Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

Greg answers questions on how Christians interpreted Jeremiah 31:35–36 before the reestablishment of the state of Israel, evidence the world was ever unbroken, and the best tactic to engage a Jehovah’s Witness and build a relationship with him.

 

Topics:

1. Be one of the 100. (00:00)
2. How would Christians have interpreted Jeremiah 31:35–36 from the point of the establishment of the church up until the reestablishment of the political state of Israel, and how do dispensationalists interpret it now? (04:00)
3. Can you point to any evidence the world was ever different (in terms of both biology and physics) in the past from the way it is today—i.e., not broken? (39:00)
4. What’s the best tactic to engage a Jehovah’s Witness and build a relationship with him? (50:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Be One of the 100
• Made in Our Image by Stephen Driscoll
• The Bible: Fast Forward – Audio, DVD, Video on Demand
• Greg and Amy discussed Israel from different theological perspectives here and here.
• Deity of Christ: Case Closed by Greg Koukl
• Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• Three Telltale Signs of “Christianity” Gone South – Includes the three questions Greg recommended asking Jehovah’s Witnesses

Greg explains why AI will never be a person, then he answers questions about how to address the declining birthrate and encourage people to have more children, and whether or not Muslims worship the true God.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: AI will never be a person. (00:00)
2. Do you have any biblical insights on the declining birthrate and how to encourage people to have more children? (21:00)
3. Do Muslims worship the true God? (33:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Be One of the 100
• Made in Our Image: God, Artificial Intelligence, and You by Stephen Driscoll
• Mind & Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature is Almost Certainly False by Thomas Nagel
• Jesus, the Only Way: 100 Verses by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• One Way or Any Way? Part 1 and Part 2 by Greg Koukl

Greg talks to Stephen Driscoll, author of Made in Our Image: God, Artificial Intelligence, and You, about AI—what it is, the challenges and opportunities it will bring, how Christians should think about it, and more.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Stephen Driscoll, author of Made in Our Image: God, Artificial Intelligence, and You (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Be One of the 100
• Made in Our Image: God, Artificial Intelligence, and You by Stephen Driscoll
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 11–12 in Atlanta, GA; October 16–17 in Seattle, WA; November 13–14 in Minneapolis, MN; February 19–20, 2027 in Dallas, TX; March 12–13, 2027 in Philadelphia, PA; April 23–24, 2027 in Los Angeles, CA
• 2084 and the AI Revolution, Updated and Expanded Edition: How Artificial Intelligence Informs Our Future by John Lennox
• Fake ID: How AI and Identity Ideology Are Collapsing Reality—and What to Do About It by Abdu Murray

Greg answers questions about how to interpret “gates of Hell” in Matthew 16:18, whether parents should treat a child who hasn’t professed Christ differently, the biggest challenge that has tested his faith, whether Matthew 24:24 means it’s possible for the elect to be led astray, and more.

 

Topics:

1. Should the fact that God is in charge of Hell change my understanding of Matthew 16:18 that “gates of Hell” refers to Satan and his demonic forces? (08:00)
2. Should parents treat a child who hasn’t professed Christ differently from their other children? (22:00)
3. What is the biggest challenge that has tested your faith? (26:00)
4. How do we know that Christians believe the right thing? (45:00)
5. Does Matthew 24:24 mean it’s possible for the elect to be led astray? (51:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Be One of the 100
• Made in Our Image by Stephen Driscoll
• Upcoming events with Stand to Reason speakers

Related Links:

• Making Sense of Unanswered Prayer by Amy Hall

Greg answers questions about whether or not we can see evidence that God sustains the universe, and how to respond to someone who says autonomy is his guiding principle for morality.

 

Topics:

1. Do we have evidence of God sustaining the universe? (12:00)
2. How would you respond to someone who says autonomy is his guiding principle for morality. (26:00)

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Mentioned on the Show: 

• Be One of the 100
• Made in Our Image by Stephen Driscoll
• Submit a question on the Open Mic Line
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 11–12 in Atlanta, GA; October 16–17 in Seattle, WA; November 13–14 in Minneapolis, MN; February 19–20, 2027 in Dallas, TX; March 12–13, 2027 in Philadelphia, PA; April 23–24, 2027 in Los Angeles, CA
• Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• The Contingency Argument – Short video by Reasonable Faith
• Inside Out – Greg explains the tactic

