Tough Topics

Biblical Answers to 25 Challenging Questions

Sam Storms

CROSSWAY

wheaton, illinois

Tough Topics: Biblical Answers to 25 Challenging Questions

Copyright © 2013 by Sam Storms

Published by Crossway

1300 Crescent Street

Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.

Cover design: Patrick Mahoney of The Mahoney Design Team

First printing 2013

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. 2011 Text Edition. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked nasb are from The New American Standard Bible®. Copyright © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Scripture references marked niv are from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked kjv are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-3493-5

Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-3495-9

PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-3494-2

ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-3496-6

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Storms, C. Samuel, 1951–

Tough topics: Biblical answers to 25 challenging questions / Sam Storms.

p. cm.—(Re:Lit)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-4335-3493-5

1. Theology, Doctrinal—Popular works. I. Title.

BT77.S735 2013

230—dc23

2012046023

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Affectionately dedicated to

my two sons-in-law

Brad and Brett

May your love for God’s Word, even its “tough topics,” deepen and intensify

Contents

Preface

1 Is the Bible Inerrant?

2 What Is Open Theism?

3 Does God Ever Change His Mind?

4 Could Jesus Have Sinned?

5 What Did Jesus Mean When He Said, “Judge Not, that You Be Not Judged”?

6 What Is Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit?

7 Does the Bible Teach the Doctrine of Original Sin?

8 Are Those Who Die in Infancy Saved?

9 Will People Be Condemned for Not Believing in Jesus though They’ve Never Heard His Name?

10 What Can We Know about Angels?

11 What Can We Know about Satan?

12 What Can We Know about Demons?

13 Can a Christian Be Demonized?

14 Does Satan Assign Demons to Specific Geopolitical Regions? Are There Territorial Spirits?

15 Can Christians Lose Their Salvation?

16 Does Hebrews Teach that Christians Can Apostatize?

17 Will There Be Sex in Heaven?

18 Are Miraculous Gifts for Today?

19 What Is Baptism in the Spirit, and When Does It Happen?

20 Should All Christians Speak in Tongues?

21 What Was Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh?

22 Is There Healing in the ...