Can Christians Be Possessed By Demons?
One question that has been asked over and over is "Can Christians be possessed by demons?" There is no where in the Bible where we ever get any sort of a clear example of a demon living in a true believer. With all that the New Testament epistles warn us about, not once are we warned to be on guard for the possibility of being inhabited by demons.
In Colossians 1:13, Paul says God “delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” Salvation brings true deliverance and protection from Satan. In Romans 8:37, Paul says we overwhelmingly conquer through Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:57, he says God gives us the victory. In 2 Corinthians 2:14, he says God always leads us in triumph. In 1 John 2:13, John says we have overcome the evil one. And, in 4:4, he says the indwelling Holy Spirit is greater than Satan. How could anyone affirm those glorious truths, yet believe demons can indwell genuine believers?
What does it mean to "abide" in Christ?
Jesus defined "Abiding in Christ" when He likened Himself to a grapevine and believers to its branches: "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in Me" (John 15:4). That picture illustrates the vital union existing between Christians and Jesus Christ.
The word "abide" basically means "to remain." Every Christian remains inseparably linked to Christ in all areas of life. We depend on Him for grace and power to obey. We look obediently to His Word for instruction on how to live. We offer Him our deepest adoration and praise and we submit ourselves to His authority over our lives. In short, Christians gratefully know Jesus Christ is the source and sustainer of their lives.
Abiding in Christ evidences genuine salvation. The Apostle John alluded to that when he referred to defected professors who "went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us" (1 John 2:19).
People with genuine faith will remain--they won't defect; they won't deny Christ or abandon His truth. Jesus reiterated the importance of abiding as a sign of real faith when He said, "If you abide in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine" (John 8:31).
Do Christians receive glorified bodies immediately after they die?
Second Corinthians 5:6-8 makes it clear that the believer is ushered directly into the presence of God upon death. Paul argues that "to be absent from the body" is tantamount to being "present with the Lord." Jesus sounded a similar theme when He told the thief on the cross "today you will be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). The paradise Jesus referred to is synonymous with heaven.
However, Scripture also teaches that the believer, while in the presence of the Lord, will not receive his glorified body until a later time. Upon death, our bodies go into the grave and await the second coming of Christ (1 Thess. 4:16), when He will raise and transform them (1 John 3:2).
The apostle Paul speaks of the time when our spirits will be again united with our bodies so that we will no longer be naked (2 Cor. 5:3) but able to live throughout eternity in the form God created us to enjoy. The new body of the Christian is yet future, though each deceased saint is now in the presence of the Lord.
Do We Pray For the Lost?
One question that many Christians want to know is “Is it scriptural for Christians to pray for the lost?”
Luke 23:34 gives us a little insight into the answer to this question. While our Lord and Savior was still hanging on the cross He took time to pray for those who were murdering Him. I believe that God begin answering Jesus’ prayer on the Day of Pentecost when thousands of people were saved and baptized. Since then God has saved multitudes through the centuries, all in response to Jesus intercession for the lost.
The great reformist George Whitefield prayed “O Lord, give me souls or take my soul”? Do you have that kind of concern and passion for the lost? Do you, like Henry Martyn, weep when you see others trapped in false religion and cry out, “I cannot endure existence if Jesus is to be so dishonored”?
God has used these kinds of faithful men all through history to bring salvation to dying people. You and I must live with the reality that we have family members, co-workers and neighbors who will spend an eternity in the torments of hell unless the embrace the Christ of the Gospel. That should drive each of us to our knees on a daily basis, not only for them to believe the gospel but for God to save the lost souls.
It is one thing to pray for family and friends, those for whom you have natural affections, but God wants you to pray for all people. Paul writes, “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority” (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Kings and people in authority in Paul’s day weren’t bound by civil rights and were often unjust, self-serving, and cruel. Do you pray for the salvation of people like that — those who disagree with you politically, those who advocate ungodly agendas, those who openly embrace sin and reject the Scripture?
In the Bible has several examples of radical evangelistic prayer, and for the worst of sinners. Here are a few examples:
Moses interceded for Israel after catching them in idolatry at the foot of Mount Sinai. After he confronted and dealt with their sin, he turned to the Lord and prayed, “Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made a god of gold for themselves. But now, if You will, forgive their sin — and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!” Think about that! Moses was willing to forfeit his very own life for his people, even though they were guilty of wicked rebellion!
