#STRask
Stand to Reason
Stand to Reason’s Greg Koukl and Amy Hall answer questions on ethics, theology, apologetics, and culture from a Christian perspective. Submit your questions on Twitter using the hashtag #STRask.
How Would You Respond to the Current Mainstream View of the Historical Jesus?
November 18, 2024
Questions about how to respond to the current mainstream view of the historical Jesus and the allegations that Jesus just ripped off material from ancient religions that preceded him. * How would you respond to the current mainstream view of the historical Jesus? * How should I respond to the al
How Do You Convince a Former Christian That Jesus Is God?
November 14, 2024
Questions about how to convince a former Christian that Jesus is God, whether Jesus’ human nature was created, and what the Bible means when it says Jesus is the firstborn. * How do you convince a former Christian that Jesus is God? * Is it wrong to describe Jesus’ human nature as created, and h
Do You Need to Forgive God?
November 11, 2024
Questions about whether we ever need to forgive God in order to heal our emotions, whether it’s unbiblical to tell someone he needs to forgive himself, why poor people were allowed to offer a flour sacrifice without blood, and whether it’s wrong to call out one another’s sins. * Is it true that s
What Progressive Christian Teachings Should I Look Out For?
November 7, 2024
Questions about what progressive Christian teachings one should look out for and whether John 16:12–13 provides justification for the views of progressive Christians. * I’ve been hearing about progressive Christianity and wondering what I should look for when it comes to unbiblical teaching. * S
How Do We Know Moses Interpreted His Experiences of God Correctly?
November 4, 2024
Questions about how we know the biblical authors (Moses, etc.) interpreted their subjective experiences of receiving revelation from God correctly as opposed to Mohammed or Joseph Smith and how to respond to the idea that we can have different truths and both be right. * All supposed revelation o
How Is Biblical Inspiration Different from Automatic Writing?
October 31, 2024
Questions about how biblical inspiration differs from automatic writing, whether or not we don’t know who wrote 74% of the New Testament, signing a man-made statement of faith, and how, if the Word of God is powerful, someone who taught it faithfully can go rogue theologically. * How is divine in
How Is God Just If So Many Wrongs Go Unpunished?
October 28, 2024
Questions about how God could be just if so many wrongs go unpunished, an objection to God punishing people in Hell, and whether God’s promise to meet all our needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus is referring to physical needs, spiritual needs, or both. * The cross only upholds justice b
Is the Principle of Double Effect Legitimate When It Comes to Abortion?
October 24, 2024
Questions about the legitimacy of the principle of double effect when it comes to abortion and saving the mother’s life, whether laws should protect the unborn baby at the expense of the mother’s life, laws for non-viable pregnancies, and changing pro-choice areas vs. leaving. * Is it just a cop-
What Biblical Principles Should Guide How We Vote?
October 21, 2024
Question about what biblical principles should guide how we vote. * What biblical principles should guide how we vote?
Should We Only Study the Truth in the Bible and Not Learn About Other Beliefs?
October 17, 2024
Questions about whether we should only study the truth in the Bible and not learn about other beliefs, whether the apologetics approach is contrary to the warning in 2 John 10, and the biggest change STR has seen in the types of questions asked over the years. * If people who are trained to ident
When Does a Human Receive a Soul?
October 14, 2024
Questions about when a human receives a soul and how to respond to someone who rejects science, reason, philosophy, and objective morality in her effort to defend abortion, saying that pro-lifers just want to control women. * When does a human receive a soul? In the zygote stage, the cells haven’
What if God Intended for My Child to Transition from a Girl to a Boy?
October 10, 2024
Questions about how to respond to someone who says that maybe God intended for her daughter to transition from a girl to a boy and how kids in a small youth group with a child who identifies as non-binary can navigate that situation with respect and allegiance to the Word of God. * How do I respo
How Do We Know if the Good Things We Experience Are the Result of God’s Actions?
October 7, 2024
Questions about how we know if the good things we experience are the result of God’s actions, whether something can be considered a miracle if it can be explained scientifically, and how to respond to atheists who are mocking a Christian’s prayers for rain. * Believers credit God for the good thi
How Would One Argue That a Particular Truth Is Self-Evident?
October 3, 2024
Questions about how one would argue that a particular truth is self-evident, the biblical justification for the claim of our Founding Fathers that God gave us the right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and the right to liberty vs. submitting to governing authorities. * How would one argue
Does the Bible Explicitly Forbid Premarital Sex?
September 30, 2024
Questions about whether the Bible explicitly forbids premarital sex and whether Song of Songs 2:4–6 promotes premarital sex. * How should I respond to someone who says the Bible never explicitly forbids premarital sex? * Does Song of Songs 2:4–6 promote premarital sex?
Do We Always Need to Make the Case that Christian Morality Is the Best Way to Live?
September 26, 2024
Questions about whether Christians can simply say that God’s moral requirements are a show of loyalty to him rather than argue they’re the best way to live, whether references to unforgivable sins contradict the idea that all our sins are forgiven, and praying for Satan. * Christians often try to
How Can I Help Someone Move Away from the Fact-Value Split?
September 23, 2024
Questions about how to help a friend move away from his belief that objective facts about religious issues, unlike scientific facts, are “just someone’s belief” and how to respond to an atheist who keeps dismissing every argument and demanding “verified” evidence. * How can I help a friend who th
What Do I Tell a Child Who Feels Guilty for Not Wanting to Read the Bible?
September 19, 2024
Questions about what to tell a child who feels guilty for not wanting to read the Bible because he finds it boring and confusing, what Bible was printed before King James published his version, and whether or not the original versions are available in English. * What do I tell a child who feels g
What Would You Say in a High School Graduation Speech?
September 16, 2024
Questions about what we would say in a high school graduation speech if given the opportunity, how to talk to talk about eternity with a six-year-old who is disturbed by the thought of Heaven never ending, and where Jesus is now if he has a body. * If you had the opportunity to give the high scho
If Holy People Are So Interested in Politics, Shouldn’t Churches Be Taxed?
September 12, 2024
Questions about whether churches ought to be taxed if holy people are so interested in politics and how to respond to the claim that conservative Christians changed their minds about slavery and segregation and will eventually also change their minds about LGBTQ+ rights. * They ought to tax churc
Why Think the Evidence for the Resurrection Is Strong if Saul Wasn’t Convinced by It?
September 9, 2024
Questions about why anyone should think the evidence for the resurrection is strong if Saul and the majority of first-century Jews found it insufficient, why Jesus came to to the Jews rather than another nationality, and how other nationalities came about through Noah. * Why should educated non-C
Where Did the Essence God Is Composed of Come From?
September 5, 2024
Questions about where the essence God is composed of came from, whether God has the same choices other beings have and could choose not to exist, and how to convince a non-believer God matters if he’s undetectable and a non-interventionist. * If things have to have a beginning, and God is somethi
Isn’t It Better to Do Good for Goodness’ Sake?
September 2, 2024
Questions about it being better to do good for goodness’ sake rather than to earn approval and avoid punishment and a good initial approach to take with someone who rejects God based on his “violent” and “oppressive” character in the Old Testament. * I want my children to do good for goodness’ sa
How Is Access to God in the New Covenant Different from the Old Covenant?
August 29, 2024
Questions about how access to God through Jesus in the New Covenant differs from access in the Old Covenant, whether the salvation of Gentiles is just a means to the end of making Israel jealous, and the idea that theology is only personal and contextual, not objective. * How is access to God throu
Your Religion Prohibits You, Not Me
August 26, 2024
Question about how to respond to a meme that says, “Your religion does not prohibit me from anything. It prohibits you. Learn the difference.” * How should I respond to a meme that says, “Your religion does not prohibit me from anything. It prohibits you. Learn the difference”?
Why Emphasize Evangelism When the Bible Only Mentions the Great Commission Four Times?
August 22, 2024
Questions about why evangelism is emphasized above other commands in the Bible, what to do when speaking the truth in love hurts someone’s feelings, and how to best love and share the gospel with a friend who rejects it because of bad experiences with Christians. * Why is it hammered into us that C
Is It Circular Reasoning to Say the Bible Is True Because God Says It’s True?
August 19, 2024
Questions about whether it’s circular reasoning to say the Bible is true because God says it’s true, how we can know when sarcasm or some other relevant tone is being used in the Bible, and whether tithing results in God’s faithful provision and financial blessings. * Is it circular reasoning to sa
God Didn’t Save Me from My Childhood Trauma
August 15, 2024
Questions about how to respond to someone who rejects God because he didn’t save her from her childhood trauma when she prayed for help and whether it’s wrong to respond to the psalm that says, “What can man do to me,” by thinking, “They can do a lot!” * Can you help me respond to someone who rejec
If God Commanded You to Kill a Baby, Would You Do It—Yes or No?
August 12, 2024
Question about whether or not we would kill a baby if God commanded us to do it. * If God commanded you to kill a baby, would you do it—yes or no?
Should Christians Make Use of the Concept of Meditation?
August 8, 2024
Questions about Christians making use of the concept of meditation, advice for discussions with panentheists, and how to not be discouraged when pastors don’t use apologetics when it would be the perfect time to do so. * How might Christians appropriately make use of the concept of meditation, or s
Is It Okay to Pray for the Destruction and Downfall of Our Enemies?
August 5, 2024
Questions about whether it’s okay to pray for the destruction and downfall of our enemies, how to reconcile the idea that God doesn’t tempt people with the fact that he led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted, and why believers need to ask forgiveness for their sins. * We use psalms in worship
Can I Be Acting on Godly Wisdom if My Choice Is Giving Me Deep Pain?
August 1, 2024
Questions about whether you can be acting on godly wisdom if your choice is giving you deep pain, how a combat vet who has difficulty going to church due to PTSD can find peace with who he is, and whether a Christian can be a public defender and represent criminals. * Can I be acting on godly wisdo
Is Humanity’s Justice Better Than God’s?
July 29, 2024
Questions about whether humanity’s justice is better than God’s, what to say to a Muslim who asks why God’s justice requires him to punish sin instead of just forgiving without punishment, and why so much blood, torture, and slaughter for Jesus. * God is not just. Humanity’s justice attempts to fit
Why Didn’t God Start Humanity Over Right Away by Destroying Adam and Eve?
July 25, 2024
Questions about why God didn’t start humanity over right away by destroying Adam and Eve instead of waiting for the flood, whether another fall will be possible in the new creation (and what that means for our free will), and why God didn’t make us “fall-proof” from the beginning. * Why didn’t God
What Does Boasting in Our Weaknesses Look Like?
July 22, 2024
Questions about what the Bible means by “boasting in our weaknesses” (2 Cor. 12:7–10), what it means to “sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts” (1 Pet. 3:13–15), and whether giving our lives to Christ means we can’t have other interests besides God. * What does the Bible mean by “boasting in our w
How Could God Kill All the Firstborn Babies in the Tenth Plague?
