Podcast appearances and mentions of fred sanders

This episode is a response to a tweet from  @redeemedzoomer6053  regarding the question "Do Christians worship the same God as the Jews?". I mentioned Jacob  @faturechi  , Paul Vanderklay  @PaulVanderKlay  , Tripp Parker, Bethel McGrew, Rabbi Tovia Singer  @ToviaSinger1  , Dale Tuggy, Beau Branson, William Hasker, William Lane Craig, Marcion, Michael Heiser, James McGrath, Athanasius of Alexandria, Hilary of Poitiers, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, Fred Sanders, and more. Redeemed Zoomer on Paul Vanderklay - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJIUh_rsqAs&t=2sMy video on Worship and Jesus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bi1t3Es6uCY&t=1sDevelopment of the Trinity - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQt_QO4ASAQ&t=5787sJames McGrath paper on Two Powers - https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1111&context=facsch_papersArizona Christian Study - https://www.arizonachristian.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/AWVI-2025_03_Most-Americans-Reject-the-Trinity_FINAL_03_26_2025.pdf

Seinfeld Podcast Interview With Fred Sanders. Fred played "John Mollica" in the Season 3 "Seinfeld" episode, "The Pez Dispenser." You know Fred from The Single Guy, Caroline in the City, Just Shoot Me, The West Wing, Malcom in the Middle, TitusThis Podcast Is Making Me Thirsty is a podcast dedicated to Seinfeld, the last, great sitcom of our time. We are The #1 Destination for Seinfeld Fans.We talk with those responsible for making Seinfeld the greatest sitcom in TV history. Our guests are Seinfeld writers, Seinfeld actors and actresses and Seinfeld crew.We also welcome well-known Seinfeld fans from all walks of life including authors, entertainers, and TV & Radio personalities.We analyze Seinfeld and breakdown the show with an honest insight. We rank every Seinfeld episode and compare Seinfeld seasons. If you are a fan of Seinfeld, television history, sitcoms, acting, comedy or entertainment, this is the place for you.Do us a solid, support the Podcast

Series: With All Boldness And Without Hindrance Passage: Acts 19:8-41

Dr. Fred Sanders brings us a word from Ephesians 1:3-14, emphasizing Paul's use of three triads: one of blessing, one of time, and one of the Trinity.

Series: With All Boldness And Without Hindrance Passage: The Book of Acts

Exodus 3:13-15; John 14:8-11; Acts 2:1-4 - The Nicene Creed begins with an affirmation that there is "one God," though it makes clear as it goes on that it is not only the Father, but also the Son and the Spirit who are also to be worshipped as God. With this statement, we are plunged into the heart of the mysterious, beautiful doctrine of who the Christian God is: the doctrine of the Trinity and the love of God. A sermon by Cameron Heger. [Part 2 of our series "The Nicene Creed: The Ancient Theology of the Triune God"] Questions for reflection: 1) Why is it important that we spend the effort necessary to think rightly about God? Do you find it naturally exciting or difficult? 2) How is the Trinity different from polytheism (multiple gods), modalism (God shows up in different modes), and subordinationism (Jesus is a lesser god/entity)? 3) Why do you think the Trinity became such an important concept for Christians despite the word not appearing in the Bible? 4) Cameron (following Fred Sanders) argued that we might get our best glimpse at the Trinity in the major moments of salvation history--through the missions of the Father (at the Exodus), the Son (at the incarnation/crucifixion), and the Spirit (at Pentecost). As God acted to save His people, we learned more about who He is. What do you think of this? 5) In John 17:24, Jesus shared about the love He experienced from the Father before creation. What light does this shed on the idea that "God is love"?

Victoria Villarreal and an ensemble cast narrate a thrilling epic set in 1950s Hollywood. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Emily Connelly discuss this lush historical novel based around a Biblical sword-and-sandal film. When an unknown actress from Mexico is cast to play Salome in the latest picture, tempers flare. Villarreal capably narrates the three main storylines: Vera Larios, the unknown Mexican ingénue; Nancy Hartley, a bit player who feels cheated out of a starring role; and Salome herself. Additional narrators voice brief interviews and gossipy articles to give listeners further insight into the tragic tale. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Random House Audio. Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile's website. The sponsor for today's podcast is Hachette Audio, the publisher of CONNIE, a witty memoir about legendary journalist Connie Chung's experience as the first Asian woman to break into the overwhelmingly white male dominated news industry--read by Connie Chung! Find out more at Hachette Audio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  Minister Fred Sanders and muscians of Birmingham Alabama. Today breaking the bread of life. Minister Sanders was a member of the Wings of Cathedral of Greater Faith Church 3rd Ave in Brimingham Alabama. Under the direction of the Holy Ghost and Bishop Charles C Woods.

Series: With All Boldness And Without Hindrance Passage: Acts 9:32-11:18

Is the Holy Spirit an impersonal force? What are some common misconceptions about the Holy Spirit and what are some vital truths to know to live in the power of the Spirit? Sean and Scott Rae speak with fellow Biola professor Fred Sanders about these questions and his new book The Holy Spirit: An Introduction. READ: The Holy Spirit: An Introduction (https://amzn.to/4appf62) *Get a MASTERS IN APOLOGETICS or SCIENCE AND RELIGION at BIOLA (https://bit.ly/3LdNqKf) *USE Discount Code [SMDCERTDISC] for $100 off the BIOLA APOLOGETICS CERTIFICATE program (https://bit.ly/3AzfPFM) *See our fully online UNDERGRAD DEGREE in Bible, Theology, and Apologetics: (https://bit.ly/448STKK) FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Sean_McDowell TikTok: @sean_mcdowell Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seanmcdowell/ Website: https://seanmcdowell.org

In this video Gavin Ortlund and Fred Sanders discuss the filiioque, the doctrine that the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. Ryan McGraw's What is Covenant Theology?: https://www.amazon.com/What-Covenant-Theology-Promises-Sacraments/dp/1433592770 Fred Sanders The Deep Things of God: https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Things-God-Second-Everything/dp/1433556375/ Fred Sanders' The Holy Spirit: https://www.amazon.com/Holy-Spirit-Introduction-Systematic-Theology/dp/1433561433/   Truth Unites exists to promote gospel assurance through theological depth. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is President of Truth Unites and Theologian-in-Residence at Immanuel Nashville. SUPPORT: Tax Deductible Support: https://truthunites.org/donate/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/truthunites FOLLOW: Twitter: https://twitter.com/gavinortlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TruthUnitesPage/ Website: https://truthunites.org/

What's the Big Deal About The Trinity, Anyway? The Trinity. It forms the center of Christian doctrine, yet most Christians today either don't understand it or ignore it as something not important. But if God wasn't a triune being, our salvation would be impossible. How can we make the Trinity more comprehensible? In this episode I interview Dr. Fred Sanders of Biola University, an expert on the Trinity, as we explore the deep things of God.

Series: The Resurrection And The Life Passage: John 21:1-14

Who is the Holy Spirit? How does the Holy Spirit work in our lives? What are some common misconceptions about the Holy Spirit and what are some vital truths to know to live in the power of the Spirit? Sean and Scott speak with fellow Biola professor Fred Sanders about these questions and his new book The Holy Spirit: An Introduction.Fred Sanders (PhD, Graduate Theological Union) is a professor of theology at the Torrey Honors College at Biola University. Sanders is the author of multiple books including The Deep Things of God. He blogs regularly at fredfredfred.com.Read a transcript of this episode at: https://www.biola.edu/blogs/think-biblically/2024/encountering-the-holy-spirit.==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

Guest pastor Fred Sanders preaches on Ephesians 1 regarding the Trinity.

