Answering a Rude Question About God

Someone recently asked me (quite rudely) why a God who is all-knowing and all-powerful would create Satan. To see the full conversation, see Answering an Atheist Evangelist. 

This guy wasn't actually interested in my answer, but suppose someone sincerely asks this. How would you answer?

It’s good to prepare ourselves to answer these kinds of questions (1 Peter 3:15). So let me give you some bullet points I’d include in my answer:

🗹 God created Satan good but gave him a choice. Satan chose evil. 

Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:1-17. See Got Questions on Ezekiel 28.

🗹 God could have ended Satan’s existence but chose to use Satan’s stupidity and evil to test people and divide true believers from unbelievers. For example: Job 1:1-12.

🗹 God creates each man and woman and gives us choice. 

Genesis 4:6-7; Joshua 24:14-15; James 1:14-15; Revelation 3:20.

🗹 God is all-knowing and all-powerful, but He isn’t all-manipulative. He never tempts us, but He allows temptations in our lives because he wants our choice to be real. He doesn’t want robots forced to love Him.

James 1:13; 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:2-4.

🗹 Anyone who rejects God is under Satan’s control, even if they aren’t involved in formal Satan worship.

2 Corinthians 4:4.

🗹 Because God is omniscient, He knows every detail of every person’s heart. He won’t send someone to heaven or hell by mistake. He knows that some people only have an outward form of religion.

2 Timothy 3:1-5.

🗹 Because He’s all-powerful, He can do what He says He will do.

Romans 1:20.

🗹 And most importantly, our God is not merely omniscient and omnipotent. He’s also completely loving, just, and pure, ready to redeem, forgive, and restore.

Psalm 103.

In fact, the man who asked this rude question can be redeemed. Our all-knowing, all-powerful God gives him that choice.

For two other difficult questions, see Six Important Clues in Answering the Question "Why Does God Allow Evil?" and Be Prepared: Why did God destroy entire nations?

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Do You Know Mom's Version of Ephesians 4:29?

“If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”

 

Did your mom ever say this when you were growing up?

It’s sound, biblical advice. It's the moms' version of Ephesians 4:29:

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”  

When we're saying negative things, we're revealing our hearts:

“For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks...The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.” Matthew 12:34-35 

And the best way to change what's in our hearts is to ask God's help and practice His instructions in Philippians 4:8-9:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things...And the God of peace will be with you.”

Mom’s advice keeps us from saying things we’ll later regret, and Philippians 4:8-9 helps us focus on the good things in our lives like the love, forgiveness, and redemption of our Lord.

May our thoughts today be excellent and praiseworthy and our speech be gentle and kind.

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I also suggest you check out these one-minute devotions: You Won't Have to Eat Your Words if You Listen to Jesus and 3 Times to Bite Your Lip. 

FREE SUBSCRIPTION: Would you like a devotion like this sent to your email each weekday? It only takes one minute to read but can give your day an extra "Bible boost." Your address is only used for subscription and blog stat purposes. The only ads you'll see are for Gail's books below the devotion. No pop-ups. Subscribe: HERE.

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Lies in Disguise: Rewriting Scripture to Approve Immorality

“A growing movement in the church seeks to justify LGBTQ+ lifestyles by redefining or revising Scripture. Using sophisticated half-truths, those spearheading this movement misrepresent themselves as Bible scholars.” Lies in Disguise, Chapter 15

I've researched these false gay revisionist teachings and have been amazed at their inaccuracies.

Gay revisionist theology pulls every Scripture it uses out of context. Or they define commands against homosexuality as simply cultural commands that have passed away. 

“The church must be equipped to refute false beliefs and to stand firm, knowing that God’s commands are good, healthy, and loving; they prevent men and women from damaging their souls. Let’s look at the specific claims of these people, so we can be prepared to answer them biblically (1 Pet. 3:15–16).”  Lies in Disguise, Chapter 15

“In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” 1 Peter 3:15–16

If you have no one in your friends, family, workplace, or neighborhood who is LGBTQ, you are in a rare situation. It’s important that we not be caught off-guard by these teachings as they gain influence among professing Christians.  

Dear remnant Christians, let's be prepared to graciously respond with biblical truth.

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Lies in Disguise is designed to help readers discern and correct half-truths. Chapter 14 explains the first step in the decline of sexual morality, and Chapter 15 offers wisdom for dealing with a series of false teachings that twist Scriptures to claim that God approves of LGBTQ lifestyles.

Some of these gay revisionist arguments are such sophisticated half-truths that you might have trouble refuting them. Chapter 15 offers clear biblical help in doing this. 

💙 Currently available from the publisher: Lies in Disguise. Also available on Amazon and CBD.  And in the UK: CLC-UK or Eden UK.

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Lies in Disguise: Lifestyles and Lies

The words “love” and “hate” have been redefined by our culture in regard to sexual lifestyles. 

If we don't call soul-damaging lifestyles “love,” we'll be defined as “hateful.” 

But true hate is watching silently as people deny God's creation design, damage their lives, and choose an eternity in Hell. God's Word makes it clear in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 that those who live immoral lifestyles can be saved and with God's help turn from their sins, but if they don't, they “will not inherit the kingdom of God.” And this passage specifically mentions homosexuality.

Dear Christians, we must understand what love is according to God and Scripture, not according to culture. 

“Satan's purpose is to kill, steal, and destroy, and Scripture warns us that he blinds the minds of unbelievers (John 10:10; 2 Cor. 4:4). Of course, Christ can still reach the blinded mind of unbelievers if they open their hearts to His message, but Satan is always seeking to take mankind deeper into darkness, helping people approve and embrace unnatural—and even absurd—forms of sin.”*

Many Christians grow silent when popular sexual lifestyles are mentioned. This is a dangerous proof that they’ve bought into Satan's lies and no longer realize they're being hateful by their silence. 

We each have a choice: speak God's truth to a dying world or remain silent as people walk to their eternal deaths.

I want to have the Scripture knowledge to graciously warn people. How about you? 

*Quoted from Lies in Disguise, Chapter 14: “LGBTQ+ Lifestyles and Lies.” 

For more insights, see 4 Relevant Responses when Someone Calls You "Hateful." 

Chapter 14 in Lies in Disguise is extremely important because it deals with things which break God's heart, things which are misunderstood by many Christians. We must learn how how to graciously discuss what Scripture teaches. 

See the Lies in Disguise landing page for more info on the book.

💙 Currently available from the publisher with a discount: Lies in Disguise. Also available on Amazon and CBD. And in the UK: CLC-UK or Eden UK.

 

 

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Don't Let God Say, “It's too late.”

Sometimes God says “It's too late.”

In Numbers 13 and 14, ten Israelite leaders refused to believe God's promise to give them a land. They incited rebellion, longed for Egypt, and talked of stoning Moses. 

They'd seen abundant proof of God's faithfulness, but they refused to trust and obey God. 

“How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me?” (14:11) 

God is slow to anger, abounding in love, mercy, and forgiveness. However, if we stubbornly refuse to do the things He asks, we forfeit blessings (14:18).

The ten faithless leaders died for their unbelief. And the rest of the people still refused to repent. They attempted to take the land without God's help and were soundly defeated.

Using their story of lost promises, Hebrews 3 says: “Encourage one another daily...so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness” (v. 13).

Let's not test God's patience. Let's trust and obey and receive every blessing He has for us before “it's too late.”

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For further insights into this situation in Numbers, see Grasshoppers or Giants and Major Warnings in Old Testament Narratives.

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