OpenTheo

Is Christianity Really a Story of Reality?

#STRask — Stand to Reason

Is Christianity Really a Story of Reality?

February 1, 2024
#STRask
#STRaskStand to Reason

Questions about whether Christianity is about following Jesus rather than a story of reality, what John the Baptist meant when he said, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” and why John the Baptist seemed confused about whether or not Jesus was the Messiah after he had already confessed he was.

* You said Christianity is a story of reality, and I agree that the Bible is a story of reality (it helps lead our lives), but isn’t Christianity about following Jesus?

* What did John the Baptist mean when he said, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” and how does that apply to us?

* In John 1:34, John the Baptist acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God after baptizing him, so why does he seem confused in Luke 7:19 and Matthew 11:3?

Share

FacebookTwitterRedditCopy Link

Transcript

More From #STRask

How Can We Apply the Bible to Our Lives if We’re Not Supposed to Read Our Circumstances into It?
How Can We Apply the Bible to Our Lives if We’re Not Supposed to Read Our Circumstances into It?
#STRask
February 5, 2024
Questions about how to apply the Bible to our lives if we’re supposed to read it in context and not insert our circumstances into it and how to respon
How Do We Discern between Our Own Inner Voice and the Holy Spirit Telling Us What We’re Supposed to Say?
How Do We Discern between Our Own Inner Voice and the Holy Spirit Telling Us What We’re Supposed to Say?
#STRask
February 8, 2024
Questions about how to discern between our own inner voice and the Holy Spirit telling us what we are supposed to say if, according to Matthew 10:20,
How Can I Evaluate Whether I’m Doing Enough for the Lord?
How Can I Evaluate Whether I’m Doing Enough for the Lord?
#STRask
February 12, 2024
Questions about how to evaluate whether you are “doing enough for the Lord,” whether Ezekiel 3:18 indicates you will be in trouble on judgment day if
If We Can’t Impose a Moral Standard from One Period of Time on Another, How Does That Affect the Moral Argument?
If We Can’t Impose a Moral Standard from One Period of Time on Another, How Does That Affect the Moral Argument?
#STRask
January 29, 2024
Questions about how one can use the moral argument and also say we can’t impose a moral standard from one period of time on another and responding to
Does This Prove We Can’t Ground Objective Morality in God?
Does This Prove We Can’t Ground Objective Morality in God?
#STRask
January 25, 2024
Question about an objection to grounding objective morality in God that states that if God has a morally perfect nature, and he either engaged in or d
How Concerned Should I Be about My Spouse Believing in Annihilationism?
How Concerned Should I Be about My Spouse Believing in Annihilationism?
#STRask
January 22, 2024
Questions about how concerned one should be and what to do about a spouse who now believes in annihilationism and how to navigate differences in doctr
More From "#STRask"

More on OpenTheo

How Can We Know Who Is Teaching the Same Gospel Paul Taught?
How Can We Know Who Is Teaching the Same Gospel Paul Taught?
#STRask
February 16, 2026
Questions about how we can know who is teaching the same gospel Paul taught, and whether or not Jeremiah 1:5 supports the idea that we pre-existed in
Why Should We Pray If God Already Knows What’s Going to Happen?
Why Should We Pray If God Already Knows What’s Going to Happen?
#STRask
January 29, 2026
Questions about why we should pray if God already knows what’s going to happen, how the effectiveness of prayer is measured, and whether or not things
Who Wrote the Gospels? Michael Licona vs. Bart Ehrman - Part 2
Who Wrote the Gospels? Michael Licona vs. Bart Ehrman - Part 2
Risen Jesus
March 18, 2026
Did Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John write the gospels that bear their names? The texts themselves do not name them as the authors and were published and
An Invitation to the 2026 Coram Deo Pastors Conference
An Invitation to the 2026 Coram Deo Pastors Conference
Life and Books and Everything
February 18, 2026
"I love being a pastor, and I love pastors, which is why I hope you will consider joining us at the Coram Deo Pastors Conference in 2026." —Kevin DeYo
Isn’t the Covenant in Scripture Explicitly with Israel and Not the Gentile Nations?
Isn’t the Covenant in Scripture Explicitly with Israel and Not the Gentile Nations?
#STRask
March 12, 2026
Questions about what gives modern Christians confidence that they’ve inherited the Jews’ covenant with God if Scripture explicitly says it was with Is
Kingdom Priorities: Following the Teachings of Jesus
Kingdom Priorities: Following the Teachings of Jesus
Knight & Rose Show
February 14, 2026
Wintery Knight and Desert Rose discuss Jesus' teachings from the Gospels, emphasizing truth, evidence, self-denial, and forgiveness. They explore pass
How Do You Justify Calling Jesus the Messiah?
How Do You Justify Calling Jesus the Messiah?
#STRask
December 18, 2025
Questions about how one can justify calling Jesus the Messiah when he didn’t fulfill the Hebrew messianic prophecies, and whether the reason for the v
Can You Recommend Good Books with More In-Depth Information and Ideas?
Can You Recommend Good Books with More In-Depth Information and Ideas?
#STRask
January 22, 2026
Questions about good books on Christian apologetics, philosophy, and theology with more in-depth information and ideas, and resources to help an intel
Can Two Logical People Come to Conflicting Conclusions Without Committing a Fallacy?
Can Two Logical People Come to Conflicting Conclusions Without Committing a Fallacy?
#STRask
January 8, 2026
Questions about whether two logical people can come to conflicting conclusions on a topic without committing a fallacy, how Greg, as a public figure,
What Is the Role of the Holy Spirit in Our Lives if He Doesn’t Give Us Instructions?
What Is the Role of the Holy Spirit in Our Lives if He Doesn’t Give Us Instructions?
#STRask
February 23, 2026
Questions about the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, advice for someone who believes in God intellectually but struggles to understand how to hav
How Do We Advocate for Christian Policy Without Making the Government Interfere in Every Area of Life?
How Do We Advocate for Christian Policy Without Making the Government Interfere in Every Area of Life?
#STRask
November 20, 2025
Questions about how to advocate for Christian policy without making the government interfere in every area of life, and the differences between the mo
Is Greg Placing His Faith in the Wrong Thing?
Is Greg Placing His Faith in the Wrong Thing?
#STRask
February 12, 2026
Questions about Greg placing his faith in his personal assessment of which truth claims best match reality rather than in the revelation of God in Jes
How Would You Convince Someone That Evil Exists?
How Would You Convince Someone That Evil Exists?
#STRask
November 17, 2025
Questions about how to convince someone that evil exists, whether Charlie Kirk’s murder was part of God’s plan, whether that would mean the murderer d
Sense, Sensibility, and Adam Smith with Jan Van Vliet
Sense, Sensibility, and Adam Smith with Jan Van Vliet
Life and Books and Everything
February 16, 2026
This year is a special anniversary for the United States as Americans celebrate 250 years of independence. But 1776 was an important year in more ways
Life and Ministry in Charlotte and in the SBC with Clint Pressley
Life and Ministry in Charlotte and in the SBC with Clint Pressley
Life and Books and Everything
December 15, 2025
In a rare cultural anomaly that may never be repeated in our lifetimes, the current SBC President and current PCA Moderator live in the same neighborh