Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

Greg reads an evangelism story from a listener about praying when you use apologetics, then he answers questions about the rapture, whether Paul’s words that we should desire to prophesy contradict Greg’s view on hearing the voice of God, and the doctrine of entire sanctification.   Topics: Commentary: Don’t forget to pray when you use apologetics. (00:00) Could you explain your position on the rapture? (13:00) Do the statements in 1 Corinthians 14 that we should desire to prophesy contradict your view on hearing the voice of God? (36:00) What do you think of the doctrine of entire sanctification (or Christian perfection) that says it’s...

Greg talks to Frank Turek and Phoenix Hayes, authors of The War on Reality: Recovering Truth in a World That Celebrates Lies, about foundational ideas behind the controversies in our culture, human nature, Marxism, Christian nationalism, social justice, spiritual warfare, and more.   Topics: Interview: Frank Turek and Phoenix Hayes, authors of The War on Reality: Recovering Truth in a World That Celebrates Lies (00:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Frank Turek Phoenix Hayes The War on Reality: Recovering Truth in a World That Celebrates Lies by Frank Turek and Phoenix Hayes CrossExamined Instructor Academy Related Links: If We Lose the Meaning of “Justi...

Greg responds to the idea that science contradicts the Bible, then he answers a question about how we can be sure the Protestant view of communion is correct as opposed to the Catholic view.   Topics: Commentary: Does science contradict the Bible? (00:00) How can we be sure the Protestant view of communion is the correct one as opposed to the Catholic view? (32:00) Mentioned on the Show: Darwin on Trial by Phillip Johnson

Greg reflects on the phenomenon of topics coming up that he just read about in the Bible, then he answers questions about the New Testament quoting variants in the Septuagint rather than what was originally inspired, whether Adam had no choice but to sin, and women in ministry.   Topics: Commentary: God will use what you read in the Bible. (00:00) Why do the New Testament authors quote variants in the Septuagint and not what was originally inspired? (10:00) How would you respond to the assertion that Adam had no choice and had to sin, otherwise God’s purposes could not have moved forwa...

Greg answers questions about whether Christian schools ought to accept children with non-Christian parents, whether both Christians and non-Christians will stand in the judgment, and how to be as charitable as possible without weakening your position tactically.   Topics: If non-Christian parents are willing to send their child to a Christian school, why would that school keep the child out just because the parents aren’t Christians? (04:00) Will both Christians and non-Christians stand in the judgment? (17:00) What’s the right way to navigate being as charitable as you can in a conversation without weakening your position tactically? (45:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Be One of...

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: Be one of the 100. (00:00) 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) 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 toda...

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: Commentary: AI will never be a person. (00:00) Do you have any biblical insights on the declining birthrate and how to encourage people to have more children? (21:00) 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 Certa...

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: 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 Revolutio...

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: 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) Should parents treat a child who hasn’t professed Christ differently from their other children? (22:00) What is the biggest challenge that has tested your faith? (26:00) How do we know that Ch...

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: Do we have evidence of God sustaining the universe? (12:00) How would you respond to someone who says autonomy is his guiding principle for morality. (26:00) Download the mp3...   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; Mar...

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

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: Commentary: When one person is equipped, thousands more are impacted. (00:00) Would you advise people not to attend a church where the pastor is still affiliated with Freemasonry, though not an active member? (08:00) Do you have any tips for recognizing circular reasoning? (26:00) What are the ramifications of Jesus saying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they...

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: Wouldn’t a materialist just say that the image you have of your mother is in your brain? (06:00) 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...

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: Commentary: Find a good Bible translation and stick with it. (00:00) What’s Greg’s advice for when to answer questions about hypothetical situations? (14:00) Do you think there’s a waiting place when we die? (29:00) What do you and Amy disagree on? (36:00) Is it possible to present a non-biblical argument for the afterlife, and what shoul...

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: Commentary: The upcoming Reality season (00:00) What questions would you ask someone who casually refers to karma? (10:00) How should I question the Latter-day Saint claim that they received the true priesthood authority? (27:00) 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...

