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If Christ has done everything, why is the Christian life still so difficult? The Apostle Paul teaches the Galatians the difference between spiritual freedom and slavery, and the power to transform self-centered love outward towards others.

In this profound episode of the Reformed Brotherhood, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb delve deeply into the Parable of the Tares (Matthew 13:24-30), exploring its implications for Christian assurance. Building on their previous discussion, they examine how this parable speaks to the mixed nature of the visible church, the sovereignty of Christ over His kingdom, and most significantly, the doctrine of assurance. Through careful theological reflection, the hosts unpack how true believers can find solid ground for assurance not in their own works or fruit-checking, but in the promises of Christ and the testimony of the Holy Spirit. This episode offers both encouragement for those struggling with doubts and a sobering challenge to those resting in false assurance. Key Takeaways The Parable of the Tares teaches that the visible church will be mixed until the final judgment, containing both true believers (wheat) and false professors (tares) who may appear outwardly similar. True assurance is not based primarily on good works but on the promises of Christ, the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit, and the evidences of grace in our lives. False assurance is a real danger, as many who think they belong to Christ will discover at the final judgment that they never truly knew Him. The Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter 18) provides a helpful framework for understanding biblical assurance as the proper possession of every Christian. Christ's role as the divine Master of the house (the world) and Lord of the angels is subtly yet powerfully affirmed in this parable, grounding our assurance in His sovereignty. Good works are the fruit of assurance, not its cause—when we are secure in our salvation, we are freed to serve Christ joyfully rather than anxiously trying to earn assurance. The final judgment will bring perfect clarity, revealing what was hidden and separating the wheat from the tares with divine precision that humans cannot achieve now. The Doctrine of Assurance: Reformed Understanding The Reformed tradition has always emphasized that believers can and should have assurance of their salvation—a conviction recovered during the Reformation in contrast to Rome's teaching. As Tony noted when reading from the Westminster Confession of Faith (Chapter 18), this assurance is "not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion grounded upon a fallible hope, but an infallible assurance of faith founded upon the divine truth of the promises of salvation." This assurance rests on three pillars: the promises of God in Scripture, the inward evidence of grace, and the testimony of the Holy Spirit witnessing with our spirit. What makes this understanding particularly comforting is that it shifts the foundation of assurance away from our performance to God's faithfulness. While self-examination has its place, the Reformed understanding recognizes that looking too intensely at our own hearts and works can lead either to despair or to false confidence. Instead, we're directed to look primarily to Christ and His finished work, finding in Him the anchor for our souls. The Problem of False Assurance One of the most sobering aspects of the Parable of the Tares is its implicit warning about false assurance. Just as the tares resemble wheat until maturity reveals their true nature, many professing Christians may outwardly appear to belong to Christ while inwardly remaining unregenerate. As Jesse observed, "The tares typically live under false assurance. They may attend church, confess belief, appear righteous, yet their hearts are unregenerate. Their faith is maybe historical, it's not saving, it could be intellectual, but it's not spiritual." This echoes Jesus' warning in Matthew 7 that many will say to Him, "Lord, Lord," but will hear the devastating response, "I never knew you." The parable teaches us that this self-deception is not always conscious hypocrisy but often the result of spiritual blindness. As Jesse noted, referencing Romans 1, Ephesians 4, and 1 Corinthians 2, the unregenerate are "not merely ignorant, they're blinded... to the spiritual truth by nature and by Satan." This understanding should prompt humble self-examination while simultaneously driving us to depend not on our own discernment but on Christ's perfect knowledge and saving work. Memorable Quotes "Assurance is the believer's arc where he sits Noah alike quiets and still in the midst of all distractions and destructions, commotions and confusions." - Thomas Brooks, quoted by Jesse Schwamb "When we are confessing, repenting, seeking like our status in Christ because of Christ, then we have confidence that we are in fact part of the children of God. When everything is stripped away from us and all we're crying out is only and completely and solely and unequivocally Jesus Christ, then I think we have great reason to understand that we should be confident in our assurance." - Jesse Schwamb "The sacrifice and the service that a husband performs for his wife, whom he loves and trusts and is committed to and knows that she's faithful and committed to him, that is not causing that faithfulness. It's not causing that trust and that love. It is the outcome and the outflow of it." - Tony Arsenal on how good works flow from assurance rather than cause it Resources Mentioned Scripture: Matthew 13:24-30, Matthew 7:21-23, Romans 1, Ephesians 4, 1 Corinthians 2, 2 Timothy 3:5 Westminster Confession of Faith: Chapter 18 "Of Assurance of Grace and Salvation" Thomas Brooks: "Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices" YouTube Channel: My Wild Backyard Khan Academy: Educational resource recommended during "Affirmations and Denials" segment Full Transcript Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 466 of the Reform the Brotherhood. I'm Jesse. Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast with ears to hear. Hey brother. Jesse Schwamb: Hey brother. We're going back to the farm again. Can't stop. Won't stop. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. I'm stoked. [00:01:02] Discussion on the Parable of the Tears Tony Arsenal: The last week's discussion was interesting and I think, um, it's gonna be nice to sort of round it out and talk about some things you might not think about, uh, when you first read this parable. So I'm, I'm pretty excited. Jesse Schwamb: Oh, what a tease that is. So if you're wondering what Tony's talking about, we're hanging out. In Matthew 13, we are just really enjoying these teachings of Jesus. And they are shocking and they're challenging, and they're encouraging, and they're awesome, of course. And so we're gonna be finishing out the Parable of the Tears and you need to go back and listen to the previous conversation. This, this is all set up because we have some unfinished business. We didn't talk about the eschatological implications. We have this really big this, this matza ball hanging over us. So to speak, which was the, do the TAs in this parable even know that they are tarry, that they are the TAs? And so in this parable, the disciples learn that the kingdom itself, God's kingdom, the kingdom that Jesus is enumerating and explaining and bringing into being, they are learning that it's gonna be mixed in character. So that's correcting this expectation that the kingdom would be perfectly pure and would have, would evolve righteous rule over all of the unrighteous world. And so it's a little bit shocking that Jesus says, listen, they're gonna be. Tears within the wheats that is in the world, the seed that God himself, the sun has planted and that they're gonna exist side by side for a long time. And so we, they have to wait patiently and give ourselves to building up the wheats as the sons of the kingdom and be careful in their judgment, not to harm those who are believers. We covered a lot of that last week, but left so much unsaid we couldn't even fit it in. This is gonna be jam packed, so I'm gonna stop giving the tees instead start moving us into affirmations and denials. [00:02:45] Affirmations and Denials Jesse Schwamb: It's of course that time in our conversation where we either affirm with something really like or we think is undervalued or we deny against something that we don't really like or is a little overvalued. So as I usually say to you, Tony, what have you got for us? [00:03:00] YouTube Channel Recommendation: My Wild Backyard Tony Arsenal: I am affirming a YouTube channel. Um, I, I think the algorithm goes through these cycles where it wants me to learn about bugs and things because I get Okay, like videos about bugs. And so I'm, I'm interested. There's been this, uh, channel that's been coming up on my algorithm lately called My Wild Backyard, and it, it's a guy, he's like an entomologist. He seems like a, a like a legit academic, but what he does is he basically goes through and he talks about different bugs, creepy crawlies, looks at like snakes, all that kinds of stuff. It seems like his wheelhouse is the stuff that can kill you or hurt you pretty bad. Nice. But, um, it's interesting and it's. It's good educational content. It's, you know, it's not sensationalized, it's not, uh, it's not dramatized. Um, it's very real. There's occasionally an instance where he, he's not, sometimes he will intentionally get bit or stung by an, uh, by an animal to show you what it does. So he can experience and explain what he's experiencing. And sometimes he just accidentally gets bit or stung. And so those are some of the most interesting ones. So like, for example, just looking at his, his channel, his most recent, um, his most recent video is called The most venomous Desert Creatures in the US ranked the one previous was. The world's most terrifying arachni isn't a spider. And then previous to that was what happens if a giant centipede bites you? So it's interesting stuff. If you are one of those people that likes bugs and likes creepy crawlies and things, um, this is definitely the channel for you if you're not one of those people. I actually think this probably is the channel for you too. 'cause it kind of demystifies a lot of this stuff. Um. You know, for example, he, he will commonly point out that, um, spiders don't wanna bite you and they just wanna leave you alone. And, and as long as you leave them alone, even, even something like a black widow, which people are terrified of, and I think, right, rightfully so. I mean, they can be scary. Those can be scary bites. He'll, he'll handle those, no problem. And as long as he's not like putting downward pressure on them, uh, they have no interest in biting, they really just want to get away. So even seeing that kind of stuff, I think can help demystify and, and sort of, uh, make it a little bit easier. So my Wild Backyard, he can find it on YouTube. Um, he's safe for kids. He's not, he's not cussing even. I mean, I think occasionally when he gets bit on accident, you might, you know, you might have a beep here or there, but, um, he's not, he's not regularly swearing or things like that. And he does a pretty good job of adding that stuff out. Jesse Schwamb: What a great title for that, isn't it? This, yeah. Confluence of your backyard. That space that seems domesticated is also stealing its own. Right. Wild. And there's a be Yeah. Both those things coming together. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. It, it's interesting stuff and it's really good. I mean, it's really compelling videography. He does a good job of taking good photos. You'll see insects that you usually won't see, or spiders you usually won't see. Um, so yeah, it's cool. Check it out. [00:05:51] Discussion on Spiders and Creepy Crawlies Jesse Schwamb: What are you, uh, yeah, I myself would like to become more comfortable with the arachni variety. If only be, I mean, I don't know. It's, it's a weird creature, so my instinct is to be like, kill them all. And then if I can't find them and I know they're around, then we just burn everything that we own. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Jesse Schwamb: They just can't sink into the ground fast enough. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. There's something about the way they move, like their, their bodies don't move the way you would anticipate them to. Right. And it freaks, it just weirds out human sensibilities, so. Right. Jesse Schwamb: They're also like, I find them to be very surprising. Often. It's not kind of a, a very like, kind of measured welcome into your life. It's like you just go to get in the shower and there's a giant spider. Yeah. Oh yeah. Although I guess that spider, he's, he or she's probably like, whoa, where'd you come from? You know, like, yeah. He's like, I was just taking a Tony Arsenal: shower. You know what's interesting? Um, I saw another video was on a different channel, um, like common jumping spiders. Yeah. Which there are like hundreds of species of common jumping spiders. Jesse Schwamb: True. Tony Arsenal: Um, but spiders and jumping spiders specifically, actually you can form almost like a pet bond with, so like the, that jumping spider that like lives in your house and sees you every day. He, he probably knows who you are and is like, comfortable with you. And they've done studies that like you can actually domesticate jumping spiders, so they're not as foreign and alien as you might think. Although they certainly do look a little bit strange and weird. And the way their bodies move is almost designed to weird out people like it just the skinness, like the way their legs skitter and move it, it just is, it's, it triggers something very primal in us to That's wild. Be weirded out by it. Yeah. Jesse Schwamb: It's wild. I love it. That's a good, a affirmation. I'm definitely gonna check that out. I, any, anything? I really want to know what the, what like the terrifying arachni is. That's not a spider. Tony Arsenal: It's a, well, it's called a camel spider, but it's not really a spider. Oh, Jesse Schwamb: I know what you're talking about. That is kind of terrifying. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. They, they actually don't have any venom. Um, yeah. Check out the video. I mean, it, it was a good video. Um, but yeah, they're freaky looking and, um, but even that, like he was handling it No problem. Yeah. Like it wasn't, it wasn't aggressive with him once Wow. Once it figured out it wasn't, he wasn't trying to hurt him and, and that it couldn't eat him. Um, it, it just sort of like hung out until he let it go. So Jesse Schwamb: yeah, just be careful if you watch it one before bed or while in bed. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Probably not right before bed. Yeah. You'll, you'll get the creepy crawlies all night. Jesse Schwamb: I love it. But there's something somewhat. Like invigorating about that isn't there? Like it's, it's kind of a natural, just like kind of holy respect for the world that God has created, that they're these features that are so different, so wild, so interesting and a little bit frightening, but in the sense that we just draw off from them because they're so different than what we are. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Jesse Schwamb: And you know, again, there's places you would be happy to see them, but maybe your bathtub or like shooting out, like, you know, like where you live, the jumping spiders are legit and they will just pop out on you, you know? Yeah. You're just doing your own thing and then all of a sudden they're popping out. I think part of that is just that what, what gets me is like them just, you know, like I remember in my basement here, once one popped out from a rafter and then I was holding, happened to be holding up broom. My instinct just naturally was to hit it. I hit it with the broom and it went across the room and fell on an empty box and sounded like a silver dollar had hit the box. Like it was just a massive, I mean, again, like, it's like fish stories, like it's a massive spider. It was a big spider. Yeah. But you just don't expect to, to see that kind of thing. Or maybe, maybe I should, but anything that moves in that way, and again, like centipedes, man, forget it. We have those too, like in our basement. Like the long ones. Oh yeah. Yeah. That thing will come like squiggling down the wall at you, like eye level and you just wanna run up the stairs screaming like a little girl. Tony Arsenal: Yeah, you do run up the stairs screaming like a little girl. It's not that you want to, it's that usually you do. I don't mean like you specifically, although probably you specifically. Yeah. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. There's, yeah, you just react. Well, j Jesse enough freaking out. I mean, we're getting close to Halloween, so I suppose it's appropriate, but, uh, enough of that. What are you affirming or denying today? Jesse Schwamb: Once again, without like any coordination, mine is not unlike yours. I know you and I, we talk about the world in which we live, which God has created, and this lovely command, this ammunition to take dominion over that. And one of the things I appreciate about our conversations is I think you and I often have maybe not like a novel. Kinda perspective on that, but one that I don't hear talked about often and that is this idea of taking dominion over what it is possible to know and to appropriate, and then to apply onto wisdom. [00:10:27] Affirmation: Khan Academy Jesse Schwamb: And so my information is in that realm. It's another form of taking ownership of what's in the wild of knowledge that you can possess. And again, equal parts. What an amazing time to be alive. So I'm affirming with the website, Khan Academy, which I'm sure many are familiar with. And this website offers like. Thousands of hours. Uh, and materials of free instructional videos, practice exercises, quizzes, all these like really bespoke, personalized learning modules you can create for topics like math, science, computing, economics, history, art. I think it goes like even starting at like. Elementary age all the way up into like early college can help you study for things like the SAT, the LSAT AP courses, and I was revisiting it. I have an open account with them that I keep in love and I go back to it from time to time. And I was working on some stuff where I wanted to rehearse some knowledge in like the calculus space, do some things by hand, which I haven't done. And I was just like, I'm blown away at how good this stuff is. And it's all for free. I mean, you should donate if you. You get something from this because it's a nonprofit, but the fact that there are these amazing instructional videos out there that can help us get a better understanding of either things we already know and we can rehearse the knowledge or to learn something brand new essentially for free. But somebody's done all the hard work to curate a pedagogy for you. Honestly, this is incredible. So if you haven't looked at that website in a long time or maybe ever, and you might be thinking, what, what do I really wanna learn? Lemme tell you. There's a lot of interesting stuff there and it's so approachable and it's such a good website for teaching. And if you have children in particular, even if you're looking for help, either helping them with their own coursework or maybe to have like kind of a tutor on the side, this is so good. So I can't say enough good things recently about Khan Academy 'cause it's been so helpful to me and super fun to like just sit and have your own paced study and in the private and comfort of your own home or your desk at work or wherever it is that you need to learn it. To be able to have somebody teach you some things, to do a little practice exercises, and then to go on to the world and to apply the things you've learned. Ah, it's so good. Tony Arsenal: Nice. Yeah, I've, I've never done anything with Khan Academy. I'll have to check it out. There's, um, there's some skills of needing to brush up on, uh, at work that I am probably not gonna be able to find in my normal channels, so I'll have to see if there is anything going on there. Um, but yeah, that's, that's good stuff. And it's free. Love freestyle. It's, and of course, like Jesse Schwamb: things like this are legion. So whatever it is, whatever your discipline or your field of study or work is, there's probably something out there and, uh, might, I humbly maybe encourage you to, if you use something like that and it's funded by donations, it's worth giving, I think, because again, it's just an amazing opportunity to take dominion over the knowledge that God has placed into the world and then to use it for something. I mean, I suppose even if all it is is you just wanna learn more about, like for me, I, I find like the subjects of, of math and science, like just endlessly fascinating and like the computing section I was looking at, I, I don't know much about like programming per se, but there is such a beauty. Like these underlying principles, like the, the organization of the world and the first level principles of like physics for instance, are just like baffling in the most glorious kind of way. How they all come together. So having somebody like teach you at a very like simplistic level, but allow you to grasp those concepts makes you just appreciate it leads me to doxology a lot when I see these things. So in a weird way, it ends up becoming maybe not a weird way and the right way. It becomes worship as often as I'm sitting at my desk and working through like a practice problem on like, you know, partial differential equation or, or derivatives is what I was working on today. And ah, it's just so good. I don't know, maybe I'm the only one. I, it's not be super nerdy, but you, are you ever like at your desk studying something? And it might not be like theological per se, but you just have a moment where you're overcome with some kind of worship. Do you know what I'm talking about? Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I, um, this we're the nerdiest people on the planet, but let's Jesse Schwamb: do it. Um, Tony Arsenal: when I find a really fun, interesting. Uh, Excel formula and I can get it to work right. Uh, and it, and then it just like everything unlocks. Like, I feel like I've unlocked all the knowledge in the universe. Um, but yeah, I hear you like the, the Excel thing is, is interesting to me because, like, math is just the description. Like it's just the fabric of reality is just the way we describe reality. But the fact that we can do basically just take math and do all these amazing things with it, uh, in a spreadsheet is really, uh, drives me to praise. Like I said, that's super nerdy, but it is. Oh, you're speaking my language. Jesse Schwamb: I, we have never understood each other better than just this moment right now. We, we had some real talk and, uh, a real moment. Tony Arsenal: Yes. Welcome to the Reformed math cast. Jesse Schwamb: We're so glad that you're here. Tony Arsenal: Yes. We're not gonna do any one plus one plus one equals one kinds of heretical math in, up in here. Jesse Schwamb: No. Tony Arsenal: Well, Jesse, I have a feeling that, excuse me. Wow. Jesse Schwamb: We don't edit anything out. Listen, I'm choked up too. It's it, listen, love ones just so emotional. The moment Tony and I are having it. We're gonna try our best right now to pivot to go into this text, but it's, it's tough because we were just really having something, something special. You got, you got to see there. But thank you for trying to Tony Arsenal: cover for me for that big cough. Jesse Schwamb: This is like presuppositional editing. You know, we don't actually do anything in post. It's not ex anti editing. It's, it's literally presuppositional. [00:15:52] Theological Discussion on Assurance Jesse Schwamb: But to that end, we are in Matthew 13. This is the main course. This is the reason why we're here. There's lots of reasons to worship, and one of them is to come before and admire and love our God who has given us his specific revelation and this incredible teaching of his son. And that's why we're hanging out in Matthew 13. So let me read, because we have just a couple of really sentences here, this really short parable and that way it'll catch us up and then we can just launch right back into we're, we're basically like, we're already in the rocket. Like we're in the stratosphere. We're, we're taking it all the way now. So this is Matthew chapter 13. Come hang out here. It's in the 24th verse. And this is what we find written for us. This is the word of the Lord. He put another parable before them saying. The Kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the weeds and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also, and the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds? He said to them, an enemy has done this. So the servant said to him, then, do you want us to go and gather them? But he said, no less than gathering the weeds, you root up the weed along with them. Let both grow until the harvest. And at harvest time, I will tell the reapers, gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but to gather the wheat into my barn. Tony Arsenal: That's good stuff. That's good stuff. Um, you know, we, we covered most of. I don't know, what do you wanna call it? The first order reading of the parable last week. Jesse Schwamb: Right. Tony Arsenal: On one level, the parable, uh, as Christ explains it, uh, a little bit down further in the chapter is extremely straightforward. It's almost out, it's almost an allegory. Each, each element of the parable has a, a, a figure that it's representing. And the main purpose of the story is that the world and specifically the church, um, is going to be a mixed body until the last days, until the end of time. And so there's, there's the Sons of God or the Sons of the Kingdom, uh, and then there's the sons of the evil one. And we talked a lot about how. These two figures in the parable, the, the, the weeds or the tears? Um, tears is a better word because it's a specific kind of, uh, specific kind of weed that looks very much like wheat at its immature stages. Right. And you can't actually discern the difference readily, uh, until the weed and the wheat has grown up next to each other. Um, and so, so part of the parable is that. The, the sons of the kingdom and the sons of the enemy, or the sons of the evil one, they don't look all that different in their early stages. And it's not until the sort of end culmination of their lives and the end culmination of things that they're able to be discerned and then therefore, um, the, the sons of the devil are, are reaped and they go off to their eternal judgment and the sons of the kingdom are, uh, are harvested and they go off to their eternal reward. What we wanted to talk about, and part of the reason that we split this into two episodes. Is that we sort of found ourselves spiraling or spiraling around a question about, uh, sort of about assurance, right? And false assurance, true assurance. And there is an eschatological element to this parable that I, I think we probably should at least touch on as we we go through it. Um, but I wanted to just read, um, it's been a little while since we've read the Westminster Confession on the show. So I wanted to read a little bit from the Westminster Confession. Um, this is from chapter 18, which is called of assurance of grace and salvation. This is sort of the answer to Jesse's question. Do the, do the tears know their tears or, or could they possibly think that their wheat? So this is, uh, section one of chapter eight. It says, although hypocrites and other unregenerate men may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presuppositions or presumptions of being in favor with God in the state of salvation. Which hope of their shall perish yet such as truly believe in the Lord Jesus and love him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him may in this life be certainly assured that they are in a state of grace and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, which hope shall never make them ashamed. And so we, in the reform tradition at least, which is where we find ourselves in the reform tradition, um, we would affirm that people can. Deceive themselves into believing that they're in proper relation with God. Jesse Schwamb: Right? Tony Arsenal: And so it's not the case that, uh, that the weeds always know they're weeds or think they're weeds. It's not even the case. And this was part of the parable. It's not even the case that the weeds can be easily distinguished even by themselves from, uh, from the weeds. So there is this call, uh, and this is a biblical call. There's a call to seek out assurance and to lay claim to it. That I think is, is worth talking about. But it's not as straightforward as simple proposition as like, yeah, I'm confident. Like it's not just like, right, it's not just mustering up confidence. There's more to it than that. So that's what I wanted to start with, with this parable is just maybe talking through that assurance. 'cause I, I would hate for us to go through this parable. And sort of leave people with maybe you're a weed and you don't know it. 'cause that's not right. That's not the biblical picture of assurance. Um, that's the, that's the Roman Catholic picture of assurance that like, yeah, there's no such thing as assurance and people might not realize, but assurance of salvation is actually one of the, one of the primary things that was recovered particularly by the Reformed in the Reformation. Um, and so I think we, we often sort of overlook it as maybe a secondary thing. Um, but it really is a significant doctrine, a significant feature of reformed theology. Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. I'm glad you said that because it is a, is a clear reminder. It's a clearing call as the performers put forth that it is. Under like the purview of the Christian to be able to claim the assurance by the blood of Christ in the application of the Holy Spirit in a way that's like fully orbed and fully stopped. So you can contrast that with, and really what was coming outta Catholicism or Rome at the time. And I was just speaking with a dear brother this past week who. Grew up in the Catholic church and he was recounting how his entire religious experience, even his entire relationship, if we can call it that in a kind of colloquial sense with God, was built around this sense of deep-seated guilt and lack of true performance, such that like assurance always seemed like this really vague concept that was never really fully manifested in anything that he did. Even while the church was saying, if you do these things, if you perform this way, if you ensure that you're taking care of your immortal sins and that you're seeking confession for all the venial stuff as well, that somehow you'll be made right, or sufficiently right. But if not, don't worry about it. There's always purgatory, but there'd be some earning that you'd have to accomplish there. Everywhere along the way. He just felt beaten down. So contrasting that with what we have here. I don't believe, as you're saying, Tony, that's Jesus' intention here to somehow beat up the sheep. I, I think it is, to correct something of what's being said about the world in which we live, but it's at the same time to say that there are some that are the TAs is to say there are some that are the children of God, right? That there are some that are fully crisply, clearly identified and securely resting in that identity without any kind of nervous or anxious energy that it might fall out of that state with God that, that in fact their identity is secure. And as I've been thinking about this this week, I, I'm totally with you because I think part of this just falls, the warning here is there's a little bit of the adventures in Romans one here that's waiting for us, that I like what you said about this idea of, of self deception and maybe like a. Subpart to this question would be, are the, are the terrors always nefarious in their lack of understanding? So we might say there's some that are purposely disruptive, that the enemy himself is, is promulgating or trying to bring forward his destruction, his chaos by way of these tears. But are, are there even a subgroup or another group, uh, co-terminus group or, you know, one in the same hierarchy where there's just a lot of self deception? I, I think that's probably where I fall in terms of just trying to explain that. Yes, I think it was present here is a real quantity, a real identity where they're self-deceived. Imagining themselves to be part of God's people, yet lacking that true saving faith. And this just, I'm gonna go in a couple places where I think everybody would expect in the scriptures, if we go to like Ephesians four, they're darkened and they're understanding alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them. And one Corinthians, when Paul writes, the natural person does not accept the things of the spirit of God, and he's not able to understand them because they're spiritually discerned. And then the book that follows the God of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers. And of course then like everything in Romans one, so I bring all that up because E, even at the end, we're gonna get there, the Es, this eschatological reality when you know God is separating out the sheep and the goats. Still, we find this kind of same trope happening there. But the unregenerate, what I'm reading from this. Importantly is that the unregenerate, they're not merely ignorant, they're blinded, as we all were on point to the spiritual truth. Yeah. By nature and by Satan. That that is also his jam. He loves to blind, to lie, to kill, steal, and destroy. So thus, even if they're outwardly belonging to the church, they're outwardly belonging to the world. They're outwardly belonging to some kind of profession. They cannot perceive the reality of their lost condition apart from divine illumination. Who can, that might be stating the obvious, but I think that's like what we're getting after here. I I, I don't know if there's like any kind of like conspiracy here. It's simply that that is the natural state of affairs. So why wouldn't we expect that to be reflected again in the world and that side by side, we're gonna find that shoulder to shoulder. We are, there are the children of God, and there are those that remain blind and ignorant to the truth. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And, and you know, it, again, I, I, um, I don't know why I'm surprised. Uh, I certainly shouldn't be surprised. Um. But Matthew is like a masterful storyteller Yeah. Here, right. He's a masterful, um, editor and narrator. Um, and he's, he's put together here, of course, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Um, and, and there's some good reason to think in the text we're not gonna get too, in the nitty gritty here, there's some good reason to think in the text that Christ actually delivered these parables as a set as well. So it's not just, it's not just Matthew coating these, although it could be. Um, but it, it seems like these were all delivered probably as like a common set of parables. And the reason I say that is because when we start to look at this parable and the one we previously went through, the parable of the soils, um, or the parable of the sower. Um, what we see is the answer to your question of why do some people, you know, why are some people deceived? Well, yes, there is secondary causation. The devil deceives them. They blind themselves. They, you know, suppress the, the, the truth and right unrighteousness. But on a, on a primary causation level, um, God is the one who is identi, is, is identifying who will be the sons of the, you know, devil and the sons of the kingdom. Mm-hmm. This is another, and yet another example of election is that the, the good sower sowed good seed, and the good seed was the elect and the enemy. Although in God's sovereignty, God is the one who determines this. The enemy is the one who sows the reprobate. Right? So all, all men. Star, and this is, I, I guess I didn't really intend to go here, but this is good evidence in my mind for, um, infra laps, Arianism versus super laps. Arianism, right infra laps, arianism or sub lapse. Arianism would say that God decrees, uh, to permit the fall and then he decrees to redeem some out of the fall, right? Logically speaking, not temporally speaking. Super laps. Arianism, which is the minority. It's the smaller portion of, of the historic tradition, although modern times, I think it's a little bit louder and a little bit more vocal, but super relapses. Arianism would argue that God, um, decrees. Sort of the, the decree of election and reprobation is logically prior to the decree of the fall. And so in, in that former or in the super laps area model, the fall becomes a means by which the reprobate are justly condemned. Not, um, not the cause of their condemnation, but a way to sort of justify the fact that they will be separated from God, right? Because of their reprobate. [00:28:36] Exploring the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares Tony Arsenal: I know that there's, there's probably some super lab streams that would nuance that differently and some that are probably just screaming straw man, uh, in a coffee shop somewhere and, and people are thinking you're crazy. Um, but by and large, that's actually a rel, a relatively accepted, um, explanation of it. There are certainly potential problems with, uh, sub, sub lapse agonism as well. But in this, in this parable, what we see is the people who are, um, who are elect, are sowed into the field and the people who are reprobate are also sowed into the field. And so God saves the people who are sewed into the field that are, they elect, he saves them out of this now mixed world by waiting and allowing them to grow up next to the reprobate, um, in sort of this mixed world setting. And then he redeems them out of that. Um, and, and, and so we have to sort of remember. Although it is a pretty strict, sort of allegorical type of parable, it's still a parable. So we shouldn't, we shouldn't always draw like direct one-to-one comparisons here. It's making a theological point, but, um, but it's important for us to re remember that, that it is ultimately, it is God who determines who is the elected and who is not. But it's, it's our sin. It's the devil deceiving us. It's the secondary causes that are responsible for the sons of the devil, right? It, the, the men come to the, to the sower and say, who is done this? He says it was an enemy. Jesse Schwamb: Right? Right. Tony Arsenal: He doesn't say like, well, actually I put the seed there and so, you know, I'm, I, it's not an equal distribution. He's not sowing good seed and bad seed. He sows the good seed and the devil sows the bad seed. [00:30:24] Theological Implications and Assurance Tony Arsenal: Um, and, and that's a, I think that's an important theological point to make. And as far as assurance goes. We, we can't depend on our ability to perceive or sort of like discern election in a raw sense, right? We have to observe certain kinds of realities around us. Um, and, and primarily we have to depend on the mercy and, and saving faith that God gives us. That's right. Um, you know, our, our assurance of faith does not primarily come from fruit checking. Um, we have to do that. It's important, we're commanded to do it, and it serves as an important secondary evidence. But a, a, a person who wants to find assurance. Of salvation should first and foremost look to the promises of Christ and then depend on them. Um, and, and so that's, I think all of that's kind of wrapped up into this parable. It's, it's, it's amazing to me that we're only like two parables in, and we're already, you know, we're already talking about super lapse arianism and sub lapse arianism, and it's, it's amazing. I, I love this. I'm loving this series so far, and we're barely scratching the surface. Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it's all there. I think you're right to call that out. It strikes me, like, as you were speaking, it really just hit me higher that I think you're right. Really the foundation on this, like the hidden foundation is assurance and it's that assurance which splits the groups, or at least divides them, or it gives us, again, like the distinct, kind, discrete compartments or components of each of them. So. Again, I think it's help saying, 'cause we wanna be encouraging. That's, that's our whole point here is when the Apostle Peter says, be all the more diligent to make certain about his calling and choosing of you. That herein we have the scripture saying to us, time and time again, be sure of what God has done in your life. Be confident in that very thing. And so if assurance is, as we're saying, that's the argument hypothesis we're making. That's the critical thing here. [00:32:11] False Assurance and True Faith Jesse Schwamb: Then the division between the children of God and the children of the devil is false versus true assurance. So the tears, I think what we're saying here, basically they typically live under false asserts. They may attend church, confess, belief, appear righteous, yet their hearts are unregenerate. Their faith is maybe historical. It's not saving, it could be intellectual, but it's not spiritual. And of course, like just a few chapters before this, we hope those famous verses where Jesus himself drops the bomb and says, listen, many of you, he's talking to the people, the, the disciples around him, the crowds that we're gathering and thronging all about. He says, many of you're gonna say to me, Lord, Lord, do we not prophesy your name? Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Jesse Schwamb: And then I will declare to them, I never knew you depart from me. These are not people who knew they were false, they thought they belonged to Christ. Their shock on judgment day is gonna reveal this profound self-deception. And that self-deception is wrapped up in a false type of assurance, a false righteousness. So I think one of the things that we can really come to terms with and grab a hold of is the fact that when we are. Confessing, repenting seeking like our status in Christ because of Christ. Then we have confidence that we are in fact part of the children of God. When everything is stripped away from us and all we're crying out is only and completely and solely and unequivocally, Jesus Christ, then I think we have great reason to understand that we should be confident in our assurance. [00:33:38] Historical Perspectives on Assurance Jesse Schwamb: You know, I was reading this week from Thomas Brooks and did incidentally come across this, a quote, an assurance and reminded me of this passage, and here's what he writes. You know, of course he's writing in like 16 hundreds, like mid 16 hundreds. It's wild, of course, but we shouldn't be surprised that what you're about to hear sounds like it could have been written today for us. In this conversation, but, uh, he writes, assurance is the believer's arc where he sits Noah alike quiets and still in the midst of all distractions and destructions, commotions and confusions. However, most Christians live between fears and hopes and hang, as it were, between heaven and hell. Sometimes they hope that their state is good. At other times they fear that their state is bad. Now they hope that all is well and that it shall go well. Well with them forever. Then they fear that they shall perish by the hand of such corruption or by the prevalency of such and such temptation. They're like a ship and a storm tossed here and there, and. I think that he's right about that. And I think the challenge there is to get away from that. I love where it starts, where he says, what wonderful turn of phrase assurance is the believer's arc or Noah, like, you know, we're sitting and the commotion, the destructions, the commotion, the confusions of all the world. That's why to get this right, to be encouraged by this passage, to be challenged by it is so critical because we're all looking for that arc. We all want to know that God has in fact arrested us so completely that no matter what befalls us, that everything, as we talked about before, all of our, all of the world, in fact is subservient to our salvation. But that's a real thing that cannot be snatched away from us because God has ordained it and intended it, built it, created it, and brought it to pass. And so I think that's all like in this passage, it's all the thing that's being called us to. So. I, I don't want us to get like too hung up. It's a good question, I think to ask and answer like we were trying to talk about here, but you're right. If we focus too much just on the like, let's gaff for these tears. Who are they? Like let's people's, like Readers Digest in People's magazine these tears. Like who are they? Do we have a list of them? Who do we think they are? How could it be me? Is it really me? Am I, am I anxious about that? Really what we should be saying is following what Peter calls us to do that is to be all the more diligent to make certain about his calling and his choosing. So even there like our emphasis and focus, isn't it like you're saying Tony about like, let me do some fruit inventory. I got like a lot of good bananas. I got a lot of ripe pears. Like, look at the tree. This, this is good. Even there, the emphasis is to turn our eyes on Jesus, as it were, and to make certain about his work, his calling and his choosing of us. And I think when we do that, we're falling down in worship and in yielding and submission to him, rightfully acknowledging that the righteousness of Christ is the one that is always in every way alien to us and imputed. And that is what makes us sons and daughters of God, that good seed sown by Jesus himself. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. I just wanna read, I wanna um, round out a few more paragraphs here out of the Westminster confession because I do think, you know, when we even talk about assurance, we're not even always all saying the exact same thing. And I think that's important because when we talk about assurance of faith, we need to be understanding that this is the rightful, not only the rightful possession of all Christians, but it's the rightful responsibility of all Christians to seek it. So here's, here's section two of that same chapter. It says, this certainty referring to assurance. This certainty is not a bare conjectural and probable persuasion grounded upon a, a fallible hope, but an infallible assurance of faith founded upon the divine truth of the promises of salvation, the inward evidence of those graces unto which these promises are made, the testimony of the spirit of adoption, witnessing with our hearts that we are the children of God, which spirit is the earnest of our inheritance, whereby we are sealed to the day of redemption. So. One of the, the things that I think is, is important here is people read this and say the inward evidences of those graces unto which these promises are made. They read that and they think that it's referring to like good work and like spiritual renewal, but it's, it's not, it's the inward evidence of those graces unto which of the promises are made. So it's this inner, inner renewal. It's the spirit testifying to our spirit. And then, um, chapter, uh, section three here, it says. This infallible assurance doth not so belong to the essence of faith, but that a true believer may wait long and conflict with many difficulties before he be partaker of it, yet being enabled by the Spirit to know the things which are freely given of God. He may without extraordinary revelation there, right there is response to Roman Catholicism in the right use of ordinary means at attain there unto. And therefore, it is the duty of everyone to give all diligence, to make his calling and election. Sure. And thereby his heart may be enlarged in peace and in joy in the Holy Ghost, in love and thankfulness to God and in strength and cheerfulness in the duties of obedience. The proper fruits of this assurance so far is it from inclining men to looseness? Right. [00:38:53] The Role of Good Works in Assurance Tony Arsenal: So we often hear and and I, I think there are good, um, there are good reformed Christians that put. The emphasis of assurance on, or they, they put an overemphasis, in my opinion, on how good works function within our assurance. Right. They, they often will ask us to look to our good fruit as sort of, not the grounding, but as a strong evidence. But at least in terms of the confession here, the cheerfulness in the duties of obedience is the fruit of assurance. Jesse Schwamb: That's right. Not Tony Arsenal: the cause or grounding of assurance. So rather than, this is what this last line says. It says so far, is it from inclining? Mental looseness assurance should drive us to obedience and fruitfulness in Christ. And so yes, it is in a certain sense an evidence because if that fruitfulness and obedience is absent from our lives, there's a good reason for us to question whether this infallible assurance is present in our lives. But the assurance is what drives us to this obedience. Um. You know, like, I think you could use the analogy of like a married couple. A married couple who is very secure in their relationship and in their, uh, love for one another and their faithfulness to each other is more likely to cheerfully serve and submit to each other and to respect each other and to sacrifice for each other than a couple that's maybe not so sure that the other person has their best interest in mind. That's or maybe isn't so sure that this thing is gonna work out. I think that's the same thing, like the sacrifice and the service that a husband, uh, performs for his wife, whom he loves and trusts and is committed to and knows that she's faithful and committed to him. That is not causing that faithfulness. It's not causing that trust and that love. It is the outcome and the outflow of it. It's good evidence that that love exists, but it's not caused by it. And assurance here is the same kind of dynamic assurance is not. We can't assure ourselves of our salvation by doing good works. No matter how many good works you do, there are lots and lots of people who are not saved and who will not be saved, who do perfectly good works in appearance. Right. They have the, the outward appearance of godliness, but lack its power. Right, right. Out of right outta Paul, writing to Timothy there. Yes. So that's, that's important for us as we continue to parse all this out, is yes, the fruit is present. Yes. The wheat is to, is discernible from the tears by its final, fruitful status. Right? It grows up to be grain, which is fruitful rather than weeds and tears, which are only good to be burned, but it is not the fruit that causes it to be wheat. It's wheat that causes the fruit to grow. If, if it wasn't wheat, it wouldn't grow fruit, not because the fruit makes it grain, but because it is in fact wheat to start with. Jesse Schwamb: Right. Yeah, that's right on. So I think like by summation we're kind of saying. At least the answer to this question. You know, do the tears know that they're tears? Yes and no. Some do, some don't. I think, yes, there are some that are gonna be consciously hypocritical, willfully rejecting Christ while pretending for worldly gain. I think that's, that's certainly plain to see. And at the same time, do the tears know the tears? Sometimes? No. There's self deceived under spiritual blindness and they have some kind of false assurance. And this idea of, again, coming in repentance before God and seeking humbly to submit to him is I think one of those signs of that kind of true assurance, not a false assurance. And you already stole where I was thinking of Tony by going to Second Timothy again. Thomas Brooks in precious remedies against Saint's device is one of like the best. Books ever. I know that he's really outspoken. He loves to harp on the fact that one of Satan's most effective snares is to make men and women content with a form of godliness without its power. Yeah. And that's often what we're talking about here, I think, is that Satan loves to fish in the shallow waters a profession. And really that can happen in any kind of church or religious culture, that there is this shallowness where that loves religious appearance, prayer, knowledge fellowship, but not the Christ behind them. And so whether we're looking to somebody like Brooks or Jonathan Edwards and we're trying to parse out what are our true affections, not in a way again, that somehow leans well, I feel enough, then somehow that justifies, not inwardly, but again, definitely trying to understand our conviction for conversion tears. For repentance that. Really what we're after is not like just the blessings of Christ, but Christ himself, which I think really leads us to this eschatological perspective then to round all everything out because you know, we talked about before, there's an old phrase, it's like everywhere. A lot of people talk in heaven. Not everybody's going there. And so this idea of like, people will talk about be so great to be there and it's sometimes this, the heaven that they speak of is like absent Christ, you know, as if like, if Christ wasn't there, at least in their perspective, it still wouldn't be half bad. And so I think that does lead us to understand what is this in gathering? What is this? You know, bringing everything into the barn and burning everything else up. And like you just said, if at the beginning you cannot tell the injurious weed aside from that beautiful kernel of wheat that's coming up, but if in the end you can see what's happening in the end, then that brings us all to consummation. What does it mean in this parable? Tony Arsenal: Yeah. [00:44:19] Eschatological Judgment and Assurance Tony Arsenal: And, and I think this actually sort of forces us to grapple a little bit with, with another sort of persnickety feature of this parable that, that I think, I think personally sometimes gets overlooked is we are very quick to talk about this parable to be about the church. And it is. Right. And, and there's reasons to talk like that. But when Christ explains the parable, he doesn't say the field is the church. He says the field is the world. Right. And so we have to, we have to, we have to do a little bit of, um. We have to do a little bit of hermeneutics to understand that this is also speaking of the church, right? It's not as though the church is some hermetically sealed off body that the dynamics of the world and the, the weed and the tears like that, that doesn't happen in the church. But when we talk about the end of the age here, he says the son of man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom. All causes of sin in all lawbreakers. Right? So, so the, the final eschatological judgment, it's all encompassing. And I dunno, maybe I'm, maybe I'm becoming a little bit post mill with this, um, the, the world is already the Kingdom of Christ. Right? Right. That's right. It, it's not, it's not just the church on earth that is the kingdom of Christ. And so when we talk about this eschatological reaping, um, what we see is, is very straightforward. There are those who are, uh, who belong to Christ, who were sown by him into the world, who were, uh, were tended by him, who were protected by him, who he intended to harvest from the very beginning, right? The good sower sows good seed into the field, and that good seed is and necessarily will be wheat. It's not as though, um, it's not as though, and again, this is one of those ways where like the parables sometimes, uh, are telling a little bit of a different story. Even though they're sharing some themes in the first parable, in the parable of the sower, he sows the same seed into the world. But the seed in that first parable is not the, is not the person receiving the seed. The seed is the one is the word of God. Yes. And so the word of God is sewn promiscuously, even to those who will be hard soil and who will be rocky soil and have thorns. The word of God is, is sewn to all of those people. Across the whole world in this parable. The seed that is the good seed that is sown is and always was going to be weed that was, or wheat, which was going to grow into fruitfulness and be gathered into the barn. Right? That was a foregone conclusion. The, the, when the sower decided to sow seed, all of that said he is the one who did that. He's the one that chose that. He's the one that will bring us to completion, right? And then also the ones that are not of his kingdom, the sons of the devil, they will also be reaped at the end. Actually we'll be reaped before the, you know, they'll be reaped and gathered and, and tossed into the furnace before the sons of the kingdom are gathered together. Jesse Schwamb: Right. Tony Arsenal: So it, again, this is a parable and even though this is Christ's explanation of the parable, I don't think that Christ was intending to give us like a strict timeline. Right. I don't think he was encouraging us to draw a chart and try to map out where this all happens in order. Um, I do think it's relevant that, that, at least in the explanation of this parable, I mentioned it last week, that, that the rap, the rapture is actually the wicked being raptured. They're the ones that are gathered and taken out of the world and cast into the fiery furnace before the, before the righteous are gathered together and, and brought into Christ Barn. Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, there's a great unmasking that's happening here in this final stage. I mean, that's critically the point. I think there's a lot of stuff we could talk about open handedly and kind of hypothesize or theorize what it means. But what is plain, I think, is that there's this unmasking, this unveiling of the reality of the light of Christ's perfect judgment. But that judgment is for both parties Here it is coming and what was hidden beneath outward religion or more, a facade is gonna be revealed with eternal clarity. That's just the reality. It is coming. So in some ways it pairs. I think at least well in this, well purposely of course in this teaching because Jesus is saying, hold on, like we talked about last time. Do this is not for you to judge. You are ill-equipped. You are not skilled enough to discern this. And therefore though, you wanna go in hot and get spicy and try to throw out all the weeds. Wait for the right time. Wait for the one like you're saying, Tony has from all of eternity past intended for it to be this way. Super intending his will over all things in the casting of the seed. And as we say, Philippians, of course, finishing that good work, which was started, he will finish. It is God's two finish again. And so he says, listen, that day is coming. There's gonna be a great unmasking. Uh, get ready for it. And the scriptures bear witness to that in so many other ways. So. There's such a journey in these like handful of verses, isn't there? I mean, it's really wild. The things that not like we come up with or we read into the text, but as we sit in it a little bit, as we just spend even a cursory amount of time letting it pour over us, that we find there's like a conviction in a weight in these things that are beyond just the story and beyond just even like the illustrations themselves. What we find is, again, it's as if Jesus himself in his brilliance, of course, through the power of the Holy Spirit, is illuminating the mind in the spirit to open up our conception, understanding of the kingdom of God by bringing it to us through his perspective in our own terms, of course, which is both our language and like the context of the world in which we live, and that simple example of farming and seed. And again, even just that there are these interest weeds that look like wheat. I went on this like rabbit hole this week and did a lot of research on like tears and Yeah, like especially people in like the Midwest United States who like know a lot more about agriculture than I do have a lot to say about this. It's not just like we shouldn't be surprised like. Isn't it incredible that like there are actually weeds out there that look like, yeah, it's a brilliance of just knowing that this teaching is so finely tuned. Like we can even just talk about that. Like the world is finely tuned. This teaching is so finely tuned to these grant theological principles that we can at one point be children and appropriate them enough and assume them into our own intellectual capacity so that we can trust in them. And yet even as like adults with like, let's say like the greatest gift of intellectual capacity, still find that we cannot get to the bottom of them because they're so deep. They draw us into these really, really grand vistas or really like extremely deep cold theological waters. And I just find. That I am in awe then of what Jesus is saying here because there's a truth for us in assurance that we ought to clinging to. And there's also like stuff that we should come back to. We shouldn't just stop it here and put it out of our minds until the next time we, we want to just be stimulated by something that's interesting or that we want to just grab somebody and shake them cage style, cage two style and say like, look at this great thing that I just learned about this, this particular parable. But instead, there's so much here for us to meditate on. And in that, I think rather than the Christian finding fear in this parable, what they should find is great comfort. We should be Noah alike sitting in the ark saying, it is well with my soul. And our reason for that is because we know God has cast a seed through his son Jesus Christ. And to be a child, a child of God is the greatest thing in all the universe. Tony Arsenal: Yeah. And I, I think that, um, transitions nicely to, uh, I'll make this point quick because we're coming up on time here. Um. [00:52:04] Christ's Divinity and Sovereignty Tony Arsenal: The other little subtle thing that Christ does here in this parable is he, he absolutely asserts his divinity and sovereignty overall creation. Jesse Schwamb: That's right. Yep. Tony Arsenal: Right. It, it's almost like a throw. There's a couple little like lines that are almost throwaway lines, right in the, the first, the beginning of the parable here. Um, the parable itself, uh, he says, um, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed into a field. And then he says, um, the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, right? And then when he interprets the parable, he says, well, the, the servants are, the field is the world, right? So he's the master of the world, and the servants are the angels. So he's the master of the angels. And then if, if there was any doubt left in your mind. Says in verse 41, the son of man will send his angels. That's right. And they will gather out of his kingdom, which is the world, all the causes of sin and all lawbreakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. Right? So we have this, this robust picture that there is election. The the good sower sows good seed into the world, and the good seed will necessarily grow into wheat and will be preserved and protected and ultimately harvest Well, why can we have assurance that that will be the case? Well, because the master of the house is the son of man who is the Lord of the universe and the creator of all things. And his angels do his will. That's right. So, so the whole thing is all wrapped up. Why can we have assurance? Because God is a good God and Christ is a good savior, and the savior of the world is the creator of the universe, right? If any of those facts were not true. Then we couldn't have assurance. If God wasn't good, then maybe he's lying. If Christ wasn't the savior of the world or the God of the universe, the creator of the universe, then he wasn't worthy to be the one who saves. All of this is wrapped up in the parables, and this is what's so exciting about the parables. In most of the instances that we look up, especially of the sort of longer parables, these kinds of dynamics are there where it's not just a simple story making a simple point, it is making one primary point. Usually there's one primary point that a, that a parable is making. But in order to make that primary point, there's all these supporting points and supporting things that have to be the case. If the, if the good sower was not the master of the house and a, a competent, uh, a competent landowner who knew the difference between wheat and weeds, even at the early stage, right? His, his servants go and go, what happened? What's with all of these weeds? They can tell the difference somehow, Jesse Schwamb: right? Tony Arsenal: He's immediately able to go, well, this was an enemy. Jesse Schwamb: That's right. Tony Arsenal: And while they're bumbling around going, should we go rip it all up and start over? He is like, no, no, no, no. Just wait until, wait until it all grows up together. And when that happens, the Reapers will come and they'll take care of it and they'll do it in my direction, right? Because he's competent, he's the savior, he's the creator, he's the good master, he is the good sower. Um, we can be confi