While being stoned to death, Stephen followed the Lord’s example by praying for the salvation of his executioners: “And they went on stoning Stephen as he called upon the Lord and said, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!’ And falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ And having said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:59-60).
Paul of Tarsus was present that day and his salvation was an answer to Stephen’s very prayer. Years later, the apostle Paul communicated the depth of his concern for his people Israel, and in Romans 9 he sounds very much like Moses:
“I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, […]Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation.” (Romans 9:1-3; 10:1)
Paul’s own people, fellow Jews, were the very ones who persecuted him, disrupted his work in the gospel, stirred up the mobs, and even plotted for his murder. And yet, Paul had compassion through God’s grace and he loved them and prayed that God would show them mercy.
God used every one of these men and the prayers for the lost and he’ll use yours too. For those God brings your way, open your mouth in love and compassion to tell them the truth. Warn them of God’s judgment for their personal offenses against his holiness, but then tell them the good news. There is salvation in Jesus Christ from God’s eternal wrath, if they will only repent and believe. Once you’ve told them the truth, keep praying for them and trust God for the results. You will rejoice as you see God use you as He saves people from their sins and grants them new life in His Son.
Are Christians in Heaven Aware of What is Happening on Earth?
Scripture doesn’t really tell us anything on the awareness of the Christian after death. Luke 16 speaks of the rich man asking someone to go to his family to warn them about their impending doom. However, his request is based upon his lifetime recollection of his family's lack of spiritual life and not necessarily on his observing earthly events after he died.
Likewise, 1 Samuel 28 describes a rare and unusual occurrence where someone from the dead came back to respond to one yet living. God allowed Samuel to communicate with Saul, though Saul was wrong to seek the help of a medium to begin with. Scripture forbids that practice (Deut. 18:10-12). Samuel's responses do not describe current conditions; they are based on a message he apparently received from God that Saul and Israel would go down in defeat (1 Sam. 28:15?19).
Some teach that our deceased Christian loved ones can see us from heaven. They frequently cite from Hebrews 12:1, which says: "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us . . . run with endurance the race that is set before us."
They interpret that to mean our departed loved ones watch us like spectators do in a stadium, seeing our every move and cheering us on. While that may seem comforting, we don't believe the Bible is really teaching that.
The witnesses in that verse are not modern-day loved ones, but the faithful saints in Hebrews 11 who lived victorious lives by trusting God. Those saints are witnesses to us because their lives testify about the value of trusting God no matter what hardships we face. They are active witnesses who speak to us by their example; not passive witnesses who watch us with their eyes.
Consequently, when we understand Hebrews 12:1 in its context, we realize that it doesn't really support the idea that our loved ones are watching us from heaven. Our comfort comes not from knowing they can see us, but that they can see Jesus and one day we will see Him with them as well-never to be separated again.
Can a true Christian backslide?
It is certainly possible Christians to backslide if we are speaking in the terms of them going through a period of time where they lose ground on their spiritual progress by falling into periods of spiritual stalemate or disobedience. But according to Hebrews 12:6-11 for those there will be discipline brought down by God into their lives because according to verse 8, God disciplines those that are truly His.
But on the other hand, if your thinking is that backsliding as a continuous state of willful rebellion or ungodly actions toward God on the part of one who professes Christ in faith, then the answer is absolutely not. That would not be an expression of backsliding but rather a sign of false profession (Matt. 7:21-23; 1 John 3:4-10).
The word backsliding is used two ways in Scripture. It is found only in Old Testament references to the nation of Israel (Jeremiah 3:22; 31:22; 49:4; Hosea 4:16; 11:7; 14:4, KJV).
Sometimes it speaks of backsliding as the action of unregenerate people who turn stubbornly away from God (cf. Jeremiah 8:5). In that sense the Word cannot be used to describe true Christians.
Other times true believers are said to backslide (Jeremiah 14:7). All believers go through times when they do not grow or are set back in their growth by sin--they seem to be sliding backwards like a calf on a muddy slope (cf. Hosea 4:16, KJV). In that sense the word could apply to true believers.
Can One Who Commits Suicide Be Saved?
Suicide is a grave sin equivalent to murder (Exodus 20:13; 21:23), but it can be forgiven like any other sin. And Scripture says clearly that those redeemed by God have been forgiven for all their sins--past, present, and future (Colossians 2:13-14). Paul says in Romans 8:38-39 that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.
