Five Easy Issues: Why Are Christians Confused? - Stand to Reason University

In this excerpt from his STR University course, “Five Easy Issues,” Greg Koukl explains why so many Christians are confused on issues that are not theologically complicated and encourages believers to be faithful to Christ.
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[@STRvideos]

Many in Christendom today, like Pilate, are more concerned with satisfying the crowd than being faithful to Jesus. Culture may be confused on salvation, abortion, gender, marriage, and sex. Don’t you be. On these issues, God has spoken clearly. Read more from Greg Koukl at rsn.pub/3OfhDuG.

[@vandaguthrie1782]

Fantastic and very clear! Yes!!!

[@charlieallansen9763]

Excellent! But I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, Greg.

[@KawabachiFL]

Thank you Greg

[@viviendoconfeyesperanza]

Thank you!!! Great short episode!

[@OnethingP27]

Thank you so much!

[@Daniel-Rosa.]

A welcome work.

[@msportster6791]

Amen, and Amen!

[@mrman6028]

Looking forward to the next video!

[@STRvideos]

You can find the full course over at training.str.org/.

[@stonedscared8461]

Why do they get confused and try to follow the first five books of the bible? Why do they keep trying to follow the 10 commandments, but don't remember the commandment Jesus gave us?

[@paulwiederhold7629]

What commandment did Jesus give us? Would it be John 14:15 - "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments". Could those commandments be the big 10, or more?

[@Uncle_Jacob]

​@@paulwiederhold7629right, Jesus affirmed all the commandments except for the Sabbath.

[@paulwiederhold7629]

@@Uncle_Jacob did Jesus not warn the people to pray that their flight not happen in the winter or on the Sabbath?! If the Sabbath is not the Sabbath anymore, what is He talking about?

[@edvise4876]

@@paulwiederhold7629 Jesus is talking about the coming fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. That part of his prophecy directly related to that event & therefore the Sabbath was relevant to the Jewish listeners because they could not travel on a Sabbath & thus would be caught in the ensuing attack by the Romans. As Greg notes "Never read a bible verse" the issue of the sabbath you are quoting is in Matt. 24.20, but in Vs. 16 we see the flow of what he is talking about: "16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains..." etc. So ones position on the Sabbath cannot be determined by vs.20. Jesus is just warning because of what was in play in 70AD.

[@paulwiederhold7629]

@@edvise4876 thank you for your take on this. If I stick with your interpretation then I have more questions. 1) if this is just about the Temple destruction on 70 AD, do we have Biblical or extra Biblical resources that describe many false Christs coming forward? 2) Do We also have the same for many famines and earthquakes? If this is for the 70 AD time frame mostly, 4) why do the disciples ask in verse 3 about the "end of the age"? 5) Has the 'abomination of desolation' stood in the Temple yet? Again verse 24, "for false Christs and false prophets"...will arise and perform great signs and wonders. 6) Did that happen back then or shortly after? Do not most of these not seem to be a 'end of the age' thing? And therefore not just pertaining to 40 years in the future. How can Jesus prophesy about all this, yet if the Sabbath will change, or change for some nations but not for all; why would He throw the Sabbath in there without clarifying?

[@rogermetzger7335]

You may be confusing people being tired of dogmatism with being "confused". I've been studying the Bible (mostly King James) for more than 60 years and, on some subjects, I just don't think the biblical message is what you think it is. I don't agree with seventeenth-century puritians about everything but my situation in the twemty-first century is similar to theirs. They disagreed with some ostensibly Christians. My list isn't quite the sa.e as theirs but my study of the Bible has persuaded me ( as it persuaded them) that not every doctrine or practice considered Christian really is.

[@MichaelRMcClung]

You missed the redefinition of justice (Critical Theory/Wokeness). This has been making major inroads in the pulpits of conservative evangelical churches. What are we to conclude from the this major omission?

[@pilotblue6535]

That depends on who’s definition of Critical Race or Woke you are using. There is a broad newer definition or the traditional 100 yr old definition - that being, not all people are treated equally in society. Acknowledging that is a starting point for discussion. Outright denial of the evidence will close down discussion. Until people know they are being heard there will be no peace.

[@STRvideos]

Hi Michael. Greg and the STR team have written and spoken extensively on critical theory. We welcome you to explore our archives at STR.org to learn more about where we stand.

[@billymaurer]

Suicide is not on Greg's list does it violate thou shalt not murder? I read on a Facebook post that suicide is the only thing that keeps you away from God / out of Heaven thoughts?

[@STRvideos]

Hi Billy. Jon Noyes has an entire talk on suicide! He may even do an STR U course on the topic eventually. In the meantime, here are some links that may help: www.str.org/w/thinking-biblically-about-suicide www.str.org/w/what-if-a-christian-commits-suicide- kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWqpnWN9f8SBi7M kzbin.info/www/bejne/q33IZ4d5icSlnqM www.str.org/w/suicide-and-the-need-for-hope www.str.org/w/-strask-january-10-2019

[@Elohimists]

People are in the Wrong churches and Don't read their bibles so, they believe what they hear from the pulpit and there are many false teachers out there who have PhD.'s but no Anointing from The Holy Spirit. Many should not be teachers but everyone thinks they are and try to start their own ministries instead of forming the Body of Christ. You Must Be Born Again. 1st Corinthians 14:1 Pursue Love (Galatians 5:22,23) and desire spiritual gifts (1st Corinthians 12-14 & Romans 8:26) especially that you might prophecy. Luke 11:13 Since we who are evil know how to give good gift to our children, how much more will our Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit if we ask. May God's will be done in the name of His Son , Jesus our Lord and Christ, amen.

