Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

Are We Now Made in the Image of Adam Rather Than God?

Greg talks to callers about the extent of Satan’s influence, whether we’re now made in the image of Adam rather than God, the test for infidelity in Numbers 5, whether the right to life is truly unalienable, and a possible interpretation of “this generation not passing away” in Matthew 24:34.

 

Topics:

1. What’s the extent of Satan’s influence? (02:00)
2. Does Genesis 5:1–3 indicate we’re no longer made in the image of God but are now in the image of Adam? (13:00)
3. Does the test for infidelity in Numbers 5 assume the woman is guilty before proven innocent? (27:00)
4. Is the Declaration of Independence’s claim that our God-given rights are unalienable correct? The Bible seems to indicate we can lose our right to life. (35:00)
5. Is it possible Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:34 about “this generation not passing away” were referring to the record of that generation in Scripture not passing away? (45:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• 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

We Should Address God the Way He Wants to Be Addressed

Greg talks about the Archbishop of York’s statement that referring to God as “Father” is problematic, then he answers questions about how to treat kids who claim to be other species, a possible contradiction in Exodus 9, and the existence of neutral supernatural beings.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: We should address God the way he wants to be addressed. (00:00)
2. Should we treat kids as if they’re the species they say they are in order to highlight the absurdity of their claims? (29:00)
3. If God killed all of the Egyptians’ livestock in Exodus 9:6, why did he warn the Egyptians to bring their livestock indoors to avoid the hail in 9:18–21? Is this a contradiction? (37:00)
4. Are there any neutral supernatural beings? (46:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Lord’s Prayer opening may be ‘problematic,’ says archbishop by Harriet Sherwood
• Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges by Greg Koukl
• Upcoming events with Stand to Reason speakers
• Schools let children identify as horses, dinosaurs...and a moon by Gordon Rayner

Related Links:

• The Beauty of Submission by Amy Hall
• The Beauty of Leadership by Amy Hall

Does God’s Will Affect Everything That Happens in Our Lives?

Greg responds to a question he received about the legitimacy of churches requiring people to be baptized in order to receive communion, then he answers questions about whether God’s will affects everything that happens in our lives and Bible references for Greg’s view on tithing.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Is it okay for churches to require baptism before communion? (00:00)
2. Does God’s will affect everything that happens in our lives? (13:00)
3. Do you have Bible references and other resources to explain your views on tithing? (43:00)

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:

• Providence by John Piper
• #STRask: Is Every Decision We Make Part of God’s Will?
• How Can We Condemn Evil if God Is Sovereign? by Amy Hall
• Excusing Sinners and Blaming God: A Calvinist Assessment of Determinism, Moral Responsibility, and Divine Involvement in Evil by Guillaume Bignon
• Making Sense of Unanswered Prayer by Amy Hall
• Christians, You Will Suffer by Amy Hall
• Why It Isn’t Naïve to Trust God in Your Suffering by Amy Hall
• Should Christians Tithe? by Greg Koukl
• Why We’re Not Under the Mosaic Law by Amy Hall
• Should Followers of Christ Observe the Torah? by Amy Hall

The Logical Slippery Slope from Gender Fluidity to Species Fluidity

Greg talks about British schools allowing children to identify as other species, then he answers questions from callers about what worship music should be like and whether Jesus’ divine nature would have prevented him from incurring any guilt by becoming unclean.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The logical slippery slope from gender fluidity to species fluidity (00:00)
2. What should worship music be like? (29:00)
3. How would the laws in Leviticus 5 that connect guilt with being ceremonially unclean have applied to Jesus as a Torah-observant Jew? Did his divine nature prevent him from becoming unclean? (52:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Schools let children identify as horses, dinosaurs...and a moon by Gordon Rayner
• STR U Online Training
• Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air by Greg Koukl and Frances Beckwith

Related Links:

• The Art of Leading Congregational Worship by Amy Hall
• At what point does playing music beautifully during worship actually become a distraction? – #STRask

Why Won’t Love Require the Possibility of Sin in Heaven?

Greg answers questions about what our free will in Heaven will be like if we can’t sin there, whether there’s a problem with adding a section against “isms” to a statement of faith, what to focus on after a loved one kills herself, and whether Ephesians 4:17–18 contradicts earlier chapters.

