The Dialog

What's your standard for truth? Ricky Bobby's was one line from his dad: "If you ain't first, you're last." He built his whole life on it. Years later his dad admitted it never made any sense.

Most of us are living by ideas like that. We just don't know where they came from, or whether they've ever produced good fruit.

The sophists of ancient Athens trained people in the art of persuasion. What mattered wasn't what was true. It was what you could convince people was true. Socrates wanted what was actually true, and Athens sentenced him to death. Today, the modern-day sophist is an Instagram influencer.

My co-host Nick Surface and I ask a question most people never slow down long enough to answer: what's your standard for truth? And how well do you actually know it?

What's your standard for truth?
For a lot of people it's their own experience, but perception isn't always accurate. For Nick and me it's God's word. You can't claim the Bible as your standard and stay ignorant of what it says. The Bereans checked what Paul taught against the Scriptures (Acts 17:11).

Why do we believe what we want to hear?
Your brain is not wired to tell you what's true. It's wired to reinforce what you believe. Jesus gave a better test: you'll know them by their fruit (Matthew 7:16).

Why does truth survive questions?
Truth always stands up to questions. Subjective beliefs don't. Philosophy is φιλοσοφία (philosophía), the love of wisdom, and Socrates said that when his beliefs were shown to be false, he was the one who was served.

Scriptures
John 3:16-19 · John 18:37 · Matthew 7:16 · Acts 17:11 · 1 Corinthians 11:1 · Hebrews 13:17 · Luke 12:48

Thinkers
Socrates: no one does wrong willingly
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity: wickedness is the pursuit of some good in the wrong way

Chapters
0:00 Cold open and show intro
0:52 Strike Force and the Power Team era
2:29 Should church try to draw a crowd?
3:36 Nobody thinks they're the bad guy
4:38 If the church isn't culturally relevant, who is?
6:13 C.S. Lewis and Socrates: no one does wrong willingly
6:42 Ricky Bobby and the ideas we never check
7:49 Who were the sophists?
9:38 Why wanting the truth costs you (Socrates, John 18)
11:20 The modern-day sophist is an Instagram influencer
12:18 The five-minute workout and "it doesn't have to be that hard"
13:41 Believing what you want to hear
15:42 Your brain reinforces what you already believe
17:40 Truth is objective, but always subjectively applied
20:35 Truth stands up to questions. Beliefs don't.
21:43 Bible, prayer and fellowship
24:21 Where did you get that belief?
25:30 When your pain becomes your standard of truth
27:22 You can justify any belief
28:53 The temple: outer court, inner court, holy of holies
30:39 Is the church for new people?
32:25 Hurt enough, learn enough, receive enough
34:26 Christians who don't read their Bibles
37:14 Conviction takes time and testing
38:28 You do what you actually believe
39:51 Listen to what you disagree with
41:21 What's your standard for truth?
43:06 The Bereans: show me where it says that (Acts 17)
44:01 God works through imperfect leaders
45:32 Your decisions affect other people (Hebrews 13:17)
48:30 Ignorance perpetuates ignorance
49:43 Outro

Previous: 1.15 / What is God actually holding you responsible for?
Next: 1.17 / What are you really certain of?

New episodes most weeks.
Follow Nick on IG / https://www.instagram.com/nicksurface1/
Follow me on IG / https://www.instagram.com/joshuakcraft/
Go to my website / https://jkc.is

What is The Dialog?

Ancient philosophers used the dialog to find answers to life’s greatest questions. The Dialog is a search for truth in modern life through the lens of ancient philosophy, history, and theology. This podcast will challenge your assumptions, change your thinking and show you how to master modern living.