Stand To Reason Weekly Podcast

Greg talks about losing his voice at a recent event, then he answers questions about how to graciously communicate the idea that not every religion is true even though there are similarities, and whether or not the challenge in Malachi to test God by tithing is still in effect.   Topics: Commentary: Update from Greg (00:00) In discussions about the texts of other religions in a book club, how can I graciously communicate the idea that not every religion is true even though there are some similarities? (10:00) Is the challenge in Malachi to test God by tithing still in effect? (37:00) Related Links: Should Christians Tithe? by Greg Koukl

Greg clears up some confusion about limited atonement then answers questions about young people getting into the fantasy genre, Jewish beliefs about Satan, the phrase “In Jesus’ name,” and why New Testament promises apply today if Old Testament promises don’t.   Topics: Commentary: Clearing up some confusion about limited atonement (00:00) Do you have any concerns about young people getting into the fantasy genre today? (14:00) What do you think about attending or even participating in a wedding that contains elements from other religions? (26:00) Is it true that Jewish people don’t believe the same things about Satan that Christians believe? (33:00) Can you elaborate on your view on when—or if—we should use the term “in Jesus’ name“?(38:00) If we can’t take promises in the Old Testament for ourselves, why wouldn’t promises in the New Testament such as 1 Peter 5:7 also only apply to the Christians at that time? (50:00) Related Links: Harry Potter Is a Danger to Modern Society (In a Good Way) b

Greg talks about a conversation he had with his cardiologist about intelligent design, then he answers questions about using Psalm 139 in a pro-life defense, why God sends people to Hell, whether it’s ever okay to lie, and what to say to a Catholic friend.   Topics: Commentary: Our complex bodies didn’t happen by accident. (00:00) Is Psalm 139 really a good passage to use in a pro-life defense? (16:00) What questions should I ask a friend who says he wouldn’t want to worship the God of the Bible because he’s cruel for sending people to Hell for not believing in him? (33:00) Is there ever a circumstance where it’s okay to lie? (44:00) What can I say to a Catholic friend who says Jesus isn’t the only one who can intercede for us and who is more concerned about being faithful to Catholicism than reading the Bible to see what God says there? (51:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Rare Earth: Why Complex Life is Uncommon in the Universe by Peter Ward and Donald Brownlee Justice for All Street Smarts: Us

Greg answers questions about how to respond to someone who’s struggling with how a good God could let her husband suffer, how to know if something is objectively a sin, particularly when it comes to polygamy, and how to pray when asked at a family dinner where nobody is a believer.   Topics: How should I respond to someone who is struggling with the question of how a good God could let her husband suffer? (00:00) How can we know if something is objectively a sin or not, particularly when it comes to polygamy? (25:00) What should I say in my prayer when I'm asked to pray at my family’s Thanksgiving dinner where nobody is a believer? (49:00) Mentioned on the Show:  The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges by Greg Koukl Confessions of a French Atheist: How God Hijacked My Quest to Disprove the Christian Faith by Guillaume Bignon Related Links: What You Need to Know about Evil and Suffering by Amy Hall If God Is Good: Faith i

Greg answers questions about whether the second law of thermodynamics is a good argument against evolution, pebbles to put in the shoe of a progressive Christian, whether he’s getting the Bible and science wrong, and how to explain the credibility of the resurrection.   Topics: Why is the second law of thermodynamics not a good argument against evolution? (05:00) How can I gently put pebbles in the shoe of a progressive-Christian friend who’s open to having conversations but who mocks historic Christianity? (22:00) You’re getting the Bible and science wrong when you say God created everything out of nothing. (41:00) How would you explain the credibility of the resurrection to someone? (50:00) Mentioned on the Show:  STR Outposts Another Gospel?: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity by Alisa Childers The Deconstruction of Christianity: What It Is, Why It’s Destructive, and How to Respond by Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett The Story of Reality: How the World

Greg chats with J. Warner Wallace and his son Jimmy about their new graphic novel, Case Files: Murder and Meaning.   Topics: Interview: Jimmy and J. Warner Wallace, co-authors of Case Files: Murder and Meaning. (00:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Case Files Vol. I: Murder and Meaning by Jimmy Wallace and J. Warner Wallace Cold-Case Christianity website

Greg talks about the danger of basing your identity on anything that can change, then he answers questions about speaking against a transgender bill in Colorado, the idea that we shouldn’t judge, disagreeing well with people, and having better recall in conversations.   Topics: Commentary: The danger of basing your identity on anything that can change (07:00) How do I craft a compelling testimony that speaks the truth in love in opposition to the transgender protections bill in Colorado? (21:00) How should I respond to someone in my church who says we “shouldn’t judge” someone who was in a longtime same-sex relationship? (38:00) How can we have better conversations with people we disagree with in the church? (45:00) How can I have better recall and keep my mind from going blank from anxiety in conversations? (52:00) Mentioned on the Show:  CrossExamined Instructor Academy – Deadline is May 1 Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters by Abigail Shrier Greg’s Message to