[@WassimMohamed1985]

Well, first of all I think it's more about being your real self ( because you might be feeling something today and tomorrow with different circumstances you feel something else) There's no rules for being who you really are and being good to others and just be happy, do what makes you happy, religion wasn't made to put you in a Corner and beat you and tell you you must do this or God will hate you, It was just not to Let any other Power over you, is to free you from all the psychopathic opinions around you. Is to come to God with a clean and pure Intentions . And not to be Slave to priests or papa's or shikhs. It's so simple he asked us to believe only in him and let the Higher hand in everything to the one and only God. And to understand that all religions were made by the one and only God and they are not different from eachother they are all the same but we misunderstood some of the messages ( or many actually ) Because God does not give us orders no . He gives us advices to protect ourselves in advance. And even if we made mistakes that's normal because we are humans we aren't angels. Humans have lusts ( Food, sex power and etc ) But angels not . Even all prophets made mistakes and that's normal because for anyone to go through any new experience you can fall in something wrong and you learn from it , and don't let a piece of shit to have control over your life. You need to ask God to lead you to the right knowledge and directions. And don't go for confessions and that stupid act ( because like this you removed god from your mind and you gave the Priest the power over your destiny, and that's so illogical . So just be conscious about your directions and you need to read or listen to the Holy Book it self as it is and not people who try to define it. Believe me when you do it with pure and clean intentions, god will definitely lead you to the right Path. You don't need someone else to tell you how to be happy and how to be good . It's crystal clear. Give yourself the Freedom to make mistakes and to go through experiences. Like this when you reach a piece of knowledge and believe that this the right for you. Then you will follow it with all your sensations because you felt that it's the right thing for you and because you are satisfied of the results. Just think and don't be a hypocrite with yourself ( at least to yourself be honest ) Between you and your inner self even if you show something else to others ( but deep inside you you are being honest to yourself, which will reflect on your actions sooner or later ) About sex I think God asked us to avoid adultery ( because it's out of betraying your partner , so In that case you would better separate or divorce instead of living in a big Lie, and keep on betraying your partner, find a life with someone else or live on your own that's actually in the sake of your psychological satisfaction, because it's a such a load living a life that you are not happy with ) Gender ( What I know that God created each one the way he wanted and he didn't create us to suffer so your Body and your sensation will Tell you What they need you to be ( how do you find pleasure is important because that will reflect on your satisfaction and Happiness in your daily basis) But just be True to your Self don't follow something because it's the new fashionable Group or this is how to be cool and free. No your freedom you can achieve to yourself and you don't need to imitate others to be another Copy of thousands. Be unique even if others won't accept you, but you still accept yourself. Don't let your life such as a Copy of other's lives to satisfy them and to let them accept you among them ( you will lose of living your own life and have your own crazy thoughts and have your own adventures ) We are Free Souls we aren't robots. We might want something today and tomorrow not, we might like something today and tomorrow not. And this how you give love to yourself and not let others control the way you live . About abortion ( well, if you aren't in a condition that makes you ready to have a child to live a stable and respectful life financially and also socially and have the Chance to grow in a Healthy and fair atmosphere ( family ) Then don't take the Risk because he's the one who is gonna suffer and not you ) And if you give birth and just throw him in the street because you couldn't afford a respectful life to him . Then think people First ( it's not A, B, C education . You are giving a Life . And this Soul you bring either will curse you or thank you for bringing them to life . It's a responsibility, it's not Easy. Don't Fool yourself just go for the Logic facts. Because God will never ask us to act stupid the say oh , God wanted that . Ofcourse at the end what God wants will happen. I'm just telling you about your Way of thinking and having the key of your freedom and satisfaction in your own hands , not in some other stupid monk's hands. Wake up people. Why do you make me feel that you are in a Coma.

[@ConservativeMirror]

Prediction: You're going to ignore Numbers 5 on abortion.

[@gaelc.2253]

Question: how does numbers 5 relate to abortion?

[@troy6795]

Hu?

[@ricksonora6656]

There’s nothing relevant to ignore! Who started this fantasy that “may her belly swell and her thigh shrivel” means “cause an abortion?” Read the whole passage. She’s not even pregnant!

[@Remy4489]

That chapter has to do with judgement on a wife IF she has actually committed adultery; that chapter in no way even mentions a child in the picture, unless the woman is innocent in which case she will be "able to conceive children" (verse 28). Please stop trying to twist the very Words of God, by pretending that Scripture says something that It doesn't say.

[@Remy4489]

Also, it seems that ONLY the NIV and the NRV, even say or imply that a miscarriage occurs in Numbers 5:27, which it seems the majority of all the other English translations say differently (*and EVEN IF it was referring to a miscarriage, it is not even close to a defense of deliberate abortions); God Alone has the prerogative of life and death; and while God stated that David's first child through Bathsheba would die as part of David's being judged; but just because God has the prerogative of life and death, does not extend to us the same prerogative. Furthermore, the power of the curse or of protection from the curse that the priest issues, is ultimately enforced either way by God.