Greg answers questions about whether one must believe in eternal generation to be saved, why the question of significance is so important, reconciling Matthew 7:21–23 with grace, and justifying self-defense in light of Jesus telling us to turn the other cheek.   Topics: Is my salvation at stake if I don't believe in eternal generation, contrary to the Athanasian Creed? (01:00) Why is the question of significance the most important question facing America today? (11:00) How do you reconcile Matthew 7:21–23 (“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of Heaven”) with other verses, like Ephesians 2:8–9, that describe a gospel of grace? (23:00) Taking into consideration Matthew 5:38–39, where Jesus says to turn the other cheek, how do we justify self-defense? (42:00) Mentioned on the Show:  The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything by Fred Sanders Retrieving Eternal Generation – Edited by Fred Sanders and Scott Swain Submit a question on the Open Mic Line Reality Student Apologetics Conference – March 22–23, 2024 in Philadelphia, PA; April 19–20, 2024 in Augusta, GA

Series: What Child Is This? Passage: John 1:14

Who is the Holy Spirit, and how does an understanding of the person and work of the Holy Spirit contribute to our life and faith as believers in Jesus?  Fred Sanders is professor of theology at the Torrey Honors College at Biola University. He is the author of a much sought-after series of theological comic books, as well as the recently published book, The Holy Spirit: an Introduction, which is part of the Short Studies in Systematic Theology series put out by Crossway Publishing. Fred has focused much of his theological work on the topic of the Trinity, so when it comes to talking about the person and work of the Holy Spirit, he has a unique and helpful perspective.  In this episode we talk about what the Bible says and doesn't say about the Holy Spirit, whether it's okay to pray to the Holy Spirit, and more. Make sure to visit the Theology for the People website at nickcady.org --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theologyforthepeople/support

In yet another brazen foray into hot topics, Matt, Derek, and Alastair talk with eminent trinitarian theologian, Dr. Fred Sanders, about why masculine terms are used to refer to God. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Pastoral Ethics [0:00] Our Trinitarian Correspondent [1:54] Referring to God [3:22] Matt's Second Publication [7:19] Personhood & Revelation [8:42] Trinity First, Then Creation [11:47] Now It's Personal [15:13] Back to the Spirit [19:19] Feminine Imagery & Feminine Identity [24:17] Breath [31:33] Utility [34:43]

In this episode of the Credo Alliance, Credo Fellows John Fesko, Fred Sanders, and Scott Swain join Matthew Barrett to discuss the Holy Spirit and the  eternal spiration of the Holy Spirit. They explore the historical and theological background of the Nicene Creed, and the implications of the Holy Spirit’s procession from the Father and… Download Audio

An ensemble of wildly talented narrators elevates Daniel Sweren-Becker's fictional true-crime case, told through first-person interviews. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Michele Cobb discuss a full-cast narration that takes the listener on a rollercoaster ride. The narrators infuse a generous amount of personality and empathy into their portrayals of the community, media, and family involved in the tragic case of a missing teenager. A compelling audio with a winning combination of narrators. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Harper Audio. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Dreamscape Publishing, an independent audiobook publisher, produces and publishes award-winning and bestselling titles, including those from Lisa Jewell, Jeneva Rose, and Annie Ernaux. For more information and to see Dreamscape's entire catalog, visit dreamscapepublishing.com. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/AUDIOFILE and get on your way to being your best self. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Brian Synott sits down with Mike Neglia for a discussion about bivocational ministry, therapy, addiction recovery and prison ministry. He recounts his first sermon at a hyper-charismatic youth group in county Cork, Ireland in the late 1980s and the significant growth that has taken place in his ministry since then. They speak about the surprising influence of Calvary Chapel on Brian's preaching philosophy and the value of verse-by-verse teaching as a way of growing believers AND combating heresy. They also speak about cigarettes, dyspraxia, guest-speaking, and the importance of being a good listener before you attempt to be a good speaker. Biography: Brian is married to Doris and has three sons, Chris, Andrew and Nathan.  As a teenager, Brian had a dramatic encounter with God, which marked the beginning of a journey away from severe depression and other troubles. 40 years on, Brian has been ordained as a Christian Minister (Elim), pastored for over 20 years, and led in planting churches in Ireland. He is the National Director of Christian Counselling International (Ireland).  He has practised as a Theotherapy counsellor for nearly 25 years. He has worked with a total of 7 Christian Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation centres, the primary centres being with Teen Challenge U.K. and Tiglin Ireland.  He has been the Services manager for Dublin Christian Mission, managing a team thats remit was to bring hope to those with adtive addiction and homelessness, etc....  He has been the Supervisor of the Elevate Program in the YMCA, leading young people under 25 in their aftercare program / away from a life of substance misuse towards functionality, further education, employment etc.…  He works as a prison Chaplain and counsels, trains, and supervises other Theotherapy counsellors.  He is regularly asked to speak in seminars/workshops on Theotherapy and is often a guest preacher / Bible teacher. Brian loves to speak on the radio on both Biblical and Mental Health subjects. Brian's primary Honours degree is in Christian Ministry and Theology from Manchester University.  He has since earned a Doctorate in Theotherapy and a Stage 3 Supervisory qualification with the British Association of Counsellors and Practitioners in the U.K. (B.A.C.P.). He has been a lecturer in the Teen Challenge Leadership Academy as well as teaching/training the staff of T.C.U.K.. He loves the Word of God and is passionate about seeing Christians released to their full potential, thus assisting many other people in their lives and ultimately glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ. Recommended Episodes:  Bridging the Gap between Counselling and Preaching - Conor Berry : https://expositorscollective.org/expositors-collective-podcast/bridging-the-gap-between-counselling-and-preaching-conor-berry/  Learning from John the Baptist -  George Scanlan: https://www.expositorscollective.com/podcast/2021/2/16/learning-from-john-the-baptist-george-scanlan What is the Holy Spirit doing when we Preach? Fred Sanders :  https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/applied-pneumatology-what-is-the-holy-spirit-doing-when-we-preach Resources Mentioned:  Brian's sermon at Calvary Cork: https://youtube.com/live/Z63tQLdzLwM  "Neither a borrower nor a lender be" : https://poemanalysis.com/shakespeare-quotes/neither-a-borrower-nor-a-lender-be/  Cork YMCA : https://ymca-ireland.net/cork-regional/ Connect with Us: For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com  The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/ Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective Click here to support Expositors Collective

Author and Greenville Seminary professor Ryan McGraw sits down with James and Jonathan today to discuss his latest book, A Mystery Revealed: 31 Meditations on the Trinity. In this book, Ryan offers a fresh perspective on how the Trinity forms the foundation for everything from evangelism to corporate worship. The 31 daily meditations help bring this heavenly doctrine down to earth for the average Christian to experience. Register here for the opportunity to win a copy of Ryan's book, thanks to the generosity of our friends at Reformation Heritage Books.   Show Notes: Dr. McGraw recommended this book on the Holy Spirit by Fred Sanders: https://www.crossway.org/books/the-holy-spirit-tpb-2/

