#STRask with Greg Koukl

Questions about Christians condemning LGB people just because of how they love, how God can expect someone to be celibate when others are free to marry and have happiness, and why Christians seem to hate people today.   If God sent Jesus to die for our sins, and all who believe in him are accepted into Heaven, why are so many Christians condemning LGB people just because of how they love someone? How can God expect you to be celibate when others are free to marry and have happiness? Can you explain the hate I see from Christians today?

Questions about how to answer the challenge that God doesn't need a “pound of flesh” to forgive sins but can simply forgive, and whether the claim in Romans 10:13 that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved contradicts Matthew 7:21.   How do you answer the challenge that God doesn't need a “pound of flesh” to forgive sins but can simply forgive? Romans 10:13 says everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved, but Matthew 7:21 says not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will be saved. Can you help me understand this contradiction?

Questions about whether two logical people can come to conflicting conclusions on a topic without committing a fallacy, how Greg, as a public figure, deals with criticism, and whether or not criticism gets to him.   Can two people come to conflicting conclusions on a topic while holding true to logic and reason without committing a fallacy? As a public figure, how do you deal with criticism, and does it get to you?

Questions about how to determine which topics at work are worth commenting on, and a good way to respond when you're in a group Bible study and hear earnest, lifelong Christians talk excitedly about books or content creators that aren't orthodox.   As someone who works in an open room with six others, where topics shift quickly and it's hard to interject with multiple people chiming in, how do I determine which topics are worth commenting on and asking questions about? What is a good way to respond when you're in a group Bible study and hear earnest, lifelong Christians talk excitedly about books or content creators that aren't totally orthodox?

Questions about whether Jesus proved he wasn't sinless when he overturned the tables, whether Jesus' response to the Pharisees in Mark 3:22–26 was a bad argument, why Jesus was known for associating with sinners, and to what extent we should follow his example.   How would you respond to someone who said Jesus lacked self-control, got angry, and had a violent temper tantrum when he overturned the tables in Matthew 21:12–13, proving he wasn't sinless? Is Jesus' response to the Pharisees in Mark 3:22–26 a bad argument? Why was Jesus known for associating with sinners, and to what extent should Christians follow his example?

Questions about what will happen to those who never heard of Jesus or were brought up in a different faith, whether there's biblical warrant to think a humble, repentant attitude can save people who don't know Jesus, and where the souls who lived before Jesus go.   We're taught that the only way to Heaven is through belief in Jesus, but what about those living on this planet who never heard of him, those brought up in another faith, or those of a Jewish faith? Is there any biblical warrant for thinking that those who haven't heard of Jesus will nevertheless be saved due to a humble, repentant attitude? Where do the souls who lived before Jesus go since they couldn't be baptized or saved?

Questions about how one can justify calling Jesus the Messiah when he didn't fulfill the Hebrew messianic prophecies, and whether the reason for the virgin birth was just to set Jesus apart as unique or there was a deeper meaning.   How do you justify calling Jesus the Messiah when he didn't fulfill the Hebrew prophecies the Messiah was required to complete? Is the reason for the virgin birth just to set Jesus apart as unique, or is there a deeper meaning?

Questions about whether anyone who tithes is not a Christian and is accursed since Paul says that if you obey one part of the Mosaic Law you're obligated to obey all of it, and the claim that tithing preceded the Law and therefore remains a principle for the church today.   Since Paul says that if you obey one part of the Law to please God you're obligated to obey all of it, does that mean that anyone who tithes is not a Christian and is accursed? How would you respond to the claim that tithing preceded the Law of Moses, as evidenced by Abraham giving a tenth to Melchizedek in Genesis 14, and therefore remains a principle for the church today?

