Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

Does God Make up Morality on a Whim?

Greg follows up the last episode with a few more comments on prophets and false prophecies, then he answers questions about teaching older people tactics, Genesis 6:24 vs. 7:23, whether God “turned his back on Jesus” during the crucifixion, and whether the Euthyphro dilemma shows that God makes up morality on a whim. 

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Prophets and false prophecies (00:00)
2. Is there any special approach we can take as we teach tactics to older people who are interacting with younger people who have radically different worldviews? (03:00)
3. Does Genesis 6:24 say the Nephilim were on the earth before and after the flood, and does this contradict 7:23? (23:00)
4. Did God really “turn his back on Jesus” during the crucifixion? (27:00)
5. Does John 6:51–60 prove the Catholic view of the Eucharist? (38:00)
6. Does the Euthyphro dilemma show that God makes up morality on a whim? (49:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• The Unseen Realm by Michael Heiser
• Euthyphro’s Dilemma by Greg Koukl

Did God Promise to Guide You into All Truth?

Greg talks about the meaning of John 16:13’s promise that the Holy Spirit “will guide you into all truth” and discusses whether it applies to every Christian, then he answers questions about whether every Christian is a prophet and whether prophecy is fallible.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Did God promise to guide you into all truth? (00:00)
2. Is every Christian a prophet, and is prophecy fallible? (35:00)

Living with a Tactics Mentality

Greg reads a letter from a listener who’s living with a tactics mentality, talks about concerning trends in the top 100 Christian books, then answers questions about the place of Israel in the end times and preachers speaking in tongues from the pulpit.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Living with a tactics mentality (00:00)
2. Commentary: The top 100 Christian books aren’t a good sign. (17:00)
3. Does Israel have a special place in the end times? (24:00)
4. What do you think about a preacher speaking in tongues from the pulpit? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• The Bible: Fast Forward by Greg Koukl

Four Reasons Why People Reject Jesus

Greg talks about a conversation he had during a car ride with an atheist listener, then he describes four non-intellectual reasons why people reject Jesus, answers a question about God’s relationship to time, and hears a story about how tactics worked for a listener on the first try.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Four reasons why people reject Jesus (00:00)
2. If no time existed before God created, does it make sense to talk about “when” God created? (36:00)
3. A story about how tactics worked on the first try (50:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 24–25 in Orange County, CA; October 15–16 in Seattle, WA; November 12–13 in Minneapolis, MN; February 25–26, 2022 in Dallas, TX; March 25–26, 2022 in Philadelphia, PA; April 22–23, 2022 in Augusta, GA
• Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Greg Koukl
• The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between by Greg Koukl

What Is Truth, and Is It Knowable?

Greg responds to a question about the nature of truth and whether it’s knowable, then he talks to callers about questions to ask evolutionists and the idea that truth is abstract, not concrete.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: What is truth, and is it knowable? (00:00)
2. What kind of questions can we ask to challenge people who are promoting evolution? (16:00)
3. How would you respond to someone who says truth, like length, is abstract, not concrete? (40:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Bloom Where You’re Planted by Greg Koukl
• Interview: Stephen Meyer – Return of the God Hypothesis

The God of Scripture Has Always Been Narrow

Greg talks about the narrowness of the way of salvation and the idea that zeal and sincerity aren’t enough, then he answers questions about William Lane Craig’s new book on the historical Adam.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The God of Scripture has always been narrow. (00:00)
2. What do you think about William Lane Craig’s new book? (34:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• In Quest of the Historical Adam: A Biblical and Scientific Exploration by William Lane Craig

We Know What the World Is Supposed to Be Like Because God Tells Us

Greg responds to an article about a local youth pastor who came out as gay, then he answers a question about making a case to an agnostic that the Bible is accurate and gives a caller advice about becoming an apologist.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: We know what the world is supposed to be like because God tells us. (00:00)
2. How do you make a case to an agnostic that the Bible is accurate? (26:00)
3. Can you recommend an educational path for becoming an apologist? (46:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)
• Church youth leader talks about coming out, finding God – Thousand Oaks Acorn
• Faithfulness Is Not Theologically Complicated by Greg Koukl
• Bloom Where You’re Planted by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• For the Student Who Wants to Be a Christian Apologist by Amy Hall
• Advice on Becoming an Apologetics Speaker by Amy Hall

Greg Introduces Robby Lashua and the Upcoming STR Outposts

Greg introduces our newest speaker, Robby Lashua, and they talk about the new STR “outposts” Robby will be creating in churches later this year. 

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Greg introduces Robby Lashua and the upcoming STR “outposts.” (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• STR U Online Training
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 24–25 in Orange County, CA; October 15–16 in Seattle, WA; November 12–13 in Minneapolis, MN; February 25–26, 2022 in Dallas, TX; March 25–26, 2022 in Philadelphia, PA; April 22–23, 2022 in Augusta, GA

A Word about Bible Reading

Greg encourages listeners to start reading the Bible all the way through, even if it takes longer than a year, then he answers questions about whether the definition of “evangelical” is too broad, whether Genesis 6:3 applies to today, and why people doubt.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: A word about Bible reading (00:00)
2. Is the definition of “evangelical” too broad, and if so, should we narrow it? (20:00)
3. Does the verse in Genesis saying that “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever” apply to today? (37:00)
4. Why does a person doubt? (46:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• STR U Online Training
• Greg’s Bible reading plan (from Discipleship Journal)

Related Links:

• Bible Box - Great (iOS) app to help you set goals and check off chapters as you're reading through the Bible.
• The Thomas Factor: Using Your Doubts to Draw Closer to God by Gary Habermas (available online for free)

The Most Important Thing Followers of Christ Need to Know

Greg discusses a pitfall to avoid when reading and interpreting the Bible, talks about the necessity and beauty of the unmerited grace of God, answers a question about the saying “Preach the gospel; use words if necessary,” then chats with a caller about how he became a Christian.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: The most important thing followers of Christ need to know (00:00)
2. What do you think of the saying “Preach the gospel; use words if necessary”? (30:00)
3. A caller tells the story of how he became a Christian. (43:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Never Read a Bible Verse by Greg Koukl
• Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 24–25 in Orange County, CA; October 15–16 in Seattle, WA; November 12–13 in Minneapolis, MN; February 25–26, 2022 in Dallas, TX; March 25–26, 2022 in Philadelphia, PA; April 22–23, 2022 in Augusta, GA
• STR U Online Training
• Confessions of a French Atheist: How God Hijacked My Quest to Disprove the Christian Faith by Guillaume Bignon