Q&A: Physicality of Demons, Christians Partaking of Alcohol, and the Afterlife

Broadcasting across the United States, Canada, and around the world, this is the Bible Answer Man broadcast. Your host for the program is Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute. We're on the air because life and truth matter. For more information, resources, or to donate to CRI, call 888-7000-CRI or go online to equip.org. That's equip.org. The following program was pre-recorded. To start today's Bible Answer Man broadcast, here's your host, Hank Hanegraaff.

Thank you very much, Randy. And let's go right to the phone lines first up. Jim, he's listening in Canada, Calgary, Alberta.

Hi, Jim.

Hi, Hank.

Thanks for taking my call.

You're welcome.

I got a question. If I'm right, there was a lady that phoned in about her friends. They were involved in some sort of satanic activity.

Yeah.

And.

You mentioned that Satan can't physically do anything. Am I correct on that or no?

Well, what I pointed out is that in Ephesians chapter 6, the Apostle Paul tells us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. So spiritual warfare is waged against invisible beings that personify the extremities of evil. But their weapons are spiritual. They're not physical.

And therefore, what I was saying is that they can't bite us physically or violate us sexually or cause us to levitate, as you see in The Exorcist. But they can tempt us to cheat and steal and lie. So this is not in any way undermining the power of the evil one. It is potent, and it is something we need to protect ourselves from by putting on the full armor of God.

Right.

I agree with the... when you say about the spiritual side of it too, but what about, like, when you look at Job and God allowed him to, God allowed Satan to make his kid's house fall on the kids and then cover Job with sores, that God said basically, do what you want to him, but don't kill him. And then Satan, like, that house fell, all his cattle got devoured up. So I feel like there's, at some point, there is places where he is physically doing stuff too.

Well, he can't physically do things, and the moment you suppose that he can physically do things in this universe, you have great problem with the Christian worldview. And by the way, I'll get an answer to your question on the Job passage, but I think the principle is important to enunciate first, and that principle is simply this, that if, in fact, Satan has creative power, if he has the ability to operate in the physical realm, if he can produce a body, and therefore operate physically in the universe, then we would lose epistemic warrant for the central event in the Christian faith, which is the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

So we can certainly suppose that God can use Satan as an agent, although God is the author. But we cannot suppose that Satan can interact in the physical realm. What we can explain is that fallen angels are not physical beings, but they are as real as the very flesh upon our bones. They're malevolent, and they have an intellect that exceeds that of any human who has ever lived, and therefore we must not expect that a person like you or I, unaided from above, would ever be a match for an angel, especially one whose intellect has been sharpened by malice. So we like to caricature Satan, and probably to his delight. We pick the devil as though he's actually wearing red tights, and he's got a pitchfork

in his hand, and he's prodding people and so forth. But that's a caricature. That's not the real face of Satan. What he can do is sit, as it were, on your shoulder and whisper into your ear. The whisper cannot be heard with the physical ear, but it can penetrate the ear of the mind. People who experience sickness in the Bible experience sickness at the hand of God. They don't experience sickness at the hand of Satan. Satan is often the agent of sickness, but he is not always the author of sickness. And that's why there are so many examples. The example that you gave in Job. But other examples, like Exodus 4.11, where God asks the rhetorical question, who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or dumb?

Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord?

Right.

I agree with all that. Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to glorify Satan or anything. I don't want any more given to him than he's got. But when I look at that, and I see that God told Satan, he basically said, do what you want to him. He handed him over to the devil, and then... the house fell on all of Job's kids.

Right, but my point is this. The fact that Satan can tempt us can have an impact in the physical realm. So the spiritual temptation has a function in the physical realm. By way of analogy, the mind... causes the physical synapses of the brain to fire. We don't know how that happens. Even our age of scientific enlightenment, no one can tell you how the mind, a metaphysical reality, can cause the brain, a physical reality, to actually fire in some mechanical way.

We don't know how that happens. We don't know how mind-to-mind communication takes place. We know that it does take place, and that what happens in the metaphysical realm can affect us in the physical realm, even to the point of having sicknesses. But that does not mean that Satan himself is physical.

Right, but do you think you could actually see a demonic being or not?

No, because demonic beings do not have physicality. I mean, remember Jesus Christ saying as an argument, a spirit does not have flesh and bone as you see that I have? If a spirit could manifest, in the physical realm, Christ's argument would have been rendered invalid. Now remember, this is only applicable to fallen angels. What I'm saying is not applicable to angels who are unfallen. The reason for that is that God does have creative power. So God can cause an angel to manifest in the physical realm, just as God has manifested in the physical realm. God has creative power. What I'm suggesting here is that fallen angels do not have creative power, and therefore, by their own prerogative, they cannot do these things. They can only act as

agents of the Almighty.

Okay, I guess the only thing, just as you're counting that girl, though, I guess for me personally, I've seen things in the spiritual realm that I know are not real angels, and my son, I had a four-year-old son who who saw stuff too, and I get him to describe it to me, he sees the exact same thing.

So Christ's argument is invalid?

