To learn more about the things discussed in the podcast today, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell:

Driven To Paradise: [ Ссылка ]
The Certainty of Salvation - Part 1: [ Ссылка ]
The Certainty of Salvation - Part 2: [ Ссылка ]
Justification & Federal Union: [ Ссылка ]
The Certainty of Resurrection: [ Ссылка ]
The Marvelous Mind of God - Part 1: [ Ссылка ]
The Marvelous Mind of God - Part 2: [ Ссылка ]
Faithful Shepherd: [ Ссылка ]
Prayer For Our Sanctification: [ Ссылка ]
The Church and Joy: [ Ссылка ]
Ministry in Athens - Part 1: [ Ссылка ]
Ministry in Athens - Part 2: [ Ссылка ]

Do you have questions about the Bible, maybe need help with a difficult Bible verse or an entire passage of Scripture? Maybe you have questions about God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. One internet site where biblical and theological questions are answered tells us it has answered 721,690 questions at the time this podcast episode airs. That's a lot of questions, and we all have them. Often, unable to figure them out on our own, the answers elude us and leave us confused. But the Bible has answers, and the goal of this podcast is to help you see, understand, and be able to take and apply biblical truth to your living. Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot sit down today to tackle several challenging questions on free will, Satan in the garden, how to explain the Trinity, and the unforgivable sin. In answering these questions, they aim to point us back to the Scriptures and to our God, who gave them. So grab your copy of God’s Word, sit down, and follow along on this extended episode of the Straight Truth Podcast.

Did Adam have free will before sinning in the garden?

Dr. Caldwell says that before the fall, Adam had the ability to obey God and the ability to disobey God. Adam chose (freely) to disobey. Immediately after sinning, Adam and Eve lost the freedom to obey God. Adam's sin involved spiritual death, where he lost the ability not to sin. Now a sinner, unable to obey God from the heart and not able to please God in any way.

What then is now the state of the Christian as compared to Adam’s original state? Dr. Caldwell speaks of what Christ came to do, did, and accomplished and what that means for us as believers. As new creatures in Christ, we now have the freedom to obey God. But until we are glorified with new bodies, we still battle the flesh and indwelling sin. One day, however, when we are glorified and have new physical bodies that match our new spiritual natures, we will no longer be able to sin. In this way, it will be superior to what Adam knew in the garden before the fall.

Why did God allow Satan into the garden of Eden?

In the Scriptures, God’s special revelation to man, He has chosen to reveal some things and other things He has left unrevealed. Dr. Caldwell says we can call them mysteries or the secret things of God. There are things God has told us because He wants us to know and other things He has chosen not to. One of the greatest disciplines we will learn as Christians is to be content with what God has revealed. So then the answer to this question, while the specific reason is not given, is that God does everything He does for His glory. God has allowed this for His glory, to make truth about Himself known, to put it on display.

When it comes to these kinds of questions, we need to be content to leave them with God and take the simple, straightforward testimony of the Scriptures. As finite creatures, we are not meant to get our heads around everything that our all-knowing, all-wise, sovereign Creator has done. We need to simply embrace this in faith and be content. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We only know true joy when God’s glory is preeminent. When we find ourselves in endless speculations over why God had done or allowed what He has allowed, not being content, it won't lead us to lasting joy. God has a purpose for all that He does and allows. There is a greater end beyond the thing itself that God delights in, and His glory is put on display.

How can we explain the doctrine of the Trinity to unbelievers?

The doctrine of the Trinity is fundamental to the whole of Christianity. This doctrine teaches that God is three persons in one divine essence. It’s a difficult doctrine in some sense to get our own minds around and can be even harder to explain to someone who is not a Christian. Dr. Caldwell says when attempting to explain the Trinity to anyone, we will never do better than to say what Scripture says. Yes, there are creeds and confessions that are vital and can be helpful as we think about the Trinity.

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