Ephesus was a city whose economy depended on trade. It was frequently visited by people wishing to see and experience one of the seven wonders of the world of their day known as the Temple of Artemis/Diana. The economy, culture, and ethics of Ephesus all centered on the goddess of Diana and the temple built in her honor. The temple was supported by 127 giant pillars believed to have been given as gifts by 127 different kings. The temple housed many priests and priestesses who operated under a castrated male who functioned as the high priest. The male priests were in charge of offering the sacrifices to Diana, which also included human sacrifice. The female priests were unmarried women given the responsibility to be channels of worship to Diana which was performed through intercourse of any male wishing to worship Diana with her priestesses. You can see why worship in the temple of Diana was so popular. Because the worship of Diana was the main religion in Ephesus, ritual prostitution was a dominant feature of the religious atmosphere in Ephesus. Spirits, we know as demons, frequently possessed the priestesses as well as the worshiper which should come to be no surprise, for the Bible says: that the things Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God (1 Cor. 10:20). Anytime an offering is given to an idol, it is an offering given to a demon not merely an image Diana was no exception. When the apostle Paul stopped in Ephesus to preach, the gospel disrupted the worship of the goddess of Artemis/Diana as people in the city heard the good news about Jesus Christ and gave their lives to Him. So profound was the gospels impact upon the culture of Ephesus that some who made their living off the worship of Diana expressed their great concern: in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all. Not only is there danger that this trade of ours will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as worthless, and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence (see Acts 19:2328). Paul spent over two years in Ephesus where God used him to establish the same church to which he would write the epistle to the Ephesians years later, while in prison. The city of Ephesus was a very scary place full of demonic activity, full of women who were held as sex slaves, full of all kinds of perverts seeking to get cheap thrills under the guise of religion, radical feminists who distained the existence of men, public baths, and bathrooms, where modesty was considered taboo, all of which were ruled by a demon posing to be a free-spirited goddess. It is in this city that a church was birthed, cultural norms challenged, and lives transformed. What you also need to know is that years before Paul brought the gospel to Ephesus, he tried to prevent its spread because he was convinced Christianity had to be destroyed. Of his former life as a pharisee, Paul wrote in Philippians 3, If anyone else thinks he is confident in the flesh, I have more reason: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless (Phil. 3:46). Paul approved of the stoning of Stephen, who was sentenced to death because of his outspoken faith in Jesus (see Acts 7). Regarding his salvation and faith in Jesus, Paul wrote to Timothy (who would eventually become the pastor of the church in Ephesus): It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost (1 Tim. 1:15). What does it Mean to be a Christian? Fred Sanders, in his masterful book, The Deep Things of God, wrote of the gospel, The gospel so outstrips our created measurements that it can be measured only against something as immense as God himself. Sanders further comments, There is one place in Scripture where this sheer greatness of the gospel is most profusely described: the blessing with which Paul opens the epistle to the Ephesians.[1] In the weeks to come, we will plumb the depths of Ephesians 1:1-14, but for now, I only want to show you who you are if you are a Christian and who you can be, by the grace of God, if you are not. The Christian is Saved by the Will of God (v. 1) In the very first sentence to these Christians surrounded by some of the darkest evils, Paul attributes his salvation and apostleship to the will of God. The stoning of Stephen and his part in the imprisonment and persecution of Christians was not too much for the grace of God to overcome. In fact, a survey of the Bible will show you that when it comes to the will of man and the will of God, it is the will of man to run from God and it is only because of will greater than our own that God is able to pursue us and find us. The Christian has the Grace and Peace of God (v. 2) Before salvation, Paul and the Ephesian Christians stood before a holy God guilty, awaiting a judgment under the wrath of God, and the same can be said of you and me. The Bible says, because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God (Rom. 2:5). But now, because of what Jesus accomplished, the Christian has received the grace and peace of God. The Christian has the Blessing of God (v. 3) What the Ephesian Christians had before Paul brought the gospel to them was wrath. In fact, Paul describes what it was that they had before they met Jesus in the next chapter: And you were dead in your offenses and sins, in which you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:1-3). However, because of the saving work of Jesus, the Christian has received, every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. The Christian is Saved by God to be Holy and Blameless Before God (v. 4) Paul was committed to the idol of his religious legalism while the Ephesians were indulged in their worship of Diana; both were far from God, yet it was God who rescued them from their idols and from their sin. Why did God save Paul and those who made up the Ephesian Church? Why did he save any of us? Well, verse 4 answers that question for us: that we would be holy and blameless before Him. God saved you to change you, and that change is moving you closer and closer to holiness and blamelessness. The Christian is Made a Son/Daughter of God (v. 5) Before Jesus, the Christian was a child of devil (1 John 3:7-10) and a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3). But through Jesus, the Christian is adopted, as sons and daughters. As a son and a daughter, you who once stood under a wrath deserved, now stand as a child of God with all the rights and privileges of a God who now takes pleasure in you! Because you are a child of God, our inheritance is no longer condemnation, but the riches of the glory of His inheritance (v. 18). The Christian is Favored by God (v. 6) According to verse 6, the Christian is favored by God. But why is the Christian favored by God? The Christian is favored by God because of the Beloved. So, who is the Beloved? The Beloved is the Son of God. The NET Bible rightly translates verse 6 this way: to the praise of the glory of his grace that he has freely bestowed on us in his dearly loved Son. So, what this means dear Christian, is that the only reason why you are favored by God is because you are now in His Son, Jesus Christ. You are favored not because of anything you have done but because of everything that Jesus has already done on your account and on your behalf! The Christian is Forgiven by God (v. 7) You who once stood condemned by God now stand forgiven through the Son. You have been redeemed through the blood of Christ for the forgiveness of all your sins. The forgiveness of your sins through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is owing only to the immeasurable riches of the grace of God. Lord, I did not freely choose youTill by grace you set me free;For my heart would still refuse, Had your love not chosen me. The Christian is Rich in the Grace of God (v. 8) If you are a Christian, you have redemption through Jesus and nothing owning to yourself! If there was or is any confusion as to what it was that caused a Holy God to look down upon you with favor for the purpose of redeeming you, it is simply this: We have redemption through His blood according to the riches of His grace. In what way did we received His grace and how did the Almighty distribute His grace? He lavished his grace on us (v. 8)! The Christian has Been Permitted to Know God (v. 9) When it comes to knowing God, we are told, the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4). Furthermore, the Bible informs us that, a natural person [sinner] does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor. 2:14). So how does a person come to know the will of God? Only through Jesus according to the good pleasure of God. The Christian has a Future with God (v. 11a) The One you sinned against, the One before Whom you once stood against in arrogance, the One you were blinded to, the One before heaven and earth has no place to hid and recoils before His infinite holiness (Rev. 20:11), and of whom the angles declare: Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come. (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8), you, Christian, are now known and favored by! This is why Jesus said, My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Fathers hand (John 10:27-29). The Christian has the Security of God (v. 13) You, Christian, who was once dead in your sins (Eph. 2:1-3) and are now alive in Christ (2:4), are sealed by the Holy Spirit. This means that the One who holds you in His hand will keep you in His hand, and according to verses 13-14, He has given you His Spirit as a seal which serves as a down payment of more to come! Dont you ever forget the words of our savior dear Christian: I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Fathers hand (John 10:28-29). The Christian is Treasured by God (v. 14) Finally, you who were once far off, spiritually dead, and hostile towards God are now treasured by God. The apostle Peter put it this way: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation, a people for Gods own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9). One way to translate verses 13-14 from the Greek is this way: In Jesus, you also having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the initial installment of our inheritance, until the redemption of His adopted children, who were purchased to be His treasured possession to the praise of His glory. Conclusion So, who are you Christian? You are saved by the will of God. You have the grace and peace of God. You have the blessing of God. You are redeemed to be holy and blameless before God. You are a son/daughter of God. You are favored by God. You are forgiven by God. You are rich in the grace of God. You now know God. You have a future with God. You have the security of God. You are treasured by God. Who are you? If you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, you are a Christian! So, I leave you with only two questions. First, how did God save you? He saved you through Jesus Christ; this is why the apostle Paul used the phrase in Christ, in Him, and through Him ten times in just fourteen verses. Second, why did God save you Christian? God did it for the praise of His glory. And he uses that phrase at the end of his explanation of the Fathers role in your salvation (vv. 3-6), at the end of his explanation of the Sons role in your salvation (vv. 7-12), and at the end of the Holy Spirits role in your salvation (vv. 13-14). Amen. [1] Fred Sanders. The Deep Things of God (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2017), p. 105.

