Straight Truth Podcast: Recent Episodes
Straight Truth Podcast
Are women pastors actually false teachers? What does the bible say about women pastors and the modern push for female preachers in the pulpit?
Many believers today are asking, can a woman be a pastor? When it comes to women in church leadership, modern culture often conflicts with the biblical view of women in ministry. But what happens when churches tolerate women preaching to men in direct violation of Scripture? We must evaluate these complex situations through the lens of sound doctrine rather than shifting cultural trends.
When believers research this topic the questions and answers are many. But one that comes up often is: are women pastors false teachers? First, we must realize that while a female occupying the pulpit is acting in disobedience of the clear biblical mandate, she may not necessarily be an unbeliever. However, her actions certainly violate the mandate set in 1 Timothy 2 regarding women teaching and exercising authority over men. This passage is rooted in the creation order of Genesis, which serves as the permanent foundation for complementarianism and biblical gender roles.
So, is it a sin for a woman to preach to the gathered congregation? The Apostle Paul makes this absolutely clear that the office of church elders and pastors is reserved for biblically qualified men. Tolerating what God has explicitly forbidden always leads to spiritual weakness and confusion within the body of Christ. Ignoring these truths is not a mark of biblical church health, no matter how large a congregation might grow numerically.
Yet, women do have an absolutely vital and God honoring, role in the church. The Scriptures heavily emphasize the beauty of Titus 2 women teaching women. Older women are explicitly called to instruct younger women in practical Christian living, loving their husbands, and caring for their homes. This specific teaching ministry is essential for the spiritual growth of the congregation and honors the Lord perfectly.
Through faithful studying and application of these Bible passages from 1 Timothy 2 and Titus 2, we can see that God’s design for the church and the home brings true flourishing. Submission to the Word of God in every area of ministry is the ultimate measure of a congregation’s health, faithfulness, and love for Christ.
If you found this biblical exposition helpful, please consider subscribing to the Straight Truth Podcast channel for more resources on navigating today’s issues with the timeless truth of Scripture.
Related sermonsWomen in Worship – Part 1
Women in Worship – Part 2
Women in Worship – Part 3
Reasons for Male Leadership
God’s Image for God’s Glory
Saved Through Childbearing
The Sin of Toleration
What God Would Have Women to Be
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How do we approach a fellow believer who is trapped in sin? Listen in today to discover what the Bible says about bearing one another’s burdens and how to restore a fallen brother with a spirit of gentleness.
In today’s podcast, Pastor Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot look closely at Galatians 6:1-5 to understand the necessity of Christian accountability. When believers are caught in any trespass, the church and God’s people have a responsibility to intervene. But understanding how to bear burdens biblically requires a correct heart attitude and a firm grasp on sound doctrine. We cannot simply overlook sin, nor can we crush the struggling believer.
To help a fellow Christian in sin, the Apostle Paul instructs us to approach them with a spirit of gentleness. This requires believers to recognize their own vulnerabilities and avoid the deceptive trap of pride. We see the sharp contrast of true spirituality vs legalism on full display in this text. Legalism, like that of the Judaizers (whose teachings Paul is dealing with throughout the book of Galatians), produces pride, self-exaltation, and a distinct lack of compassion for those who are struggling.
Conversely, true spirituality produces the deep humility needed for restoring a fallen brother. What does the Bible say about bearing burdens when it comes to overcoming sin issues in the church? It commands us to fulfill the law of Christ, which is ultimately the law of love. Through faithful biblical preaching and teaching, and careful study of God’s word, we learn that helping someone out of the ditch of sin is exactly how we demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ to one another.
We are called to walk alongside one another in healthy discipleship relationships to help carry the heavy weight of temptation. However, Paul also commands each person to bear his own load. While we can and must assist with bearing one another’s burdens, personal repentance and walking daily with the Lord cannot be outsourced. Every believer must practice faithful Christian living by going directly to the Lord for the grace that is sufficient.
No amount of biblical counseling can replace your own daily submission to the Word of God. Beyond sin issues, this text of Galatians also provides a deeply helpful framework for dealing with trials and profound suffering. While faithful friends can offer tremendous support, some aspects of our trials can only be understood and carried by the Lord. Grounded in biblical truth this episode reminds us that God alone is our ultimate helper and sustainer.
Thank you for joining us for this insightful discussion. If you desire more faithful teaching that honors the inerrancy of Scripture, please subscribe to the Straight Truth Podcast channel for more biblical exposition.
Related sermonsWhere Spirituality & Love Meet Life – Part 1
Where Spirituality & Love Meet Life – Part 2
The Spiritual Walk
The Fruit of the Spirit
God’s Greatest Commandment – Man’s Greatest Need
Judgment That is Not Judgmental
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Many believers today ask, do I need an accountability partner? It has become a standard expectation in modern Christianity to have a formalized relationship with someone or group to help us with overcoming secret sin. However, we often try to formalize and make mechanical what God intends to be an organic part of local church life. There are very real dangers of accountability programs when they replace genuine, organic relationships within the body of Christ.
When a young man is struggling with lust, simply setting up and showing up for a weekly meeting will not solve the root issue. True biblical accountability starts with the fear of the Lord. If you do not have a reverential awe of God, you will simply lie to whoever is sitting across the table. When considering how to stop sinning, the foundational nonnegotiable is a heart that genuinely fears God and respects His holy standard.
Instead of a rigid structure, the New Testament pattern for Christian living emphasizes biblical discipleship that flows naturally from being deeply invested in the local church. As we engage in regular worship and fellowship, confessing sin to one another happens in a context of mutual love and care. This is the essence of true discipleship. It is not about relying on a single person or program to manage your life, but rather it’s trusting the Lord and walking faithfully alongside wise companions.
God has already placed us into relationships designed for mutual care and instruction. In the home, husbands, wives, fathers, and mothers provide daily accountability. In addition to family, choosing friends who love the Lord and have sound doctrine provides a profound level of spiritual protection. Accountability in the church is just one facet of a faithful walk that includes your home and your chosen companions.
Perhaps you have been burned in a discipleship relationship where trust was broken. It is a painful experience, but the sinful failure of an individual should not cause you to forgo biblical counseling or to abandon the church. Christian discipleship remains a good and necessary part of following Christ. Seek out healthy, mature relationships grounded in the sure word of God where the ultimate goal is pointing you to Jesus Christ.
If you desire to grow in your understanding of Scripture and apply these truths to your life, we invite you to subscribe to the Straight Truth Podcast. Join us each week for more faithful biblical exposition and answers for your daily walk with Christ. Also, we encourage you to consider the following sermons that reflect solid reformed theology and clear expository preaching that expand on today’s discussion:
Related sermonsCommanded to Fear
Ministry in the Body of Christ
The Faithfulness of a Spiritual Father
Considering Others
Putting Off and Putting On
The Spiritual Attire of God’s Elect
The Wisdom of God in the Church – Body Life
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How should a believer respond to false accusations without compromising their witness or giving into sinful anger? In this episode, we explore the difficult question about: Whether and how,(if so) should Christians defend themselves when their character is under attack?
Living the Christian life guarantees that you will eventually face criticism, and at times, you will be falsely accused. The flesh desires to respond with immediate defense and pride, but the biblical response to false accusations requires deep humility. We must recognize that we are sinners saved entirely by the grace of God. Our primary concern must never be our own egos, but rather the glory of God and the defense of His truth.
When considering how to handle false accusations biblically, we must look to the example of the Apostle Paul and, ultimately, the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ suffered the ultimate mistreatment yet maintained perfect submission to the Father. For believers today, learning how to respond to criticism means asking if a defense is truly necessary for the sake of Christ and the gospel. If offering up a defense would only serve our personal pride, then we must practice turning the other cheek, and instead absorb the offense.
The Christian response to slander is not built on vengeance or bitterness. Instead, responding to false accusations should involve prayer, self-examination, and a willingness to absorb the offense when the truth of the gospel is not at stake. Dealing with slander requires the power of the Holy Spirit to avoid answering sin with sin. This is a vital aspect of faithful Christian living and ongoing sanctification.
When dealing with false accusations in the church, the stakes are intimately tied to the spiritual health of the congregation. Pastors and elders must prioritize church unity while carefully guarding the flock from those who sow unbiblical discord. If a member’s disruptive behavior demands church discipline, the motivation must remain redemptive rather than punitive. This protective care reflects the true heart of pastoral oversight that aims to use biblical counseling and love for one another to restore unity.
True discernment is never the same as uncharitable suspicion. A congregation ought to cultivate an environment of love, trust, and teachability toward its leaders, rather than a critical spirit. As we seek to apply these rich truths, we will find the wisdom needed to honor God in every trial. We hope this conversation helps you to navigate these difficult relational waters with a heart fully submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Related sermonsIf this message has helped you, please subscribe to the Straight Truth Podcast channel for more biblical exposition and answers to your theological questions. Also, consider the following sermons that reflect solid reformed theology and clear expository preaching that expand on the discussion today:
- The Life of True Humility
- The Requirement of Humility
- A Proper View of Discipline and Forgiveness
- Pursuing the Harmony, the Glorifies God
- The Sin of Slander – Part 1
- The Sin of Slander – Part 2
- Loving By God’s Standard
- Justification & Condemnation by Words
- Letting Judgment Guide Our Love
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Are you in a Christian ministry position and find yourself struggling with spiritual doubts and maybe even wondering, “Am I a false teacher?” When ministry envy, jealousy or even apathy creeps into your heart, it requires biblical self-examination to discern the true state of your soul.
In this episode, we address a sincere question from a man consumed by Christian ministry struggles. He recognized that his desire to preach at a camp ministry was rooted in pride, leading to intense Christian doubts. This realization brought a terrifying question to his mind: am I a reprobate?
Dr. Caldwell and host, Dr. Philpot explore how dealing with sin as a Christian can sometimes make a believer feel entirely lost. However, a true believer vs a reprobate will actually mourn over their sin and seek the Lord’s forgiveness. The foundation of Christian assurance is not found in our roles or our performance, but in the finished work of Jesus Christ.
If you find yourself asking, am I a false teacher, the very fact that your conscience is burdened is often a sign of life. Reprobates are rarely sensitive to their own pride. True assurance of salvation comes from resting in the gospel and finding significance in Christ alone. The sweetest title any of us will ever possess is simply child of God.
When we experience jealousy in ministry, it is usually because we have adopted a worldly view of importance. To correct our thinking, we must turn to Scripture, specifically the teaching on spiritual gifts found in 1 Corinthians 12. It is here that we learn that God has placed every member in the body of Christ exactly as He desires.
Examining ministry motives requires us to ask if we truly want God’s will or our own exaltation. If we are dealing with envy, we must confess it, put this sin to death, and be willing to serve wherever the local church needs us. True Christian living demands humility and submission to the local church.
Discovering your proper role in Christian ministry is not an isolated decision. It requires the wisdom and counsel of faithful elders who can evaluate your gifts objectively. False teacher signs are often revealed by those who seek to elevate themselves, sometimes even by demanding a platform for their own glory. If these describe you, then you must repent.
But if you are simply a struggling saint with spiritual doubts, trust the Lord and rely on the godly leadership of your church. Our goal in this podcast, as those seeking to be faithful to the Lord and His Church, is to always point souls back to the Scriptures and a local body of Christ. We must hold a high view of God, His Word, and His Church, trusting that He equips His saints perfectly.
Related sermonsIf this message has helped you, please subscribe to the Straight Truth Podcast channel for more biblical exposition and answers to your theological questions. Also, consider the following sermons that reflect solid reformed theology and clear expository preaching that expand on the discussion today:
- New Life in a New Man
- Attitudes that Belong to the Spiritually Mature – Pt 1
- Attitudes that Belong to the Spiritually Mature – Pt 2
- Testing Ourselves
- A Christian Self-Assessment
- The Body of Christ – Selected Sermons from 1 Corinthians 12
- A Mature View of the Ministry
- Obeying Difficult Commands
- Humble Guests & Humble Hosts
The post Am I A False Teacher? Biblical Self Examination appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Is it wrong for a Christian to love their country, or does our citizenship in heaven eliminate earthly loyalty? In this episode, we address the complex relationship between Christian patriotism and the church.
With the anniversary of our nation’s founding at hand, many believers wonder how to balance love of country with devotion to Christ. Can a Christian be patriotic without falling into the trap of Christian nationalism? Pastor Richard Caldwell shares from the Scriptures to help shed clarity. He reminds us that our ultimate allegiance belongs to the King of Kings, but also that salvation does not destroy a right sense of gratitude for God’s common grace blessings.
Looking at Acts 17, we see that God establishes the boundaries of nations according to His sovereign plan. Proverbs 14:34 tells us that righteousness exalts a nation, so when we see this in our nation, we should give thanks. True prosperity of a nation is not measured by material wealth, but by moral sanity and biblical values. This is why the church must pray for our country and its leaders as commanded in Romans 13, and 1 Timothy 2. We need to look at the church and politics through a biblical lens, recognizing that human authority is instituted by God.
Many ask, “should the church be patriotic on Sunday?” While a worship service must remain strictly focused on Christ, acknowledging God’s historical mercies is completely appropriate. But what about a Christian’s civic duty, respect, and responsibilities? Is patriotism a sin if it becomes an idol? Can believers state the pledge of allegiance with a clear conscience? Pastor Caldwell answers these by establishing proper theological categories, explaining that we can remain devoted to our homeland country, as long as it never forces us to violate the authority of Scripture.
We recognize that the family of God is a multinational kingdom. Yet, loving your neighbor includes a distinct burden for the spiritual well-being of the nation where God has placed you. True national healing requires a national awakening, and our greatest need is the preaching of the gospel of grace. We must pray that our laws accord with God’s standards while keeping our eyes fixed on our true, everlasting home.
Related sermonsIf you desire to think biblically about culture, politics, and Christian living, please subscribe to the Straight Truth Podcast channel for more timely biblical exposition. Also, consider the following sermons that reflect solid reformed theology and clear expository preaching that expand on today’s discussion:
- Ministry in Athens – Part 1
- Ministry in Athens – Part 2
- The Christian's Relationship to Governing Authorities
- Thanksgiving & Certain Triumph
- Be Thankful
- A Christian Vision for Engaging the World – Pt 1
- A Christian Vision for Engaging the World – Pt 2
- Loving By God's Standard
- Protection Against a Wasted Life
The post Patriotism in the Church: Can Christians Express Love of Country? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
How do believers navigate cultural chaos without compromising the Word of God? Discover the vital importance of truth and discernment in an age of confusion in this compilation episode.
The modern world presents a constant challenge to the Christian faith, making biblical discernment more critical than ever. Believers are called to be ready for defending the faith, but this must always be done with gentleness and respect, having as your goal the giving of an explanation for what you believe and why you believe it. Rather than merely arguing for intellectual entertainment or to win an argument, Christians must rely on presuppositional apologetics, understanding that true conversion is solely the work of the Holy Spirit. By trusting the word of God and remaining immersed in sound doctrine, we can effectively answer error with absolute truth.
We must also carefully recognize the dangers of culturally driven churches that organize around temporal preferences, racial identities, or worldly hobbies. When asking what does the Bible say about culture within the local church, the answer is profoundly clear. Our identity must be rooted exclusively in Christ Jesus and the one new man, not in the categories created by the world. It is from Christ and His word that we get our instructions for organization, not the culture. The local church should be organized around Christ as preeminent, the word of God, prayer, mutual love for one another, the ordinances given to the Church, and biblical eldership. The church must remain a kingdom of truth and a beacon of sanity, applying biblical truth to every aspect of Christian living.
As society descends into further chaos and disorder, many ask how to formulate a faithful Christian response to moral insanity. Navigating culture requires us to live faithfully in every sphere where God places us. We must not react out of anger, nor should we remain silent out of anxiety or fear, we want to be able to respond with a sense of purpose. Speaking out and sharing biblical truth requires us knowing how to maintain a biblical worldview. We won’t be able to do that if we don’t know why we believe what we believe. So as Christians we must be rooted and grounded in the truth of God’s word, allowing it to permeate every area of our lives. In this way we are biblically equipped to have honest and faithful conversations with others when situations and circumstances arise.
Finally, believers must rest completely in the sufficiency of Scripture rather than speculating about what God has not explicitly revealed. Whether considering the childhood of Jesus or other theological mysteries, we must subject our minds to the perfect wisdom of God. Introducing philosophy or extra biblical ideas is dangerous. It dilutes and distorts the Scriptures, but also causes confusion among believers and unbelievers alike. True peace and assurance come from affirming only what God affirms and resting in His sovereign boundaries.
Related sermonsPlease subscribe to the Straight Truth Podcast channel for more biblical exposition and Christ exalting teaching. Also, consider the following sermons that reflect solid reformed theology and clear expository preaching that expand on the topics discussed today:
- The Believer's Mindset for Suffering – Parts 1-3
- The Mindset & Manner of God's Servant
- Confidence in the Gospel
- Encountering God's Word
- God's Word in a World of Chaos
- One New Man
- The Spiritual Walk
- The Fruit of the Spirit
- A Word to the Weary
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Are you wondering when to leave a church and if your reasons to leave a church are truly honoring to the Lord? In this episode, we address the difficult question of how to evaluate your decision before walking away from your local congregation.
Many believers struggle with the question, should I leave my church? In our modern culture, consumer Christianity has heavily influenced how we view church membership and our commitment to the body of Christ. Instead of staying faithful to a local church through difficult or dry seasons, many default to switching churches when their personal preferences are no longer being met. But is this the right approach to Christian living and the covenant community?
Pastor Richard Caldwell offers profound pastoral advice on the hidden dangers of church hopping and the immense value of long-term faithfulness. Often, we underestimate the spiritual growth that occurs when we stay in place and work through relational challenges with other believers. When considering how to know when to leave a church, we must honestly evaluate whether our desire to relocate stems from a self-oriented mindset or a genuine desire for the glory of God. Are we truly investing in the fellowship, or are we simply treating the church like a spiritual cafeteria?
Of course, there are certainly biblical reasons to leave a church. If a congregation is marked by deep doctrinal unsoundness, a rejection of biblical theology, or an ongoing refusal to discipline unbiblical morality, then departing becomes a necessity. These are clear signs it’s time to leave your church to protect your family and your soul. However, if there is a high view of Scripture, the preaching is sound, and the truth of Scripture is faithfully upheld, believers must be extremely careful not to abandon their shepherds over minor disagreements, perceived offenses, or a lack of instant connection.
If you find that your circumstances require you to go, it is vital to know how to leave a church well. This involves sincere prayer, seeking out the wise counsel of your elders, and seeking the Lord’s will far above your own fleshly desires. This kind of Christian advice challenges believers to prioritize the church family over feelings that may be misguided and unwarranted. We must remember that leaving a church biblically means leaving with a clear conscience, having done everything possible to pursue peace, unity, and mutual edification.
Related sermonsIf this message has been helpful for your daily walk with Christ, please consider subscribing to the Straight Truth Podcast channel for more biblical exposition and practical wisdom for the Christian life. Also, please consider the following sermons that reflect solid reformed theology and clear expository preaching that help us to think carefully and clearly about the Body of Christ:
- The Marks of a Healthy Church – Parts 1-4
- The Heart of a Healthy Church – Parts 1-4
- The Behavior of a Healthy Church
- Admonitions for Healthy Churches – Parts 1-6
- The Life of Peace – Trusting Prayer
- If the Lord Wills
The post Leaving a Church: How to Evaluate Your Decision appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
How should christians use ai in an age dominated by rapid technological change? In this episode, we address the main questions surrounding Artificial Intelligence: How Christians Should Use It without compromising our historic faith. As modern algorithms become deeply enmeshed in our culture, many believers are left wondering how christians and ai intersect. It is vital to understand how to balance biblical wisdom and technology in a culture driven by speed and automation. This sudden digital shift poses a unique danger of ai for christians if we choose immediate convenience over slow, faithful discipleship. This discussion provides timely pastoral advice for navigating a changing landscape while remaining firmly anchored in a clear christian worldview.
Every major human advancement carries both potential blessings and deep curses, from the printing press to modern digital software. While automated tools can serve as a helpful starting point for basic research, we must carefully consider the ultimate relationship between technology and the soul. Developing a sound christian perspective on technology requires us to remember that algorithms can never replace or replicate the supernatural power of the Word of God. We must exercise constant biblical discernment ai to ensure we are not misled by false information or digital hallucinations.
A critical area of concern for modern christian discipleship is the growing temptation to rely on digital shortcuts spiritual growth. Pulling up a fast list of verses on a screen cannot replace a lifelong investment in reading, studying, and absorbing scripture. When comparing bible study vs ai, we find that skipping the disciplined process of wrestling with truth leaves believers spiritually malnourished. True spiritual formation ai requires patient meditation, deep study, and the active work of the Holy Spirit writing convictions on our hearts.
Believers must deliberately examine the cultural trade-offs involved in tech vs simple life. God designed human beings to experience the rich blessings of real-world relationships, physical community, and local church fellowship. For mothers and fathers managing christian parenting tech, it is crucial to teach children that digital tools must never become our masters. We must actively guide youth and technology by modeling the beauty of a quiet, focused life that prizes the treasures God established from creation.
To safeguard our daily spiritual disciplines, we must learn when to intentionally put our digital screens away. Handling a physical book, reading the printed page, and writing notes by hand engages our minds in a profound way that an algorithm cannot replicate. Committed to classic reformed theology and practical christian living, this episode challenges us to protect our time and focus. Let us make sure that our primary bible study tools always draw us closer to the living God and the final authority of His Word.
Please subscribe to the Straight Truth Podcast channel to receive more biblical exposition, pastoral wisdom, and clear scriptural guidance for modern life.
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Are we inadvertently worshiping church leaders instead of Christ? Could our respect, appreciation, and honoring of church leaders be idolatry? Discover how to respect pastors without idolatry and maintain a proper view of church leadership.
In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot address a critical question regarding pastor idolatry and the subtle danger of idolizing pastors and church leaders. When congregations elevate men above their biblical station, it reveals a profound misunderstanding of both God and man. True Christian living requires us to navigate the tension between showing proper respect and falling into the idolatry of leaders in the church.
Dr. Caldwell explains that worshiping church leaders is rarely about the men themselves. Drawing from biblical examples like the Acts 14 idolatry in Lystra and the divisions in Corinth, we see that elevating leaders is often a subtle way for individuals to distinguish and exalt themselves. A proper view of pastors and other church leaders recognizes that they are merely laborers in the Lord’s field, saved entirely by the grace of God.
Biblical church leadership demands that we do not elevate novices or those prone to pride. Instead, we must look for men who possess genuine humility and a clear understanding of their calling. Dr. Caldwell warns against false humility in leadership, which is often just pride in disguise, and points to the Apostle Paul as an example of a man who knew his immense responsibility while recognizing he was ultimately nothing without Christ. Understanding the difference between pastor pride and humility is essential for the health of any congregation.
What does the Bible say about pastors and how we should treat them? Looking at 1 Thessalonians 5, believers are commanded to appreciate those who diligently labor among them and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. This is the balance found in healthy church doctrine. We can practice respecting spiritual leaders and valuing their instruction without elevating them to a place that belongs to the Lord alone.
Ultimately, one of the clear signs of a healthy church is a congregation that understands the greatness of God and the smallness of man. When we grasp that salvation is entirely of grace, we learn how to respect pastors as faithful shepherds rather than spiritual idols. God is more than capable of managing the egos of His servants and bringing us all down to earth when we need it most.
Related sermonsIf you found this discussion helpful, please subscribe to the Straight Truth Podcast channel for more biblical exposition and thoughtful answers to your theological questions. And if you would like to listen to more expository preaching and reformed theology, please consider the sermons below that will expand your understanding on the topic discussed today:
Ministry at Lystra
What’s Wrong with Corinth?
A Mature View of Ministers
A Mature View of the Ministry
Ministry that Deserves Loyalty
Admonitions for Healthy Churches – 6 Parts
The Self-Perspective Necessary for Faithful Ministry
Our View of the Church’s Leaders
The Devil & Elder Qualifications
An Increasing Savior – A Decreasing Servant
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How can Christians build a legacy that honors God?
"How can Christians build a legacy that honors God?" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
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"How can Christians build a legacy that honors God? " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyHow can Christians build a legacy that honors God?People often talk about leaving a legacy behind when they pass away. We may read and talk about those from the past who've left a lasting impression or impact on their generation. We may even know someone whose life has had this effect on our own lives. How should Christians think about the concept of legacy? Does the Bible have anything to say about believers leaving a legacy? What about the church? Should individual churches seek to leave behind a legacy? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell to help us think through the concept of legacy and what kind of legacy we should be concerned with that would honor the Lord.
Dr. Caldwell says that talking about legacy means we are mindful of the future of those following us and wanting to leave them something that would be helpful when we’re gone. He says there are examples of this throughout the Scriptures. One he shares is from Proverbs 13:22, which says, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.” He explains that God’s blessing on godly people is that even the way He has blessed them follows in future generations where sinners end up with nothing. This is what this verse sort of describes, but it also indicates that this is what man ought to be mindful of. Dr. Caldwell says we see this, whether it’s about teaching our children the truths of the Scriptures or the kind of legacies set before us in Hebrews 11. An example of parents with their children is when we read of Paul celebrating with Timothy over the fact that his faith was first seen in his mother and grandmother and how they influenced his life. God sets these examples before us in His Word because they're meant to instruct, encourage, and fortify us in the things we are to live in today. It's in that way believers want to leave a legacy. We should desire and want to leave behind us for the following generations an example that’s instructive, exhortative, and strengthens those who follow us in their faith in Christ.
We should not be concerned about the kind of worldly legacy that would come to mind of people who did great things, such as those who have achieved high political positions, won great battles, developed scientific breakthroughs, or received prestigious awards. That is not what we should be aiming for from the biblical standpoint. Our ambitions should be that Christ would be honored by our living and in our dying. We don’t aim to build up our name and monuments for ourselves, but we aim to build up Christ and His name. We exist for the glory of God. Therefore, our ambition as believers is to please and glorify the Lord. His name is what we want to leave behind for those who follow us. Our aim is for our feet to remain on the pathway of faith. We want those who follow our lives to realize how kind and gracious the Lord has been to save a sinner like us and that the same hope exists for them. That’s the kind of legacy we want to leave behind.
So then, we need to be mindful that people are following us, people are watching and learning from us. We need to think about them walking in our footsteps and where it would lead them, and that has to do with our daily decisions. If they were to walk this path of ours at any given time, would we be pleased with that? Are we currently making decisions that would not be good for our well-being, but for the well-being of those who might follow us one day? That’s a good conscience examination when it comes to our behaviors and choices.
It's a sobering thought about leaving behind a godly reputation to those who would follow after us. Dr. Caldwell shares something he’s heard and repeated often – the greatest gift we could ever give to people who love us is to live our lives in such a way that when we die, no one wonders where we are. We want to pursue Christ to the degree that no one will ever wonder after we've passed away whether our faith in Christ was genuine or not. It’s not the chief reason we do this, but it’s a great gift to leave someone where they are left with no doubt. That also is part of a godly legacy.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 30 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post How can Christians build a legacy that honors God? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
You Must Be Perfect! | Understanding Jesus' Command in the Sermon on the Mount
"You Must Be Perfect! | Understanding Jesus' Command in the Sermon on the Mount" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
Loving By God's Standard
Hope & Holiness
The Believer's Privilege, Hope & Power
Christ, The Word of God, & True Righteousness - Part 1
Christ, The Word of God, & True Righteousness - Part 2
"You Must Be Perfect! | Understanding Jesus' Command in the Sermon on the Mount " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyYou Must Be Perfect! | Understanding Jesus' Command in the Sermon on the MountIn this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot explore a profoundly shocking command from Jesus in Matthew 5:48 in the Sermon on the Mount, where He emphatically states, “You must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” This sounds like an impossible standard Jesus has placed before us and raises many questions. How can we be perfect as God is perfect? Isn’t perfection, humanly speaking, unattainable given our sin and sinfulness? What hope do we have in achieving such a perfection of a perfectly righteous and holy God? What did Jesus truly mean by these words? Join us today to hear Dr. Caldwell provide a biblically balanced answer to what it means to be “perfect” according to Christ’s command.
Dr. Caldwell understands the text to serve a two-fold purpose depending on who is hearing. For those who are lost and not yet saved, it points them to the standard that God requires, which is His own perfections, His own holiness. Individuals must realize they cannot live up to the perfections, the holiness of God. They must see their complete inability to meet God’s standard of perfection in their life and works and be aware of their sinfulness and need for forgiveness and grace. It reveals to them their need for the grace of God in salvation, which we know as believers comes only through Jesus Christ.
For believers, those who have heard and believed in Christ, that standard hasn’t changed. Believers have been gifted and clothed with the righteousness of Christ and have been forgiven all our sins. Yet, while we are the recipients of the merits of God’s own Son and have had His perfect righteousness imputed to us, God’s standard remains the same. We are to be continually pursuing growth in holiness and righteousness. We are to always strive along the road of sanctification for something beyond what we have known. As Dr. Caldwell emphasizes, this pursuit is not an effort to earn our salvation. Instead, it’s in response to the grace we have already received. We strive for this holiness from the secure foundation of our total acceptance in Christ. And while all believers are positionally perfect in Christ, our sanctification is not yet complete. Our ultimate hope is in the promise of glorification in God’s presence when we will finally be free from sin and made completely perfect in every way. But now, we are being shaped, formed, and molded into the character and likeness of Christ. This pursuit of growth in holiness is a lifelong process we refer to as progressive sanctification. None of us still living has arrived at God’s standard of perfection; it is unattainable in this life. That means there is room for growth in every one of us. Every area of life presents an opportunity for growth and becoming more like Christ.
Dr. Philpot brings up 1 Peter 1:15, where Peter seems to be saying the same thing in calling believers to be holy in their conduct because God is holy and calls us to be holy as He is holy. This reinforces all that Dr. Caldwell has been saying. Holiness is not optional for the believer it is part of the Christian calling and should be reflected in our daily living. We must recognize that we are not yet what we are going to be, continue to acknowledge our need for growth, and humbly depend on the Lord for His ongoing work in our lives, through His Spirit, His Word, and His grace to conform us more and more into the image of Christ.
So, in Christ, believers are legally declared perfect in their position, having been justified by His finished work on the cross. But now, as saved individuals, we each strive from that place of legal acceptance in our conduct, seeking to progressively grow and live lives that reflect God’s holiness while acknowledging our ongoing struggle with sin. We pursue holiness from the place of acceptance, not for acceptance. It’s not a call to perfectionism or legalism. It’s a call to trust in Christ’s finished work and to live a life of obedience and growth in holiness, pursuing a life of godliness, knowing that the ultimate goal of perfection will be realized at our glorification.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 30 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post You Must Be Perfect! | Understanding Jesus’ Command in the Sermon on the Mount appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Divorce and Remarriage | Repentance After Divorce and Remarriage
"Divorce and Remarriage | Repentance After Divorce and Remarriage" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
The Exception Clause
Marriage or Divorce: Where is Your Emphasis
Genuine Repentance
Murder Diagnosed by God's Standard
The Correction of God's Children
"Divorce and Remarriage | Repentance After Divorce and Remarriage " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyDivorce and Remarriage | Repentance After Divorce and RemarriageThere are many specific and complicated situations and scenarios that result in people getting divorced and remarried. There are also many questions around the topic of divorce and remarriage. Those questions don't typically end with one’s decision to divorce or remarry. Many of those questions are difficult, and the answers are not always easy and clear-cut. Therefore, each situation needs to be dealt with individually based on the situation and circumstances of the individuals involved. However, one truth of the matter is sin is always involved in the case of divorce and, more often than not, in the case of remarriage. Biblical wisdom is required in answering and applying truth to these challenging, painful, and sinful circumstances. Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as Dr. Josh Philpot presents Dr. Richard Caldwell with a couple of these difficult questions from a listener who seeks to right a wrong with God after a divorce and remarriage.
The listener asks, if they have already divorced and remarried, how do they repent from what they've done? They also ask what they should do to make it right in God’s sight. Not knowing the circumstances, Dr. Caldwell says that you just acknowledge that. Not knowing where the sin happened, whether on the divorce side, the remarriage side, or both sides of the issue, repentance must exist where the sin was committed. What you do is ask the Lord to forgive you.