 

Topics:

1. If evil exists because we can’t freely love without free will, what will our free will in Heaven be like if we can’t sin there? (02:00)
2. Should I be concerned about my son’s school adding a section to their statement of faith on why they’re against racism, sexism, and ageism? (30:00)
3. After my ex-daughter-in-law, who was not a believer, killed herself, should I be focused on her eternal destiny or God’s goodness and justice? (37:00)
4. Does Ephesians 4:17–18 contradict the first three chapters of Ephesians that say Gentiles are united with Jews in Christ? (48:00)

Related Links:

• “Forced Love” Is the Wrong Way to Look at It by Amy Hall

How Does Genesis 1:5 Fit with an Old-Earth View?

Greg answers a question about how Genesis could say, “It was evening and it was morning, the first day,” if the earth is old, then he clarifies his view on hearing the voice of God. 

 

Topics:

1. If the earth is old, how do we explain the phrase “It was evening and it was morning, the first day [second day, etc.]”? (04:00)
2. Can you clarify what you’re saying God does not do and what he does do in your “Does God Whisper?” articles? (22:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Record an Open Mic question
• Does God Whisper? Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 by Greg Koukl
• The Ambassador’s Guide to the Voice of God by Greg Koukl

Should Women Be Wearing Head Coverings in the Church Today?

Greg answers questions about why the instructions about head coverings in 1 Corinthians 11 don’t apply to women in the church today and the best way to respond when asked to submit a DEI statement as part of the hiring process for a new job.

 

Topics:

1. How can I concisely explain why 1 Corinthians 11:13–16 doesn’t apply to women in the church today? (02:00)
2. What’s the best way to respond when asked to write and submit a DEI statement as part of the hiring process for a new job? (36:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Submit a question on the Open Mic Line
• Live Not by Lies: A Manual for Christian Dissidents by Rod Dreher

 

Related Links:

• The Beauty of Submission by Amy Hall
• The Beauty of Leadership by Amy Hall

How Do We Know Christianity Is True?

Greg responds to questions from a skeptical student about how we know Christianity is true, whether any religion can be proven, Bible translations and the creation of the canon, how creation fits with science, whether faith is blind, a perfect God creating imperfect beings, and more. 

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: How do we know Christianity is true? (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Greg Koukl and Michael Shermer at the End of the Decade of the New Atheists – A transcript of a dialogue between Koukl and Shermer on the Hugh Hewitt Show

Master These Three Informal Fallacies

Greg talks about how to recognize and handle three informal fallacies you’ll encounter in spiritual conversations, then he answers questions about whether Satan knows what we’re thinking and how to respond to a friend who strongly believes the Bible teaches the earth is flat.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Master these three informal fallacies. (00:00)
2. Does Satan know what we’re thinking? (43:00)
3. How can I use the Bible to respond to a friend who strongly believes the Bible teaches the earth is flat? (49:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Try This Simple, Three-Step Maneuver When You’re Hit with a Barrage of Objections by Greg Koukl (on the Aaron Rodgers interview)

Punished for Expressing the Christian View of Marriage

Greg talks about a situation where a police officer was forced to quit his job because he expressed the Christian view of marriage on Facebook, then he answers a question about whether parental love is a fair analogy to use when arguing that libertarian free will isn’t necessary for real love.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Punished for expressing the Christian view of marriage (00:00)
2. The love we have for God isn’t the same kind of love parents have for children, so is parental love really a fair analogy to use when arguing that libertarian free will isn’t necessary for love? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Iron Curtain Diary by Greg Koukl
• The Primal Heresy by Greg Koukl
• Freedom Fading by Greg Koukl
• Critical Race Theory: Civil Rights Upside Down by Greg Koukl
• The Evening News by Greg Koukl
• The Legend of the Social Justice Jesus by Greg Koukl
• First Liberty Institute
• Georgia Police Officer is Forced to Quit His Job Over Religious Facebook Post by Jorge Gomez
• Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• God Reforms Hearts: Rethinking Free Will and the Problem of Evil by Thaddeus Williams (on the question of whether libertarian free will is required for real love)
• “Forced Love” Is the Wrong Way to Look at It by Amy Hall