Greg talks to callers about the rebellion of angels in Genesis 6, how to respond to a naturalism-of-the-gaps argument, how to use Shedd’s Dogmatics, whether an abandoned spouse can remarry, and whether human beings are responsible for the salvation of others.   Topics: What is your view on the rebellion of the angels referred to in Genesis 6, Jude, and 2 Peter? (01:00) What would you say to someone who responded to an argument for intelligent design by saying, “We just need to wait for science to give us the answer”? (11:00) I purchased Shedd’s Dogmatics. Can you tell me how to use it? (29:00) My husband left me. Does that mean I can never get remarried? (38:00) Am I right in challenging the idea that God would give human beings the responsibility for other people’s salvation? (50:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Were the sons of God in Genesis 6 fallen angels? Who were the Nephilim? – Peter Gentry The Privileged Planet (20th Anniversary Edition): How Our Place in the Cosmos Is Designed for Discove

Greg reminds Christians to be mindful of their character when making their case, then he answers questions about Jesus’ prayer to “forgive them, for they know not what they do” and how we know the Protestant canon is the correct canon.   Topics: Commentary: Be mindful of your character when making your case. (00:00) Should I apply Jesus’ prayer to “forgive them, for they know not what they do” to everyone? (16:00) How can we know the Protestant canon is the correct canon? (30:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Reality Student Apologetics Conference – April 25–26 in Dayton, OH STR U Online Training The New Testament Canon: Which Books and Why? by Greg Koukl  

Greg talks about the House of David series, then he answers questions about why someone should read the Bible rather than the Quran or the Book of Mormon, how God stirs our hearts to do things, and whether or not one category of the Old Testament Law still applies to us.   Topics: Commentary: Thoughts on the House of David series (00:00) Why should I read the Bible rather than the Quran or the Book of Mormon? (20:00) How does God stir our hearts to do things? (36:00) What do you think of the idea that we can divide the Old Testament Law into three categories—judicial levitical, and moral—and the moral regulations still apply? (47:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Reality Student Apologetics Conference – April 25–26 in Dayton, OH House of David – Series on Prime The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between by Greg Koukl Does God Whisper? Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 by Greg Koukl Related Links: Where Did These Minimal Facts about the Resurre

Greg talks to author Rod Dreher about the soft totalitarianism he describes in Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents, the Christians who resisted that totalitarianism, and the new documentary series based on the book.   Topics: Interview: Rod Dreher – Live Not by Lies documentary series (00:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Live Not by Lies – Documentary series Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents by Rod Dreher Freedom Fading by Greg Koukl Brave New World by Aldous Huxley The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany by William Shirer The Origins of Totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt The Triumph of the Therapeutic: Uses of Faith after Freud by Philip Rieff Related Links: We Need Confidence to Endure by Amy Hall

Greg talks to callers about how we know people didn’t take things out of the Bible, whether people who die young can earn eternal rewards, whether Jesus appeared to Mary after his resurrection, dealing with an abusive parent, and why more pastors don’t believe in an old earth.   Topics: With all the translations of the Bible, how do we know people didn’t take things out of it that they didn’t want us to know about? (03:00) Is it the case that people who die young can’t earn any eternal rewards? (08:00) Is there any indication in the Bible that Jesus appeared to his mother after his resurrection? (15:00) As a Christian, how should I deal with an abusive and controlling father in light of the command to honor our parents? (28:00) Why don’t more pastors believe in an old earth? (49:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Reality Student Apologetics Conference – April 25–26 in Dayton, OH

Greg reflects on the futility of man-based idealism, then he answers questions about why he isn’t Eastern Orthodox and how to show that philosophical materialism isn’t supported by materialism itself.   Topics: Commentary: The futility of man-based idealism (00:00) What are your arguments against Eastern Orthodox Christianity? (26:00) How do I show that philosophical materialism isn’t supported by materialism itself? (50:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Reality Student Apologetics Conference – April 25–26 in Dayton, OH A Complete Unknown – Film

Greg answers questions from callers about the likelihood that we’re living in a simulation, using the laws of nature to argue against evolution, and recommendations for a young man starting out in apologetics.   Topics: What do you think about the fact that, when asked about the origins of the universe, one of the smartest AI computers in the world said it’s more likely that we’re living in a simulation? (01:00) How can I spread my idea of using the laws of nature to argue against evolution? (10:00) What would you recommend for a young man starting out in apologetics? (32:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Bloom Where You’re Planted by Greg Koukl Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl Related Links: For the Student Who Wants to Be a Christian Apologist by Amy Hall