July 18, 2024
Questions about how God could kill all the firstborn babies in the tenth plague, how to respond to someone who says God committed genocide when he destroyed the earth during the flood, and whether God still creates calamity today as it says in Isaiah 45:7. * How could God kill all the firstborn bab
Does the Bible Say That Someday Everyone Will Worship God?
July 15, 2024
Questions about whether the Bible says that someday everyone in the world will worship God, the purpose of worshiping God, and whether it might be the case that God has created another universe where that creation also gives him glory. * Does it say anywhere in the Bible that someday everyone (all
Is Post-Mortem Salvation an Orthodox Doctrine?
July 11, 2024
Questions about whether post-mortem salvation is an orthodox doctrine, reconciling a verse about God removing our transgressions from us with verses about each of us having to give an account to God on judgment day, and how to recognize true conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit. * Is post-mortem re
Doesn’t Acts Argue That Not All Believers Receive the Holy Spirit?
July 8, 2024
Questions about why we should think the new believers in Acts 5:14 received the Holy Spirit when Acts seems to argue that not all believers necessarily receive the Spirit and whether “Holy Ghost” is a degrading term for the Holy Spirit. * Why should we think the new believers in Acts 5:14 received
How Can I Convince Someone They Shouldn’t Rely on AI to Find Truth?
July 4, 2024
Questions about how to show someone that relying on AI for answers is a flawed way of finding truth, the role personal testimony should play in apologetics, and whether it’s sinful to not be more like Ray Comfort when talking to people you might not see again. * How can I show someone that entirely
Should I Stick with My Decision if I Prayed About It Beforehand?
July 1, 2024
Questions about whether you should stick with a decision you made that didn’t work out as you hoped if you prayed about it beforehand and how you can know for sure if God is calling you to do something. * If a decision you made after much research and prayer didn’t work out as you hoped, is it okay
Won’t Jesus Only Be Able to Interact with One Person at a Time?
June 27, 2024
Questions about how being with Jesus continually will be the highlight of eternity if he’ll only be able to interact with one person at a time since he has a physical body and how a scholarly Jewish rabbi would defend his position that Jesus is not the Messiah. * It seems like being in Jesus’ prese
Was Jesus’ Death Really a Sacrifice if He Knew He Would Rise Again?
June 24, 2024
Questions about why God the Father required a sacrifice (and whether Jesus’ short-term death was really a sacrifice), whether Jesus’ disciples ever offered sacrifices at the temple, and what it means to say that sin causes separation from God if God is omnipresent. * Why did God the Father require
Why Weren’t the Israelites Explicitly Forbidden to Practice Polygamy?
June 20, 2024
Questions about how to reconcile the biblical model of marriage with polygamy in the Old Testament, why the Israelites weren’t explicitly forbidden to practice polygamy, and how we can gain wisdom from Solomon about marriage when he had 700 wives and 300 concubines. * How can we reconcile the bibli
What Should I Say to a Reformed Christian Who Dismisses Many Non-Believers as Lost Causes?
June 17, 2024
Questions about the best way to respond to someone who believes in double predestination and who dismisses many non-believers as lost causes and whether someone who believes they need faith plus works for salvation can still be saved by their faith. * What’s the best way to respond to someone in th
What Should I Say to a Reformed Christian Who Dismisses Many Non-Believers as Lost Causes?
June 13, 2024
Questions about the best way to respond to someone who believes in double predestination and who dismisses many non-believers as lost causes and whether someone who believes they need faith plus works for salvation can still be saved by their faith. * What’s the best way to respond to someone in th
Is Church Just a Man-Made Way to Control People?
June 10, 2024
Questions about what to say to someone who believes the Bible and church are man-made ways to control people who don’t want to think for themselves and how to respond to the claim that Christianity “might be true for you, but not for me.” * What do you say to an agnostic who believes the Bible and
Is It Okay to Cover a Coworker’s Shift so They Can Officiate a Same-Sex Wedding?
June 6, 2024
Questions about whether it would be wrong to knowingly cover a coworker’s shift so they can officiate a same-sex wedding and whether it’s okay for a Christian to work for a company whose work is transitioning to support gender identity, transgenderism, etc. * Would it be wrong to knowingly cover a
Can Christians Who Have Died Hear Our Requests for Prayer?
June 3, 2024
Questions about whether those in Heaven have a limited omniscience that enables them to hear our requests for them to pray for us, why Scripture comes before tradition for Protestants, and what people used for Scripture before Genesis was written. * If moral perfection is a communicable property gi
What Apologetics Strategies Can We Use with Agnostics?
May 30, 2024
Questions about apologetics strategies to use with an agnostic who says it’s pointless to worry about whether there is a God because we can’t know if he exists and whether it’s a bad strategy to debate things like miracle claims with someone who rejects them. * What apologetics strategies can we us
What Does a Personal Relationship with God Look Like on a Practical Level?
May 27, 2024
Questions about how to explain what a personal relationship with God looks like on a practical level and whether it’s okay to pray to Jesus and to the Holy Spirit. * How do I explain to my 20-year-old son what a personal relationship with God looks like on a practical level? * What are your though
What’s the Best Evidence for the Reliability of the Old Testament?
May 23, 2024
Questions about the best evidence for the reliability of the Old Testament, whether Greg subscribes to the idea of four independent Gospel accounts or two-source theory, and why the apostle Paul wrote so much of the New Testament. * What’s the best evidence for the historical reliability of the Old
Why Would You Say Evolution Has No Purpose?
May 20, 2024
Questions about the claim that evolution has no purpose and whether the fact that people who have aphantasia are unable to form mental images shows that the ability to picture something is based in chemistry rather than a soul. * Why would you say evolution has no purpose when it’s a fine-tuned pro
Are the Crusades Proof That Christians Are Evil?
May 16, 2024
Questions about how to respond to someone who says the Crusades are proof Christians are evil, the facts around the church burning people at the stake for saying the world is not the center of the universe, and whether that history damages the witness of the church. * How do you answer someone who
Is Matthew 23:23 an Argument for Social Justice?
May 13, 2024
Questions about how to respond to someone who uses Matthew 23:23 as an argument for social justice and what to say to a family member who argues that Christians are not being persecuted but are only losing their privilege. * How would you respond to someone who uses Matthew 23:23 as an argument for
Does the Bible Teach That Elijah Was Reincarnated as John the Baptist?
May 9, 2024
Questions about responding to someone who says the Bible teaches reincarnation when it says John the Baptist “is Elijah who was to come” in Matthew 11:14 and whether Matthew 24:36–44 is referring to the rapture. * How should I respond to someone who says the Bible teaches reincarnation in the verse
Do You Believe in the Clarity of Scripture?
May 6, 2024
Question about whether Stand to Reason accepts the doctrine of biblical perspicuity (the idea that the Bible is clear in what it teaches about essential doctrines). * Does Stand to Reason accept the doctrine of biblical perspicuity, and if so, how would it be verified or falsified?
Is an Embryo a Baby?
May 2, 2024
Questions about whether the fact that you can freeze an embryo but not a baby proves an embryo isn’t a baby and whether it would be wrong to use IVF with genetic testing to avoid carrying a baby with an inherited genetic disorder that always results in stillbirth. * Putting a baby in a freezer woul
How Will Jesus Sit at the Right Hand of God if He Is God?
April 29, 2024
Questions about what the Bible means when it says Jesus will sit at the right hand of God if Jesus is God and why the writers of the Synoptic Gospels didn’t write about Jesus claiming to be God. * If Jesus is God, what does the Bible mean when it says Jesus will sit at the right hand of God? * Why
How Should I Respond to Someone Who Is Word-Faith and Believes in a Second Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
April 25, 2024
Questions about how to respond to someone who is Word-Faith and believes in a second baptism of the Holy Spirit and what the Bible is saying about how we experience the Spirit when it says we know we’re in Christ because he has given us of his Spirit. * How should I respond to my sister who is Word
How Should a Dad Talk to His Children about Attending Their Mom’s Same-Sex Wedding?
April 22, 2024
Questions about how a dad should talk to his children about attending their mom’s same-sex wedding, how a veterinarian should respond if someone who suffers from species confusion asks for medical care, and how to manage anger when arguing for the lives of the unborn. * How should a dad talk to his
What Should I Do if I Don’t Know How to Respond to Someone’s Answer to My Question?
April 18, 2024
Questions about what to do when you don’t know how to respond to someone’s answer to your question and you feel unsafe in the conversation and how to go about witnessing to and discipling a transexual who is open to following Christ but has practical concerns. * How do I gracefully move from a posi
Before You Argue for God from the Existence of Evil, You Have to Prove Evil Exists
April 15, 2024
Questions about the need to prove evil exists before arguing for the existence of God from the existence of evil and what to say to an eleven-year-old boy who lost his dad and brother to a lightning strike that he survived. * Before you argue for God from the existence of evil, you have to prove th
Is It Okay to Be Part of a Music Ministry That’s Led by a Professing Mormon?
April 11, 2024
Questions about whether it’s okay to be part of a music ministry that’s led by a professing Mormon, whether a woman should date a man who isn’t as spiritual mature as she is or doesn’t take his faith as seriously, and the misuse of Matthew 5:38–42 to manipulate others. * Is it biblical for me to be
How Can I Stay Balanced in My Belief That God Is Always Good to His Children?
April 8, 2024
Questions about believing God is always good to his children while rejecting prosperity teaching, how God can be jealous if he is love and love is not jealous, and whether God changing his mind in Exodus 32 indicates he gained knowledge and is not all-knowing. * How can I maintain balance in my bel
Has Apologetics Had a Positive Effect on Our Culture?
April 4, 2024
Questions about whether apologetics has had a positive effect on people and our culture, whether the longtime privatization of our Christian faith has led to churches becoming apathetic to the culture, and C.S. Lewis and Francis Schaeffer book recommendations. * Do you believe apologetics has had a
How Can I Articulate the Beauty of the Christian Worldview in a Nutshell?
April 1, 2024
Questions about how to articulate the beauty of the Christian worldview in a nutshell and whether “separation of church and state” requires public school teachers to not reference the Bible and government employees to remove anything Bible related from their offices. * People are upset because a po
How Do I Know if I’m a Gardener or a Harvester?
March 28, 2024
Questions about how to know if we’re a “gardener” or a “harvester,” how to engage an apathetic person who says “I don’t know” to everything, and whether Christians are making an unfalsifiable claim and fruitlessly discussing something that can’t be proven or disproven. * How do I know if I’m a “gar
How Can I Start Conversations with Postmodernists about the Need for Repentance?
March 25, 2024
Questions about how to start conversations with postmodernists about the need for repentance and what question one can use to put a stone in the shoe of a Buddhist friend. * In a postmodern world, what tools can believers use to start a conversation about the need for repentance? * What question c
What Constitutes a Marriage?