Questions about whether references to demon possessions and exorcisms in the New Testament are literal, how to talk to young children about ghosts, and whether it's arrogant to think Satan knows your name when he's a single entity with bigger fish to fry.   Are references to demon possessions and exorcisms in the New Testament literal, or are they cultural references to physical or psychological conditions that they didn't understand? How do you talk to young children about ghosts? It's tempting to say they aren't real, but I don't want to deny the reality of “spiritual forces of evil” (Eph. 6:12). Is it misguided or arrogant to think Satan even knows my name when he's a single entity with bigger fish to fry than me and can only be in one place at a time?

Questions about why any rational person would have to use any religious book, whether apologetics would be redundant if there were actually a good, unrefuted argument, and how to get enough people interested in apologetics to start an apologetics group.   Why would any rational, thinking person have to use any religious book, including the Bible, unless they don't really think with reason or comprehend logic and logical fallacies such as circular reasoning? If there were a single good, unrefuted apologetics argument, then apologetics would be redundant. Outside of faith, can we really say we know? If we can't, then why do apologetics? If, as Greg says, “you can't start a fire with wet wood” when starting an apologetics group, how can someone keep “wet wood” from putting out their fire? How can I get others interested in apologetics and the importance of being able to have fruitful conversations with anyone who disagrees with their Christian beliefs?

Question about what tools of reasoning help us determine whether something is true or false, right or wrong, good or bad before bringing Scripture into it.   How do you determine whether something is true or false, whether an action is right or wrong, or whether something is good or bad? Before you bring in Scripture, what tools of reasoning help you recognize these categories in daily life?

Questions about whether having a recurring thought is an indication God is speaking to you, what to say to someone who says they sinned because “God told them to do something” and they didn't do it, and whether God speaks to us through premonitions.   Would you characterize not being able to stop thinking about something as God speaking? What would you say to someone who says they sinned because “God told them to do something” and they didn't do it? Does God speak to us through premonitions?

Questions about how to explain modesty to a nine-year-old in a way that won't cause shame about her body, and when and how to tell a child about a previous marriage and divorce.   How can I explain modesty to my nine-year-old daughter without causing shame about her body? When and how should I tell my son about my previous marriage and divorce?

Questions about why we say someone was saved on a particular date if it was part of an eternal plan, the Roman Catholic view of the gospel vs. the Bible's, and why Paul circumcised Timothy but rebuked the Galatians for saying Gentiles needed to be circumcised.   Since God had a plan from all eternity to redeem a people for himself, why do we say  someone was saved on a particular date or moment in time? Can you suggest some tactical questions to ask a Roman Catholic relative who doesn't see the distinction between the Catholic view of the gospel and the one in the Bible? Why did Paul circumcise Timothy but rebuke the Galatians for saying the Gentiles needed to be circumcised?

Questions about how to advocate for Christian policy without making the government interfere in every area of life, and the differences between the modern environmental movement and the Christian perspective on caring for the earth.   How do we advocate for Christian policy without making the government interfere in every area of life? Can you compare and contrast the modern environmental movement's view with the Christian view regarding caring for the earth?

Questions about how to convince someone that evil exists, whether Charlie Kirk's murder was part of God's plan, whether that would mean the murderer didn't have free will, and whether or not God is responsible for that plan.   How would you respond to an atheist friend who doesn't believe evil exists and thinks “evil” actions are done by people who are just trying to get by with the circumstances they've been given? If God is sovereign and has a plan, then he knew Charlie Kirk would be murdered. But if it was God's plan, does that mean the murderer didn't have free will, and is God not responsible for his plan?

Question about why it seems like the Bible teaches you how to be a proper slave owner rather than than saying, “Stop it. Give them freedom.”   It seems like the Bible teaches you how to be a proper slave owner rather than saying, “Stop it. Give them freedom.”

Question about providing verifiable, non-religious evidence that a supernatural Jesus existed.   I am an atheist and militantly anti-god-belief. However, I do have an open mind, so could you please provide verifiable, non-religious evidence that a supernatural Jesus actually existed?

