Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

More on Deepening Your Relationship with God

Greg continues his advice on what to do if you’re feeling spiritually dry, then he answers a question about what we mean when we say something is inspired.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: More on deepening your relationship with God (00:00)
2. What do we mean when we say something is inspired? (26:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Psalm 130:3
• A General Introduction to the Bible by Norman Geisler and William Nix

Related Links:

• A Long-Term Plan to Know Your Bible by Amy Hall
• You Want to Be a Good Apologist? by Amy Hall (on reading the Bible)

What to Do When You’re Feeling Spiritually Dry

Greg talks about how you can deepen your relationship with God, then he answers questions about the difference prayer makes and the difference between God causing vs. allowing things to happen.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: What to do when you’re feeling spiritually dry (00:00)
2. Will praying for my daughter make a difference? (34:00)
3. How can I articulate the difference between God causing things to happen and God allowing things to happen? (47:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Reality Student Apologetics Conference in Augusta, Georgia – April 22–23, 2022

Related Links:

• Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God by Timothy Keller
• Enjoy Your Prayer Life by Michael Reeves

More Pointers on Writing a Book

Greg continues giving a caller pointers on how to write a book, then he answers questions about whether evolution is a peripheral issue and how to respond to an atheist’s objection to intelligent design probability arguments.

 

Topics:

1. Greg continues talking to a caller about pointers on writing a book (00:00)
2. Is Darwinian evolution as central an issue to Christianity as inerrancy? (21:00)
3. How do I respond to this atheist’s objection to intelligent design probability arguments? (32:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• STR’s Quick Reference App
• STR U Online Training
• Evernote (or OneNote)
• Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe by Stephen Meyer

Making Sense of Fallen Spiritual Heroes

Greg responds to the investigative report on Ravi Zacharias with advice on how to make sense of fallen spiritual heroes, then he answers questions from a young listener about how to write a good book.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Making sense of fallen spiritual heroes (00:00)
2. Do you have pointers on writing a good apologetics book for kids my age? (41:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Open Letter from the International Board of Directors of RZIM on the Investigation of Ravi Zacharias
• Subscribe to Stand to Reason’s monthly training material

Jesus Prayed to a Person, Not a Nature

Greg talks about the Trinity, answers questions about whether it was appropriate for a Canadian judge to be removed from the bench and whether Christianity could still be true if the universe were eternal, then reflects on God and time and the type of answers we find (and don’t find) in the Bible.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Jesus prayed to a person, not a nature. (00:00)
2. Was it appropriate for this judge in Canada to be removed from the bench? (18:00)
3. If the universe were eternal, could Christianity still be true? (30:00)
4. Commentary: Reflections on God and time (40:00)
5. Commentary: Are all the answers in the Bible? (45:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• The Side B Podcast – Jana Harmon
• Red Pen Logic video on the Trinity
• The Trinity: A Solution, Not a Problem Part One and Part Two by Greg Koukl
• God, Time, & Eternity – Lectures by William Lane Craig
• Time and Eternity: Exploring God’s Relationship to Time by William Lane Craig

Clearing up Confusion about Humility

Greg reflects on what humility is and isn’t, giving practical advice for living in humility, then he answers questions about praying in tongues and reconciling 2 Corinthians 5:17 with membership in Alcoholics Anonymous.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Clearing up confusion about humility (00:00)
2. What’s your view on praying in tongues? (35:00)
3. How can I reconcile 2 Corinthians 5:17 and membership in Alcoholics Anonymous? (44:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• #STRask podcast with Greg and Amy (archives here)

Related Links:

• Use Your Knowledge to Serve Others, Not Judge Them by Amy Hall
• Humility Is Needed to See Jesus by Amy Hall
• How People Change by Timothy Lane and Paul David Tripp
• Overcoming Sin and Temptation by John Owen (with footnotes and updated language by editors Kelly Kapic and Justin Taylor)

If God Told You to Kill Someone, Would You Do It?

Greg responds to the question “If God told you to kill someone, would you do it?” then he answers questions about ultimate meaning in an atheistic universe, why we need to repent if Jesus already paid for our sins, and whether the Bible has been changed too much to be trusted.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: If God told you to kill someone, would you do it? (00:00)
2. Can there be ultimate meaning in an atheistic universe? (19:00)
3. If Jesus paid for the sins of the elect on the cross, why do we need to repent and believe to be forgiven now? (34:00)
4. How do I respond to someone who says the Bible has been changed too much to be trusted? (44:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• The Trinity Explains This – Red Pen Logic video

Related Links:

• “Misquoting” Jesus? Answering Bart Ehrman by Greg Koukl

The State of Free Speech on University Campuses

Greg talks to Corey Miller, president of Ratio Christi, about free speech on university campuses, then he answers questions about eternal punishment for limited sin and whether something existed before the Big Bang.

 

Topics:

1. Interview: Corey Miller, president of Ratio Christi, on the state of free speech on university campuses (00:00)
2. How do we make sense of the idea that a human lifetime of sin justifies eternal separation from God? (30:00)
3. How do we know nothing existed before the Big Bang? (48:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Corey Miller, president of Ratio Christi
• Live Not by Lies by Rod Dreher
• STR U courses (training.str.org)
• Hell Interrupted Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3

Why Is It Rational to Believe in the Soul?

Greg gives reasons why it’s rational to believe in the soul, explaining the difference between something being rational and rationalism, then he takes calls about how evil entered the world, intersex conditions proving we can choose our gender, answering “Where was God?” and more.

 

Topics:

1. Commentary: Why is it rational to believe in the soul? (00:00)
2. How can humans be the cause of evil in the world if their evil act is the result of being tempted by an already-evil being? (16:00)
3. Does the existence of intersex people prove sex is just a state of mind and one can choose to be male or female? (25:00)
4. How can I answer the question “Where was God?” when asked by a foster youth who was sexually abused? (41:00)
5. Are there any topics other than inerrancy that you wouldn’t discuss directly with an atheist? (51:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• The Soul: How We Know It’s Real and Why It Matters by J.P. Moreland
• The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between by Greg Koukl

Related Links:

• Intersex People Don’t Prove There Are More Than Two Sexes by Amy Hall
• Don’t Assume We Should Change the Body to Match the Mind by Amy Hall
• When (and Why) Feminism Is Anti-Feminine by Amy Hall
• Christians, You Will Suffer by Amy Hall

Questions about Faith and Science

Tim joins Greg to talk about a variety of questions regarding faith and science (their compatibility, how they inform each other, miracles, etc.).

 

Topics:

1. Discussion with Tim Barnett: Questions about faith and science (00:00)

Mentioned on the Show: 

• Red Pen Logic YouTube channel
• RPL video on fetuses being like tapeworms
• Subscribe to Stand to Reason’s monthly training material
• Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World by Tom Holland

Related Links:

• Jesus Built Western Civilization by Amy Hall (quoting Tom Holland)
• We Take Christianity’s Influence on the World for Granted by Amy Hall (includes video of Tom Holland interview)