Stand to Reason (Greg Koukl)

How misused: Misinterprets James 2 by claiming it is not about salvation by faith *plus* works but merely about the 'authenticity' of faith or its 'evidences,' thereby insulating the 'faith alone' doctrine from James' explicit statements on justification by works. He redefines 'works' in James to be merely consequences of faith rather than contributing elements to righteousness.

Scripture's answer: James explicitly states, 'A person is justified by works and not by faith alone' (James 2:24). The passage is a direct challenge to a faith that does not produce corresponding actions, indicating that true, saving faith is demonstrated and completed through works. While works do not *earn* salvation, they are intrinsically linked to a living faith. See also Matthew 7:21-23, Galatians 5:19-21, and Romans 2:6-8.

How misused: Erroneously dismisses Jeremiah 10:1-4 as a condemnation solely of carved idols, rather than also encompassing pagan tree worship and practices resembling Christmas trees. This interpretation overlooks the broader context of pagan rituals involving trees and inappropriately uses an anachronism argument to deny any prophetic relevance to similar modern practices.

Scripture's answer: Jeremiah 10:3-4 describes 'customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter.' While directly addressing carved idols, the passage's vivid description of cutting, shaping, and decorating a tree for religious veneration directly parallels ancient pagan tree worship traditions and raises questions about practices resembling modern Christmas trees, suggesting a broader condemnation of syncretistic practices. See also Deuteronomy 12:2-4, 1 Kings 14:23-24, Isaiah 44:9-20.

How misused: Misinterprets 'faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ' as implying a sovereign, irresistible action of God rather than the spoken gospel message that requires a human response. This contributes to minimizing human responsibility in responding to the Gospel.

Scripture's answer: Romans 10:17 states, 'So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.' The 'word of Christ' refers to the spoken message of the Gospel, which is proclaimed by human messengers (Romans 10:14-15). While God sovereignly enables faith, the text emphasizes the necessity of the preached word for people to hear and respond in faith. See also 1 Corinthians 1:21, Acts 2:37-39.

How misused: Misinterprets 'My sheep hear my voice' (John 10:27) as solely referring to the initial spiritual recognition of Jesus as Savior for salvation, rather than also encompassing ongoing discipleship, intimate communion, and discernible guidance from the Holy Spirit for believers in daily life.

Scripture's answer: John 10:27, 'My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me,' describes a characteristic of true believers. While it certainly includes the initial recognition of Christ as Savior, the broader context of Jesus as the Good Shepherd (John 10) implies an ongoing, intimate relationship where His sheep continually listen to and follow His leading. The Holy Spirit's role is to guide believers into all truth (John 16:13), implying a continuous, discernible communication beyond initial conversion. See also Romans 8:14, Galatians 5:18, Hebrews 3:7-8.

How misused: Misapplies 'the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life' (2 Corinthians 3:6) to imply the Bible itself is 'dead' or ineffective without a specific spiritual experience or relational connection, rather than understanding it as a contrast between the Old Covenant Law and the New Covenant empowered by the Spirit.

Scripture's answer: 2 Corinthians 3:6 states, 'who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.' This verse contrasts the Old Covenant, which reveals sin and condemns, with the New Covenant, which brings life through the Holy Spirit. It is not a statement about the inherent vitality of the written Scripture itself (which is God-breathed and living, Hebrews 4:12), but rather about the covenant under which it is read and applied. The Law, apart from Christ and the Spirit, cannot give life. See also Hebrews 4:12, Psalm 19:7-11.

How misused: Proposes an unsupported interpretation of 1 Corinthians 15:29 ('baptized for the dead') as referring to pagan practices, rather than engaging with it as a complex New Testament passage that has been interpreted differently by various Christian traditions, including some early Christian and modern LDS views on proxy baptism, which he then dismisses as based on 'single vague verses.'

Scripture's answer: 1 Corinthians 15:29, 'Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?' is one of the most debated passages in the New Testament. While its exact meaning is disputed, scholarly interpretations include proxy baptism (as in Mormonism), baptism over the graves of martyrs, or baptism in expectation of the resurrection of dead family members. Dismissing it as 'pagan practices' without robust scholarly or textual support, especially when simultaneously critiquing other interpretations as relying on 'single vague verses,' is inconsistent. No single interpretation is definitively affirmed in the JSON as the meaning of this passage is not a locked thesis, but its dismissal is noted.

How misused: Interprets 2 Peter 3:9 ('The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance') as exclusively referring to the elect, thereby narrowing God's universal compassion and desire for all to repent, which aligns with a limited atonement view.

Scripture's answer: 2 Peter 3:9 explicitly states God's patience is 'not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.' While interpretations vary across theological traditions, the plain sense of 'any' and 'all' points to a universal divine desire for all humanity to come to repentance, even if not all ultimately do. Restricting 'all' to only the elect imposes a theological framework that is not explicitly present in the text itself. See also 1 Timothy 2:3-4, Ezekiel 33:11.