Spirituality Is Measured by Spiritual Fruit, Not Spiritual Gifts

Greg explains that spirituality is measured by spiritual fruit, not spiritual gifts, then he answers questions about preterism, evidence for a beginning of the universe, the law requiring rapists to marry their victim, and whether or not Genesis 1 indicates God created chaos.   Topics: Commentary: Spirituality is measured by spiritual fruit, not spiritual gifts. (00:00) What are your thoughts on preterism? (05:00) Isn’t the universe eternal? Can you provide any evidence for a beginning of the universe or a God? (23:00) How can you explain God forcing rape victims to marry their rapist in Deuteronomy 22:28–29? (44:00) If God subdued and controlled chaos in the creation account, bringing order out of disorder, then does that mean he created chaos? (52:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Greg Koukl and Michael Shermer at the End of the Decade of the New Atheists – Transcript of their dialogue

Greg answers questions about how to determine which religion is true, why God wouldn’t just write his own book, how we know the Christian God is the real God, and whether there’s an objective moral system or we’re simply acting to avoid pain.   Topics: How would you determine which religion is true and which is not? What’s more likely: that God doesn’t exist and men invented religion to control people, or that God depended on men to write a book with ridiculous laws? (02:00) How should I answer my friend who is asking, “How do I know the Christian God is the real God who created everything?” (25:00) There is no such thing as an objective moral system. We’re simply acting to avoid pain, and God isn’t necessary for that. Also, Christianity is immoral. (43:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Relativism: Feet Firmly Planted in Mid-Air by Greg Koukl and Francis Beckwith

Greg answers questions from an atheist about why Jesus couldn’t write his own book, what God has been doing all of this time, why Christians don’t read the Bible if it’s the Word of God, God existing “before” time, and whether pastors use fear tactics to get people to tithe.   Topics: Tell us why Jesus, the God of the universe, couldn’t write his own book. (07:00) Would you care to explain what the all-knowing, all-powerful God of the universe has been doing all of this time? (13:00) If the Bible is the Word of God, then why do 99% of Christians spend less than 15 minutes a week reading it? Maybe they’re delusional, egotistical hypocrites who fear a man-made, invisible God. Do you even know what epistemology and logical argumentation are? (24:00) It’s illogical to say that God could exist before time. (35:00) Do you think Christians pay a 10% tithe because they want to, or is it because the leaders of the church know they can’t survive unless they use fear tactics to convince their congregations they’re sinning if they don’t give 10%? (44:00) Related Links: Should Christians Tithe? by Greg Koukl

Greg answers questions about pastors asking the Holy Spirit to come down, the treatment of slaves in Israel versus in other cultures, whether there should be women pastors, and how Christians can claim they have a relationship with Jesus if they’ve never seen him.   Topics: What are your thoughts on pastors saying, “Holy Spirit, come down and move through your people”? (04:00) Do you know who made the point that we should compare the way the Israelites treated their slaves to the way other cultures treated theirs in order to understand the protections God was giving them? (26:00) Should there be women pastors? (41:00) Jesus hasn’t been seen in 2,000 years, so how could you, as a Christian, have a relationship with him since you’ve never met the man? (51:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Submit a question on the Open Mic Line Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God by Paul Copan The Invisible Man by Greg Koukl Related Links: Did God Condone Slavery? by Amy Hall

Greg reflects on the passage of time on his 75th birthday, then he answers questions about the SRY gene making someone male, his opinion on music in the church today, and whether the Old Testament stories are allegory or history.   Topics: Commentary: Greg reflects on the passage of time on his 75th birthday. (00:00) Could the presence of an SRY gene make someone with XX chromosomes male? (14:00) What’s your opinion on the music that’s creeping into the church? (30:00) Is it the case that many stories in the Old Testament are allegory or parables rather than history, that it doesn’t matter if they’re true or not, and that this was just the way Israel learned God’s character and his ways? (41:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 12–13 in Atlanta, GA; October 17–18 in Seattle, WA; November 7–8 in Minneapolis, MN; February 20–21, 2026 in Dallas, TX; March 13–14, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA; April 24–25, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA What Is a Man? What Is a Woman? by Alan Shlemon Related Links: The Art of Leading Congregational Worship by Amy Hall