No, I don't agree with that.

But if demons can manifest physically, then Christ's argument is invalid?

I don't understand. That doesn't make any sense, though.

Well, it doesn't make any sense. That's right. I mean, the argument is that if demons can manifest physically... then when Jesus makes the point that it is I, it is not a spirit, and the argument Christ makes is, why? Because a spirit does not have flesh and bone as you see that I have.

Right, but I mean, they saw Moses and Elijah in the Transfiguration, and they didn't have bones either, probably. They're spirit beings now, right?

No.

God, by his own prerogative, can cause someone to manifest... whether it's Moses or Elijah or whether it's an angel. I mean, we see the Lord and two angels appear to Abraham on the plains of Mamre and they're actually fed. We see two angels go into Sodom and Gomorrah and they're actually accosted. So God, by his creative prowess, can cause an angel to materialize and take on human form.

But what I'm saying is that fallen angels do not have creative power. And if they did, they could have masqueraded as the resurrected Christ. And if they did masquerade as the resurrected Christ, we would lose epistemic warrant for the resurrection. And nothing in the world would please Satan more than that, because this is one of the pillars of the apologetic for the fact that Christ rose from the dead, his post-resurrection appearances. This is what Paul hangs his hat on in 1 Corinthians 15.

Well, I guess I'll just say this. I think we disagree on this, but I'll just say this to finish. Just when that girl, she was looking for some real strong counsel on how to deal with her friends who are steeped in this Satanism stuff. and when you tell them it's not real, or it's not, I mean, that kind of power for him isn't real, when I personally have experienced it and seen it myself, I know it's real, and she's going to go and tell them, well, it's not real, and they're going to go, no, I've seen it, and so for me, it leaves them out on a limb.

Or leaves Well, the worst thing that you can do is take your experiences and make that the test for truth. You need to test your experience in light of some objective verity. Experiences and feelings are notoriously unreliable, and therefore they should be tested. I've written about this and given several very powerful illustrations that are based on primary research in my book, The Covering God's Plan to Protect You from Evil. which is available at the Ministry of the Christian Research Institute. We'll be right back with more answers to your questions. Please don't touch that dial.

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Thank you very much, Randy. In the previous segment, we were talking about Job, and there's a powerful scene that takes place in Job chapter 2, where the Lord says to Satan, Have you considered my servant Job? There's no one on earth like him. He is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil, and he still maintains his His integrity, though you, Satan, have incited me against him to ruin him without any reason. And how does Job respond? Here you have the Lord ruining him because Satan has incited the circumstance. Job responds, though he slay me. yet will I trust in him. So Job ultimately shows the sufficiency of faith, not faith in his own faith, but faith in his God, who he believes can one day resurrect him from the dead. He

will stand again upon the earth. Job is certain about that. Therefore, he can withstand all that life brings his way, because ultimately Job, and he is perhaps the oldest literary character in the Bible, sees through types and shadows, sees through the mist, as it were, the day of resurrection. And that was his hope and is our hope as well.

I want to go back to the phone lines, talk to James in Springfield, Missouri. Hi, James.

Hi, how are you doing, Hank?

Good, how are you? Good.

I just had a question about drinking. I know in the Bible it talks about Jesus drinking wine and turning water into wine. And I know a lot of people that's totally against it. Some say, you know, it's okay to drink as long as you're not a glutton. Me, myself, I don't drink. It seems like it's a bad testimony.

You know, if I'm trying to win somebody to the Lord and, you know, I'm going in and out of liquor stores, it just seems bad. And I was just kind of wondering your opinion on it.

Well, if you're going in and out of liquor stores, there may be a problem. But look, What the Bible is very clear about is that you're not to be a glutton, nor are you to be a winebibber. And there's a reason we are to protect both our physical body as we are to protect the metaphysical aspect of our humanity. And what happens when you drink is you go into an altered state of consciousness, and when you're in an altered state of consciousness, you do things you wouldn't ordinarily do. And that's why Solomon says, wine is a mocker and beer a brawler. Whoever's led astray by them is not wise. So this is not a prohibition against having a glass of wine, but it is certainly a prohibition against having too much wine, just as you

have the same kind of prohibition given by Solomon with respect to eating. Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat. Those are parallel statements. In the same proverb, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags. So we have an injunction given in the Old Testament, repeated in the New Testament, do not be drunk on wine, be filled with the Spirit.

It doesn't say don't drink wine. It says do not be drunk on wine, be filled... with the Spirit. And so the point here is that you don't want to overindulge. Now, there may be a matter of conscience for you as well, where you say, I don't want to drink wine at all because someone may be stumbled by it. And that's a perfectly legitimate position to hold.

Well, society as a whole, to be honest with you, at least kind of where I live, you know, it's kind of like, you know, if somebody's not a Christian, they automatically assume if you are that you shouldn't drink. You see what I'm saying? So it seems like, let's say if I was to have a glass of wine or whatever, it seems like I've heard many people that aren't Christians, they'll jump on that. And I don't want to be a stumbling block or anything. I want to be the best testimony I can. And it just seems like society as a whole, even though we glorify, you know, there's commercials everywhere, they still think it's wrong for Christians to drink for the most part.