Questions about whether it's a sin to feel let down by God and whether it would be easier to have a personal relationship with a rock than with a God who hasn't spoken in over 2,000 years.   Is it a sin to feel let down by God? It would be easier to have a personal relationship with a rock than with a God who hasn't actually spoken in over 2,000 years. What kind of God would be that way?

Questions about whether God created us so he wouldn't be alone, what he had before us, and a comparison between the Muslim view of God and the Christian view of God.   Did God create us so he wouldn't be alone, and what did he have before us? Can you compare and contrast the Muslim view of God with the Christian view of God?

Questions about how to start a conversation about God with non-Christian family members, how to keep from becoming emotional when discussing faith issues with family, and the best way to alert people to the fact that they're members of a cult.   What are some good ways to begin (and have) a conversation about God with non-Christian family members? How can I keep from becoming so emotional when discussing faith issues with extended family members whose salvation is at stake? What is the best way to alert people to the fact that they're members of a cult rather than a church that follows Jesus?

Questions about whether the claim in 1 Corinthians that “no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord' except in the Holy Spirit” is a black-and-white tool for discernment, and how to have a better relationship with Jesus when reading the Bible feels like a chore and you can't remember to pray.   Since First Corinthians 12:3 says that “no one can say ‘Jesus is Lord' except in the Holy Spirit,” if TV evangelists who seem to preach another gospel and act overtly un-Christlike claim Jesus is Lord, is that evidence the Holy Spirit dwells in them? Is this a black-and-white tool for discernment? How can I have a better relationship with Jesus when reading the Bible feels like a chore and I can never remember to pray? I feel like I don't know him at all.

Questions about whether or not it's reasonable to worry that some of our current doctrines were influenced by the fallen nature of the apostles, and how to defend sola Scriptura to Roman Catholics who argue that oral tradition carries as much weight as Scripture.   How much of the apostles' fallen nature influenced their choice of words and how they communicated? Is it reasonable to worry that some of our current doctrines came from their just getting annoyed or impatient with someone and wording something too harshly? How do I defend sola Scriptura to my Roman Catholic family members in light of passages like 1 Thessalonians 2:13 and 2 Thessalonians 2:15, which seem to imply that oral tradition carries as much weight as Scripture?

Questions about how to reconcile the image of God as a judge with his love, grace, and kindness, why our sins are considered to be sins against God, and whether the idea that our debt was paid by Christ means we escape the penalty for our sins by right, not grace.   For most of my life, God has been portrayed to me primarily as a judge—watching closely, ready to point out where I fall short. But I'm learning there's more to him than that. How do I begin to reconcile that image with the reality of his love, grace, and kindness? If I commit a sin against someone but then make amends and ask for forgiveness, how is it that I've also sinned against God, and why would God still need to punish me? If Christ was literally punished for our sins and our debt was paid, then how can it be said we are “forgiven”? Wouldn't we escape the penalty by right, not grace?

Questions about how to respond to someone who asks, ”How does it affect you if a gay couple gets married, or a woman makes a decision about her reproductive health, or someone chooses a different faith system than yours?”   How would you respond to someone who asks, ”How does it affect you if a gay couple gets married, or a woman makes a decision about her reproductive health, or someone chooses a different faith system than yours?”

Questions about how to respond to the critique that Christians care more about ideology than people, and whether we have freedom in America because Christians are more civilized or because the Constitution doesn't allow Christians to enforce their laws.   Can you respond to the critique that Christians care more about ideology than people? Do you think we enjoy freedom in America because Christians are more civilized or because the Constitution doesn't allow Christians to enforce laws like in Saudi Arabia?

Questions about how the similarities between Krishna and Jesus could be a coincidence and whether there's any proof to substantiate the idea that Jesus studied Buddhism during his “missing years.”   How could the similarities between the Krishna story and the Jesus story (e.g., a star at his birth, his father traveling to pay taxes, a transfiguration, etc.) be a coincidence? Is there any proof to substantiate the idea that Jesus studied Buddhism during his “missing years”?