Greg answers questions about how God’s voice can be unmistakable in light of John 10 and 1 Samuel 3, whether the impulse to witness to someone is coming from the conscience or the Holy Spirit, and why worship is required.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Be one of the 100. (00:00)
2. How do you understand John 10 and 1 Samuel 3 in light of the idea that the voice of God is unmistakable? (04:00)
3. When I feel strongly that I should go witness to someone, is that my conscience or the Holy Spirit? (42:00)
4. Why is worship required? Why should we do it? It seems weird to unbelievers. (52:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Be One of the 100
• Made in Our Image by Stephen Driscoll
• When God Speaks by Greg Koukl
• Submit a question on the Open Mic Line

Related Links:

• Does God Whisper? Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 by Greg Koukl

Greg talks about the huge difference that can be made when one person is equipped, then he answers questions about attending a church where the pastor is affiliated with Freemasonry, recognizing circular reasoning, “Father, forgive them,” and whether Jesus is physically present in Acts 23:11.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: When one person is equipped, thousands more are impacted. (00:00)
2. Would you advise people not to attend a church where the pastor is still affiliated with Freemasonry, though not an active member? (08:00)
3. Do you have any tips for recognizing circular reasoning? (26:00)
4. What are the ramifications of Jesus saying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”? (43:00)
5. In Acts 23:11, was Jesus physically there, or was this a vision? (50:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Be One of the 100
• Made in Our Image by Stephen Driscoll
• An Overview of Freemasonry – Greg’s discussion with his brother Dave on a previous podcast
• Acts 19:18–20 – The account of converts to Christianity burning their books of magic
• Submit a question on the Open Mic Line
• Metamorphosis: The Beauty and Design of Butterflies DVD by Illustra Media
• The Design of Life DVD Collection: Volumes 1-3 by Illustra Media

Greg answers questions about whether or not images are in your brain, various questions about appearance of age and the age of the earth, why Paul says he isn’t lying in Galatians 1:20, and how to share the gospel with people whose loved ones died outside of Christ.

 

Topics:

1. Wouldn’t a materialist just say that the image you have of your mother is in your brain? (06:00)
2. When did a day become 24 hours, how long did it take Jesus to heal, does age coincide with appearance, does God need more or less time to create, and are we not diminishing God’s omnipotence when we argue for an old earth? (21:00)
3. What do you think about Paul saying he’s not lying in Galatians 1:20? (42:00)
4. How do I share the gospel with people who say they can’t accept Christianity because they had loved ones who died outside of Christ? (49:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Be One of the 100
• Made in Our Image by Stephen Driscoll
• STR Outposts
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 11–12 in Atlanta, GA; October 16–17 in Seattle, WA; November 13–14 in Minneapolis, MN; February 19–20, 2027 in Dallas, TX; March 12–13, 2027 in Philadelphia, PA; April 23–24, 2027 in Los Angeles, CA

Greg talks about finding a good Bible translation and sticking with it, then he responds to callers’ questions about when to answer questions about hypothetical situations, whether there’s a waiting place when we die, where Greg and Amy disagree, and a non-biblical argument for the afterlife.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Find a good Bible translation and stick with it. (00:00)
2. What’s Greg’s advice for when to answer questions about hypothetical situations? (14:00)
3. Do you think there’s a waiting place when we die? (29:00)
4. What do you and Amy disagree on? (36:00)
5. Is it possible to present a non-biblical argument for the afterlife, and what should I advise an atheist to say to her grandchildren who are concerned about her salvation? (45:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Be One of the 100
• Made in Our Image by Stephen Driscoll
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 11–12 in Atlanta, GA; October 16–17 in Seattle, WA; November 13–14 in Minneapolis, MN; February 19–20, 2027 in Dallas, TX; March 12–13, 2027 in Philadelphia, PA; April 23–24, 2027 in Los Angeles, CA
• The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between by Greg Koukl
• Listen to the two episodes where Greg and Amy discussed the rising antisemitism from different theological perspectives here and here.

Greg talks about the upcoming Reality season, then he responds to questions about what to ask someone who casually refers to karma, the Latter-day Saint claim that they received the true priesthood authority, and whether new Christians ought to go back and correct past wrongs.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The upcoming Reality season (00:00)
2. What questions would you ask someone who casually refers to karma? (10:00)
3. How should I question the Latter-day Saint claim that they received the true priesthood authority? (27:00)
4. If someone becomes a Christian, should they go back and correct past wrongs? (44:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 11–12 in Atlanta, GA; October 16–17 in Seattle, WA; November 13–14 in Minneapolis, MN; February 19–20, 2027 in Dallas, TX; March 12–13, 2027 in Philadelphia, PA; April 23–24, 2027 in Los Angeles, CA
• Submit a question on the Open Mic Line
• Cold-Case Christianity: A Homicide Detective Investigates the Claims of the Gospels by J. Warner Wallace