Questions about how to reconcile the image of God as a judge with his love, grace, and kindness, why our sins are considered to be sins against God, and whether the idea that our debt was paid by Christ means we escape the penalty for our sins by right, not grace.   For most of my life, God has been portrayed to me primarily as a judge—watching closely, ready to point out where I fall short. But I'm learning there's more to him than that. How do I begin to reconcile that image with the reality of his love, grace, and kindness? If I commit a sin against someone but then make amends and ask for forgiveness, how is it that I've also sinned against God, and why would God still need to punish me? If Christ was literally punished for our sins and our debt was paid, then how can it be said we are “forgiven”? Wouldn't we escape the penalty by right, not grace?

The modern obsession with leaving the world began, oddly enough, with a fall. In 1827, John Nelson Darby tumbled from his horse, banged his head, and started writing a new idea into the Christian imagination. He sketched a future where the faithful are whisked away from the grit and grief of history while the rest of creation burns. A quick exit. An escape hatch. A promise that the real home is elsewhere and that the earth is disposable, like a cracked cup you set in the bin.This is not ancient. It is not apostolic. It is recent and it is seductive. It tells a suffering people, your pain will be over soon, the plane is already boarding, no need to change anything down here. If you have felt that tug toward evacuation, you are not foolish. You are tired. That fatigue is understandable in an age of fires measured in miles, plague-years mapped by grief, and a public life where cruelty is mistaken for strength. The promise of escape is shaped to meet that ache. It is also a lie.The Kin-dom is already here.That is the heart of realized eschatology, the teaching we carried in the episode and carry again in this essay. “Eschatology” means the study of last things. Realized means the future is not only ahead of us. It is breaking in now. Jesus described it as a reign spread out among us, hidden like yeast in dough, like a seed in soil, like light within the body. The Kin-dom is the web of right relationship in which all can breathe, eat, heal, and flourish. Not a passcode. Not a flight plan. The Kin-dom is a way of living.From DespairDespair is honest. It names what is broken. The temptation is to make despair a home. Rapture-thinking offers a furnished apartment in that neighborhood. It whispers, if the world is going to burn, the moral thing is to detach. Sell your goods. Quit your job. Leave your lease. Tell yourself it will be over soon and the pain will end. The trouble is simple. People get left behind in our leaving. Children, neighbors, the unhoused, the exhausted caregiver down the hall. And the earth herself.We must say this plainly because our faith is not a riddle. Jesus did not ask us to decode news cycles. He asked us to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, visit the sick and the imprisoned. These are not optional extras. They are the criteria he gave for what salvation looks like when it is walking around in a body. If we are known by our fruits, then escapism is sterile ground. It cannot grow love.There is another reason the escape story keeps getting told. It flatters power. If we are leaving any day now, then the powerful do not have to reckon with what their choices do to air, water, soil, and bodies. If the earth is a demo model to be replaced, who cares about rivers turned to poison or forests to ash. If the poor are props in a cosmic drama, who cares whether they eat. History shows the same pattern again and again. Doctrines that separate faith from works turn out to be very useful to those who profit from our apathy.To DiscoveryDespair does not have to be destiny. What if the ache we feel is not proof that the world is ending but a summons to begin. The Kin-dom has already arrived. We do not wait for permission to love. We do not ask empire how to heal. We participate in the life that is present.The early church learned this quickly. Expectations of an immediate ending gave way to the discovery that Christ is already here. Not absent. Present. Not awaiting return from a distance. Active in the web of relationships that make for life. If that is true, our question shifts. Instead of asking when we leave, we ask how to live. Instead of hunting for dates, we look for neighbors.This is where realized eschatology becomes simple and practical. If the Kin-dom is here, then our daily life is the place of devotion. Prayer is our breath when we choose to share air with one another. Eucharist is the shared table where food becomes love. Repentance is not a sad impossibility. It is repair as ordinary as changing a habit, paying a debt we owe to a community, or stepping back from a lie we learned to speak without thinking.There is an old word for hell in the gospels, Gehenna. It was a trash heap outside the city. When Jesus warns that some will be given over to Gehenna, he is not talking about a theme park in the afterlife. He is asking whether we want to live in a world organized like a dump, a society that treats people and places as disposable. The counter-picture is the Kin-dom. A shared life where no one is tossed aside.To DevotionDevotion is what love looks like on repeat. Not a one-time burst of zeal. A cadence. A rhythm. A set of holy repetitions that strengthen the soul for a lifetime of service. In the episode, we joked that rapture apparently means selling your Xbox and leaving a note. That is darkly funny. It is also a parable. If you can decide in a weekend to abandon your life, you can also decide in a weekend to begin again. The choice is yours. The drills are daily.Let us choose a set of practices that make us steady, supple, and brave. Think of them as everyday drills of freedom. No need for special terms. No need for perfect conditions. We begin where we are and repeat.1) Begin with breath and blessing.Each morning, sit for three slow breaths. On the in-breath, say inwardly, “Here.” On the out-breath, “Now.” Place a hand on your chest and another on your belly. Say out loud: “The Kin-dom is within and among us.” This is not a trick. It is a way of waking the body to reality.2) Touch the ground.Step outside if you can. Touch soil, trunk, leaf, or light. Name what you feel. Cool. Rough. Wet. Warm. This is devotion, not escape. The earth is the altar. You are a priest of the living world. Ask quietly, “How can I tend you today?”3) Choose one work of mercy.Every day, do one small act from the list Jesus gave. Feed someone. Offer water, literal or metaphorical. Share clothing or blankets. Write a card to someone ill. Give to a bail fund or visit someone who is locked away. If you cannot leave home, support a group that does. Make the Kin-dom tactile.4) Tell the truth with kindness.Practice a single sentence of truth-telling to pierce a lie you meet often. Not a speech. A sentence. For example, “No one is disposable.” Or, “Health care is not a luxury.” Or, “Libraries are sacred.” Use it when the moment comes. Gentle. Steady. Clear.5) Learn to say no.Refuse demands from power that require you to harm your neighbor, yourself, or the earth. Start small. Decline gossip that erases someone's dignity. Decline a purchase you know funds harm. Decline a schedule that turns you into a machine. Each no makes room for a larger yes.6) Make and keep a neighborly promise.Choose one ongoing commitment in your place. A monthly food distribution. A tenants' meeting. An interfaith meal. A neighborhood garden. Keep showing up. Devotion turns from idea to muscle when it is scheduled and communal.7) End the day with examen.Before sleep, name one wound you witnessed and one repair you practiced. Offer both to the Holy One. If you failed, ask for strength to try again. If you succeeded, give thanks without vanity. Tomorrow you will begin again.These are not random acts. They are kin-making acts that reveal the Kin-dom that already is. They keep us from the trap of despair and the temptation to acquiesce to the demands of power. They grow fruit where propaganda said nothing could grow. They teach the body that hope is not a mood. Hope is a practice.The History We Carry, The Future We ChooseIt helps to remember how we got here. After Darby's invention took root, other ideas cleared the way for it. Some preachers told us we are saved by believing the right things, not by doing the right things. Others taught that destiny is already set and our actions do not matter at all. Across centuries, those messages made it easier to bless wealth, ignore the poor, and outsource responsibility to an imagined timetable. Power liked that. Power still likes that.Creation Spirituality says no. It says the Holy is immanent, present in the soil, the river, the neighbor, the stranger. It says original blessing, not original sin, is the first truth about you. It says the Four Paths are a way to live: Awe that opens our eyes, Letting go of lies and fears, Creativity that builds what is needed, Transformation that turns wounds into wisdom. The Kin-dom is not hiding in the sky. It is shimmering in our shared life, asking to be chosen again.Scripture keeps the edge sharp:“The Kingdom of God is within you.”— Luke 17:21, WEB“Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”— Matthew 25:40, WEBRead those lines slowly. If the Kin-dom is within and among us, we cannot leave without leaving Christ. If Christ meets us in the hungry, the thirsty, the sick, the imprisoned, then love is measurable and daily. Faith is not nullified by works. It is made visible by works.A Pastoral Benediction For Beginning AgainHoly One, Light within all lights, you who kindle stars and soup kitchens, gardens and grief groups, teach us to stay. Unmask the cheap promise of escape. Give us instead the costly joy of devotion. Take our despair and convert it into discovery. Take our discovery and convert it into daily love. Let our hands become sacraments. Let our words become shelter. Let our homes become small monasteries of repair. The Kin-dom is here. Help us live like it.Amen.How We Keep GoingWhen the next prediction comes, and someone names a date for leaving, remember what Jesus said about dates and hours. Remember how relief can trick the heart. Then look around. Where are the needs at the bottom of the hierarchy. Food. Water. Shelter. Medicine. Safety. Belonging. Begin there. Begin again tomorrow. This is how we refuse the empire of abandonment. This is how we become citizens of the Kin-dom.You are not powerless. You are not alone. You are not late. The future you long for is arriving in your next act of care. It will not trend. It might not be glamorous. It will be real. The earth is not a prison to flee. It is the body of God, aching for our touch, ready to be healed.Creation's Paths book: . Please share your feedback with us we want to hear your experience.Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.Thank you for Tips / Donations: * https://ko-fi.com/cedorsett * https://patreon.com/cedorsett * https://cash.app/$CreationsPaths* Substack: https://www.creationspaths.com/New to The Seraphic Grove learn more For Educational Resource: https://wisdomscry.com Social Connections: * BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com * Threads https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths * Instagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/#Rapture #RaptureMyth #AntiImperialFaith #RealizedEschatology #CreationSpirituality #Christopagan Chapters:00:00 Introduction: Why Do Christians Want to Escape the World?01:45 Announcements and Book Release02:31 Has Belief in the Rapture Failed Jesus?02:46 Biblical Context: Who Gets Taken?04:23 Jesus's True Criteria for Salvation05:07 The Reformation: Luther and Calvin's Influence06:35 Faith Alone vs. Works: The Protestant Divide08:01 The Fruits of Rapture Theology09:19 The Dark Psychology of Rapture Belief10:21 Power and the Reformation11:25 The Great Awakenings and American Christianity12:32 How the Rapture Enables Injustice13:13 Realized Eschatology: The Kingdom Is Here15:07 Offshoring Responsibility to Fiction16:19 Imagining a Better World Through Right Relationship18:07 The ‘I've Got Mine' Mentality18:48 Disposable Earth: Misreading Scripture20:54 Recent Rapture Predictions and Human Suffering22:37 Compassion for Rapture Believers23:44 The Work We Should Be Doing25:05 Ancient vs. Novel: The Age of Traditions Get full access to Creation's Paths at www.creationspaths.com/subscribe

Hosts Pastor Robert Baltodano and Pastor Lloyd Pulley Question Timestamps: Mark, MA (2:48) - Matthew 27:9 contains a quote from Zechariah but says it is from Jeremiah, why is that? Enoch, NY (4:46) - What does the passage "cast your bread upon the waters" mean? Matthew, GA (6:24) - Is fasting to build our strength in prayer? Would fasting help give us control over emotions, thoughts, or ADHD? Chris, email (9:09) - How have anyone's sins been atoned for since the destruction of the temple and loss of the Ark of the Covenant? Didn't God prescribe very specific processes to receive atonement for sins? What did Jericho's walls look like? Did they sink down, flat into the ground, and preserve Rahab's house on top? Cameron, MI (13:51) - If not all descended from Israel are of Israel based on Romans 9:6-7, how does that apply with Romans 11, that all Israel will be saved and grafted in? Tony, FL (16:23) - Are the two witnesses in Revelation Enoch and Elijah? Camile, NJ (18:00) - Is my friend still a Christian if she doesn't believe in the doctrine of hell? Chris, CA (23:21) - How did the Jewish priests fulfill the law of Moses after the Babylonian exile but before Jesus was crucified? They didn't have the Ark of the Covenant to use in the sacrifices, so how did they do it? John, NJ (33:12) - If Christ was crucified on a Friday, what happened to the third night? Why do they leave the word "the" out of Jesus's name, since Christ was not his last name?  Vincent, NY (36:44) - What was Jesus talking about when he said "anyone who believes in me will do the same works I've done and even greater things?" Who has done anything "greater" than Jesus? Why did Mary name Him "Jesus" and not "Immanuel?" Michael, AL (41:03) - How should I speak to my grandmother who believes Jesus came to deconstruct the God of the Old Testament? Robert, email (47:10) - I've been struggling with addiction. Do you believe people can change? If we can, can we change for our betterment? Edwin, NJ (50:20) - Is it acceptable to be cremated as a follower of Jesus Christ? Kate, email (51:53) - As a new believer, do I need to find everyone I ever lied to and tell them the truth in order to be truly forgiven by God? Ask Your Question: 888-712-7434 Answers@bbtlive.org

Send us a textWhat if the greatest barrier to truth isn't ignorance, but pride dressed up as certainty? We open with a vivid claim: Christ's victory ends the deception that fenced off the nations, turning the gospel outward to every tribe and tongue. From there, we press into Galatians with clear eyes and open hands, asking what happens when we smuggle “extras” into grace—circumcision, special days, dietary rules, or any badge that tries to share the stage with faith. The answer is simple and unsettling: justification by faith alone is not a slogan; it is the center that refuses rivals.As the conversation unfolds, we tackle deception from the inside out. Scripture warns that those who do not love the truth risk delusion, and we take that seriously. So we trade hot takes for heart checks: gentle restoration over public humiliation, testing our own work before touching someone else's, and carrying one another's burdens while owning our personal load. Stories from real life ground the text—how to confront with care, how to correct without condemning, and how Jesus models both mercy and moral clarity with the woman accused of adultery. We call out the culture of “I cooked them” as a counterfeit win that leaves real people wounded.Throughout, we return to a simple question: are we coming to heal or to be seen? The Spirit's harvest shows up in quiet repair, not loud comparison. If Christ has broken the power of deception for the nations, the least we can do is refuse micro‑deceptions—legalism, superiority, scoreboard spirituality—that creep into our churches and friendships. Expect a candid, thoughtful journey through Revelation's hope, Galatians' clarity, and the gritty practice of humility that makes communities whole.If this sparks something in you, follow the show, share it with a friend who loves honest Bible conversation, and leave a review telling us where you've seen gentle restoration change a life.Support the show

If we believe the Gospel has saved us, that God causes all things for good and He is for us, why do we hide it? Think about it: If Christ tells you to offer others the same Gospel that saved you, can you explain what makes you comfortable with saying no?