Often, this kind of question will include someone asking if they should divorce the person they're married to and return to their former spouse. Dr. Caldwell says no, you don’t do that; you don’t commit other sins as a way of rectifying the original sin(s). The Law of God is clear on this issue of divorce and remarriage. Once someone has left their spouse and has married another, they were not to return to their first spouse. You must deal with these sins the same way you deal with any other sin. You start by acknowledging it in your heart. You realize that it was paid for by the blood of Jesus, and you go before the Lord acknowledging what you’ve done wrong. And if you have really acknowledged it and turned from your sin, now you walk on in the truth and honor the Lord with your life. You now have something to say and share with others about God’s graciousness, mercy, and blessing where there is repentance and faith. You have been forgiven. You can go forth living with a clean and clear conscience and are now able to instruct others about marriage.
What you should not do is never look back and justify your sin or argue that you weren’t wrong to do it. You don’t reflect on it as if it were a good thing based on where you are now in your walk with the Lord. We are never better off for having sinned. Dr. Caldwell says we want to look back on these sins with remorse just as we would any other sin. Even where there have been horrible marriages and great difficulty in marriages that end in divorce, we should never look back and think we are better off. The message we need to give and make clear is that God’s grace is greater than all our failures. As Scripture says, where sin abounds, grace superabounds, and in that way, we have something to be grateful for. We can say that God was gracious to us despite that divorce; look at what He has done in our life and give Him thanks and praise for that. By doing this, we honor Him in our acknowledgment of sin and our acknowledgment of His grace, and that honors Christ.
One last thing Dr. Philpot brings up is how to apply passages like Matthew 5:21-25 and Matthew 18:15. These passages deal with sinning and being angry against/with your brother or sister and what believers are to do to be reconciled with one another. He asks if there are different parameters as they relate to divorce and asks, no matter our contribution to the dissolution of the marriage, should we do everything we can to reach out to our former spouse and children, if any? Should we explain to them where we are now in Christ and that we have a better understanding of the Scriptures, and of marriage, divorce, and remarriage, that we sinned against God and them, and that we would like their forgiveness? Dr. Caldwell says yes, that is exactly what we should do. If we have the opportunity to make it right with our former spouse, we should. Sadly, however, this is sometimes not possible for many reasons. But even when it’s not, you make it right with the Lord, and in your heart. Then, you have to be content with what God knows. We should desire to make it right with everyone we’ve sinned against when the Lord makes us aware of it where we weren't. To the extent that we are able to make things right with others, we should always strive to do that.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 30 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Divorce and Remarriage | Repentance After Divorce and Remarriage appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
How the Thief On The Cross Found Paradise with Christ
"How the Thief On The Cross Found Paradise with Christ" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
God's Grace on Death Row
Preaching the Gospel to Christians
The Final Words of John & Jesus
"How the Thief On The Cross Found Paradise with Christ " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyHow the Thief On The Cross Found Paradise with ChristWas the thief on the cross next to Jesus saved? Some say yes, while others say no. If he was saved, how was he saved? Was he saved under the provisions of the Old Covenant, or was he saved under the New Covenant? Is his salvation the same sort of salvation that we receive today under the New Covenant, or is it something different? Some years after Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection, the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 10:9, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Did the thief confess these things and confess his sin? He was literally on his bed of death, so in addition to all this, there’s the question of baptism. The thief wasn’t baptized. How can what happened between Jesus and the two thieves be explained so we might better understand what took place? Join us on the Straight Truth Podcast this week as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot discuss the biblical account of the thief on the cross from Luke 23. Dr. Caldwell and Dr. Philpot seek to help us see how this story illustrates key aspects of faith, salvation, and even evangelism.
From Luke 23:32-33, we learn that two thieves (also called criminals/robbers elsewhere) are led away with and will be put to death on crosses along with Jesus, one on His right and one on His left. Dr. Philpot shares the account of Luke 23 from verses 39-43, where these two criminals have both been reviling Jesus (See Matthew 27:44, Mark 15:32) when almost suddenly one criminal profoundly rebukes the other and then goes on to appeal to Jesus to remember him when He comes into His Kingdom. Jesus answers that man by saying, Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise. Dr. Caldwell tells us Jesus answered that man’s request, and he was saved. But how did that happen, we ask? He was saved the same way that salvation has been throughout history. Salvation has always been by grace alone, faith alone, in God’s provision for our sin problem. That provision is Christ Jesus. That man's heart was changed over the time he hung there alive beside the Lord Jesus. His attitude actually changed as the day went on. As his mind was being informed about certain things, he became convinced of his own sinfulness and the justness of what he was suffering but also of the absolute innocence of Christ. Through the work of the Spirit of God, he believed that Jesus is a King with a real kingdom and that there was a future beyond their deaths. As those truths took root in his heart, and he believed in Christ, he was saved by faith in Christ. He certainly wasn’t saved by work or works as he could do no work hanging on a cross. He also was not saved by baptism because there had been no Christian baptism at that time. He was saved by faith in the Son of God in the same way that every sinner has always been saved.
That man's simple words, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom,” are words that are spoken based on what he knows and understands in his heart at that time. He envisions Christ being alive and ushering in His kingdom. He desires to be with Christ and be taken into Christ's kingdom. This is what he is asking for, and that’s faith. It’s an encouragement to think about this a bit more. We aren’t saved by a certain prayer we recite or a formulaic form of words of confession and repentance. We aren’t saved by words repeated. We are saved by the understanding and belief that God grants to the heart. So while the words may be as few as 'remember me', they may be pregnant with an understanding that is on display in the other things we see. Things that we understand this criminal to have seen were Christ’s innocence, his own sinfulness, Christ is King, Christ alive, and Christ one day ruling over His kingdom. He saw those things, and they all got wrapped up in his simple request for Jesus to remember me, and Jesus did. So we’re saved by faith, not the choice of our words in that moment.
It should be encouraging in one sense that the words don’t matter as much as what’s taking place in the heart and the exercise of that faith; this man had a deathbed transformation and conversion because of that faith. Therefore, we should recognize the need to go on pleading with our loved ones and those we know who are nearing the end of their lives and don’t know Christ, that it’s never too late to turn to Christ. However, it should also serve as a warning. While one thief turned to Jesus in faith, the other who heard and witnessed all the same things hardened his heart and rejected Christ. This is why the Bible exhorts us, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” There is no guarantee that you’ll be affected the same way by what you hear tomorrow if you reject what you hear today. These two men serve as examples. One meets with the mercy and grace of God and salvation; the other meets with just reward for his hardness of heart and rejection of Christ, and he perishes in his sins.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 30 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post How the Thief On The Cross Found Paradise with Christ appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Why Every Christian Should Be Ready to Defend Their Faith
"Why Every Christian Should Be Ready to Defend Their Faith" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
The Believer's Mindset for Suffering - Part 1
The Believer's Mindset for Suffering - Part 2
The Believer's Mindset - Part 3
The Mindset & Manner of God's Servant
"Why Every Christian Should Be Ready to Defend Their Faith " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyWhy Every Christian Should Be Ready to Defend Their FaithWhat is Apologetics? We hear this word a lot within the Christian community, but do we really understand what it means and where it comes from? Is it important? In short, apologetics is being able to give a defense of the Christian faith. It is being able to explain what you believe and why you believe it; being able to give a reason for the hope that is in you. The primary text used for apologetics is found in the Bible, in the New Testament, in 1 Peter 3. So yes, it is important. But is apologetics something for only those Christians in academia to take up as a vocation or ministry? Or is there value and benefit for all the saints to have a proper understanding of apologetics and be apologists themselves? These questions are considered and answered in this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast. Join us and listen in as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot converse about this important topic today.
Dr. Caldwell says the value of apologetics is the opportunity for evangelism. It is also valuable in the sense that it encourages the people of God with the knowledge that the truth is the truth. But if apologetics is separated from a pastoral purpose, it can easily become distorted. Dr. Caldwell believes this is often what we see in the landscape of Christendom, where people are practicing apologetics but with no real pastoral purpose. It’s really just a field for arguments and argumentation instead of having a godly purpose standing behind what they are doing.
Dr. Caldwell brings up the text of 1 Peter 3:13-17 where Peter tells his readers (believers) to always be prepared/ready to make a defense for the hope that is in them, yet it is to be done in gentleness and with respect. We get the word apologetics from the word translated “defense”. Dr. Caldwell sees Peter as envisioning the believer as under attack, those who are suffering for the sake of righteousness. Yet even as they are being attacked, they are called to make a defense, an apology, for what they believe. Doing this with gentleness and respect and not with a pugilistic argumentative sort of mindset on display. Dr. Caldwell says we can see this same thing in 2 Timothy 2:24, where Paul writes to Timothy that the Lord’s servant is not to be quarrelsome but kind and able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting opponents with gentleness. Giving this defense is not about having the high ground for intellectual entertainment or displaying our own wisdom, it’s not to be combative or argumentative. It is giving good reasons for the things we believe from the truth of God’s Word, but always with gentleness and with a hope wrapped up in it to make a difference in someone’s life spiritually, to see them come to Christ. That’s what should characterize our efforts in the realm of apologetics.
So, to answer the question about all believers being an apologist, the answer is yes. Every Christian is tasked with a growing knowledge of the things we believe, so that we are able to give an explanation for what we believe, with an attitude that pleases the Lord. This is not just pastors who are being called to be gentle and careful; all of God’s people are called to embrace the attitude of Christ as we give the truth of Christ. Apologetics is not just an academic exercise. It is not to be done only by people of great learning like Greg Bahnsen, R.C. Sproul, or others. Peter is telling this to all believers. But within the field of apologetics, we must remember that there is a reason beyond the knowledge found in it, there’s an application, and there’s a pastoral use associated with these truths. So, like all disciplines of Christian study and theology, whatever it is that we are engaged in, we need to embrace its purpose as God has defined it. Then we need to embrace its purpose, not just the information present in it, but its pastoral purpose at the same time.
Some dangers or pitfalls with the pursuit of apologetics may be that it often leads some to think it is helpful to study other religions or even other modes or forms of belief. But Dr. Caldwell says the best thing we will ever do for the cause of truth is to be immersed in the truth, saturated with the truth, and know the truth. That answers any iteration of error, not just one kind of error but any kind of error. If we know the truth and are prepared to give a reason for our hope, that’s enough. We don’t need to study all the errors in religion to tell others why they’re wrong. Part of the reason people go about apologetics the way they do possibly has to do with having a right view of conversion, a right view of how people become saved; a right view of how people become convinced. People are never ultimately convinced through intellectual power; they are convinced by the work of the Spirit of God. Philosophical arguments will never be the ultimate expression of why someone is converted. We are to know the truth, believe the truth, hold to the truth, and give people the truth, versus trying to win people largely through arguments external to the Scriptures.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 30 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Why Every Christian Should Be Ready to Defend Their Faith appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Can You Be Too Heavenly Minded?
"Can You Be Too Heavenly Minded?" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
Heavenly-Minded People
A Warning Against Worldliness
Commanded to Hope
Hope & Holiness
The Call to Endurance
A Mature View of the Ministry
Are You Prepared?
"Can You Be Too Heavenly Minded? " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyCan You Be Too Heavenly Minded?Some people are so heavenly-minded that they’re no earthly good. Have you ever heard this statement or something like it? It’s a catchy quote attributed to Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. in the late 1800s, and many years later, in 1977, was embodied in a popular Johnny Cash song titled “No Earthly Good". A listener to the podcast has heard this phrase over the years and has written to us seeking to better understand what it really means. Aren’t Christians called to be heavenly-minded? Is it actually possible to be so heavenly-minded that they do no earthly good? Can Christians even be too heavenly-minded? That is the topic for this week’s Straight Truth Podcast with Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Join us and listen to the conversation as they seek to help us gain insight and understanding into what might be meant when someone uses this now widely familiar turn of phrase.
Dr. Caldwell says if we begin by defining the phrase- heavenly-minded, according to the Scriptures, then the answer is no, a Christian cannot be too heavenly-minded. But, if we try to define what some people mean by describing someone as so heavenly-minded that they are no earthly good, it’s possible that what they mean is the person has an over-realized eschatology. This would be someone who responds to time and eternity in a manner that God never intended. This is a circumstance where a believer knows they are headed to eternity, knowing that Jesus could come any day, and that is all they care about and are focused on. That would be an unbiblical response to the truths that God has given us about the return of Christ and about eternity. An example of this kind of living would be someone who sort of lives their life with their head in the clouds, so to speak, where they are not taking care of the things here on the earth that God has also assigned to His people. We find a most likely example of this in 2 Thessalonians 3, where Paul writes about some believers who had stopped working.
But, in terms of being heavenly-minded and living in obedience to God’s Word right now where we are on earth, and in light of eternity (with it always in view), that’s absolutely biblical. That is what Christians are called to do; it’s a matter of Christian obedience. Paul also writes about this in Colossians chapter 3, telling the Colossians that if they have been raised with Christ, they are to seek the things that are above, where Christ is, they are to set their minds on the things that are above, not on things that are earthly. We, ourselves, were once earthly and did earthly things. But now, as believers in Christ Jesus, we are new men and women and are to live according to our new life. Dr. Caldwell takes time to walk us through this passage and explain what Paul means. Ultimately, it means we are putting away our sins and pursuing righteousness, and doing this with the promised future of Christ’s return and our eternal life in Christ in view. It means our hearts and minds are fixed on the truth that God has given us regarding time and eternity, and we go about living our lives in this moment in light of the forever age.
Dr. Philpot mentions that 1 Peter 1 seems to teach the exact same thing. Peter tells his readers to prepare their minds for action, to be sober-minded, and to set their hope fully on the grace that is to be brought to them at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Dr. Caldwell agrees, telling us it is exactly the same thing. Knowing what we now know as believers, we choose to live in light of what can be known by faith. God has given us the knowledge of the end, which isn't just for our peace, comfort, and joy but also for our preparation for today and tomorrow. So then we live in light of what’s coming. But that information should not make us neglectful regarding today. Rather, it informs us to be obedient with what God has given us for today because the day is coming when Christ will examine our works and reward them. Our efforts and investments today will be rewarded one day, and it ought to motivate us in faithfulness, not wanting to disappoint our Lord. But we don’t need to be fearful about that coming day. It’s not a day of judgment, condemnation, and exposure. It’s a day for reward. We need to think about it in terms of reverential family dynamics. We want to please our Heavenly Father and honor our Savior. We want to be someone whose life and opportunities have not been wasted versus watching much of our life's work burn up like hay, wood, and stubble. We want to hear on that day well done, good and faithful servant.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 30 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Biblical Perspectives on Health and Fitness appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Biblical Perspectives on Health and Fitness
"Biblical Perspectives on Health and Fitness" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
The Beautiful Life & Civil Authority
The Wisdom of Christ
The Christian's Relationship to Governing Authorities
Why the World Hates Christians
Blind Opposition
"Biblical Perspectives on Health and Fitness " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyBiblical Perspectives on Health and FitnessEvery four years in the United States, we enter an election year where we are provided the opportunity, having been given the right, as citizens to vote for the President of the US. We are in the thick of that season as we prepare to vote this November, just three months away. It seems that we hear the news media increasingly telling us that this is the most significant election of our lifetimes, where the constant refrain is that if so and so is not elected or if this party is not elected, it will lead to the destruction of democracy or the loss of certain liberties we have as Americans. Dr. Josh Philpot shares that this year feels as though it's more consequential than previous years. He asks Dr. Richard Caldwell if he would talk briefly to the listeners of the Straight Truth Podcast about some of these things. He also asks Dr. Calwell to share how consequential an election like this might be within a biblical worldview.
Dr. Caldwell believes this year’s election is going to be very consequential. During his nearly 61 years of life, he has seen a significant change in this country, especially concerning its moral atmosphere. This is witnessed in a nation or a society where God removes His restraining grace from them and gives people over to their sinfulness. There’s this downward plunge into darkness and destruction where insanity sets in. Dr. Caldwell believes we’ve reached that place in our culture, and he shares examples of the kinds of moral insanity we are experiencing. Therefore, our country is different, and as we’ve descended into this moral insanity, we’ve lost touch with what made this nation what it once was. Our Founders were in touch with the idea that our Creator afforded certain freedoms and rights to people just by virtue of their existence. But we’re heading dangerously towards socialism, communism, or even Marxism, very dangerous ideologies, systems of governments that have had disastrous results where they have taken root in the history of the world. Dr. Caldwell says when we see our country headed in this direction, he believes that elections really matter.
We know that Christ has said that He will build His church and that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. No matter what takes place in this world or even our own nation, the marching orders for the church, the people of God, have not changed. As citizens, we want to be faithful in the opportunities the Lord has provided. We can plan to vote with joy and peace in our hearts, knowing that God is King over the world that He’s created and sustains and that He is sovereign over everything.
How do we deal with the fact that our voting really only comes down to the choice between two parties, Democrat or Republican? This becomes a real strain on some Christians’ consciences when they look at candidates and see really sinful people. That weighty conscience can cause some to say they can’t vote for either one and, as a result, choose not to vote at all. How should we think about this? Dr. Caldwell says our consciences are given to us by God like an alarm system. It’s an alert, an innate ability to be aware when we are on the wrong track, but they aren’t inerrant. Our consciences are meant to be informed by the truth of Scripture. We should never violate our consciences. Nor should we encourage or exhort a brother or sister in Christ to violate their conscience. However, if we believe that someone’s conscience is overly sensitive about something, we can try to inform them. Dr. Caldwell believes this to be the case when it comes to the matter of elections for many brothers and sisters in Christ.
We need to remember that we are not voting for a pastor. This is a secular government; it’s going to have secular leaders, people who do not know Christ. We have to look beyond the candidates themselves. We have to look at the parties they represent and the moral outlook that’s displayed in their platforms. We have to ask questions. Which of these two choices is more agreeable to the church’s function in the world? Which of these two platforms would represent more peaceable circumstances for our children and our children’s children? Which will be less invasive when it comes to trying to control what we do at the family level? Which is least egregious in its attack on the Word of God? We want to look at these two platforms and ask which one allows more freedom for the church, the family, and the raising of children in the admonition of the Lord. Dr. Caldwell says that is the direction his vote is going to go. We must realize and remember that candidates come and go. But there’s always a larger force standing behind those candidates, whichever direction we choose.
Should Christians and churches be concerned and prepared for persecution if this country persists in its downward moral spiral as witnessed in our electoral candidates and the culture? Dr. Caldwell says that should an administration like the Democratic Administration or Kamala Harris become President, there will obviously be a degree of trickle-down effect. But this is something that Christians should always be prepared for because, as Scripture says, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. That is part of living for Christ in a world that hates Christ, and we are always to be armed for suffering in our minds, knowing that we will not be exempt from it, as believers in the past have not. Even so, we are called to be respectful of our leaders, to honor them where honor is due, and to pray for them, no matter which political party is in charge. We are called to be faithful no matter what form of government we end up under. But what we will not do is disobey the Lord in the name of obeying government leaders. We are to obey God rather than men and accept the consequences, whatever they may be. We are to be submissive to those in authority over us as far as we are able to do so without disobeying Christ.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Biblical Perspectives on Health and Fitness appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
The Role of Faith in the 2024 Election
"The Role of Faith in the 2024 Election" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
The Beautiful Life & Civil Authority
The Wisdom of Christ
The Christian's Relationship to Governing Authorities
Why the World Hates Christians
Blind Opposition
"The Role of Faith in the 2024 Election " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyThe Role of Faith in the 2024 ElectionEvery four years in the United States, we enter an election year where we are provided the opportunity, having been given the right, as citizens to vote for the President of the US. We are in the thick of that season as we prepare to vote this November, just three months away. It seems that we hear the news media increasingly telling us that this is the most significant election of our lifetimes, where the constant refrain is that if so and so is not elected or if this party is not elected, it will lead to the destruction of democracy or the loss of certain liberties we have as Americans. Dr. Josh Philpot shares that this year feels as though it's more consequential than previous years. He asks Dr. Richard Caldwell if he would talk briefly to the listeners of the Straight Truth Podcast about some of these things. He also asks Dr. Calwell to share how consequential an election like this might be within a biblical worldview.
Dr. Caldwell believes this year’s election is going to be very consequential. During his nearly 61 years of life, he has seen a significant change in this country, especially concerning its moral atmosphere. This is witnessed in a nation or a society where God removes His restraining grace from them and gives people over to their sinfulness. There’s this downward plunge into darkness and destruction where insanity sets in. Dr. Caldwell believes we’ve reached that place in our culture, and he shares examples of the kinds of moral insanity we are experiencing. Therefore, our country is different, and as we’ve descended into this moral insanity, we’ve lost touch with what made this nation what it once was. Our Founders were in touch with the idea that our Creator afforded certain freedoms and rights to people just by virtue of their existence. But we’re heading dangerously towards socialism, communism, or even Marxism, very dangerous ideologies, systems of governments that have had disastrous results where they have taken root in the history of the world. Dr. Caldwell says when we see our country headed in this direction, he believes that elections really matter.
We know that Christ has said that He will build His church and that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. No matter what takes place in this world or even our own nation, the marching orders for the church, the people of God, have not changed. As citizens, we want to be faithful in the opportunities the Lord has provided. We can plan to vote with joy and peace in our hearts, knowing that God is King over the world that He’s created and sustains and that He is sovereign over everything.
How do we deal with the fact that our voting really only comes down to the choice between two parties, Democrat or Republican? This becomes a real strain on some Christians’ consciences when they look at candidates and see really sinful people. That weighty conscience can cause some to say they can’t vote for either one and, as a result, choose not to vote at all. How should we think about this? Dr. Caldwell says our consciences are given to us by God like an alarm system. It’s an alert, an innate ability to be aware when we are on the wrong track, but they aren’t inerrant. Our consciences are meant to be informed by the truth of Scripture. We should never violate our consciences. Nor should we encourage or exhort a brother or sister in Christ to violate their conscience. However, if we believe that someone’s conscience is overly sensitive about something, we can try to inform them. Dr. Caldwell believes this to be the case when it comes to the matter of elections for many brothers and sisters in Christ.
We need to remember that we are not voting for a pastor. This is a secular government; it’s going to have secular leaders, people who do not know Christ. We have to look beyond the candidates themselves. We have to look at the parties they represent and the moral outlook that’s displayed in their platforms. We have to ask questions. Which of these two choices is more agreeable to the church’s function in the world? Which of these two platforms would represent more peaceable circumstances for our children and our children’s children? Which will be less invasive when it comes to trying to control what we do at the family level? Which is least egregious in its attack on the Word of God? We want to look at these two platforms and ask which one allows more freedom for the church, the family, and the raising of children in the admonition of the Lord. Dr. Caldwell says that is the direction his vote is going to go. We must realize and remember that candidates come and go. But there’s always a larger force standing behind those candidates, whichever direction we choose.
Should Christians and churches be concerned and prepared for persecution if this country persists in its downward moral spiral as witnessed in our electoral candidates and the culture? Dr. Caldwell says that should an administration like the Democratic Administration or Kamala Harris become President, there will obviously be a degree of trickle-down effect. But this is something that Christians should always be prepared for because, as Scripture says, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. That is part of living for Christ in a world that hates Christ, and we are always to be armed for suffering in our minds, knowing that we will not be exempt from it, as believers in the past have not. Even so, we are called to be respectful of our leaders, to honor them where honor is due, and to pray for them, no matter which political party is in charge. We are called to be faithful no matter what form of government we end up under. But what we will not do is disobey the Lord in the name of obeying government leaders. We are to obey God rather than men and accept the consequences, whatever they may be. We are to be submissive to those in authority over us as far as we are able to do so without disobeying Christ.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post The Role of Faith in the 2024 Election appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Silence & Solitude: How Prayer & Meditation Strengthens Your Relationship with God" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
The Christian's Battle - 4 Sermons on Ephesians 6
The Christian's Armor - 6 Sermons on Ephesians 6
The Importance of Prayer
Perseverance in Prayer
"Silence & Solitude: How Prayer & Meditation Strengthens Your Relationship with God " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifySilence & Solitude: How Prayer & Meditation Strengthens Your Relationship with GodToday on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot introduces us to Isaiah 59, which provides some Old Testament background to what Paul says in Ephesians 6 regarding the armor of God. The spiritual armor given in Ephesians 6 is a means for Christians to be strengthened in our daily walk with Christ. It’s meant to help us guard against the schemes of the devil. The armor of God is what Dr. Philpot would like Dr. Richard Caldwell to speak about in this episode today. Join in on the conversation to learn about the Christian's spiritual armor. You’ll hear about the pieces of armor we are to use and learn how we are to go about using them.
Dr. Caldwell tells us what the two passages have in common is the kindness of the Lord. In His kindness, He gives us imagery that helps us grasp what He has supplied for us, for what He’s called us to be and do. The Isaiah passage is obviously what the Lord Himself is doing. But, in Ephesians, it is what He supplies us with. The imagery in Ephesians is of very practical things that are filled with spiritual significance and power that enable us to walk in His ability and strength.
As we look at Ephesians 6, we are alerted to a world of activity that takes place all around us that we can’t see. Behind all this activity is the outworking of the devil, and we’re given this spiritual armor so that we can stand firm against his schemes. It is supplied for us to fight the spiritual battle we are engaged in that’s real and powerful, even though we can't see it. So Paul tells us to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. We can be confident that the imagery supplied speaks of practical steps we are to take that are infused with real spiritual power from the God who gave us these steps. Putting on the armor is faith in action, believing the Lord, and taking the steps He's given us. And from the outset, determination is set before us. We do this by putting on the whole armor of God so that we are able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
Dr. Caldwell walks through this passage and helps us understand these images and how each of them is meant to be worn or used:
Fasten on the belt of truth – this imagery represents how we stand firm in the spiritual battle. We do this with truth, the Word of God. The example Dr. Caldwell gives is the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. We stand firm amid the battle by standing on the ground of truth.
Put on the breastplate of righteousness – this is the knowledge of righteousness. The breastplate guards our hearts when we choose holiness. Our hearts are guarded by the knowledge that our holiness is found in Christ. It’s the knowledge that the Lord has forgiven all our sins and that He has gifted us the very righteousness of His Son.
Shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel – this is a picture of the Roman soldier's shoes being compared with the knowledge that we are at peace with God. Dr. Caldwell does not see this as being about evangelism. He sees this as the means that we have the ability to stand firm and stand our ground when Satan, the enemy of our soul, brings accusations against us. Knowing that we are at peace with God, that the righteousness of Christ is really ours, and that God has really forgiven our sins is so helpful when we’re in the conflict.
Take up the shield of faith in all circumstances – this is for extinguishing all the flaming arrows of the evil one. A soldier’s shield was covered with pitch to extinguish those flaming arrows shot at them. How do we do this? The answer is we believe God. We have the truth. Are we going to believe it? Are we going to stand on it in the moment, in the hour of testing? That is how we will extinguish those flaming arrows.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit – the helmet is the knowledge of salvation; you protect your head with it. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. The truth of God’s Word is interwoven throughout this entire thing. It’s standing on the truth, believing the truth, having our minds guarded with the truth of salvation, and taking up the sword, the Word of God; all of it’s about truth.
Lastly, we are to sum it all up with prayer.
Dr. Caldwell tells us that these are practical things given to us that we can do every day as Christians. We can get up every morning and practically put it on. We can walk through each step and prepare ourselves with the spiritual armor that the God who has saved us has provided for us to believe and act upon, knowing that we are going out into a world engaged in a war we cannot see. What the Lord has provided is sufficient; we just need to do this and live it out. That’s how we are meant to live the Christian life.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post The Armor of God Explained appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Silence & Solitude: How Prayer & Meditation Strengthens Your Relationship with God" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
The Truly Blessed Person
The Lives We Are Urged to Live
A Holy Responsibility
The Call to Endurance
12 Sermons on the Life of Peace from Philippians 4
The Believing Life
God’s Word & God’s People
"Silence & Solitude: How Prayer & Meditation Strengthens Your Relationship with God " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifySilence & Solitude: How Prayer & Meditation Strengthens Your Relationship with GodWe live in a chaotic culture obsessed with noise, clutter, and activity. We live very busy lives immersed in this cacophony all day, every day. The ability to think clearly without our minds and thoughts being constantly bombarded is highly impacted by it all. In several Psalms, we find exhortations to be still, to meditate, to rest, and even to wait on the Lord. Psalms 1, 4, 37, 46, and 119 represent just a few examples. In the New Testament, in Matthew 6, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about prayer. As He does this, He exhorts His disciples and followers to go into their room, shut the door, and pray to their Father in secret, and not be like the Pharisees who pray out in the open places, where they will be seen and heard. These texts seem to encourage a kind of silence and solitude in the Christian life. Does that require us to run off to an unpopulated area, live off the grid, and forsake televisions and telephones? Or could just small amounts of time, short periods of silence, and moments of being still help us in our spiritual life? Might they enhance it in one way or another? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot discuss what these exhortations mean, how to implement them, and how they will help us in our fellowship with our God.
Dr. Caldwell tells us that activity can be an avoidance of other things. It’s not always the case, but it does play into the busyness of our lives. We tend to think if we stay busy, we won’t have to deal with this or that, and we won’t have to think about them. But, one of the reasons that God has designed, as part of our lives of worship, moments dedicated to quietness, reflection, meditation on truth, prayer, and private times of worship is that we would come face to face with things that we would otherwise avoid. These times are times that God has ordained for our lives so that we would not miss something we would otherwise miss and times for receiving things we won’t receive any other way. These times of meditation and quietness are necessary for the kind of fellowship we need with the Lord every day. They’re part of our growth and maturity in our Christian walk. But these things take time. Where do we find the time to do them? Do we have to go away to secluded, unpopulated places to do these things? Is it possible to implement them throughout our regular busy days? How would we do that?
Dr. Caldwell says we have to choose it, schedule it, and be dedicated to devote time to doing it. He recommends several ways we can do that, which can be helpful. We can keep our Bibles on our nightstands, take them with us in the car, wherever we go, and take advantage of all the natural moments we have in a day to read the Scriptures. We can set aside time in the evenings to go to a quiet place in our homes. Anytime or anyplace that it’s quiet, without a lot of things happening around us, we can do this. But we have to be intentional, we have to choose it, and we have to be focused.
It’s all about focus. Dr. Caldwell tells us that multitasking is a myth. Some people will say they are a good multitasker, but he says no one is a good multitasker. Yes, some are better than others. But anytime you’re multitasking, you’re not giving your full attention to any of the things you're trying to do all at once. When you multitask, you’re robbing your effectiveness in all those areas you’re attempting to do at the same time because effectiveness ramps up with focus. To help understand this, Dr. Caldwell talks about how we often pray while we're on the move. People and things come to mind when we’re doing other things. We don't typically stop and kneel down to pray. We just pray in the moment as we sort of move about and go about our day. So, one of the reasons why we have private times of prayer is because we need to focus in prayer. The Scriptures provide examples of both kinds for us. We see in the book of Acts where Paul utters prayer in the middle of a conversation and in other places in the gospels where Jesus, the Son of God, retires from His day, finds a place of solitude, and devotes Himself to prayer. If Jesus needed that in His relationship with His Father, do we think we don’t?
If we can embrace what the Scriptures teach, we will see our need for all these things. When we don’t do them, we are actually neglecting things that the Scriptures explicitly set before us as a part of the Christian life. The Word of God provides the answers for all these questions. We have to get back to what the Scriptures set forth and do them. So then, how do we achieve it? We have to choose it and decide for it. We have to see the importance and choose to make it part of our lives. This gets down to making decisions. Deciding to do these things means not doing other things. It means that we have to say no to other things. We will have to turn things off and put things away from us. We don’t have to get away or move to a secluded area to implement these things. But we do have to be intentional, diligent, and disciplined for them to happen. It’s all about making choices.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Silence & Solitude: How Prayer & Meditation Strengthens Your Relationship with God appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"The Problem with Culturally Focused Churches" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
What Adam's Failure Meant to Mankind
One New Man
The Church in It's Right Mind
The Model for the Believer's Mindset
The Church - God's Glory & A Multi Ethnic Assembly
Understanding the Ministry
"The Problem with Culturally Focused Churches " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyThe Problem with Culturally Focused ChurchesIn the United States, there are roughly 400,000 churches. This estimate includes Protestant and other Christian churches, plus Catholic and Orthodox churches. Within this number, some churches gather based on skin color, nationality, stylistic reasons, lifestyles, and even hobbies. Here in Texas, we have cowboy churches. How should we think about these kinds of church gatherings? Should churches be gathering and centering their identities around cultural identities? Does the Bible offer us any guidance? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast to hear Dr. Richard Caldwell share his thoughts with Dr. Philpot on this issue of culturally centered churches as he looks at the Word of God and what it says about the church.
