Secondly, if what your friend is saying is true, it is no surprise that her and her family and experiencing such things.  Jesus spoke about demons and Satan all the time (recall Jesus being tempted from Satan in the desert in Matthew 4 or Jesus driving out demons in Mark 1:21-28).  Demons are around us, they are here to take us away from God and basically wreck havoc on earth.  

Let's get one thing straight...Satan and demons are around here right now.  We arent living in a time and place where spiritual warfare isnt happening and cant happen to us.  The only way to be saved from this is if we align ourselves with Christ.  Jesus had the authority to abolish demons when He was on earth, and that ability still stands today.  

In James, it says, "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder" (2:19).  What this passage shows us is that God is alive, the demons know it and they fear His name. 

Read this short article by Pastor John Piper for some other insight.  Click HERE.

[answered by Pastor KJT]

Q: Why is Lucifer so powerful?

Since God is all powerful, and he created the angels, which means the angels are under HIS authority. Why is Lucifer so powerful? If God is the almighty creator, and the authority over his angels, shouldn't God be more powerful than Lucifer and be able to banish his wrongdoings over us?


To answer this question, we'll have to define "powerful" first. It is true that Satan/Lucifer does have power, but this power is limited. Let's look at 2 Corinthians 4:4, "The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." Being the "god of this age" means that Satan has influence over the unbelieving world, but it does not mean he has ultimate authority. Satan exerts his influence by blinding people from the truth and light of the Gospel. Specifically, he often pushes false thinking onto the unbelieving world such as the belief that a person can gain God's favour through their good works. 


That being said, the question remains: If God is the almighty creator, and the authority over his angels, shouldn't God be more powerful than Lucifer and be able to banish his wrongdoings over us?


This question has been nicely answered by Got Questions Ministry. Click HERE to see their full answer. Though no one knows why God has allowed Satan to exert influence over people, three things must be realized:


1. Satan's time to influence grows shorter each day. He will be judged eventually and his influence will end.


2. Though Satan has influence and seeks to harm us, God is our protector. He can turn the bad things in our lives for our goodness. 

3. When the Bible says Satan has power over the world, it must be made clear that God has given him domain over unbelievers alone. Believers are no longer under the rule of Satan (Colossians 1:13). We are in God's kingdom. No matter what Satan may do to us, we are sons and daughters of the true King. And we will be with Him when our lives on Earth are finished.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: Two Creators?

Q: My friend says that if there is only one Creator, then God must have created the devil. I said that God didn't, and Lucifer made the choice of disobeying God, and made himself evil. However, my friend said that this must mean there is more than one creator. How do I answer him?

You are correct. God created all things, including Lucifer (his name actually means "light bearer" or "morning star" so his role was to lead the worship of God among the angels). Like human beings, God created angels with free will - the ability to choose. Lucifer became prideful and chose to rebel against God, so he was banished from God's presence (i.e. heaven). Today he continues to do his evil work by influencing this world.

To answer your friend, I suggest you read this post. Here is an excerpt:

If a person is asked, “Does cold exist?” the answer would likely be “yes.” However, this is incorrect. Cold does not exist. Cold is the absence of heat. Similarly, darkness does not exist; it is the absence of light. Evil is the absence of good, or better, evil is the absence of God. God did not have to create evil, but rather only allow for the absence of good. God did not create evil, but He does allow evil. If God had not allowed for the possibility of evil, both mankind and angels would be serving God out of obligation, not choice. He did not want “robots” that simply did what He wanted them to do because of their “programming.” God allowed for the possibility of evil so that we could genuinely have a free will and choose whether or not we wanted to serve Him.

Summarily, there is only one creator. Evil exists because it is - by definition - the absence of good, and not because there is an evil creator out there.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: What if the devil repented? What would happen to everyone on earth? In Hell?

A: Good question! Let's see if we can tackle this issue.

Firstly, it is impossible for Lucifer (who is also known as the Devil since he is the Fallen Angel) to repent of his sins. Because he was part of God's glory before (being an angel), he had the knowledge and the opportunity to turn to goodness, but chose the other route. So thus, he had the chance to stay in the presence of God but turned it down.

Secondly, the redemption that we receive through Jesus Christ was for humans only and was not meant to include angels or demons. It was necessary for God to provide a Saviour for those who needed saving. Angels do not require such saving and demons have already made their alliances.

Lastly, the Bible does not give us any hint that the devil would repent even given the chance to. It says that the devil is keen on bringing down God, indicating their desire to walk away from the light and make a stance against goodness. Thus, the fallen angels would be even more deserving of the wrath of God having full knowledge of that goodness, but choosing otherwise.


[answered by Pastor KJT]