A sloth joke shouldn't lead to a movement story—but that's exactly the point: what felt slow and small suddenly accelerated. We walk through the Book of Acts to compare two defining communities—Jerusalem and Antioch—and uncover how persecution, prayer, and everyday witness propelled the gospel across cultures and borders. Jerusalem shows us a church under pressure: Stephen's death, Herod's violence, famine, fear, and an underground resolve. Antioch shows us a church flourishing: courageous witness to Gentiles, a multi-ethnic community where believers were first called Christians, and a year of deep teaching from Barnabas and Saul.We dig into why no culture owns Christianity and how Antioch broke the ethnic barrier without losing the heart of the message. Barnabas arrives with encouragement and integrity; Saul brings theological clarity rooted in the resurrection. Together they equip new believers leaving idol worship and learning a new way of life. Meanwhile, Jerusalem and Antioch model mutual care: Jerusalem sends Barnabas at great cost; Antioch sends relief to a hungry city. This is the church as both local and universal—one body, one Spirit, one Lord—expressed in distinct places with shared hope.At the center of everything is the resurrection of Jesus. If Christ is not raised, faith collapses; if he is, witness becomes bold, service becomes costly, and persecution becomes seed for mission. Whether your context feels like Jerusalem's hardship or Antioch's momentum, the path forward is the same: speak the gospel clearly, live it credibly, help other churches, and trust the Spirit to work across lines of culture and class. Listen to the full story, reflect on the lessons, and tell us which challenge you're taking on this week. If this conversation moved you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help others find the show.Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xkhjiUrprY

Romans 8:3-4 — Why is it important that Christ was truly a man? In this sermon on Romans 8:3–4 titled “Jesus: Our Sinless Saviour,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers this vital theological question and explains how it changes lives. If Christ was not truly a man, how could He die in the place of humans? If Christ was not a man tempted like all humans, how could He relate to their weaknesses? This is why Christ had to come as a true man, and yet He was totally without sin. He had to be born as a man, live as a man, and die as a man in order to be a perfect Savior. The glory of salvation is that God becomes human and dies in humanity's place upon the cross. This message of good news commands all to believe in Christ alone for forgiveness of sin as there is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ. This leaves everyone to ask if they believe that Jesus died for them and are they trusting in the what God has done in His Son upon the cross. This question is not one of intellectual speculation, but has eternal significance for all of humanity. In this sermon the listener will hear the greatest truth that the world has ever seen in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:3-4 — Why is it important that Christ was truly a man? In this sermon on Romans 8:3–4 titled “Jesus: Our Sinless Saviour,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones answers this vital theological question and explains how it changes lives. If Christ was not truly a man, how could He die in the place of humans? If Christ was not a man tempted like all humans, how could He relate to their weaknesses? This is why Christ had to come as a true man, and yet He was totally without sin. He had to be born as a man, live as a man, and die as a man in order to be a perfect Savior. The glory of salvation is that God becomes human and dies in humanity's place upon the cross. This message of good news commands all to believe in Christ alone for forgiveness of sin as there is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ. This leaves everyone to ask if they believe that Jesus died for them and are they trusting in the what God has done in His Son upon the cross. This question is not one of intellectual speculation, but has eternal significance for all of humanity. In this sermon the listener will hear the greatest truth that the world has ever seen in the gospel of Jesus Christ. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/603/29

The world tells men to find strength in hard work, grit, or sheer determination. And while those qualities have their place, they can only take you so far. True strength—the kind that sustains you in battle, carries you through trials, and fuels you to lead your family—doesn't come from within. It comes from prayer. A man of God is only as strong as his connection to the Father. Today we're talking about where real strength is found—on your knees, in prayer.Our springboard for today's discussion is:“The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” — James 5:16 (ESV)Prayer is not a backup plan—it's the battle plan. It's where you lay down your burdens and pick up God's strength. It's where fear is silenced and faith is stirred. It's where the enemy's lies are crushed under the weight of God's truth.Strength through prayer isn't about eloquence or length. It's about intimacy. It's about being real with God, pouring out your heart, and letting Him pour His Spirit back into you. A man who prays is a man who cannot be shaken, because he knows his strength doesn't come from himself—it comes from the Lord.Think about Jesus. Even He, the Son of God, withdrew to lonely places to pray. If Christ needed that connection to the Father, how much more do we? Prayer was His lifeline, His source of direction, His strength before the cross.Brother, your family needs a man who knows how to pray. Not just for food at the table, but for protection, wisdom, and breakthrough. Your brothers need a man who knows how to intercede. Your workplace needs a man who walks in peace because he's already fought his battles in prayer.The culture says strength comes from self-reliance. God says strength comes from surrender. And prayer is where that surrender happens.Question of the Day:Are you trying to face life in your own strength—or are you daily seeking God's strength through prayer?Mini Call to Action:Set aside ten minutes today to pray with no agenda. Don't just talk—listen. Let God refill you with His strength.Prayer:Lord, make me a man of prayer. Teach me to find strength not in myself but in You. Remind me that every battle is won first in Your presence.Let's Get To Work!Strong men pray. And praying men become unshakable, because their strength is rooted in the presence of God.Thanks for reading My Reasons To Believe! This post is public so feel free to share it.My Reasons To Believe is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myr2b.substack.com/subscribe

The world tells men to find strength in hard work, grit, or sheer determination. And while those qualities have their place, they can only take you so far. True strength—the kind that sustains you in battle, carries you through trials, and fuels you to lead your family—doesn't come from within. It comes from prayer. A man of God is only as strong as his connection to the Father. Today we're talking about where real strength is found—on your knees, in prayer.Our springboard for today's discussion is:“The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” — James 5:16 (ESV)Prayer is not a backup plan—it's the battle plan. It's where you lay down your burdens and pick up God's strength. It's where fear is silenced and faith is stirred. It's where the enemy's lies are crushed under the weight of God's truth.Strength through prayer isn't about eloquence or length. It's about intimacy. It's about being real with God, pouring out your heart, and letting Him pour His Spirit back into you. A man who prays is a man who cannot be shaken, because he knows his strength doesn't come from himself—it comes from the Lord.Think about Jesus. Even He, the Son of God, withdrew to lonely places to pray. If Christ needed that connection to the Father, how much more do we? Prayer was His lifeline, His source of direction, His strength before the cross.Brother, your family needs a man who knows how to pray. Not just for food at the table, but for protection, wisdom, and breakthrough. Your brothers need a man who knows how to intercede. Your workplace needs a man who walks in peace because he's already fought his battles in prayer.The culture says strength comes from self-reliance. God says strength comes from surrender. And prayer is where that surrender happens.Question of the Day:Are you trying to face life in your own strength—or are you daily seeking God's strength through prayer?Mini Call to Action:Set aside ten minutes today to pray with no agenda. Don't just talk—listen. Let God refill you with His strength.Prayer:Lord, make me a man of prayer. Teach me to find strength not in myself but in You. Remind me that every battle is won first in Your presence.Let's Get To Work!Strong men pray. And praying men become unshakable, because their strength is rooted in the presence of God.Thanks for reading My Reasons To Believe! This post is public so feel free to share it.My Reasons To Believe is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myr2b.substack.com/subscribe

Send us a textThe battle between flesh and spirit plays out daily in our lives, especially when we're provoked to anger. This powerful conversation explores how Christians can navigate contentious situations without losing their spiritual footing.When someone pushes our buttons, our natural instinct is to react—sometimes explosively. But as believers, we're called to something higher: "Be angry and sin not." Participants share personal struggles with maintaining composure when provoked, acknowledging how difficult it can be to step back, pray, and recollect ourselves rather than immediately responding with anger.The discussion draws inspiration from powerful examples like Jesus Christ, Francis of Assisi, and Patrick of Ireland—individuals who responded to hatred with love and persecution with mercy. If Christ himself, who could have called down legions of angels, chose gentleness and humility, how much more should we practice restraint in our interactions?Perhaps most challenging is the examination of how Christians often become entangled in worldly politics, fighting more passionately for earthly kingdoms than for God's. We're reminded that believers should be present in every sphere—military, entertainment, politics—not to be consumed by these worlds but to be light within them. The fundamental error occurs when we begin identifying more with political affiliations than with our identity in Christ.True wealth isn't found in political power or worldly success but in Christian fellowship and brotherhood. While politicians may acquire riches through compromise, believers find their treasure in relationship with Christ and His people—a perspective that helps us maintain focus on eternal values amid temporal distractions.Join us as we explore these profound spiritual truths and discover how to maintain a Christ-like demeanor even when the world seems determined to provoke us to do otherwise.The Balance of GrayFaith That Challenges. Conversations that Matter. Laughs included. Subscribe Now!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

There are moments in Scripture which, like doors slightly ajar, invite us into rooms far deeper than we first imagined. One such moment occurs in the Gospel of John, where Christ says: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14). At first glance, the comparison may seem almost grotesque; our Saviour is likened to a serpent, an emblem of death and sin. And yet, here lies one of the profoundest truths in all of Christian thought: that God redeems not merely through might, but through our deepest pain.Recall the scene in the book of Numbers. The Israelites, having once again rebelled against God, are plagued by fiery serpents. They cry out for mercy, and Moses is instructed not to remove the serpents, but to lift up a bronze image of one on a pole. All who looked upon it were healed. They were not told to pretend the serpents weren't real, nor were they told to earn their healing. They had only to look. The very image of their suffering became the conduit for their salvation.And so it is with the Cross.Christ was lifted up, not as a mere martyr, nor as a teacher, but as the one who became sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). The Cross is no mere symbol; it is the divine paradox. There, the Innocent bore guilt. The Holy bore shame. The Immortal embraced death. And in that darkest moment, the door to light was thrown open.But let us not rush too quickly to the light. For many of us, the problem is not believing in Christ's victory – it is believing that our pain, our guilt, our most unmentionable failures, could possibly be included in it. We imagine the Cross as something above us, clean and exalted. But in truth, the Cross descends. It is God stooping down into the filth of our humanity. If Christ is lifted up, He is lifted up with all the sins of the world pressing down upon Him – mine and yours.This is the invitation: not to hide your wounds, but to bring them into the light of the Cross. To look upon the Crucified One and see not only the cost of love, but its healing. Your deepest pain is not too deep for Him. In fact, it is precisely where He means to meet you.Lift your eyes, then, not in despair, but in hope. The Cross does not demand perfection; it only asks you to look. And in looking, you may find not only healing, but yourself. There are no more facades, or masks, or games pretending to be okay. Beholding the crucified one, we find the power and meaning behind our suffering. Jesus can use it for our salvation. Once we stop running from our pain, we can exclaim like the legendary 5th century bishop, St. Augustine – “In my deepest wound, I saw your glory and it dazzled me.” --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian's homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift helps us continue recording and sharing the hope of Jesus—one homily at a time. Give Here: https://frbriansoliven.org/give

ReadingThe waters have risen and severe storms are upon us, but we do not fear drowning, for we stand firmly upon a rock. Let the sea rage, it cannot break the rock. Let the waves rise, they cannot sink the boat of Jesus. What are we to fear? Death? Life to me means Christ, and death is gain. Exile? The earth and its fullness belong to the Lord. The confiscation of goods? We brought nothing into this world, and we shall surely take nothing from it. I have only contempt for the world's threats, I find its blessings laughable. I have no fear of poverty, no desire for wealth. I am not afraid of death nor do I long to live, except for your good. I concentrate therefore on the present situation, and I urge you, my friends, to have confidence.Do you not hear the Lord saying: Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst? Will he be absent, then, when so many people united in love are gathered together? I have his promise; I am surely not going to rely on my own strength! I have what he has written; that is my staff, my security, my peaceful harbor. Let the world be in upheaval. I hold to his promise and read his message; that is my protecting wall and garrison. What message? Know that I am with you always, until the end of the world!If Christ is with me, whom shall I fear? Though the waves and the sea and the anger of princes are roused against me, they are less to me than a spider's web. Indeed, unless you, my brothers, had detained me, I would have left this very day. For I always say: Lord, your will be done; not what this fellow or that would have me do, but what you want me to do. That is my strong tower, my immovable rock, my staff that never gives way. If God wants something, let it be done! If he wants me to stay here, I am grateful. But wherever he wants me to be, I am no less grateful.Yet where I am, there you are too, and where you are, I am. For we are a single body, and the body cannot be separated from the head nor the head from the body. Distance separates us, but love unites us, and death itself cannot divide us. For though my body die, my soul will live and be mindful of my people.You are my fellow citizens, my fathers, my brothers, my sons, my limbs, my body. You are my light, sweeter to me than the visible light. For what can the rays of the sun bestow on me that is comparable to your love? The sun's light is useful in my earthly life, but your love is fashioning a crown for me in the life to come.Send us a textSupport the show

How did Jesus know when His earthly ministry was finished and it was time to go to the cross? Some Greeks came and said, "Sir we wish to see Jesus." Jesus must die on the cross, be lifted up to draw all peoples to himself. He must die and rise so that all who die in Him can live eternally. "Where my servant is, there will I be also." If the world hated Christ, it will hate His servants. If Christ has eternal life, His servants will be with Him.

Did Jesus forget to mention a secret rapture? Discussion Questions: Read 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17. Paul describes one dramatic, public return of Christ with a shout, trumpet, and the resurrection of believers. Why do you think Paul emphasizes these visible signs instead of describing a secret return? Read John 5:28–29. Jesus says both “those who did good” and “those who did evil” will come out of the tombs at the same hour. How does this challenge the idea of two separate resurrections or two separate comings of Christ? Read 2 Thessalonians 1:6–10. Why does Paul connect Christ's return with both judgment on the wicked and relief for the suffering church? How does this strengthen our hope in times of hardship? Read Matthew 24:27–31. Why do you think Jesus compares His return to lightning flashing across the sky? What does this tell us about how obvious and undeniable His coming will be? For nearly 1,800 years, Christians believed in one visible return of Christ and one final judgment. Only in the 1800s did the idea of a “secret rapture” appear. Is it helpful to you to know that particular history? Why or why not? Read Hebrews 9:28. The writer says Christ will appear a second time “to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.” Why is Christ's return essential to completing God's plan of salvation? If Christ is returning once, visibly, and finally to judge and renew all things, how might this shape the way think? What perspectives might change if we live in the hope of His coming?

As we launch our Fall sermon series "Building PFC: Up, In, & Out" we are starting with the metaphor of Christ as the chief cornerstone. If we're not building on him, we're building on sand. If Christ is not at the center, then we are worshiping idols. Jesus says, "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's". Caesar's face is on our coins. But whose blood courses through the veins of the church?