Dr. Caldwell states that our identity needs to be taken from the Scriptures. We must ask ourselves if we really believe what the Bible says about everything. Do we believe what the Bible says about humanity? Do we believe what the Bible says about the church's identity now in Christ Jesus, which is one new man in Christ? Do we really believe these things? Dr. Caldwell is convinced that we use biblical language and tip our hat to the Scriptures, but we do not believe what they teach.
Dr. Caldwell shares an example regarding the whole racial issue. He explains that the Bible does not deny the reality of nations, different languages, and cultures. Those are realities. But the Bible clearly teaches that man, all of humanity, emerged from one man and one woman. Adam and Eve are the father and mother of us all, meaning that the human race is one in Adam. The differences between us, like hair color, eye color, skin color, etc., are all explained naturally. But they do not mean different versions of humanity. And if we really believe this, it is how we will see people. We are not saying to be colorblind. We are saying we need to be biblically enlightened. We are to see the world through the eyes of truth that God has revealed in His Word. Doing so fundamentally transforms the way we see people.
Organizing and gathering churches together because of language barriers is one thing. But to organize and gather around the color of our skin, temporal likes and dislikes, hobbies, fads, and cultural lifestyles is to not believe what the Scriptures teach about our identity. This is to not believe what the Lord’s Word says about who we are and why we exist. We are to organize and gather around Christ, not around our culture. We are to be organized around the Word of God and all the instructions given to us regarding the church from the New Testament.
But what about people who are more comfortable in these culturally centered or focused churches? People often find themselves more comfortable in church environments surrounded by people who share the same skin color or where people dress the same way. Maybe people find themselves more comfortable for stylistic reasons or feel they can worship more freely in these environments. What can be said about this line of thinking?
Dr. Caldwell suggests that people must ask themselves why they are more comfortable. Does their answer pass the test of a biblical worldview? He says we really need to challenge ourselves in these things to see if we are seeing things biblically or not. Sometimes, our comfort level is felt because we are not seeing things biblically. Much of the time, our choices are driven by our preferences. But we need to see if our preferences are holding us back, keeping us from experiencing growth. If a church we are in is sound and strong in the Word of God and its body life, but the music style is not our preference, this presents an opportunity for us to grow. Why care about preference? If the church is biblically sound and strong, and they sing the truth in a manner that represents reverence and order, what does it matter? Often, this manifests a self-centered view where everything exists for me rather than a Christ-centered view where everything exists for the glory of God. These two perspectives are very different, and we need to challenge ourselves and ask what is driving our thinking and emotions here. The more it can be about Christ and the truth, that is where we need to be.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post The Problem with Culturally Focused Churches appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Exploring Women's Roles in Christian Ministry" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
What God Would Have Women to Be
The True Gain of Godliness
The Excellent Wife - Parts 1 & 2
"Exploring Women's Roles in Christian Ministry " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyExploring Women's Roles in Christian MinistryQuestions regarding women’s ministries abound. They arise from both in the church and from outside the church. Many of them are definitively answered in the Word of God. Yet it appears that many aren’t. It seems like the questions are increasingly unending, even from people who understand the roles of men and women in the home and the church. We are often asked whether women should be writing books and blogging about issues of theology. Other questions we’re asked are about whether women should host podcasts and have YouTube channels. How can we answer these questions if the Bible isn’t definitive about them and doesn’t speak to them directly? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast to hear Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot speak about some of these lingering questions regarding women in ministry and what they can and cannot do, biblically speaking.
Dr. Caldwell first expresses his concern that much of local church ministry is often unnecessarily busy in general. This can be witnessed on church campuses where all sorts of ministries are operating nearly every day. People leave their homes, drive to the church, and spend numerous amounts of time together daily. But, if we're constantly gathering at the church, how much time is left for being at home and living out the Christian life? Is it possible we might think spiritual health will be achieved by ramping up our activity? Dr. Caldwell is concerned this reveals a lost sense of contentment that allows us to recognize the variety of assignments God has given us. While God has assigned us to gather together regularly, He’s also given us assignments in the home, at work, and in the public realm regarding citizenship and those sorts of things. Dr. Caldwell is concerned that all this activity wears the people of God out and introduces influences that are counterproductive spiritually, just by virtue of constant activity. He suggests that all these extracurricular activities may not be the most edifying thing to do.
Looking at the book of Titus, the teaching that’s to take place between the older men/younger men and the older women/younger women is about living life. It's about gathering for the purpose of learning how to love our husbands/wives and our children, not to converse about the hypostatic union. God has given elders in the church to teach theology. This isn’t to deny that God has given gifts for teaching throughout the body and that they're not to be made use of. However, the primary teachers in the life of the church are the elders. In the home, you have mothers and fathers teaching and instructing. Of course, women can read and study robust theology, and they can teach and should be teaching other women and children. This is the primary way women are meant to teach. But as far as women teaching men, 1 Timothy 2 is clear, women are not to teach or exercise authority over men; doing so violates God’s design. The context there is for the church’s gatherings. But this doesn’t mean women can’t influence men at all. In Acts, we read of Priscilla and Aquila having conversations with Apollos. Scripture would not be violated for a woman to have theological discussions with a man. However, says Dr. Caldwell, if you embrace the whole of Scriptures instruction, godly women want to embrace godly womanhood. So even if they’re having theological discussions with a man, they'll want to do so in ways that reflect God’s design for the sexes.
When it comes to women desiring to do other things, like writing books and blogs, hosting podcasts, or having a YouTube channel, it isn’t necessarily a violation of Scripture. But, if you take all the things discussed in this podcast and consider all the instructions we’ve been given for our lives and then consider these other things, you’ll get answers from the Lord and His Word. You’ll have an informed mind that will drive you back to the most basic things, and you’ll want to make sure you’re being faithful in those things before you think about these extra things. Dr. Caldwell explains that we’ve already been assigned so much in the basic areas of life, and they require our life’s investment to do them well.
We might want to ask ourselves questions such as, why are we doing this or that? What purpose are we serving? Do we believe there is a void in the information already available, and the Lord needs us to fill it? Or could it be that it's all about us? We need to get ourselves out of the center of the picture and say, “God, what have you made me to invest my life in?” and then say, “I want to do that to the very best of my ability.” Having done that, Dr. Caldwell believes we’ll see some of the desire for these extra things shrink. He shares that the way he has learned to live the Christian life is, to begin with the big picture and then move to the particulars. He would counsel and encourage women and men as well to think about the big picture first because we often go astray in the particulars. So we start by focusing on the basics and being as sure as we are able that we’re doing them faithfully and well and in a way that honors Christ before we even consider some of these other things. Dr. Caldwell suggests that when we do this, we'll probably find that we have less time and less desire for these extra things. He fears that we are suffering loss because we're struggling with contentment, even though there's godliness and true Christian life. He believes the answer for our hearts is to learn contentment in Christ, for, as Scripture tells us, godliness with contentment is great gain.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Exploring Women’s Roles in Christian Ministry appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Becoming a Godly Father: Essential Tips for Christian Dads" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
The Beautiful Life & Marriage - Part 3
Foundations for a Godly Family - Pts 1 & 2
The Context for Christian Parenting
Christian Parenting
The Wrong Answer for Your Child's Greatest Needs
A Well Managed Home
"Becoming a Godly Father: Essential Tips for Christian Dads " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyBecoming a Godly Father: Essential Tips for Christian DadsWhat makes a man a good father? Is it taking his family to church every week? Is it being a hard worker and providing well for his wife and children? Is it sending his children to the best schools, ensuring they get the best education, and helping prepare them for their future vocation? What if a man hasn't been doing these things? What if a man, as a husband and father, has been living his life, just going through the motions, and hasn’t really been an exemplary father? What if he realizes this now and truly desires to be a godly father as he moves forward; how can he do that? What can he do? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell what advice he would give to a man who wants to be a godly father and if he would share some guiding principles from the Scriptures to assist him in this endeavor.
Dr. Caldwell says the most important issue for being a good father is to be a believing father. The most important legacy a man will ever leave his children is for them to have a father who really believes in Christ, really believes the Bible, and strives to live his life consistently in submission to that truth. Dr. Caldwell often tells young people he's counseling for marriage that the most important thing they can do for their marriage is to live the Christian life at home. That is the exact same advice he would give a man who wants to be a good and godly father. No matter what mom or anyone else around you is doing, if you want to be a godly father, you have to be applying the Scriptures in your own life, living them out in your thinking, attitudes, words, and choices.
The next step in being a good dad, says Dr. Caldwell, is with your spouse. You want to love their mom, and you want to love her well. This requires you to love her as Christ loves the church. Honor your wife and let your children know how blessed you are. Let them know how thankful you are to God for what He has given you and them in the gift of their mother.
Another aspect of being a good dad is being present. When you come home from work, you need to be present and available to your family. No matter how tired you are when you come home, you need to remember that your wife is most likely tired as well. She needs you, and your children need you. No matter how tired you are when you arrive home, don’t isolate yourself and seek to be alone somewhere to unwind. Be present and active with your children, and seek to spend time with them in conversations. You want to lead them with love from the moment they get up in the morning until they're tucked in bed in the evening. The book of Deuteronomy sets this forth as the model for family life, where the entire day and world become the schoolhouse. But you can’t do that without conversations. To lead with love means you’re putting others before your needs. You can unwind and all the rest when your children have gone to bed.
So you want to be a believing man, which means an obedient man, that begins with your own life. You want to be submissive to the Word of God, growing in the fruit of the Spirit -love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. You must seek the Lord and ask Him, by His grace and the presence of His Spirit as He works in your life, to help you exemplify these things. Live the Christian life at home, love your wife and children, and prioritize their souls. You want to be clear with your children what the most important thing in life is, that what matters most to you is their souls. That’s being a good father.
Another aspect of being a good father is good management of your home. With dignity, you want to keep your home in order. That starts when your children are young, with discipline, rewards for obedience, and punishments for disobedience. This is part of training your children to respect the order of the home with love, mercy, patience, and wisdom. However, no matter how well you do this, even as a believing parent, it does not guarantee believing children; that is not promised. Only God saves, so we pray, evangelize, and model salvation, asking the Lord to regenerate our children in His perfect timing. A godly father will have a massive impact in the home. There’s a living, breathing gospel testimony on display where the children come face to face with godly influence. Dads who try to portray to their children that they’re faultless turn out to be exasperating influences. Our children see us, and they watch and observe us as they’re growing up. They’ll know we are sinners just as they are, so even confession of our sin plays a huge role in being a good father. They need to hear us tell their mother we were wrong and ask for her forgiveness. The same is true in our interactions with them. They need to see and experience in us that which reflects humbleness, yet not as their peer, but as their parent. We want to love them well, and if we're humble with them, they will love us for it.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Becoming a Godly Father: Essential Tips for Christian Dads appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Confession and Accountability" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
The Power of Authentic Ministry
Ministry in the Body of Christ
The Seriousness of Forgiveness
The Forgiveness of the Forgiven
Teach Us to Pray - Forgive Us Our Sins
Putting Off and Putting On
"Confession and Accountability " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyConfession and AccountabilityConfession plays an important role in the Christian life. It’s how we begin our life in Christ, but it’s also part of our daily progression in sanctification. Obviously, it begins with us recognizing and admitting that we’re sinners in need of a Savior, but also the recognition that our sinning is not eradicated at the moment of salvation. As believers, we go on sinning and must deal with our sin by confessing it to our Heavenly Father daily. But how much of the Christian life should involve confessing our sins to others and being held accountable by them or to them? Proverbs 28:13 says, “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion." James 5:16 tells us to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another so that we may be healed. So, we can see that the Scriptures teach us that confession and accountability are pretty important. But does this mean we need accountability partners or groups that hold each other accountable for dealing with our sins and growing in our sanctification? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast to hear the answers to these questions as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot discuss the subject of confession and accountability before God and others.
Dr. Caldwell says that at the very outset of our walk with Christ, we’re turning from a life of sin to embrace a new life in Jesus Christ. Our faith in Christ is a penitent faith. It has practical effects even at the beginning of our Christian lives, where we are turning away from a life of sin, putting away our sins. But, there are also things we are turning from. Dr. Caldwell shares an example from Acts 18, where those who believed kept coming forward and confessing and disclosing their previous practices, some bringing things with them that needed to be removed and destroyed from their lives. These people publicly displayed the abandonment of their past lives with transparency and humility through their words and actions. Why? Because the Lord had changed their hearts, they desired a new life in Christ and were putting away their sin. James tells us that we are to confess our sins to each other and pray for each other. Our proper understanding of these texts will help us to see the ongoing nature and importance of confessing our sins to one another in the Christian life. Which, in turn, is part of the larger emphasis in the New Testament on forgiving each other. As Jesus says, if your brother comes to you seven times a day asking for forgiveness, we are to forgive him. This involves us having an attitude that’s necessary to everything in the Christian life, and that is humility. The number one reason we struggle to confess our sins to one another is pride. We don’t want to admit we are wrong. We’ll confess our sins to God. We’ll privately tell God we have sinned against another, asking Him to forgive us. But are we then willing to go to that person and tell them we’ve sinned against them, being specific, saying what we’ve done wrong, and asking for their forgiveness? When it comes to the issue of confession, we need to forsake our pride and confess our sins in a way that reflects true humility. But there also needs to be that same kind of humility on the other side, where the person whom we have sinned against is really willing to forgive and release us from our debt. We must be willing to sacrifice pride by putting it on the altar, putting it to death in both our confession of sin to others and in forgiving others when they sin against us. Confession and accountability are vitally important to the Christian life. They begin at the moment of conversion and will continue throughout the Christian life.
Dr. Caldwell says that one of our temptations as believers is to make artificial, formal, or structured, in some cases, what God designed to be organic, natural, or familial. He doesn’t believe we need an accountability group. Instead, we need a life of accountability. Our connection to Christ, being in His body, the church, means we’re organically connected to other Christians. And many New Testament Scriptures teach us about the responsibility and accountability we have to one another. Therefore, we want to live our lives daily with an openness, transparency, and humility that allows a brother or sister to come to us when they see us living in a way that dishonors God and in ways that would destroy us. We want them to love us enough to do this when they see wrong things in our lives, and we also want that kind of openness with them. This is the kind of life that reflects biblical accountability. So, we don’t need an accountability group, says Dr. Caldwell. We need an accountability life.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Confession and Accountability appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Assisted Suicide: A Christian Take on Assisted Suicide" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
The Test of Hard Teaching - Parts 1 & 2
Instruction for Troubled Hearts
Really Loving Christ - Parts 1 & 2
The Joy of Salvation
A Plea, A Promise, and A Prayer
A Divine Argument for Drawing Near
Exhorted to Persevere
"Assisted Suicide: A Christian Take on Assisted Suicide " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyAssisted Suicide: A Christian Take on Assisted SuicideThis week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell to talk to us about Christians experiencing apathy, weariness, and just sort of feelings of despondency at times regarding the Christian walk and life. But why does this happen? What causes us to enter these periods of spiritual dryness? Sometimes, it might be of our own doing. Other times, it is that something has happened to us, yet other times, it’s just part of living in a fallen world. If, as Christians, we find ourselves experiencing these kinds of feelings, where things seem dark and lonely, where discouragement seems to be raining down on us, how do we climb out of it? Where do we go, and what do we do? How do we fix our troubled hearts? Join us to hear what Dr. Caldwell and Dr. Philpot share as they guide us to think and act biblically in all these ways when we experience perplexity in our souls.
Dr. Caldwell shares that we have all faced these things, and if we haven’t we will. What makes some of these times especially difficult is we have no rhyme or reason for them. When a believer experiences spiritual dryness and can point to sin they’re allowing in their life, the answer is they need to repent. The Bible says to repent and turn from sin, that times of refreshing will come from the Lord. But what if you’re unaware of any sin on your part, any sin you’re not confessing, and yet a dryness has settled in?
Dr. Caldwell reminds us that we're not encouraged to deal with what we can’t see and don’t know. We're called to deal with what we can see and what we do know. Too often, we can get caught up in spending too much time trying to figure out why there's this apathy instead of just dealing with the fact that it exists. Christians live by faith, not by sight or feelings. Feelings are fickle and totally untrustworthy. Our responsibility is to obey the Lord, step by step, moment by moment, day by day, no matter how we feel. Sometimes, our physical condition can weigh in on the dryness and weariness. Our physical issues can influence our minds and our attitudes. This is something we have to fight against. We need to seek the Lord, asking Him for help with our spiritual health and vibrancy, to not remain spiritually dry, and to help us take hold of all the means He has ordained for us to have that health and vibrancy. Therefore, we need to consider some things that might be contributing to our dry wilderness walk. What are we doing during this dry spell? Are we in the Word of God every day? Are we praying as we ought to be? Are we spending time with the Lord’s people? Are we being faithful to the Lord’s church? Are we isolating ourselves? Are we dealing with relational issues? Are we dealing with known sin in our lives? These are the primary means God has ordained for our spiritual well-being. God has not left us alone in the world. He has given us His Spirit, and He has granted us everything we need that pertains to life and godliness. To abandon or neglect our time in His Word, prayer, local church attendance/involvement, and confession of sin will not help us in our dryness; it is more likely that we will remain in this state for a long time.
Dr. Caldwell gives an example from Psalm 63 of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. David was tired, weary, and was experiencing great dryness. Yet his words reflect what he knew he needed and who alone could provide for those needs. Dr. Caldwell also went through a period of spiritual dryness for which there seemed to be no explanation for where several life circumstances may have been contributing factors. He explains that, like David, he knew he had nowhere to go. So Dr. Caldwell just took it to the Lord and spent time talking with God about it daily. He reminds us that only the Lord God can sustain our strength, and God promises He will do that. Our responsibility is to combat these things with our faith. We want to be aware of the environment in which we live, aware of our smallness and our own proneness to all sorts of factors that can affect us spiritually, in addition to not paying too much attention to our feelings. Instead, with sincere faith, we take hold of all the means God has ordained and provided for spiritual health and vibrancy. We must attack all the factors that make for spiritual dryness and do them faithfully. Dr. Caldwell says we don’t fake it; we faith it. We are to get up every day and be determined to live according to what the Scripture teaches, believing no matter how we feel. The Lord will sustain us internally, regulate our feelings, and strengthen us each day we walk in these spiritually dry times. The answer for the troubled heart is faith.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Overcoming Spiritual Dryness: Practical Steps for Christians appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Assisted Suicide: A Christian Take on Assisted Suicide" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesRelated sermons:
Qualities of Love - Not Selfish
Gray Hair & the Fear of God
The Fear of God
The Wonder of a Believer's Life
The Two Answers for Discouragement
Faith in the Face of Frustration
Facing Our Fear with Faith
The Gospel and Family Relationships
Piety and Family
"Assisted Suicide: A Christian Take on Assisted Suicide " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyAssisted Suicide: A Christian Take on Assisted SuicideNorth of the United States lies Canada, the second largest country in the world. In 2016, Canada passed a legal euthanasia law called Medical Assistance in Dying or MAiD, along with assisted suicide for those whose death was "foreseeable". Canadians who wish to die with medical assistance must have a serious and incurable illness or disability that’s in an advanced state of irreversible decline. However, the law in its current form excludes eligibility for those persons suffering solely from mental illness. That exclusion was set to expire this year but has been postponed until 2027. In the first year of the law’s enactment, approximately 1,018 Canadians died with medical assistance, according to Health Canada. Irrespective of the mental illness exclusion, nearly 45,000 Canadians have died with the help of medical assistance since 2016. But this isn’t only happening in Canada. We see and hear of euthanasia and assisted suicide taking place in other parts of the world as well, and this seems to be becoming more and more prevalent. How should Christians think about euthanasia and assisted suicide laws? What does the Bible say about pain, suffering, aging, and dying? How can the church best help people in these stages of their lives? How can we teach people about the value and dignity of human life even amid their great difficulties and struggles, whether they result from aging, illnesses, diseases, or disabilities? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot discuss these “dying with dignity” laws and what is ultimately at the root of them, as well as how Christians can help those in the church and those outside the church better understand the life that God gives us and what He intends for us as we live in this world.
Dr. Caldwell explains that these issues of death and dying come back to the very core of who man is and why he exists. A biblical worldview teaches us that God made us all and that we exist for His glory. It also teaches us that somewhere near the beginning of man’s existence, there was a fall, where sin against God resulted in death, dying, and the curse. Those of us who live with this worldview are not in the dark regarding what’s happening in our lives. As believers who have been saved, redeemed, and reconciled to God, we are now able to recognize these things and understand that even though we were born into the world as sinners, we exist for God’s glory, and in that purpose is found joy, meaning and purpose for our lives, even if difficulty permeates those lives. It doesn’t matter what we face, whatever we want to envision, whatever we encounter; we encounter that with God’s glory as our goal and God’s good pleasure as our chief ambition. Even if we are bedridden until our very last breath, it's an opportunity to glorify God in the midst of our circumstances.
So then, when it comes to an individual choosing to end their life, as we're speaking about euthanasia or assisted suicide, this exhibits a godless worldview that comes from the standpoint of despondency and despair. This worldview sees one’s purpose for existing as for their own good pleasure and own self-happiness. It reflects on the self, irrespective of others, not considering that they've been made in the image of God, nor that their life is meant to be lived for God’s glory and honor. The taking/ending of one’s own life is self-murder. That’s what suicide is. God is the giver of life. He numbered all our days before there was even one. To take one’s own life is to take hold of an authority that doesn’t belong to you; that belongs to God.
But as Christians holding to a biblical worldview, we think differently about life, the aging process, crippling diseases, disabilities, dying, and death. Every person is made in the image of God, and life has value just from the standpoint that God has made them. The Scriptures have assigned us roles related to every stage of life, whether we are parents, children, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, friends, or neighbors. As believers, we age as everyone else, but as we grow older, we grow in wisdom and life experiences. And, with the aged, there are deposits of inestimable treasure in terms of wisdom and life experience that they possess, no matter what their physical condition is, that the next generation is meant to tap into. That is why the book of Titus teaches that older men are to teach younger men and older women younger women. In the Scriptures, you don’t just see honor for the natural family. You also see honor for age in the religious community, in the family of God (e.g., Leviticus 19:32, Proverbs 20:29, 1 Timothy 5).
So, what we are talking about when we discuss what is happening in Canada and elsewhere is a clash of worldviews. The world’s worldview is godless. It’s pagan and doesn’t accept or respect God’s authority over humanity. This clash is going to exist until Jesus returns. As believers, it’s a simple thing for us to reject the worldview that doesn’t value human existence in the womb; that’s where it all begins. But if you don’t value life in the womb, you’re not going to value life out of the womb. It’s not at all surprising to us that a culture that would abort babies in the womb thinks little of killing older people and those who are disabled and dying of irreversible illnesses and diseases. That makes perfect sense. That's their worldview. But as Christians, we reject all that. As believers, we value life in the womb and to the grave. We're going to believe God and His commands about all the stages of human life and how we’re to relate to each of those stages. God has given us purpose and hope. We can live believing Him all the days He has numbered for us, even when the outer tents of our bodies are failing and our breaths are fleeting. We are going to live our lives knowing that life does not end here when we die. Our hope is in Christ and the resurrection to come when we will receive new bodies that are no longer subject to pain, aging, deterioration, sin, and death.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Assisted Suicide: A Christian Take on Assisted Suicide appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Surrogacy, Designer Babies, and God's Design for Family" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesFor some help in thinking through these complex issues of modern technologies as they relate to anthropology, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Caldwell:
Made in God's Image
Two Kinds of Wisdom Part 1
Two Kinds of Wisdom - Part 2
Powerful or Permissible
If The Lord Wills
"Surrogacy, Designer Babies, and God's Design for Family " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifySurrogacy, Designer Babies, and God's Design for FamilyThis week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot have a conversation that revolves around anthropology and ethical and moral concerns in the context of Christianity. They touch on current cultural issues related to human identity, gender distinctions, surrogacy, and artificial insemination or IVF. Other concerns raised include technological advancements in genetic manipulation, such as the increasing trend of requesting specific traits for babies, like eye and hair color, and the ethical implications of cloning and other technological advancements. As we think about Genesis 1, where God tells us we are made in His image, male and female, He has made us, how does this relate to all these things that deal with anthropology? How should Christians respond to these advancements? Should we be concerned?
Dr. Caldwell responds by acknowledging the complexity and importance of these issues. He emphasizes that Christians cannot ignore these developments and must grapple with them. Dr. Caldwell thinks through these things in the light of the Word of God and what he knows from the Word of God. He highlights that just because something is possible, we have the capacity and can do something, doesn’t mean we should. There are ethical and moral questions about all technological advancements, especially regarding the field of medicine as it relates to humans. Dr. Caldwell helps us to consider this by drawing a parallel to sin. He reminds us that every act of sin represents an ability that man has, but he is doing something he shouldn’t. Human beings have the ability to think things they shouldn’t and commit actions that they shouldn’t take. So just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
As believers, we must be concerned with God’s role versus our role as human beings. Dr. Caldwell underscores the importance of aligning our actions with God's design and intentions. We need to think about modern reproductive technologies, such as IVF, surrogacy, and genetic manipulation, and whether they align with God's natural design for family life. We should be concerned about the practice of creating "designer babies". We do not have the right to make such choices. God assigns these. The same can be said as it relates to homosexual “couples” paying for babies. This is not something that can happen according to nature. One hundred percent of the time, it is a woman who delivers a baby. One hundred percent of the time, it takes a male and a female to provide what is necessary for a baby to be conceived. Just because we have the capacity and ability to do something doesn’t make it right ethically or morally. We commit acts of sin when we overstep our bounds. And sin is transgression; it’s stepping over a line, doing something God has not assigned to us or allowed for us.
Also discussed are the broader implications of technological advancements and the ethical questions they raise. Dr. Caldwell points out that technology can lead to perceived gains that actually result in significant losses. A couple of ways we can see this is in the breakdown of family communication due to excessive screen time, and in the fracturing of families and the loss of lifelong connectivity due to increased mobility.
In conclusion, Dr. Caldwell advises that any action, particularly those involving the creation of life, should be examined to ensure it aligns with God's design and role for family life. He believes that some of these decisions will come down to issues of conscience, provided they do not involve playing God or making choices that belong to God. He urges believers to remain submissive to God's sovereignty and glory in all decisions, recognizing the pitfalls of human pride and the temptation to elevate oneself to God’s level.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Surrogacy, Designer Babies, and God’s Design for Family appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Balancing Faith and Truth in Interfaith Dialogue: A Christian Guide" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesIf you are interested in learning more about our role and responsibilities as Christians towards the culture, society, government, and authority, consider listening to these sermons by Pastor Richard Caldwell:
The Believer's Influence in the World
Congregational Commendation
A Christian Vision for Engaging the World - Parts 1 & 2
The Christian's Relationship to Governing Authorities
The Beautiful Life & Civil Authority
"Balancing Faith and Truth in Interfaith Dialogue: A Christian Guide " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyBalancing Faith and Truth in Interfaith Dialogue: A Christian GuideA recent commencement address at a Catholic university, given by Harrison Butker, a field goal kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, who is a Catholic himself, has stirred up quite a bit of controversy and discussion, apparently even amongst Catholics themselves. Much of what he said and shared was good and even right, and we can be thankful for his courage. But as Protestant Christians, who are Baptist by conviction, we wouldn’t, in our services, encourage or endorse any kind of interfaith dialogue with Catholics. That's because an eternal gap exists between our viewpoints regarding the Christian faith. But are there other spheres where Baptists and Catholics can come together and work towards common goals? Can we join forces to take a stand against the direction of the culture and politics? If we can, what principles should guide us? Are there things we need to be aware of that could appear as us compromising on our biblical beliefs? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philot converse about interfaith dialogue and discuss whether we can work together as those with common beliefs towards common goals, even though our religions and faiths differ.
Dr. Caldwell starts by reminding us that we have responsibilities as Christians in this life and how we relate to the culture. We are in this world and yet not of it. As we live in this world, we are to model and be examples of what the Bible teaches about being good and responsible citizens. We need to remember that we live in a world of unbelievers. Some of those unbelievers are religious. Some of that unbelieving religion will have a likeness to believing religion in certain tenets and concepts. Yet, it doesn’t mean that their religion is right. Because even when they’re right on something or some things, it’s still eternally misguided. So when it comes to joining arms with Roman Catholics or other religions to fight against the downward spiral of our culture and society, we need to be clear and not confuse people about our gospel distinctions. We cannot leave people with the impression that Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, etc., believe what we believe as evangelicals about the gospel; to do so is to do damage to the gospel.
Therefore, so that we are clear about the gospel and not possibly seen to be compromising it, we will eventually have to get down to the specifics and what we are being asked to do or not asked to do. And this will need to be at the forefront of our minds. As Christians, our number one reason for existing in this world supersedes politics and cultural issues. We exist here as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, and as gospel ambassadors. Our preeminent issue is to glorify God with our lives. Sin issues will always be present in this world until Jesus returns, so to attack something that’s culturally relevant at this time isn’t preeminent. It is the gospel that matters the most. So, in the name of addressing cultural and political issues, we don’t ever want to cloud or make our position on the gospel confusing.
It doesn’t mean there can’t be partnerships. As Dr. Caldwell already reminded us, we have responsibilities to be upstanding citizens. Coming up in November, our country will be voting. We’ll be participating in that along with fellow citizens who are Christians, non-Christians, and others with various religious positions. But we participate in the political process as Christian citizens. In the same sort of way, you can have cultural issues where there’s similar participation, but never in a way that clouds the gospel.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Balancing Faith and Truth in Interfaith Dialogue: A Christian Guide appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"When Facing Serious Marital Issues, is divorce an option?" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesMarriage, Divorce, and Remarriage - 2018 Series
"When Facing Serious Marital Issues, is divorce an option? " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyWhen Facing Serious Marital Issues, is divorce an option?In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot and Dr. Richard Caldwell tackle the sensitive topic of divorce in Christian marriages. Dr. Philpot begins by acknowledging that all marriages experience difficulties. Couples argue over seemingly insignificant things and grapple with feelings of drifting apart. They might even question if they married the wrong person altogether. Dr. Caldwell responds by emphasizing that the Bible never condones such thinking. Instead, Scripture calls Christians to live out their faith at home and rely on God's word during challenging times.
Dr. Philpot then shifts the conversation to the concept of love in marriage. He observes that the initial feelings of intense love may fade over time. However, Dr. Caldwell clarifies that true biblical love is a commitment, not a fleeting emotion. Rooted in sacrifice and devotion, this love is a command from God, not something dependent on our ever-changing feelings.
Next, Dr. Caldwell dives deeper into the concept of marriage, highlighting its significance as a covenant relationship between a husband and wife, witnessed by God himself. This covenant represents a lifelong commitment, obligating spouses to remain together through both joys and hardships. He challenges listeners to examine their own understanding of love, questioning if it aligns more with cultural trends or with the biblical perspective.
Dr. Philpot then steers the conversation towards the possibility of divorce within a Christian marriage. There's a common misconception that the Bible forbids divorce entirely. Dr. Caldwell clarifies this point, explaining that while God's ideal design for marriage is a lifelong union between one man and one woman, there are indeed biblical exceptions for divorce. However, he emphasizes that temporary feelings of unhappiness or disagreements with your spouse are not considered such exceptions. Dr. Caldwell sheds light on adultery and abandonment as reasons for divorce permitted by the Bible, but underscores the importance of pursuing forgiveness and reconciliation whenever possible.
The episode concludes with Dr. Caldwell offering guidance to those contemplating divorce due to serious marital issues. He urges them to seek wisdom from God's word. Divorce is a weighty decision that should never be taken lightly, and reconciliation should always be the primary objective. Dr. Caldwell reminds listeners that the ultimate standard for marriage is not found in cultural trends, but in the unwavering commitment we make to God and to our spouse.