March 21, 2024
Questions about what constitutes a marriage, at what point God considers a committed relationship to be a marriage, whether the freedom to pursue marriage is a natural right (and what restrictions would be inappropriate), and how to decline an invitation to an unbiblical wedding. * What constitutes
How Can I Reconcile Romans 6:12–14 with Romans 7:21–25?
March 18, 2024
Questions about how to reconcile Romans 6:12–14 (where Paul talks about victory over sins) with Romans 7:21–25 (where Paul bemoans sins he still commits) and why Paul uses the Mosaic Law as a starting point for moral instruction if believers aren’t under any part of the Law. * Please help me reconc
Is There Something I Can Do to Develop Love for Christ if I Am Emotionally Detached?
March 14, 2024
Questions about whether there is something a person can do to develop love for Christ if they are emotionally detached and whether one should stay in a church that is slowly drifting away from historic Christianity. * How is a person supposed to love Christ if they are emotionally detached? Is ther
Why Do Atheists Get Angry When I Bring up Belief in God?
March 11, 2024
Questions about why atheists get angry when someone brings up belief in God, how to reconcile God’s sovereignty and Satan being the prince of the world, and why the Lord’s Prayer says, “Lead us not into temptation,” when God would never lead us into temptation. * What is the source of the anger I e
Are We Only Interpreting the Bible This Way Because of Our Post-Enlightenment Way of Thinking?
March 7, 2024
Questions about whether we’re only interpreting the Bible according to authorial intent because of our post-Enlightenment way of thinking and whether Zephaniah 3:17 is being taken out of context when someone takes comfort in it. * How should I respond to someone who says, “The only reason you inter
How Can We Defend the Claim That Marriage Was Created by God?
March 4, 2024
Questions about how to defend the claim that marriage was created by God and what to say to someone who doesn’t want her daughter to grow up Christian because she thinks Christianity is harmful to women. * How can we defend the claim that marriage was created by God if marriage has been in non-Jude
Does the Existence of Evil Point to the Existence of Multiple Gods?
February 29, 2024
Questions about whether the existence of evil points to the existence of multiple gods and why God needs to slowly improve our character here on earth if he’s going to make every Christian sinless at the resurrection regardless of how long each one was a Christian. * Would the existence of multiple
How Can I Make Sure I Will Honestly Consider People’s Arguments?
February 26, 2024
Questions about how to make sure we will honestly consider people’s arguments and why God doesn’t give more evidence to the “non-resistant non-believers” who are seeking truth. * It’s frustrating when someone doesn’t seem to be honestly considering a persuasive argument. How can I make sure I don’t
What Advice Would You Give for Debating an Atheist?
February 22, 2024
Question about advice for debating an atheist. * If I were to debate an atheist one day, what advice would you give?
Can You Argue Straight from the Existence of Evil to the Existence of the Christian God?
February 19, 2024
Questions about whether one can argue from the existence of evil straight to the Christian God or if more arguments are required to get there and whether Abraham sacrificing Isaac would be considered a good action since God commanded it. * Does the existence of evil argue for the God of the Bible o
If Only Eve Had Eaten the Fruit, Would Sin Still Have Entered the World?
February 15, 2024
Questions about whether sin still would have entered the world if only Eve had eaten the fruit, the theological explanation for why Jesus did not inherit a sinful nature from Mary, and what the idea that nothing good can come from evil would mean for children born as a result of rape. * If only Eve
How Can I Evaluate Whether I’m Doing Enough for the Lord?
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 you didn’t tell someone the gospel before they died, and whether it’s okay for a Christian to use Latter-day Saint resources to do family research. *
How Do We Discern between Our Own Inner Voice and the Holy Spirit Telling Us What We’re Supposed to Say?
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, “it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you” at the right moment and whether Acts 11:17 indicates we can get in God’s way when he is speaking t
How Can We Apply the Bible to Our Lives if We’re Not Supposed to Read Our Circumstances into It?
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 respond to someone who says the Great Commission was given to the apostles and not to the church writ large (similar to how Jeremiah 29:11 was given to the
Is Christianity Really a Story of Reality?
February 1, 2024
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.
If We Can’t Impose a Moral Standard from One Period of Time on Another, How Does That Affect the Moral Argument?
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 someone who says she would never follow a God who killed his own son. * If you say we can’t impose a moral standard from one period of time on anothe
Does This Prove We Can’t Ground Objective Morality in God?
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 directly allowed genocide, slavery, and torture, then that means genocide, slavery, and torture are objectively good. * How would you address this ath
How Concerned Should I Be about My Spouse Believing in Annihilationism?
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 doctrine with those who take strong stands on their distinctives. * My wife has changed her view on Hell to annihilationism, and I feel betrayed and worri
Do These Verses Support the Idea That Everyone Will Be Saved?
January 18, 2024
Question about whether Romans 5:18, 1 Corinthians 15:22, and 1 John 2:2 support the idea that everyone will be saved (universalism) as a New York Times opinion piece by David Bentley Hart claims. * Do Romans 5:18, 1 Corinthians 15:22, and 1 John 2:2 support universalism (i.e., the idea that everyon
Is Consent to Sex Consent to Pregnancy?
January 15, 2024
Questions about how to respond to the claim that consent to sex is not consent to pregnancy and what to say to a Christian who argues that the law should give women a choice about abortion because God allows us to have free will and doesn’t force us to follow his commands. * How would you respond t
Should I Stop Telling People That Attempting to Speak to Ancestors Is Demonic?
January 11, 2024
Questions about how to respond to someone who says we should stop saying that attempting to speak to ancestors is demonic, how to answer a Sikh who doesn’t understand why a Christian wouldn’t marry a non-Christian, and a response to the claim “God is not out there; he is in here.” * How would you r
Should I Provide My Preferred Pronouns When Asked by a Judge During Jury Duty?
January 8, 2024
Questions about whether we should provide our preferred pronouns during jury duty when a judge asks for them and how to respond to a Christian who says it’s kind to use a person’s preferred pronouns and that not using them is unkind, unloving, and judgmental. * When a judge asks me to provide my pr
Is Romans 14 Saying That Christians Can Just Make up Their Own Rules?
January 4, 2024
Questions about whether the Christian liberty described in Romans 14 is the same thing as making up our own rules, weaker and stronger Christians in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8, and the claim that once a person accepts Jesus as Savior, he is redeemed and no longer a sinner. * How can we explain t
Was Moses Wrong for Giving a Law That Regulated Something God Hates?
January 1, 2024
Questions about whether Jesus thought Moses was wrong for giving a law to accommodate the hard hearts of the people, whether our civil laws should reflect the ideal or take into account man’s brokenness, and how to counsel someone who has “lost his joy in the Lord” because of sin. * In Mark 10:2–9,
Should Feelings Have Any Epistemological Weight in Our Decision Making?
December 28, 2023
Questions about whether feelings should have any epistemological weight in our decision making and how to interpret several verses in Acts in light of Greg’s views on being led by the Spirit. * Should feelings have any epistemological weight in our decision making? For example, should a pastoral ca
How Should I Respond to a Formerly Muslim Friend Who Is Unwilling to Pay the Price for Becoming a Christian?
December 21, 2023
Questions about how to respond to a formerly Muslim friend who is unwilling to pay the price for becoming a Christian and doesn’t want to respond to challenges or discuss differences and whether Acts 17:23 implies that people who never hear the gospel will be judged differently. * How should I resp
What Questions Should I Ask Someone Who Claims He Only Believes in Things He Can See?
December 18, 2023
Questions about what to ask a strict empiricist who claims he only believes in things he can see, the purpose behind God making people with senses that can’t find him, and thoughts on whether a particular way of introducing the topic of objective truth is adequate. * What questions should I ask som
Should I Call a Man’s Partner His Husband if They’re Legally Married?
December 14, 2023
Questions about whether we should call a man’s partner his husband if they’re legally married and whether it’s appropriate to remove kids from a middle school youth group where a male high schooler who has socially transitioned to female is serving. * What are your thoughts on calling a man’s partn
Why Didn’t Anyone Besides Matthew Mention the Resurrection of Multiple People after the Crucifixion?
December 11, 2023
Questions about why no one besides Matthew mentioned the resurrection of multiple people after the crucifixion, whether there were rainbows before Noah, and why Jesus told the restored demon-possessed man to tell people about his healing but commanded the formerly deaf man not to tell anyone. * Why
What Is the Hardest Aspect of Christianity to Defend?
December 7, 2023
Question about the hardest aspect of Christianity to defend. * What is the hardest aspect of Christianity to defend?
Does Jeremiah 10:1–5 Speak against Having a Christmas Tree?
December 4, 2023
Questions about whether Jeremiah 10:1–5 speaks against having a Christmas tree, whether celebrating Christmas is extra-biblical and we should be celebrating Israelite feasts and festivals instead, and why Zechariah was was disciplined for questioning the message he received from an angel but Mary wa
How Would Persecuted Christians Have Understood Psalms Promising Protection and Rescue?
November 30, 2023
Questions about how persecuted Christians would have understood Psalms promising protection and rescue, whether it’s a contradiction for Jesus to say that some will be put to death but also that not a hair of your head will perish, and whether the Bible has been added to throughout the years. * How
My Teenage Daughter Walked Away from God Because He Didn’t Answer Her Prayers for Help
November 27, 2023
Question about how to respond to a teenage daughter who walked away from God because she cried out to him for years and he didn’t answer, and because she didn’t feel any different after accepting Christ as her Savior. * How should I respond to my teenage daughter who walked away from God because sh
Are Christians Who Continue to Sin Hypocrites?
November 23, 2023
Questions about sins of action vs. sinful character flaws and whether continued sin makes Christians hypocrites, whether Ananias and Sapphira were saved, and whether Christians aren’t practicing what they believe if they’re spending time and money doing anything but evangelize. * What’s the differe
Is It Possible Jesus Has Already Come?
November 20, 2023
Questions about whether it’s possible Jesus has already come in a fashion similar to Elijah coming as John the Baptist, whether Jesus was an apocalyptic prophet who was wrong about the kingdom coming in his disciples’ lifetime, and what part Jesus’ resurrection plays in salvation. * Is it possible
Are We Limiting God by Putting Him in the “Box” of Scripture?
November 16, 2023
Questions about whether we’re limiting God by putting him in the “box” of the 66 books of Scripture and how to respond to someone who continually talks about missing verses in the Bible and the idea that the Bible is owned by a corporation and isn’t trustworthy. * How would you respond to someone w
What Is the Christian View of Surrogacy?
November 13, 2023
Question about how Christians should view surrogacy. * My sister is considering surrogacy, and it makes me feel uncomfortable as I don’t know what God’s stance would be. What is the Christian view of surrogacy?
Are We Responsible for Enjoying Prayer, Worship, and Bible Reading?