Greg responds to a question from his daughter about baptism for the dead, then he talks to callers about how to reconcile needing to believe in Jesus to be saved with 1 Timothy 2:4, and whether or not there will be time in Heaven given that the Bible indicates time was created.   Topics: Commentary: What about baptism for the dead? (00:00) How do you reconcile needing to believe in Jesus to be saved with 1 Timothy 2:4, where God says he wants all to be saved? (23:00) Since the Bible indicates time was created, does that mean there will be no time in Heaven? (48:00) Mentioned on th...

Greg talks about the problems with inclusivism, then he answers questions about why it would be wrong to ask a saint for prayer if they can hear us, whether drawing lots is an approved practice, self-identified Christians who don’t show fruit, and whether the meaning of “doubt” has changed.   Topics: Commentary: Inclusivism gives people false hope. (00:00) If people who have passed on can hear the living, then what would be wrong with the Catholic practice of asking a saint for prayer? (23:00) Does Acts 1:26 indicate that the drawing of lots is an approved, godly practice, or was Paul the true replaceme...

Greg discusses our obligation to help the poor, then he talks to a caller about the fate of saved people who get dementia later in life and answers questions about our conscience vs. the Holy Spirit, the government as an analogy for the Trinity, and the inclusivism of the Catholic Church.   Topics: Commentary: We have an obligation to help the poor. (00:00) What happens with saved people who get dementia and then forget everything? (21:00) What is the difference between our conscience and the Holy Spirit, and how can we tell which is which? (31:00) What are your thoughts on using our government as a...

Greg reflects on how we know that Christians believe the right thing, then he answers questions about the phrase “That’s just your opinion” shutting down conversations and whether calling YWWH “God” and “Jesus” is a blasphemy.   Topics: Commentary: What are the reasons? (00:00) A challenge to Greg’s view that forgiveness requires repentance (12:00) The phrase “That’s your opinion” or “Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion” seems to be used sometimes as a conversation stopper, but should it be? (34:00) Does YHWH consider it a blasphemy when you call him “God” and “Jesus”? (40:00) Mentioned on the Show:  The Truth in True Crime: What Investigating Death Teac...

Greg responds to a sign he saw that read, “Knowledge is not faith,” then he answers questions from a caller about how God can be sovereign over our decisions and just at the same time, how God can blame people he didn’t save, and where free will ends.   Topics: Commentary: Faith is not opposed to knowledge. (00:00) How is God sovereign over our decisions and just at the same time, how can he blame people he didn’t save, and where does free will end—i.e., if we can’t resist being chosen, what decisions can we resist? (33:00) Related Links: Faith...

In a talk given to leaders attending STR’s Reality Conference, John Stonestreet explains how and why to cultivate a true Christian worldview in students that’s big enough to enable them to live with hope and embody a life of reconciliation as they respond to the challenges of our cultural moment.   Topics: Commentary: John Stonestreet on cultivating a “big enough” worldview in students (00:00) Mentioned on the Show:  John Stonestreet – President of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview Breakpoint audio commentaries, hosted by John Stonestreet The Fabric of Faithfulness by Steven Garber Truth Rising – Documentary and study Reality Student Apologetics Conference – Se...

Greg talks about Jesus’ reference to “the least of these” in Matthew 25, then he answers questions about whether all things are good or evil, implications of saying one shouldn’t do anything one thinks is wrong, and how we can make moral judgments about suffering if it’s all working for good.   Topics: Commentary: Who are the “least of these”? (00:00) Are all things good or evil? (35:00) If someone truly believes many good things are wrong, how would you counsel them to move forward in life? (42:00) If we say God has a reason to allow gratuitous (i.e., meaningless) suffering, then aren’t we saying...

Greg answers questions from callers about who sits on the left side of God, why we would matter to God and he would require anything of us, whether it’s wrong to be grateful when other people are suffering, principles for living in a world with AI, and how a Calvinist knows he’s saved.   Topics: Who sits on the left side of God? (04:00) My atheist friend admits there must have been an Architect of the universe, but he can’t believe that we would matter to him or that he would require anything from us, and he asks why anyone...