For Further Study
Dr. Caldwell encourages listeners to explore his sermon series on marriage, divorce, and remarriage available on the SermonAudio website. These resources provide in-depth exploration of these complex topics and offer a biblical perspective on building a strong and lasting marriage.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post When Facing Serious Marital Issues, is divorce an option? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
“How Should Christians Vote? | Trump-Stormy Scandal, Violent Protests, and Workplace Pressures” | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube Channel
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Related MessagesThe Believer & The World
The Christian’s Relationship to Governing Authorities
One Ambition: To Please Christ
Prepared for Persecution – Parts 1 & 2
The Test of Hard Teaching – Parts 1 & 2
God’s Controversy With His People
What God Delights In
“How Should Christians Vote? | Trump-Stormy Scandal, Violent Protests, and Workplace Pressures ” | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On Vimeo
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How Should Christians Vote? | Trump-Stormy Scandal, Violent Protests, and Workplace PressuresAs Christians, we need to be saturated with the Scriptures, forming our worldview based on them. We must then apply that biblical worldview to everything we choose and do in life as citizens of earthly nations, countries, and states where we live. This includes, and shouldn’t have to be mentioned, how we think about ethics and morals. They impact how we vote, what we should consider that disqualifies a person from serving in public office, how we choose to react to perceived injustices, how we respond to those in authority over us and more. Join us and listen in this week to the Straight Truth Podcast. We’ve compiled a few episodes in which Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot will help us think through our responsibilities as heavenly citizens and yet earthly citizens awaiting the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Questions answered in the episode cover what we can do, what we can’t do, what we shouldn’t do, what we should do, how we should do it, and when we should do it.
Dr. Caldwell says as Christians, we are facing some monumental issues in the days in which we live. To identify ourselves with any particular party, institution, or group isn’t the ultimate issue for us. We want to look at all things and examine our choices through the lens of Scripture. We need to ask ourselves some questions. Like, what does God say about this in His Word? How should we respond? What can we do?
We aren’t revolutionaries, we don’t live in a theocracy, and we aren’t the Old Testament biblical nation of Israel. We are New Testament Christians, citizens of heaven, yet citizens of earthly countries or nations. As citizens of the countries or nations where we live, we want to use our influence on behalf of the culture to represent the best atmosphere for generations to come. We want to examine every issue and choice this way. Unfortunately, says Dr. Caldwell, we live in a time of high confidence and low competent people. People are impressed with themselves and their opinions. Even when we speak to their lack of understanding, and they refuse to hear the truth, we have to go on speaking it in love and walking faithfully according to the Word of God. There is a great lack of respect for biblical wisdom and experience with God. People mistakenly take us for grumpy old men who tell them to get off our lawns. That’s not who we are, and we certainly don’t know everything; we will need to pray for humility in ourselves and others we disagree with.
This leads to how we ought to think and respond to those who lead us. Here, we are primarily thinking about local, state, and national, including the President of the United States, where we live. Dr. Caldwell says it is good to have others who can help us think through some of the issues regarding how we vote, choosing those who will govern over us, and the laws they aim to pass. We all ought to have a local church that we are members of where we can go to the pastor and elders to help us do this. There are numerous categories and ways that we need to think through things. But at the end of the day, we need to remember that we do not live in a Christian nation. We need to pray for wisdom and discernment to make good and wise choices, trusting and leaving the outcome to our God.
What do we do when we don’t like the outcome and our nation is suffering the fruit of rejecting God and His good law? Dr. Caldwell says this never gives us the right to rebel with violence. While we are citizens of our countries and nations as Christians, we are first and foremost citizens of heaven. We need to be characterized by respect even when we don’t respect those holding specific offices over us. An excellent example for us is the Apostles and the world of the New Testament. We do not read of the Apostles marching, demonstrating, and protesting against their leaders and oppressive government. They didn’t use language full of venom, hatred, bitterness, cursing, and profanity, seeking to attack those in authority. Some seek to use Jesus’ cleansing of the temple as an example to make the case to rise in rebellion, to stir up strife and chaos, but this is entirely wrong-headed. Instead, we are to model heavenly citizenship as we live out our lives as citizens on the earth. Our one ambition, whether in life or death, is to be well pleasing to our Lord and Savior.
So then, what do we do when the government and the culture around us are wrong? How do we lovingly push back against the things that are immoral and unjust? Dr. Caldwell reminds us that Scripture says to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. We are submitted to the authority of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We cannot be cowardly. We must stand firm and not deny what we have come to see and believe. We cannot and will not go along with the madness. We might be able to endure in our workplaces, etc., for a time, but what we cannot do is lie. We must represent Christ with conviction, the fruit of faith, and submission to the truth we know to be true. Christians can be involved in pushback against wrong thinking, wrong beliefs, wrong ideologies, etc., but there is a time and a place for doing this. We have spheres of authority, responsibilities, and influence. And in each of those various spheres, we want to be careful to be faithful according to the Scriptures. Lastly, we must never forget that when we speak out, it isn’t moral reformation that the culture and this world need but spiritual transformation, the transformation of their very nature.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly Atchison
“How to Suffer According to God’s Will” | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube Channel
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Related MessagesFor further thought on this, consider listening to the following sermons:
Armed for Suffering
Joy in the Midst of Suffering
Our Hope in Suffering
Christ’s Suffering & Ours
Joy in Our Sufferings
“How to Suffer According to God’s Will ” | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On Vimeo
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How to Suffer According to God’s WillSuffering is a part of life in this fallen world; we will all be exposed to some kind of suffering during our lifetime. The difficulties and hardships will vary from person to person, but we all will suffer. But no matter what pains and sorrows come into our lives as Christians, how we respond and deal with them matters greatly. 1 Peter 4:19 says, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. No one wants to suffer, no one seeks after suffering, and we all avoid it as much as it’s up to us, but here in 1 Peter 4, it speaks of suffering for the will of God. How do we suffer in accord with God’s will as we struggle with pain, sorrow, anguish, grief, and all the rest? Is there a way to do this that is joyful and God-honoring, as we entrust ourselves to God for the outcome, seeking to remain faithful through it all? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot discuss Christian suffering, pointing us to the One who made us and reminding us to look to Him so that we would know a kind of joy and peace through our sufferings that the world cannot know.
Dr. Caldwell begins by pointing us to what Peter says in this verse. First, we need to know that suffering and the will of God are not combatants. Suffering belongs, in many cases, to doing the will of God. So right there, wherever you are, whatever you’re facing is where God wants you to be. Knowing then that I can suffer in the will of God will involve trusting God in that suffering. Because, inevitably, there are escape hatches; there are ways out of that suffering. You can get out, but you won’t get out in the will of God. You’ll get out by violating His will, by choosing sin over suffering. We have to trust Him in the midst of it and go on entrusting ourselves to Him through it. The next part of the verse speaks of whom we are entrusting ourselves; a faithful Creator. God, whom we are trusting, is the Creator who made everything. He is the sustainer of everything and controls everything. We’ve no reason to fear in our suffering. We can trust Him every step of the way because He is Sovereign over all things. He is faithful and lacks no power when it comes to that faithfulness. There will not be a time or place where God wishes He could do something for us in our suffering but finds Himself unable to do so. He will supply all that we need in it and through it, to the outcome and end that He has for it. And this gets us to the next part of the verse, where Peter says while doing good. How on earth do we do that? Often in the difficulties of our sufferings, we feel as if we are helpless and can’t do anything. But the answer is you can; you can do good right in the midst of that hardship. You can choose the things God has set forth in His word that honor Him. In every situation, no matter the indirect means used that the suffering comes into our lives, the believer has the power of obedient living, the power and ability to do good.
Dr. Caldwell reminds us that suffering is a part of the Christian life, it’s part of walking in the will of God. We are to endure it in the realm of trust. That trust extends to the very character of our God, His sovereignty, nature, attributes, and power. He will make use of our simple obedience to accomplish His ends. And the ultimate end for all that God has made, and all that God does is His glory. We can glorify Him in our suffering by a trusting believing life of faith works. In this way, we will find our hearts satisfied and God glorified.
Dr. Philpot mentions that even in this same chapter, Peter tells believers not to be surprised when these fiery trials come as though something strange were happening to them. Rather, he exhorts them to rejoice insofar as they share in Christ’s sufferings and be glad when His glory is revealed. So then there is a sense of joy in the fact that you are partaking in this sharing and can look forward to a time when His glory is revealed. Dr. Caldwell affirms that God’s work is displayed in us as a sustaining force for our joy, even as we undergo sorrowful circumstances. But even here, we need to know that there will be well-meaning people all around us who try to point us to the way out, even offering ways to exit our hardships. But we need to have a perspective that is larger than that. We have to hold firm to the Scriptures and remember passages like 1 Peter 4, knowing what the Bible teaches about these things, and embrace the suffering, even when there is a way out. We have to pray like our Savior did in the garden, not as I will, but as You will. And remember that we are right where God has planned for us to be, and we can trust Him in that.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly Atchison
“How to Increase Your Bible Knowledge” | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube Channel
Support Our Podcast
Join Our Mailing List
Watch Us On Rumble
Related MessagesFor further thought on this, consider listening to the following sermons:
The Aim of Christian Exhortation
The Word of God and Us
The Believer’s Relationship to Scripture
Preparing to Receive the Word
Prizing the Power of Scripture
A Doer of God’s Word
The Outcome of Our Approach to God’s Word
Encountering God’s Word
The Sufficiency of Scripture – Speaking the Truth in Love Conference 2018
The Priority of Preaching – Speaking the Truth in Love Conference 2020
“How to Increase Your Bible Knowledge ” | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On Vimeo
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How to Increase Your Bible KnowledgeThe Bible is more accessible today than in generations past. We can read it in printed book form, digitally on our computers, phones, tablets, etc. We even have apps that will read it to us. But just because we have all this access in these various forms and ways, it doesn’t mean that people are actually reading the Bible and understanding it. Based on the current state of evangelical churches and numerous studies and polls, access to the Bible appears to have outpaced Christians reading it and growing in biblical knowledge. Biblical literacy has fallen by the wayside and is suffering greatly. Biblical literacy involves a deep awareness of the meaning of what’s in the Bible. It’s not just knowing its contents and facts, but the ability to read and understand the Bible rightly from Genesis to Revelation, able to explain what holds it together from beginning to end – what is the grand narrative. Many Christians who have gone to church their whole lives don’t have a solid grounding in the Scriptures. That lack of knowledge is now being passed down from generation to generation. Why is this so important, and what can we do about it? How can we actively encourage good Bible literacy? This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell if he would recommend some strategies or principles for Christians that will improve their biblical literacy. He also asks how parents can best help their children, teens, and young adults with this issue.
Dr. Caldwell says the importance of it is easy to demonstrate. The Scriptures themselves exhort us to know the Scriptures. The example of our Savior exhorts us to know the Scriptures. We see this modeled throughout the entirety of His life. Even the New Testament itself is a model of the knowledge of Scripture because so much of the New Testament Scriptures references the Old Testament; we see how the writers model their mastery of the Scriptures.
So then, how do we do that? How do we get to know the Bible better? The easiest answer, and the one that people really need to hear, is to read it, just read it. There’s a lot of talk that goes on today in our culture about education. But we find more people in our day not just illiterate concerning the Scriptures, but in reading in general. People just don’t read much at all. When it comes to the Bible, you have to know that no video, movie, or even a series on or about the Bible can help you know it better. People will have to overcome their lack of reading, in general, to discipline themselves to pick up and read the Bible.
Dr. Caldwell suggests some practical ways to increase our Bible reading, whether we are a morning person or a night person. Ideally, he says we should aim for reading both morning and evening, allowing for it to be the first thing we encounter in the morning and the last thing on our minds as we go to sleep. We want it to be with us throughout the day, wherever we go, whatever we do, shaping, forming, and informing us in our choices and how we view the world. Another great way to take in the Scriptures is through listening to them as we drive to and from our destinations and as we do our work around our homes.
Additionally, God has ordained that we be taught and learn the Scriptures through His church. Being a good sermon listener is another way we will be able to get to know the Bible better. Dr. Caldwell recommends a book by pastor-teacher Ken Ramey, titled Expository Listening, that will help guide Christians to become better listeners. He tells us that a good part of reading and listening is to always remind ourselves of what we are reading and listening to – this is the Word of God. We want to have a reverence for what we are hearing. The Bible reminds us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. We want to be ready listeners, teachable, and slow to speak against what we are hearing. We don’t want to be put off when the Word of God confronts our lives. We want to be submissive, not angered and argue against it, but be willing to examine ourselves by what has been said and heard.
Dr. Caldwell believes we need to be good conversationalists with it as well. What this means then, if we are going to live our lives out of the Scriptures, we need to evaluate our lives from the vantage point of the Scriptures by what we come into contact with every day by asking ourselves, how does this relate to the Word of God? A good and helpful way to start doing that is to read the book of Proverbs, which is given to us for wisdom development. Dr. Caldwell offers other good suggestions along this line, as well. He even recommends we talk and converse with fellow believers regarding our understanding and how we apply the Scriptures.
Our knowledge of Scripture is developed by reading it, hearing it, thinking in terms of it, talking about it, and walking in it. And this gets to how we help children, teenagers, and young adults to grow in biblical literacy. Dr. Caldwell shares that we find all this embodied in Deuteronomy 6, which he shares a portion of. He explains from this passage there is something objective given here that is outside of us, a standard of truth that God has given us. God gives this revelation that we are to take and teach diligently to our children from the moment they rise in the morning until they lie down at night, faithfully passing on this objective standard of truth. Wherever we go with them and whatever we do with them throughout the entire day, the whole world becomes the schoolhouse. It’s an immersive kind of way where the Word of God is our companion, walking through every realm of life, every day of life from morning to night; this is how we learn, and this is how we teach it. It will be the same for our children as we live with them and walk through life together. The Bible becomes our food, drink, and worldview, and that’s how we learn the Scriptures.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly Atchison
"Does Faith Alone Save? Faith vs Works" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesFor further thought on this, consider listening to the following sermons:
The True Gospel
The Way to Righteousness God Will Receive
Through Faith in Jesus Christ
The New Creation & New Life
Faith that Saves - Part 1 & 2
Real Root, Real Fruit
The Day of Separation - Parts 1 & 2
"Does Faith Alone Save? Faith vs Works " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyDoes Faith Alone Save? Faith vs WorksThis week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Caldwell to discuss the relationship between faith and works in the New Testament. There are numerous texts where Paul speaks about justification by faith alone. But then there is James, who writes and says a person is justified by works and not by faith alone, using the same word Paul uses elsewhere in his writings. This presents a complicated situation for interpreters of Scripture, even mature interpreters. How is this not contradictory? How do we work these two things out? How do we understand the relationship between faith and works as they are put forth in the New Testament?
Dr. Caldwell says the answer is we must hear the words of these biblical writers as they are used in their context. Context is the key because the writers can use the identically same words but with slightly different meanings depending on the context. When we think about justification, being declared righteous, it has to do with being justified before God. The very moment when one believes in Jesus as the Son of God, as Lord and Savior, they are declared right with God on the finished work of God’s Son. At the very moment of genuine faith, God imputes Christ’s righteousness to our account on faith alone. Our justification is by faith alone and not based on our works but based on Christ’s finished work. What James is speaking about is something different. He speaks of being declared righteous before men.
So then, let's consider some questions. How does the world know that I’ve been accepted by God, that my sins are forgiven, the righteousness of Christ is now really mine? How does the world know I’m really one of God’s children? The answer is not just based on my faith alone. That is, upon my profession or declaration of faith alone. James speaks of the faith of demons, the realm of the dead, who believe and tremble. So it’s not just by a mere profession of faith that the world knows God has done this in my life. It’s by my works as well. Saving faith is never alone. Genuine saving faith reveals itself in works; it explains our works. But our works don’t supplement our faith; they demonstrate it. They're the practical evidence that the faith we declare is real. True saving faith results in that which is tangible, observable, and lived out in our lives, not just spoken of with our mouths. It always exhibits itself and produces something by virtue of its presence. What saving faith produces is the good works that God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in. This is Paul’s message of Ephesians 2:8-10, which brings together these two ideas of beings saved by faith alone in the finished work of God’s Son, being made new through regeneration, new creatures, and the resulting good works that we WILL walk in. Just as God prepared beforehand our salvation and reconciliation to Him, He also prepared beforehand the good works we would walk in. Justification by faith alone is never divorced from justification by faith and works. Justification before God always results in justification before men, which is able to be witnessed in the good works God prepared beforehand for us to walk in.
That is how we bring these two ideas regarding justification from Paul and James together. They aren’t contradictory at all but rather complementary. Paul reiterates through numerous texts that we are saved by faith in the finished work of Christ alone. James says a declaration of saving faith without works is merely intellectual assent, and it’s not faith at all because even the demons have this kind of faith and shudder. The contrast is between a living faith and a dead faith, a faith existing in the realm of the dead, the faith of demons, compared to a living faith that reflects salvation and exhibits itself in good works. Dr. Philpot points out that James helps us better understand this in the context of his writing by providing examples in the remaining verses of James chapter 2.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Does Faith Alone Save? Faith vs Works appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Christian Liberty: What it is and what it isn’t" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesFor further thought on this, consider listening to the following sermons:
Considering Others
The Value of Your Soul
The Lives We Are Urged to Live
Christian Parenting
A Generational Plan for Discipleship
Truth in Human Relationships
"Christian Liberty: What it is and what it isn’t " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyChristian Liberty: What it is and what it isn’tChristian liberty flows out of our Christian freedom, which comes from being set free in Christ. In Christ, we've been liberated, and that liberty/freedom is given to us to serve Him and others, not to indulge in our personal preferences. Many things fall into the realm of Christian liberty. Some modern-day issues concerning Christian liberty include the drinking of alcohol, smoking, education of children, music choices, media choices, etc. What are the principles in the New Testament that guide us in understanding what Christians are free to do and those that we are not? How should we interact with other Christians who disagree with us in terms of what Christians are free to do? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast to hear the conversation between Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot regarding Christian liberties and how our love for God and others should be the ruling principle for our decisions concerning our freedoms of choice.
Dr. Caldwell says we first begin with determining what belongs to the realm of liberty. Anything the Bible doesn’t expressly forbid is one way to think about it. He expands on that, saying we also need to consider things forbidden by Scripture in principle. For example, the Bible does not expressly forbid the smoking of marijuana. However, the Bible expressly condemns drunkenness/inebriation; being under the influence of some substance. Here now is a principle for how to think about smoking anything, not just marijuana. If our desires are right and our hearts are in the right place, we want to honor the Lord in how we think about these things, which, in turn, will affect how we choose concerning them. So it’s not just asking what can we do, but what should we do. So this is another way the New Testament would direct us.
The principle that rules over our Christian liberties is love. It is love for God and love for others. It's in this realm in which we operate and exercise our freedoms. Within this realm, we also need to remember the Apostle Paul says just because all things are lawful for him, not all things are helpful. Some things may not be the most profitable choice. It may not be the best for us, which extends to our love for God and whether the choice will benefit us. Is it going to be the most helpful in our relationship with Him and our relationships with others? Is it going to be beneficial and edifying? Is it the wisest choice we can make? So, we want to ask ourselves these questions and use these same questions when talking with other Christians about the realm of liberties.
Dr. Philpot tells us that the classic case discussed regarding Christian liberty is the Apostle Paul’s discussion regarding food sacrificed to idols. What is going on in these passages, what does Paul mean, and what conclusions does he come to regarding these things? And then, how do they relate to our modern-day questions about Christian liberties?
Dr. Caldwell gives us a brief exposition of Paul’s discussions on idols, food sacrificed to them, and whether Christians can or cannot eat that food. These discussions are found in 1 Corinthians 8-10 and Romans 14. The issues involve Christian growth and maturity, freedom of conscience, and weak faith versus strong faith. Those with a strong faith or conscience are those who are rightly informed about the food sacrificed and about the idols as well. Those who are weak in faith or conscience are those who have not grown in their maturity and understanding of these things yet. Paul's argument and conclusions are that we don’t flaunt our freedom and liberties in these situations. Instead, we are to let love rule over them. We must never encourage each other to violate our consciences. Often, our consciences are misinformed. We can feel guilty over things we shouldn’t, but we can also feel free over things we shouldn’t. The conscience can be rightly informed, and we can grow in maturity and understanding our freedoms, but we never want to violate the conscience.
Dr. Caldwell provides an example of how to inform our consciences regarding drinking alcohol. The Bible doesn’t say that drinking alcohol is a sin, but it does say drunkenness is a sin. Most people understand this and take no issue with the direct clarity. However, most people then don’t see the need to discuss the topic further, let alone consider what was taking place in the first-century world, not even wanting to hear the Scriptures in their historical context. They just want to say drinking is not a sin; therefore, I am free to drink. So he asks us, when it comes to all the issues of freedom and liberty, are we willing to really examine the matter and study the issues? Do we want to justify our behavior and choices, or do we want to do what’s most pleasing to God? Is love for God and others ruling over our choices; is it our aim to please the Lord? Are we mindful of stumbling blocks that we can set before others? Are we concerned about the spiritual well-being of others?
So, while many of these so-called freedoms or liberties may not be expressly prohibited or forbidden by God’s Word, they can be detrimental to our spiritual growth and Christian testimony and may even cause other Christians to stumble. Our aim as Christians should be to glorify God in whatever we do, edify and build up fellow believers, and be honorable in our conduct before outsiders. As Paul says in Galatians 5:13, we have been called to freedom, but we are not to use our freedom as an opportunity for the flesh to please ourselves. But through love, we are to serve one another.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Christian Liberty: What it is and what it isn’t appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Should my kids be involved in sports on Sundays?" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesFor further thought on this, consider listening to the following sermons:
Considering Others
The Value of Your Soul
The Lives We Are Urged to Live
Christian Parenting
A Generational Plan for Discipleship
Truth in Human Relationships
"Should my kids be involved in sports on Sundays? " | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyShould my kids be involved in sports on Sundays?As Christians, should our entire life revolve around our church and the activities there? Or can we have some even-keeled balance where we regularly attend church yet can also participate in outside activities like sports teams, dance, gymnastics, horseback riding, playing a musical instrument, singing in a choir, etc.? How should Christians balance their family life with all the extracurricular activities available to them and their children? There are so many extracurricular things to choose from. It’s easy to get caught up in the fun of participating and being a part of these activities outside the church. And in and of themselves, they aren't all bad. But it does seem that these things can also distract us, becoming our all-out pursuit for many reasons. Can families participate in these extracurricular activities and enjoy them, even encouraging their children in these pursuits, without it becoming a sin issue?
Dr. Caldwell says that these pursuits become sinful when we ignore the clear mandates of Scripture. When it comes to matters of liberty, in the realm of matters of judgment, you always begin with the things that are non-negotiable and fixed then, you move from those things out to other questions. What we see fixed in the Scriptures is the regular gathering of God’s people on the Lord’s Day for worship, being exhorted in the book of Hebrews not to forsake our assembling together. So when the church gathers, we should be there, and this should be the clear pattern of any believer, whether it’s two or even three times a week. However, there will be the occasional things that take us away here or there, like a trip or vacation. But the clear pattern of our life should be faithfulness to the Lord’s church whenever it gathers corporately. This is a non-negotiable, a clear standard we can begin with when thinking about extracurriculars. Beyond this, we will still need to think about our values. What’s most important to us, what’s most important to us when it comes to our children? The answer to that, according to Scripture, should be our souls and theirs. When it comes to our children, there should be nothing more important to us than their spiritual well-being. At any point where any extracurricular activity begins to be more important than the spiritual well-being of the soul, something is drastically out of order. Dr. Caldwell shares a passage from Third John, where the Apostle John expresses that he finds no greater joy than to hear that his children are walking in the truth. John is speaking in this particular passage of his spiritual son Gaius. Dr. Caldwell says if this is true of John with a spiritual child, that should be true of us as parents when we think of our children. So, we want to make sure we aren’t violating the non-negotiables. We need to ask ourselves some questions. Are we missing corporate gatherings? Are we there for corporate gatherings but maybe pursuing these other things in a way that is becoming unhealthy for our children spiritually? What does our family time look like? Are we busy running our kids all over the place for these activities? Do we and they have time for extended family and friends outside of these activities? Does all the time these activities take seem to intrude upon what makes for spiritual health in the lives of our children? These are real problems we need to consider, even if we are faithfully gathering with the church.
Another thing Dr. Caldwell would ask us to consider is temporal things versus eternal things. For many, it may be the belief that if we don’t get our kids involved in these extra things, then they’re missing out. Maybe it’s the belief that somehow, they're going to achieve something by participating in them. That achievement desire could be for our child to be a high school all-star athlete, earn a college scholarship, maybe for them to become a professional football, baseball, or basketball player, or even an Olympian someday. But as Dr. Caldwell reminds us, temporal desires rarely come true even after you’ve pursued all those things. Rarely do they come to pass. In addition, even if your children get those things, and they have suffered spiritually as a result of those pursuits, then you, as a true believer, will be tragically saddened and disappointed by the ultimate outcome of that achievement. We usually cannot see these things ourselves as most of us aren’t self-actualizers, being able to judge situations correctly and honestly. Usually, it takes others to point out the potential dangers of the unhealthiness of our pursuits. This is because these aspirations in our hearts are so temporally driven. We’ve lost sight of the eternal. Our focus is on the temporal, which is not how we're meant to live. So even if we or our children achieve that level of becoming a professional, whether it’s a professional athlete, violinist, opera singer, or racecar driver, and we've only invested in the temporal, having ignored the eternal, we’ll be impoverished for it. We need to remember what matters and what's going to last forever. When we do this, we can put all these extracurriculars in their proper place. If we end up achieving something, and we went about it the right way, there can be joy in that. But if we end up achieving something and we've gone about it the wrong way, there will be a great sense of sadness and loss.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 28 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Should my kids be involved in sports on Sundays? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Is The Sunday Service For Evangelism?" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesFor further thought on this, consider listening to the following sermons:
Considering Others
Gifts for Maturity & Unity
The Need for Maturity
Through Faith in Jesus Christ
A Godly Reading of the Golden Rule
Encountering God's Word
The Worship of the Church: Parts 1-8
"Is The Sunday Service For Evangelism?" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyIs The Sunday Service For Evangelism?On our last episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot discussed the words cessationism versus continuationism. Dr. Caldwell defined what these terms mean in their association with spiritual gifts. He also explained the different kinds of groupings within the gifts and what trajectory he sees the New Testament Scriptures to take regarding the group of sign gifts. Dr. Philpot believes there is more we need to know and think about regarding the continuation movement. He asks Dr. Caldwell what might be the motivating factors behind those who believe in charismatic theology and the continuation of gifts. What is behind the desire to have these sign gifts, and what drives the hype? Is there danger involved with not understanding these things correctly? How can Christians really know whether one way is right and the other is not?
As Dr. Caldwell explained in the last episode, the main thrust of the argument by continuationists is they see no verse or text of Scripture that completely rules out the operation of these gifts. Dr. Caldwell reminds us that he disagrees with their reading of Scripture on this topic. However, he also sees other possible motivations behind those who want to believe these gifts are still operational. One is the desire to not miss out on something God would have for us. In their reading of the Scriptures, they see an experience described that they haven’t experienced. For example, what they see in the Book of Acts and then wanting to repeat it. But this is a misunderstanding of a verse, verses, or even whole passages of Scripture that are descriptive and not prescriptive. The difference is important. Wrong interpretation can lead to wrong thinking and wrong behavior. We don’t need something more. If we have Christ, we have everything that we need, everything God wants us to have. Another element of that is that we have the completed canon of Scripture. There is nothing that we need to know that God wants us to know that we don’t already have in His Word. We have an all-sufficient word.
Secondly, Dr. Caldwell thinks some believe that some of these gifts would be really effective for evangelism. Behind this thinking is the belief that the purpose of these gifts was for evangelism. But that really wasn’t ever their purpose. The Scriptures are instructive when it comes to this in that they tell us that if the Word of God isn’t enough to convince someone of the truth, then there wouldn’t be any miracle ever performed that would ever convince them. Dr. Caldwell shares two passages of Scripture that help us see the truth of this. The passages he discusses are from Matthew 26 and Luke 16. He reminds us we have the Old and New Testaments, a complete Bible that instructs us in all things pertaining to life and godliness in the knowledge of Christ. We do not lack a single thing. We do not need something more, no power display for evangelism, nothing miraculous to help us overcome sin issues or anything like that. We have everything we need in Christ and the Word of God.
The danger involved when someone embraces charismatic theology and believes in the continuation of specific gifts is that they end up refusing the sufficiency that is already theirs in Christ and the Scriptures. They end up looking to some other realm for some other answer than what is already theirs. Additionally, there is inevitably going to be a lack of discernment. When we aren’t satisfied with what we are meant to be satisfied with, and we're open to things that no longer exist, we will embrace and express ourselves in ways that are contrary, even counterfeit, to how the Word of God instructs us. And this is what we often see that goes on within the continuationism movement. Dr. Caldwell tells us these things can be explained in one of three ways: it's a fleshly expression, a satanic expression, or it’s purely human and psychological – a sort of learned behavior from something a person has witnessed and desires to emulate.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 27 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Is The Sunday Service For Evangelism? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Miraculous Gifts Today | Debating Cessationism vs. Continuationism Pt. 2" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesFor further thought on this, consider listening to the following sermons:
Betrayal - Parts 1 & 2
The Reality of Everlasting Damnation
God's Plan for His People
The Sufficiency of Scripture - 8, 2018 Conference Messages
"Miraculous Gifts Today | Debating Cessationism vs. Continuationism Pt. 2" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyMiraculous Gifts Today | Debating Cessationism vs. Continuationism Pt. 2On our last episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot discussed the words cessationism versus continuationism. Dr. Caldwell defined what these terms mean in their association with spiritual gifts. He also explained the different kinds of groupings within the gifts and what trajectory he sees the New Testament Scriptures to take regarding the group of sign gifts. Dr. Philpot believes there is more we need to know and think about regarding the continuation movement. He asks Dr. Caldwell what might be the motivating factors behind those who believe in charismatic theology and the continuation of gifts. What is behind the desire to have these sign gifts, and what drives the hype? Is there danger involved with not understanding these things correctly? How can Christians really know whether one way is right and the other is not?
As Dr. Caldwell explained in the last episode, the main thrust of the argument by continuationists is they see no verse or text of Scripture that completely rules out the operation of these gifts. Dr. Caldwell reminds us that he disagrees with their reading of Scripture on this topic. However, he also sees other possible motivations behind those who want to believe these gifts are still operational. One is the desire to not miss out on something God would have for us. In their reading of the Scriptures, they see an experience described that they haven’t experienced. For example, what they see in the Book of Acts and then wanting to repeat it. But this is a misunderstanding of a verse, verses, or even whole passages of Scripture that are descriptive and not prescriptive. The difference is important. Wrong interpretation can lead to wrong thinking and wrong behavior. We don’t need something more. If we have Christ, we have everything that we need, everything God wants us to have. Another element of that is that we have the completed canon of Scripture. There is nothing that we need to know that God wants us to know that we don’t already have in His Word. We have an all-sufficient word.
Secondly, Dr. Caldwell thinks some believe that some of these gifts would be really effective for evangelism. Behind this thinking is the belief that the purpose of these gifts was for evangelism. But that really wasn’t ever their purpose. The Scriptures are instructive when it comes to this in that they tell us that if the Word of God isn’t enough to convince someone of the truth, then there wouldn’t be any miracle ever performed that would ever convince them. Dr. Caldwell shares two passages of Scripture that help us see the truth of this. The passages he discusses are from Matthew 26 and Luke 16. He reminds us we have the Old and New Testaments, a complete Bible that instructs us in all things pertaining to life and godliness in the knowledge of Christ. We do not lack a single thing. We do not need something more, no power display for evangelism, nothing miraculous to help us overcome sin issues or anything like that. We have everything we need in Christ and the Word of God.