November 9, 2023
Questions about whether we’re responsible for enjoying prayer, worship, and Bible reading or it’s up to God to ignite those joys in us and whether sharing about things that cause grief, pain, or discontent is a form of complaining. * Are we responsible for enjoying prayer, worship, and reading the
How Can I Start a Conversation with the Jehovah’s Witnesses I See around Town?
November 6, 2023
Questions about how to start up a conversation with Jehovah’s Witnesses who are handing out information at temporary kiosks around town, witnessing to New Age siblings who misquote the Bible and Jesus, and non-Christians who are experiencing answered prayers or prophetic dreams. * Do you have any a
What Is the Biblical Definition of God’s Wrath?
November 2, 2023
Questions about the biblical definition of God’s wrath and how Christians can process the heartbreaking idea of decent Jewish people going to Hell because they don’t have Christ. * Many people think of wrath as blinding, uncontrolled rage leading to violence or as one of the seven deadly sins, so w
What if Two Men Who Are Legally Married Choose to Follow Christ?
October 30, 2023
Questions about whether two men who are legally married and have an adopted daughter should divorce and break up their family if they choose to follow Christ and how Christians can be compassionate on topics like homosexuality, abortion, and other religions. * If two men who are legally married and
Why Does It Matter Which Higher Power Someone Believes In?
October 26, 2023
Questions about what to say to a Christian who doesn’t think it matters which higher power a person believes in, how to help friends see they’re attending an unhelpful or heretical church, whether it’s wrong to wish a dead loved one happy birthday, and when to leave a parachurch organization over th
Should God Be Held Morally Accountable for Knowingly Creating a World Where People Would Sin?
October 23, 2023
Questions about whether we should hold God morally accountable for knowingly creating a world where people would sin, whether the crucifixion of Jesus was God’s way of taking some personal responsbility for his part in bringing about sin through creation, and why God creates people he knows will go
Is God Good?
October 19, 2023
Questions about how to respond to teens who are asking whether God is good, a good way to respond to coworkers who joke that they would burst into flames if they entered a church, how to engage with an apathetic person, and evangelism tips for a high school freshman who has non-Christian friends. *
Why Can We Euthanize Pets but Not People?
October 16, 2023
Questions about why we can euthanize pets to end their suffering but we can’t do the same for people, how to talk to a six-year-old about biblical marriage when she’s been told same-sex marriage is okay, and thoughts on the phrase “biological sex.” * What is the biblical position on euthanizing pet
There’s No Such Thing as an Atheist Argument
October 12, 2023
Questions about whether there’s such a thing as an atheist argument, whether one can ask a nonbeliever to prove a negative, and how to respond to an atheist who says morality is determined by consensus in a society and may change over time. * There’s no such thing as an atheist argument. We don’t h
How Do We Know the Universe Isn’t Eternal?
October 9, 2023
Questions about how we know the universe isn’t eternal and whether there are theological implications to evolution being true or false. * If you think God wasn’t created and is eternal by nature, how do we know the universe isn’t eternal by nature and men just created God because they were struggli
They’re Only Christians Because They Were Indoctrinated at a Young Age
October 5, 2023
Questions about whether most Christians are only Christians because they were indoctrinated at a young age, whether getting pregnant out of wedlock was “just God’s plan,” underlining text in books, and whether we should always find something new in the Bible when we read it. * How would you respond
What if We Can’t Agree on the Definition of “Faith”?
October 2, 2023
Questions about how to navigate a conversation with someone who insists “faith” is not based on proof, how to use apologetics without sounding like you’re avoiding the question being asked, and how to respond to the statement “Certainty is a sin” logically and tactically. * How do I navigate a conv
Can We Conclude from John 10 That Jesus Speaks to Us Today?
September 28, 2023
Questions about whether we can conclude from John 10 that Jesus speaks to us today, whether 1 Samuel 3 means we have to learn to hear God’s voice, and how to respond to someone who says God communicated a message to him when he saw clouds cover the moon and then dissipate. * Can we conclude from Jo
Does Matthew 19:27–29 Incentivize Leaving Your Spouse to Do Ministry Work?
September 25, 2023
Questions about what to do about a friend who is actively serving in his church but is living with a married woman and says he has peace about it and whether Matthew 19:27–29 incentivizes leaving your spouse if you feel “called” for the kingdom. * What should I do about a friend who is actively ser
How to Use Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges
September 21, 2023
Greg and Amy chat about Greg’s new book, Street Smarts: Using Questions to Answer Christianity’s Toughest Challenges, discussing the goal of the book, how this new material differs from and adds to the original Tactics book, how using tactics will help you have clearer, more personalized conversatio
Do Atheists Read the Bible More Literally Than Christians?
September 18, 2023
Questions about whether atheists read the Bible more literally than Christians because they don’t have to make up excuses for what it says and how to make a case for the attributes of God by arguing from cosmology rather than the Bible. * How would you respond to an atheist who says nobody reads th
What if Someone Uses the Columbo Tactic against Us?
September 14, 2023
Questions about what to do if someone uses the Columbo tactic against you, why some Christians say that only some doctrines matter and should be defended, and whether the extent to which one spends time and resources looking for answers to apologetics questions can become wrong. * What should we do
What Are Your Thoughts on Aliens?
September 11, 2023
Questions about whether the aliens people encounter are really evil spirits, whether the supposed biological pieces of crashed UFO pilots could be biological evidence of demons or angels, and what impact true evidence of aliens would have on the faith of Christians. * What are your thoughts on alie
Should Christians Really Be so Concerned about Homosexuality, Abortion, and Science?
September 7, 2023
Questions about whether Christians should really be so concerned about homosexuality, abortion, and science when Jesus doesn’t seem to care about those things and thoughts on AI leading a congregation in prayer or giving a sermon. * Are gays, abortion, and science really the foremost concerns of Ch
How Do We Know the Protestant Canon of Scripture Is the Correct One?
September 4, 2023
Questions about how we know the Protestant canon of Scripture is the correct one, how we can know the New Testament books are inspired if we don’t know who the authors were, and how to talk to a friend who denies Paul’s apostleship and writings. * How do we know the Protestant canon of Scripture co
What Should I Do When People I’m Teaching Don’t find Apologetics Interesting or Relevant?
August 31, 2023
Questions about what to do when the people you’re teaching don’t find apologetics interesting or relevant, resting one’s faith on experience vs. objective evidence, and an elevator speech answer to the question “What do you believe, and why do you believe it?” * What should I do when the people I’m
Judging Hurts People, so It’s Okay for Me to Judge You for Judging
August 28, 2023
Questions about how to respond to the claim that it’s okay to judge someone who is hurting another person by judging them and good ways to respond to the claim that we are just animals. * How should I respond to someone who claims it’s okay to judge me because I’m hurting another person by judging
Is There Anything in the Gospel of John That a Mormon Might Object To?
August 24, 2023
Question about whether there’s anything in the Gospel of John that a Bible study leader should be prepared to discuss with a Mormon who is interested in attending the study. * Is there anything in the Gospel of John that I should be prepared to discuss with a Mormon who is interested in attending m
Wouldn’t a True Christian Refuse to Leave People Behind in Hell?
August 21, 2023
Questions about whether the fast rate at which Christianity spread is evidence it’s true, whether a true, loving Christian would refuse to leave people behind in Hell by accepting Heaven, and challenging someone who favors religions that pre-date Christianity because they’re older. * If the fast ra
Should the Bible Be Removed from Public Schools under a Law Prohibiting Indecent Material?
August 10, 2023
Questions about a public school library that wants to remove the Bible because of a state law prohibiting “pornographic or indecent material,” what to tell children who ask if art pieces that contain nude figures are inappropriate, and whether it’s inappropriate to pray in the shower or bathroom. *
Why Did God Command Israel Not to Eat Pigs?
August 7, 2023
Questions about why God commanded Israel not to eat pigs if it wasn’t an issue of morality and why Jesus said his yoke is easy and his burden is light when we know how difficult it is to take up our cross and fight our sin. * If the Old Covenant law forbidding the eating of pigs wasn’t a matter of
How Does Grounding Morality in God’s Nature Solve the Euthyphro Dilemma?
August 3, 2023
Questions about how grounding morality in God’s nature solves the Euthyphro dilemma and whether we only have moral values because our culture has learned over time what does and does not benefit society. * How does grounding morality in God’s nature solve the Euthyphro dilemma? * How would you res
Does Someone’s Lack of a Near-Death Experience Prove There’s No Afterlife?
July 31, 2023
Questions about how to proceed with someone who isn’t sure what she’s unsure of about Christianity, whether not having a near-death experience proves there’s no life after death, why Jesus is waiting so long to return, and whether it’s shameful for a boy to have long hair. * How should I proceed wi
Are Humans Flawed Because of God’s Lack of Power?
July 27, 2023
Questions about how to respond to someone who says he believes God made humans flawed as a result of his lack of power and why worship is good for us. * How would you respond to someone who says he believes God made humans flawed as a result of his lack of power? * Can you explain why worship is g
Is It Okay to Attend a Pride-Themed Happy Hour at Work?
July 24, 2023
Questions about the acceptability of attending a Pride-themed happy hour at work and how to respond to two phrases heard at a Pride event: “Love is love” and “We’re here to be with ‘family.’” * Would attending “Pride Month Happy Hour” at work be more like dining with sinners (something I should do)
Columbo Questions for Someone Who Says He’s Spiritual but Not Religious
July 20, 2023
Questions about how to use Columbo questions with someone who is nonreligious but “spiritual,” what to say to someone who “followed Jesus out of the church” and now doesn’t believe spiritual truth is knowable, and how to respond to health and wealth preaching. * How would you use Columbo questions
Why Are We Supposed to Love as God Loves but Not Condemn as He Condemns?
July 17, 2023
Questions about why we’re supposed to love as God loves but not condemn as he condemns, whether Jesus would have issued a command like 1 Samuel 15:3, whether it would be kinder to not tell people the gospel so they can be judged by their hearts and works, and why God destroyed the world in the flood
Will All Religions One Day Be Proven Wrong by Science?
July 13, 2023
Questions about how to respond to the claim that “all faith-based religions will one day be proven wrong by science” and whether or not students will continue to show up to youth group if you start training them by role-playing objections against the faith. * How would you respond to the claim that
Is It Wrong for Pro-Lifers to Get Between a Woman and Her Doctor?
July 10, 2023
Questions about ways to respond to the pro-choice slogan about “not getting between a woman and her doctor,” how we can blame a woman who aborts her own child if God is sovereign over miscarriage, and how to reconcile Psalm 139:13–16 with congenital disorders in babies. * What are some good ways to
If I’m Scared of Death, Does That Mean I’m Not a True Christian?
July 6, 2023
Questions about the difference between trusting your heart and trusting your human faculties to evaluate evidence, whether having a fear of death means you’re not a true Christian, and whether believers will spend eternity with the Lord on the new earth rather than in Heaven. * What’s the differenc
Is It a Bad Sign if a Church Says the Bible Is Inerrant “in the Original Manuscripts”?
