Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

Are People Who Divorce and Remarry Living in Continuous Adultery?

Greg talks about how the tactics are tools for “gardening,” then he talks to callers about whether Luke 16:18 means that divorced people who remarry are living in continuous adultery, whether Bible versions violate the command not to add to God’s words, the brains of transgender people, and the origin of evil.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The tactics are tools for gardening. (00:00)
2. If I’m divorced, does that mean I’m living in continuous adultery according to Luke 16:18? (09:00)
3. Do the different versions of the Bible violate the commands in Deuteronomy 4:2 and Revelation 22:18–19 not to add to or subtract from the words of God? (24:00)
4. Do brain scans really show that the brains of transgender people are different from other people’s brains? (41:00) 
5. Did Eve sin because she had evil in her heart, or was she simply tricked by Satan? (49:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• The Primal Heresy by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• 3 Reasons Those Who Are Unbiblically Remarried After a Divorce Should Not Leave Their New Spouse by Justin Taylor (citing John Piper)

Jesus’ Circles and Lines

Greg talks about Andy Stanley’s response to Al Mohler in which he said Jesus drew circles instead of lines, then he answers questions about responding to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s transcendentalism and advice for making an argument to a school board about pornographic material in the library.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Jesus’ circles and lines (00:00)
2. How can I respond well to the philosophy of transcendentalism in my literature class? (32:00)
3. I have three minutes to make an argument to the school board against pornographic materials in the school library. Do you have any advice for me? (50:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Jesus Drew Circles and Lines: A Response to Andy Stanley by Hunter Beaumont
• An Assessment of Andy Stanley’s Unconditional Conference by Alan Shlemon
• The Future of Faith: A Debate – Greg Koukl and Deepak Chopra
• Greg’s Message to His School Board Regarding Proposed Sex Ed Curriculum by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• Why Is the Old Covenant Obsolete? by Amy Hall (on Andy Stanley’s call for pastors to “unhitch [their] teaching of what it means to follow Jesus from all things old covenant.”

The Number One Indicator of Apostasy in the Church

Greg explains why embracing pro-gay theology is a serious warning sign, offers a tactical approach for answering a question about whether one can be a gay Christian, then answers questions about the most important apologetics topics, non-believers taking communion, what we’ve earned vs. God’s blessings, and more.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The number one indicator of apostasy in the church (00:00)
2. A tactical approach for answering a question about whether one can be a gay Christian. (16:00)
3. What apologetics topics do you think are the most important to introduce to a group of men whom I’ll have the opportunity to teach for two hours? (29:00)
4. Comments from a caller on sola Scriptura (35:00)
5. What should we do in a situation where a non-believer is taking communion? (43:00)
6. What’s the relationship between what we’ve earned and God’s blessings, and does our work affect God’s blessings? (52:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Five Things to Look for in a Christian College by Greg Koukl
• Andy Stanley’s Unconditional Conference: Deep Dive Response – Sean McDowell’s interview of Alan Shlemon
• Never Read a Bible Verse by Greg Koukl
• STR U Online Training
• Scribes and Scripture: The Amazing Story of How We Got the Bible by John D. Meade and Peter J. Gurry

Interview: Alan Shlemon – Concerns about the Unconditional Conference

Greg talks to Alan Shlemon, who attended the Unconditional Conference at Andy Stanley’s church, about the good and bad of what was taught there, how those who promote pro-gay theology viewed the conference, Alan’s concerns, Andy Stanley’s sermon explaining his position, etc.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Alan Shlemon – Concerns about the Unconditional Conference (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Andy Stanley's Unconditional Conference: Deep Dive Response – Sean McDowell’s interview of Alan Shlemon
• A Reformation the Church Doesn’t Need – Part 1 and Part 2 by Alan Shlemon and Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• Alan Shlemon: Matthew Vines’s Reformation Project Conference – Podcast
• Answering Matthew Vines’s 40 Questions – Podcast
• A Response to Matthew Vines: The Bible Doesn’t Support Same-Sex Relationships by Amy Hall
• Sean McDowell and Matthew Vines on the Bible and Homosexuality – Video
• Should We Downplay the “Clobber Passages” on Homosexuality? by Alan Shlemon

Decision Making and the Will of God: The Biblical Model

Greg explains what the Bible has to say about decision making and the will of God, making the case that when you choose within the bounds of wisdom and God’s moral guidelines, you have the freedom to do whatever you want with God’s blessing.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The biblical model for decision making and the will of God (00:00)
2. Choose within the circle of God’s moral will. (06:00)
3. Choose within the circle of wisdom. (11:00)
4. Choose within the circle of personal desires (taken into consideration, but not decisive). (21:00)
5. Your choice is within the circle of the sovereignty of God. (32:00)
6. Examples from Scripture where we see this process play out (39:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Sacred Marriage: What If God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy? by Gary Thomas

Related Links:

• Does God Whisper? Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 (online articles) by Greg Koukl
• The Ambassador’s Guide to the Voice of God (booklet) by Greg Koukl
• Decision Making and the Will of God (book) by Garry Friesen