Question about how you can improve your informal writing (e.g., blog posts) when you don't have access to an editor.   Do you have any thoughts or advice on how best to improve my informal writing (e.g., blog posts) when I don't have access to an editor?

Question about the top three pitfalls to watch out for when you start using apologetics in conversations with others.   What are the top three apologist pitfalls—i.e., if you've just read Tactics, you're ready to go, and Jehovah's Witnesses show up at your door or your atheist coworker starts asking you about God, what are the top three things to watch out for?

Questions about whether “God the Father” is a sexist term that demeans women in general and mothers in particular, how long Hell has been there, whether God created it, and how to explain the kind of anger that would lead to the creation of Hell.   Can you respond to the critique that “God the Father” is a sexist term that demeans women in general and mothers in particular? How long has Hell been there, and did God create it? I can't imagine that kind of anger.

Questions about whether you should believe things you can't fully comprehend, whether it's just an arbitrary escape hatch to say God doesn't require a cause, and how to respond to an atheist who grounds objective morality in an objective rule or criteria.   Should one believe things they can't fully comprehend, and if not, at what level of comprehension of certain biblical truth statements ought they begin believing? Why would God be immune to the infinite regress dilemma? It's arbitrary to simply describe an object as needing no cause. It's the escape hatch to a question you've been trapped by, but that doesn't make it real or true. How would you respond to an atheist who defends the existence of objective morality by grounding it in an objective rule or criteria like “Do to others as you would want them to do to you”?

Questions about whether Romans 14:23 means that doing the right thing is a sin if you truly believe it's wrong, and how to reconcile Hebrews 10:16, which says God will put his laws on our hearts, with Romans 7:7, which says that if it weren't for the Law, we wouldn't know sin.   How should we view Romans 14:23 when it comes to people whose consciences have become twisted to the point where they start believing right things are actually wrong? Would doing the right thing become sin for them if they do it while truly believing it's wrong? How do you reconcile Hebrews 10:16, which says God will put his laws on our hearts, with Romans 7:7, which says that if it weren't for the Law, we would not know sin?

Questions about how a fisherman could have written the book of Peter, why people say that not mentioning the destruction of the temple indicates an early date for the Synoptic Gospels when John doesn't mention it either, and why one should think the Bible is special.   How did Peter, being an uneducated fisherman, write the book of Peter, which seems levels above what someone with no education could do? People reason that the Synoptic Gospels should be dated earlier than the destruction of the temple since it isn't mentioned, but John doesn't mention it either, and that book is dated AD 80–90. Why should I pay any heed to the Bible when it's just one of many ancient “holy” books? How can I trust it is special?

Questions about why, if it's impossible to miss God's voice, the disciples incorrectly told Paul “through the Spirit” not to go to Jerusalem, people mistook God's voice for thunder, the Bible says God speaks in riddles, Daniel had to ask for an interpretation, and more.   If it's impossible to miss God's voice, why did the disciples incorrectly tell Paul “through the Spirit” not to go to Jerusalem in Acts 21:4–14? Why did people mistake God's audible voice for thunder in John 12:28–30? Numbers 12:6–8 says that God speaks to prophets in dreams, visions, and riddles, so clarity is the exception here. Even Daniel and Zechariah had to ask for interpretations (Dan. 7:15–16; Zech. 4:2–4), and James 4:2 says we do not have because we do not ask. Scripture shows examples like Samuel, Revelation 3:20, and Jesus' “ears to hear” sayings where God speaks clearly yet not all recognize it, suggesting that our attentiveness is needed. How do passages like these fit in with your view on how God speaks to believers today?

Questions about why, if we don't need to learn to hear God's voice, there's a command to earnestly desire the gift of prophecy, why we would need to learn how to use other spiritual gifts but not this one, and why there are men who don't perceive God's voice in Job 33:14.   You say we don't need to learn to hear the voice of God, but we're commanded to “earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy” (1 Cor. 14:1) and to “earnestly desire to prophesy” (1 Cor. 14:39), and passages like these seem to be prescriptive texts (1 Cor. 14:37; 1 Thess. 5:20; Rom. 12:6). Just as someone who has been given the gift of teaching by the Holy Spirit has to learn how to exegete a passage, so those with the gift of prophecy have to learn how to hear God's voice. If it's impossible to miss God's voice, why are there men who don't perceive his voice in Job 33:14?

