How Do These Passages Fit with Your View on How God Speaks?
Questions about why, if it’s impossible to miss God’s voice, the disciples incorrectly told Paul “through the Spirit” not to go to Jerusalem, people mistook God’s voice for thunder, the Bible says God speaks in riddles, Daniel had to ask for an interpretation, and more.
If it’s impossible to miss God’s voice, why did the disciples incorrectly tell Paul “through the Spirit” not to go to Jerusalem in Acts 21:4–14?
Why did people mistake God’s audible voice for thunder in John 12:28–30?
Numbers 12:6–8 says that God speaks to prophets in dreams, visions, and riddles, so clarity is the exception here.
Even Daniel and Zechariah had to ask for interpretations (Dan. 7:15–16; Zech. 4:2–4), and James 4:2 says we do not have because we do not ask.
Scripture shows examples like Samuel, Revelation 3:20, and Jesus’ “ears to hear” sayings where God speaks clearly yet not all recognize it, suggesting that our attentiveness is needed. How do passages like these fit in with your view on how God speaks to believers today?
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34:16
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34:16
If We Don’t Need to Learn to Hear God’s Voice, How Do You Explain These Verses?
Questions about why, if we don’t need to learn to hear God’s voice, there’s a command to earnestly desire the gift of prophecy, why we would need to learn how to use other spiritual gifts but not this one, and why there are men who don’t perceive God’s voice in Job 33:14.
You say we don’t need to learn to hear the voice of God, but we’re commanded to “earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy” (1 Cor. 14:1) and to “earnestly desire to prophesy” (1 Cor. 14:39), and passages like these seem to be prescriptive texts (1 Cor. 14:37; 1 Thess. 5:20; Rom. 12:6).
Just as someone who has been given the gift of teaching by the Holy Spirit has to learn how to exegete a passage, so those with the gift of prophecy have to learn how to hear God’s voice.
If it’s impossible to miss God’s voice, why are there men who don’t perceive his voice in Job 33:14?
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23:59
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23:59
How Can I Showcase God’s Goodness When I’m Struggling in My Suffering?
Questions about how to showcase God’s goodness when we’re really struggling in our suffering, an explanation of God’s response at the end of the book of Job, and whether we should conclude from Job that it’s inappropriate to ask God why we’re suffering.
How can we still glorify God and showcase his goodness when we’re really struggling in our suffering—exhausted, depressed, etc.?
I understand Satan attacking Job and why God allowed it, but I’m puzzled by God’s response to Job at the end of the book.
Should we conclude from Job that it’s inappropriate to ask God why we’re going through certain struggles and suffering?
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26:42
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26:42
Should I Pray for Protection for Persecuted Christians When God Might Want Them to Be Martyrs?
Questions about how to pray for persecuted Christians in light of the fact that God wills that some will be martyrs, and how persecuted Christians who are being threatened and beaten know if they should stay and preach the gospel or leave and protect their family.
I have a hard time praying “Old Testament promises” for protection and deliverance for persecuted Christians since I know that, in some cases, God wills that there will be martyrs for Jesus. Any suggestions on how to pray?
Why don’t Christians who are being persecuted, threatened, beaten, etc. relocate if they are able, especially if they have a family? How do they know if they should stay and preach the gospel or leave and protect their family?
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23:21
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23:21
When Is It Time to Walk Away from a Conversation?
Questions about how to discern when it’s time to walk away from a conversation, and how to cope with people charging you with being prideful and legalistic when you’re doing your best to be humble, fair, and gentle while sharing the gospel and defending the faith.
How do you discern when it’s time to walk away from a conversation? If the person is hard-hearted, is it worth it to keep trying to sow seeds? When does it become “throwing pearls before swine”?
I do my best to be humble, fair, and gentle when I share the gospel and defend the faith, but I’m still frequently accused of being prideful and legalistic, which is painful because I actually care very much about people’s souls. How do you cope with this when you have similar experiences?
Stand to Reason’s Greg Koukl and Amy Hall answer questions on ethics, theology, apologetics, and culture from a Christian perspective. Submit your questions on Twitter using the hashtag #STRask.
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