Concise Answers to Common Complex Questions: An Examination of Controversial Doctrines in the Church

By Bruce Tucker

Early in his ministry Bruce Tucker discovered that people frequently asked about the same tough issues of the faith.

Certain questions repeatedly surfaced. Every Christian encounters these issues in the first few years of their faith. These issues can be very emotional, especially to those who hold different convictions about the answers. These questions are also controversial. There is a considerable difference of opinion about the answers, and that is why the questions have not been resolved. Christians can not agree. Until they do, people will continue asking. Individuals desire to have some resolution.
These questions have a practical impact on their lives. Few people ask about the number of angels that can dance on the head of a pin. They simply dont care. It doesnt directly affect them. These issues do have an impact.

How can evil and a loving God both exist?

Can a Christian lose his or her salvation?

How can God predestine people who still have a free will?

Is healing guaranteed to all Christians?

Can a Christian be demon possessed?

Should one seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

What are the mysterious gifts of the Holy Spirit?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 5, 2001
• ISBN: 9781462800346

Bruce Tucker

Bruce Tucker earned an M.A.C.M. from the International School of Theology, an M.Div. From Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a Ph.D. from Purdue University. He has ministered five years with Campus Crusade for Christ and twelve years in the pastoral ministry. He is the author of Twisting the Truth published by Bethany House Publishers, Concise Answers To Common Complex Questions , and The Posttribulational Rapture of the Church, both published by Xlibris. He is married to Margie, his wife of over twenty-five years, and together they have raised three children, Chris, Phil and Jeni.

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Copyright © 2001 by Bruce Tucker.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

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1-888-7-XLIBRIS

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Contents

INTRODUCTION

HOW CAN EVIL AND A LOVING GOD BOTH EXIST?

CAN A CHRISTIAN LOSE HIS/HER SALVATION?

HOW CAN GOD PREDESTINE PEOPLEWHO STILL HAVE FREE WILL?

IS HEALING GUARANTEED TO ALL CHRISTIANS?

CAN A CHRISTIAN BE DEMON POSSESSED?

SHOULD ONE SEEK THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?

WHAT ARE THE MYSTERIOUS GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

ENDNOTES

I DEDICATE THIS BOOK

TO JENI,

FOR HER STRONG CONVICTIONS

AND PERSONAL INITIATIVE,

TO PHIL

FOR HIS TENACITY AND FAITH,

TO CHRIS

FOR THE INSIGHTS HE POSSESSES

HIDDEN BENEATH THE VENEER

OF HIS UNIQUE SENSE OF HUMOR,

AND TO MARGIE

FOR HER LOYALTY, SUPPORT,

PATIENCE AND LOVE.

INTRODUCTION

COMMON COMPLEX QUESTIONS

My reputation at college was well known. I was hostile to the Christian faith and to those who promoted it. Madeline Murray O’Hair had nothing over me. I was rebelling against my religious up-bringing. Not only was I hostile, but I was also outspoken. As a leader on the university’s intercollegiate debate team, I took my training as a debater, my attitude as an atheist, and ridiculed Christians in my classes, or anywhere they attempted to express their faith. During my Senior year, things changed. While many had heard rumors of my commitment to Christ, few believed them. As one acquaintance said, Revivals may come and go, but Bruce will never change. Years after my graduation, people still found it incredible that I was entering full time Christian work. The steps that God took me through to turn me around were quite extraordinary. I now debated for the faith rather than attacking it. I was in awe of the Bible as a source of truth. I was amazed that so much information and evidence were at my fingertips, and that it was all in one volume.

During my 18 years of ministry, whether on a college campus, a rural church, or a blue collar area of Chicago, I was regularly asked the same complex and controversial questions. These questions were confusing, and even though people had asked them before, they often found the previous answers unsatisfying. Part of the reason for this was that most answers tended to be academic, and they did not deal with the foundational, emotional and practical reasons why these questions were asked in the first place. The reason people kept asking these questions was not primarily for intellectual satisfaction, but personal application.