The danger involved when someone embraces charismatic theology and believes in the continuation of specific gifts is that they end up refusing the sufficiency that is already theirs in Christ and the Scriptures. They end up looking to some other realm for some other answer than what is already theirs. Additionally, there is inevitably going to be a lack of discernment. When we aren’t satisfied with what we are meant to be satisfied with, and we're open to things that no longer exist, we will embrace and express ourselves in ways that are contrary, even counterfeit, to how the Word of God instructs us. And this is what we often see that goes on within the continuationism movement. Dr. Caldwell tells us these things can be explained in one of three ways: it's a fleshly expression, a satanic expression, or it’s purely human and psychological – a sort of learned behavior from something a person has witnessed and desires to emulate.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 27 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Miraculous Gifts Today | Debating Cessationism vs. Continuationism Pt. 2 appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Miraculous Gifts Today | Debating Cessationism vs. Continuationism Pt. 1" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesFor further thought on this, consider listening to the following sermons:
Cessationism Demonstrated & Defended - Parts 1 & 2
Variety But Unity - Parts 1 & 2
The Gift of Prophecy - Parts 1, 2 & 3
God's Holy Word
From Partial to Perfect
"Miraculous Gifts Today | Debating Cessationism vs. Continuationism Pt. 1" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyMiraculous Gifts Today | Debating Cessationism vs. Continuationism Pt. 1This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot wants to talk with Dr. Richard Caldwell about a couple of words he refers to as $5 words. These words he refers to are cessationism and continuationism. But what do these words mean? In these words, we find root words that mean to cease and to continue. But biblically speaking, what are we talking about when these words are used? When someone uses these words, it's meant to describe a theological position. The position involves a disagreement among Christians as to whether spiritual gifts remain operational within the church or whether the operation of spiritual gifts ceased with the Apostolic Age or sometime shortly afterward. Would you like to learn more about this? Join us and listen in as Dr. Caldwell and Dr. Philpot seek to help us better understand this terminology used to describe what Christians believe the Bible teaches regarding the ceasing and continuing operation of spiritual gifts.
To start us off, Dr. Caldwell provides some helpful clarification. When he talks about cessationism, it’s really only about one category of spiritual gifts. Dr. Caldwell does not use this word to imply that none of the spiritual gifts function today. He sees the New Testament as categorizing spiritual gifts into two different groups. One group consists of the apostolic sign gifts that would be temporary. The other group is edifying gifts meant to be permanent for the church and are further categorized into speaking and serving gifts. So what he says, as a cessationist, is that this one category of gifts being chiefly associated with the Apostles belonged to the Apostolic Era as significant signs, and they are no longer functioning today. But, a continuationist would say no, all of the gifts are still in operation, including those of a miraculous nature, otherwise known as the sign gifts, associated (primarily) with the Apostles. Even within the "camps" or groups, if you will, you will find variations of those gifts that are believed to remain and those that don't.
Dr. Philpot asks: What is meant by the word “sign” and what is the purpose of the “sign”? Which gifts would be considered sign gifts?
Dr. Caldwell says that a sign was something God gave to point to something else. The signs served to point to something beyond the function of the gift itself. They also authenticated the messengers, those representatives who were granted special authority in the Lord’s church in its earliest days. The gifts that served in this capacity would be the gift of languages or tongues, prophecy, any specific gift that was miraculous in nature and able to be made use of on-demand, and any particular gift that would be revelatory in nature; gifts that were associated with the Apostles and the Apostolic Era. Dr. Caldwell even explains how the gift of languages was actually a sign of judgment upon the nation of Israel.
Dr. Philpot asks: But why do cessationists say these signs have ceased? Where do they get this understanding, and how do they arrive at it?
Dr. Caldwell shares that we will not find a text of Scripture that says these gifts have stopped. He shares 1 Corinthians 13, which indicates that when the perfect arrives (speaking of the heavenly state), prophecy and the gift of knowledge will be done away with, and tongues will have ceased. So, there is no doubt when the eternal state arrives, some of these gifts will no longer exist. Yet, he sees the overall trajectory of the New Testament to make clear that these gifts no longer function even within the New Testament itself, where we see a kind of winding down of some of these. He provides some helpful examples from the books of Acts, Ephesians, and 2 Corinthians.
Additionally, he challenges us to look at the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, regarding miracles in general. There are a few things that we need to notice and think about. First, notice how rare miracles are. Second, notice that they exist and occur in time periods when God was still giving revelation. Notice the silence between the close of the Old Testament and the coming revelation of the New Testament, where you don't have these things going on. Why? Because the Old Testament canon is complete. Now, notice these things begin to occur as the New Testament comes into being. Take note that in both testaments, these miracles, etc., took place in connection with spokesmen of God who needed that kind of authentication. Dr. Caldwell would argue that when the New Testament canon is complete, and now is, we have an all-sufficient word in the Word of God itself.
What Dr. Caldwell believes has happened with the charismatic movement and a lot of the continuation is people wanting to make normative that which was never normative. We’re taking what was not common occurrences, these signs of significance and authenticating power that had to do with unique men of God meant to serve God’s redemptive purposes in specific periods and eras of time, and trying to make them commonplace.
One last thing Dr. Caldwell mentions is that every believer is a cessationist in one sense or another. He points out that we don’t go to the temple anymore and aren't offering animal sacrifices anymore. In other words, what we all acknowledge in not doing these things is that God has worked in different ways in different periods of redemptive history, and He is no longer doing those things. We live in a time beyond the Apostles and beyond the time of the giving of New Testament revelation. God is working differently now because we have been given the all-sufficient Word. So, for cessationists, there isn't a question of God being as powerful as He ever was. He can still do miraculous things, and no cessationist Dr. Caldwell knows would deny the power or ability of God to do miracles. All of this has to do with how God is choosing to work in this era as compared to the Apostolic Era.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 27 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Miraculous Gifts Today | Debating Cessationism vs. Continuationism Pt. 1 appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Is Online Sports Gambling a Sin?" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesFor further thought on this, consider listening to the following sermons:
A Contrast in Treasure
Seeing the True Treasure-Serving the True God
Are You Prepared?
The Disciple's Riches - Parts 1 & 2
Lessons for a Storm
Worship and the Mortification of Sin
A Love the Christian Must Reject
The True Gain of Godliness
Taking Hold of Real Life
Lovers of What?
"Is Online Sports Gambling a Sin?" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyIs Online Sports Gambling a Sin?Gambling and betting are seen by many as forms of entertainment and leisure activities that are relatively harmless. But can gambling and betting of our money and resources be truly considered harmless entertainment? Gambling and betting involve activities in which, in most cases, money changes hands based on chance and risk. The risk is to the one gambling or placing bets, who often does so without rationally thinking about risk. Such activities include casino games, slot machines, card games, lotteries, scratch-off cards, horse racing, betting on sports games, and more. Many of these activities are now available online and even through apps on our phones that provide “gamers” opportunities to compete in fantasy sports competitions and tournaments for cash prizes. The appeal of gambling and betting is the thrill of the possible win and the emotional high that it brings. It holds out the opportunity to make a fast buck, to double or triple returns on seemingly small bets, and in some situations like national and state lotteries, the ability to get rich quickly. How should Christians think about all this? Does the Bible give us insight and direction on these kinds of things? Join Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot on the Straight Truth Podcast this week to hear what they understand the Bible to teach regarding gambling and betting and how it is, that these things relate to our desires and what’s going on in our hearts.
Dr. Caldwell shares that he doesn't want to be involved in gambling at all, at any level, and that's because it has to do with what the Bible teaches about our attitude toward wealth. Gambling dangles the carrot that it's possible to get something for next to nothing. For some, it may be about the thrill of chance and maybe even the thrill of the occasional win. But for most, when it comes to gambling/betting, it’s about the desire to make money and gain wealth. Therefore, we have to ask, what does the Bible teach about wealth? Dr. Caldwell first reminds us that the Scriptures teach us not to set our hearts on wealth. He then shares Proverbs 13:11, 15:27, 20:21, and 21:5. As he reads these verses, he also explains how they reveal that the desire to get rich is not good; it is not a healthy desire. The following are a few insights Dr. Caldwell points out from these verses and others regarding the desire to gain riches and wealth:
There’s a lack of understanding of how we're to earn and make money through labor, work, and regular ongoing effort. (We are exhorted to work hard and earn a living, 2 Thessalonians 3:10.)
There’s a hastiness and a recklessness that lacks a principled and disciplined approach to earning wealth.
There’s greed, which by the Apostle Paul, through the Spirit of God, is equated with idolatry (Colossians 3:5). It's loving money/wealth/riches more than God. (We cannot serve God and money, Matthew 6:24).
There is a lack of contentment and satisfaction in what God has chosen to give to us.
We are warned against the love of money. The Bible teaches that it is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:9-10).
Scripture clearly warns us to avoid attempts to “get rich quick”.
Gambling/betting focuses on the love of money and tempts people with the promise of quick and easy riches. It does the opposite of what Scripture calls us to do and be. Dr. Caldwell says this is why gambling is sinful. It is sinful as to its desires. It’s sinful as to its lack of discipline. It’s sinful as to its lack of satisfaction, and it is sinful as to its untrusting nature toward the means that God has ordained to take care of us. Most important is that gambling and betting are issues that spring from our hearts, and they require us to ask ourselves some questions:
Why am I doing this?
What is driving this, no matter how small or large the risk might be?
What is the belief behind my desire to participate in this?
What do I think I am going to have if I win?
Dr. Caldwell does not presume that everyone who puts down some money in the office pool is operating in the realm of the verses he has shared from Proverbs. However, he would not participate in those things no matter how minimal the risk is because he believes there is a danger of deadening our consciences toward many of these issues he spoke about.
Other dangers that Dr. Caldwell and Dr. Philpot discuss regarding gambling and betting speak to how the gambling industry is a racket that preys on people's vulnerabilities and temptations, especially those who are poor, and what often happens to those who win exorbitant and large sums of money. Additionally, they discuss how gambling and betting are shameful uses and wastes of the resources that God has given us. Yet they also consider and discuss other ways for Christians to potentially grow and increase what God has given us by and through investing. However, even in our investing practices, we want to be careful and diligent as we look for ways and things to invest in that will honor and glorify God.
So, while the Bible does not speak specifically about gambling, betting, and the like, there are verses of Scripture that address some of what drives gambling. And what these verses say about it is negative. As Christians, whether we're wealthy or poor, we need to realize that what we have in God, we will never have in money. There is nothing in this realm that we need to long after or seek after in a way that would violate Scripture. God is enough. If that’s our heart attitude, then gambling becomes a clear issue for us. The only thing that would make it foggy is not understanding these things.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 27 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Is Online Sports Gambling a Sin? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Everything Christians Need to Know About Anxiety, Depression & Godly Joy" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesFor further thought on this, consider listening to the following sermons:
The Treasure that Allows Trust
The Lord of Night and Day
The Answer for Anxiety
Facing Our Fear with Faith
6 Sermons on the Life of Peace
The Wonder of a Believer's Life
The Cry from a Storm-Filled Heart
Sovereign Grace & The Son of God
Joy in Our Sufferings
"Everything Christians Need to Know About Anxiety, Depression & Godly Joy" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyEverything Christians Need to Know About Anxiety, Depression & Godly JoyWhat is anxiety? Why do so many people struggle with it? What should Christians who struggle with anxiety, depression, despair, etc., do when they find themselves emotionally battling these overwhelming feelings? How can we rejoice in life or have joy when our spirits or souls are downcast and melancholic? Is it wrong for a Christian to consider medication as a means to help deal with these things? Is there real help and hope for our souls when we're weary and discouraged? Dr. Caldwell says that anxiety is a fear of the future, a dread of what might happen, of what might be, and the immediate answer to anxiety is to trust God. However, if you don’t know Him, you can’t trust Him. But for those who do know God, having been reconciled through Christ, it’s our faith in Christ that is the ultimate answer for our anxious hearts. This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, we’ve combined several past episodes to help Christians think through these questions. The answers shared are not meant to be exhaustive because, as Dr. Caldwell says, at the end of the day, the only answers for the soul that are final and sure are those found in God's Word. But the aim is to help Christians think carefully and biblically about our thoughts, feelings, choices, attitudes, and responses to our emotional and spiritual battles. Join us as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot discuss and answer these questions and others in this special episode.
For Christians, dealing with these issues really must be a faith response that requires us to think through our lives with truth, requiring obedience in our thinking and choices and in terms of where our mind is going to go. God’s Word is real, it's true, and it's timeless. This is really good news. God knows us, and He's involved in every detail of our lives. He knows what we are going through, and He cares for us with a love that is steadfast and faithful. God deals with us gently, patiently, kindly, and compassionately as He directs us back to Himself. He is not powerless in our situations and does not restrict Himself as it comes to them. The more we can preach these truths of God to ourselves, the more accurate our perspectives will be.
Dr. Caldwell says there is no doubt that we are physical creatures, and as a result, how we deal with and respond to issues in our lives can be physical in nature. He would never deny that there might be a time for someone to see a medical doctor to seek help for physical issues resulting from these things. However, we can sometimes run to the physical side of it too quickly. But we must not rule out there can be physiological problems that have medical answers. There are times when people can find themselves in such dark places that they are unable to reason; it's in these times that medication can be helpful to get them out of that extreme darkness so that they can begin to think and reason clearly. So, there can be a place and time for medication, but for a Christian, it’s not in a way that this world views it; it’s not going to solve all of our problems. He reminds us that he is not a doctor but a pastor. He speaks as a pastor, an under-shepherd of God who cares for people and their souls. He takes people to the Word of God and deals with what he knows Scripture to teach as what’s behind so many of our anxious moments- a lack of trust in God. Dr. Caldwell says that 1 Peter 5 indicates that the root of our anxious hearts is pride. The reason it’s a pride problem, is because we cannot believe what the Bible presents to us about our God and be afraid. If God really is who He claims to be in Scripture, then we have no reason to be afraid.
If we read through the Old and New Testaments, we'll find that God's Word isn't silent when it comes to the issues of anxiety, depression, discouragement, etc. There are multiple examples where the writers address and deal with these issues. They address people at the level of their thinking and regarding their affections, trusts, and faith. The answers they give are all the same. The answer is to go to the Lord, listen to His Word, recall His character, His faithfulness, and His past dealings with us and how He has cared for us, and then rejoice regardless of our circumstances. But in doing this, we are not aiming at some form of artificial encouragement. Joy is a choice we make; it is not determined by how we feel. Joy is determined by decision. In turning to the Lord and recalling His goodness and care for us, we choose to agree with God, believe Him, submit to Him, and rest in Him amid our circumstances. We go through what we go through because it is used to shape, mold, and form us into the very likeness of Christ. God’s goal for us is holiness, not happiness. We have been destined for conformity to the image of Christ. The Lord uses sickness, health, new life, loss of life, discouragement, despondency, depression, and many other difficulties of our lives to bring about our transformation. This is how Romans 8:28 figures into God’s plan. And yes, some of these things might be life-long burdens to carry. Some may even struggle their entire lives with depression and discouragement, like Charles Spurgeon and William Cowper.
Our flesh, our bodies, and our minds remain affected by sin. But as believers, we must take how we’ve been affected by the fall and glorify God by not allowing these sorts of natural wirings under sin to be what determines how we live. We are to take what we are going through and compare it with the Word of God, see the truth, grasp an eternal perspective, and bow to Scripture. We turn our focus away from us and away from our emotions to the Lord, and we find our joy and delight in Him. We can call these truths to our minds and receive real encouragement instead of some pie-in-the-sky positive thinking, mumbo jumbo. But God’s Word isn’t the only means He has given us for our encouragement. He has also given us the church, a local body of believers consisting of brothers and sisters in Christ who can come alongside us. They can pray for us and with us, as well as help us to preach God’s truth to our hearts.
Dr. Caldwell offers a few scriptural passages to help us preach the truth to our hearts and souls. Those passages are 1 Peter 5, Psalm 73, Psalm 42, and Psalm 43. Another helpful resource he recommends is his little book on Answering Anxiety, in which he exposits 1 Peter 5.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 27 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Everything Christians Need to Know About Anxiety, Depression & Godly Joy appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Understanding Sin: Top Questions Christians Ask About Sin" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesFor further thought on this, consider listening to the following sermons:
The Seriousness of Easter
Getting to Know the God of Vengeance
The Certainty of New Life
The Application of Doctrine
Salvation's New Abilities
Why Grace Meets Objection's
God-Given Motivations for Spiritual Growth
Murder Diagnosed by God's Standard
The Sin of Adultery
Salvation's Obligations
The Forgiveness of the Forgiven
God's Word for the Weary
Answers for the Doubting Heart - Parts 1 & 2
No Condemnation
The Only Hope for the Guilty Soul
The Joy of Forgiveness
An Unforgiveable Blasphemy
"Understanding Sin: Top Questions Christians Ask About Sin" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyUnderstanding Sin: Top Questions Christians Ask About SinSin is a complete disregard of God's honor, His glory, and His worthiness. It's the lack of reverence for who He is. This makes sin exceedingly hateful. If we think about it from this standpoint, even the smallest of transgressions would be something we don’t want to be guilty of. So why, then, do we go on sinning after being saved? Why can’t we stop sinning if all our sins have been forgiven in Christ? How can we clear our consciences and rid ourselves of the pain and anguish of our sins? What are we to do with sins we remember from our past? These questions and more will be answered in this collected episode of episodes of the Straight Truth Podcast. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot as they aim to ground us in biblical truths and encourage us to live our lives for God’s glory, honor, and utter worthiness.
The very moment a person turns from their sin, by faith, in repentance to Jesus Christ, all sins, past, present, and future, are forgiven. But as Christians, we must know that this is not the end of our sin, for we still live in a body of flesh that is not yet perfected. Yet, as believers, we want to serve Christ and live righteous lives, and we’ve been given the capacity to do that. Those made new by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit will live new lives. New life in Christ will include the ongoing confession of sin. Anything less is a contradiction of who we are in Christ. Where there is no confession of sin, we are not forgiven and we are not a believer (1 John 1:9). But as believers who go on confessing our sins, we aren’t now seeking God’s forgiveness in a judicial sense but in a relational, familial way – like that of a child to their parent. There is a distinction between judicial forgiveness and fatherly forgiveness. In judicial forgiveness, all past, present, and future sins are fully forgiven as we embrace Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The death of Christ has answered for our all our sins. We are justified, declared right with God, and stand clothed before Him in the perfect righteousness of Jesus. God now views us in this legal standing. It is our position forever. However, with God as Father, there is now an ongoing relationship. In this parent-child relationship, when we’ve done wrong, we must both recognize and acknowledge it. What we suffer when we sin is not the loss of our fellowship but the joy of our salvation, that joy of our fellowship. So we need to go on confessing, putting sin to death by saying no to it and saying yes to Jesus Christ. Putting to death sin will be a continual process that believers must engage in daily because killing sin does not happen all at once. This process of killing sin is often referred to as mortification. Mortifying sin is to regard ourselves as dead to sin. Moment by moment, choice by choice, decision by decision is how we put sin to death. Putting sin to death is part of our sanctification process. Sanctification is learning what is pleasing to the Lord. Christians should want to learn and know what is pleasing to God, and as Christians, we know that sin does not. It is part of what it means to grow in holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. Therefore, we need to know what God tells us is sin because to progress in sanctification involves confessing it as sin.
In Matthew 5, Jesus shows that sin begins in the mind and the heart. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, ‘You have heard that it was said…’, ‘but I say…’. In these things He speaks of, He appears to be saying that these things are far greater than the people previously thought or had been taught. These sins aren’t just simple sins that happen externally. Jesus probes deep and points to the heart level of the commands. Jesus helps us to see that we sin, not just by what we do with our bodies but also by what goes on in our minds. He teaches that at the deepest level, what it means to obey God requires that we take hold of what goes on in our minds. In this same chapter of Matthew, our Lord said that if our hand causes us to sin, cut it off, and if our eye causes us to sin, pluck it out. He is speaking metaphorically. Jesus is not saying for us to literally cut off our hands or pluck out our eyes. He is using radical terminology to help us understand the seriousness of sin. Sin is a heart issue before it’s a physical issue. It is about what goes on in the mind, as well as with the body. It’s about what takes place in the realm of our thoughts, our intentions, ambitions, and motives. So, we must deal radically with the sins of the mind and the body, battling internally and externally. Willing, even to lose a member of our body over having our soul perish in hell. Dr. Caldwell points out that while this specific example used by Jesus (Matthew 5:27-30) is that of men and the sin of adultery, by understanding it in the figurative sense, we can see how it applies to all sin and all kinds of sin issues for all people.
Every sin is worthy of death from the standpoint of God’s holiness (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23). Yet, all sins are not the same in terms of their effect in the human realm. The effects will not be the same in all relational spheres. Though the Bible nowhere specifically states that there are different levels and degrees of sin, it still seems to indicate this. See, for example, Luke 10, where Jesus contrasts the peoples of Tyre and Sidon with those of Sodom and Gomorrah. The implication seems to be that with greater light comes greater responsibility, as also indicated by Hebrews 10:28. Sin is a very serious issue with eternal consequences. We must recognize the seriousness of what’s at stake and be willing to do the battle.
So even though we have been saved and our sins are forgiven, as Christians, we still sin because it has not yet been eradicated from our lives. The day-to-day reality of sin continues to be a struggle. We are no more pleasing to God on our best days than on our worst. God’s pleasure in us is not explained in us but by the perfect life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. But even as children of God, we can displease our Father, and we will receive discipline for our sins. God still disciplines and corrects us for our sinning because He loves us. Throughout the rest of our lives, through the work of the Holy Spirit, our sins are brought to bear upon our hearts and minds. Many of these may even be sins from our past, which can sometimes weigh heavily upon our consciences, causing conflict and guilt. What does the Bible instruct us to do about this? While we don't have specific instructions, we have the Scriptures. In the Scriptures, we have principles. It is the principles we must take and apply. But, the application of principles requires wisdom. Dealing with past sin issues becomes a matter of judgment. If we can clear our consciences by going to another to make amends for a wrong we’ve done, where it will make sense to the person we are going to, we should do that. In our pursuit of a clear conscience with others, we want to be as sure as we are able to discern that the results will be positive and helpful, not destructive and hurtful. There will be times when the most appropriate way to handle certain sins of the past is between yourself and the Lord. Times, for example, when you might bring injury upon another person because they weren't aware of the sin. Many of the conscience issues we face can be and are often related to our lives before becoming a Christian. Dr. Caldwell shares that he does not believe that we are tasked with tracking down people from our past, searching them out to make our confession to them. However, we must be willing to make things right wherever the Lord calls us to. When we’ve done that, we can rest in the forgiveness of that which Christ has forgiven us. We can walk in the forgiveness that is really ours.
A sin that concerns many is the sin of blasphemy. Many even wonder if they have committed this sin. In Matthew 12, Jesus has what appears to be a damning discussion with the religious leaders of Israel. He speaks to them about blaspheming the Holy Spirit and states that anyone who commits this will never have forgiveness. What is blasphemy, and how should we understand it? Blasphemy is something that is insulting to an outrageous degree. As it relates to God, this involves our words, thoughts, and attitudes. It involves words that insult Him, dismissive words, and words that mock Him. In this passage, Jesus says there is a kind of speech against the Holy Spirit of God that will not be forgiven. Dr. Caldwell says that due to the nature of these words in their context, he isn’t certain that this particular sin can be committed. He goes on to share the example of the Apostle Paul's life. Before being saved, Paul was a Christian persecuting, Christ-hating, religious zealot. Paul himself shares that he was the chief of sinners, a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent aggressor, doing these things in ignorance before being saved. So, says Dr. Caldwell, you can get Jesus wrong in one part of your life story yet be forgiven. But if you hear the truth and receive such light that you know who Christ is and are unwilling to admit it, you close your eyes and reject it; what more can be given to you? Dr. Caldwell says he thinks this is the danger. He also points out that the Lord never gives evidence when someone has committed this sin. Christ gives it as a warning without any attempt to quantify it.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 27 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Understanding Sin: Top Questions Christians Ask About Sin appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Satan Explained: Top Questions About Satan Answered" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesFor further thought on this, consider listening to the following sermons:
The Marvelous Mind of God - Parts 1 & 2
Praise of the Age to Come
Glory
Behind the Scenes
Resisting the Devil: A Neglected Responsibility
The Christian's Armor - Pts. 1-6
Christ's Triumph Over the Tempter
"Satan Explained: Top Questions About Satan Answered" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifySatan Explained: Top Questions About Satan AnsweredWhy did God create Satan? Why was he allowed in the Garden of Eden? How is Satan allowed to be in God’s presence if God cannot look upon sin? Didn’t God toss him out of heaven and down to earth? The New Testament tells us that he prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. The Book of Job reveals some of his strategizing. We gain other insights about him from Jesus’ ministry, like when he tempts Jesus in the wilderness, and even a conversation that our Lord has with Peter reveals something about the devil’s scheming ways. So Satan really exists and is a very real, spiritual enemy. But what can we really know about him, and how can we know it? If we are in a spiritual war and are to battle our enemy, Satan, and his demonic forces, how are we to do it? Are we to rebuke and bind Satan, even cast demons out? Are we commanded or ever taught to do these things? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as we’ve compiled several episodes to give you some Biblical answers to these and other questions that will help Believers to be appropriately armed for a battle that is also very real.
As Dr. Caldwell begins to answer these questions, he reminds us that there are things that God has revealed, and there are things He has not. There are things He has told us that He wants us to know and things that we won't ever know (Deuteronomy 29:29). The answer to many of these questions, as unsatisfactory as it will be to many, is that it’s for God’s glory. Everything that God has done and is working out is according to His will and, ultimately, for His glory. There are a myriad of things that God is doing and a myriad of decisions wrapped up in all that He does. So even as God created Satan, there was a purpose for Him making him, and Satan is fulfilling that purpose. And while we know that God does not delight in evil, He had a reason to decree the fall of Satan and the fall of man. There are certain things that God has decreed that involve things that do not please Him. Dr. Caldwell believes this includes the existence of evil and everything else. In the final analysis, all this is good, or God would not have ordained it because God is perfectly good and wise. Where then God has not revealed the answers to some of these mysterious questions, we must learn to be content. One of the greatest things a Christian can learn is to be content with what God has revealed. Having said this, however, what we can know is that it’s for God’s glory and that the glory of God is being displayed through all the events that take place according to His plans and purposes.
While God takes no pleasure in evil and cannot look upon sin, He is omnipresent and omniscient. God is everywhere, He sees and knows everything, He is always present. Because He is present everywhere, He is always in the presence of sin and the creatures who commit it. So even though Satan fell in sin and was cast out of heaven, it seems as though he is still granted some kind of access before God (Job, Luke 22:31). This access appears to continue today even as we read in the New Testament that Satan, our enemy, is referred to as the accuser of the brethren who accuses us day and night. This is an unseen reality that we must be aware of, alert to, and be on guard for at all times. Satan really exists and is active in every realm of the world. While he is not omnipresent, he is not alone in the spiritual realm. Satan is the leader of a whole host of demonic forces. He seeks to kill, steal, and destroy. We can say that his bull’s eye target is the people of God, the church of God in the world. God’s Word instructs us in the ways that Satan seeks to tempt us, deceive us, lead us astray, and cause us to walk in a manner unworthy of our calling. Scripture tells us he is shrewd and subtle. It also identifies him as a liar, a deceiver, and a murderer from the beginning. 1 Peter 5:8 says the devil is our adversary and that we are to be sober and vigilant because he prowls around seeking someone to devour. Believers must be armed with the truth about his character, schemes, strategies, and tactics. We must be armed to fight the battle. But we are not to engage in this battle armed with plastic swords or some trumped-up imaginary ways to fight against Satan and demons. Our battle is spiritual and thus requires spiritual armor. The Bible, the Word of God, provides our armor. Scriptural truth is not just a set of rules; it is our armor against the deceiver’s arrows. In Ephesians 6, the Apostle Paul, using the analogy of a soldier’s military armor, gives us what we need to engage in this battle. Each item Paul describes is meant to present us with something real and substantive, so it’s important to focus on what each piece of the armor represents. Dr. Caldwell walks us through this passage and explains how God has provided exactly what we need for the spiritual battle. It’s imperative to have a proper understanding of this. We must know that only when we take up the armor and weapons that God has provided, applying them with the Spirit's help, will we be able to stand firm in the evil day as temptations and battles come.
In addition to reminding us to put on our armor, to stand firm being strengthened by God, and to pray at all times, Dr. Caldwell also encourages us to remember the final chapter of this cosmic battle. Satan's end is assured. His destruction is not something we sort of hope for; it is a guaranteed future reality penned by the hand of our Sovereign God (Revelation 20:10). So, we want to ground ourselves in biblical truth to resist the devil and to live with assurance that victory belongs to God.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 27 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Satan Explained: Top Questions About Satan Answered appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"A Biblical Explanation of Spiritual Gifting" | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch Us On Rumble Related Messages Dr. Caldwell recommends a couple of resources that will be helpful for people to navigate some of these things. 9Marks Ministry has 9 short videos (9Marks.org/about/the-nine-marks/) and a book, Nine Marks Continue Reading
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"A Biblical Explanation of Spiritual Gifting" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesDr. Caldwell recommends a couple of resources that will be helpful for people to navigate some of these things. 9Marks Ministry has 9 short videos (9Marks.org/about/the-nine-marks/) and a book, Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, along with several other resources to assist believers in this endeavor. Tom Pennington has written a book, Three Hallmarks of a Biblical Church Member, regarding faithful church membership that will also be helpful. Additionally, linked below are sermons that Dr. Caldwell has preached on this subject:
The Marks of a Healthy Church - Parts 1-4
The Heart of a Healthy Church - Parts 1-4
The Behavior of a Healthy Church
"A Biblical Explanation of Spiritual Gifting" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyA Biblical Explanation of Spiritual GiftingIn evangelical circles, there are all kinds of questions about leaving a church. Occasionally, you will hear of people who have left churches over some rather strange things, like a disagreement over paint and carpet choices, there wasn't a choir, they don’t sing out of hymnals, sermons are too long, there aren't pews, they don't have a coffee shop, and so on and so on. These seem to be choices based on personal preference rather than biblical standards and convictions. How can believers rightly understand what a healthy church should look like and whether they should stay or leave the church that they are in? Today on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell to help us consider if there are rights and wrongs about leaving a church. They seek to help us think through what are good and valid reasons for leaving a church to be part of another one, also if staying home and doing church 'online' is an option for believers.
Dr. Caldwell reminds us that every believer needs to be part of a true church. That church in your local area may be healthy or unhealthy. It may be a good church, it may not be the best church, but it’s a church. He also reminds us that even the churches referenced in the New Testament had problems that had to be addressed regularly. There isn’t going to be a perfect church this side of heaven. Local churches will always have issues of different sorts that have to be dealt with. He says that sometimes the standards we apply to churches can cause us to be too quick to leave when we would be better off sticking in there to allow the Lord to do His work in that church or even in our own hearts and minds.
Having shared this, Dr. Caldwell also reminds us that when the New Testament was being written, the church had not grown to the extent it has now. Believers did not have the ability and ease to leave their church to go be part of another one. But today, there’s a plethora of churches we can be part of. So if the church you’re attending isn’t healthy and you have the ability to go and be part of a healthy church, that’s something to be considered. However, if the church you’re a part of isn’t as healthy as it could or should be, and there isn’t a healthier church in your community, that isn’t a reason to leave, then stay at home and do church 'online'. Watching church services online, whether streamed live or recordings of church services, is not participating in a church body. As long as the church you're attending is a true church, even though it’s not the healthiest church, you need to be a part of that church. You can supplement with faithful teachers online and all the rest, but you need to be part of that church. Outside of salvation itself, there’s nothing more spiritually impactful in the life of a family than the church it belongs to.
Dr. Caldwell says reasons for considering whether to stay or leave a church need to be centered around solid reasons for what a healthy church is. Some of those things are: Is the church doctrinally sound? Is there doctrinal and theological fidelity? Is the Word of God taught faithfully, without apology, systematically so that you and your family are learning the Word of God? Are the leaders qualified? Are the biblical standards for eldership applied to its leaders? Is sin dealt with in the congregation? Is there church discipline? Or is sin ignored?