Ephesus was a city whose economy depended on trade. It was frequently visited by people wishing to see and experience one of the seven wonders of the world of their day known as the Temple of Artemis/Diana. The economy, culture, and ethics of Ephesus all centered on the goddess of Diana and the temple built in her honor. The temple was supported by 127 giant pillars believed to have been given as gifts by 127 different kings. The temple housed many priests and priestesses who operated under a castrated male who functioned as the high priest. The male priests were in charge of offering the sacrifices to Diana, which also included human sacrifice. The female priests were unmarried women given the responsibility to be channels of worship to Diana which was performed through intercourse of any male wishing to worship Diana with her priestesses. You can see why worship in the temple of Diana was so popular. Because the worship of Diana was the main religion in Ephesus, ritual prostitution was a dominant feature of the religious atmosphere in Ephesus. Spirits, we know as demons, frequently possessed the priestesses as well as the worshiper which should come to be no surprise, for the Bible says: that the things Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God (1 Cor. 10:20). Anytime an offering is given to an idol, it is an offering given to a demon not merely an image Diana was no exception. When the apostle Paul stopped in Ephesus to preach, the gospel disrupted the worship of the goddess of Artemis/Diana as people in the city heard the good news about Jesus Christ and gave their lives to Him. So profound was the gospels impact upon the culture of Ephesus that some who made their living off the worship of Diana expressed their great concern: in almost all of Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all. Not only is there danger that this trade of ours will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be regarded as worthless, and that she whom all of Asia and the world worship will even be dethroned from her magnificence (see Acts 19:2328). Paul spent over two years in Ephesus where God used him to establish the same church to which he would write the epistle to the Ephesians years later, while in prison. The city of Ephesus was a very scary place full of demonic activity, full of women who were held as sex slaves, full of all kinds of perverts seeking to get cheap thrills under the guise of religion, radical feminists who distained the existence of men, public baths, and bathrooms, where modesty was considered taboo, all of which were ruled by a demon posing to be a free-spirited goddess. It is in this city that a church was birthed, cultural norms challenged, and lives transformed. What you also need to know is that years before Paul brought the gospel to Ephesus, he tried to prevent its spread because he was convinced Christianity had to be destroyed. Of his former life as a pharisee, Paul wrote in Philippians 3, If anyone else thinks he is confident in the flesh, I have more reason: circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless (Phil. 3:46). Paul approved of the stoning of Stephen, who was sentenced to death because of his outspoken faith in Jesus (see Acts 7). Regarding his salvation and faith in Jesus, Paul wrote to Timothy (who would eventually become the pastor of the church in Ephesus): It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost (1 Tim. 1:15). What does it Mean to be a Christian? Fred Sanders, in his masterful book, The Deep Things of God, wrote of the gospel, The gospel so outstrips our created measurements that it can be measured only against something as immense as God himself. Sanders further comments, There is one place in Scripture where this sheer greatness of the gospel is most profusely described: the blessing with which Paul opens the epistle to the Ephesians.[1] In the weeks to come, we will plumb the depths of Ephesians 1:1-14, but for now, I only want to show you who you are if you are a Christian and who you can be, by the grace of God, if you are not. The Christian is Saved by the Will of God (v. 1) In the very first sentence to these Christians surrounded by some of the darkest evils, Paul attributes his salvation and apostleship to the will of God. The stoning of Stephen and his part in the imprisonment and persecution of Christians was not too much for the grace of God to overcome. In fact, a survey of the Bible will show you that when it comes to the will of man and the will of God, it is the will of man to run from God and it is only because of will greater than our own that God is able to pursue us and find us. The Christian has the Grace and Peace of God (v. 2) Before salvation, Paul and the Ephesian Christians stood before a holy God guilty, awaiting a judgment under the wrath of God, and the same can be said of you and me. The Bible says, because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God (Rom. 2:5). But now, because of what Jesus accomplished, the Christian has received the grace and peace of God. The Christian has the Blessing of God (v. 3) What the Ephesian Christians had before Paul brought the gospel to them was wrath. In fact, Paul describes what it was that they had before they met Jesus in the next chapter: And you were dead in your offenses and sins, in which you previously walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air we too all previously lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath (Eph. 2:1-3). However, because of the saving work of Jesus, the Christian has received, every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. The Christian is Saved by God to be Holy and Blameless Before God (v. 4) Paul was committed to the idol of his religious legalism while the Ephesians were indulged in their worship of Diana; both were far from God, yet it was God who rescued them from their idols and from their sin. Why did God save Paul and those who made up the Ephesian Church? Why did he save any of us? Well, verse 4 answers that question for us: that we would be holy and blameless before Him. God saved you to change you, and that change is moving you closer and closer to holiness and blamelessness. The Christian is Made a Son/Daughter of God (v. 5) Before Jesus, the Christian was a child of devil (1 John 3:7-10) and a child of wrath (Eph. 2:3). But through Jesus, the Christian is adopted, as sons and daughters. As a son and a daughter, you who once stood under a wrath deserved, now stand as a child of God with all the rights and privileges of a God who now takes pleasure in you! Because you are a child of God, our inheritance is no longer condemnation, but the riches of the glory of His inheritance (v. 18). The Christian is Favored by God (v. 6) According to verse 6, the Christian is favored by God. But why is the Christian favored by God? The Christian is favored by God because of the Beloved. So, who is the Beloved? The Beloved is the Son of God. The NET Bible rightly translates verse 6 this way: to the praise of the glory of his grace that he has freely bestowed on us in his dearly loved Son. So, what this means dear Christian, is that the only reason why you are favored by God is because you are now in His Son, Jesus Christ. You are favored not because of anything you have done but because of everything that Jesus has already done on your account and on your behalf! The Christian is Forgiven by God (v. 7) You who once stood condemned by God now stand forgiven through the Son. You have been redeemed through the blood of Christ for the forgiveness of all your sins. The forgiveness of your sins through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is owing only to the immeasurable riches of the grace of God. Lord, I did not freely choose youTill by grace you set me free;For my heart would still refuse, Had your love not chosen me. The Christian is Rich in the Grace of God (v. 8) If you are a Christian, you have redemption through Jesus and nothing owning to yourself! If there was or is any confusion as to what it was that caused a Holy God to look down upon you with favor for the purpose of redeeming you, it is simply this: We have redemption through His blood according to the riches of His grace. In what way did we received His grace and how did the Almighty distribute His grace? He lavished his grace on us (v. 8)! The Christian has Been Permitted to Know God (v. 9) When it comes to knowing God, we are told, the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4). Furthermore, the Bible informs us that, a natural person [sinner] does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Cor. 2:14). So how does a person come to know the will of God? Only through Jesus according to the good pleasure of God. The Christian has a Future with God (v. 11a) The One you sinned against, the One before Whom you once stood against in arrogance, the One you were blinded to, the One before heaven and earth has no place to hid and recoils before His infinite holiness (Rev. 20:11), and of whom the angles declare: Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come. (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 4:8), you, Christian, are now known and favored by! This is why Jesus said, My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Fathers hand (John 10:27-29). The Christian has the Security of God (v. 13) You, Christian, who was once dead in your sins (Eph. 2:1-3) and are now alive in Christ (2:4), are sealed by the Holy Spirit. This means that the One who holds you in His hand will keep you in His hand, and according to verses 13-14, He has given you His Spirit as a seal which serves as a down payment of more to come! Dont you ever forget the words of our savior dear Christian: I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Fathers hand (John 10:28-29). The Christian is Treasured by God (v. 14) Finally, you who were once far off, spiritually dead, and hostile towards God are now treasured by God. The apostle Peter put it this way: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a Holy nation, a people for Gods own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9). One way to translate verses 13-14 from the Greek is this way: In Jesus, you also having heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom having also believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the initial installment of our inheritance, until the redemption of His adopted children, who were purchased to be His treasured possession to the praise of His glory. Conclusion So, who are you Christian? You are saved by the will of God. You have the grace and peace of God. You have the blessing of God. You are redeemed to be holy and blameless before God. You are a son/daughter of God. You are favored by God. You are forgiven by God. You are rich in the grace of God. You now know God. You have a future with God. You have the security of God. You are treasured by God. Who are you? If you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, you are a Christian! So, I leave you with only two questions. First, how did God save you? He saved you through Jesus Christ; this is why the apostle Paul used the phrase in Christ, in Him, and through Him ten times in just fourteen verses. Second, why did God save you Christian? God did it for the praise of His glory. And he uses that phrase at the end of his explanation of the Fathers role in your salvation (vv. 3-6), at the end of his explanation of the Sons role in your salvation (vv. 7-12), and at the end of the Holy Spirits role in your salvation (vv. 13-14). Amen. [1] Fred Sanders. The Deep Things of God (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2017), p. 105.

The new season of Theology for the People will be coming, starting in January 31, 2024, and featuring topics including: Eschatology, Church History, Mental Health, Practical Theology, and more. Upcoming guests include Shane Angland, Andrew Wilson, Peter J. Williams, and Fred Sanders.  If you haven't yet done so yet, make sure to subscribe, to make sure that new episodes are delivered right to your device as soon as they are released, and keep an eye out for those new episodes coming soon! --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theologyforthepeople/support

Professor, author and lay-preacher Fred Sanders speaks with Mike about what exactly the Holy Spirit is doing as we prepare a sermon, deliver it, and also what He is doing in the hearts, minds and lives of our hearers. He speaks about the second noetic office of the Spirit, the unremarkable sermon that sparked the Asbury Revival and inspiring trends in the preaching landscape today.  You can purchase The Holy Spirit: An Introduction here: https://www.crossway.org/books/the-holy-spirit-tpb-2/ Fred Sanders is a theologian who studies and teaches across the full range of Christian doctrines, but always with a special focus on the doctrine of the Trinity. Since 1999, Fred has taught in the Torrey Honors College, an undergraduate program in the great books, at Biola University. Fred studied art (drawing and printmaking) in college, earned an MDiv at Asbury Theological Seminary, and a PhD from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA. He and his wife Susan (who have been friends since they met at age 11) are members of Grace Evangelical Free Church in La Mirada, CA. They have two adult children. Fred has written several books and articles; his most important books are The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything (Crossway, 2010); The Triune God (Zondervan, 2016); and Fountain of Salvation: Trinity and Soteriology (Eerdmans, 2021). He blogs copiously here at fredfredfred.com, with colleagues at scriptoriumdaily.com, and maintains an active presence on Twitter. Recommended episodes: Preaching in the Power of the Spirit - Brian Brodersen  https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/preaching-in-the-power-of-the-holy-spirit-with-brian-brodersen Following the Spirit - Suzy Silk: https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/following-the-spirit-suzy-silk  Slowing Down and Opening Up to the Spirit - Dan Hamel: https://cgnmedia.org/podcast/expositors-collective/episode/slowing-down-and-opening-up-to-gods-spirit-with-dan-hamel For information about our upcoming training events visit ExpositorsCollective.com  The Expositors Collective podcast is part of the CGNMedia, Working together to proclaim the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches. For more content like this, visit https://cgnmedia.org/ Join our private Facebook group to continue the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ExpositorsCollective

Merry Christmas from United? We Pray. For this very special Christmas episode, we sit down with Dr. Fred Sanders to talk about the Incarnation of Christ. What does it mean that Jesus came to Earth as a baby boy? What does it mean that he came as a Jewish baby boy with a specific ethnicity? We talk about redemption, union with Christ, prayer, and what the Incarnation has to do with all of it. This was one of the most moving and devotional episodes we've ever recorded, and we hope it motivates you to greater worship of our Savior. Merry Christmas, beloved. LINKS & SHOW NOTES:This UWP Podcast Episode was produced by Josh Deng with editing by Roshane Ricketts.For more information about Fred can be found here. His excellent blog can be found here. Los Angeles Bible Training SchoolSupport the showTo learn more about United? We Pray, follow us on Twitter and keep exploring our website. Please consider rating the podcast on Apple Podcasts, and subscribe using your favorite podcast client to hear more!