July 3, 2023
Questions about whether it’s a bad sign when a church’s statement of faith says they believe the Bible is inerrant “in the original manuscripts,” how the Gospel of Mark can be inerrant if someone else added 16:9–20, and whether the Gospels were meant to be complementary. * Is it a red flag when a c
No Rules for Christians Other Than to Love God and Love Others?
June 29, 2023
Questions about how to answer someone who says Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law means that loving God and loving others are the only rules Christians have to follow and fulfilled prophecies in the Bible. * How would you answer someone who says Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law means there are no rules Chr
How Should I Respond to Those Who Claim God Told Them to Do Something?
June 26, 2023
Questions about the best way to tactically and tactfully respond to those who claim God told them to do something and how to get one’s emotions under control when talking to a friend who joined a heretical group that preaches another gospel about her false doctrines. * What’s the best way to tactic
Is It Okay to Pray with a Christian Who Believes His Words Create Things?
June 22, 2023
Questions about whether it’s okay to pray with a Christian who believes his words create things and how to be sure we don’t cross the line into performing sympathetic magic when engaging in spiritual warfare. * Would you have a problem praying with a Christian who believes his words create/manifest
Why Does God Require Sacrifice after Sin?
June 19, 2023
Questions about why God requires sacrifice after sin, why God had to adhere to sin’s death penalty such that he had to devise a plan of substitutionary atonement, and how we’re able to grieve the Holy Spirit with our sin if God doesn’t see our sin. * Why does God require sacrifice after sin, and is
Is Abortion Just a Culture-War Issue, Not a Biblical One?
June 15, 2023
Questions about how to respond to the pro-choice objections that unborn babies have no rights, that abortion is not a black or white issue, that other people having abortions won’t affect your life personally, and that abortion is a culture-war issue, not a biblical one. * How would you respond to
Anyone Worthy of Worship Wouldn’t Want It
June 12, 2023
Questions about how to respond to the idea that anyone worthy of worship wouldn’t want it and anyone requiring worship doesn’t deserve it and whether it’s appropriate to do good deeds with the intent of earning a reward in Heaven. * How would you respond to the idea that anyone worthy of worship wo
How Do I Begin My Journey to Become an Apologist?
June 8, 2023
Questions about how to begin one’s journey to become an apologist and whether, in light of Jesus driving people who were buying and selling out of the temple in Matthew 21:12, it’s okay for speakers to sell their books in churches. * How do I begin my journey to become an apologist? * In light of
How Can God Not Know What He’s Chosen Not to Know?
June 5, 2023
Questions about whether the view that Jesus didn’t know the time of his return because he limited his omniscience is the same as Open Theism, when Jesus became aware he was the Son of God, and whether Jesus wants to be “served.” * Is the view that Jesus didn’t know the time of his return because h
How Would You Explain God’s Omnipresence to a Six-Year-Old?
June 1, 2023
Questions about how to explain God’s omnipresence to a six-year-old, how it could make sense for God to identify as male if the definition of “male” is rooted in biology, why the thief’s statement to Jesus on the cross got him into the kingdom, and a program for teaching logic. * How would you expl
Why Would God Harden Pharaoh’s Heart against the Israelites?
May 29, 2023
Questions about why God would harden Pharaoh’s heart against the Israelites and how to reconcile what modern science says about human nature being inherently good with the Bible’s claim that we’re born inherently evil. * Why would God harden Pharaoh’s heart against the Israelites? * Is there a way
Would the Gospel Be Good News if Hell Didn’t Exist?
May 25, 2023
Questions about whether the gospel would be good news if Hell didn’t exist and what to say to someone who responds to evidence for Christianity by saying, “The Bible’s bad for society,” and doesn’t seem to be interested in the evidence. * Would the gospel be good news if Hell didn’t exist? * What
What Questions Could I Ask Someone Who Doesn’t Seem to Have True, Saving Faith?
May 22, 2023
Questions about what questions to ask someone who claims to be a Christian but doesn’t seem to have true, saving faith and when to stop trying to convince someone who denies some essentials of the faith that he needs to be saved. * What questions could I ask someone who seemingly has a said faith
Is Genesis 1–11 Historical or Mytho-History?
May 18, 2023
Questions about whether Genesis 1–11 is historical or mytho-history, why Jesus referenced people “we know never existed” like Adam and Eve, Noah, and Moses, and whether there’s a method by which we can establish which things we can agree to disagree on. * Is Genesis 1–11 historical or mytho-history
Does Numbers 12:6–9 Indicate God Doesn’t Always Speak Clearly?
May 15, 2023
Questions about whether Numbers 12:6–9 indicates that people don’t always hear God clearly when he is speaking and how one should approach the staff of a Christian school that’s promoting mindful meditation and teaching “how to hear from God” using mystical methods. * Does Numbers 12:6–9 indicate t
In What Way Has Jesus Overcome the World if There’s Still Suffering and Sin Here?
May 11, 2023
Questions about in what way Jesus has “overcome the world” (John 16:33) if we still have tribulation, suffering, and moral decay here and whether John’s falling in fear at Jesus’ feet in Revelation 1:13–18 indicates Jesus severed his personal, earthly relationship with John. * In what way has Jesus
How Can Romans 13:3 Be True When Some Governments Persecute Christians?
May 8, 2023
Questions about how Romans 13:3 can be true when some governments imprison and kill Christians and whether it’s better for high schoolers to go to a Christian school with hypocritical Christians or a public school where people reinforce an ungodly worldview. * How can Romans 13:3 be true when some
How Can I Explain the Trinity to a Muslim?
May 4, 2023
Questions about how to explain the Trinity to a Muslim in a way that helps him understand the oneness of God, whether one could say the Trinity is similar to a person who has multiple personalities, and whether God ever demonstrates the virtues of hope and thankfulness. * How can I explain the Tri
Why Didn’t Jesus Fully Heal the Blind Man the First Time He Laid Hands on Him?
May 1, 2023
Question about the greater message Jesus meant to convey when he healed the blind man at Bethsaida in two stages in Mark 8:22–26. * What greater message did Jesus mean to convey when he healed the blind man at Bethsaida in two stages in Mark 8:22–26?
Why Do You Need to Work so Hard to Defend Christianity if It’s True?
April 27, 2023
Questions from non-believers about why we need to work so hard to defend Christianity if it’s true, whether we’re just pushing the truth we chose on others while keeping them from evaluating it, and how many other gods we ruled out when determining Christ is the one true God. * Why would you need t
STR Ruined the Experience of Corporate Prayer for Me
April 24, 2023
Questions about how to handle being aware of people misusing Scripture or misunderstanding how God works during corporate prayer, whether Jesus’ followers would have understood his references to the cross and being crucified, and whether it’s sinful to debate extra-biblical speculations. * When pra
If Abortion Is Murder, Then Is Miscarriage Manslaughter?
April 20, 2023
Questions about whether miscarriage is manslaughter, the implications of removing explicit pro-transgender books from the children’s section of a library, and responding to an evolutionist who rejects Jesus because believing in creation would “add incoherence to the universe.” * If abortion is leg
Could God Reach a Second-Century Shinto Monk Who Desired Redemption?
April 17, 2023
Questions about whether God could reach a second-century Shinto monk who desired redemption and whether it’s possible for someone to put their faith in Jesus for salvation but not have eternal life because they weren’t chosen. * Could God reach a second-century Shinto monk who was dissatisfied with
Are Homosexuals Harder to Reach with the Gospel?
April 13, 2023
Questions about how to respond to a friend who says she doesn’t like the God of the Old Testament and is glad she has Jesus who forgives and whether Romans 1:26–28 indicates homosexuals are harder to reach with the gospel. * How would you respond to a friend who says she doesn’t like the God of the
How Do I Show Someone That Not Every Spirit Being Is Good?
April 10, 2023
Questions about how to show someone who thinks any spirit being is good that only Jesus is good and whether inner healing prayer is biblical. * How would you show someone who thinks any spirit being is good that only Jesus is good? * Is inner healing prayer biblical?
Why Should We Try to Understand the Author’s Intent When Interpreting the Bible?
April 6, 2023
Questions about how to argue in favor of an “authorial intent” hermeneutic and why we don’t see more demon-possessed people today. * How would you argue in favor of an “authorial intent” hermeneutic as opposed to others? * Why don’t we see more demon-possessed people today?
Am I at Risk of Losing My Salvation?
April 3, 2023
Question about whether a person is at risk of losing her salvation if she repents daily from various eating disorders but still sins daily. * Am I at risk of losing my salvation if I repent daily from my various eating disorders but still sin daily?
Is God More Likely to Answer Prayer if More People Pray?
March 30, 2023
Questions about whether God is more likely to answer prayer if more people pray, whether it’s biblical for a Christian to say he can “feel” someone’s prayers for him, and whether prayer is more effective if one prays at the particular time the event being prayed about is occurring. * Is God more li
What if They Think Christianity Is True, but They’re Apathetic about Becoming Christians?
March 27, 2023
Questions about what to say to coworkers who are convinced Christianity is factually true but are apathetic about actually becoming Christians and arguments for those with a Reformed view who think apologetics isn’t necessary and is a waste of time. * How do I do apologetics evangelistically, parti
How Does Adding an Adjective to the Word “Justice” Corrupt It?
March 23, 2023
Questions about why Greg says that adding any adjective to the word “justice” corrupts it, whether a Christian should consider accepting an invitation to join the DEI committee at their workplace, and how a Christian can best serve as a DEI committee member. * What do you mean when you say, “Whenev
A God Who Told Me to Kill My Son Would Not Be the God for Me
March 20, 2023
Questions about how people can praise Abraham for being willing to kill Isaac when God told him to and whether that account of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 contradicts the idea that God won’t tell you to do anything that goes against his commands in Scripture. * How can people praise Abraham fo
Does Hebrews 1:5 Indicate Jesus Was Created?
March 16, 2023
Questions about whether Hebrews 1:5 indicates Jesus was created and the difference between the sinful way of testing God (e.g. Matthew 4:5–7) and the right way of testing him (e.g., Psalm 34:8 and John 7:17). * How should I respond to a Jehovah’s Witness who points to Hebrews 1:5 (“I have become yo
When Atheists Say, “That’s Not Evidence”
March 13, 2023
Questions about how to reply when atheists respond to the evidence you offer by saying, “That’s not evidence,” and how Christians can say we have free will to choose God when we’re threatened with Hell if we don’t choose God. * How should I reply to atheists who respond to any evidence I offer by s
What Should I Say to Someone Who Claims to Be a Christian but Doesn’t Live Like It?
March 9, 2023
Questions about how to talk to someone who claims to be a Christian, but doesn’t live like it, without pushing her away and what a church should do about a “married” LGBTQ couple that’s been attending. * How can I talk to my cousin, who claims to be a Christian but doesn’t live like it, without pus
What’s the Best Way to Talk to Mormon Missionaries about Their View of Baptism?