Greg reflects on the destruction from the Malibu fire, then he answers questions about the sense in which Jesus’ yoke is easy and his burden light, how to respond to someone who uses Romans 7 to defend his homosexuality, and how to let God lead when making big decisions.   Topics: Commentary: Greg reflects on the destruction from the Malibu fires. (00:00) In what sense is Jesus’ yoke easy and his burden light? (11:00) What do you think of someone who uses Romans 7 to defend living a homosexual lifestyle? (31:00) How do I let God lead my life when making big decisions? (45:00) Mentioned on the Show:  When God Speaks by Greg Koukl The Ambassador’s Guide to the Voice of God by Greg Koukl Related Links: Be Willing to Submit to Our Good God on the Issue of Homosexuality by Amy Hall Does God Whisper? Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 by Greg Koukl #STRask: How Should I Pray About Big Decisions If I Can’t Expect a Confirmation from God?

Greg chats with Tripp and Megan Almon, who are joining the Stand to Reason team as the head of STR Outposts (Tripp) and a speaker (Megan), about their backgrounds, spiritual and intellectual journeys, and new roles at STR.   Topics: Interview: Tripp and Megan Almon are joining Stand to Reason. (00:00) Mentioned on the Show:  Tripp and Megan Almon STR Outposts Summit Ministries Life Training Institute Biola’s apologetics program Reality Student Apologetics Conference – September 12–13 in Atlanta, GA; October 17–18 in Seattle, WA; November 7–8 in Minneapolis, MN; February 20–21, 2026 in Dallas, TX; March 13–14, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA; April 24–25, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA Related Links: Clarifying the Abortion Issue – A previous interview with Megan Almon Embryos Are Not Just a Clump of Cells by Megan Almon How to Deal with Some Common Responses to Your Pro-Life Argument – Video of Megan Almon

Greg answers questions about what Revelation 21:8 means when it says the cowardly will be judged, gardening someone who isn’t open to the truth, officiating the wedding of people remarrying each other, other life in the universe, and the rapture.   Topics: Given that Revelation 21:8 says the cowardly will be judged, what dangers are we required to face courageously or be judged? (03:00) How do I garden somebody who doesn’t seem open to the truth? (15:00) What would you say while officiating the wedding of two people who divorced, reconciled, and are remarrying? (29:00) Do you think the universe is ever-expanding, and do you think there are other life forms out there that aren’t described in the biblical narrative? (35:00) When it comes to your view on the rapture, what do you do with the language of 1 Thessalonians 4:17 when it talks about being “caught up”? (46:00) Mentioned on the Show:  The Privileged Planet: How Our Place in the Cosmos Is Designed for Discovery by Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay W. Richards Related Links: The Rap on the Rapture by Greg Koukl

Greg talks about losing his voice at a recent event, then he answers questions about how to graciously communicate the idea that not every religion is true even though there are similarities, and whether or not the challenge in Malachi to test God by tithing is still in effect.   Topics: Commentary: Update from Greg (00:00) In discussions about the texts of other religions in a book club, how can I graciously communicate the idea that not every religion is true even though there are some similarities? (10:00) Is the challenge in Malachi to test God by tithing still in effect? (37:00) Related Links: Should Christians Tithe? by Greg Koukl

Greg clears up some confusion about limited atonement then answers questions about young people getting into the fantasy genre, Jewish beliefs about Satan, the phrase “In Jesus’ name,” and why New Testament promises apply today if Old Testament promises don’t.   Topics: Commentary: Clearing up some confusion about limited atonement (00:00) Do you have any concerns about young people getting into the fantasy genre today? (14:00) What do you think about attending or even participating in a wedding that contains elements from other religions? (26:00) Is it true that Jewish people don’t believe the same things about Satan that Christians believe? (33:00) Can you elaborate on your view on when—or if—we should use the term “in Jesus’ name“?(38:00) If we can’t take promises in the Old Testament for ourselves, why wouldn’t promises in the New Testament such as 1 Peter 5:7 also only apply to the Christians at that time? (50:00) Related Links: Harry Potter Is a Danger to Modern Society (In a Good Way) by Amy Hall Should Christians Avoid Reading Harry Potter? by Amy Hall In the Name of Jesus by Greg Koukl