<> Ask the Pastor Pastor Walter Snyder Q: Why does it say in the *Book of Concord* (a collection of official Lutheran teachings) that prayers for the dead are not forbidden? What if a person wanted prayers for the dead in your church? Was the *Book of Concord* in error on this point? A: The key word is "forbidden." There is much in which the Bible is silent, and this is one such subject. The *Book of Concord's* "Apology to the Augsburg Confession" is, in this area, addressing whether or not the Lord's Supper (Mass) celebrated on earth benefits the dead. In this, the answer is a resounding, "No!" As for prayer, a later part of the book ("The Smalcald Articles") reminds us that "nothing has been commanded or enjoined upon us with reference to the dead." In other words, pray if you wish, but no command or promise is found in Scripture. Q: There is supposed to be a theory that time took place between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2. It is about the fall of Satan. In this theory, Satan was either thrown to the earth or he was in control of it between when God originally created the world in verse 1and verse 2. Could you shed some light on this please? A: Many have speculated as to when heaven (as opposed to "the heavens," or the sky) was created, when the angels were created, and when Satan fell. As you mention, some place this all between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. However, since heaven stands outside the physical universe, it and its inhabitants may have been created before the universe began. So Satan's fall may have happened before our cosmos started, during the period of creation, or after all was completed. Q: In Genesis 3:24, when God said he put a flaming sword so Adam and Eve could not go back to the tree of life, was that to cut off free communion with God or what exactly did this verse mean? A: We cannot read the mind of God, but we know that he sentenced death to whomever ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In a spiritual sense, Adam and Eve "died" as they ate, since their very action removed them from communion with God. But God also meant physical death, as well as eternal death (hell) as the end result of sin. Keeping them from the Tree of Life kept the curse intact. Yet we can also view this as a blessing, since the ravages of sin (disease, injury, sorrow, guilt, and the like) would mount up for an eternity if they weren't allowed to die. As we know, God also worked to remedy the great evil which they did. He promised and later planted a new "Tree of Life," Jesus Christ. In him we have not only physical life, but spiritual and eternal life as well. Q: If the church authorities guided the formulation of the Bible, should church leaders and their traditions still govern the church? A: The only way in which church authorities "guided" the formulation of the Bible was in gathering together the separate writings and putting them under one cover. Even in this, I believe that while the compilers may not have been "inspired" in the same way as the authors, they were definitely guided by the Holy Spirit. Those writings which we now consider to be sacred Scripture are included because of their witness to God, including especially his work of salvation. This is in line with what Jesus said, that all Scripture pointed to him. These writings are also included because they build upon what God said in earlier books, rather than opposing and denying his Word. We also use the witness of Jesus, whenever he quotes or refers to a previous writing. The same holds true with the word of one of the apostles. Thus, such constructs as the Gospel of Thomas and various Gnostic texts are consistently rejected as Scriptural. They testify to a different God and a different Jesus than the One revealed in the Bible, deny previous Scriptures, and are not validated by Jesus' own words or by those of the apostles and prophets. Until next week, when, Lord willing, we enjoy more of your questions, remember to "Ask the Pastor" at P.O. Box 1080, Jasper, Texas, 75951; E-mail xrysostom@aol.com; or catch me around town. Pastor Snyder serves St. Paul and Faith Lutheran Churches, Jasper and Woodville, Texas and is the coauthor of "What Do Lutherans Believe? A Study Guide in Christian Teachings for Adults." Copyright (c) 1997 by Walter P. Snyder Permission is granted by author to reproduce or retransmit this by any means, provided that its content is not altered, that this notice of copyright and permission is included, and that no financial gain is realized.