March 6, 2023
Questions about the best way to talk to Mormon missionaries about their view of baptism and their belief that only they have the authority to baptize. * What’s the best way to talk to Mormon missionaries about their view of baptism and their belief that only they have the authority to baptize?
What Should Christians Think about the Death Penalty?
March 2, 2023
Questions about what Christians should think about the death penalty, how it can be moral if it’s not applied fairly across people groups, whether Matthew 6:25–34 is a promise given to all believers, and whether we should pray for friends who have died and were not believers. * What should Christia
Is Deconversion Grounds for Divorce?
February 27, 2023
Questions about whether deconversion is grounds for divorce, why non-Christians misuse the Lord’s name, whether the sower in the parable deliberately sowed seed upon the hard ground and into thorns and weeds, and the meaning of the parable of the foolish virgins. * If a spouse deconverts, is that g
Why Do Some New Testament Passages about Salvation Ignore Faith and Focus on Works?
February 23, 2023
Questions about why some passages about salvation in the New Testament (e.g., Matthew 25:31–46) seem to focus on works rather than trust in Jesus and whether the symmetry between Adam and Jesus described in Romans 5 indicates everyone will be saved from Hell. * Why are there so many passages in the
How Do You Know You’re Not a Man Trapped in a Woman’s Mind?
February 20, 2023
Questions about whether there’s any issue with responding to “I’m a woman trapped in a man’s body” with “How do you know you’re not a man trapped in a woman’s mind” and how to respond to a meme that says God makes transsexuals so they can share in the act of creation. * Is there any issue with resp
Are Christians Not Supposed to Judge?
February 16, 2023
Questions about a response to the claim that Christians are not supposed to judge, what John 7:24 means when it says we are to “judge with righteous judgment,” and advice about how to choose between a few different ministry job offers. * Can you give a response to the claim that Christians are not
Why Should I Thank God for Fixing a World of Pain and Sin That He Created?
February 13, 2023
Questions about why we should love and thank God for creating a world where pain and sin exist and then fixing it by sending his son. * Why should I love and thank God for creating a world where pain and sin exist and then fixing it by sending his son?
Is Debating Atheists in Chat Rooms a Worthy Endeavor?
February 9, 2023
Questions about whether spending time defending Christianity in chat rooms where atheists and Christians debate is a worthy endeavor and whether it’s better to choose a church you agree with theologically or one that provides community. * Is spending time defending Christianity in chat rooms where
Was There an Eternal Singularity before Time Began?
February 6, 2023
Question about how to respond to someone who says the laws of causality and logic depend on time, that there was an eternal singularity, and time and logic only began at the Big Bang. * How would you respond to someone who says the laws of causality and logic depend on time, that there was an etern
How Should I Interact with Someone Who Wants Sound-Bite Answers?
February 2, 2023
Questions about why God expects us to be perfectly moral if he doesn’t expect us to be omnipresent, omniscient, or omnipotent and tips for interacting with someone who asks a lot of questions but then wants a sound-bite answer. * If God doesn’t expect us to be omnipresent, omniscient, or omnipotent
“If Jesus Didn’t Come to Condemn the World, I Doubt He Sent You To”
January 30, 2023
Questions about how to respond to a meme that says, “If Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world, I doubt he sent you to,” and whether it’s common for God to prepare us for a specific purpose that never actually happens. * How would you respond to the meme stating, “If Jesus didn’t come to condemn th
How Much Influence Can Demons Have on Our Lives?
January 26, 2023
Questions about the biblical approach to deciding if eating meat is ethical and how much influence demons can have on our lives. * What’s the biblical approach to deciding if eating meat is ethical? * How much influence can demons have on our lives?
Is the Bible Merely Unreliable Translations Written by Men?
January 23, 2023
Question about how to respond to someone who dismisses the Bible’s divine authority on the grounds that it was “written by mere men” and “is a bunch of unreliable translations of translations of translations.” * How would you respond to someone who dismissed the Bible’s divine authority on the gro
Do Imprecatory Prayers Violate New Testament Commands?
January 19, 2023
Question about whether praying an imprecatory prayer like Psalm 5 today would violate the New Testament commands to “put aside all anger,” to “forgive or you won’t be forgiven,” and to “bless and not curse.” * If imprecatory prayers like Psalm 5 are allowable today, how does that square with the c
If God Is Love, Why Did He Kill so Many People in the Old Testament?
January 16, 2023
Question about why God killed so many people in the Old Testament if he’s a God of love. * If God is love, why did he kill so many people in the Old Testament?
If Christianity Had a Goddess to Worship, I Might Consider It
January 12, 2023
Questions about how to respond to someone who says she would only consider Christianity if it weren’t patriarchal and had a goddess to worship and how a husband could persuade his wife, who is extremely pro-choice due to significant trauma, to see the truth of pro-life arguments. * How should one r
How Could Someone in the Old Testament Have Believed without First Being Regenerated?
January 9, 2023
Questions about how someone in the Old Testament could have believed without first being regenerated and why the devil would need to blind anyone (as referred to in 2 Corinthians 4:3–4) if total depravity is true and people already aren’t able to choose God on their own. * How could someone in the
Is It Better for Christians to Worship in an Economical Space or a Beautiful One?
January 5, 2023
Questions about whether Christians are obligated by Matthew 6:19 to meet in the most practical, economical space possible and whether playing music too beautifully during worship can actually become a distraction. * Are Christians obligated by Matthew 6:19 to meet in the most practical, economical
Why Is It Said That Jesus Was the First to Rise from the Dead?
January 2, 2023
Questions about why it’s said that Jesus was the first to rise from the dead if he already raised Lazarus and how to explain how Judaism and Christianity are related to someone who doesn’t know much beyond the fact that they’re two religions. * Why is it said that Jesus was the first to rise from t
What Should I Read to Take My Apologetics Knowledge up a Notch?
December 29, 2022
Questions about what to read to take your apologetics knowledge up a notch, how to reconcile friends’ experiences encountering ghosts with what the Bible teaches, whether you should give charitably without taking a deduction on your taxes, and whether God has moods. * For those who have a good gras
What’s the Most Important Distinction I Can Make between Christianity and the Book of Mormon?
December 26, 2022
Question about the most important distinction one can make between Christianity and the Book of Mormon when talking to a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. * When ministering to a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, what’s the most important distinctio
Will God Not Answer My Prayers if I’m Doubting He will?
December 22, 2022
Questions about why Hebrews is included in the New Testament canon if the author is unknown and whether God won’t answer your prayers if you’re doubting he will. * If apostolic authority was an important factor in deciding which books to include in the New Testament canon as Scripture, then why was
Do Verses in Acts about Baptism Support a Oneness Understanding of God?
December 19, 2022
Questions about whether the fact that the apostles baptized people in Jesus’ name supports a oneness understanding of God and how to reconcile the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit in Acts 8 with the idea that we receive the Holy Spirit simply by believing. * Does the fact that the apos
Why Wasn’t God’s Rescue Plan More Immediate and Peaceful?
December 15, 2022
Questions about why God’s rescue plan wasn’t more immediate and peaceful and whether God wants us to be gullible and doesn’t provide hard evidence as proof of his claims that he’s different from all the other false religions and charlatans out there. * Why wasn’t God’s rescue plan more immediate an
How Should I Respond to News of a Same-Sex Marriage?
December 12, 2022
Questions about how to respond to a friend’s enthusiastic news of a same-sex marriage, whether one should send a gift to a same-sex wedding, and whether there’s any merit to Christians withdrawing from “the world” and congregating together for the purpose of safety and shared community standards. *
If a Murderer Accepts Christ, Then Will His Victims Never Receive Justice?
December 8, 2022
Questions about whether the victims of a murderer who later accepts Christ will never receive justice for their suffering and whether or not it can be said a person is “forgiven” if the debt was fully paid by another. * If a murderer accepts Christ, then doesn’t that mean his victims will never rec
Does Preventing a Woman’s Access to Abortion Violate Her Religious Freedom?
December 5, 2022
Questions about whether preventing a woman’s access to abortion violates her religious freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment, whether the fact that God doesn’t have parts now applies only to two persons of the Trinity, and what it means to seek the presence of God. * How should I respond to a J
How Can I Keep from Looking Legalistic on Social Media?
December 1, 2022
Questions about how to respond to someone who doesn’t see how Jesus could be God, who wants every question answered before believing Christianity is true, and how to keep from looking legalistic when sharing one’s faith on social media. * How would you respond to someone who doesn’t see how Jesus c
If You Had $100 to Donate, How Would You Decide Who to Give It To?
November 28, 2022
Questions about how to decide which ministry or organization to donate to and whether one should support ministries and non-profits that do good work but treat their employees and volunteers horribly. * With all the ministries, organizations, and needs out there, if you had $100 to donate to someth
Why Did Jesus Leave Earth?
November 24, 2022
Questions about why Jesus left earth and how it’s possible that two Christian leaders, who both have the Holy Spirit, can have a contradicting witness about whether or not one can lose one’s salvation. * Why did the historical Jesus supposedly leave earth? (The Jesus of the Gospels doesn’t seem to
How Can I Comfort Christian Families That Have Lost Loved Ones to Suicide?
November 21, 2022
Question about how a minister can comfort Christian families that have lost loved ones to suicide, are wrestling with thoughts that the suicide has resulted in a loved one possibly being a lost soul forever, and are close to walking away from God. * How can a minister comfort Christian families tha
Is God a Hypocrite?
November 17, 2022
Questions about whether God is being a hypocrite when he commands us not to murder and then executes people himself and how a politically conservative Christian should respond to a medical school admission form that asks questions about political opinions. * Why is God a hypocrite, commanding us no
What Do I Say to Friends Who Have Deconstructed and Left the Faith?
November 14, 2022
Questions about what to say to friends who have deconstructed and left the faith that will acknowledge their pain but also point them back to God and how to respond to someone who says Christians don’t think for themselves but only blindly follow. * What do I say to friends who have deconstructed a
Aren’t Good Non-Christians Evidence That God Isn’t Required to Live a Moral Life?
November 10, 2022
Questions about how to respond to someone who says the existence of good non-Christians is evidence that God isn’t required to live a satisfying, moral life, whether God can save someone convicted of treason, and when it’s time to leave a church that promotes itself more than it exalts God. * How d
How Can We Truly Love God in Heaven if We Won’t Have the Free Will to Reject Him?
November 7, 2022
Questions about whether regeneration counters total depravity in the Reformed view and how it could be that we’ll truly love God when we’re in Heaven, where we can’t reject him, if real love requires the free will to reject him. * In the Reformed view, does regeneration counter total depravity, or
Is Christianity Just a Brainwashing Ritual?
November 3, 2022
Questions about whether Christianity is only a brainwashing ritual involving rejection of the outside world, affirmation within the tribe, ritualistic chanting, etc. and whether denial of a biological man’s womanhood is comparable to an atheist denying someone’s belief in Christianity. * How do you
How Do We Know Which Commands in the Bible Apply to Everyone?
