Question: Does 2 Peter 1:9 refer to true believers?
Answer: Those in verse 9 may be true believers, for “these things” that they lack do not include faith, but seven graces which were to be added to faith; and it is faith that saves, not these graces though they are the blessed fruits of this new life. A Christian who lacks these though saved has no insight into divine things, has not grown in grace or the knowledge of the Lord, and moreover is in great danger of slipping into the world, and forgetting the practical purity and separation that become the Christian path.
Question: Where do we find the scripture about the angels who fell being part of the first creation?
Answer: There is a certain mystery connected with the angelic fall. In Ezekiel the fall of Satan is recorded and quite evidently it was connected with the earth in its former state. Ezekiel 28:12-17 is generally understood by those we esteem, Mr. Darby, Kelly, and others, as the primitive creation. The fact that Satan fell we get in Genesis. Almost immediately Satan appears and gets in his deadly work, so he must have fallen before this. Then we see from other scriptures that Satan has angels subordinate to him and we assume when he fell, his angels fell with him. There was evidently a plot to occupy a higher position than God gave him and Satan has today about us a host of angels, but God has a host of angels who see us if we do not see them, so women should cover their heads in prayer because of the angels.
Question: At what age should the girls cover their heads at family prayer?
Answer: When the little girls see their mothers covering their heads at prayer, they are very likely to ask why and want to follow their example. The head of the house is responsible to see that there is godly order in the house because angels observe what goes on in our houses.
Question: When will Ezekiel’s Temple be built? At the beginning of the David reign of Christ, or when the Solomon character begins? (Ezek. 40)
Answer: As Ezekiel does not come to his description of the Millennial temple until after the destruction of all Israel’s enemies, ending with Gog and Magog in the 38th and 39th chapters, we conclude that the rebuilding of the temple, and the replacing of the twelve tribes takes place during the beginning of the Solomon reign of Christ. This would also agree with the prohibition to David (1 Chron. 22:8), and the commission to Solomon with respect to the building of the first temple. (2 Sam. 7:13.)
Question: Did the Day of Grace begin when the Lord Jesus died on the cross, or on the day of Pentecost?
Answer: The Day of Grace began with the ministry of Jesus, (John 1:17) though the full character of that Grace was not brought out till the ministry of Paul.
Question: Please explain Acts 22:16. I do not understand baptism as a saving ordinance, but do not know how to explain this verse to those who do.
Answer: Acts 22:16 is administrative forgiveness to Paul as identified with guilty Israel in the rejection of their Messiah.