God is a Trinity in that He is One God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In his book, Delighting in the Trinity, Michael Reeves wrote of the Trinity: If the Trinity were something we could shave off God, we would not be relieving him of some irksome weight; we would be shearing him of precisely what is so delightful about him. For God is triune, and it is as triune that he is so good and desirable.[1] Fed Sanders in his book, The Deep Things of God, wrote: God is eternally Trinity, because triunity belongs to his very nature. Things like creation and redemption are things God does, and he would still be God if he had not done them. But Trinity is who God is, and without being the Trinity, he would not be God. God minus creation would still be God, but God minus Father, Son, and Holy Spirit would not be God. So when we praise God for being our creator and redeemer, we are praising him for what he does. But behind what God does is the greater glory of who he is: behind his act is his being.[2] To appreciate the glory of the King who was born on the first Christmas, you must understand what it is that sets the God of the Bible apart from every cult and religion is that the God in the Bible is One God in Three (Trinity) Persons. What this means is that there was never a time when Jesus was created because there was never a time when He was not the Son. What happened that never happened before and never will happen again is in the angels announcement to Mary: behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus (Luke 1:31)? What happened that was new was God the Son took on human flesh by being conceived in the womb of a virgin. What was new was that God the Son also became the Son of Mary (Luke 1:31, 35). Represented in the Christ Child was, the union of undiminished deity and perfect humanity forever in one person. The message of advent is simply this: The plan was always for a King to reign in Israel over all the nations. In passages like Isaiah 44:6-8, Yahweh was to be King over Israel. We are told in verse 6, This is what Yahweh says, He who is the King of Israel and his Redeemer, Yahweh of armies: I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me. In 2 Samuel 7:13, we read of how king David was promised that a very human descendant of his would reign as king forever: He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. Both Isaiah 44:6-8 and 2 Samuel 7:13 come together in the promise of Isaiah 9:6-7, For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of armies will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:67) The glorious reality of the Trinity is that the Son was always the King of Isaiah 44 and Isaiah 9, and the incarnation allowed Him to be all of Isaiah 44:6-8 and Isaiah 9:6-7 while at the same time becoming the Son of David (2 Sam. 7:8-17) through the virgin birth (Luke 1:26-38). Jesus is the Means for Our Redemption (vv. 4-8) The book of Revelation was written to suffering Christians who needed encouragement. There was much that John suffered because of his association with Jesus, and although he most likely was not martyred for his faith, many of his friends were. If you believe that the purpose of the book of Revelation is primarily about how the world will end, you have missed the point of the book entirely. We are told why it was written in its opening verses: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bondservants, the things which must soon take place (v. 1). When you are in a season of long-term suffering, it is easy to grow weary believing that there will be no end to such suffering. The book of Revelation was written to encourage suffering Christians that their suffering had an expiration date while their salvation would remain nonperishable. Before we are told about what is coming, John first tells us what has already happened. In just three short verses, the apostle lists for us seven reasons why we can be confident that our suffering is not how our story will end: John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His bloodand He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Fatherto Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Rev. 1:46) The grace and peace of verse 4 is from three persons. The One, who is, and who is to come is God the Father, the seven spirits is a reference to the Holy Spirit,[3] and, the grace and peace that is for the Christian is from Jesus Christ. Seven is an important number in the Bible, especially in the book of Revelation and its use is symbolic of fullness. In these opening verses, John lists seven ways Jesus birth, life, death, and resurrection benefits the Christian: Jesus is a faithful witness in the way He lived, died, and rose from the grave. His life is our example, and we are to look to Him as we, run with endurance the race that is set before us looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfector of the faith (Heb. 12:1-2). Jesus is the first born of the dead in that he suffered and died, but He did not stay dead. Jesus conquered death, which means that our death will eventually lead to a resurrection too. Jesus is the ruler of the kings of the earth in that He is sovereign over all earthly powers to the point that no king can destroy what Jesus loves and treasures. Jesus loves us and His love for His Church is not fleeting, fragile, or conditional. Jesus released us from our sins by His blood in that He shed His blood on a cross of wood by becoming a curse for us to free us from the curse of sin in perpetuity. Jesus made us into a kingdom in that the citizenship of the Christian is in the realm of Jesus kingdom. Jesus made us into priests who were once alienated from God, are now reconciled to God, and called to participate in the mission of God as His ambassadors. Because God the Father so loved the world, He sent Jesus the Son who completed all that was needed for our redemption, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Because we are recipients of the first advent of Christs coming, we now long for the second advent of His coming which, according to verses 8-9 is as good as done: Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen. I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty (Rev. 1:78). This is why the angel was able to announce to lowly shepherds that the birth of Jesus was good news: Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:1011). So, we rejoice with the hymn writer who wrote of Jesus: He makes the rebel a priest and a king, He has bought us and taught us this new song to sing: Unto Him who has loved us and washed us from sin, Unto Him be the glory forever. Amen.[4] Jesus is the Glory of Our Redemption (vv. 9-16) In Revelation 1:9-16, John sees the glory of the One who was laid in a manger on the first Christmas, what he lists for us are nine characteristics of Jesus glory that come together in Him being fully God and fully manjust as the number 7 symbolizes fullness or completeness, the number 9 symbolizes perfection. Here are the nine things John sees in a Jesus who, because of the incarnation now is fully God and fully Man for the rest of eternity: Jesus stands in the middle of the seven lampstands. The lampstand John sees was like the menorah used in Solomons temple that symbolized the seven days of creation. It was one lampstand with seven lamps. Remember that seven symbolizes fullness; the seven churches are both seven literal churches that symbolize the global Church. Jesus is both Lord of the Church and the center of the Church because He purchased her with His blood. He is the groom, and the Church is His Bride. In the manger was laid the groom of the Church! Jesus is clothed in a robe wearing a golden sash. The clothing Jesus is wearing when John sees Him is that of both a High Priest and a King. Jesus stands in the midst of His Church as the King and He stands serving as the High Priest whose perfect sacrifice was Himself for the atonement for sins, sins we are guilty of. The one laid in a manger was born to die for sinners: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for usfor it is written: Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (Gal. 3:13). Jesus head and hair are white like white wool. Jesuss head and hair are white because before He was born in flesh, he was for all eternity the Ancient of Days spoken of by the prophet Daniel, I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head like pure wool (Dan. 7:9). The one laid in a manger is the Ancient of Days who stands as the groom, High Priest of His Church because He is Him who is, Holy, holy, holy Jesus eyes are like a flame of fire. What is the point? Christian, you are the Church, and although you may be weary and tired the Groom of the Church does not grow weary or tired! The One laid in a manger sees you and sees all that is wrong in the world; His eyes are like a flame of fire because the judgment He will bring will make all that is wrong in our world right and good, for when He comes, he will come to make His blessings flow as far as the curse is found. Jesus feet are like burnished and glowing bronze. His feet of bronze symbolize the strength of Jesus as both King and Savior who will crush His enemies, of which the first enemy was death. He is Lord of His Church who stands in the midst of His Bride which means that NO ONE can remove His lampstands from Him; the One whose feet are like burnished bronze is He who declared: My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand (John 10:2728). Jesus voice is like the sound of many waters. Like the continuous waves of the ocean or the roar of Niagara Falls to the tenth power the cries of the infant child from Marys womb on the first Christmas to the triumphant cry from the Cross: It is finished! is the voice of the Ancient of Days; when He speaks creation happens, demons flee, the lame walk, the sick are cured, and the dead become the living! The voice that John heard is the voice of omnipotent power and absolute authority. Jesus holds in His right hand the seven stars. Whoever or whatever the seven stars are, the point is that Jesus holds them in His right hand, which is the hand of strength. The point is that there is only One King of kings and One Lord of lords; it was a reminder that although Rome had her emperor who sentenced John to Patmos, there is only One true Sovereign! Jesus is sovereign over empires, He is sovereign over the cosmos, He is sovereign over life and death! The One laid in the manger, is the One, before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Col. 1:17). From Jesus mouth comes a sharp two-edged sword. The sharp two-edged sword is symbolic of the life and power of Christs Word. What comes out of the mouth of King Jesus is, living and active, and sharper than any two-edge sword (Heb. 4:12). Philip Hughes said of the sword John saw come out of Jesus mouth: The sword which is the Lords word has two edges [so] it never fails to cut. If it does not cut with the edge of salvation, it cuts with the edge of condemnation; for the word of redemption to all who believe is at the same time the word of destruction to those who refuse to believe.[5] Jesus face is like the sun shining in its strength. In the face of Christ, John sees what we must see in Jesus: To have Him shine upon you as your savior and redeemer who was born to live the life you could never live to die a death that you deserved to die is to have the face of God shine upon you. In the face of Jesus is the union of undiminished deity and perfect humanity forever in one person. What John saw in Revelation 1:4-18 was, is, and forever will remain the only version of Jesus that exists. The Jesus that John saw and experienced was not a Jesus who became the Son of God through the virgin birth, but He has always been the Son of God! It is this Jesus the prophet Jeremiah wrote about hundreds of years before the Christ Child was laid in a manger on the first Christmas: Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will live securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, Yahweh Our Righteousness. (Jer. 23:56). To worship any other Jesus besides this Jesus is to embrace a version of Jesus who cannot save! Conclusion: Jesus is the Goal of Our Redemption (vv. 17-18) After John experiences this Jesus, we are told that he, fell at His feet like a dead man. I am not sure if that means John had a heart attack or what, but what I do know is that Jesus placed his right hand on the apostle and said something that should now be clearer to you than when you first arrived this morning: Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys to death and of Hades (vv. 17-18). What does all this mean? What it means is this: the child born to Mary was, is, and forever will be fully God and fully Man who was born to save sinners like you and me. The Jesus of Revelation 1:4-18 took on human flesh and was born on the very first Christmas. If the manger could speak to all in attendance as it held the One identified as the Ancient of Days, the Prince of Peace, and Yahweh our Righteousness it would say, If you were a hundred times worse than you are. Your sins would be no match for His mercy.[6] Amen. [1] Michael Reeves, Delighting in the Trinity (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic; 2012); p. 9. [2] Fred Sanders, The Deep Things of God (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2017); p. 75 [3] The number seven is symbolic of fullness and is used here as a reference to the fullness of the Holy Spirits work in the lives of Gods people (see Isa. 11:2; Rev. 3:1; 4:5; 5:6). [4] Joel R. Beeke, Revelation (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books; 2016); p. 26. [5] Ibid. pp. 46-7. [6] Tim Keller.