Churches can have solid-sounding statements of belief, confessions they adhere to, doctrinal statements, and so on, but do they practice what is said in those statements. There are churches, for example, that affirm the inerrancy of Scripture, but how things are conducted in the life of those churches reveals that there is no connection with the sufficiency of Scripture. They can have the right words and say all the right things doctrinally on these statements, but how they practice life in the household of God isn’t faithful. The Word of God needs to have first place in the life of the church. There needs to be doctrinal fidelity hand in hand with the proper philosophy of ministry, the application of Scripture, and the primacy of preaching that takes place in the church. These are the things that ought to be evaluated when looking for a healthy church.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 25 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonButtonThe post A Biblical Explanation of Spiritual Gifting appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"What is The Right Time to Leave a Church?" | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch Us On Rumble Related Messages Dr. Caldwell recommends a couple of resources that will be helpful for people to navigate some of these things. 9Marks Ministry has 9 short videos (9Marks.org/about/the-nine-marks/) and Continue Reading
The post What is The Right Time to Leave a Church? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Navigating Church Trauma With Kindness and Grace" | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch Us On Rumble Related Messages Related Sermons: Putting Off and Putting On The Forgiveness of the Forgiven Why Forgiven People Must Forgive The Believing Life A Godly Reading of the Golden Rule "Navigating Church Continue Reading
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"Biblical Perspectives on Pastoring an Internationally Diverse Congregation" | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch Us On Rumble Related Messages Related Sermons: Growing Pains Shepherds That Preach - Parts 1 & 2 Sons of God Through Faith A Window Open in Heaven - Parts 1 & 2 He Continue Reading
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"Balancing Faith and Reputation As A Pastor" | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch Us On Rumble "Balancing Faith and Reputation As A Pastor" | Watch this episode on Vimeo Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Continue Reading
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"Can and Should Single Men Be Pastors? – Biblical Insights and Practical Implications" | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch Us On Rumble Related Messages Sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell that will be helpful in working through these issues more in-depth can be accessed below: The Husband of Continue Reading
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"Pastors and Social Media: How Social Media Impacts Pastoral Duties" | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch Us On Rumble Related Messages Following are sermons by Dr. Caldwell from the Scriptures that speak to the high calling of the Pastor Shepherd: Shepherds That Preach - Part 1 & Continue Reading
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"Denominational Cooperation A Hard Look at the Southern Baptist Convention" | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch Us On Rumble Related Messages If you are interested in gaining a broader, more informed perspective on these issues, consider listening to the following sermons that will help you think through Continue Reading
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"Celebrating Pastor Richard Caldwell's 25 Years of Service at Founders Baptist Church" | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch Us On Rumble Related Messages In addition to having Dr. Caldwell share some of his 40-year journey on the podcast, we have included a link for the evening of Continue Reading
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"Two Judgments: The Fate of Believers and Unbelievers Before God" | Watch This Episode on YouTube ARVE Error: No attachment with that ID Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch Us On Rumble Related Messages Other questions answered in the podcast today deal with degrees of rewards and punishments in our respective judgments. If Continue Reading
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"Should Christians Boycott Businesses and Organizations That Promote Pride Month?" | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch Us On Rumble Related Messages If you’d like to learn more about what the Bible has to say about the things discussed in this episode, consider listening to the following sermons, Continue Reading
The post Should Christians Boycott Businesses and Organizations That Promote Pride Month? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Does Proper Parenting Guarantee Godly Children?" | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch Us On Rumble Related Messages Would you like to hear more about the things discussed today? Consider listening to the following sermons exposited from God’s Word by Dr. Caldwell: The Elder's Home - Part Continue Reading
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"Choosing Joy – A Biblical Perspective on Happiness and Suffering" | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch Us On Rumble Related Messages If you are interested in learning more about how to apply God’s truths to the challenging and difficult circumstances of your life to live a more Continue Reading
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"Navigating Parental Divorce: Guidance for Adult Children" | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch Us On Rumble Related Messages Consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Scriptures that will help to further inform and guide you in your conversations on these issues: The First Attack On Continue Reading
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"Biblical Family Planning" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesDr. Caldwell has delivered many sermons on marriage, parenting, raising children, and the importance of the Godly instruction we need for each area of our lives. Following are a few of those sermons that can assist in helping you think biblically about these things:
The First Attack on God's Design
The Anchor for the Christian Family
Generational Instruction
Foundational Matters for Healthy Marriages
The Simplicity of Saving Faith
Joyful Parenting
The Love that Endures - Parts 1 & 2
"Biblical Family Planning" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyBiblical Family PlanningIn Genesis 1:28, God commands Adam and Eve to "Be fruitful and multiply", and we see this commandment repeated after the flood to Noah and his sons. So first, Christians need to see that God intends for children to be produced from the union of a husband and wife. Second, Scripture makes it clear that children are a heritage from the Lord and that the fruit of the womb is a reward (Psalm 127:3–4). Throughout the Bible, God is clear about the value of children, so children should be highly valued and seen as gifts. But when it comes to when we should have children, how many, and how far apart they should be, the Bible is silent. How should a young married couple think about these things? Can a married couple plan and act according to their desires regarding procreation? Is God opposed to Christians making plans for their family, even those that might limit the number of children they have? What principles can husbands and wives draw from the Scriptures that will help them navigate the issues of family planning? Join us on the Straight Truth Podcast this week as Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell to share some biblical advice and wisdom for Christians planning a family.
Dr. Caldwell believes that any time we walk into an area that the Bible doesn’t give us a lot of specific information about, then we have to recognize that it is a matter of judgment, but; it's a matter of judgment that is Scripture informed. It should always be a matter of judgment that desires to honor and glorify God above all. With this in mind, Dr. Caldwell says that when we think about family planning, our attitude needs to match that of Scripture. Do we see children as God sees them; do we understand them as a treasure and a privilege? Where God gives children, there is an imparted responsibility with respect to training those children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Several Scriptures could be quoted that speak about these responsibilities. Deuteronomy 6 alone reveals the entire world to be the schoolhouse, and from the time the children get up until the time they go to sleep, parents are to be teaching, teaching, teaching them. The psalmist in Psalm 127 tells us the man that fills his quiver with them is blessed, so we should see every child from the Lord as a blessing. Do we see these things? Do we have this attitude? Do we understand the weighty responsibility we are given when gifted with children? Do we truly understand that every child is a blessing? Through much prayer and Scripture-informed conversations, a husband and wife may wisely plan their future and the future of any children God blesses them with as they seek His guidance in making these decisions.
Dr. Caldwell also speaks about the role of our parents, our siblings, and even elders in the local church that can help assist young married couples as they seek to navigate the decisions regarding family planning. Sometimes our families can have very strong opinions and want us to do it their way. But ultimately, God has granted husbands and wives (parents yet-to-be) the responsibility for family planning. The books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes call us to be wise in making decisions, which includes our growing and raising a family. So as husband and wife, a new family unit, you must decide what responsible family decision-making looks like for your family. But of course, this does not mean that we should reject or not even seek the wisdom of those who have gone before us. Dr. Caldwell says to do this is foolish. Those older and wiser than us can counsel us, offer guidance, and help us think through the questions we have about when we should have children, how many, and how far apart they should be, in addition to helping us with other questions we have about raising children.
Additional questions Dr. Caldwell answers regarding Christians and family planning are: What if one spouse or the other wants to have more children? Does financial stability have anything to do with having children? And what if we, as a Christian married couple, disagree with our parents regarding family life and how to go about it?
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 24 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonButtonThe post Biblical Family Planning appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Deciphering Biblical Traditions: Apostle Paul's Teachings, Church Authority, and the Role of Scripture" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesIf you would like to hear about these things from the Scriptures, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Caldwell:
A Powerful Church
A Final Word on the Ministry - Part 1
A Final Word on the Ministry - Part 3
Change of Plans
The Ministers of the Word in the Life of the Church
Spiritual Slave Traders
Traditions or Commandments?
Silencing Truth to Uphold Traditions
"Deciphering Biblical Traditions: Apostle Paul's Teachings, Church Authority, and the Role of Scripture" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyDeciphering Biblical Traditions: Apostle Paul's Teachings, Church Authority, and the Role of ScriptureIn 2 Thessalonians 2:15, the Apostle Paul, writing to the church in Thessalonica, tells the brothers to stand firm and hold to the traditions they were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us (us, being Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy). What exactly are these traditions that Paul speaks of here? How can we know these traditions the Thessalonians were taught since Paul doesn’t speak of them here? Do these traditions pertain to teachings and practices outside the Bible? Join us and listen to the Straight Truth Podcast this week as Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell to explain what these traditions are that the Apostle Paul refers to.
Dr. Caldwell says he understands Paul's reference to traditions to be synonymous with teaching. It’s teaching the Word of God and applying the Word of God. Important to remember is that when Paul is teaching these New Testament churches, it’s a unique time in history. The New Testament has not been inscripturated; it’s not yet complete. It’s coming into being by way of apostolic instruction, apostolic teaching, so it’s apostolic tradition. We have the Apostles of the Lord orally teaching these believers and then writing letters to them as local church congregations. Those traditions that were given, handed down, and taught to the Lord’s people are what the Apostles taught them; it’s the Apostles Doctrine. They are not just traditions in the general sense. It’s the Word of God that they're meeting with by word and by letter, teachings, that are meant to be taken and properly applied. Dr. Caldwell shares from 2 Thessalonians 3, verse 6, where he believes the authoritative nature of the Apostles teaching is demonstrated.
Dr. Caldwell understands Paul speaking of traditions to be synonymous with all the Apostles teachings, teaching both by word and by letter. It’s doctrine, teaching about the gospel, church structure, church order, and more. But that teaching also includes instruction on practical matters, as Dr. Caldwell shares from another section of 2 Thessalonians 3. He explains that wherever the Word of God is being taught and applied, the authority of that Word is to be respected by the church. We read Paul reminding his readers of this often throughout his letters. We also have Jude, who writes, exhorting believers to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all handed down to the saints.
Yet, there are places in the Bible where traditions are talked about negatively. Jesus teaches that wherever you have other kinds of traditions that are not authoritative, not taken directly from God's Word, those traditions need to be tested and corrected by the Word of God. For example, He says, ‘You have heard it was said, but I say to you.’ What He is doing is reaffirming what the Word of God said. The Word of God trumps tradition. So then, where tradition doesn’t accord with Scripture, Scripture is what we hold to, not the tradition.
One of the greatest struggles over tradition today is between Protestants and Roman Catholicism. It’s the great debate about authority; what has authority in the life of the church and over the Lord's people, etc.? For the Reformers, it was sola scriptura, the Bible being the final authority. This is what we believe and are convinced of. But the Roman Catholic church would point to more than just the Scriptures, claiming papal authority and holding to religious traditions they regard as authoritative. As Protestants, we would say the Bible tests all of that. Wherever any tradition does not agree with Scripture, the Scriptures are the final word.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 24 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonButtonThe post Deciphering Biblical Traditions: Apostle Paul’s Teachings, Church Authority, and the Role of Scripture appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Disagreeing with Other Christians" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesThe following sermons will help us to think further through our approaches to the differences we have with other believers:
The Behavior of a Healthy Church
The Church in it's Right Mind
Keys To Church Unity
Getting Along in the Family of God - Part 1
Getting Along in the Family of God - Part 2
Loving Those With Whom We Differ
The Worthy Walk - Part 2
Gentleness
"Disagreeing with Other Christians" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyDisagreeing with Other ChristiansThis week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot shares some of the intense wrangling and controversial debates he sees happening within Christian circles. These things being talked about and sometimes hotly argued about are highly magnified by social media, the comment sections, and all the rest. Understanding that all believers, even within a solid local church, will not agree about everything, he asks Dr. Richard Caldwell how can Christians find a way through some of this. Can Christians disagree so strenuously and not cause disunity that brings harm to the body of Christ? What might be the best approach to having some of these discussions that need to be had? Can some of this lead us to dis-fellowshipping with other believers?
Dr. Caldwell shares that these are great questions and honestly, they are difficult ones to navigate. He says it is sometimes difficult to know how to shepherd people on some of these things. However, something important to point out is that in Christianity, there is a unity that's been created by God, in salvation that is fixed and unchangeable. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are one. Jesus prayed for this, and the Father answered that prayer. There is a unity that we have, that even when we are not living it out, it still exists, and Heaven will reflect that. However, there are some non-negotiable terms of fellowship that have to do with us being believers. Some issues will be deal breakers when it comes to whom we consider to be our brother or sister and with those whom we can walk with in the most general kind of Christian fellowship. Beyond that, you move to the realm of the local church. You can also have a group of like-minded churches who will be able to fellowship together because of their like-mindedness. But the idea that you’re going to have unanimity of opinion about everything in the world across Christendom is just an unrealistic expectation. So if we ask where can we find true unity, the answer would be in the Christian family and the Christian church, one local church at a time. It’s in each local church that we live and walk together according to the standards of the Bible, according to the big-picture items where we are like-minded and where we aim to be charitable about things that aren’t so clear, and always remembering the importance of peace. Dr. Caldwell shares the Apostle Paul's appeal to the Philippian believers to work together to get along. He tells us that the way that Paul goes about this is what will help us get along; it is remembering our common work in the Lord and that our names are written in the book of life. He reminds us that we are members of the same family, we have the same Lord, the same truth, the same Holy Spirit, we are headed to the same home, and we have the same work assigned to us. Dr. Caldwell believes it is in these ways we have hope of walking together.
Beyond the local congregation setting, when we think about other churches and all the rest, there are going to be matters of differences where our fellowship together in ministry might prove to be limited. What those are will be measured differently by pastors and churches. We can acknowledge each other as brothers and sisters and love each other as fellow believers. But, if we are going to do ministry together, there needs to be enough like-mindedness that we are not pulling against one another as we’re seeking to do the work of Christ with the gospel.
Dr. Caldwell explains that what happens in these heated debates and arguments is that we forget the preeminence of love. He reminds us of 1 Corinthians 13 and our need to remember what Paul has to say here. We forget that with love comes the fruit of the Spirit. Where genuine love is being practiced, the Spirit of God is leading us. Where the Spirit of God is leading us, there is fruit. We will see the fruit of gentleness, patience, and kindness manifested in our behaviors and attitudes. We forget that these things matter, that the Lord is standing at the door and that we will have to give an account to Him for our words, attitudes, and behaviors.
As far as someone dis-fellowshipping in a local church, this will really be based on their understanding of doctrines and convictions that they hold. At Founders Baptist Church, we have core doctrine non-negotiables; these are things that make someone a believer. But then we have what we call characteristic doctrine, things that we believe with great conviction that you will hear a lot about as a member of this church. One of those is the belief in the sovereignty of God in salvation. So if you struggle with those doctrines, you will be uncomfortable here over the long haul. Then we have a third category we call charitable, things we just are not going to argue about, and we are going to love each other despite our differences. There may be a time and place where someone is genuinely a Christian, but when it comes to this area of characteristic doctrine, they just don't agree. If this is the situation and they cannot live submissively in a particular family of believers without undermining its doctrine and sowing division with their conversations, it may be time for them to find another church. It would be better for them to find a church where their agreements line up. Having said this, if the conflict involves another Christian in the church, instead of just leaving and going to another church, and even if you decide to leave, humble yourself and seek to make it right with them, take every step you can to make those things right. Be at peace with all men as much as it depends upon you.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 24 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonButtonThe post Disagreeing with Other Christians appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"How Should We Understand the Jealousy of God?" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesThe following sermons exposited by Dr. Caldwell will help us with what it means that believers are salt and light and how remaining focused on Christ and being obedient to Him is how we will remain influential as salt and light in this world:
The Believer's Influence in the World
The Light of the World
Children of the Light - Part 2
Living In Light of the Incarnation - Part 3
Beware of Deception
"How Should We Understand the Jealousy of God?" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyHow Should We Understand the Jealousy of God?This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell to explain what it means for believers to be salt and light in this world. Most people who read and hear this statement of Jesus in Matthew 5 think immediately of evangelism. But does this saying pertain to evangelism only, or are there broader applications of being salt and light in the world?
Dr. Caldwell believes that being salt and light in this world applies to the whole of life, everything about the Christian’s life. He explains that salt and light are being used for comparison; this represents analogy. Salt is a preservative and a flavor enhancer. Light is being contrasted with darkness. Dr. Caldwell reads Matthew 5:13-16 that we might hear the rest of Jesus' words on the matter, which will help us to better understand the analogy. In doing this, Dr. Caldwell says it’s not just about our message it’s about our manner of life, our way of living. Even as Jesus speaks of others seeing our good works, he speaks of them about our lives. Others see our lives being lived out according to the Scriptures. So that in every realm and walk of life, we go about loving the Lord, submitting to and obeying the Scriptures in such a way that we are a preservative in the culture. We live our lives in such a way that we are shining the light of God in a dark place.
But is there a broader application of this? Can it apply to things like Christians being influential in the workplace and sectors of society, as in government and politics? Dr. Caldwell says it can apply to these areas, but he is trying to emphasize what Jesus says. Jesus says, you are the salt of the earth, and you are the light of the world. We don’t need to strategize how to be salt and light. Jesus says we ARE these as believers. He believes the point Jesus makes here is that we are to live like who we are. We are to live like Christians in every realm of life, whatever roles we have been placed in and entrusted with. Believers are meant to live for the glory of God and for the good of others, with the gospel in hand, yes, but with the truth of God in hand, living it out in every realm and in every decision we make. That is what it means to be salt and light.
So if we can keep in mind that we already are salt and light, we won’t go around trying to figure out how to be them. We just need to live for Christ wherever we are planted and seek to be obedient in whatever opportunities He provides. This will include conversations with others as we seek to influence people's thinking about cultural issues from a Christian worldview, how we understand political issues biblically and how we vote, how we conduct ourselves in the public arena, and more. The only thing we can do to get in the way of being this kind of influence is to not live like we are meant to. By not living as we should, we hide the light; and lose our savor. We become worthless with respect to what we are really meant to do and be in the world.
Dr. Philpot says some might think and say this is a kind of passivity approach to being salt and light in the world. He asks if there is any sort of exhortation that Dr. Caldwell would give to say this is who we are, therefore, go into the world in all these areas to be influential and effective?
Dr. Caldwell says, of course, most definitely the Lord Jesus gives the command to go into all the world with the gospel, and that’s the major influence we have if we believe that the only way for people to be transformed is through salvation. The most powerful influence we have in the world is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Beyond that, however, he says there is nothing passive about saying walk in the truth obeying the Word of God. The Christian life is not a life of passivity. It is a diligent, active, intentional kind of life, where in every realm and for every decision, we must ask, what does the Word of God require of me here? Living our lives actively directed and ordered by the Word of God through the power of the Holy Spirit is truly transformative. We see this in what was said about the Apostles as they preached the gospel and lived it out everywhere they went – 'these men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.' There were powerful things taking place, but none of it through some human strategy session. They were simply doing what and being who God had called them to be and do.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 24 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonButtonThe post How Should We Understand the Jealousy of God? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Being Salt and Light in the World: A Christian's Role Beyond Evangelism" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesThe following sermons exposited by Dr. Caldwell will help us with what it means that believers are salt and light and how remaining focused on Christ and being obedient to Him is how we will remain influential as salt and light in this world:
The Believer's Influence in the World
The Light of the World
Children of the Light - Part 2
Living In Light of the Incarnation - Part 3
Beware of Deception
"Being Salt and Light in the World: A Christian's Role Beyond Evangelism" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyBeing Salt and Light in the World: A Christian's Role Beyond EvangelismThis week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell to explain what it means for believers to be salt and light in this world. Most people who read and hear this statement of Jesus in Matthew 5 think immediately of evangelism. But does this saying pertain to evangelism only, or are there broader applications of being salt and light in the world?
Dr. Caldwell believes that being salt and light in this world applies to the whole of life, everything about the Christian’s life. He explains that salt and light are being used for comparison; this represents analogy. Salt is a preservative and a flavor enhancer. Light is being contrasted with darkness. Dr. Caldwell reads Matthew 5:13-16 that we might hear the rest of Jesus' words on the matter, which will help us to better understand the analogy. In doing this, Dr. Caldwell says it’s not just about our message it’s about our manner of life, our way of living. Even as Jesus speaks of others seeing our good works, he speaks of them about our lives. Others see our lives being lived out according to the Scriptures. So that in every realm and walk of life, we go about loving the Lord, submitting to and obeying the Scriptures in such a way that we are a preservative in the culture. We live our lives in such a way that we are shining the light of God in a dark place.
But is there a broader application of this? Can it apply to things like Christians being influential in the workplace and sectors of society, as in government and politics? Dr. Caldwell says it can apply to these areas, but he is trying to emphasize what Jesus says. Jesus says, you are the salt of the earth, and you are the light of the world. We don’t need to strategize how to be salt and light. Jesus says we ARE these as believers. He believes the point Jesus makes here is that we are to live like who we are. We are to live like Christians in every realm of life, whatever roles we have been placed in and entrusted with. Believers are meant to live for the glory of God and for the good of others, with the gospel in hand, yes, but with the truth of God in hand, living it out in every realm and in every decision we make. That is what it means to be salt and light.
So if we can keep in mind that we already are salt and light, we won’t go around trying to figure out how to be them. We just need to live for Christ wherever we are planted and seek to be obedient in whatever opportunities He provides. This will include conversations with others as we seek to influence people's thinking about cultural issues from a Christian worldview, how we understand political issues biblically and how we vote, how we conduct ourselves in the public arena, and more. The only thing we can do to get in the way of being this kind of influence is to not live like we are meant to. By not living as we should, we hide the light; and lose our savor. We become worthless with respect to what we are really meant to do and be in the world.
Dr. Philpot says some might think and say this is a kind of passivity approach to being salt and light in the world. He asks if there is any sort of exhortation that Dr. Caldwell would give to say this is who we are, therefore, go into the world in all these areas to be influential and effective?
Dr. Caldwell says, of course, most definitely the Lord Jesus gives the command to go into all the world with the gospel, and that’s the major influence we have if we believe that the only way for people to be transformed is through salvation. The most powerful influence we have in the world is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Beyond that, however, he says there is nothing passive about saying walk in the truth obeying the Word of God. The Christian life is not a life of passivity. It is a diligent, active, intentional kind of life, where in every realm and for every decision, we must ask, what does the Word of God require of me here? Living our lives actively directed and ordered by the Word of God through the power of the Holy Spirit is truly transformative. We see this in what was said about the Apostles as they preached the gospel and lived it out everywhere they went – 'these men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.' There were powerful things taking place, but none of it through some human strategy session. They were simply doing what and being who God had called them to be and do.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 24 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonButtonThe post Being Salt and Light in the World: A Christian’s Role Beyond Evangelism appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Subtle Shifts From the Sufficiency of Scripture In Biblical Counseling" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesAs you think about and ponder the things discussed on the podcast today, you might consider listening to the sermons Dr. Caldwell shared from his studies on Matthew 18, along with other sermons he has delivered relating to ecclesiology. Following is the group of sermons from Matthew 18:
Children & God's Kingdom
Threats To God's Children
Caring For God's Children
The Correction of God's Children - Parts 1, 2, & 3
Forgiving God's Children
The Seriousness of Forgiveness
"Subtle Shifts From the Sufficiency of Scripture In Biblical Counseling" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifySubtle Shifts From the Sufficiency of Scripture In Biblical CounselingThis week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell if he would elaborate on a caution he gave the congregation at Founders Baptist in a recent sermon. Dr. Caldwell is currently preaching through Matthew and has arrived at chapter 18. If you are well versed in the Scriptures, one of the first things that come to mind is the teachings on church discipline. Dr. Caldwell shared that it's good and right that we should think about that. Yet he wants us to understand that the discipline process in Matthew 18 is part of a much larger discussion on what it means to be a child of God. The caution Dr. Caldwell raises arises from some things going on within evangelicalism of what it means to deal with sin, as an individual, with others, and how the body of Christ is meant to deal with sin in its midst. Dr. Caldwell shared that the church is being attacked in its adequacy to deal with its own sin issues. And it is something that Satan is particularly targeting in our day. Dr. Caldwell shared there are powerful voices, in the name of evangelicalism even, that are calling for the church to outsource the confrontation of sin. There are powerful voices from within calling for the church to seek out the opinions and advice of the experts to deal with the BIG sin issues. Dr. Caldwell says this comes into play in ways we don't immediately recognize, and one of those very subtle ways is through the biblical counseling movement. Join in and listen as Dr. Caldwell expands on this statement giving further details, seeking to guide us biblically and encourage us to think wisely.
Dr. Caldwell talks first about the issue of outsourcing being called for by these powerful voices. He reminds us that in whatever realm of responsibility God has given us, we don’t have the right or the freedom to up and abdicate those responsibilities. In the same sort of way, what the Lord has entrusted to the church collectively and corporately, what He has tasked the church with, cannot be abdicated. These responsibilities include dealing with sin within its own midst, where the church attempts to rescue people from sin and the destruction it brings, shepherding and guiding them in a way where they obey the Word of God.
But what’s taking place in the current culture and even within evangelicalism is this questioning of the adequacy of the church to deal with sin. Dr. Caldwell confesses that he doesn’t believe that the church deals with every situation perfectly, but neither does secular counseling. No one, humanly speaking, sees the issues perfectly. So the question is not does the church handle these things perfectly. But is the church handling these things responsibly as tasked by God? Is the church dealing with these things according to the Scriptures? The church must deal with the sin within its body. It should be done in a way that is reverent, conscientious, and loving. Above all, it should seek to glorify God and to achieve what is good and God-glorifying for the people involved. That is the responsibility given to the church.
The other side of this issue relates to the sufficiency of the Scriptures and who in the church is competent for counseling other people. When it comes to who in the church is competent to give counsel, Dr. Caldwell says he thinks the biblical answer is anyone who knows the Scriptures, has the Holy Spirit, is led by the Holy Spirit, and with wisdom, is able to apply the Word of God to the problems they meet with in the lives of people. This doesn’t have to be someone who has had special training or someone who has a certificate or degree specializing in counseling. There are men who have been trained in seminaries and are not qualified to be pastors. That isn't what qualifies someone. In the same sort of way, while counseling training can be a help and be a good tool, it doesn’t qualify someone to be good at helping others with the Word of God. The issue comes down to these questions that follow. Does someone who wants to counsel, know the Word of God? Are they walking by the Spirit? Are they further along in their Christian walk, mature, and exhibit biblical wisdom? Are they able to help people apply the Scriptures to their needs? These are the measures of competency in counseling.
However, this is not to say that all people who are adequate and competent to counsel should counsel anyone in the church about anything and everything. God has designed His church with structure and organization. He has faithfully provided for the oversight and care of it. Here is where the study of ecclesiology comes in, helping us to have a healthy understanding of the Lord's Church. As the Great Shepherd, He has given the church elders, men who are His under-shepherds and are called to watch over your soul. They will have to give an account for those they are tasked with shepherding. They are called by God, qualified by gifting, by experience, and by knowledge of the Scriptures to be able to help people in ways that a fellow believer, even with training and certificates, might not be able to. We want to be careful, we never want to undermine the structure God has ordained in the name of achieving something. By God's design, a church can be a healthy church without having a counseling center and without having members who are specially trained to counsel. The question is will we honor and respect His design and organization that He has set forth in the Scriptures?
Ultimately this all comes back to believing that the Bible is the Word of God. Do we believe that it is? Do we believe it is sufficient for life in the Lord’s church? What responsibilities has the Lord assigned to His church, to the Elders and members of that church in terms of how they respond to what God has ordained in the church? And is it enough? Do we need something outside the Scriptures to live life in God’s family well? As believers, we must measure what we listen to, believe, and embrace, not by what others say but by the Word of God. The Scriptures are the standard, for the Lord prayed for us in John 17, Father, sanctify them in the truth, Your word is truth. The Word of God is where we look for our sanctification and our growth in holiness. The Bible is truth. And the church is the pillar and support of the truth in this world.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 23 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonButtonThe post Subtle Shifts From the Sufficiency of Scripture In Biblical Counseling appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Does God Still Speak Through Dreams and Visions?" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesIf you are interested in gaining a deeper understanding of our responsibility to think rightly and respond rightly to the Scriptures, consider listening to the following sermons exposited by Dr. Caldwell:
God Has Spoken In Son
Serious Danger - Parts 1, 2, & 3
Cessationism Demonstrated & Defended - Parts 1 & 2
A Mature View of The Ministry
God's Holy Word
God's Word & God's People
The Life of Peace - Praiseworthy Thinking
The Gospel Dynamic - Part 1 & 2
Stand Your Ground
"Does God Still Speak Through Dreams and Visions?" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyDoes God Still Speak Through Dreams and Visions?This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot has some questions for Dr. Richard Caldwell regarding dreams and visions. The class Dr. Philpot teaches at Founders Baptist Church has been going through the book of Genesis, and they've been reading about Joseph's dreams and the ability to interpret them. He says that it's been a very interesting study. Dr. Philpot also shares that recently he read something about Bethel Church in Redding, CA, having begun something they’re calling The Dream Life School of Interpretation. This new school or teaching they're promoting appears to go even beyond the teachings and training that one would receive at their school of supernatural ministry. On Bethel's promotion page for this new school, they tell us that God often speaks to us through dreams and visions. They say that through our dreams God releases inspiration, innovation, invention, direction, wisdom, and much more from Heaven. They want people to learn the value of dreams and visions as a language of God so that they will be equipped with the gift of interpretation. But based on our reading and understanding of the Old and New Testaments, is this something the Scriptures call us to? Is God speaking to us through our dreams as He did with people like Joseph, Daniel, and others in the Old Testament and like Joseph, Mary’s husband-to-be, in the New Testament? Are we supposed to be seeking interpretation of our dreams and visions?
Dr. Caldwell says there's no doubt that God has spoken through dreams and visions in both the Old and New Testaments. None of us would deny that. So the answer he gives is not because he doesn’t believe that God is capable of doing such things because He has. God is the initiator of dreams, and He has communicated through them. What you have when you have prophets communicating with people through dreams, visions, and even direct words from God, is giving instruction, direction, correction, etc., during times when the Word of God was not yet complete. God was giving special revelation. Not only did God give them dreams and visions, but He also gave them the ability to understand and interpret them. Joseph makes this point clear in Genesis 40:8 when he states that interpretations belong to God. This is true for the Old and New Testaments, which comprise God's special revelation. But dreams and visions aren't the only means God used for communicating while His revelation was not yet complete. In the New Testament era, He used Apostles and Prophets guided by the Holy Spirit. When the Apostolic era passed and the New Testament came into being, God’s special revelation was finished; it was complete. What we have in our Bibles and hold in our hands today is truly supernatural. It is the divinely inspired and providentially preserved Word of God. And now, by the Spirit of God, His Word is understood and applied; this is how God speaks to us today. Therefore in light of these truths and more, Dr. Caldwell says he does not believe that God is communicating today with His people through dreams and visions.
Additionally, Dr. Caldwell shares from Jeremiah 23, where God acknowledges the legitimacy of dreams. People dreamed in Bible times, and people still have dreams today. But he points out that where God does this, His emphasis is on His Word He has spoken. Here, God likens His Word to fire and a hammer that shatters a rock. That Word that God has given to us we can read, hear, and know it’s from Him. We can be sure that what we're hearing when we hear the Word of God is the truth. Truth and error are determined by the Word of God, not by dreams and visions. Your dream can be the product of your imagination. It might be the product of your dinner the night before or even the product of the deceitfulness of your own heart.
So while we can read the New Testament and find examples in the book of Acts where God used dreams and visions, we will not find teaching in any of the epistles where God’s people are instructed or directed to rely on dreams or visions for guidance. We need to be careful to distinguish between the descriptive and prescriptive revelation that God has given. We have the once for all faith that's been delivered to the saints, and we are to continually be being filled with the Spirit of God. We are to let the Word of God dwell in us richly, make our decisions based upon the Scriptures, and then apply the Word faithfully. This is what is prescriptive. What we have, as Peter says, is the prophetic word made more sure which we would do well to pay attention to as a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. We need to acquaint ourselves with God’s Word, soak in it, be saturated with it, master it effectively, and live it out, not be carried away by trying to interpret dreams and visions.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 23 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonButtonThe post Does God Still Speak Through Dreams and Visions? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"End-of-Life Decisions: A Christian Perspective on End-of-Life Decisions" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesFollowing are sermons by Dr. Caldwell that will assist in further thinking through how to make End-of-Life Decisions:
The Sovereignty of God
A Christian's View of the Body
Fearless Expectations
Hopeful Grief
Thinking Our Way Home
Christ's Resurrection & The Believer
"End-of-Life Decisions: A Christian Perspective on End-of-Life Decisions" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyEnd-of-Life Decisions: A Christian Perspective on End-of-Life DecisionsHow should Christians handle end-of-life decisions? Are there principles that should guide Christians in making end-of-life decisions? Will the principles be the same for all end-of-life situations? How can we know what is best?