Greg talks about the marks of a good young man, then he answers questions about why someone would trust dispensationalism when it wasn’t around until the 19th century, and whether Muslims and Jews worship the same God as Christians.   Topics: Commentary: What a good young man looks like (07:00) Why should Christians trust dispensationalism when it didn’t exist until the 19th century? (23:00) Do Muslims and Jews worship the same God as Christians? (44:00) Mentioned on the Show:  CrossExamined Instructor Academy – July 30–August 1 A Response to the Rising Antisemitism – Previous episode How Should Christians View and Treat the Jews? – Previous episode

Greg chats with Alan Shlemon, Stand to Reason’s new president-elect, discussing how he became a Christian, how he ended up at Stand to Reason, the controversial topics he often speaks on, and more.   Topics: Commentary: Greg announces Stand to Reason’s new president-elect. (00:00) Mentioned on the Show:  The Ambassador’s Guide to Islam by Alan Shlemon

Greg answers questions from callers about how one could reconcile the presence of death before the fall with Romans 5 and 8, whether the Bible will still play a role in the new earth, how we know when a psalm is a messianic prophecy, and whether there are strings attached to our free salvation.   Topics: How could one reconcile the presence of death in the world before Adam and Eve with Romans 5 and 8? (06:00) Will the Bible still play a role in the new earth? (32:00) How do Bible scholars know that when certain psalms were written, they were prophecies of the Messiah? (37:00) What wou...

Greg talks about distinguishing between descriptive and prescriptive passages, then he answers questions about a secular case against legalizing prostitution, how a good God could send a lying spirit, fulfilling a rash vow to God, and attending a wedding between a Christian and a non-Christian.   Topics: Commentary: Distinguishing descriptive passages from prescriptive ones (00:00) How would you make a secular case that we shouldn’t legalize prostitution? (06:00) How would you explain God being holy and good to a non-believer reading 1 Kings 22:21–23, where God sends a lying spirit? (29:00) When I thought God called me to be single, I made a vow to do it, b...

Greg answers questions about why we weren’t made sinless in the first place, the morality of using donor sperm to conceive, whether we would conclude the Holy Spirit is equal to the Father and Jesus without the Nicene Creed, how God knows the future, and baptism for the dead.   Topics: If our evil will be removed in Heaven, why weren’t we made that way in the first place? (02:00) Would it be morally wrong for a Christian married couple to use donor sperm to conceive a child if the husband is infertile? (23:00) Would we come to the conclusion that the Ho...

Greg answers questions about why Jesus lists heart, soul, and mind separately in Mark 12:29–30, whether the Bible is written for laypeople rather than scholars, responding to someone who thinks life is a simulation, and whether it’s wrong to forgive someone who hasn’t repented.   Topics: What’s the difference between heart, soul, and mind, and why does Jesus list them separately in Mark 12:29–31? (02:00) Was the Bible written for laypeople, or does it need to be interpreted by people with scholarly or divine knowledge? (15:00) How would you respond to someone who thinks that this life is just a simulation? (33:00) Was it wrong for...

Greg answers questions about relationships between former offenders and the offended on the new earth, applying Ezekiel 33:1–9 to Christians, handling a Sunday school situation, reading enough to get the author’s intent, and deceased loved ones communicating with us.   Topics: Given that Christians are required to forgive but not to reconcile with each other, what will relationships between former offenders and the offended be like on the new earth? (02:00) Should the passage in Ezekiel 33:1–9, where Ezekiel is appointed a watchman, be applied to believers today such that we’ll be held responsible for not warning non-believers of the coming judgment? (11:00) Do you have...

Greg answers questions about whether God has always been Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, his thoughts on women in ministry, how a layperson who isn’t into apologetics can defend the idea that Jesus is the only way, and how to approach loved ones who are following a false prophet.   Topics: Has God always consisted of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, was Jesus always intended to come in the same form of those created in his image, and does it necessarily follow that if God were to create anything, it would have to include beings made in his image? (02:00) What...

Greg responds to objections to last week’s shows on antisemitism, talks to a caller who objects to the term “antisemitism” and says it’s not hateful to notice patterns about people, and responds to a question about whether our justice system should also allow for substitutions like God does.   Topics: Commentary: Objections to last week’s shows on antisemitism (00:00) If you say you can’t recognize patterns from certain groups of people because it’s hateful to do so, then doesn’t that go against reason and logic? (27:00) Should our justice system work the way God’s justice works (i.e., should it allow...