Questions about how to showcase God's goodness when we're really struggling in our suffering, an explanation of God's response at the end of the book of Job, and whether we should conclude from Job that it's inappropriate to ask God why we're suffering.   How can we still glorify God and showcase his goodness when we're really struggling in our suffering—exhausted, depressed, etc.? I understand Satan attacking Job and why God allowed it, but I'm puzzled by God's response to Job at the end of the book. Should we conclude from Job that it's inappropriate to ask God why we're going through certain struggles and suffering?

Questions about how to pray for persecuted Christians in light of the fact that God wills that some will be martyrs, and how persecuted Christians who are being threatened and beaten know if they should stay and preach the gospel or leave and protect their family.   I have a hard time praying “Old Testament promises” for protection and deliverance for persecuted Christians since I know that, in some cases, God wills that there will be martyrs for Jesus. Any suggestions on how to pray? Why don't Christians who are being persecuted, threatened, beaten, etc. relocate if they are able, especially if they have a family? How do they know if they should stay and preach the gospel or leave and protect their family?

Questions about how to discern when it's time to walk away from a conversation, and how to cope with people charging you with being prideful and legalistic when you're doing your best to be humble, fair, and gentle while sharing the gospel and defending the faith.   How do you discern when it's time to walk away from a conversation? If the person is hard-hearted, is it worth it to keep trying to sow seeds? When does it become “throwing pearls before swine”? I do my best to be humble, fair, and gentle when I share the gospel and defend the faith, but I'm still frequently accused of being prideful and legalistic, which is painful because I actually care very much about people's souls. How do you cope with this when you have similar experiences?

Questions about how to engage someone wearing a button that reads, “Jesus had two dads, and he turned out just fine,” and how to be kind and loving without compromising truth with someone in a Bible study who says her adult child goes by “they/them.”   How would you engage someone wearing a button that reads, “Jesus had two dads, and he turned out just fine”? How can I be kind and loving without compromising biblical truth with a member of a Bible study group I lead who told me her adult child goes by “they/them”?

Questions about whether Christian business owners should provide a livable wage, whether doing a corporate sponsorship that promotes one's business contradicts Matthew 6:3, and whether the parable of the rich fool refutes America's approach to retirement.   Do Christian business owners have a moral responsibility to provide a livable wage? Would doing a corporate sponsorship with an organization we have been working with and financially supporting contradict Jesus' words in Matthew 6:3 about giving in secret since part of the motivation would be to promote our business? Is the parable of the rich fool in Luke 12:13–21 a direct refutation of America's approach to retirement?

Questions about leaving a church with biblical theology because they refuse to preach on divisive topics, whether it's okay to write an apologetics book under a pen name out of fear of repercussions, and how to reconcile Romans 13:1–5 with rulers who are unjust.   Should I leave a church that has solid biblical theology but refuses to preach on divisive topics (LGBTQ, abortion, anything political, homosexuality, immigration, etc.) because they want to introduce those topics once the person is “comfortable”? As someone who works in the public sector in Canada, where speech is heavily policed, am I wrong to write my apologetics book under a pen name to protect my identity and family out of fear of repercussions? How do you reconcile Romans 13:1–5, which tells us not to resist authority, with rulers who are unjust?

Questions about whether Jesus lied in Mark 5:39, proving that lying can't be a sin, when he said, “The child has not died, but is asleep,” and what Jesus meant when he said we need to be “born of water and the Spirit” in John 3:5.   Jesus never sinned. Jesus lied in Mark 5:39. Therefore, lying can't be a sin. What did Jesus mean by “born of water and the Spirit” in John 3:5?