People want to understand the big picture, identify the major positions, and find a resolution that will help them deal with life.

These questions relate to real life, and a lack of clarity has created some serious problems. The issues are real. For example, when a couple is ravaged with guilt when their baby dies, in spite of the fact that they were guaranteed healing, there are serious concerns which must be addressed. In each chapter I introduce each question with such an illustration, define the key issues, identify the differing positions, and then give an answer which I believe gives a resolution on a personal and emotional level. Each question is controversial. Each question has been, or will be, asked by nearly every Christian.

While there are certainly more questions which people ask, these seven seem to address the areas of greatest interest.

1. ) How can evil and a loving God both exist?

2. ) Can a Christian lose his/her salvation?

3. ) How can God predestine people who still have a free will?

4. ) Is healing guaranteed to all Christians?

5. ) Can a Christian be possessed by a demon?

6. ) Should I seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

7. ) What are the more mysterious gifts of the Holy Spirit?

The title of the book reveals several things about the nature of the questions. First, these questions are common questions. The reason that these questions are common is because they are questions which impact Christians on a regular basis. Few people have ever asked me how many angels can stand on the head of a needle. It is not that this classic question, often cited to ridicule irrelevant debates and trivial theology, has no purpose. The issue is the incorporeality of the spirit, and it does have meaning. However, it is considered trivial because no one really cares. It does not affect how people live their lives. Almost all new Christians within the first couple of years of the spiritual lives will ask these seven questions.

The second reason why these questions are common is because they are controversial. Christians have different opinions on these questions. Because of this, there is no consensus on the answers. If there were clear cut answers, few would continue to ask these questions. There would be no difference of opinion. Everyone would agree.

However, not only is there difference of opinion about these questions, the issues surrounding the questions can be very emotional. Therefore, there is generally little discussion between those who hold the different views. These discussions usually end up as arguments. Instead, we preach strongly to our own choirs, which allows innumerable straw men arguments, and further reinforces the emotional nature of some of the questions. This does not satisfy the average person who recognizes that no school of thought is without some weaknesses.

This is not to say that most people are not objective. This is not true. However, the fact that there is no consensus proves that good answers are difficult to find. This applies to me, too. If these questions have not been resolved after years of scholarly debate, after volumes of books have been written by the very best Greek and Hebrew scholars, then my book with only one chapter committed to each question will not decisively resolve the issues, either. However, these responses are concise and to the point. They give adequate background to the issues, they refer fairly to the various opinions, they strive to address the foundational issues, and they apply the truth which is learned.

Most people do not want to read volumes of books, especially from differing views, and then be responsible for evaluating the accuracy of so many scholars. The first time I tried to resolve such a question before I had received any formal training, I was very frustrated. I could not render a judgment on the arguments because many of them were over my head. They all sounded good. However, the answers in this book are brief, and they cover the basics of the questions.

This leads me to my final perspective. Since there are many views, my responses will differ from the responses of many good, sincere and knowledgeable Christians. In no way am I trying to belittle other Christians’ opinions, or criticizing their spiritual walks with God. If my answers, or tone, in any way offend others, who differ on these issues, be assured that this is not my intent. There were differences of opinion before I wrote this book, and there will still be differences of opinion long after it has been read. This book only reflects my views, and answers the questions as I would answer them in as fair, objective, honest and Biblical way that I can. My goal is that in answering these questions Christians will be more knowledgeable, more committed to the Lord, and more effective in their Christian lives.

HOW CAN EVIL AND A LOVING GOD BOTH EXIST?

Believing in God is like believing in the Easter Bunny. This was the conclusion that my replacement promoted. It was the end of the semester, and during the last week before finals, the philosophy professor would invite the chairman of the Religion Department and a representative of the conservative Christian community to debate the existence of God. The debate was to last three days. The conclusion was to be foreordained. The actual course syllabus had stated that to believe in God’s existence at the end of the course would be irrational. The thrust of the final exam was to present arguments which would prove why God could not exist. Bringing me in to debate was to give the appearance of objectivity, or at a minimum, sacrifice me on the alter of reason.