October 31, 2022
Question about how we can know when commands and instructions given in the Bible are meant to apply to everyone and when they only apply to a specific people group at a specific time in history. * How do we know when commands and instructions given in the Bible are meant to apply to everyone and wh
Should We Use Preferred Pronouns When Not Sure of a Person’s Biological Sex?
October 27, 2022
Questions about using a person’s preferred pronouns when we’re not sure of their biological sex and whether we should ask why our employer is requesting we use pronouns in our email signature in case the purpose is to help people who are unfamiliar with English names know what sex we are. * What sh
Is God’s Inability to Change an Imperfection?
October 24, 2022
Questions about responding to the idea that God’s inability to change is an imperfection, why God loves us, and whether evil can “claim” a child. * If God is perfect, then he can’t change, but not being able to change is an imperfection, therefore God is not perfect. How would you respond? * Does
How Can I Get into Spiritual Conversations with People?
October 20, 2022
Questions about how to get into spiritual conversations with people and what to say to someone who says Jesus, the stories in the Bible, Heaven, etc. are all just metaphorical. * Greg’s tactics seem to be designed to react to something someone says, but how do you get into a conversation with someo
Why Didn’t God Explain the Trinity Explicitly in Scripture?
October 17, 2022
Questions about whether the Old Testament believers were regenerate, how the work of the Spirit is different in the New Testament, and why God didn’t explain the Trinity explicitly in Scripture. * Were Old Testament believers regenerate, and how is the work of the Spirit different in the New Testam
How Can We Determine Which Christian Moral Principles Should Be Made into Laws?
October 13, 2022
Questions about how to determine which Christian moral principles should be made into laws and which shouldn’t and why Christ suffered a temporary punishment delivered by man while he was alive if the punishment for man’s sin is eternal and delivered by God after death. * Is there a clear principle
Should We Object to People Storing Embryos Indefinitely after IVF?
October 10, 2022
Questions about how we ought to respond to the indefinite storage or death of human embryos after IVF, whether pregnant women should be able to use carpool lanes, and whether it follows that we ought to forgive Satan if we ought to forgive our enemies. * If life begins at conception, and all life i
I Can’t Accept the Gospel Because It Would Mean My Loved One Is in Hell
October 6, 2022
Questions about how to respond to someone who refuses to accept the gospel because it would mean a loved one has likely gone to Hell, why we should think animals have souls, and how to differentiate between true Christian love and an indifference to social and political issues that are harming our c
What Does the Old Testament Say about the Nature and Role of the Messiah?
October 3, 2022
Question about what the Old Testament says about the nature and role of the Messiah and whether it leaves open the option that Jesus is God and a man can die for our sins. * In light of hearing a Jewish person say he isn’t a Christian because he doesn’t believe Jesus is God or that a man can die fo
Did Jesus Ever Teach against Homosexuality?
September 29, 2022
Questions about how to respond to someone who claims Jesus never taught against homosexuality, who also doesn’t consider anything outside the Gospels to be authoritative, and advice for befriending a lesbian couple without appearing to condone their lifestyle. * How should I respond to a friend who
Should I Pretend to Have a Greater Degree of Conviction Than I Actually Have?
September 26, 2022
Questions about whether we should pretend to have a greater degree of conviction than we actually have in order to make our arguments more persuasive and whether the uptick in violence is a purely spiritual problem or is also related to other ideologies and practices in our society. * Should I pret
How Did Jews Attain Righteousness before Christ?
September 22, 2022
Questions about how Jews attained righteousness before Christ and what Romans 9:32 means when it says the Jews “did not pursue [righteousness] by faith, but as though it were by works.” * What does Romans 9:32 mean when it says the Jews “did not pursue [righteousness] by faith, but as though it we
How Can I Reveal and Defend My Belief in the Trinity and Leave My Oneness Church?
September 19, 2022
Questions about how a teen can reveal and defend her belief in the Trinity and leave her Oneness church and whether church memberships that exclude people living a homosexual lifestyle create a two-class system contrary to Jesus’ strategy of hanging out with sinners. * How do I, as a teen, reveal a
What Questions Should I Ask Pastors When Looking for a New Church?
September 15, 2022
Questions about what to ask pastors and other church leaders when looking for a new church. * What questions would you ask pastors and other church leaders when looking for a new church?
Will Christ’s Second Coming Be Unexpected?
September 12, 2022
Questions about how to reconcile the unexpectedness of Christ’s second coming with passages that advise believers to pay attention to the signs of the times, why Christ hasn’t yet returned after 2,000 years, and whether a person who has died experiences time as a disembodied spirit. * How can we re
What Would You Say to a Professing Christian Who Is Radically Pro-Choice?
September 8, 2022
Questions about what approach to take with a professing Christian who is radically pro-choice and has rejected pro-life arguments, considering it all to be a matter of opinion. * What approach would you take with a professing Christian who is radically pro-choice and has rejected pro-life arguments
How Can I Help Young Men Who Accept Pornography Addiction as Normal?
September 5, 2022
Questions about the ideology behind pro-prostitution advocates’ argument that using your body to do work in other jobs is the same as selling your body in prostitution and how to get through to a small group of young men who are addicted to pornography and have largely accepted it as normal. * Wha
How Can I Handle Persistent Feelings of Guilt over Past Sins?
September 1, 2022
Questions about how one can handle persistent feelings of guilt over past sins that remain despite repentance and forgiveness in Christ and how to help someone overcome her doubt that God can love her. * How can one handle persistent feelings of guilt over past sins that remain despite repentance a
Why Is It Wrong to Have Surgery to Alter Your Sex?
August 29, 2022
Questions about why it’s okay to have plastic surgery to alter your appearance but wrong to have surgery to alter your sex, whether a tactical, winsome approach is still viable in a non-civil culture, and whether the time for winsome Christianity has passed. * How is claiming to be a different gend
An Egg Is Not a Chicken, so an Embryo Is Not a Human?
August 25, 2022
Questions about whether it’s possible God doesn’t create souls for those who won’t be born due to miscarriage, abortion, etc. and how to respond to someone who says, “An egg is not a chicken, so an embryo is not a human.” * Are souls individually created by God at conception, and if so, is it poss
Why Would the Unity of the Bible Be Evidence of Divine Authorship?
August 22, 2022
Questions about why the unity of the Bible would be evidence of divine authorship and whether one can say proverbs are suggestions, not commands, since they’re principles, not promises. * Why does the unity of the Bible qualify as part of the evidence that the Bible has a divine author? * Since pr
How Should I Respond When My Employer Asks Me to Wear a Pride Pin?
August 18, 2022
Questions about how to respond to an employer who asks why you’re not wearing the pride pin he gave you to wear and whether 1 Peter 3:15 is about hope in times of suffering rather than apologetics. * How should one respond to an employer who asks why you’re not wearing the pride pin he gave you to
How Do We Determine Which Books Are Divinely Inspired?
August 15, 2022
Questions about how we determine which books are divinely inspired and how to explain inerrancy to a skeptic. * How do we determine which books are divinely inspired and which are not? * How do you explain inerrancy to a skeptic?
Am I Childless Because I Don’t Fear God Enough?
August 11, 2022
Questions about whether the fact that God gave the Hebrew midwives families because they feared him indicates that childlessness is a sign of not fearing God enough and whether it’s a genetic fallacy to point out the eugenics philosophy of the founder of Planned Parenthood when arguing against abort
Why Does It Matter to Christians That Jesus Was Raised Bodily?
August 8, 2022
Questions about why it matters to Christians that Jesus was raised bodily and isn’t just living on as a spirit and whether Jesus had a fallen body while here on earth. * Why does it matter to Christians that Jesus was raised bodily and doesn’t just live on as a spirit? * Did Jesus have a fallen bo
Can a Case Be Made against Homosexuality and Transgenderism without Using the Bible?
August 4, 2022
Question about making a case against homosexuality and transgenderism to non-believers who do not trust the Bible. * How can I justify making a biblical case against homosexuality and transgenderism to non-believers who do not trust the Bible?
Is It Wrong to Get a Job Instead of Volunteering My Time to Help Others?
August 1, 2022
Questions about whether it’s a sin to get a job for extra money instead of volunteering one’s time to help others and a biblical response to the phrase “I don’t want to put the Holy Spirit in a box.” * Would it be a sin to get a job for extra money instead of volunteering my time to help others?
Should I Patronize Businesses That Collide with My Moral Beliefs?
July 28, 2022
Questions about whether we should patronize businesses that collide with our moral beliefs, promote the LGBTQ lifestyle, or pay for employees to travel to other states for abortions and why God makes us with certain desires if he calls those desires sin. * As a Christian, should I patronize busines
What Is the Biblical Definition of Justice?
July 25, 2022
Questions about why Jesus said it would have been better if Judas had not been born, the biblical definition of justice, and whether it’s “unloving” to point out the false teachings of a TV evangelist in a roundtable discussion at a church. * Why did Jesus say it would have been better if Judas had
Are Christians Who Study and Adhere to the Truths Revealed in the Bible Engaging in Bibliolatry?
July 21, 2022
Questions about how to respond to someone who says adhering to biblical inerrancy, studying Scripture, seeking to obey the Word, and adhering to its core truths is “bibliolatry” and how to explain the differences in the Gospel accounts to young children. * What would you say to someone who thinks a
How Would You Use the Existence of Natural Rights to Argue for the Existence of God?
July 18, 2022
Questions about how to use the topic of natural rights with someone who believes in them to discuss the existence of God, and whether the saying that “we come from God, and we will go back to God” is an accurate statement or just a form of “mindism.” * How would you use the topic of natural rights
Does Naturalism Necessarily Lead to Moral Relativism?
July 14, 2022
Questions about whether naturalism necessarily leads to moral relativism and the ways naturalists try to ground objective morality. * Does naturalism necessarily lead to moral relativism, and what are some ways naturalists try to claim objective morality?
Aren’t There Truths I Can Only Know Because of My Lived Experience?
July 11, 2022
Question about how to reconcile the fact that there are things one can only know through experience with the idea that truth can be known apart from a person’s experiences. * “Woke” culture says, “Only I can know this because of my lived experience,” which seems to contradict the idea that truth ca
How Can We Know Jesus Is the Messiah?
July 7, 2022
Questions about how we can know Jesus is the Messiah when so many Jews claim passages such as Isaiah 53 and Isaiah 7:14 are not Messianic prophecies and what appropriate comfort a Christian can offer at a funeral when a non-Christian passes. * How can we know Jesus is the Messiah when so many Jews
Why Doesn’t Every Bible Version Include Matthew 17:21?