God is a Trinity in that He is One God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In his book, Delighting in the Trinity, Michael Reeves wrote of the Trinity: If the Trinity were something we could shave off God, we would not be relieving him of some irksome weight; we would be shearing him of precisely what is so delightful about him. For God is triune, and it is as triune that he is so good and desirable.[1] Fed Sanders in his book, The Deep Things of God, wrote: God is eternally Trinity, because triunity belongs to his very nature. Things like creation and redemption are things God does, and he would still be God if he had not done them. But Trinity is who God is, and without being the Trinity, he would not be God. God minus creation would still be God, but God minus Father, Son, and Holy Spirit would not be God. So when we praise God for being our creator and redeemer, we are praising him for what he does. But behind what God does is the greater glory of who he is: behind his act is his being.[2] To appreciate the glory of the King who was born on the first Christmas, you must understand what it is that sets the God of the Bible apart from every cult and religion is that the God in the Bible is One God in Three (Trinity) Persons. What this means is that there was never a time when Jesus was created because there was never a time when He was not the Son. What happened that never happened before and never will happen again is in the angels announcement to Mary: behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus (Luke 1:31)? What happened that was new was God the Son took on human flesh by being conceived in the womb of a virgin. What was new was that God the Son also became the Son of Mary (Luke 1:31, 35). Represented in the Christ Child was, the union of undiminished deity and perfect humanity forever in one person. The message of advent is simply this: The plan was always for a King to reign in Israel over all the nations. In passages like Isaiah 44:6-8, Yahweh was to be King over Israel. We are told in verse 6, This is what Yahweh says, He who is the King of Israel and his Redeemer, Yahweh of armies: I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides Me. In 2 Samuel 7:13, we read of how king David was promised that a very human descendant of his would reign as king forever: He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. Both Isaiah 44:6-8 and 2 Samuel 7:13 come together in the promise of Isaiah 9:6-7, For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of armies will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:67) The glorious reality of the Trinity is that the Son was always the King of Isaiah 44 and Isaiah 9, and the incarnation allowed Him to be all of Isaiah 44:6-8 and Isaiah 9:6-7 while at the same time becoming the Son of David (2 Sam. 7:8-17) through the virgin birth (Luke 1:26-38). Jesus is the Means for Our Redemption (vv. 4-8) The book of Revelation was written to suffering Christians who needed encouragement. There was much that John suffered because of his association with Jesus, and although he most likely was not martyred for his faith, many of his friends were. If you believe that the purpose of the book of Revelation is primarily about how the world will end, you have missed the point of the book entirely. We are told why it was written in its opening verses: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bondservants, the things which must soon take place (v. 1). When you are in a season of long-term suffering, it is easy to grow weary believing that there will be no end to such suffering. The book of Revelation was written to encourage suffering Christians that their suffering had an expiration date while their salvation would remain nonperishable. Before we are told about what is coming, John first tells us what has already happened. In just three short verses, the apostle lists for us seven reasons why we can be confident that our suffering is not how our story will end: John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His bloodand He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Fatherto Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Rev. 1:46) The grace and peace of verse 4 is from three persons. The One, who is, and who is to come is God the Father, the seven spirits is a reference to the Holy Spirit,[3] and, the grace and peace that is for the Christian is from Jesus Christ. Seven is an important number in the Bible, especially in the book of Revelation and its use is symbolic of fullness. In these opening verses, John lists seven ways Jesus birth, life, death, and resurrection benefits the Christian: Jesus is a faithful witness in the way He lived, died, and rose from the grave. His life is our example, and we are to look to Him as we, run with endurance the race that is set before us looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfector of the faith (Heb. 12:1-2). Jesus is the first born of the dead in that he suffered and died, but He did not stay dead. Jesus conquered death, which means that our death will eventually lead to a resurrection too. Jesus is the ruler of the kings of the earth in that He is sovereign over all earthly powers to the point that no king can destroy what Jesus loves and treasures. Jesus loves us and His love for His Church is not fleeting, fragile, or conditional. Jesus released us from our sins by His blood in that He shed His blood on a cross of wood by becoming a curse for us to free us from the curse of sin in perpetuity. Jesus made us into a kingdom in that the citizenship of the Christian is in the realm of Jesus kingdom. Jesus made us into priests who were once alienated from God, are now reconciled to God, and called to participate in the mission of God as His ambassadors. Because God the Father so loved the world, He sent Jesus the Son who completed all that was needed for our redemption, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Because we are recipients of the first advent of Christs coming, we now long for the second advent of His coming which, according to verses 8-9 is as good as done: Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen. I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty (Rev. 1:78). This is why the angel was able to announce to lowly shepherds that the birth of Jesus was good news: Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:1011). So, we rejoice with the hymn writer who wrote of Jesus: He makes the rebel a priest and a king, He has bought us and taught us this new song to sing: Unto Him who has loved us and washed us from sin, Unto Him be the glory forever. Amen.[4] Jesus is the Glory of Our Redemption (vv. 9-16) In Revelation 1:9-16, John sees the glory of the One who was laid in a manger on the first Christmas, what he lists for us are nine characteristics of Jesus glory that come together in Him being fully God and fully manjust as the number 7 symbolizes fullness or completeness, the number 9 symbolizes perfection. Here are the nine things John sees in a Jesus who, because of the incarnation now is fully God and fully Man for the rest of eternity: Jesus stands in the middle of the seven lampstands. The lampstand John sees was like the menorah used in Solomons temple that symbolized the seven days of creation. It was one lampstand with seven lamps. Remember that seven symbolizes fullness; the seven churches are both seven literal churches that symbolize the global Church. Jesus is both Lord of the Church and the center of the Church because He purchased her with His blood. He is the groom, and the Church is His Bride. In the manger was laid the groom of the Church! Jesus is clothed in a robe wearing a golden sash. The clothing Jesus is wearing when John sees Him is that of both a High Priest and a King. Jesus stands in the midst of His Church as the King and He stands serving as the High Priest whose perfect sacrifice was Himself for the atonement for sins, sins we are guilty of. The one laid in a manger was born to die for sinners: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for usfor it is written: Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (Gal. 3:13). Jesus head and hair are white like white wool. Jesuss head and hair are white because before He was born in flesh, he was for all eternity the Ancient of Days spoken of by the prophet Daniel, I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head like pure wool (Dan. 7:9). The one laid in a manger is the Ancient of Days who stands as the groom, High Priest of His Church because He is Him who is, Holy, holy, holy Jesus eyes are like a flame of fire. What is the point? Christian, you are the Church, and although you may be weary and tired the Groom of the Church does not grow weary or tired! The One laid in a manger sees you and sees all that is wrong in the world; His eyes are like a flame of fire because the judgment He will bring will make all that is wrong in our world right and good, for when He comes, he will come to make His blessings flow as far as the curse is found. Jesus feet are like burnished and glowing bronze. His feet of bronze symbolize the strength of Jesus as both King and Savior who will crush His enemies, of which the first enemy was death. He is Lord of His Church who stands in the midst of His Bride which means that NO ONE can remove His lampstands from Him; the One whose feet are like burnished bronze is He who declared: My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand (John 10:2728). Jesus voice is like the sound of many waters. Like the continuous waves of the ocean or the roar of Niagara Falls to the tenth power the cries of the infant child from Marys womb on the first Christmas to the triumphant cry from the Cross: It is finished! is the voice of the Ancient of Days; when He speaks creation happens, demons flee, the lame walk, the sick are cured, and the dead become the living! The voice that John heard is the voice of omnipotent power and absolute authority. Jesus holds in His right hand the seven stars. Whoever or whatever the seven stars are, the point is that Jesus holds them in His right hand, which is the hand of strength. The point is that there is only One King of kings and One Lord of lords; it was a reminder that although Rome had her emperor who sentenced John to Patmos, there is only One true Sovereign! Jesus is sovereign over empires, He is sovereign over the cosmos, He is sovereign over life and death! The One laid in the manger, is the One, before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Col. 1:17). From Jesus mouth comes a sharp two-edged sword. The sharp two-edged sword is symbolic of the life and power of Christs Word. What comes out of the mouth of King Jesus is, living and active, and sharper than any two-edge sword (Heb. 4:12). Philip Hughes said of the sword John saw come out of Jesus mouth: The sword which is the Lords word has two edges [so] it never fails to cut. If it does not cut with the edge of salvation, it cuts with the edge of condemnation; for the word of redemption to all who believe is at the same time the word of destruction to those who refuse to believe.[5] Jesus face is like the sun shining in its strength. In the face of Christ, John sees what we must see in Jesus: To have Him shine upon you as your savior and redeemer who was born to live the life you could never live to die a death that you deserved to die is to have the face of God shine upon you. In the face of Jesus is the union of undiminished deity and perfect humanity forever in one person. What John saw in Revelation 1:4-18 was, is, and forever will remain the only version of Jesus that exists. The Jesus that John saw and experienced was not a Jesus who became the Son of God through the virgin birth, but He has always been the Son of God! It is this Jesus the prophet Jeremiah wrote about hundreds of years before the Christ Child was laid in a manger on the first Christmas: Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will live securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, Yahweh Our Righteousness. (Jer. 23:56). To worship any other Jesus besides this Jesus is to embrace a version of Jesus who cannot save! Conclusion: Jesus is the Goal of Our Redemption (vv. 17-18) After John experiences this Jesus, we are told that he, fell at His feet like a dead man. I am not sure if that means John had a heart attack or what, but what I do know is that Jesus placed his right hand on the apostle and said something that should now be clearer to you than when you first arrived this morning: Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys to death and of Hades (vv. 17-18). What does all this mean? What it means is this: the child born to Mary was, is, and forever will be fully God and fully Man who was born to save sinners like you and me. The Jesus of Revelation 1:4-18 took on human flesh and was born on the very first Christmas. If the manger could speak to all in attendance as it held the One identified as the Ancient of Days, the Prince of Peace, and Yahweh our Righteousness it would say, If you were a hundred times worse than you are. Your sins would be no match for His mercy.[6] Amen. [1] Michael Reeves, Delighting in the Trinity (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic; 2012); p. 9. [2] Fred Sanders, The Deep Things of God (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2017); p. 75 [3] The number seven is symbolic of fullness and is used here as a reference to the fullness of the Holy Spirits work in the lives of Gods people (see Isa. 11:2; Rev. 3:1; 4:5; 5:6). [4] Joel R. Beeke, Revelation (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books; 2016); p. 26. [5] Ibid. pp. 46-7. [6] Tim Keller.