So if a true Christian would commit suicide in a time of extreme weakness, he or she would be received into heaven (Jude 24). But we question the faith of those who take their lives or even consider it seriously--it may well be that they have never been truly saved.
That's because God's children are defined repeatedly in Scripture as those who have hope (Acts 24:15; Romans 5:2-5, 8:24; 2 Corinthians 1:10, etc.) and purpose in life (Luke 9:23-25; Romans 8:28; Colossians 1:29). And those who think of committing suicide do so because they have neither hope nor purpose in their lives.
Furthermore, one who repeatedly considers suicide is practicing sin in his heart (Proverbs 23:7), and 1 John 3:9 says that "no one who is born of God practices sin." And finally, suicide is often the ultimate evidence of a heart that rejects the lordship of Jesus Christ, because it is an act where the sinner is taking his life into his own hands completely rather than submitting to God's will for it. Surely many of those who have taken their lives will hear those horrifying words from the Lord Jesus at the judgment--"I never knew you; Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness" (Matthew 7:23).
So though it may be possible for a true believer to commit suicide, we believe that is an unusual occurrence. Someone considering suicide should be challenged above all to examine himself to see whether he is in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).
Is Hell a Literal Place?
Hell is a place no one likes to talk about, much less go there, however, Jesus spoke more on hell than on heaven and had very strong warnings to keep people He loved from going there TheNew Testament views hell as the final dwelling place of those condemned to eternal punishment at the Last Judgment (Matt. 25:41-46; Rev. 20:11-15). It is described as a place of darkness (Jude 6-7, 13), of “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30), of destruction (2 Thess. 1:7-9; 2 Pet. 3:17; 1 Thess. 5:3), and torment (Rev. 20:10, Luke 16:23). These are probably symbolic rather than literal, but, if anything, the reality will be more terrible than the symbol. New Testament teaching about hell is meant to appall us and to fill us with horror, persuading us that though heaven will be better than we could dream, so hell will be worse than we can imagine. These are the issues of eternity that must be realistically faced.
Hell is not so much the absence of God as the consequence of His wrath and displeasure. God is like a consuming fire (Heb 12:29) and His righteous condemnation for defying Him and clinging to the sins that He hates will be experienced in hell (Rom. 2:6, 8, 9, 12). According to Scripture, hell is unending (Jude 13; Rev. 20:10). There is no biblical warrant for speculations about a “second chance” after death, or an annihilation of the ungodly at some stage.
Those in hell will realize that they have sentenced themselves to be there because they have loved darkness rather than light, refusing to have their Creator as their Lord. They preferred the self-indulgence of sin to self-denying righteousness, rejecting the God that made them (John 3:18-21; Rom. 1:18, 24, 26, 28, 32; 2:8; 2 Thess. 2:9-11). General revelation confronts everyone with a certain evidence of God, and from this standpoint hell has a basis in God’s respect for human choice. All receive what they chose, either to be with God forever, or to be without Him. Those who are in hell will know, not only that for their doings they deserve their punishment, but also that in their hearts they chose it.
The purpose of the Bible’s teaching about hell is to make us turn with gratitude to the grace of Christ that saves us from it (Matt. 5:29, 30; 13:48-50). For this reason God’s warning to us is merciful; He has “no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live” (Ezek. 33:11).
Did God Create Sin?
One thing that has really been confusing to so many in the church is, if God is sovereign and responsible for all creation, then what about evil? Is God the creator of evil also?
Well, first of all let me say that Scripture teaches us in Genesis 1:31 that after God completed His wonderful creation of the entire universe, He saw that everything that He created was “very good.” God saw absolutely no evil in any part of His original creation. All through His Word we see that Scripture bears out that God is not the author of evil. In James 1:13 we read, “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”, for God cannot be tempted by evil and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” This should absolutely dismiss any thought that we might have that God created anything evil. 1 John 1:15 takes us one step closer to understanding that God could not possibly have created sin with these words, “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” God is not associated with sin in any way. He didn’t create it no does he cause people to do it. 1Corinthians 14:33 teaches a very important truth about God: “God is not the author of confusion.” If this is really true of God, then He cannot in any way have in part of evil, much less be the creator of it.
Over the past years in my ministry many people have quoted Isaiah 45:7 to me claiming that it positively proves that God made evil as a part of His original creation: “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.” And at first glance, without any study or research at all, one might have a tendency to believe that God must have created evil in His creative work in Genesis.