Decision Making and the Will of God: What the Bible Doesn’t Say

How is God involved in the process of our decision making? Is there a plan we need to discover? Do we need to employ certain techniques in order to hear God’s voice and find his will? Greg challenges the conventional view of decision making and the will of God by examining the biblical texts on this topic.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: What the Bible doesn’t say about decision making and the will of God. (00:00)
2. The Bible doesn’t teach that we determine God’s will from a feeling. (14:00)
3. The Bible doesn’t teach that we determine God’s will from inner peace. (24:00)
4. The Bible doesn’t teach that we determine God’s will from open and closed doors. (28:00)
5. The Bible doesn’t teach that we determine God’s will from “fleeces” or providential signs. (32:00)
6. The Bible doesn’t teach that we determine God’s will from confirmations. (36:00)
7. What it looks like when God gives personalized guidance in the Bible. (39:00)
8. What is God’s will? (45:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Never Read a Bible Verse by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• Does God Whisper? Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 (online articles) by Greg Koukl
• The Ambassador’s Guide to the Voice of God (booklet) by Greg Koukl
• Decision Making and the Will of God (book) by Garry Friesen

A Conversation with Special Guests

Tim and Greg chat with Frank Beckwith, Frank Turek, Scott Klusendorf, Brett Kunkle, Natasha Crain, and Alan Shlemon about their involvement with Stand to Reason, what they’ve learned from this ministry, stories from the last 30 years, and more.

 

Topics:

1. Tim and Greg chat with friends and colleagues who have had a significant relationship with Stand to Reason over the last 30 years. (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Politically Correct Death: Answering the Arguments for Abortion Rights by Frank Beckwith
• Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air by Frank Beckwith and Greg Koukl
• Decision Making and the Will of God: A Biblical Alternative to the Traditional View by Garry Friesen
• Does God Whisper? Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 (on decision making) by Greg Koukl
• Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges by Greg Koukl
• Hell Interrupted Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3
• CrossExamined Instructor Academy
• Is Truth True? – Greg’s debate with Marv Meyer
• Scaling the Secular City: A Defense of Christianity by J.P. Moreland
• How Should We Use Graphic Images? – Video of Scott Klusendorf
• Making Abortion Unthinkable: The Art of Pro-Life Persuasion by Greg Koukl and Scott Klusendorf
• Frank Beckwith – Baylor University
• Frank Turek – CrossExamined.org
• Brett Kunkle – MAVEN
• Scott Klusendorf – Life Training Institute
• Natasha Crain – Speaker, author, blogger, podcaster
• Alan Shlemon – Stand to Reason

30 Years of Stand to Reason

Tim talks to Greg about the last 30 years of Stand to Reason—the purpose and unique focus of our work, the major topics and controversies we’ve addressed, the ideas we’ve developed, advice and cautions for budding apologists, where Stand to Reason will be 30 years from now, and more.

 

Topics:

1. Were you called into this ministry? (03:00)
2. Why did you call this organization Stand to Reason? (11:00)
3. What is unique about Stand to Reason? (16:00)
4. What advice would you give to a budding apologist? (22:00)
5. What are some of the topics and controversies Stand to Reason has covered? (30:00)
6. What ideas has Stand to Reason developed over the years? (49:00)
7. Where do you see Stand to Reason 30 years from now? (53:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Bloom Where You’re Planted by Greg Koukl
• Only One Question by Greg Koukl
• Same-Sex Marriage Challenges and Responses by Greg Koukl
• “The Secret”: A Fatal Attraction by Greg Koukl
• Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air by Greg Koukl
• Answering the Challenge of Evolution by Greg Koukl
• Does God Whisper? Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 (on decision making) by Greg Koukl
• Freedom Fading by Greg Koukl

A Response to Someone Struggling to Find Reasons for His Faith

Greg continues answering a question about how he annotates his Bible, then he answers questions about whether Deuteronomy 21:10–14 condones rape, advice for someone struggling to find reasons for his faith, how to respond to people who say you can’t write a book that includes elements of other cultures, and more.

 

Topics:

1. Greg continues answering a question from the last episode about how he annotates his Bible. (00:00)
2. Does Deuteronomy 21:10–14 condone rape? (21:00)
3. Do you have advice for someone who is struggling with finding reasons for their faith? (26:00)
4. How would you respond to someone who says you can’t write a book that includes elements of other cultures? (46:00)
5. How should I respond to people who say I seemed happier before I was a Christian? (52:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• TalkAboutDoubts.com – You can make an appointment to talk with an expert on your particular question.

Related Links:

• The Thomas Factor by Gary Habermas – A book on the different kinds of doubt and how to address each kind

Evangelism Is Easier When You Have a Plan

Greg recommends a film about the Bible and talks about a conversation he had with a waitress, then he answers a question about whether the command to love one another trumps the command to love God and explains how he annotates his Bible.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Evangelism is easier when you have a plan. (00:00)
2. Does the command in John 13:34 to love one another trump the command to love God first? (26:00)
3. How do you annotate your Bible? (49:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Upcoming events with Stand to Reason speakers
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 22–23 in Los Angeles, CA; October 13–14 in Seattle, WA; November 10–11 in Minneapolis, MN; February 23–24, 2024 in Dallas, TX; March 22–23, 2024 in Philadelphia, PA; April 19–20, 2024 in Augusta, GA
• The God Who Speaks – Film
• You Don’t Have to Choose between the Head and the Heart by Greg Koukl