comings. The same is true today. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle points out signs which Christians should look for be fore the return of Christ. In the ori ginal Greek, the indefinite article is not used in the term, “a falling away” but rather the definite: “the falling away.” There have been many fallings away but it is the particular apostasy of the end times to which he refers. Q . Wes» Vancouver, B.C. — “Some time ago I read an article wherein the au thor emphatically stated that there were men only in the place where the Holy Spirit came at Pente cost. To back up this statement he referred to the Greek word in Acts 2:1 which he said represented males only. This same word is used in Ro mans 3:23, however, where quite ob viously women are included. Can you explain this for me?” A. We do not believe that there were only men at the day of Pentecost. Women are also referred to in the first chapter of Acts (v. 14). Whether the women spoke in tongues we do not know. They were certainly there! Q . Long Beach, Calif. — “Does Satan know what we’re praying when we do it inaudibly? I have a Christian friend who won’t pray certain things out loud in case Satan hears. I was also under the impression that it was Satan who put wrong and evil thoughts into our minds. Is there any Scripture that would help on this?” A. Theologians g ene ra lly are in agreement with the view that Satan does not know our thoughts for he is not omniscient, nor, with all his power, is he omnipotent, or omni present. He is a created being. That he appears with such magnitude is because he has such a host of de monic forces, fallen angels, working for him. Only God, through His Holy 25
does. At the rapture for believers, and at the resurrection for unbeliev ers, the body and soul will be re united. We shall be changed; cor ruptible shall put on incorruption and mortal shall put on immortality. Now believers have a saved spirit in an unredeemed body, but then it will be a redeemed soul and spirit in a redeemed body. Read Romans 8. Q . Phoenix, Arix. — “/ heard on the radio that if you don’t understand the Bible you don’t have the Holy Spirit for salvation. Is this so?” A. No, not necessarily at all. The Bible demands study and restudy. An unredeemed man cannot compre hend it at all, for it is spiritually dis cerned. The greatest men who have ever lived, with the keenest minds, have studied the Book all of their lives. Still no man has ever plumbed its depths. There are many infinite subjects which we, in our finite minds, can never fully grasp. At the same time, the Lord is looking for spiritual growth and maturity (II Peter 3:18). A person is saved not because he understands the Scrip tures, but is saved because he has accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and divine illumi nation. Q . Turlock, Calif. — “Does Biola ac cept II Thessalonians 2:1-3 without any added interpretations?” A. This sounds as though there may be something behind the question. We do indeed accept it, as well as all of the inspired Word of God. Paul wrote this second epistle to the people of Thessalonica because they had be come so excited and enthusiastic over the return of the Lord as a result of his first letter that they were for getting some of the essentials. They overlooked, for example, that there was a ministry to be carried on be tween the Lord’s First and Second
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