Growing In God Podcast Title: Live by His Strength   Web Description: As Christians should we have an expectancy for less strength and less life in our physical bodies as we age? According to the Scriptures, something different is available for us. We can have the strength that comes directly from God. The Spirit of God dwelling in us can give life to our physical bodies. We need to appropriate what God has made available. Let us wait on the Lord and be renewed by His life.   Show Notes: As Christians we believe in the resurrection of Christ and the new life that is ours. But Christians grow old like everyone else and watch their strength and vigor dissipate over time until it is gone. According to the Word, we should have something different. We read in Isaiah 40 that if we wait on the Lord, we should gain strength rather than lose it. This happened for Caleb who had the same strength and vigor at eighty-five that he had when he was forty. The same was true for Moses when he was one hundred twenty years old.   When Christ begins to dwell in us, our bodies are still dead because of sin. But that does not mean we are supposed to remain in that state. It does not mean that we are supposed to believe in death and have faith that our bodies will grow weak and die. Christ being in us means that we are being reconnected to the Father, and our spirit is coming alive to the Father. And the Spirit of the Father dwelling in us will give life to our mortal bodies.   Through Christ we are plugged into God. And as Isaiah 40 states, God does not grow weary; His strength does not go away, and His vigor never drains out of Him. And when we wait on the Lord, He gives us His strength that never dissipates. Why then would we live our lives as if we were still disconnected from God like we were before receiving Christ? Do not keep drawing from the world and the world's concept of living and dying but keep appropriating the new life that Christ has made available.   Key Verses:   •       Isaiah 40:28–31. “Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength.” •       2 Corinthians 5:17. “If anyone is in Christ … old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” •       Romans 12:2. “Do not be conformed to this world.” •       Romans 8:10–11. “He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies.” •       Galatians 5:22–25. “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” •       Psalm 118:14. “The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.” •       Joshua 14:7–12. “I am eighty-five years old today. I am still as strong today as I was.” •       Deuteronomy 34:4–7. “Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old, … his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated.”   Quotes:   •       “Christ is in you. But the Spirit of Him who raised Christ from the dead must dwell in you and give life to your mortal body. So this is part of maturing in God, growing in Him, moving on in the relationship and in the purpose for which He saved us.” •       “If Christ is in me, I can begin to wait upon the Lord. I can begin to connect with God in such a way that His attributes come into my life.” •       “There's no lack of vitality in God. And Moses and others like Caleb—and we see others in the Scriptures—knew how to wait on the Lord, how to draw this energy on a daily basis. They didn't do it once or twice. They lived this way.”   Takeaways:   1.    As Christians there are ways in which we are still conditioned by the world. And one of those conditionings is to believe it is okay to grow old, get sick, and die. But the reality of becoming Christian is that we have a new life, and our experience should be different than that of the world. 2.    We have Christ in us. And because we have Christ in us, we can have the Spirit of Him who raised Christ from the dead also dwelling in us. And because His Spirit is dwelling in us, life should be infused into our mortal bodies. What prevents us from having this? 3.    All that is available in God is activated when we wait on Him, plug into Him, and draw His strength and power into our lives. But we are not really getting that if we are not consistently walking that way. We need to get out of any blindness and passivity resulting from our conditioning and go after the appropriation of all His provision.

Paul's words in Col. 3:1-4 cut across time: they begin with the past, come into the present, and look to the future. In all these phases we are united to Christ. Union with Christ has been called the "umbrella doctrine" because it covers the entire Christian experience. "In Christ" is the fundamental expression used over and over in Paul's letters to describe the position of the Christian in this world. In Gal. 2:20 we learn that we have been united with Christ in his death. All of our subjective blessings are based on his objective work on the cross. As Michael Horton says, "If Christ remains outside of us , it's useless to us - we must cash in through personal faith in Christ." When Christ arose and ascended, we also rose and ascended with him, not bodily, but spiritually. So in our present experience on earth, we walk by faith via the enablement of the grace of Spirit, to live our daily lives so as to please him. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 we read about our future at Christ's return: the raising of our lowly bodies from the grave to be changed like unto Christ's glorious resurrection body. Thus our present spiritual union will also become physical by the power of God.

Send us a textWhat does it truly mean to be "the church" in today's world? This thought-provoking episode tackles one of Christianity's most fundamental questions – is the institutional church as we know it biblical, or have we misunderstood what scripture really teaches?The conversation begins with a candid discussion about the challenges of studying Revelation, acknowledging it as "a monumental undertaking" requiring serious scholarship and spiritual discernment. But this quickly evolves into something more foundational: questioning whether our modern church structures align with biblical teaching.One participant poses a question that resonates throughout: "If Christ is truly the head of the church, then in an institution, although Christ is present because he is being spoken about and taught, is he truly the head or is there a pastor or somebody that stands in?" This cuts to the heart of contemporary ecclesiology, challenging us to reconsider roles, structures, and authority within Christian communities.The discussion also examines how theological debates often become counterproductive "spiritual boxing matches" where winning arguments takes precedence over discovering truth. Drawing from Titus 3:9, participants remind us to "avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless."Perhaps most powerfully, the conversation emphasizes approaching scripture with profound reverence. As one participant observes, "When we enter into these rooms, we're talking about the God of the universe... This is not something to be played with." This reverence manifests as humility about our understanding and recognition that the Bible contains wisdom "enough for umpteen lifetimes and we only get one."Whether you're questioning institutional religion, seeking to understand scripture more deeply, or simply wanting thoughtful Christian conversation, this episode offers fresh perspectives on what it truly means to be the body of Christ in today's world.The Balance of GrayFaith That Challenges. Conversations that Matter. Laughs included. Subscribe Now!Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Segment 1: • John MacArthur's memorial service featured a booklet he wrote on finishing well. • Reflecting on legacy forces us to ask: Am I prepared to end faithfully? • Warm fellowship at the memorial reminds us the Christian life is a community journey. Segment 2: • Dr. MacArthur urged believers: don't just grow old—finish strong. • Intellectual pursuit is good, but love for Christ, and others, must not grow cold. • Purity in thought and conduct matters, especially when nobody's watching. Segment 3: • Celine Dion's documentary reveals how idols fail when life gets tough. • Six diagnostic questions to help uncover hidden idols of the heart. • If Christ isn't enough without your idol, He won't be enough with it. Segment 4: • Church isn't just a hospital—it's also a training ground. • Practical biblical principles help households navigate sin and struggle. • Gratitude and gospel-centered living prevent families from falling into cycles of dysfunction. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!

Send us a textGalatians 5Believers must stand firm in the freedom Christ has given them, not returning to the bondage of the Law. Paul warns that relying on the Law for righteousness separates them from grace. Instead, faith expressing itself through love is what truly matters. He cautions against false teachers and emphasizes that Christ has set them free. Paul explains that freedom is no excuse for sin but an opportunity to serve others in love. He contrasts the works of the flesh—such as immorality, hatred, and jealousy—with the fruit of the Spirit, which includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and self-control. He encourages believers to walk by the Spirit, resisting sinful desires. Those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh and should live in step with the Spirit, producing godly character. If Christ has set us free, we must not return to anything that enslaves us. True freedom is not about doing whatever we want but about living by the Spirit and serving others in love. This chapter challenges us to examine whether we are led by the flesh or by the Spirit. The works of the flesh bring destruction, but the fruit of the Spirit produces godly character. Walking in the Spirit means surrendering to God, allowing Him to shape our thoughts, actions, and relationships. We must resist sinful desires and seek to grow in love, joy, peace, and self-control. As we live by the Spirit, we reflect Christ to the world and experience the fullness of life in Him. Gracious Lord, thank You for our liberty and security in Christ. Help us to stand firm and not fall back into anything that separates us from Your grace. Fill us with Your Spirit so that we may walk in love and resist the destructive and carnal deeds of the flesh. Produce in us the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Teach us to serve others humbly and live in step with the intentions of the Holy Spirit. We will crucify the flesh and live as blessed people who belong to Christ.  Thought Questions: -       Is it possible for a Christian to fall from grace? (v.4). What is the sin that causes this, and how do you prevent such a devastating mistake? -       When can your freedom in Christ become an opportunity for the flesh? How important is it to love others in everything we choose to do? -       How does the fruit of the spirit help you repel the deeds of the flesh? Choose one of each to illustrate how the light helps to repel the darkness.

In this episode, Dr. Leelo Bush addresses the hidden power of excuses, showing how they silently derail our God-given potential. She explains the neuroscience behind excuse-making, the difference between boundaries and excuses, and how to dismantle these mental barriers through ownership. With scriptural encouragement from Philippians 4:13 and 2 Timothy 1:7, listeners are guided toward living a life aligned with their calling—excuse-free.     What You'll Learn How to recognize the subtle language of excuses Why excuses feel justified and the brain science behind them The difference between boundaries and excuses How to replace “I can't” with ownership statements Practical strategies to retrain your mind toward courage and action Scriptural truths to overcome fear and avoidance     Quotable Moment “Ownership is the difference between a life lived by default and a life lived by design.”     Scriptures Mentioned Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Proverbs 26:13 – “The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets.'” 2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control.”     Resources Professional Christian Coaching and Counseling Academy: PCCCA.org/courses Private Facebook group: Courageous Christian Coaching Tribe Transcript Let's be honest. Making excuses can be cringeworthy. It's awkward for the person saying it and just as uncomfortable for the person hearing it—especially when we both know better. Yet we still do it, wrapping fear or procrastination in pretty words and hoping no one notices. It's been a while, but I've done it. How about you? Today we're going to pull back the curtain, audit those excuses, and replace them with ownership, because nothing feels better than living aligned with your calling—excuse free. Welcome to the Christian Coaching School podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Leelo Bush. I'm a master coach, author, curriculum creator, and the number one authority on Spirit-led Christian coaching. I've trained tens of thousands worldwide since 2003. And if you are ready to up-level your skills, find greater fulfillment, and employ the most powerful coaching available to mankind—let's go. Welcome back. I'm Dr. Leelo Bush, and today we're cutting through the "can't because" clutter. I've trained and certified thousands of coaches worldwide over the last 22 years, and as a result, I have watched many people rise to great heights. But unfortunately, too many people with God-given potential stay stuck because of a handful of worn-out excuses. Entering a new school year, I thought the timing of this episode would be perfect if you are stuck with excuses. We will do an audit and end their bondage today. Excuses look harmless, but they are silent dream killers. They feel justified. They can sound logical and keep you stuck. Today we're going to expose them, dismantle them, and replace them with unstoppable ownership. Since school is back in session, it's your turn. If you've been feeling the nudge to step into your calling as a Christian life coach, counselor, or specialty coach, the Professional Christian Coaching and Counseling Academy—otherwise lovingly called PCCCA—has world-class training for you to help you get there. I encourage you to visit PCCCA.org/courses where you will find all the details, because the future you are praying for isn't going to build itself. Excuses are not harmless. They quietly chip away at your confidence. They limit your opportunities and shrink the vision that God has placed in your heart. An explanation tells the truth and points toward a solution. An excuse stops the conversation, locks the door, and throws away the key. The cost of excuse-making is massive. You lose opportunities you can't get back. You delay callings God already equipped you to fulfill. And you settle for a smaller life than the one you were created to live. Here's the dangerous part: most excuses feel justified. You're tired. You've been hurt. You don't have time, money, or support. But when you stop there, you have given the excuse the final word. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” If Christ is your strength, the excuse has no authority. I remember when my daughter was in elementary school and taking ballet classes. She was really talented, and the teacher gave her solo lessons to do a solo dance in the recital. But she was terrified. When we talked about it, we decided that whenever she felt afraid, she would repeat, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” And to this day, if she feels unsure about moving forward, she goes back to that scripture. We all get those feelings, but the Word has power—not because of who says it, but because it is the Word of God. We have to remember that excuses have a language, and once we recognize it, we will hear it everywhere. “I'm too busy.” “I'm not ready.” “I'm waiting for the right time.” Those can sound harmless, but they are all code for avoiding action. Look for patterns. Do you use the same excuse in your health, relationships, finances, or spiritual growth? If so, it's not circumstantial—it's habitual. Proverbs 26:13 says, “The sluggard says, ‘There is a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets.'” Excuses are just imaginary lions keeping us from moving forward. But what's beneath the excuse? Excuses don't live in our words—they live in the mind and heart, wired into the brain. Every excuse we make is really a protective response from our nervous system, rooted in emotion. At the core, excuses are survival tools—the brain's way of avoiding perceived threats to our safety, identity, or sense of belonging. When you're faced with a challenge that feels overwhelming, the amygdala—the part of your brain constantly scanning for danger—lights up like a warning siren. Its job is to keep you safe, but sometimes it overreacts. It doesn't know the difference between stepping onto a stage to share your testimony and stepping in front of a hungry lion. It just says “danger” and looks for the fastest escape route. That's where excuses are born. The brain then recruits the prefrontal cortex, our reasoning center. But when you're stressed or anxious, your prefrontal cortex gets hijacked. Instead of helping you move forward, it starts manufacturing logical-sounding reasons to avoid the risk. And because those reasons sound rational, you accept them without question. This is why excuses often feel justified—they are supported by your brain's best lawyer, even when built on fear, not fact. Your brain's default wiring has three goals: avoid pain, increase pleasure, and conserve energy. This was useful when survival meant escaping predators and finding food. But in modern life, that wiring resists discomfort, challenge, or the unfamiliar—even when those lead to growth. Then there's your identity network—the deep wiring of beliefs about who you are and what's possible for you. If your internal story says, “I'm not the kind of person who succeeds at this,” your brain will work to protect that story, even if it limits you. Most people base their sense of what's possible on the past, not the future. But the past is not a good indicator of possibility. If it were, we'd never have developed planes, mobile phones, or countless other advances. People often confuse excuses with boundaries. Boundaries protect your values and priorities, coming from clarity and love. Excuses protect your comfort zone. One brings peace and alignment, the other brings guilt and frustration. Boundaries leave you feeling empowered; excuses leave you feeling smaller. Second Timothy 1:7 says, “For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control.” That's your wiring in Christ—the Spirit designed you for power, love, and sound judgment. Every time you challenge an excuse, you weaken the old fear pathway and strengthen the neural circuit for courage and action. This is proven neuroscience. Here's how to shift: Name your choices out loud. Instead of “I can't because,” say “I choose not to because.” This admits you have the power to change it. If you don't like the choice, change it on the spot. Interrupt excuses as they form by asking, “What's the real truth here?” Upgrade your self-talk. Replace “I don't have time” with “I haven't made time yet.” Replace “I'm bad with money” with “I haven't learned money skills yet.” Create an ownership anchor—a quick physical trigger like snapping your fingers, tapping your chest, or standing taller—to remind yourself to move from retreat to responsibility. Track your wins. Progress, even small, proves you're rewriting your story. Taking ownership isn't about perfection—it's about refusing to give your excuses the final word. Every shift reclaims more territory from fear, delay, and self-sabotage, moving you closer to the life God has for you. You don't need another year with the same old excuses. God's calling on your life is too important to keep hitting snooze. Ownership is freedom. Excuses are chains. If today's episode gave you a breakthrough or fresh perspective, share it with a friend. Subscribe so you never miss an episode. And leave a review—it helps more people find this message. The best next step is to keep growing. Find your next course at PCCCA.org/courses and step boldly into the future God has prepared for you. I'm Dr. Leelo Bush, and I'll meet you in the next episode. Before you go, I invite you to join our private Facebook group, The Courageous Christian Coaching Tribe. This is where bold, Spirit-led coaches and aspiring coaches gather to grow, get equipped, and stay encouraged. Inside, you'll find exclusive tips, training, and kingdom-minded conversations you won't find elsewhere. If you feel called to coach or want to stay sharp in your calling, this is your place. Our culture is “each one, bring one,” so invite a friend. The more the merrier. Visit facebook.com/groups/courageouschristiancoachingtribe or tap the link in the show notes. Join now so we can start pouring into you. I'll see you inside the tribe.