July 4, 2022
Questions about why some Bible versions include Matthew 17:21 and part of Mark 9:29 and some don’t and how Jesus’ instruction not to hinder someone casting out demons in his name applies to the situation with the sons of Sceva in Acts. * Can you explain why some Bible versions include Matthew 17:21
What’s the Controversy if Aborted Fetuses Go to Heaven?
June 30, 2022
Questions about why abortion is controversial if aborted fetuses go to Heaven and whether Americans will become largely pro-life after Roe v. Wade is reversed since they tend to connect legality with morality. * Do aborted fetuses, no matter the stage of embryonic development, go to Heaven, and if
Are You Really Being Unfaithful to Reality if You Use Someone’s Preferred Pronouns?
June 27, 2022
Question about the idea that you’re not being unfaithful to reality by using someone’s preferred pronouns since those pronouns correspond to the person’s actual gender identity. * How would you respond to the idea that you’re not being unfaithful to reality by using a preferred pronoun because that
Why Didn’t God Answer My Prayer for Guidance?
June 23, 2022
Questions about why God didn’t answer prayers for guidance regarding a major life decision and whether there’s evidence that God is more likely to say yes to a prayer request made while fasting. * When facing a major life decision, I prayed daily for guidance and for the Holy Spirit to order my ste
How Can God Be Omniscient about Never-Ending Future Events?
June 20, 2022
Questions about how God can be omniscient about never-ending future events, whether the salvation of a man who comes to Christ after being dramatically changed by a brain injury “counts,” and whether one should feel at peace dating another believer who differs on whether or not one can lose one’s sa
Is the Movement to Ban Abortion Really about Babies?
June 16, 2022
Questions about why pro-lifers don’t support making everything that has to do with having and raising a baby free if the movement is really about babies and whether there are times when Christians should use rhetoric as a tool of persuasion. * If the movement to ban abortion were really about babie
What if Someone Says He Believes in Science, Not God?
June 13, 2022
Questions about what to say to someone who says he “believes in science, not God” and how to respond to the slogan “Love Is Love” without using the Bible. * How would you respond to someone who says he “believes in science, not God”? * How would you respond to the slogan “Love Is Love” without us
What Happens to People Who Never Heard of God or the Gospel?
June 9, 2022
Question about what the Bible has to say about the eternal destiny of people who never got the chance to know the God of the Bible and had no access to the salvation message. * What does the Bible have to say about the eternal destiny of people who never got the chance to know the God of the Bible
Aren’t Some Unbelievers Sincerely Seeking Truth?
June 6, 2022
Questions about whether there are scriptural explanations for why people don’t think God exists other than that they’re “suppressing the truth in unrighteousness” and how to make the case for apologetics to a pastor who uses 1 Corinthians 2 to argue against it. * Are there scriptural explanations f
Should I Speak up about a Student Handing out Pro-Gay Stickers in My Fifth-Grader’s Class?
June 2, 2022
Questions about piquing the interest of teenage daughters who believe the resurrection probably happened but don’t really care and whether a parent should speak up when a student in his fifth-grader’s class is handing out pro-gay stickers. * How can I pique the interest of my two teenage daughters
Since God Values Humility, Is He Against Certainty?
May 30, 2022
Questions about whether God is against certainty because it breeds arrogance, the difference between fearing God and living in fear, and why Solomon, who was given wisdom by God, had so many wives. * What are your thoughts on someone who says that since God so clearly values humility, then he would
Should Christians Be Expected to Work for Free?
May 26, 2022
Questions about why Paul circumcised Timothy in Acts 16:1–3 after the judgment against requiring circumcision was given by the Council of Jerusalem and whether it’s wrong for Christians to expect other Christians to work for free since it’s “for the Lord.” * Why did Paul circumcise Timothy in Acts
What Questions Would You Ask to Engage an “Agnostic Atheist”?
May 23, 2022
Questions about how to engage someone who calls himself an “agnostic atheist” and how to deal with a parent contradicting you with heretical theology while you’re teaching students in a confirmation class. * What tactical questions would you ask to engage someone who calls himself an “agnostic athe
How Would You Share the Gospel with an Animist or Buddhist?
May 19, 2022
Questions about good ways to share the gospel with an animist or Buddhist, whether the mark of the beast could be a microchip, and whether a Christian could take the mark unwittingly. * What are some good ways to share the gospel with an animist or Buddhist? * Do you think the mark of the beast co
How Would You “Take the Roof Off” a Denial of Objective Beauty?
May 16, 2022
Questions about whether it’s possible to go your whole life without sinning, why God put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden, and how to “take the roof off” the claim that beauty is not objective. * Does Romans 9:11 lead to the conclusion that it’s possible to go your whole lif
Do Continuous Sins of Omission Mean You’re Not Truly Regenerate?
May 12, 2022
Question about whether continuous sins of omission indicate that a person is actually unrepentant and not truly regenerate. * Do continuous sins of omission mean you’re actually unrepentant and your heart is not truly regenerate?
How Can a Soldier Reconcile Killing His Enemies with God’s Command to Love?
May 9, 2022
Questions about how a soldier in combat can reconcile killing his enemy with God’s command to love our enemies and whether or not it’s okay to pray for angels to be with and protect people. * How ought a soldier in combat to conduct himself in order to reconcile the directive to kill his enemy with
How Should a Christian Approach the Arguments in Richard Dawkins’s Book?
May 5, 2022
Questions about how Christians should approach the arguments in Richard Dawkins’s book The God Delusion and how to respond to the claims that the New Testament Gospels are flawed and unreliable and that Christianity isn’t based in science. * How should Christians approach the arguments in Richard D
How Should I Respond to Someone Who Feels Invalidated by the Christian View of Sexuality?
May 2, 2022
Questions about how to respond to someone who says, “But this is who I am,” and who feels their existence is being invalidated by the Christian view of sexuality and whether Paul was wrong to encourage Christians to remain unmarried because “the time was short.” * How would you respond to someone w
Can Non-Trinitarians Be Saved?
April 28, 2022
Questions about whether the heresy of modalism prevents salvation and whether the greetings in the apostles’ letters that don’t reference the Holy Spirit are evidence the early church didn’t teach the Holy Spirit is a person. * Is modalism a heresy that prevents followers from being saved, and if s
What Did Jesus Mean When He Said We Should Wash One Another’s Feet?
April 25, 2022
Questions about using the services of a Christian photographer who took professional photos for a divorce mediator, what is being symbolized by Jesus washing the disciples’ feet in John 13, and whether it’s okay to live with a member of the opposite sex if you’re not sexually active. * Should I not
Is It Okay to Join an Organization That Supports Abortion?
April 21, 2022
Questions about whether it’s morally okay to join and pay dues to an organization that supports abortion in order to influence the organization, whether the verse that says people from “every nation” will be in Heaven includes the Canaanites, and how to respond to someone who says sexuality doesn’t
Is It Okay to Disobey Authority in Order to Protect Yourself?
April 18, 2022
Questions about whether it’s okay for a Christian in prison to disobey the rules against fighting in order to protect himself, whether Jesus raised himself from the dead or was raised, if manna was really sap from the tamarisk tree, and the possibility of becoming a different kind of “soil” in terms
Are Logic and Reasoning Immaterial?
April 14, 2022
Questions about whether logic and reasoning aren’t immaterial because they’re activities of a physical brain and whether the fact that some people have a “blind mind’s eye” counters the claim that the mind’s ability to visualize images is evidence for the existence of a non-physical self. * How wou
What’s the Biblical Position on Physician-Assisted Suicide?
April 11, 2022
Questions about the biblical position on physician-assisted suicide, whether Christians should say that “God is faithful” when he gives them what they asked for, and whether it’s okay to put Christian books into the little libraries people have on their property. * What’s the biblical position on p
Is It Arrogant to Say You Know God Exists?
April 7, 2022
Questions about whether it’s arrogant for people who believe in God to say they know for sure that God exists and the best way to explain the Trinity to a child. * Is it arrogant for people who believe in God to say they know for sure that God exists? * What is the best way to explain the Trinity
What Topics Should I Cover in an Apologetics Series?
April 4, 2022
Questions about what topics to cover when presenting an apologetics series in a church and how to handle addressing people’s doubts in an apologetics class when discussing them can confuse others and cause more doubts. * What 4–6 topics would you recommend I cover in an apologetics series in my chu
How Can We Not Be Anxious When We Know God Allows Bad Things to Happen to Us?
March 31, 2022
Questions about how to make the case that the Bible is the Word of God and how we can be “anxious for nothing,” as the Bible commands, when we know God allows bad things to happen to us. * How can we make the case that the Bible is the Word of God? * The Bible tells us to be anxious for nothing, b
Why Is Abraham Considered a Great Man of Faith When He Had so Much Evidence?
March 28, 2022
Questions about why Abraham is considered to be a great man of faith when God gave him so much evidence of his existence and a response to the idea that a person’s salvation is questionable because his faith is “all head and little heart.” * Since God appeared to Abraham several times, it seems he
How Can Something Be Evil in Itself if Evil Is Only a Lack of Good?
March 24, 2022
Questions about how Greg can say something is evil “in itself” if evil is only a lack of good, how Jesus could have had a fully-human experience if he never doubted, and whether all bad things that happen to us are spiritual attacks. * How can Greg say something is evil “in itself” if evil is only
Can Science Test Supernatural Worldviews?
March 21, 2022
Questions about whether science can test supernatural worldviews and how to respond to the claim that the Bible isn’t against abortion since it contains a command to execute adulterous women without checking to make sure they’re not pregnant. * Can science test supernatural worldviews? If so, how?
How Do You Know if Something You’re Doing Is a Sin?
March 17, 2022
Questions about how you can know if something you’re doing is a sin, what the author of Ecclesiastes meant when he said, “There is nothing new under the sun,” and whether the possibility that Moses was a lunatic or liar brings the whole Tanakh and New Testament into doubt. * How do you know if som
Why Would God Create Animals and Allow Them to Suffer?
March 14, 2022
Questions about why God would create animals and allow them to experience so much suffering and whether Christians should be content and accept their circumstances without fighting back no matter what. * Why would God create animals and allow them to experience so much suffering and gruesome deaths
What if the First Columbo Question Makes Someone Feel Ashamed?
March 10, 2022
Questions about what to do if someone feels ashamed because he can’t answer the first Columbo question and whether there there are arguments we can use for God’s existence based on our experience of the transcendent when we create things or watch a great performance. * What if someone feels ashamed
Do These Verses Contradict “Once Saved, Always Saved”?
March 7, 2022
Questions about whether Revelation 2:1–7 and Colossians 1:21–23 can be reconciled with a belief in “once saved, always saved.” * I’ve always believed “once saved, always saved,” but passages like Revelation 2:1–7 seem to say overwise. What am I missing? * How does one reconcile Colossians 1:21-23
Why Say the Beginning of the Universe Points to God?
March 3, 2022
Questions about why one should conclude the beginning of the universe points to God rather than another explanation and whether logic is created or an aspect of God’s character.