Questions about whether the principle that a house divided against itself can't stand would apply not only to Satan casting out demons but also to God allowing evil, whether or not God is the author of everything he permits for a purpose, and the primary sin of Eve.   Wouldn't the principle in Mark 3:24–25 that a house divided against itself can't stand apply not only to Satan casting out demons but also to God allowing evil? If God is pleased, according to his wise and holy counsel, to permit something, having purposed it to his own glory, does that make him the author of that which he purposed? What was the primary sin of Eve? Was it coveting? Pride? Curiosity?

Questions about giving a biblical perspective to a single friend who is a relatively new Christian and is planning to use IVF to have a baby, and whether or not it's wrong to pray for a baby for a single Christian who wants to adopt.   A Christian friend who is relatively new to the faith confided that she isn't sure marriage is for her and is planning to use IVF to have a baby. How can I talk to her about this from a biblical perspective? Is it wrong to pray for a baby for my single, Christian friend who wants to adopt?

Questions about whether there's a gracious way to explain to manipulative and demanding patients that they're giving Christianity a negative reputation, and how to deal with friends who send a lot of end-time prophecy videos that take Bible verses out of context.   As a Christian nurse, is there a gracious way to explain to manipulative and demanding patients who claim to be Christians that they're giving Christianity a negative reputation in my workplace? How do we deal with well-meaning Christian friends who constantly send end-times prophecy videos that take Bible verses out of context and who respond to objections to their claims with, “It might happen—we can't put God in a box”?

Questions about how to handle objections from Christians who think we should all be harvesters and should not focus on gardening, and whether attending a service at a mosque would communicate approval of the religion (similar to attending a same-sex wedding).   How do you handle objections from Christians who think we should all be harvesters and should not focus on gardening? Should Christians attend a service at a mosque in order to reach the nations, or would this communicate approval of the religion (similar to attending a same-sex wedding)?

Questions about what qualifies as witchcraft, where the line is between witchcraft and science manipulating nature to accomplish things, whether the devil is omnipresent, and whether a demon can possess a location and affect the people at that location.   What specifically qualifies as witchcraft, and where's the line between witchcraft and science manipulating nature to accomplish things? Is the devil omnipresent? Can a demon possess a location and thereby affect the people who are at that location?  

Questions about favorite books that left a lasting impression on Greg and Amy, their response to Christians who warn that all fantasy novels (including C.S. Lewis's books) tap into demonic ideas, and where to draw the line when it comes to the fantasy genre.   Which books (fiction or non-fiction) are your favorites and left a lasting impression? How would you respond to Christians who warn against all sorts of fantasy novels (including C.S. Lewis's books), saying they're tapping into demonic ideas, and where would you draw the line for yourself and for your children?

Questions about whether matter and energy already existed before the Big Bang, how to respond to a Christian friend who believes Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 describe two separate creation events with two sets of humans, and the source of Moses' creation information.   What do you think of the argument that matter and energy already existed before the Big Bang—that it was compacted by gravity, then the Big Bang happened, then repeat? How would you respond to a Christian friend who believes Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 are two separate creation events with two sets of humans being created? From what source did Moses obtain his creation information?

Questions about why, if Adam and Eve were in perfect community with God, we would need to be in a fallen world to fully know God, and why God cursed nature after the fall.   If Adam and Eve were in perfect community with God, why would we need to be in a fallen world to fully know God, and did God create a set of circumstances that would bring about a fallen world solely to reveal his other qualities? Why did God curse nature after the fall?

Questions about how to handle a conversation with an atheist who claims to lack a worldview, and how to respond to someone who accuses you of being “stubborn and dogmatic” because you defend your views and don't capitulate to their arguments.   How would you handle a conversation with an atheist who claims to lack a worldview and denies holding every belief atheists usually hold? How would you respond to someone who accuses you of being “stubborn and dogmatic” simply because you defend your views with facts and reason and don't capitulate to their arguments?