Now I believe that one of the best translations for this particular scripture come form the New American Standard Bible. In that translation, Isaiah 45:6 reads much clearer: “There is no one besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity: I am the Lord who does all these.” In other words, God devises calamity as a judgment for the wicked. But in no sense is God the author of evil.
A concise study of God’s Word reveals to us that evil originated not from God but from the fallen creature. Reformer and theologian John Calvin wrote, “The Lord had declared that "everything that he had made . . . was exceedingly good" [Gen. 1:31]. Whence, then comes this wickedness to man, that he should fall away from his God? Lest we should think it comes from creation, God had put His stamp of approval on what had come forth from himself. By his own evil intention, then, man corrupted the pure nature he had received from the Lord; and by his fall drew all his posterity with him into destruction. Accordingly, we should contemplate the evident cause of condemnation in the corrupt nature of humanity-which is closer to us-rather than seek a hidden and utterly incomprehensible cause in God's predestination. [Institutes, 3:23:8]
Sin itself is not a created thing. I think that it is very important that we understand that. Sin is neither substance, being, spirit, nor matter. So it really by all rights, is not something that could be created. It is simply a lack of moral perfection in a fallen creature. Every fallen creature must bear the responsibility for their own sin and what that sin has brought to the world.
Paul in Romans 5:12 says that because of sin, death has become an inevitable reality in the world. Death as well as disease, pain, and all the bad things that happen came as a result of this original sin from mankind. Sin will continue to be a part of this world as long as it exists.
But through it all God has given us the great promise that He will never put more on us than we can possibly bear (Cor. 10:13). And in James 1:13 He tells us that God will never tempt us with evil.
God is certainly sovereign over evil. There's a sense in which it is proper even to say that evil is part of His eternal decree. He planned for it. It did not take Him by surprise. It is not an interruption of His eternal plan. He declared the end from the beginning, and He is still working all things for His good pleasure (Isaiah 46:9-10).
But God's role with regard to evil is never as its author. He simply permits evil agents to work, then overrules evil for His own wise and holy ends. Ultimately He is able to make all things-including all the fruits of all the evil of all time-work together for a greater good (Romans 8:28).
Is Doubting My Salvation Normal?
One of the most frequent questions that I have been asked over the years is, “Is it normal for Christians to doubt their salvation?” I would suppose that it really depends on what one would mean by "normal". Honestly we would have to say that it is pretty common for Christians to say that at one time or another they have doubted their salvation. But truthfully, if you are truly saved and have come to know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, there is no real reason for you to doubt the truth of your salvation. To doubt your salvation would a carnal act and not spiritual. As a true believer the only reason that you would ever have to doubt your salvation would be that you are walking in the flesh instead of the Spirit. This could be because your life is dominated by a certain sinful behavior or because you are not regularly in the Word of God. So I would have to say that if you are experiencing carnal times in your life, then there will definitely be times of doubt.
Too often I have heard Christians attempt to excuse the doubt or sin in their life by saying, “I’m only human.” But that is not really true. After all 2 Cor. 5:17 says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” According to the Word of God we are more than just human. Through Christ we have become brand new creations and have the very Holy Spirit of God living inside us to guide our lives. We are just not the person we used to be. So we have to honestly say that it would never be normal for a Christian who is walking in the Spirit and is obedient, in fact, it would be totally impossible. When we as Christians walk a faithful daily walk with God He gives us all the confidence that we need. When we “hunger and thirst for righteousness” the Holy Spirit always gives us the blessed assurance of our salvation and never leaves room in our lives for doubt.
With all that said, I would tell you that if there are times in your life as a Christian that you have those moments of doubt, then you must immediately take action to find the source of doubt. In order to remove that doubt and get back on track with God you must honestly examine every thing in your life in order to discover what things are not of God. We, as Christians, must be able to see sin in our life in the same manner that our Lord sees it. We should never attempt to excuse it or to make it anything other that what it is. Then as we discover the impure things in our life through His perfect Word we then need to pray and repent and ask our loving Lord to give us strength to never again come back to this place of sin. Doubt always comes from sin and if we are to be “conformed into the image of Christ” then we are to be busy in our daily walk with God and discover everything we can about this Christ that has saved us by His grace. And if we are busy doing that, there will never be time for doubt.