How do we live as a Christian under various forms of authority - from government to family? Our submission to these authorities is an act of trust in God's sovereignty. Our conduct, even in the face of injustice, should reflect Christ's example and serve as a powerful witness to others.Christians are responsible to the laws of the land and the governments and rulers who have instituted them.Good, bad or ugly, we are exhibiting our trust in God's sovereignty by submitting to the authority that is in place.We are to submit to authority until authority demands we stand against Christ. And then we must choose to stand with Christ.False accusations fail to convict when the accused lives in a way that silences the accuser.Your righteous service to an unrighteous authority is a service to the Lord and will bring blessing on your life.If Christ can endure the process of persecution without sinning, you can face the injustices of this world with the same resolve.1 Peter 2:13-3:7, Daniel 2:21, Psalm 75:6-7, Acts 4:17-20, Romans 12:18

Send us a textThe profound distinction between who we are and what we do stands at the heart of understanding God's redemptive plan. This theological deep-dive examines how salvation addresses our fundamental nature, not merely our actions.Beginning with Psalm 5:4-5, we confront a challenging truth—God hates not just evil actions but evildoers themselves. This sparks a crucial revelation: people perish not simply because they sin, but because they are sinners by nature. We explore how humanity exists in a state of spiritual death rather than merely spiritual sickness, requiring divine regeneration before we can even respond to God's gift of salvation.The conversation tackles controversial questions about Christ's atonement, challenging popular notions that Jesus died for everyone without exception. If Christ truly atoned for every person's sin, why would anyone face eternal judgment? Instead, we examine how the Trinity works in perfect harmony—the Father elects, the Son redeems precisely those the Father has chosen, and the Spirit applies salvation to the same individuals.For believers struggling with sin, this episode offers profound reassurance. The very concern about losing salvation becomes evidence of genuine faith—only those truly born again would worry about their standing with God. We unpack how Christian growth doesn't mean achieving sinless perfection but progressively "sinning less" as we mature spiritually.The relationship between God's law and His promises reveals beautiful coherence in God's character. Both originate from the same divine source and work together in His redemptive plan, even as they serve different purposes.Ready to deepen your understanding of salvation and find greater assurance in your faith journey? Listen now and discover the transformative truth that in Christ, there is no condemnation—only the lifelong process of becoming more like Him.Support the show

This week is the final week in our series on The Apostles Creed. For this week, Pastor Jeni has us look at A TON of Scripture looking at the section of the Creed on, “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, & the life everlasting.” Join us for this exciting conclusion to a wonderful sermon series on The Apostles Creed.Things to consider as you listen:1) Christ was seen by many in his resurrected human body.2) If Christ rose from the dead, we will too. If he didn't our Good News isn't very good.3) Our bodies are buried in brokenness - marred by the residue of sin, but they will be raised to life as whole & complete images of God's good design.The Life Everlasting is coming when we will be with God forever, experiencing the beauty of his good design for the earth & humanity.

August 6, 2025 Today's Reading: Acts 28:16-31Daily Lectionary: 1 Samuel 20:1-23; Acts 28:16-31“From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.” (Acts 28:23)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Martin Luther once said, “Anywhere you cut the pages of Scripture it bleeds the blood of Christ.” That means when we open up the Old Testament, we don't have to search for Jesus like one of those “Where's Waldo” books or strain our eyes to see him like looking at some kind of optical illusion. It's not just that the Old Testament tells us about Jesus here and there, as if Jesus is a marmot or a prairie dog, poking his head up now and then. Jesus isn't just in the Old Testament. Jesus is the Old Testament. Luther is simply echoing what Jesus says in Luke 24:44.“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”When the apostles teach and preach the gospel in the book of Acts, they turn to the Old Testament to show how the same Lord who appeared in many and various ways throughout the Torah of Moses and the prophets has now appeared in the flesh. This is Paul's strategy as he catechizes the Jews in Rome as well. Being a good apologist, and knowing his audience, Paul goes to the Old Testament to argue, persuade, and convince his Jewish hearers that Jesus is the Christ. When Paul says, like he does in Romans, that Jesus is Lord, he's saying that the Lord of the Old Testament is the same Lord who became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and was born of the Virgin Mary. The same Lord who met Abraham under the oaks of Mamre is the same Lord who was born under the Law to redeem us under the Law and to become the curse for us by dying on the tree. The same Lord who met Moses in the burning bush now meets us by becoming one with us, Immanuel, God with us. The same Lord who appeared and spoke to the prophets has now appeared as the Word made flesh. And this same Lord who is present in the books of Moses and the prophets is now the same Lord present for you in all the Scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation. And the prophets, apostles, and evangelists continue to bear witness to Christ crucified and risen for you.In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.If Christ had not been raised from death Our faith would be in vain, Our preaching but a waste of breath, Our sin and guilt remain. But now the Lord is ris'n indeed; He rules in earth and heav'n: His gospel meets a world of need– In Christ we are forgiv'n. (LSB 486:3)Rev. Samuel Schuldheisz, pastor of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Milton, WA.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.Step back in time to the late Reformation and learn about a divisive yet inspirational figure: Matthias Flacius Illyricus. His contributions to Lutheranism still echo in our teachings today, from the Magdeburg Confession to parts of the Lutheran Confessions. Learning about Flacius's life will help you understand more intricacies of the Reformation than ever before.

Send us a textDelving into the heart of Galatians 3, we unpack the revolutionary concept of justification by faith that forms the foundation of authentic Christian belief. This examination reveals how profoundly misunderstood this core doctrine remains among believers today.The apostle Paul makes a startling statement that should shake the foundations of works-based religion: those attempting to achieve justification through law-keeping are actually under a curse. Why? Because the standard is absolute perfection—not just in actions but in thoughts and tendencies as well. One slip, one failure, and the entire endeavor crumbles.When we arrive at Galatians 3:13, we discover what might be the most concise expression of the gospel in Scripture: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us." These simple words contain the revolutionary doctrine of substitution—Christ taking our place and suffering what we deserved. The phrase "for us" carries immense theological weight, revealing that salvation isn't merely an opportunity Christ provides but a completed transaction.This understanding of substitutionary atonement naturally leads to the doctrine of eternal security. If Christ truly became our curse-bearer, then for us to later face condemnation would constitute a form of "double jeopardy"—being punished twice for the same offense. Such a scenario would not only undermine Christ's finished work but would also make God unjust by His own standards.William Tyndale's brilliant translation of "atonement" as "at-one-ment" captures the essence of what Christ accomplished—making us permanently "at one" with God through His sacrifice. This unbreakable bond forms the foundation of our eternal security.Join us as we explore how one verse contains the entire gospel and why truly grasping justification by faith transforms everything about how we approach God, understand salvation, and live out our faith. When you comprehend what Christ has done for you, religion's anxious striving gives way to grateful, secure rest in His finished work.Support the show

Are We Abusing Grace—or Finally Getting It? Let's face it—grace makes people nervous. Say you're totally forgiven, and someone's bound to ask, “So… sin doesn't matter anymore?” Mention freedom from the Law, and suddenly you're accused of tossing out morality altogether.   In this message, “Grace Under Fire,” we take an honest, in-depth look at the toughest questions people ask about the message of God's grace, including: If I'm totally forgiven, then why confess at all? What keeps me in line if I'm under grace? Why do I still struggle if Christ lives in me? This isn't fluff or feel-good theology—it's the powerful, liberating truth of the Gospel. The kind that silences shame, dismantles fear, and anchors you in Jesus.   So, if you've ever wrestled with doubt or been grilled by others, this message will equip and encourage you in just how amazing God's grace really is. Watch now and discover grace that holds up under fire! Discussion Questions: Are we saying that sin doesn't matter? If we're totally forgiven, why confess at all? If we're under grace, what's going to keep us in line? Are we really righteous right now? If so, how do we know? If Christ is in us, why do we still struggle? What's the point of growth if we're already complete? Are we saying that the Law is bad? What about judgment day—shouldn't we still be nervous?

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comI Corinthians 15The resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. He died for our sins, was buried, and rose on the third day as prophesied in the Scriptures and witnessed by many. Some doubt His resurrection. If Christ has not risen, faith is futile, and humanity remains burdened by sin. However, Christ has been raised, guaranteeing a resurrection to eternal life for all who trust in Him. What will that look like? Paul compares the resurrection to a seed that transforms into a new body, emphasizing that the perishable will be replaced by the imperishable. Christ's return culminates in eternal victory over sin and death. Disciples have victory in Jesus now and forever. Believing this, they must remain steadfast and immovable, never losing heart in serving the risen Lord. The gospel is inspirational and resides in the heart of every believer. We believe that Jesus died, was raised on the third day, and appeared to hundreds of witnesses. We believe the tomb is empty and that our Savior has forever defeated death. If these things are not true, then all who live as Christians are truly a pitiful lot. However, the evidence is overwhelming both in history and in scripture. He has been raised, and that means we too will be raised after death, or changed at His return. Our physical bodies will perish, but new spiritual bodies will emerge and live forever. In times of trial in the flesh, our hope for life rests in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we remain steadfast in our allegiance to Him. Glorious Lord, thank You for the victory over sin and death through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thank You for the testimony that affirms His victory, filling us with hope for our future in Him. Help us to stand firm in faith, holding tightly to the hope of eternal life. We will labor for You, knowing that our efforts are not in vain. Teach us to grow in boldness, sharing the gospel and reflecting the understanding of Christ's victory. Thank You for the assurance that our King has defeated death and that our allegiance to Him will reap eternal reward.  Thought Questions: -       Why do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Are you prepared to present your case for Christ and His victory to friends and family? -       What will happen the moment that Christ returns? How does that information put perspective into your day and priorities in life? -       What does it mean to be “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord”? How are you demonstrating those qualities?

John 6:57-58 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever." It is obvious in Jesus' conversation with the crowd who sought Him because He had miraculously fed them that the message was that He was the true life-giving bread sent from God. In these verses, Jesus repeats the theme that began with the miracle. Jesus is the living bread sent from God. Notice Jesus emphasized the quality of life four times: the living Father, I live, the one who eats Me will live, and live forever. Would you celebrate life in Christ with me today? Look at what Jesus said. He lives because the Father lives, and the one who eats or abides in Jesus lives because He lives. Let's connect it and rejoice. We live because Jesus lives, and Jesus lives because the Father lives. Believing that Jesus was sent by the Father unites us with both the Father and the Son, which is the work of the Holy Spirit, who the Apostle Paul called, the Spirit of Life in Christ (Rom. 8:2). The Spirit of Life in Christ sets us free from the law of sin and of death. Listen to how Paul echoes Jesus' declaration that the one who eats His flesh has life forever. Romans 8:9-14. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Let me state the highlights I want to spotlight. The spirit is alive. Give life to your mortal bodies. Not live according to the flesh. Putting to death the deeds of the fleshly body, you will live. These are the sons of God! Do you get it? The bread that the fathers ate and died was the bread of the flesh. It was earthly. Our flesh is sinful. His flesh was righteous. The bread that came down from heaven, Jesus Christ, is the bread of life, and those who eat of His flesh live forever. The sons and daughters of God live by the Spirit, out of the life of Jesus, whom God sent to not only die for us, but to live for us. To live to love with Jesus happens as we abide in Him, which is to eat of His flesh. That's living life to the fullest for the glory of God. I invite you to become a partner in our ministry. Would you pray about becoming a regular supporter of Elijah Ministries and the Live to Love with Jesus ministry? I hope you will receive the joy and benefit of "giving it forward," so others may receive encouragement to turn their hearts to God and to live to love with Jesus. You may give online or send a check to the address listed at www.spiritofelijah.com/donate.

Our text for today, properly understood and applied, can go a long way to helping you with full assurance of salvation. Recall the previous passage - Romans 8:6-8. Our passage for today is directly connected to that. It begins with a super-important connecting word, However. It shows both a connection and a contrast. If you belong to Jesus Christ, you are no longer in the flesh. Romans 8:9-11: However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. So, according to verses 9, 10 and 11, we know that a Christian is a person in whom the Holy Spirit dwells and in whom Christ dwells. He or she is spiritually alive because of Christ's righteousness, and by the work of the Holy Spirit. It's not complicated to explain the difference between a Christian and a non-Christian. It's the ultimate contrast of the Haves and the Have-nots. 1 - The Haves a - Mind is set on the Spirit (6) b - In the Spirit c - Spirit of God dwells in you d - Christ is in you e - Your spirit is alive f - Spiritual life 2 - The Have-Nots a - Mind is set on death (6) b - Hostile toward God (7) c - Cannot please God (8) d - In the flesh e - Does not have the Spirit of Christ f - Does not belong to Him

The fact and the truth of theresurrection of Jesus cannot be underestimated! John Stott said,"Christianity is in its very essence a resurrection religion. The conceptof resurrection lies at its very heart, and if you remove it, Christianity isdestroyed." Paul put it this way in 1 Corinthians 15:17: “If Christ benot risen, then our faith is vain.  It isempty. It has nothing to it. And we are yet in our sins”. Yes, the Bibleteaches, and the gospels affirm, and the witnesses affirm, and history affirmsthat Jesus Christ indeed rose from the grave early that Sunday morning 2,000years ago after His crucifixion on the cross.  Theresurrection of Jesus Christ affirms to us that He is indeed the Son of God,just as He claimed to be Romans 1:4: “And declared to be the Son of God withpower, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead”. It also proves that His sacrifice forsin has been accepted and that the work of salvation is completed (Romans4:24-25). Those who trust Him can "walk in newness of life" becauseHe is alive and imparts His power to them (Romans 6:4; Gal. 2:20). Our Lord'sresurrection also declares to us that He is the Judge who will come one day andjudge the world (Acts 17:30-31). Itis no surprise, then, that Satan has attacked the truth of the Resurrection.The first lie that he spawned was that the disciples came and stole Christ'sbody (Matthew 28:11-15), but it is difficult to imagine how they could havedone this. To begin with, the tomb was carefully guarded (Matthew 27:61-66);and it would have been next to impossible for the frightened Apostles tooverpower the soldiers, open the tomb, and secure the body. But the biggestobstacle is the fact that the Apostles themselves did not believe that He wouldbe resurrected! Why, then, would they steal His body and try to perpetrate ahoax? Asecond lie is that Jesus did not really die on the cross but only swooned, andwhen He was put into the cool tomb, He revived. But Pilate carefully checkedwith the centurion to see whether Jesus was dead (Mark 15:44), and the Romansoldiers who broke the legs of the two thieves knew that Jesus had died (John19:31-34). Furthermore, how could a "cool tomb" transform Christ'sbody so that He could appear and disappear and walk through closed doors? Themessage of the Gospel rests on the death of Jesus Christ and His resurrection(1 Corinthians 15:1-8). The Apostles were sent out as witnesses of Hisresurrection (Acts 1:22), and the emphasis in the Book of Acts is on theresurrection of Jesus Christ. Paul put it plainly in 1 Corinthians 15:17-19: “Andif Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then theyalso which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only wehave hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”Thisexplains why Luke climaxed his book with a report of some of the appearances ofJesus after He had been raised from the dead. He first appeared to MaryMagdalene (John 20:11-18), then to the "other women" (Matt. 28:9-10),and then to the two men on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-22). At some time, Healso appeared to Peter (Luke 24:34) and to His half-brother James (1 Corinthians15:7).Thatevening, He appeared to the Apostles (Luke 24:36-43), but Thomas was not withthem (John 20:19-25). A week later, He appeared to the Apostles again,especially for the sake of Thomas (John 20:26-31). He appeared to seven of theApostles when they were fishing at the Sea of Galilee (John 21). He appearedseveral times to the Apostles before His ascension, teaching them and preparingthem for their ministry (Acts 1:1-12). Whenthe believers discovered that Jesus was alive, it made a tremendous differencein their lives. And it has transformed millions of lives since then like mineand yours! “Heis Risen! He is Risen Indeed!”

What did Paul mean when he wrote that Jesus was the "image" of God? If Christ wasn't created, as some cults claim, how do we explain the term "first-born of all creation?" Plus, do you know why you were created? Know what your purpose in life is? Find out as Jeff unpacks the greatness of Jesus in this week's episode.

In this powerful message from A City of Light, Pastor Tommy Orlando walks us deeper into 1 Corinthians 15, where Paul confronts a false teaching that denied the physical resurrection of Jesus—and therefore, the future resurrection hope of believers.With personal testimony and scriptural depth, Pastor Tommy reminds us that Christ's resurrection is not just an abstract doctrine—it's the cornerstone of our forgiveness, our future, and our freedom.