Series: What Child Is This? Passage: John 1:14

Make a one-time or recurring donation on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donor Box profile here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Join us in the mission of introducing Reformed Theology across the world! Interested in further study of the Bible? Join us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Logos Bible Software⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Are you interested in a rigorous and Reformed seminary education? Call Westminster Seminary California at 888-480-8474 or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.wscal.edu⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Please help support the show on our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon Page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!   WELCOME TO BOOK CLUB! Dr. Fred Sanders (PhD., Graduate Theological Union) is professor of theology at the Torrey Honors College at Biola University. Sanders is the author of The Deep Things of God and blogs at fredfredfred.com. We want to thank ⁠Crossway⁠ for their help in setting up this interview and providing us with the necessary materials for this interview with Dr. Sanders!   Purchase the book(s) here: The Holy Spirit: An Introduction   Have Feedback or Questions? Email us at: guiltgracepod@gmail.com Find us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@guiltgracepod⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@guiltgracepod⁠⁠⁠⁠ Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Guilt Grace Gratitude Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please rate and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you use! Looking for a Reformed Church? ⁠⁠⁠⁠North American Presbyterian & Reformed Churches --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gggpodcast/support

The classic intro to Christianity, Knowing God by J.I. Packer, was published 50 years ago. To celebrate this anniversary, Derek, Alastair, and Matt welcome Fred Sanders back to the show to discuss the distinctives of evangelical spirituality and practice which shine forth in Packer's book. They also discuss the doctrine of God, classic hymns, the Keswick movement, and the contemporary literary context of which Knowing God may be the apex. Full show notes at www.merefidelity.com. Timestamps: Half a Century [0:00] Evangelical Spirituality [5:31] What's Missing [11:42] Old Books [13:04] Keswick [17:55] Experience and Assurance [27:52] Thin and Thick Piety [34:09] Active/Contemplative [40:09] Remediation [42:11]

This episode is a repost of a conversation with Dr. Fred Sanders of Biola University. We discuss the names for the Holy Spirit in Scripture (2:16), the seeming "silence" of the Spirit in major moments in the biblical narrative (5:17), the Spirit in the OT (15:40), the Trinity in salvation (20:34), theological retrieval (24:30), the Trinity and theological education (31:30), and more. Buy Fred's books. Church Grammar is presented by B&H Academic and the Christian Standard Bible. Intro music: Purple Dinosaur by nobigdyl. Producer: Katie Larson. Brandon D. Smith is Assistant Professor of Theology & New Testament at Cedarville University, Editorial Director for the Center for Baptist Renewal, and writes things. You can follow him on Twitter at @brandon_d_smith. *** This podcast is designed to discuss all sorts of topics from various points of view. Therefore, guests' views do not always reflect the views of the host, his church, or his institution.

Series: Good News Of Great Joy For All People Passage: Luke 20:27-44

On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Paul Spears and Fred Sanders, both of whom are authors, speakers, and faculty members of Torrey Honors College at Biola University. The three discuss the unique features of the Torrey Honors College and the integrated academic engagement that equips students to move beyond an unhealthy focus on scholastic performance and sink their teeth into meaningful learning. They explore the dangers of the catchphrase “critical thinking” and rethink the label of “gen ed” classes. Spears and Sanders also share wisdom about the power of leaving classes “on a comma”: unresolved, unsettled, and inviting further inquiry. 

