Asking Questions--Can Satan see the future?

I am a volunteer writer for the website GotQuestions. People who come to that website can browse a huge data base of already asked and answered questions or they can submit a question which is assigned to a writer to answer. I thought as I had opportunity to answer some of these questions, I would share them in a series of posts under the label "Asking Questions". Just as an FYI, I present the questions in the form they are asked without correction of spelling or grammar. I pray that you are encouraged.


Q--I have a friend that told me that satan has the ability to see the future as God. I don`t believe it and the Saul story is always brought up and how he contacted a medium if he was going to win the battle. I don`t know any scriptures to disprove this so is there any or is this true, that satan can see into the future?

A--I believe the passage you're talking about is I Samuel 28.  Yes, Saul does consult a medium but you should observe that he asks her to call up the prophet Samuel (vs. 11).  So he wasn't inquiring of Satan.  Now, it is true that demons and presumably Satan know some things about the future such as the fact that there will a future judgment (Matthew 8:29).  However, there is nothing in scripture that indicates that Satan or demons have a comprehensive knowledge about the future that is equal to God's omniscience.

Asking Questions--Sanctification

I am a volunteer writer for the website GotQuestions. People who come to that website can browse a huge data base of already asked and answered questions or they can submit a question which is assigned to a writer to answer. I thought as I had opportunity to answer some of these questions, I would share them in a series of posts under the label "Asking Questions". Just as an FYI, I present the questions in the form they are asked without correction of spelling or grammar. I pray that you are encouraged.

Q-Is there a different in being saved and living a saved life? Please send verses. Thank you and God Bless

A-Well, if you mean do truly saved people continue to grow in their Christian faith, I would say that if someone is truly saved that they will certainly grow and mature as they live their faith out. In II Peter 1:5-7, Peter lists some qualities of a truly saved person, similar to the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5. Observe what he says in verses 8 and 9.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. (NASB)

In other words, a person who is saved ("these qualities are yours") will be "living the saved life" as you said ("are increasing"). Someone who does not exhibit these qualities is either not really saved ("blind") or they have forgotten the true value of their redemption on the cross ("short sighted").

Asking Questions: The Holy Spirit

I am a volunteer writer for the website GotQuestions. People who come to that website can browse a huge data base of already asked and answered questions or they can submit a question which is assigned to a writer to answer. I thought as I had opportunity to answer some of these questions, I would share them in a series of posts under the label "Asking Questions". Just as an FYI, I present the questions in the form they are asked without correction of spelling or grammar. I pray that you are encouraged.

Q-If God is Spirit and theres the Holy Spirit, arnt they both the Spirit of God and only one Spirit. So the trinity is really one God the father and God the Son. Because the Holy spirit is God the spirit. So instead of three theres only really only two.

A-No, that is not correct. While God is Himself spirit and does not, nor has He ever had, have a flesh and blood body, He and Jesus both speak of the Holy Spirit as Someone distinct from both of them. For example, in Joel 2:28, God says "It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions". He doesn't say He will come Himself. Therefore the Holy Spirit must be seperate from God Who is spirit. Further, notice in John 14:16-17 "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you." Again, observe that Jesus refers to another Helper coming, meaning the Holy Spirit, not God the Father coming. Therefore, I would say that while God is Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, is seperate from God.

Asking Questions--Old Testament Law

I am a volunteer writer for the website GotQuestions. People who come to that website can browse a huge data base of already asked and answered questions or they can submit a question which is assigned to a writer to answer. I thought as I had opportunity to answer some of these questions, I would share them in a series of posts under the label "Asking Questions". Just as an FYI, I present the questions in the form they are asked without correction of spelling or grammar. I pray that you are encouraged.

Q-I need to know why that there was stonings in the old testament and why they also allowed hangings and hands to be cut off for stealings. Was this man`s law at the time or God`s? Because when Jesus came he stopped the men from stoning the women and said `Those without sin cast the frist stone`. Why was it allowed to stone before Jesus came? The main question is was this Man`s or God`s laws. Thanks, Samantha

A-Samantha,

All of the Old Testament law was given by God (II Timothy 3:16). Therefore, all of the law was God's law. Now, notice something important about the situation with Jesus and the woman who was about to be stoned. In John 8:4, we read "they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act."". Now, if she was caught in the act, she was not alone. Therefore, where was the other guilty party.

They were trying to get Him to either say God's law wasn't valid or approve of them doing something that Roman law would not allow--execute capital punishment. So what He did was neither. Instead, He pointed to the sin that was in their own hearts. So, it's not so much that He stopped them but He made them realize their own hypocrisy. They weren't really interested in the law or righteousness. The fact that they only brought one of the guilty parties proved that.

Therefore, Jesus did not nulify God's law in that encountrer but made them recognize their own sinfulness.

Asking Questions--Ananias and Sapphira

I am a volunteer writer for the website GotQuestions. People who come to that website can browse a huge data base of already asked and answered questions or they can submit a question which is assigned to a writer to answer. I thought as I had opportunity to answer some of these questions, I would share them in a series of posts under the label "Asking Questions". Just as an FYI, I present the questions in the form they are asked without correction of spelling or grammar.  I pray that you are encouraged.

Q--Did god kill ananis and his wife in acts 5? And if so were they unbeliever cause I don`t think god kills beliver?

A--Acts 5 does not explicitly mention God causing their deaths. However, Peter says they have not lied to men but to God. Further, in the Psalms we read "Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. (Psalm 139:16)". In other words, God is in control of when we die. This includes believers and unbelievers.

Asking Questions--What is Hell Like?

