Thinking to Believe
A mental journey into Christian theology, apologetics, morality, and culture, with a dash of politics.
Episodes
129 episodes since 2022
129: Political Theology pt 5 - God Takes Sides | Why Christians Can't Vote for Democrats
God takes positions on moral issues. Political parties also take positions on moral issues. As such, God takes sides when it comes to politics. All political parties fail to represent God’s point of view on certain issues, but they don’t all fa...
September 13, 2024
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Episode 129
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52:29
128: Political Theology pt 4 - Legislating Morality | Voting is Morally Significant
It's common knowledge that "you can't (or shouldn't) legislate morality," but in reality, this is a common misunderstanding. Morality is all that you should legislate. The only question is whose morality will be legislated. It would be religiou...
September 06, 2024
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Episode 128
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29:29
127: Political Theology pt 3 - The Meaning of the 1st Amendment
Does the First Amendment require a strict wall of separation between the government and the people? No. It was intended to prevent the federal government from establishing a national religion or disestablishing any state religion, and to preven...
August 30, 2024
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Episode 127
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36:22
126: Political Theology pt 2 - America was founded as a Christian nation
Many have claimed that America was founded as a secular nation. Nothing could be further from the truth. Not only were our Founding Fathers deeply religious, but they expressed their religion publicly and their Christian religion deeply informe...
August 23, 2024
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Episode 126
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47:09
125: Political Theology pt 1 - Religion and Politics Do Mix
Government was God's idea. It's an institution He created to promote justice in human societies. As such, good government requires the participation of the just. Even God is involved in government. He sets up kings and kingdoms, and brings them...
August 15, 2024
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Episode 125
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51:00
124: Simplifying God's Will, pt 6 - Objections Answered
In this final episode of the series, I answer objections to the wisdom model of decision making and respond to verses that are commonly used in support of the Spirit-led model.
August 02, 2024
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Episode 124
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49:23
123: Simplifying God's Will, pt 5 - Ministry and Marriage
In this episode, I apply the wisdom model of decision making to ministry and marriage, showing how Biblical principles and wisdom should guide us in our ministry and choosing a spouse.
July 26, 2024
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Episode 123
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44:57
122: Simplifying God's Will, pt 4 - Biblical Support for the Wisdom Model
I provide a number of Biblical examples demonstrating that most decisions are to be made in light of wisdom, not divine revelation. Then, I provide some principles for decision making, talk about how to obtain wisdom, and offer some clarificati...
July 19, 2024
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Episode 122
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47:30
121: Simplifying God's Will, pt 3 - Characteristics of Divine Revelation
When God speaks, how does He speak? There are five Biblical characteristics of divine revelation: (1) It was rare; (2) It came to those who were not seeking it; (3) It was clear; (4) It was supernatural in nature; (5) It often went against the ...
July 12, 2024
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Episode 121
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31:36
120: Simplifying God's Will, pt 2 - Extent of God's Will, Evaluating Methods for Discovering God's Will
In part 2 of my series on Simplifying God's Will, I examine the Biblical data on God's will. I argue that the Bible teaches God's will for our lives is more general in nature, primarily related to our moral growth; not who we marry, what career...
July 05, 2024
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Episode 120
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49:48
119: Simplifying God's Will, pt 1: Two Models of God's Will
I'm starting a 6-part series on finding the will of God. In episode 1, I compare and contrast the two models of God's will, and argue that only one is based in Scripture.
June 28, 2024
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Episode 119
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33:17
118: Miscellany - Exposition of 1 Cor 3, DEI, Advice from Failures, Pet the Peeve
In this miscellany episode, I exegete two passages in 1 Corinthians 3. I argue that when Paul warns people about the way they are building (with gold, silver, and precious stones vs. wood, hay, and straw), he is not talking about individual Chr...
June 21, 2024
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Episode 118
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53:05
117: Does God Exist?, pt 47: An Existential Argument pt2
I finish up the existential argument by showing how atheism cannot, but theism can satisfy our deep longing for objective morality, free will, immortality, and love. I end the podcast by providing a real life example of how an atheist came to C...
June 14, 2024
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32:25
116: Does God Exist?, pt 46: An Existential Argument pt1
My final argument for God's existence is a version of the existential argument. I argue that our existential longings can only be explained by and fulfilled by a theistic God: the desire for meaning and purpose in life, objective morality, immo...
June 07, 2024
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Episode 116
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46:01
115: Does God Exist?, pt 45: Aquinas' Fourth and Fifth Ways
I wrap up my discussion of Aquinas' Five Ways by examining both his Fourth and Fifth Ways. The Fourth Way demonstrate that the grades of perfection we observe in the world can only be explained by the existence of a maximally perfe...
May 24, 2024
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Episode 115
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34:05
114: Does God Exist?, pt 44: Aquinas' Third Way from Contingency
For his Third Way, Thomas Aquinas argues that the existence of contingent beings can only be explained by the existence of a necessary being whose essence is identical to His existence.
May 17, 2024
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Episode 114
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32:28
113: Does God Exist?, pt 43: Aquinas' Second Way from Causation, and the Existential Proof
For his Second Way, Thomas Aquinas argues that a causal series can only be explained by a first, uncaused cause who is the source of all causation. In a related argument - the existential proof - Aquinas argues that things whose essence is dist...
May 10, 2024
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Episode 113
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36:59
112: Does God Exist?, pt 42: Aquinas' First Way - Argument from Motion
I started my exploration of Thomas Aquinas' Five Ways, beginning with his First Way - the argument from motion. Aquinas argues that only God can explain why things change. Change can only be explained by a First, Unmoved Mover; i.e. a Being who...
May 03, 2024
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Episode 112
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36:35
111: Arizona abortion law and pro-life strategy
The current legal situation regarding abortion law in Arizona has revealed a strategic divide among pro-lifers. All pro-lifers want to make abortion unthinkable in this country, but disagree as to the best way of achieving that end. Abolitionis...
April 26, 2024
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Episode 111
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50:23
110: Does God Exist?, pt 41: Human Equality, Free Will, Miracles, Resurrection
I offer four more arguments for God's existence from human equality, free will, miracles, and the resurrection.I argue that the notion of human equality has no place in a materialistic worldview, but can only be grounded by a transcende...
April 19, 2024
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Episode 110
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35:00
109: Does God Exist?, pt 40: Origin of Life, Argument from Human Rights, Argument from Human Value
I offer three more arguments for God's existence: the origin of life, the argument from human rights, and the argument from human value.I argue that only a transcendent, intelligent mind like God could create the biological information ...
April 12, 2024
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45:06
108: Does God Exist?, pt 39: Ontological, Consciousness, Logic, and Mathematical Arguments
I am continuing my series on the evidence for God's existence with a host of additional arguments. I will not go into the same depth for each argument that I have for the previous arguments. In this episode, I spend the bulk of the time explain...
April 05, 2024
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Episode 108
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46:27
107: Resurrection 1-N-Done
A 1-N-Done episode on the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus.
March 29, 2024
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52:22
106: Does God Exist?, pt 38: Teleological Argument pt 4 - Responding to Objections
In this final episode on the teleological argument, I look at a number of objections that have been raised against the argument and demonstrate why none of them successfully undermine it.
March 22, 2024
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Episode 106
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35:38
105: Does God Exist?, pt 37: Teleological Argument pt 3 - Explaining the Fine-Tuning, Tactics
Having previously established four levels of fine-tuning in the universe, I set out to explain the cause of that fine-tuning. I explore chance and physical necessity and conclude that both are inadequate. The only adequate explanation also happ...
March 08, 2024
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Episode 105
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37:39