Greg interviews Scott Keith, author of Being Family: Passing Down the Faith Through the Generations, discussing the beauty and importance of the Christian vocations of marriage and family and how God works through both.   Topics: Interview: Scott Keith, author of Being Family: Passing Down the Faith Through the Generations (00:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Scott Keith Being Family: Passing Down the Faith Through the Generations by Scott Keith Being Dad: Father As a Picture of God’s Grace by Scott Keith The Thinking Fellows – Podcast 1517 – Website Reality Student Apologetics Conference – April 24–25 in Los Angeles, CA Related Links: God Placed You Where You Are for a...

Greg and Amy continue their discussion about antisemitism, explaining what Romans 9–11 has to say about how we ought to view and treat the Jews and answering questions about the meaning of Revelation’s reference to the “synagogue of Satan” and whether Jews worship a different God.   Topics: Commentary: How should Christians view and treat the Jews? (00:00) Mentioned on the Show:  The Bible: Fast Forward – DVD (Also available as a digital download or audio) Romans 9–11 What is the Synagogue of Satan in Revelation? by Sixbert Sangwa

Greg and Amy talk about the antisemitism spreading among young conservative men and begin a discussion about what the Bible says about God’s relationship with the Jews and how Gentile believers in Christ ought to treat them.   Topics: Commentary: A response to the rising antisemitism (00:00) Mentioned on the Show:  The Bible: Fast Forward – DVD (Also available as a digital download or audio)

Greg talks about a card he received from a group saying we have to follow the Old Testament laws to be saved, then he answers questions about what happens to everyone who doesn’t trust in Jesus, making a case God sustains the universe, and a couple in a celibate same-sex marriage serving in a church.   Topics: Commentary: Your salvation doesn’t depend on following the Old Testament laws. (00:00) If Jesus really is the only way, does that mean everybody else goes to Hell? (31:00) How can I make the case that God sustains our contingent universe without referencing the Bible? (45:00) What do...

Greg talks to Stephen Meyer about The Story of Everything, a film based on Meyer’s book Return of the God Hypothesis, discussing the two competing stories of reality in our culture—one materialist and one theist—and scientific evidence that points to God.   Topics: Interview: Stephen Meyer discusses The Story of Everything, a film based on his book Return of the God Hypothesis. (00:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Stephen Meyer The Story of Everything – In theaters April 30–May 6 Return of the God Hypothesis: Three Scientific Discoveries That Reveal the Mind Behind the Universe by Stephen Meyer Stephen Meyer’s books Mind & Cosmos...

Greg tells an April Fools’ Day story from his past, then he answers questions about using people’s preferred names and pronouns, what becoming saved looks like if it doesn’t involve asking Jesus into your life, and not feeling the love for God that other people seem to feel.   Topics: Commentary: An April Fools’ Day story (00:00) What is your view on using people’s preferred names and pronouns? (15:00) What does becoming saved look like if it doesn’t involve asking Jesus into your life? (31:00) Should I be feeling more love for God? (47:00) Mentioned on the Show:  STR Outposts Red Pen Logic with Mr...

Greg talks about the grounding for morality, then he answers questions about whether the criteria for the canon is contained in Scripture, how it’s possible that Satan rebelled if there was no sin in Heaven, and how Satan was able to be in the garden of Eden in the first place if it was perfect.   Topics: Commentary: Is morality just limited to God’s say-so? (00:00) Are the criteria for the canon contained in Scripture? (20:00) If there was no sin in Heaven, how is it possible that Satan rebelled, and if the garden of Eden was perfect, how was Satan able to...

Greg goes step by step through the passage in Hebrews 10 that many interpret to mean you can lose your salvation, then he answers questions about 1 Corinthians 2:10–16 in light of his view on hearing God’s voice and the mechanism by which the Holy Spirit comforts, convicts, etc.   Topics: Commentary: Does Hebrews 10 teach that you can lose you salvation? (00:00) What do you think about 1 Corinthians 2:10–16 in terms of your view on God speaking, and by what mechanism does the Holy Spirit do the things you mentioned in your “Does God Whisper?” article? (34:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Submit a question on the Open Mic Line ...