Making decisions for someone we love when they aren't able can be arduous. Making decisions for/about someone else's health and well-being is often clouded with emotions and can be intensely painful. So when someone finds that they need to make an end-of-life decision for a loved one, the weightiness of that decision can be more than any of us want to bear. But these things are inevitable, and without a living will or a durable power of attorney for health care that expresses our loved ones wishes, we need to make the best possible informed decision or decisions that we can. So how should Christians approach these kinds of decisions? Is it ever appropriate to withdraw medical treatment from someone so that they can pass away? Or, do we have a responsibility, knowing the sacredness of life, to try to preserve it at all costs? Join Dr. Josh Philpot and Dr. Richard Caldwell for this episode of the Straight Truth podcast as they seek to encourage us with biblical wisdom and guidance in the answers to this subject.
Dr. Caldwell wants us to first know that God is sovereign and to understand that there is nothing He is not sovereign over. Knowing God is sovereign over all things is a comforting doctrine. God’s Word tells us that all our days were written down before we lived even one of them. There is a day for our birth and a day for our death, and both of them were determined by God before we ever lived. As we think about this, it will help us to remember that life and death are never in our hands, nor the doctor’s hands. To live or to die is in the hands of God. We don’t have to feel guilty as if we are in control of our loved ones living and dying because we aren’t; God is. Until Jesus comes again, we all have a day to die. For the believer, it’s a portal into the presence of God, a day of great rejoicing. For the unbeliever, it’s a tragic day.
Secondly, Dr. Caldwell mentions we live in an era that God has placed us in, which most of humanity never experienced. Because of the advances made in medical technology, we sometimes face decisions that past generations wouldn’t have even faced. If we have a loved one on medical equipment that's sustaining their life, we can choose to have those unplugged. We don’t have to feel guilty if we make a choice to turn a person over to the natural processes.
A third thought Dr. Caldwell shares is that because of advancements in modern medicine, there are times that it may present the possibility for life to go on. So if there is hope for intervention that might bring recovery and extend our loved ones life, we don’t need to feel guilty about wanting to wait to remove those life-supporting systems. It’s not wrong for us to want to wait and see if there is a way that they might recover. We don’t have to feel guilty about this.
So while it is possible that our loved one might perish without the life-sustaining medical equipment and intervention, at the same time, it is possible that they might not. God may sustain them to full recovery, but He might not. We do not have to feel guilty about considering both options. We should listen to the doctors and get good medical advice, all while keeping the truths of God’s Word in our minds. God knows our hearts, and we can make these decisions either way and rest in His good and perfect care.
Keeping these three things in mind will help us make the best wisdom-informed decisions that we are able. Dr. Caldwell says he believes that this makes these decisions less intense. He also says that it is good if people can make their intentions and wishes known in advance before loved ones have to face these decisions. Those ways of making these things known are helpful because, then, we don’t have to feel guilty about honoring our loved one's wishes. He wishes there was a hard and fast rule for each situation, but there isn't. So we need the Spirit of God, and we also need good sound judgment.
All of our days are in the hands of our God. We cannot add a single hour to our lives or the lives of our loved ones. Our responsibility is to provide the best loving care we can, make wise, informed decisions as we go along, and trust God, our Creator, and Sustainer, for the time He has determined when a life shall end. Following are sermons to listen to that will help us as we think about life and death. In them, Dr. Caldwell reminds us, as he has in this podcast, that all of our days are determined by God and that if we are reconciled to Him, we have nothing to fear when our final day comes. The very moment we pass from this life, we enter the presence of God and shall be with Him forever.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 23 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonButtonThe post End-of-Life Decisions: A Christian Perspective on End-of-Life Decisions appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Should I Love or Hate My Enemies?" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesFollowing are sermons by Dr. Caldwell that will assist in further thinking through how to love our enemies:
Righteousness & Retribution
Loving By God's Standard
Hearing Jesus About Our Enemies - Part 1 & 2
Judgment That is Not Judgmental
A Godly Reading of the Golden Rule
Faith's Grand Narrative
The Logic For Love of Enemies
Who Wants Life? - Part 2
Who Wants Life? - Part 3
Glorious Ministry
"Should I Love or Hate My Enemies?" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyShould I Love or Hate My Enemies?As Christians, we know that in the New Testament, Jesus teaches us to love our enemies, pray for them, and do good to them. But we also know that there are passages in the Old Testament, like some of the imprecatory Psalms, that seem to speak differently about this. We read of David, in Psalm 139, of hating those who hate God, hating them with a complete hatred, and counting them as his own enemy. Can both of these ways be right? Is it possible to hate our enemies and love them at the same time? Aren’t we supposed to love the sinner and hate the sin? How can we determine who is rightly an enemy? These questions are discussed and answered in this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast. Join us as Dr. Josh Philpot presents these questions to Dr. Richard Caldwell, seeking answers to help us think through the challenges of knowing who our enemies are and what our responses toward them should be.
Dr. Caldwell says that, of course, both of these truths of the Scriptures are right. He mentions there are two things we need to keep in mind when we think about this. First, is what is being perpetrated against me versus what is being perpetrated against God. So I can hate what’s being done to our God, His name, His honor, His truth, His people, and His church, yet love the person who attacks me. Two, we can hold to both as it pertains to personal offenses. In the same heart and mind, we can hate what the person is doing and who they are by the virtue of sin and yet love them and desire their conversion.
So as we think about these people and come into contact with them, we know who they are right now. They are sinners in need of God's saving grace. We know what they deserve as a result of who they are. We know where they're headed and what they most certainly will meet with if they continue on this path. Yet still, even though this is where they are right now, and whether their attacks are against God or us personally, we are to love them by not returning evil for evil, by praying for their conversion, and by seeking to do good for them if given the opportunity. Their greatest need is Christ.
We also need to remember that we were all once the enemies of God by nature before He saved us. Those that are outside of the Church are still His enemies. So at any given time, when we see some sort of persecution upon the Lord’s people it is an attack on Lord’s Church. There are places where believers are dying for their faith. While it's not an attack on us personally, in a sense, it is because they're our brother or sister; they’re part of the family of God. The Lord Jesus Christ mentions this to Saul as a personal attack upon Himself as Saul, soon to be Paul, is persecuting church members in Acts 9. It’s an attack on Christ; in that sense, it’s an attack on all of us. Other areas of attacks might be very personal, extending to a business relationship or family relationship where someone is mistreating us on a personal level. In these and other ways, there is also a kind of enemy. We are to think of them in two categories. There is what they are that we should hate, and there is, at the same time, a responsibility to love them with the love of Christ. We are to show people, even if they are our enemies, that we love them and pray for them, even as they would spitefully use us on purpose.
Dr. Caldwell reminds us that many different categories could be discussed in a conversation like this. Some of them would lead to discussions on things like Christian pacifism. Christian pacifism would say that if someone breaks into my home to harm my family, loving my enemy means I don’t withstand them. Basically, it means I don’t protect my family. Within this same framework of understanding, others would say that Christians can’t serve their nation as soldiers during wartime. Dr. Caldwell shares that he believes these are misapplications of the passages that teach us to love our enemies and exhorts us to be very careful with categories as we apply these truths. But as we face an enemy of God, of His church, of the truth, or as we face an enemy of ourselves on a personal level, we are called to both hate the evil and yet love the individuals in the way Christ has loved us and in the way the gospel would instruct us to love them.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 23 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonButtonThe post Should I Love or Hate My Enemies? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Double Predestination Explained" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesFollowing are sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell from Romans 9 to help better understand God’s sovereignty and absolute rights in the matters of salvation and reprobation:
The Freedom of God's Will
The Justice of God
The Sovereign and Just Judge
God's Rights
"Double Predestination Explained" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyDouble Predestination ExplainedThis week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell about double predestination, sometimes called reprobation. In Romans 9:22-23, we see that God has some vessels of wrath that He has prepared for destruction. We see something similar in 1 Peter 2:8, where some disobey the word as they were destined to do. But in other texts like 1 Timothy 2:4, we read where God our Savior desires all people to be saved and, in 2 Peter 3:9, which says that God does not wish that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Caldwell how do we understand these seemingly contradictory statements. Specifically, regarding predestination, has God created some people to be saved and created some people to be ultimately judged and destroyed?
Dr. Caldwell says to know the truth in any realm, we must learn to submit our thoughts and emotions to the Word of God, or we will never get to the truth. If we read God’s Word through the grid of what we desire, then we will never come to the truth. We have got to be willing to let the Bible say what it says and then submit our minds and hearts to that. A second principle that helps answer the question is for us to acknowledge that the Bible says things we can't fully get our minds around. God is God, and we are not. We are creatures with limited capacities. One other distinction that gets to some of the texts Dr. Philpot has shared is that we have to distinguish between the desires of God as He has given them in Scripture and the decrees of God. God has not decreed everything He desires. In some way, God is able to desire the salvation of all men though He has not decreed it.
Dr. Caldwell takes us to Romans 9 and shares the text beginning from verse 19. He points out a key phrase in verse 21 we need to pay attention to - out of the same lump. On the potter's wheel, there is only one lump of clay, and that one lump is fallen. Out of that lump, which all of it deserves wrath, God has chosen to save some. Some are formed that God does save, and others are formed that He does not. Dr. Caldwell recommends that everyone get a copy of R.C. Sproul’s book, Chose by God. He shares that he believes that Dr. Sproul does the best job of simply helping us get our minds around this topic of double predestination. He shares that one of the things Dr. Sproul discusses in the book is that there’s a difference between double predestination and equal ultimacy. Equal ultimacy is the idea that God works, in the same way, to damn people as he does to save people. Dr. Caldwell says equal ultimacy is not true. God has predetermined destinies in such a way that some are chosen for salvation, and some are not. But God doesn’t work in the same way to damn people as He does to save people. To save people, God intervenes. In the damnation of people, God leaves them to their own choices. For anyone to believe and be saved, God has to do something. In the elect, God intervenes, grants the new birth, regenerates, and, as a result, gifts us with repentance and faith. In the case of the non-elect, Christ is set before them, the gospel offered to them, and if they should want Him, they can come, but they don’t want to, so they are left with their own desires. In this way, from the same lump of clay, some are formed for honorable use and some for dishonorable, and that’s God’s right.
Dr. Caldwell explains that Paul anticipated questions when he wrote this in Romans, and one of the ways you will know you are teaching the passage right is that you will get those same questions. When you teach God’s sovereignty in salvation, you get all these questions and more. But if Dr. Caldwell were to teach what is referred to as an Arminian view of the gospel, nobody ever asks the questions. So he offers a challenge to his brothers who don’t agree with him on this topic and asks them, does anybody ever ask you these questions they asked Paul? They won’t he says, because you’re not teaching what Paul taught. But if you begin to teach that God is absolutely sovereign in the matter of salvation, people will ask these questions.
Dr. Caldwell goes to Exodus and reads some passages about God hardening Pharaoh’s heart then he reads others where Pharaoh is said to be hardening his heart. How does this work? Is God doing the hardening, or is Pharaoh? Dr. Caldwell says the answer is both, and this gets to Romans 1, where we see man fall deeper and deeper in sinfulness, and we read the repetitive phrase that God gave them up. Through common grace, God is at work restraining sin in this world. If He weren't, this world would fly out of control. But God doesn’t harden a heart by putting sin in there; it’s already there. What He does is takes the brakes off, so to speak, and allows men and women to run deeper and deeper into the depravity that is already present in fallen man. He hardens men and women by giving them over, letting them go in their own choices and go their own way. Dr. Caldwell says the last thing we want in our unregenerate state is for God to give us over to our own desires because we will certainly be damned.
In saving us, God does what we could never do for ourselves. He intervenes and pours out redemptive grace transferring us from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of His own Son. So double predestination makes grace grace. It makes salvation, salvation, and deliverance, deliverance.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 23 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonButtonThe post Double Predestination Explained appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Should I Reveal that I had an Abortion?" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesIf you would like to learn more about these things, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Caldwell:
The Gospel as Preservative
Preaching the Gospel to Christians
Not Ashamed
What the Gospel Reveals
The Nature of Abraham's Faith
No Condemnation
The Ugliness of Sin & The Beauty of Grace
The Only Hope for The Guilty Soul
Confessing Our Sin
The Joy of Forgiveness
Reasoning Our Way to Repentance - Parts 1 & 2
Distinction and No Distinction
"Should I Reveal that I had an Abortion?" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyShould I Reveal that I had an Abortion?This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, we will be dealing with a very personal question from a young mother. Dr. Philpot shares that a young woman writes in sharing that she is married with three children. She recently became pregnant with a fourth. Out of shock and fear, feeling that she couldn't handle another child, she did not tell her husband and then went and had an abortion. She now recognizes what she has done as a terrible and wrong decision. She sought counseling from others, but it hasn’t brought the peace of mind she hoped for. She still hasn’t told her husband and writes now to ask for Dr. Caldwell's counsel and advice. Dr. Caldwell has been a pastor for over thirty years and has counseled many with biblical wisdom. What counsel and advice can Dr. Caldwell offer that might bring the peace of mind she longs for?
Dr. Caldwell shares first that he would start with the gospel. What he means by this is, does this young woman truly know Christ? Dr. Caldwell is not saying that genuine believers can't make disastrous decisions. What he is asking is, was this disastrous decision a manifestation of failure where there is genuine faith, or was that decision a manifestation of the absence of faith. Does a believer's reaction to a pregnancy, obviously, it shouldn’t but can it, include ‘I’m going to the abortion clinic, and I’m going to have an abortion.'? So it’s a good and important question to ask. Do you really know Christ?
Lots of people deal with God in a generic fashion. Their knowledge of God is generic. Therefore their knowledge of salvation and forgiveness is misinformed and generic. People can say they have asked God for forgiveness, but they don't understand that in the biblical terms of the gospel. Those terms are that Christ died for sinners, paying for all the sins we will ever commit in full at the cross. The eternal Son of God took upon Himself an additional nature, a real human nature, so that He, as the Son of Man, died on the cross for sinners, has been raised from the dead, lives forever more, ascended to heaven, is coming again and intercedes on behalf of those who have trusted in Him. Forgiveness for sins for all sins, including this one, is found in trusting in Christ and Christ alone. There is no forgiveness apart from the shed blood of Christ. So this is the place we would need to begin. Do you really know Jesus because there is no forgiveness, no matter how guilty you feel or how many prayers you might offer if you haven’t trusted in Christ?
Assuming this woman is a genuine believer and has made an illy, rash disastrous choice, what now would Dr. Caldwell advise? He would say you need to know there is no relief from guilt without genuine repentance. You need to bring this sin fully into the light. It must be seen for what it was, you must call it what it was, and it is. It is murder. While you didn’t perform the procedure yourself, you sought it out and allowed it; you are responsible. So to have the freedom from guilt, you must see your sin for what it is and confess it for what it is. You must come before God and deal with this honestly, confessing this sin for what it is, then acknowledge that in Christ Jesus there is forgiveness of that sin and accept the forgiveness of Christ, that is real, full, and free.
As far as telling your husband, Dr. Caldwell says he would need to ask more questions before advising you to move forward immediately. However, he says that if your husband loves you and he loves the Lord, then you need to trust the Lord and tell him. He says, then he would say, with all these sorts of things, that together you need to go and see your pastor. This is assuming you are members of a local church and, hopefully, it's a healthy local church. Dr. Caldwell asserts that this is where you should be shepherded, not by him via the internet. He advises that you go and see your pastor and let him shepherd you through this phase of your life.
The emotions and aftermath of our sins are many and varied. Feelings of guilt, shame, and fear are among the many things we might experience. So part of the issue here may involve the fear of going to your pastor. Maybe it seems easier to ask the guy on the internet. Maybe there’s a lesser degree of fear of exposing your sin to somebody you don’t know versus someone you do. Dr. Caldwell says he believes this comes about often as it relates to biblical counseling. It seems easier to go to this counseling center or group to get help to deal with your sins rather than talk to your own pastor about them. Many go to these because they don’t want to talk to their pastor about the sins they commit. Dr. Caldwell says he does not believe this embraces the New Testament concept of the local church, reminding us that God gave us human shepherds for a reason. If your church isn't healthy and sound, then go find one that is. But if your church is, and you have faithful shepherds who are good and godly men, let them shepherd and care for you. It's what God means for them to be and do in your life.
The only remedy for our guilty souls is the forgiveness of Christ. It is to Christ we must turn for forgiveness. When He forgives us, we are forgiven. When He cleanses us, we are clean. As the Lord said through the prophet Isaiah, “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.” And as Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you, who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Our God does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. He casts them as far away from us as the East is from the West. He drops them in the sea of forgetfulness to remember them no more. His forgiveness is real, it is full, and it is forever! Do you know this forgiveness?
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 23 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonButtonThe post Should I Reveal that I had an Abortion? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Salvation and Sanctification in the Old and New Testaments" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListWatch Us On RumbleRelated MessagesWould you like to learn more about the Holy Spirit, about His work in regeneration, salvation, and sanctification in God’s people? Consider listening to the following sermons exposited by Dr. Caldwell from the Word of God:
The Unbelief of The Sinner
Another Helper - Parts 1 & 2
The Holy Spirit - Parts 1 & 2
Because He Has Come - Parts 1 & 2
Our Teacher
Something New
Something Better
A Faithful Shepherd - Part 2
The Baptism in The Holy Spirit - Parts 1 & 2
The Holy Spirit as God's Seal and Pledge - Parts 1 & 2
"Salvation and Sanctification in the Old and New Testaments" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifySalvation and Sanctification in the Old and New TestamentsThe New Testament teaches the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit of all believers. But in the Old Testament, this wasn’t the case; it was different. How can we understand the work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament? That work appears to have been selective and temporary. For example, we read King David praying to God in Psalm 51 to not take ‘Your Holy Spirit from me.’ Whereas New Testament believers, permanently indwelled by the Holy Spirit, are being transformed into the image of Christ, from one degree of glory to another through the work of sanctification. So then, if the Holy Spirit did not permanently indwell Old Testament believers, and just sort of, came and went, how were they sanctified? This is the topic for this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast. Join us as host Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell to share his thoughts and understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit in saving and sanctifying believers in both eras, old and new.
Dr. Caldwell says this is a great opportunity to think about continuity and discontinuity. Continuity is that, which remains the same, and discontinuity is that which is different. So what is the same and what is different? As Dr. Philpot mentioned, the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit is new, so something different has taken place. But, if we understand and believe what the Bible teaches about all mankind since the fall, we have to know that no one has ever been saved in all of history apart from regeneration. Man does not and cannot save himself. He is blind, and he is dead. Man does not love God nor the things of God and has no desire to live for God. God must do a work in a man's soul for this to change; it requires the grace of God at work in the soul that brings new life. This is regeneration and is the work of the Holy Spirit in a person's heart for salvation. This has not and does not change from the old to the new. So, in the same way, to think that anyone can live a godly life without the help of the Holy Spirit, Old or New Testament, would be erroneous. The Holy Spirit is He who works to give the eyes of faith to believe God, His Word, and His promises, to love the Scriptures, and the desire to obey Him.
Dr. Caldwell shares about Jesus coming to Nicodemus in John 3, where Jesus talks about the new birth. Nicodemus is reproved for not knowing and understanding the things Jesus speaks about with him. Nicodemus was a teacher in Israel and had the Old Testament. He should have understood the need for the new birth, even in the Old Testament. If new birth was required in the Old Testament, so also was sanctification and growing in godliness. But what’s new then? What’s new is that we have the Messiah; we have Christ. The Old Testament progressively continued to point to the coming of Christ, but He hadn’t yet come. In the New Testament, we have Christ come. Now we have met with Emmanuel, God with us, God incarnate in the person of Jesus Christ. In this same discussion with Nicodemus, we begin learning it's through Christ that love takes on a new character. Dr. Caldwell shares what this means and looks like in the life of believers.
Before Christ was to return to heaven, He promised the gift of the Holy Spirit. He is the one who baptizes us with the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God is given to those who have trusted in Christ. This is a post-resurrection, a post-ascension reality that every believer is now permanently indwelled by the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God is our comforter. He is Christ in us. He is the seal and down payment that God has given to us, His people, regarding our future inheritance. He works in us for our sanctification, for the holiness without which no man will see the Lord. His indwelling confirms the fact that we are headed toward a future that God has promised, one we will most certainly have. These are all new realities.
Sanctification for the New Testament believer is Christ in me, the hope of glory. We are now being conformed to the image of the Son of God. That could not have been an Old Testament goal set before the people of God because Christ had not yet come. And even though the Holy Spirit did not permanently indwell the Old Testament believers, the work of sanctification was for growth in holiness, growth in godliness. The Spirit was still active outside of them influencing them to those ends. So, while sanctification is not new, it does take on a new significance. Christ is now the standard and example. He is not just our redeemer. He is also our model of what our lives should look like now that we’ve been redeemed.
It is important to understand the Bible on its own terms and affirm continuity where it exists and discontinuity where it exists. The Bible doesn’t make it complicated. It just sets it forth before us in very clear, simple terms, and we ought to embrace everything it reveals. St. Augustine famously said, “The new is in the old concealed; the old is in the new revealed.” This statement expresses how the two testaments of the Bible are so marvelously interwoven with each other. To understand the New Testament in its fullest sense, we must know the Old. For the Old Testament lays the foundations for the New. It points forward in time to prepare the people of God for the coming of Christ and His work in the New Testament.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 23 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonButtonThe post Salvation and Sanctification in the Old and New Testaments appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"How To Mortify Sins" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListRelated MessagesWe must recognize the presence of sin in our lives to kill it. To recognize sin as sin, we must know the Word of God. We must saturate ourselves with His Word cultivating hearts that desire to obey God as we understand and take sin seriously. Consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell that will encourage us in our walk with Christ to do these very things:
The Certainty of New Life
The Application of Doctrine
Salvation's New Abilities
Why Grace Meets Objections
The Answer to Grace Abuse
Our Death With Jesus
No Chance to Repent
Worship and the Mortification of Sin
The Believing Life
Living in Hostile Territory - Part 1
The War Within
The Sin of Adultery
The Children of God in this World
Threats to God's Children
"How To Mortify Sins" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyHow To Mortify SinsIf sin remains with/in us until glorification, how do we mortify them? If mortifying sin means killing it, how do we actually do that? If we kill our sin, why does it remain, and why do we go on in sin?
This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot discuss the mortification of sin. What does it mean to kill it? What does it look like to kill sin? And if we are taking the steps necessary to kill sin in our lives, why does it not go away? These are questions we need answers to if we are to grow and progress in the Christian life. Without understanding our sin and dealing with it ongoingly, we can stifle our sanctification process, bringing dishonor and shame to our Lord who bought us. In Christ, we are new creatures. Daily we must put off sin and put on Christ. Listen in as Dr. Caldwell opens the Word of God and helps us to understand this process of mortifying our sins.
Dr. Caldwell affirms that on this side of glorification, we will not be perfected, and sins will reappear. Mortification means that we have to go on putting those sins to death. Putting them to death means that we deal with all our sin issues in light of our real death to sin and in light of our real new life in Jesus Christ. We must deal with sin in accordance with the truth as it is in Jesus.
Dr. Caldwell shares Romans 6:5-11. He tells us that it teaches us that we know a real freedom right now with respect to sin because of what Jesus has done for us. Jesus came into the world to die on behalf of our sins. He has accomplished that. It is finished. It is done. There is something about Jesus' death to sin that informs the believers' death to sin. Before Christ, we were enslaved to sin, but now united to Christ, we can choose to say no to sin and yes to Christ. So mortifying sin is to regard ourselves as dead to that sin. Moment by moment, choice by choice, decision by decision is how we put sin to death.
When a believer gives themself to sin, they are living as if they are still a slave, as if they are still in Adam. But, if we are in Christ, we do not have to give in to sin. Instead in that very moment, we put it to death by saying no to it and saying yes to Jesus Christ. Putting to death sin will be a continual process that believers must engage in daily because killing sin does not happen all at once. So, we must battle to slay our sin, doing so with the sword of the Spirit, with the belt of truth, through the power of the Spirit. We won’t do this perfectly, and there will be times when we trip and stumble.
So what do we do when we stumble? We repent, we get up, and we walk again. We don’t use it as an excuse to go on in sin. Dr. Caldwell explains that Romans 6 also addresses this. As believers, we want to serve Christ and live righteous lives, and we've been given the capacity to do that. This is a pattern for those who have new life in Christ. Those made new by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit will live new lives. Anything less is a contradiction of who we are in Christ.
So if we are going to mortify sin, we cannot give it oxygen. We cannot give it room to live and breathe. We must subdue sin by refusing it, by starving and rejecting it. Our Lord said that if our hand causes us to sin, cut it off. He said if our eye causes us to sin, pluck it out. It should be obvious that He is speaking metaphorically. He is not saying for us to literally cut off our hands or pluck out our eyes. He is using radical terminology to help us understand the seriousness of sin. We want to take radical action to do whatever is necessary to overcome sin and put it to death.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 22 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post How To Mortify Sins appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"If The United States of America Repents, Will God Heal The Nation?" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListRelated MessagesBelow are sermons that can help us think through the things discussed in the podcast today; consider listening as Dr. Caldwell faithfully exposits the Word of God:
Portrait Of A Lost Man - Part 1
Paul’s Burden & Ours
Protections Against A Wasted Life
Longing For The True King
A Christian Vision For Engaging The World - Parts 1 & 2
The Beautiful Life & Civil Authority
The Christian's Relationship To Governing Authorities
Abraham's Family Of Faith
"If The United States of America Repents, Will God Heal The Nation?" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyIf The United States of America Repents, Will God Heal The Nation? This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot shares with Dr. Richard Caldwell that 2 Chronicles 7:14 from the Old Testament gets brought up constantly in the United States by pastors and lay Christians alike, politicians, and many others familiar with it. We can read blogs and articles on the internet that refer to it and even watch videos promising great hope if we would only turn and repent. In all fairness, this is understandable as we witness the rapid moral and spiritual decline transpiring in our nation. Debauchery and sin are everywhere, from the highest level to the lowest. People want to claim the promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14 because they want to see God heal our land. There’s even talk of people praying for a great revival such as what happened at Nineveh. Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Caldwell what does he hear from this text? How does he interpret this text? Additionally, he asks if Americans repent like Nineveh will God spare us from further decline; will He fix us and turn us in a better direction?
To this last question, Dr. Caldwell says the answer is no. It’s important to remember that for any verse of Scripture we read, we must consider the context for proper interpretation. This is what biblical hermeneutics is all about. He says that when we mishandle verses, it causes us to be left with misunderstanding.
The context for 2 Chronicles 7:14 is the theocratic national people of God, the nation of Israel, whom God chose for Himself to serve as a light to the nations. Through that nation, until the coming of His Son, they were to be the primary means He would use to disseminate truth to the world. God declared blessings and curses to the nation of Israel regarding their obedience and disobedience to the covenant He made with them. Along with the curses for disobedience, there was the promise of retaining God’s blessing if there was repentance; this is the context for which the promises in 2 Chronicles 7:14 are given. It is to those people who were in covenant with God as a nation that these promises were given. These promises were not made to us and are not for us. It would be wrong to assume that the United States of America (USA) has a relationship with God that matches that of the biblical theocratic nation of Israel. It would be wrong to think that God’s people, in any particular country or nation today, who have penitent hearts towards God and cry out to Him for the healing of their land, are guaranteed that healing.
However, having said this, Dr. Caldwell says we can take the verse and talk about some right applications we can form from it. We should care about the land in which we live. We should want to see God honored and glorified in our land. We should desire that the land we live in would be more favorable to the gospel and that people all across our land, from all walks of life, be converted. As New Testament believers, members of the Body of Christ - His Church, we can and should pray for these things. All Christians should actively seek to work for the betterment of the nation and the people who reside in it. But to take 2 Chronicles 7:14 as a promise if we pray and repent, even collectively as God's people today, if the Church gets it right, then God will heal our nation, that is wrong. We do not have that promise; we cannot claim that.
The Church is the Lord’s Church, and the nation is the nation. While the USA has had a notable history with the gospel since its very beginnings, this does not make it a Christian nation. The USA is not another Israel, it is not the new Israel and is most definitely NOT a Christian nation. But for those living within its borders, if they're turning from their wicked ways, they're repenting and living faithful lives, sharing the gospel and seeking the conversion of the lost, and building up good biblical churches, there will be benefits. There will be practical benefits within any nation where this is happening as Proverbs 14:34 says, righteousness exalts a nation. But where this kind of living is not taking place, such as the decayed living we see in the USA, this proverb also says that sin is a disgrace to any people, and with it comes great destruction. Therefore it is good to recognize this and pray for our nation, even asking the Lord to bring a great awakening and to send revival.
Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Caldwell why God would change His outworking from one age to the next. Why would God go from working in one age as He did with the nation of Israel to doing something different in a whole new age like the New Testament and the time in which we live?
Dr. Caldwell says it’s because, ultimately, what God is doing, is about His redemptive plan for humanity and all that He has made through the finished work of His Son. God’s plan has progress to it. There is a progressive outworking of eternal decrees from Genesis to Revelation. As mentioned before, there was a time when God’s primary means of disseminating truth was through the nation of Israel. But now, in the time in which we live, the primary means is through His Church. The Church is the pillar and support of the truth in the world, not Israel. So it's essential that we pay attention to and believe what God has chosen to do different in time, as well as what remains the same. We’ve got to recognize the continuity and discontinuity as it is within Scripture and embrace both of these things.
As those who belong to the Lord’s Church, we remain faithful as we live in the midst of an unbelieving world. We go on praying, and we go on trusting our God. The ultimate healing for our nation, all nations, and the whole world will be the kingdom of Christ that Christ Himself will usher in. That is the ultimate outcome of the things for which we long.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 22 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post If The United States of America Repents, Will God Heal The Nation? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Making Amends for Past Sins" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListRelated MessagesThe following sermons by Dr. Caldwell will help to deepen your understanding of these truths shared in the podcast today:
Confessing Our Sins
The Lives We are Urged To Live
The Goal Of Our Ministry - Parts 1-3
Attitudes That Belong To The Spiritually Mature - Parts 1 & 2
Answers For The Doubting Heart - Parts 1 & 2
No Condemnation
Wisdom For Life's Trials
The Only Hope For The Guilty Soul
The Joy Of Forgiveness
"Making Amends for Past Sins" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyMaking Amends for Past SinsHow should a Christian deal with the sins, before coming to Christ, that the conscience brings to bear on our hearts and minds? What should we do when some sins we remember are 5, 10, and maybe even 20 years old? How can we deal with our emotional feelings of embarrassment, shame, pain, and guilt over our past sins?
The very moment a person turns from their sin, by faith, in repentance to Jesus Christ, all sins, past, present, and future, are forgiven. But as Christians, we know this is not the end of it all, for the entire life of believers is to be one of repentance. Throughout the rest of our lives, through the work of the Holy Spirit, our sins are brought to bear upon our hearts and minds. Many of these may include sins from our past, which can sometimes weigh heavily upon our consciences. What do we do when we are conflicted over past sins, especially if they nag at us and provoke feelings of guilt? In what situations or circumstances do we need to go back and seek the forgiveness of others and make amends for those sins? What can we do when we struggle with the pangs of guilt aroused by the conscious awareness of our lives before knowing Christ? These are some of the questions that Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot will attempt to help us make sense of this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as we seek to be open, honest, and transparent before the Lord.
Dr. Caldwell tells us it would be helpful to have blueprints for every situation so that we might instruct people in exactly what they are to do. While we don't have specific instructions, what we do have is the Scriptures. In the Scriptures, we have principles. But the application of these principles requires wisdom. Some of these issues become a matter of judgment. By the Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, we develop the ability to make good judgment calls. Good judgment is judgment saturated with Scripture, which includes wisdom, which is how you apply the Scriptures in any given situation.
If we can clear our consciences by going to another and have the occasion to make amends for a wrong we’ve done, where it will make sense to the person we are going to, we should do that. If there is a barrier between us and someone else due to our sin, we should want to make things right with them. However, where no permanent barrier exists, it might be more beneficial for us to deal with the issue between ourselves and the Lord. In our pursuit of a clear conscience with/about others, we want to be as sure as we're able that the results would be positive, as in helpful or beneficial, and not destructive, even harmful or hurtful. To go back to people from 5, 10, or 20 years ago might not be for the best. There will be times when the most appropriate way to handle certain sins of the past is between yourself and the Lord. Times, for example, when you might bring injury upon another person because they have no idea of that sin.