Does a non-trinitarian view of God impact how we pray? Mark's insights on interacting with two heavenly individuals. RESOURCES John 17:3 - The Father is the only true God 1. The Perilous Trinity Deep Dive 2. Mother Disrupted - Hildy Chandler (Part 1) 3. Scripture vs. Scales - Hildy Chandler (Part 2) 4. Reemergence - Hildy Chandler (Part 3) Does it matter which Person of the Trinity we pray to? John Piper, Desiring God. (https://youtu.be/IVEqRDgbdjI) Should Christians Pray to Jesus, God the Father, or the Holy Spirit? Allen Parr (https://youtu.be/ruSSzMV7ZOk) GotQuestions.org "To whom are we to pray, the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit?" “Trinity” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/trinity/) Daniel 7 - Where the son of man receives dominion John 11 - Lazarus Daniel 6:26 - Where God simply has dominion Matt 8:5ff - Centurion with a paralyzed servant Mark 5:21 - Jarvis and his daughter 28. The “None Besides God” Rule - Isaiah 43:11 Imposter Syndrome  Regional UCA Conferences Subscribe to the Email Newsletter with Audio Geek Corner Looking for a New Twitter Manager  Request for papers, UCA Conference “Jesus in Trinitarian Perspective: An Intermediate Christology” by Fred Sanders, available today on amazon! (https://a.co/d/9iulea8) EPISODE INDEX 00:00:47 - Uh, You Left Off the Holy Spirit 00:02:22 - Heather's Question 00:03:46 - Automaton 00:07:34 - Pharaoh, Joseph 00:08:55 - Trinitarian Prayer 00:09:18 - John Piper 00:14:03 - Impromptu Call To Brother, Alan 00:15:03 - Allen Parr, Godhead's Inbox 00:17:02 - GotQuestions.org Prayer Advice 00:19:23 - Two Scripture Examples 00:21:05 - No Warnings 00:24:00 - Jesus' Rules 00:25:18 - Suggested Method 00:26:15 - The Authority Of The Messiah 00:28:06 - The Authority Given To A Man 00:31:00 - Praying To, Or Talking To? 00:31:48 - Things Asked of Jesus 00:32:48 - Lazerus 00:35:39 - My Approach, To God 00:37:24 - My Approach, To Jesus 00:40:34 - Joseph's Was Pharaoh's Success 00:41:55 - Two Individuals 00:42:58 - Do They Both Hear? 00:43:34 - So Much More 00:45:06 - The Right Man For The Job 00:45:57 - Thanks For Meaningful Question 00:47:23 - Events 00:48:14 - Newsletter, Audio Geek 00:49:07 - Twitter Manager 00:49:35 - Regional / National UCA Conference 00:50:13 - Paper Submissions 00:50:22 - Mailbag, Jonathan From Indiana 00:51:37 - Share and Plan For Coffee 00:51:57 - Footnote 00:52:58 - Fred Sanders, Feels Like Home FEEDBACK Say some words be a part of the show! Send a short recording. Say your first name and your state or country. Email recording to podcast@unitarianchristianalliance.org Click here to RECORD A MESSAGE Or call: 615-581-1158 LISTENING TIPS Pauses and pacing are hand crafted, artisan efforts. If your podcast app lets you remove silences, please don't. You will enjoy this better with the silences left in. ENGAGE The UCA Podcast email list! Large and enjoyable episode art, additional thoughts from the host, Audio Geek Corner, and notifications when there are delays. The UCA events listing. Keep up on what's coming up. Podcast twitter @UCApodcast - Episode announcements Official UCA twitter account @UnitarianChrist  Podcast Webpage: https://podcast.unitarianchristianalliance.org  

In this episode, Adam and Eric interview Fred Sanders. Fred played John Mollica in the classic season 3 episode “The Pez Dispenser.” If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email us at theplacetobeseinfeld@gmail.com. You can also follow us on Facebook at The Place to Be: A Seinfeld Podcast, Twitter @tptbseinfeld, and Instagram @theplacetobe.podcast.

Series: The Sufferings Of Christ And The Glories To Follow Passage: Mark 14:53-65

Dr. Fred Sanders, professor at Torrey Honors College, Biola University in La Mirada, California, teaches on the topic, "We believe God, 'existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons," is "infinitely perfect" and has "graciously purposed" all things "for His own glory" at the 2023 EFCA Theology Conference.

Bill Kynes introduces the topic "God is Love" for a panel discussion with Fred Sanders, Derek Rishmawy and Adonis Vidu at the 2023 EFCA Theology Conference.

Series: Good News Of Great Joy For All People Passage: Luke 16:1-13

This season we are focusing on theological topics that are important foundations for the church. These will be theological topics that need to be deeply installed as bedrock truths for the followers of Jesus.For the next few episodes, we are going to talk about the Trinity — the one true God eternally exists in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.The Trinity has fallen on hard times for the average Christian. It just doesn't seem that practical to everyday life, so we nod our heads as truth about God and then move on.Fred Sanders writes, “Nothing we do as evangelicals make sense if it is divorced from a strong experiential and doctrinal grasp of the coordinated work of Jesus and his Spirit, worked out against the horizon of the Father's love. Personal evangelism, conversational prayer, devotional Bible study, authoritative preaching, world missions, and assurance of salvation all presuppose that life in the gospel is life in communion with the Trinity. Forget the Trinity ,and you forget why we do what we do; you forget who we are as gospel Christians, you forget how we got to be like we are.” (Deeper Things of God, 9)And yet — I would guess that for most Christians, what Sanders considers to be foundational “a strong experiential and doctrinal grasp of the coordinated work of Jesus Dan his Spirit, worked out against the horizon of the Father's love.” — is something that we have given little thought to.We have a tendency to bring all things of God down so that they revolve around us. Nowhere is this seen than in the intense tendency to make things “practical.” But — our goal is not to bring God down to us, so that he can serve our daily lives, but to bring us up to God that we might behold his glory. To know God is the greatest reward. Of all the benefits that Jesus gives to us: the forgiveness of sins, the amazing power to experience change, the hope of the resurrection, adoption into the family of God, and the satisfying of God's wrath — all of these are but servant benefits to the master benefit of beholding the glory of God. If we were to receive these things and not receive God himself, we would be deeply impoverished. Knowing God is the great benefit of Jesus.For further study:Credo Magazine's Issue on the Trinity - https://credomag.com/magazine_issue/undivided-trinity/Simply Trinity, by Matthew Barrett - https://amzn.to/3k0reczDelighting in the Trinity, by Michael Reeves - https://amzn.to/3CvqTF8Zion Presbyterian Church — www.zioncolumbia.org

In the final episode of 2022, Fred Sanders shares with Don his journey to create a business within a business. Working in The Apple House in Terre Haute, Indiana, right on the border with Illinois where cannabis had just become legal, Fred knew that some Illinois medical cannabis patients would soon be starting their own home grow operations. And they would need guidance and products for those projects. So he created Blooms Brothers Hydro, inside the Apple House, to meet those future needs. Fred goes through some of the basics of home growing and what products they offer that can help get your grow up and running! Plus a Cannabis Research Institute is heading for Chicago on the News Joint Wrap and Space Monkey is the Strain of the Week! And some states' legal cannabis markets have already bottomed out, threatening the future of legal cannabis in the United States! Happy Holidaze, get blazed!Questions or CommentsSupport the showFollow the show on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram!Looking for cannabis products? Head to 420 pipes and use the promo code: CANNABISMAN for 10 percent off your order! Blaze on!

What does it mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit? And why did Jesus call that sin unforgivable? Is the Holy Spirit a he or something else? Should we pray to the Holy Spirit by name or should we follow Jesus's example and only pray to the Father? In the interview today, Professor Fred Sanders answers these questions and more about the Holy Spirit. Fred serves as a professor of theology at the Tory Honors Institute at Biola University and as the author of a number of books including "The Holy Spirit: An Introduction" which is part of Crossway's Short Studies in Systematic Theology series. To learn more about the Holy Spirit from Fred Sanders, check out his book The Holy Spirit: An Introduction. Read the full transcript of this episode. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Complete this survey for a free audiobook by Kevin DeYoung!

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Alan Minskoff discuss Fred Sanders's narration of the under appreciated history of Bernard and Avis DeVoto. He delivers the story crisply and thoughtfully, and his clear tone and eloquent delivery give the audiobook authority. Author Schweber unearths the story of the courageous journalist/historian who fought for Western lands and freedom of speech. He adds the companion biographical history of DeVoto's talented wife Avis, an editor. Together they fought the land grab of 200 million acres led by NV Senator Leo McCarran, and when Bernard worked to defeat the Echo Park Dam in Colorado, he ran afoul of Senator Joe McCarthy, who attacked him mercilessly. Both DeVotos left an indelible mark on our history. Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile's website. Published by Mariner Books. Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.com Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from Naxos AudioBooks. Published in 1867, Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola is a gritty and thought-provoking novel of sexual compulsion and its consequences on the lives of four people and a tabby cat. AudioFile said: ‘Juliet Stevenson's nuanced performance of this classic tale of obsession lures listeners into a nineteenth-century Parisian storefront, where lust and shadows lurk… Her vibrant alto pitch, crystalline enunciation, and expressive reading enliven Zola's descriptive writing, sending listeners deep into Paris's underworld.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Series: Good News Of Great Joy For All People Passage: Luke 12:49-59

Jordan and Brandon talk with Fred Sanders about this latest work on the Trinity and Salvation. They cover topics like how does the Trinity give shape to all the sub doctrines of soteriology? How does it order doctrinal discourse in general? Is there a difference between classical and social trinitarian methodology? How does the Trinity shape our understanding of the atonement? How does the Trinity shape our understanding of ecclesiology? How does the Trinity shape our understanding of the Christian life? And much more.Find more info about the London Lyceum or contact us at our website.Resources:1) The Trinity and Salvation, Fred Sanders2) The Deep Things of God, Fred Sanders3) The Triune God, Fred SandersSupport the show