Well, good for you. I am so thankful for your desire to be a testimony in every way. That's commendable.

Okay, thank you so much for your help, Hank.

You got it. I want to go back to the phone lines, talk to Thomas in Seattle, Washington. Hi, Thomas. Hey, Hank.

I talked to some loyal witnesses last week And they brought up Proverbs chapter 8 on God creating Jesus, and I think it was verse 20 through 25. And I wanted to get your opinion on that. I think it said, the Lord possessed me, or created me. I think it's verse 22. Yeah.

Well, this is a classic example of the Watchtower organization reading their presupposition into the text. So they start with a presupposition or a theology, and that theology is that God creates Jesus Christ, and then Jesus Christ becomes a junior partner in the creation of all other things. So now they take this text and they read that meaning into the text. The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works before his deeds of old. In other words, God created me, And once he created me, speaking of Jesus Christ, now I will create all other things.

So again, they're reading their theology into the text, which is eisegesis, as opposed to taking theology from the text properly, which is exegesis. Obviously, in context, Proverbs chapter 8 has to do with wisdom. All you have to do is read the preceding and the following passages, and you immediately recognize that this has to do with wisdom. Wisdom is being personified. And there is a lot of personification going on.

For example, wisdom is also personified as a woman in Proverbs chapter 9. So is wisdom really a woman? Does she live with another woman named Prudence? Obviously not.

And that was chapter 9 you're saying?

Yeah, the very next chapter.

Okay, I'll have to do more, but I didn't know if there were some verses in there. I haven't gotten into Greek on possessed. So you're saying in verse 22 was brought forth, you're saying that that's wisdom was brought forth.

Yeah, I mean, start out by reading Proverbs chapter 8. Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice on the heights along the way where the paths meet? She takes her stand. Beside the gates leading into the city, at the entrances she cries out. So wisdom here is being personified. And then later on, the Lord brought me forth, brought wisdom forth, as the first of his works, before his deeds of old. But think about what the Proverbs are.

It's the Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel, for attaining wisdom and discipline, for understanding words of insight, for acquiring knowledge, a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair, for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young. I was just re-memorizing Proverbs again this afternoon, and I was just at that point of going back through Proverbs chapter 1 and making sure that it was in my head because I want to use it in a message in the near future. But again, this is the personification of wisdom, and certainly this has nothing to do with Jesus being created by God, and then once he's created, becoming the creator of all other things. In fact, if it did

mean that, it would be in conflict with the rest of Scripture. If you look at John, John says precisely the opposite. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And so we know that Jesus always existed. There was never a point in time when Jesus Christ was created. He was always there. Right.

Well, thanks, Hank. That clears it up a little bit.

You got it. Thank you for being a witness to the witnesses. Francisco next, listening in Texas. Hi, Francisco.

Hi.

Thank you for taking my call.

You're welcome.

Yeah, I got a question. You know, when I die, hopefully I go to heaven.

And then can you explain to me the whole process? Are we going to live in heaven forever?

Or. Because I heard it's going to be on the earth and you haven't.

Well, here's what happens. If you die, let's say, God forbid, that you died tonight in your sleep and you're a believer, you'd be absent from the body, present with the Lord. Right? The reason I say God forbid is you probably have a lot of things you want to do with your family, as a witness for Christ, extending his kingdom, all these kinds of things. But you would be absent from the body, present with the Lord, which is to say that your body would be buried... your soul will be with the Lord in the presence of God. But there's a time in which Christ will appear a second time, and at that time, the graves will open, and those who are buried will be resurrected. So the image here is of the soul returning to the body, and then you're fully

human again, and you will live not only in a resurrected body, but you will live as a human being in a resurrected universe. The universe now groans in travail, awaiting its liberation from bondage to decay. When Christ returns, that liberation will take place. And then the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them.

They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. That's exactly what you read in Revelation chapter 21, which goes on to say that he'll wipe every tear from their eyes. There'll be no more death or mourning or crying or pain. For the old order of things will have passed away. All things will become new. So the universe will be restored and so will we. We will be what we would have been if sin had never entered the world. Going to have to leave it at that. I've written about this in my book, Resurrection, if you want further detail.

Thanks for tuning in. We'll see you next time right here with more of the show.

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Dr.

Evan Alexander's wildly popular near-death experience book, Proof of Heaven, assures us that no matter what we do in this life, only unconditional love and joy await us in the world to come. But our Lord warned that while the gate to hell is wide, the road to it broad, and those who enter through it are many, the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Your generous support lets Hank Hanegraaff and CRI speak out against the lies that lead to hell. In appreciation for your gift today, we'll rush you Hank's book, Afterlife, what you need to know about heaven, the hereafter, and near-death experiences. filled with answers to your questions about life after death. Call 888-7000-CRI

or visit equip.org now. Again, that's equip.org.

Q&A: Physicality of Demons, Christians Partaking of Alcohol, and the Afterlife

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