I am a volunteer writer for the website GotQuestions. People who come to that website can browse a huge data base of already asked and answered questions or they can submit a question which is assigned to a writer to answer. I thought as I had opportunity to answer some of these questions, I would share them in a series of posts under the label "Asking Questions". I pray that you are encouraged.

Q-It says that souls currently in Hell are tormented, like the story of the rich man and Lazaraus. Are they tormented because they are in Hell or are they tormented by demons who are there with them?

A-Well, it would appear that they are tormented by fires in hell. Observe with me in Luke 16:24 "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.'" Now, there are no texts that describe any demons tormenting the human souls in hell so of course we can't say definitively. However, if they are in hell they are likewise being tormented so I doubt they have time to pester anyone else.

Asking Questions-Spiritual Growth

I am a volunteer writer for the website GotQuestions. People who come to that website can browse a huge data base of already asked and answered questions or they can submit a question which is assigned to a writer to answer. I thought as I had opportunity to answer some of these questions, I would share them in a series of posts under the label "Asking Questions". I pray that you are encouraged.

Q-about 8 to 10 months ago i felt like i was spiritually soaring, everyday i woke up i felt amazing and felt like i was getting higher and higher and closer to god or maybe it was something else but anyway, i just wanted to know what it was and how to get it back oh and also i have not been going to church lately and haven`t been able to praise god and read my bible like i did before, i use to do it everyday so if you can please help thanks.

A-I think it's important for us to remember that being a Christian does not mean that we are not going to feel down or have periods where we don't feel as good as we did. Observe a few things that Paul said.


Colossians 1:24
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions.

Romans 7:21-25
I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

If Paul, who was the greatest evangelist and preacher who ever lived, had times where he felt like that certainly you and I can expect that to happen. The important thing to remember is that how we feel is not important but what God's word says is what's important. When you feel like neglecting to study the word and pray that is the exact opposite of what the Holy Spirit would prompt you to do. Therefore, you know it is your "flesh" talking and not the indwelling Holy Spirit. Notice what the psalmist says about true happiness. It doesn't come from a feeling but from a relationship with God and drawing near to God through His word.

Psalm 1:1-2
How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

Asking Questions--Hearing from God

I am a volunteer writer for the website GotQuestions. People who come to that website can browse a huge data base of already asked and answered questions or they can submit a question which is assigned to a writer to answer. I thought as I had opportunity to answer some of these questions, I would share them in a series of posts under the label "Asking Questions". I pray that you are encouraged.

I should note that the question below is published as it was submitted and the writer of the question does not speak English as their first language.

Q: Hi, I`am a christian. I have a question. I ever heard from reading some philosophy of old philosopher that God will not do business with beleivers in the World. So, If we pray to request anything, God will not give us. Also, When we do sin, God will not punish us before our death. The effect from sin will give us sorrow automatically. I`ve been a chirstian for 7 years but I have not touched God. I ever pray to him when I am in the most discouarge in my life but noting is happened. So, I understand that God will ignore us to decise and recieve its result on our own because we should get the result preperly from what we select to do base on our mind and soul. This world is not belonged to his business except only time Jesus born to show he could revive after death. Is this true ?

A: If I understand you correctly, there are really two overriding issues that you're asking about--Does God still work in the world and how do we hear His voice? As to the first one, I can testify to God's work in my life in circumstances at work, at home, and when I was in school. However, my testimony is not as relevant as Scripture. The book of Job tells us that God was aware of and permitted everything that happened in Job's life. God was in control of the entire situation. Further Romans 8:28 tells us "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (NASB)" God is certainly in control and we can take comfort in that.

Finally, I believe God still speaks to us today. He does so through the Bible. In II Peter 1:16-18, Peter recounts his experiences as a disciple of Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration. Having been an eyewitness to that supernatural event, Peter makes a startling statement in verse 19 when he says "So we have the prophetic word made more sure". The English word "made" is a supplied word. In other words, it was not in the Greek text but was added by the translators to help smooth out the English. What Peter wrote in the Greek was "We have the more sure prophetic word". What I believe he meant by that is this--The Bible is a more sure revelation of God, His purposes, His character, and His will than even Peter's eye witness experience. Allow me to encourage you in the words of Martin Luther--"Let the man who would hear God speak read holy scripture".

Asking Questions---Forgiveness

I am a volunteer writer for the website GotQuestions. People who come to that website can browse a huge data base of already asked and answered questions or they can submit a question which is assigned to a writer to answer. I thought as I had opportunity to answer some of these questions, I would share them in a series of posts under the label "Asking Questions". I pray that you are encouraged.


Q-At what point do you stop seeking forgiveness from someone who is not willing to give it? Will God still forgive you if they will not?

A-In Matthew 5:23-24, Matthew records that Jesus taught `Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.` Therefore, we must certainly seek to be reconciled with other people when we wrong them. I don`t find that this text or any Bible passage that teaches we are to continuously plead with someone to forgive if they won`t. If a person has tried several times sincerely to ask forgiveness for a sin and the person they are asking forgiveness from withholds it, I believe they`ve done all they can.

God`s forgiveness of our sins does not depend on whether the person that we wronged forgives us or not. First of all, any sin, even those committed against someone else, are ultimately sins against God. As David writes in Psalm 51:4 `Against You, You only, I have sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are justified when You speak and blameless when You judge.` Secondly, God has promised to forgive us of our sins when we confess them and repent. John writes in the first chapter of his first epistle `If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (verse 9)` Notice, there is no condition `...as long as the person who you wronged forgives you...` added to that statement. When we repent and ask God to forgive us, He does it. We should praise God for being so merciful to us.