Greg talks about recent examples of moral insanity in California and England, then he answers questions about whether apostasy can happen unknowingly and how Greg comes up with his Street-Smarts-style questions.   Topics: Commentary: Moral insanity in California and England (00:00) Can apostasy happen unknowingly? (27:00) How do you come up your Street-Smarts-style questions? (47:00) Mentioned on the Show:  California ballot measure named after Luigi Mangione would make it illegal to ‘delay, deny’ healthcare coverage: ‘Crazy’ by Isabel Keane Toddler is kicked out of nursery ‘for being transphobic’ - as families blast school’s ‘insanity’ by Noor Qurashi STR U Online Training Reality Student Apologetics Conference – April 25–26 in Dayton, OH #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy God’s Super-Apostles: Encountering the Worldwide Prophets and Apostles Movement by Doug Geivett and Holly Pivec Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges by Greg Koukl

Greg answers questions about why there are so many different denominations, how to help someone who prayed a prayer as a child but doesn’t seem to be following Jesus, people saying, “Oh my God,” and knowledge of Jesus through existential experience.   Topics: Why are there so many different denominations? (05:00) How can I help people who are counting on a prayer they prayed as a child—but have no evidence of sanctification in their lives—understand that they have a need for Jesus? (23:00) Can you explain why you don’t have a problem with people saying, “Oh my God”? (40:00) My fundamental existential experience of Jesus seems undeniable. Is this a category in epistemology? (48:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Upcoming events with Stand to Reason speakers Reality Student Apologetics Conference – March 21–22, in Philadelphia, PA; April 25–26 in Dayton, OH The Magic Prayer by Greg Koukl Why the “Sinner’s Prayer” Has Me Concerned...and a Biblical Alternative by Greg Koukl The Invisible Man by Greg

Greg talks about the meaning of the “Word of God” in Acts, then he warns against holding grudges and answers questions about requiring repentance before forgiveness, whether Jesus will have the only scars in Heaven, and making sense of the origin of evil as a Calvinist.   Topics: Commentary: The “Word of God” in Acts (00:00) Is repentance required for believers to grant forgiveness to others? (12:00) Commentary: If you hold grudges, you will destroy your soul. (38:00) Is Jesus the only one with scars in Heaven? (47:00) How do you make sense of the origin of evil? (51:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Dogmatic Theology by William G.T. Shedd Related Links: The Sin of Forgiveness? by Greg Koukl How Can We Condemn Evil if God Is Sovereign? by Amy Hall

Greg talks to Sean McDowell about new information included in the second edition of his book, The Fate of the Apostles: Examining the Martyrdom Accounts of the Closest Followers of Jesus.   Topics: Interview: Sean McDowell, author of The Fate of the Apostles: Examining the Martyrdom Accounts of the Closest Followers of Jesus (Second Edition) (00:00) Mentioned on the Show:  The Fate of the Apostles: Examining the Martyrdom Accounts of the Closest Followers of Jesus (Second Edition) by Sean McDowell Sean McDowell’s website Related Links: Problems for Hallucination Theories of the Resurrection by Gary Habermas

Greg explains that the first rule of prayer is to pray and the first rule of Bible reading is to read, then he answers questions about what it means to “pray about it,” overcoming a tendency to freeze up when asked a question, mistakenly claiming a promise, and finding fellowship.   Topics: Commentary: The first rule of prayer and Bible reading (00:00) What should “pray about it” look like in practice? (22:00) What can I do to overcome my tendency to freeze up when someone asks me a question? (34:00) If Old Testament promises don’t apply to us, why is it that when people mistakenly claim a promise in the Bible for themselves, it seems to work for them? (38:00) How can I put my identity in Christ and truly follow him if even those who are called by his name push me away while they themselves don’t seek him? (48:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Submit a question on the Open Mic Line Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges by Greg Koukl Reality Student Apologetics

Greg answers a question about why Provisionists tend to be so venomous towards Calvinism and gives some of his thoughts on Provisionism, then he talks to a caller about reasons why he rejects evolution.   Topics: Why do you think Provisionists tend to be so venomous towards Calvinism? (00:00) Do you reject evolution, and if so, why? (33:00)   Mentioned on the Show:  Desert Apologetics Conference – March 14–15 Grace Defined and Defended: What a 400-Year-Old Confession Teaches Us about Sin, Salvation, and the Sovereignty of God by Kevin DeYoung Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe by Stephen Meyer Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique by J.P. Moreland, Stephen Meyer, Wayne Grudem, and more   Related Links: Theistic Evolution: Drifting toward Darwin by Greg Koukl Why Intelligent Design Is an Argument from Knowledge, Not Ignorance by Amy Hall