By Ken Loucks - Some today claim that Jesus Christ had a beginning—that He was created. But what does the Bible actually say? In this message, we open the scriptures to explore the true nature of Jesus Christ, His role in creation, and why His eternal existence is essential to the plan of salvation. If Christ was

More Than Conquerors Have you ever experienced gaps in your life between the reality you're living VERSUS the promises you see in the Bible? Romans 8 is loaded with great promises such as, “If Christ is for us, who can be against us?” and “We are more than conquerors…” and yet, our reality doesn't seem to match up with that identity? This week, we continue in our series, ONE HIT WONDERS, and we examine the gap — the gap between the reality of our day-in-day-out lives versus where we feel God is calling us to live as Christians. What we discover is that the gap is because we have an incomplete view of the power of Grace and how it should be at work in our lives, not merely as a “saving” Grace that rescues us but also as an “empowering” Grace that is designed by God to help us elevate our lives, our relationships, our situations, and ultimately the world around us as we manifest more and more of the Kingdom of God on the Earth. Romans 8 Discussion topics Where are you experiencing static in your life? (ie: where do you keep asking God to send “Descending” Grace to “rescue you”?) Relationships? Finances? Job? Health? Addictions? Failures? Etc.?  In those areas, what are some of the typical things you are saying to yourself? (ie: what are your low-frequency scripts?) Some examples: – – “My kids are always so frustrating!” – “My spouse is always so __________ [[fill in the blank]]” – “Why is there never enough money?” – “Well, my Mom/Dad was always sick, so I guess I just got their genes…” – “I guess this is just what getting old looks like…” – “The government always _________ [[fill in the blank]]” – “The world is going to hell-in-a-handbasket…” – “It is what it is…” What is ONE SCRIPT you can rewrite this week to speak Empowering Grace grounded in your Identity of Life in the Spirit? ACTION ITEM: READ ROMANS 8 with Empowering Grace in mind. Check out our other audio series and video playlists that can help you find Jesus in every moment and then discover what's next

The empty tomb changes everything. When Jesus conquered death through resurrection, He didn't just complete His earthly mission - He transformed human existence itself by proving that death has lost its ultimate power.In this deeply meaningful exploration of Mark 16, we confront the varied reactions to Jesus' resurrection. The women fled in fear. The disciples refused to believe. Even after multiple eyewitness accounts, many remained skeptical until personally encountering the risen Christ. This pattern of initial disbelief followed by life-altering conviction mirrors how many people respond to resurrection claims today.But what made the disciples willing to later face torture and execution without recanting? What transformed these frightened followers into bold witnesses ready to die for their testimony? Only the undeniable reality of having seen, touched, and spoken with the resurrected Jesus can explain such extraordinary commitment.The theological implications stretch far beyond mere historical curiosity. As Paul writes, "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile." The resurrection validates Jesus' claims about His identity, demonstrates His power over death, and guarantees the future resurrection of all believers with glorified, imperishable bodies. It's the firstfruits promise that transforms our understanding of both life and death.This resurrection hope provides profound perspective when facing life's greatest challenges. If Jesus conquered humanity's ultimate enemy - death itself - then what problem in your life could possibly be too great for Him to overcome? The empty tomb reminds us that God's power extends beyond any limitation we might imagine.Jesus' final commission calls believers to share this good news throughout the world, a mission that continues today. His ascension to sit at God's right hand confirms His royal authority, the completion of His redemptive work, and His promise to return as King.Have you encountered the risen Christ? Has the reality of resurrection transformed how you view your problems, your future, and your purpose? Join us in discovering the power and hope found only in the One who conquered death.Support the showThank you for listening!! Please give us a five-star rating to help your podcast provider's algorithm spread RTTB among their listeners. You can find free study and leader resources at the following link - Resource Page - Reasoning Through the Bible Please prayerfully consider supporting RTTB to help us to continue providing content and free resources. You can do that at this link - Support RTTB - Reasoning Through the Bible May God Bless you!! - Glenn and Steve

Welcome to the Grace in Focus podcast. Today, Bob Wilkin and Sam Marr are answering a question about Old Testament Believers. If Christ's sacrifice for sin on the cross was sufficient for all people for all time, why did believers in the Old Testament economy still have to make sacrifices to restore fellowship? Please listen

God proves His love for us in Christ's death, and that while we were still enemies! As a result, we bask in the hope of future salvation. God's wrath will be averted! His selfless love inspires us to trust Him. If Christ has died for us, how much more so can we trust Him to act for us? We have received the priceless gift of a reconciled relationship—this treasure is the boast of our joy.

https://newsongpeople.com/messages/risen-ascended-the-ongoing-ministry-of-jesusRisen & Ascended: The Ongoing Ministry of Jesus | Sarah BlountWhy does the resurrection still matter today? What benefits are ours because Jesus is alive? And what does His ascension mean for our daily lives?From the empty tomb to the throne of heaven, this message unpacks why Jesus' victory over death is not just a past event—but our present hope and eternal future.Discover why Jesus is not only the risen Savior but also our ever-present Advocate and the only High Priest we'll ever need.Message Notes:Luke 24:1-9 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Why does the resurrection matter to us? What benefits are ours through a once-dead-but-now-alive Lord?Christ's resurrection means the death of Jesus was enough.1 Corinthians 15:17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then death has power over Him and defeated Him.If death has power over Jesus, He is not God.If Jesus is not God, He cannot offer a complete sacrifice for sins.If Jesus cannot offer a complete sacrifice for sins, our sins are not completely paid for before God.If my sins are not completely paid for before God, then I am still in my sins.Therefore, if Jesus is not risen, He is unable to save.2. Christ's resurrection gives us power for new life—right now.Romans 6:5-11 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.We are not just practicing the way of Jesus, but we are also participating in His death and resurrection.Romans 8:11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you. 3. Christ's resurrection guarantees our future resurrection.He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.Luke 24:50-51 … and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven.Luke 24:52 And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.The GREAT JOY of the Ascension: 1. Jesus is not absent from us for even a moment.John 16:7 It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. 2. The ascension guarantees that our bodies will be in heaven.Christ's flesh in heaven is the pledge that ours will be there too.Colossians 3:1–3 says So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 3. We have an advocate & intercessor in heavenThe cross was His sacrifice. The resurrection was His victory.The ascension is His ongoing ministry.Jesus, Our Only High Priest. (Heb. 7:27; 9:12, 25–26; 10:10–18).Jesus died in our place, and He lives to pray for us.1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;#HeIsRisen #ResurrectionSunday #Luke24 #EmptyTomb #JesusIsAlive #GospelHope #NewLifeInChrist #RisenSavior #VictoryOverSin #PowerOfTheResurrection #Romans6 #Romans8 #EasterMessage #Ascension #JesusOurAdvocate #HighPriest #ChristIsRisen #LivingHope #JesusLives #Colossians3 #1Corinthians15 #FaithInJesus #HolySpiritPower #TheCrossAndResurrection #KingJesus #EternalLife #ChristianTeaching #BiblePreaching #ChristOurIntercessor #HeavenlyHope #SeekTheThingsAbove

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comActs 4 Following the healing of the lame man and the proclaiming of the resurrection of Jesus, Peter and John are arrested by local Jewish leaders. Five thousand men had been converted to Christ, and the scribes and high priesthood are seeking to silence these teachers. Peter courageously announces that salvation is found in Christ alone and that he and others must continue to teach the gospel. Even under the threat of punishment, the apostles refuse to be silenced. Upon release, they pray with fellow believers, asking God for faith to speak the truth with boldness. God responds by shaking the walls and filling them with the Holy Spirit! This is followed by a time of unity, selflessness, and encouragement in the church. Barnabas becomes an example to all with his charity. Disciples of Christ are not just faithful when it is easy or accepted. Boldness and reliance on God are just as important in the face of opposition. We must lean on God, trust in Jesus, and ask for the help of the Holy Spirit. The goal is to stand firm and show people the victory and peace we have in Christ. A wonderful way to develop this strength is to gather with fellow believers, pray together, and sing of God's glory. Unity among God's people is one of God's ways of helping us be faithful in times of struggle. God's people share their faith, goods, and lives with one another. Be a Barnabas in the lives of fellow saints today.  Heavenly Father, thank You for the example of Peter and John, who stood firm in proclaiming the name of Jesus. There is salvation in no one else. Fill us with the same courage to share the gospel, even when we face opposition from others. Lord God, help us never to be ashamed of our Savior. Please grant each of us the wisdom to recognize that we need one another. We need worship, fellowship, and to be “sons of encouragement” like Barnabas among Your people. Who among Your people is in need today? Lead us to help and serve them lovingly.  Thought Questions: -       What are specific situations where you find it difficult to share your faith? How can Peter and John's example help you? -       If Christ is the ultimate authority for your life, how will that affect the way you obey and interact with modern authority figures? -       How are you cultivating more unity among God's people? In what specific ways can you be an encourager to someone today?

“But now is Christ risen from the dead.” — 1 Corinthians 15:20 The whole system of Christianity rests upon the fact that “Christ is risen from the dead;” for, “If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain: ye are yet in your sins.” The divinity of Christ […]

The disciples argued about greatness, even after Jesus had washed their feet. In Luke 22, Jesus confronts their pride and redefines leadership—not as position, but as service. In a world obsessed with power and recognition, Jesus calls His followers to humility, sacrifice, and servant-hearted leadership. If Christ served at the table, how much more should we? This message invites us to trade self-promotion for Christlike servanthood.

If Christ has conquered death, then what do we have to be afraid of?...

If Jesus makes no difference in our lives, then why would anyone serve Him? If Christ-followers live just like those who are unsaved, why would anyone follow? We would all readily acknowledge that we are not perfect, only Jesus is perfect, but wouldn't you agree that Jesus changes those who believe in Him?Main Points:1.  I believe one of the questions people around us are silently asking is, “Does Jesus make a difference in your life?” Unbelievers are watching, often without us noticing, and they are wondering, “Is she different? Is he different, now that He is a follower of Jesus?” 2. When we place our faith in Jesus and confess Him as our Lord and Savior, His Spirit comes to reside within us. God's work of sanctification begins. To “sanctify” means to set apart. God is at work in our lives to set us apart from the unbelieving world by helping us to be like Jesus in our character. 3. By the Holy Spirit, and with our cooperation, God will change us. He will change our attitude, our conversation, our choices, decisions, reactions, and our lifestyle. He will change our desires, our dreams, and our ambitions. Before our relationship with Christ, we lived only for ourselves, now we live for God and His glory.Today's Scripture Verses:Philippians 2:13 - “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”Romans 12:1-2 - “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”Philippians 1:6 - “…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (04/22/25), Hank concludes his overview of the days of Holy Week, arriving at Pascha, also known as Easter. It is the day in which the body of Christ worldwide celebrates the ultimate game-changer, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. “If I face hardships in life for merely human reasons,” wrote Paul in his first letter to the Corinthian Christians, “what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.' If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” Without resurrection, Christianity crumbles. Thus, in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the apostle Paul provides a four-part argument underscoring the irrevocable reality of Christ's resurrection. Of one thing Hank has become certain; if twenty-first-century Christians would grasp the reality of resurrection like first-century Christians did, their lives would be totally transformed.

If Christ is our sole mediator, why does the Church encourage prayer to saints? We explore the biblical foundation for intercession, along with Catholic teaching on mediums, Purgatory, and receiving glorified bodies in Heaven. Questions Covered: 07:21 – What is the Catholic stand about mediums? 15:29 – Can we speak to people in the past in any other way apart from pagan means? 18:57 – Why do we pray to Saints when Jesus says there is only one intercessor? 37:27 – Did Pope John Paul II originate the idea of receiving our glorified bodies in Heaven? 47:00 – Can you explain what Purgatory is like for people? Can you pray for yourself in Purgatory

Welcome to the Amen Podcast, where we believe that the gospel changes everything. Today's message explores Matthew 22:41-46, where Jesus challenges the Pharisees with a profound question about his identity.Scripture Reading: Matthew 22:41-46Now, while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus, asked them a question, saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "The Son of David." He said to them, "How is it then, that David in the spirit calls him Lord, saying, 'The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet?' If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?" And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.The Big Revelation: Jesus is More Than You ThinkI was watching surfing with my son Leon recently. He had a sudden interest in it, partly because he wanted to connect with something I enjoy, but also because he's spent enough time in the water himself to understand the scale of those waves.When you don't surf or go to the ocean much, every wave looks the same. It all blends together - same guy, same wave, over and over. But the closer you get to surfing, the bigger the experience becomes.It's the same with the Lord. The closer you get to God, the bigger He gets to you.The Pharisees were far from God, even though Jesus—God Himself—stood right before them. This distance is evident in their approach to Jesus with questions meant to trap Him.A Question That Silenced the Religious LeadersThroughout Holy Week, Jesus faced continual challenges from His enemies. After answering their questions perfectly, Jesus turns the tables. He asks them: "What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?"They quickly answered "Son of David," as any Jewish person would. This wasn't wrong - Matthew's gospel begins by identifying Jesus as "the Son of David, the son of Abraham" to connect Him to messianic prophecy.But Jesus pushes deeper: "How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him Lord?" quoting Psalm 110:1. Jesus points out a paradox they couldn't resolve: Why would David call his own descendant "Lord"?The Pharisees had no answer. They couldn't reconcile how the Messiah could be both David's son (his descendant) and David's Lord (his superior).The Big Problem Behind Our Small ProblemsThe Pharisees missed something crucial: They thought the Messiah would be merely a national leader who would free them from Rome. They saw their biggest problem as Roman occupation.But Jesus reveals that the Messiah's role is much bigger—universal, not just national. Their actual problem wasn't Rome but sin and death. This required a Messiah greater than they imagined—not just the Son of David but the Son of God.When God appears bigger to us, our problems don't necessarily get smaller. Instead, we realize that our true problem—sin and death—is actually much larger than our daily concerns. But this realization gives us peace because we have a Savior big enough to handle our greatest problem.The Waves of Sin and DeathThink about surfing again. From the beach, waves might look manageable. But as you paddle out and get closer, you realize their true size and power. The closer Jesus got to the cross, the more real His suffering became. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He sweat drops of blood as the "wave" of our sin loomed before Him.Yet Jesus paddled toward that wave willingly, holding nothing back. The crushing weight of sin and death—our biggest problem—overwhelmed Him completely. But three days later, He rose from the dead, defeating what was previously undefeatable.If Jesus conquered sin and death—our greatest problem—then why do we let smaller problems defeat us? When we see God as truly big, we recognize how holy He is and how sinful we are. But we also see that if Christ defeated our biggest problem, then no matter how overwhelming our daily challenges seem, they're nothing compared to what Jesus has already overcome for us.Living in Light of the ResurrectionThis perspective change comes from spending time with God—praying, reading Scripture, attending church, and surrounding yourself with believers. Don't let small problems consume you when your biggest problem has already been solved.What scares you about your problems? Maybe it's taxes, and you worry: "What if they take all my money?" But dig deeper, and the fear is really: "What if I'm not going to be all right?" which ultimately points to fear of death.Or with relationships: when someone breaks up with you, what you feel isn't just rejection—it's as if you're going to die. These "small" problems mask our ultimate fear of sin and death.But once you realize Jesus has taken care of sin and death, you can face any challenge with confidence. If Christ is with you through your problems, and He has already handled your biggest problem, then you can handle whatever comes your way.After the Amen: ApplicationLokelani's Amen: We often worry about the wrong things—small problems instead of the big one. What's freeing is living in confidence knowing that the answer to my biggest problem is settled. Why am I consumed by smaller worries when Jesus has already answered my greatest need?Alex's Amen: My small problem that feels big is fear that people will discover "I'm not that awesome" and leave me. This fear is really about sin winning in my life. But sin won't win—it's already been defeated. And I'll never be alone because the One who loves me most will never leave or forsake me.That's how the gospel changes everything in our lives. We make small problems the big problem when they're not. But Christ is bigger than we think, and our biggest problem has already been answered.Do you want to be encouraged throughout your week? Subscribe to Amen Podcast on Substack, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @amenepodcast and visit amenepodcast.com to support our ministry.Until next time, go out and be the church! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amenpodcast.substack.com