On the first day the religion professor gave reasons why God, as traditionally defined, could not exist. This was done by emphasizing the problem of evil. On the second day I gave evidence why God does exist. On the third day the three of us, the religion professor, the philosophy professor, and myself were to form a panel and answer questions and cross examination.

Each day after the presentation, cards were filled out to see where the students stood on the issue. After the first day, a majority of the students did not believe that God could exist. After the second day, 95% believed that God did exist. I was asked not to return for the third day. No reason was given. On the third day a representative from another campus ministry, my replacement, affirmed that believing in God was like believing in the Easter Bunny. However, the comment cards showed that the majority of students still believed in the existence of God. This debate was dropped in future classes.

Even though he had received Christ while in the military, he now had serious doubts about his faith. He stopped attending church, reading his Bible, and wrestled with God’s existence. He was working in a hospital and the suffering that he saw in his wing of the hospital was immense. Children were suffering and dying. Emotionally he wanted to believe, but could no longer trust God.

These examples illustrate the two general arenas for the problem of evil, the skeptic who denies the existence of God, and the believer who struggles with trust in God’s character. For the skeptic, evil is an excuse. God is set up. Two issues are contrasted, the presence of evil and the goodness of God. The rationalization goes like this. Evil and suffering are morally unacceptable. A loving and powerful God would eliminate them. Since evil clearly exists, a loving and powerful God can not. The follow up punch says, that if God does exist and He does not solve the problem, then he is not worthy of our worship. We are now somehow more moral than God. Take a good look around. If God does not exist, then who is responsible for most of the evil? We are. Do we really think that, if God should not be worshiped because of evil, we, ourselves, are somehow worthy of worship? Even more astounding is that, because we feel that we are more moral than God, we are able to judge Him. If God were to solve the problem of evil, then mankind, the main cause of it , would cease to exist. We do as we have always done when we are guilty, we blame someone else. For the skeptic, God gets the blame.

For the one who has believed in God, and now emotionally struggles with suffering, the issues are different. Whatever the reasons, they are struggling with trust in God. However, there is one difference, Christians wrestling with this issue tend to be more intellectually honest. They struggle because they want to be reasonable and honest. The skeptic generally does not. He just wants an excuse.

UNDERSTANDING THE LIMITS OF THE ARGUMENT

There are limits to this argument which are often not acknowledged. With the problem of evil, the grandfather of philosophical skepticism, many people tend to over state and exaggerate the case. There are limits to what we can conclude from this argument. To draw the conclusion, which the skeptics draw from this argument, requires omniscience. The foundation of the argument is that two concepts are mutually exclusive. That means that for one concept to be true, the other must be false. There can be no middle ground, no compromise, no resolution. There is no way to bring both concepts together. This standard is set so high that only an omniscient person can state it with confidence. Let me use mathematical illustrations to make my point.

Look at diagram A below. Consider the Venn diagram as the set of all information that could possible exist in the entire universe. It includes all truth. No truth can exist outside of this set of information. Concepts are illustrated by lines running through this diagram. The small circle represents mankind’s knowledge in comparison to all the information that exists. Our knowledge is a very small part of the entire set, much smaller in comparison than even the circle represents in this diagram.

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Concepts run through the entire universal set. (Diagram B) Some lines never enter our circle of understanding. We are completely ignorant of their existence. Some lines pass through our circle of understanding and intersect. These are two concepts which we are not only aware of, but we understand how they fit together. They clearly are non-contradictory. For example, when we work, we must pay taxes.

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On the other hand, we have concepts which enter our circle of understanding, we comprehend what they mean, but we can not see how they fit together. These are the issues which confuse us. They may, or may not, intersect outside of our circle of understanding. We simply don’t know. (Diagram C)

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