Dr. Caldwell shares Romans 12:18, which shows that sometimes there will be things that will not be possible for us to fix, make right, or make amends for, as it depends on us. Where we can live peaceable lives with others, to the degree that we can, we should. But there are going to be situations where it isn’t possible. He also shares 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 which is an example of this truth as it relates to husbands and wives and divorce. In these texts, there is an acknowledgment of what we can do and what we cannot. Dr. Caldwell shares that sometimes our consciences will be loaded down with things we can’t go back and fix. When we find ourselves in these kinds of situations, then we go and make it right between ourselves and the Lord. If we are given the opportunity to make things right with a person or party we've injured, we always want to do that. But those times of opportunity will not always be there.
Many of the conscience issues we face can be and are often related to our lives before becoming a Christian. Dr. Caldwell shares that he does not believe that we are tasked with tracking down people from our past, searching them out to make our confession to them. If we have dealt with the sin and made it right in our heart before the Lord and we run across that person sometime later, we can gladly try to make it right with them. But, he doesn’t believe we are responsible, nor should we feel compelled to search them out.
Dealing with overwhelming guilt regarding sin calls for us to live out our theology. What we believe and why we believe it really matters. We have to be able to apply the truth of the gospel along with knowing and understanding the justification that comes to us from God through Christ. If we are truly saved then we are no longer guilty before God. In Christ, we stand before God clothed with the perfect righteousness of Christ, in whom there is no guilt. So we must ask ourselves, how do we stand before God? Are we guilty, or are we forgiven? If we find ourselves unwilling to make something right, that’s different; that’s a sin issue. We must be willing to make things right wherever the Lord calls us to. When we’ve done that, we can rest in the forgiveness of that which Christ has forgiven us. We can walk in the forgiveness that is really ours. But if we don’t, we aren’t going to have the peace of conscience that we so eagerly seek. The only way we will have relief in the emotional realm is if we apply the truth and we really believe that truth.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 22 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Making Amends for Past Sins appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Can Christians Shipwreck Their Faith?" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListRelated MessagesFor more in-depth teaching on this passage and other warning passages, please consider listening to the following sermons, exposited by Dr. Caldwell:
The Gospel Dynamic - Parts 1 & 2
How To Remain Faithful In Ministry
Spiritual Shipwreck
The Discipline Of The Church - Parts 1 & 2
Clinging To The Gospel For Life
Gracious Striving
Beware Of A Hardened Heart
Fear Unbelief
The Tragedy Of Apostasy
Who Needs Warning?
The Seriousness of Easter
Action For The Spiritually Disheartened
The Gospel As Preservative
"Can Christians Shipwreck Their Faith?" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyCan Christians Shipwreck Their Faith?What does Paul mean when he tells Timothy that some have suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith? Does this text of Scripture teach that a believer can lose their salvation? How should a believer consider the text of 1 Timothy 1:18-20 what does it mean?
This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot and Dr. Richard Caldwell discuss the instructions that Paul gives to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:18-19. Paul writes to Timothy after leaving him in Ephesus with the express purpose to remind Timothy why he is there and what he is to be about; Timothy is to fight the good fight. Paul is expressing important things Timothy needs to remember and do. Through careful reading, studying, and proper exegesis, we will be able to understand why these things are so important. By looking at the broader context of 1 Timothy 1, Dr. Caldwell seeks to help us understand what Paul means in this passage when he speaks of ‘some who have made shipwreck of their faith’ and why Hymenaeus and Alexander named are among them.
Dr. Caldwell states that this is a warning passage entrusted to the church and entrusted to believers as well. It is something we all need to be aware of and alert to, and something we want to be sure of that does not characterize us. This warning passage and the others found in the New Testament address believers, but not because believers will actually end up shipwrecked. Through these warnings, God is at work keeping His people on the right pathway, preserving them in the faith. Believers will heed these warnings; unbelievers will not and, as a result, eventually will be shipwrecked. It's within this context that Dr. Caldwell believes that those who are shipwrecked are unbelievers, false teachers. What they have once claimed to believe they have swerved from and have gone off course. They no longer believe what they once claimed. Ultimately, they will walk away, and 1 John 2:19 becomes evident; they were never one of us. They never believed.
In verses 18 and 19, Paul exhorts Timothy to exhort others to hold on to faith and a good conscience. The faith Paul speaks of has to do with truth, and a good conscience has to do with the constant application of the truth. If we proclaim to be a believer, we must hold to the truth and make sure that we are actually applying it in every realm God has designed by living it out. If you say you hold to the truth (belief/believing it), and you’re not applying it and living it out, then you're not holding to it you're swerving from it. Dr. Caldwell says that Christians can wander at times. Genuine believers can, for a time, be confused by false doctrine and, for a season, cease to live out what they believe, resulting in temporal consequences. But ultimately, God’s saving work in their lives makes certain that He holds on to them, not allowing them to wander permanently. But for those who continue along, veering off the course, not hearing or heeding correction, those individuals will run aground on the rocks, and the result is evident that they were never a believer.
Dr. Caldwell takes us to what Paul tells Timothy in verses 3 through 7 of the chapter. He explains what Paul is describing here is false teachers because in verse 6, Paul says, ‘certain persons, by swerving from these, …'. The ‘these’ Paul refers to is what Dr. Caldwell has shared from verses 3 through 5. Hymenaeus and Alexander are examples of those who have swerved; they are false teachers and have suffered shipwreck. Those who go on living this way, teaching untruths, not open to correction, and unwilling to repent, are to be treated as unbelievers and, as Paul states, have to be turned over to Satan. But what does this turning over to Satan for the destruction of their souls mean?
Dr. Caldwell explains that what this means is these men, Hymenaeus and Alexander, have previously made a profession of faith. They have been professing believers among the gathered body of Christ. The turning over to Satan is the outcome of the church discipline process from Matthew 18 and 1 Corinthians 5. This final stage of discipline treats those who continue in unrepentance as unbelievers. These individuals are put out of the fellowship of the church (excommunicated); this is removal from the protection and insulation of God’s people to the realm of Satan's grasp. They will suffer as a result. Scripture doesn’t tell us the final outcome of these two men. However, Scripture does inform us if a person who has been put out of the church turns, repents, and comes back, what is on display is either that they were a believer or possibly converted as a result of the discipline process.
These men were mishandling and distorting the truth. Paul says they have blasphemed (vs.20). He speaks of these men as swerving into the realm of myths, genealogies, and all sorts of other things, much like the Judaiziers in Galatia. These things are a distortion of the gospel of Jesus Christ. These distortions come by way of additions, at other times by way of subtractions. Dr. Caldwell shares that when you add to the gospel, you’ve distorted the gospel. When you remove vital elements from the gospel, you’ve also distorted the gospel, which in turn means you don’t have the gospel. These men have jettisoned the gospel and the result is they have crashed on the rocks of this world and the rocks of sin, bringing destruction. We must cling to the faith and not toss overboard or reject our consciences that need to submit to biblical faith. It is vital that we believe the right things, and it is vital that we live what we believe.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 22 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Can Christians Shipwreck Their Faith? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Answers To Difficult Theological Questions" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListRelated MessagesTo learn more about the things discussed in the podcast today, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell:
Driven to Paradise
The Certainty of Salvation - Parts 1 & 2
Justification & Federal Union
The Certainty of Resurrection
The Marvelous Mind of God - Parts 1 & 2
Faithful Shepherd
Prayer For Our Sanctification
The Church and Joy
Ministry in Athens - Parts 1 & 2
"Answers To Difficult Theological Questions" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyAnswers To Difficult Theological QuestionsDo you have questions about the Bible, maybe need help with a difficult Bible verse or an entire passage of Scripture? Maybe you have questions about God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. One internet site where biblical and theological questions are answered tells us it has answered 721,690 questions at the time this podcast episode airs. That's a lot of questions, and we all have them. Often, unable to figure them out on our own, the answers elude us and leave us confused. But the Bible has answers, and the goal of this podcast is to help you see, understand, and be able to take and apply biblical truth to your living. Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot sit down today to tackle several challenging questions on free will, Satan in the garden, how to explain the Trinity, and the unforgivable sin. In answering these questions, they aim to point us back to the Scriptures and to our God, who gave them. So grab your copy of God’s Word, sit down, and follow along on this extended episode of the Straight Truth Podcast.
Did Adam have free will before sinning in the garden?
Dr. Caldwell says that before the fall, Adam had the ability to obey God and the ability to disobey God. Adam chose (freely) to disobey. Immediately after sinning, Adam and Eve lost the freedom to obey God. Adam's sin involved spiritual death, where he lost the ability not to sin. Now a sinner, unable to obey God from the heart and not able to please God in any way.
What then is now the state of the Christian as compared to Adam’s original state? Dr. Caldwell speaks of what Christ came to do, did, and accomplished and what that means for us as believers. As new creatures in Christ, we now have the freedom to obey God. But until we are glorified with new bodies, we still battle the flesh and indwelling sin. One day, however, when we are glorified and have new physical bodies that match our new spiritual natures, we will no longer be able to sin. In this way, it will be superior to what Adam knew in the garden before the fall.
Why did God allow Satan into the garden of Eden?
In the Scriptures, God’s special revelation to man, He has chosen to reveal some things and other things He has left unrevealed. Dr. Caldwell says we can call them mysteries or the secret things of God. There are things God has told us because He wants us to know and other things He has chosen not to. One of the greatest disciplines we will learn as Christians is to be content with what God has revealed. So then the answer to this question, while the specific reason is not given, is that God does everything He does for His glory. God has allowed this for His glory, to make truth about Himself known, to put it on display.
When it comes to these kinds of questions, we need to be content to leave them with God and take the simple, straightforward testimony of the Scriptures. As finite creatures, we are not meant to get our heads around everything that our all-knowing, all-wise, sovereign Creator has done. We need to simply embrace this in faith and be content. The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We only know true joy when God’s glory is preeminent. When we find ourselves in endless speculations over why God had done or allowed what He has allowed, not being content, it won't lead us to lasting joy. God has a purpose for all that He does and allows. There is a greater end beyond the thing itself that God delights in, and His glory is put on display.
How can we explain the doctrine of the Trinity to unbelievers?
The doctrine of the Trinity is fundamental to the whole of Christianity. This doctrine teaches that God is three persons in one divine essence. It’s a difficult doctrine in some sense to get our own minds around and can be even harder to explain to someone who is not a Christian. Dr. Caldwell says when attempting to explain the Trinity to anyone, we will never do better than to say what Scripture says. Yes, there are creeds and confessions that are vital and can be helpful as we think about the Trinity. But even these creeds and confessions, formed and written by those that have gone before us, have been labored over to explain with very careful language to simply state what the Scriptures say and to make sure that what we say about the Trinity isn’t in conflict with what Scripture says. That’s why in our attempts to declare who the true God is, we just need to say what the Bible says because this is where God has revealed Himself to us. So we can open up His Word and take people to all the passages that would make the Trinity inescapable, prepared to make the case from the Scriptures themselves.
Have I committed the unpardonable sin?
Dr. Philpot shares that the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is often associated with the unforgivable sin. But many people don’t know what blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is. Dr. Philpot shares the text of Matthew 12:30-31, where this is mentioned by Jesus. There's this concern in not knowing what it is that someone may have committed it. But as Christians, can we commit this?
Dr. Caldwell says when we talk about blasphemy, we are talking about something overtly insulting to an outrageous degree. Specifically, as we think about God, it is about thoughts, attitudes, and words that insult and mock God. In the passage Dr. Philpot shared, the emphasis is on the spoken word, and what the Lord conveys here is a kind of speech against the Holy Spirit that will not be forgiven; in this age or the age to come.
Dr. Caldwell says he isn’t certain that this particular sin can be committed today because of the very nature of it. Here was the Son of God on the earth performing miraculous works in the power of the Holy Spirit, with the Pharisees attributing those works to Satan. Dr. Caldwell briefly explains what is taking place in Matthew 12 and says that it is really an unrepeatable set of circumstances. He sees it as a warning that the Lord Jesus never attempts to quantify. He also says that even if he is wrong and if you care whether you have committed this sin or not, then you haven’t. What’s envisioned in Matthew 12 is someone who sees what is taking place and then, with vicious blasphemy rejects the truth.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 22 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Answers To Difficult Theological Questions appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"God’s Will, Making Decisions and Prayer" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListRelated MessagesThe following are sermons by Dr. Caldwell that will help us to think deeper about the many things discussed in today’s podcast:
Godly Wisdom & The Guarded Heart
Don't Trust Your Heart
Living For The Will of God
Straight Paths
The Lives We Are Urged To Live
Whatever Happened To Holiness
What Every Brother Needs To Remember
The War Within
God Has Spoken In Son
Encountering God's Word
Regulating Prophecy
Confidence in Prayer
Effective Prayer
"God’s Will, Making Decisions and Prayer" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyGod’s Will, Making Decisions and PrayerThis week on the Straight Truth Podcast, we've combined several related episodes that all together answer some tough questions about God’s sovereignty and His will. Believers want to understand God’s will for their lives, how to understand their desires, how to make good decisions, and how prayer plays a part in all of it. Dr. Josh Philpot, as usual, brings these challenging questions to Dr. Richard Caldwell, who seeks to guide us with answers informed by biblical truth that will help us to grow and mature in our Christian walk.
A question that is often asked is how may I know the will of the Lord for my life. For Christians, this is usually tied up with the desire to make good, right, godly choices and decisions. Dr. Caldwell shares that this is good, and we want to encourage those who have these desires. He shares there will be times in our lives when this will be more intense than others as we seek to know, understand and apply the truth to our lives. But often, these questions are asked because people have become overly fearful of doing the wrong thing, so much so that they don’t act when they need to. But we don't need to be paralyzed by inaction. The will of God for our lives is determined by knowing the Word of God. The application of God’s Word to our individual situations and decisions is clearly stated in Scripture, or it will be a matter of discernment based on the principles found in the statements God has given us. That discernment we need for making decisions is developed in our lives each time we take His Word and apply it to our decision-making. We don’t need to be paralyzed and unable to make decisions just because God hasn’t given us specific information; He won’t. We mustn’t lean on our own understanding. Scripture is clear, we are to acknowledge God in all our ways, and He will make our paths straight. We can trust the Lord to guide us through His Word, helping us to form the principles we need to make the best-informed decision(s) possible.
Jeremiah 17:9 tells us our hearts are deceitful above all things. How can we reconcile that with Psalm 37, which tells us that the Lord will give us the desires of our hearts? Don’t our hearts desire things that the Lord tells us are wrong?
Dr. Caldwell tells us that salvation involves a heart change from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh. When God changes our hearts, He gives us the capacity to love Him and His Word, giving us the desire to walk in the truth. Even though our hearts can still be deceived in such ways that make it an untrustworthy guide, Jeremiah 17:9 does not apply to us as believers if we are seeking to honor and please the Lord. Psalm 37 teaches us that if we are seeking to honor and please the Lord, the desires that we have come from Him; context is key here. The entirety of verse 4 says, ‘Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart’, this is followed by verse 5, which says, ‘Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act.’ Therefore, the Psalm teaches us that if our way is committed to the Lord, we are submitted to Him and His Word and delighting ourselves in Him; then, He will give us the desires of our hearts. When we are doing these things, God is pleased to fill our hearts with good things, the very things that would most please Him; those are desires we can trust.
Our desires and making choices are very much intertwined. When we must decide to do or not do something, we don’t want to be caught up in our understanding and neglect the things the Lord has provided for our help. We must know and be aware of our limitations and our own perspectives. We don’t know anything inerrantly unless we are just agreeing with Scripture. Our confidence must be in God, who gives us the freedom to make the best decisions we can, sometimes with the wise and godly counsel of others, all while we rely on Him. So then, even if we get something wrong and make a mistake, we can know that God is at work shaping, forming, molding, and teaching us.
As Christians, we want to seek answers and direction from the Lord. Sometimes those answers don't come easy. We find ourselves wanting a clear sign from God or for Him to write details in the clouds. Some people actually say God speaks to them, or God spoke to them and said this or that, or God told them such and such. Should we ever expect this? Does God speak to Christians audibly?
Dr. Caldwell says that the glorious truth is that God has spoken and that He has spoken to people in various ways. One of the ways we read that God speaks to people in His Word is audibly. So yes, God can speak audibly and has done that before. But God has not always done that and is not doing that now. The primary way that God has communicated to His people is through special revelation, which is through the Scriptures. What we have in our Bibles, the canons of the Old and New Testaments is the finished product of God’s communication to and for us. The last New Testament book was written in about 90 AD, and from that time forward, God is not giving any further revelation.
Dr. Caldwell says there is danger associated with saying that God spoke to you or told you this or that. One of the dangers to be aware of is ascribing to God what didn’t come from God. An additional danger is having a sense of confidence in one's self, that you are doing what God wants you to do when maybe you aren’t. Even the saying, 'God spoke to my heart in that sermon.', must be tested. Everything must be tested by the Word of God, even what we think we hear in a sermon. God has spoken, and He does minister to our hearts through what has been given to us in His Word, so we can say the Word of God through that sermon ministered, encouraged, or blessed me today. We want to think through the words we use and consider that there might be a better way of saying what we want to convey before we say it. Everything must be tested by a sound handling of Scripture.
Since God is sovereign, does it matter if we pray or not? If God is controlling all things, what does praying about things do?
God is sovereign over all things that take place and come to pass. In His sovereignty, He has instructed us to pray, bringing our concerns, petitions, and requests to Him. God promises He listens, that He hears, and that He will act in response to our prayers. Also, within His sovereignty, He has determined to work through means. Prayer is one of the means God has chosen to work through. Dr. Caldwell explains it like this, God, who has determined what He is going to do, has determined to work through prayer. This is why prayer really matters.
Dr. Nicolas Ellen says that we must not misunderstand God’s sovereignty. His sovereignty does not negate our responsibility to pray. Prayer is an opportunity to exercise our God-given responsibility to participate in what God has sovereignly determined. In addition to having a correct view of God's sovereignty, we need to know His character and His will. When we grasp these things rightly, they will fuel our prayers.
When we pray, it's not about us; it's not about trying to impose our wills and desires upon God. We want to pray in such a way that our prayers agree with God's will. Scripture tells us that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. So when we come in prayer, it involves our hearts, minds, and our affections. We come loving what God loves, caring about what He cares about, seeking His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, and for Him to be glorified above all. So if we think prayer doesn't matter and live a prayerless life, that thinking will lead us to spiritual starvation.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 22 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post God’s Will, Making Decisions and Prayer appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Questions Christians Have About Marriage, Leadership in the Home, Role Responsibilities, and More" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListRelated MessagesIf you would like to hear more about marriage, and the roles and responsibilities God has assigned within this covenant union of husband and wife, consider listening to the following sermons. In these sermons, Dr. Caldwell seeks to faithfully exposit what God has said in His Word about them:
Marriage 101, 2016 Series - 5 Sermons
Six Marks of Godly Manhood
The Husband of One Wife
The Excellent Wife - Parts 1 & 2
Generational Instruction
"Questions Christians Have About Marriage, Leadership in the Home, Role Responsibilities, and More" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyQuestions Christians Have About Marriage, Leadership in the Home, Role Responsibilities, and MoreThis week on the Straight Truth Podcast, we’ve put together an episode that compiles several questions concerning marriage, role responsibilities in marriage, and some concerning family and home life. While the questions that can be asked about marriage are varied and many, this podcast can’t and won’t cover them all. But those addressed today will be a helpful guide for thinking biblically about many we do have. Join in as Dr. Josh Philpot and Dr. Richard Caldwell tackle some difficult; and even controversial issues regarding marriage roles and the responsibilities that need to be taken seriously and faithfully applied in marriages.
Dr. Caldwell begins by sharing some key and most important information for husbands and wives. The husband is the head and is to be the leader of the family and home; the wife is his helper. Both husband and wife must take seriously all the things God has given in His Word about what living as husbands and wives are to be. They must each take these things to heart and strive to live them out in the power of the Spirit of God to be godly models and examples to their children and others in all that they do. Husbands and wives will glorify God and love each other and their children best when they embrace the roles God has assigned them in His Word.
But what if the husband does not lead or is an inconsistent leader? What if he abuses his position and makes poor decisions? Does the wife, who is more spiritual, go on submitting when the husband fails to be what God calls him to be? Dr. Caldwell says that a husband is to do his best, and a wife has to trust that God is at work even through those mistakes that are made; God is often at work through these difficult things to sanctify both of you. Husbands and wives must learn to love each other despite failures. There is the need to be patient with one another and to trust God as they live out their roles in obedience to Him.
What if a wife particularly struggles as she sees her husband not fulfilling those things God has assigned to him? Dr. Caldwell says there are things that the Christian wife needs to remember. One of the most important things she can do is pray for her husband. She can appeal to him in loving, appropriate ways, sharing the concerns and issues that trouble and burden her. She can ask him to read the Bible and pray with her. She can ask him to consider reaching out to a leader in their church for help and discipleship, as well as doing this herself. It is also important that a wife encourage her husband and give him time and space to grow and mature in his role as a leader. This will be especially true if she is more advanced in her Christian walk. There may be hardships that come as a result of the husband not doing what he ought to and not being willing to consider input from his wife. Even so, God is at work through these things; we can survive them, and the Lord can grow us through them.
Dr. Caldwell says that men must remember that along with the responsibility to provide and protect, they are also called to be teachers in the home. He says that husbands can’t feel satisfied by achieving well in one realm if they're neglecting another. If a man is doing well in providing for his family but neglecting his other God-given responsibilities to his wife and children, he is failing. While a man may work hard and provide well for his family, there is often a sense of safety, forgetting who his provider is. Our provider is the Lord; He calls us to make our living for Him preeminent. This means that when a man comes home after a long day of work, he needs to make sure he has enough left over to invest in his wife and children. At the end of a vocational workday, a man's work has not ended. Men need to be prepared to be givers and to sacrifice so that they will be able to serve their families in ways that honor and glorify God. Dr. Caldwell shares that men can actually rob themselves of joy when they pamper themselves instead of working hard at the things God has assigned to them.
What about the woman, as a wife and mother? Is a woman supposed to be like the Proverbs 31 woman? Is a woman to be a worker at home caring for her children and home, as she also works from that home to meet the needs of her family and the needs of others? How can a woman maintain a healthy balance as she tries to keep up with all these things?
Dr. Caldwell says that the Proverbs 31 woman represents a goal and ambition to which a godly woman can strive. But even the godly woman who embraces biblical womanhood can become overly preoccupied with being industrious from her home and become a workaholic. Women, like men, says Dr. Caldwell, must remember that God has given them multiple things they are responsible for. It is possible for women also to easily find themselves out of balance in one area or another. When a woman becomes aware that she might be doing this, she needs to turn to the Word of God and receive the correctives it gives. Success as a mom, wife, and woman is not an immaculately kept home, perfectly dressed and behaved children, dinner on the table at 6 p.m., children tucked in bed at 8 p.m., and then a relaxing soak in a Calgon bubble bath at 9 p.m. We must be realistic about our circumstances and the stages of life we find ourselves in. Women, just as men, must take to heart everything God has assigned to them. They must work hard to keep those things proportional and give their very best to each of those areas in a way that represents the multiple assignments they've been given.
Dr. Caldwell says that roles and responsibilities in a home can unintentionally become reversed and usurped. One of the ways this can easily occur is when a woman whose children are grown and out of the house goes to work outside the home. Understandably a woman might need to do this due to financial needs or other circumstances, and it isn’t wrong or sinful. But husbands and wives want to go about this carefully so that their roles are not reversed and confused. However, if a woman has extra time on her hands and doesn't need to work, Dr. Caldwell says there are other things she might consider doing. He suggests discipling and mentoring younger women and coming alongside other women who could use help in various ways. He also suggests that a woman should consider her local church, where there are ministries she can get plugged into and serve to be a great help. There may even be other places a woman can give herself to that she finds satisfying and that also contribute to advancing the kingdom of God in some way.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 22 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Questions Christians Have About Marriage, Leadership in the Home, Role Responsibilities, and More appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Questions Christians Have About Singleness, Dating, & Planning and Preparing for Marriage" | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListRelated MessagesSermons that will help further address some of these questions and the answers given in the podcast today can be listened to from the links provided below. These are sermons that Dr. Caldwell has exposited from specific passages of the Word of God to equip the saints with the truth as they go out to live in the world.
Biblical Separation - Part 1
A Request For Marriage
Sexual Temptation and Marriage
A Christian's View of the Body
Such Were Some of You
What About The Engaged?
Two Gifts From God
The Benefits of Being Single
Concerns, Considerations & Conclusions
"Questions Christians Have About Singleness, Dating, & Planning and Preparing for Marriage" | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyQuestions Christians Have About Singleness, Dating, & Planning and Preparing for MarriageShould Christians use online dating services or dating apps? At what point does a woman stop submitting to her father and begin submitting to the man she is going to marry? Should a professing Christian marry someone of a different faith? Since marriage and singleness are both given by God, why are singles often seen as not really into life yet by not being married? How can the Church help foster a better understanding of singleness?
This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot has a plethora of questions for Dr. Richard Caldwell. The subject matters covered today begin with questions about dating and end with a discussion about singleness, both being single and possibly remaining single. Join and listen in on the conversation as they seek to shine the light of God’s Word on these questions with wisdom, grace, and truth.
Following are some of the highlights and specific answers to a few of the questions asked:
Dr. Caldwell says that when we think about the biblical standards for marriage for Christians, it is to marry someone who is in Christ. Our desire should be to find someone who is in the Lord and eligible to be married according to biblical standards. He doesn’t believe it is sinful to use dating services and apps, nor should we automatically rule them out as Christians. However, he shares that while a dating service or app might help us to meet someone initially, we aren’t able to know anything about that individual's spiritual life. We would have to spend time with them, getting to know them, and looking for genuine evidence of spiritual life being manifested in their life. What’s most important is what you believe as Christians. There will be thousands of subjects and questions that will need to be talked about. This will take time and effort that can present some challenging difficulties, especially if you don’t live in the same city or town.
Although, having shared this, Dr. Caldwell says that these are things that you will find and know about someone in your local church. He believes we will not improve upon the local church as that place where you will find the person you’re going to marry someday. It’s a community of faith where you get to know one another and where your lives are being lived out together as Christians.
Should a Christian woman submit to the man she is dating or should that happen when they are engaged to be married and beyond the courtship stage?
Dr. Caldwell explains that the submission that exists in a marriage is that of two roles that belong to a covenant relationship; a one flesh bond of a head and a helper. This is exclusive to marriage and doesn’t exist in a dating relationship or in courtship. To grasp all that Dr. Caldwell shares, it’s important to understand what submission is and what it's not. Submission involves submitting ourselves to understanding and living out the roles that God has designed for us in each sphere of our lives. As Dr. Caldwell has mentioned elsewhere, it is about design, function, and our well-being. Proper submission is submission that accords with truth. All women who aren't married, no matter their age, whether living at home or not, will want to be submissive to their fathers. This will involve the willingness to be inclined to counsel, oversight, guidance, wisdom, and leadership. However, if and when a woman marries, her headship role changes and her father is no longer her head and direct authority.
How important is it for a man and woman wanting to get married to each other that each of them has kept themselves pure for marriage?
Dr. Caldwell shares that the will of God given in Scripture is that a man and a woman who come together in marriage is that they have kept themselves for each other in marriage. Ideally, it is to have known no one else sexually. This is a wonderful, glorious pathway, and we don’t want to diminish it in any way. This should be the aim of every believer as they pursue this pathway for a lifetime.
Yet, having said this, Dr. Caldwell reminds us that sin is forgiven by Christ. When sin is forgiven, it’s forgiven; truly and forever, it is forgiven. A marriage is not immediately off-limits because one person is a virgin and the other isn’t. What is important here is that both individuals are believers and are biblically qualified to be married. The real deal breaker would be a Christian wanting to get married to an unbeliever. The Bible is clear, a believer is not to marry an unbeliever. There may be other reasons to postpone or put off a marriage. All concerns about marriage should be carefully examined and addressed with God’s Word, along with seeking wisdom, counsel, and insight from godly family members and those godly members and elders in our local church.
Other questions Dr. Caldwell answers regarding potential marriage situations and circumstances include: Should we attend the wedding of a professing Christian who marries someone of a different faith? What if we have an unbelieving family member marrying someone who is not a Christian; can we participate in the preparations and attend the wedding? The answers he gives to these questions are insightful and helpful as we think through challenging scenarios. But ultimately, what Dr. Caldwell wants us to remember is that there is a standard that is different for the person who professes to know Jesus compared to the person who doesn’t. We need to know this and deeply grasp why this is so.
How should we think about singleness, young singles, and those who are older and have not yet or possibly never will be married?
Dr. Caldwell states that the Church should not hold to wrong perspectives of singleness. We should not expect that not everyone is going to get married. The Scriptures teach that singleness is a gift given by God (see 1 Cor.7:7, Matt. 19:10-12), so we want to resist thinking that singleness is in any way not part of God’s good and perfect design. One of the things that can be done, says Dr. Caldwell, is to teach what the Bible teaches about singleness. Those individuals who are single and not currently married in our churches ought to be included in all areas of church life. We should not be so compartmentalized in our thinking and doing; we all have something to contribute to one another.
The Bible teaches that there are benefits to being single. Some advantages of being single in church life and ministry include freedom with respect to time, travel, finances, and concerns. Dr. Caldwell says that singleness will distinctly show its advantages in times of persecution when circumstances become more difficult in our culture.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 22 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Questions Christians Have About Singleness, Dating, and Preparing for Marriage appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Questions Christians Have About Prayer" Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListRelated MessagesAs we pray, our minds should be guided by God’s Word. Our prayer life grows as our knowledge and understanding of God increase. But our knowledge needs to be worship; it needs to be experiential. Are we applying our knowledge, are we walking in it? Prayer is meant to be transformative. To learn more about these things, consider listening to the following sermons as Dr. Caldwell exposits Matthew 6: 5-13 and Philippians 4:6-6:
Contrasts In Prayer
The Model Prayer
God's Holy Name
The Mercy & the Majesty of God
Longing For the True King & the New World
Our Daily Bread
The Forgiveness of the Forgiven
The Desire for Deliverance
The Life of Peace - Trusting Prayer
"Questions Christians Have About Prayer Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyQuestions Christians Have About PrayerTo whom should we pray when we pray? How should our prayers be structured? Are there practical steps we can take to grow and be more effective in our prayer lives? Should we have a private prayer closet?
Do you have questions about prayer? Do you wonder if there is a better or best way to pray? Do you often feel ineffective and struggle in or even to pray? If any of these questions come to mind when you think about prayer, know that you are not alone. Dr. Caldwell says there is probably nothing harder or more difficult in the Christian life than prayer. It requires discipline, motivation, time, effort, focus, and intentionality. As Christians, we want to grow in our prayer life, be better at it, and pray rightly. Questions about prayer often reflect our struggle to do these things. Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot sit down to discuss these questions and more common to many Christians.
Throughout the New Testament and the doxologies contained within, we understand that God is Trinitarian. God is one in essence, eternally existing in three Persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each person of the Trinity is worthy of praise and worship. But the pattern we find most often in the New Testament is that we address the Father in and through the Son, done in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is the normal and regular way that we pray as New Testament Christians. Consider the Lord’s prayer found in both Matthew and Luke.
The very approach we take in prayer reveals something about our knowledge of God. Our Father knows what we need before we ask for it, and He has promised to answer us through the means of prayer. We need to be comforted by the knowledge that He isn’t answering our prayers based on the pristine nature of the structure or the language. We want to seek the Lord knowing who He is and what His truth is, striving for our hearts and minds to agree with Him, and knowing that what He does transcends our ability to pray.
The Lord’s prayer is called the Lord’s prayer because He is the one who gave it. But in reality, it is the disciple's prayer. The Lord’s disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray. When it comes to prayer, they perceived a sense of inadequacy, as do we. However, it is important to note that as Jesus gives this prayer, He does not say, ‘pray this’. Jesus says, ‘pray like this’. So the prayer isn’t one to be repeated over and over again verbatim. It is meant to be a teaching model about what prayer is. It’s a prayer for how disciples ought to pray.
Dr. Caldwell briefly explains the prayer from the verses of Matthew 6. He tells us its elements contain a world of truth in a very concentrated form. He shares that he hasn’t done justice to it in his condensed explanation, but if we take the time to study it, it will serve us in the way that Jesus intended it to.
Prayer is communication with our God. It is an expression of our love and devotion to Him. Prayer is a relational discipline that is an expression of our faith. It admits dependence and has a work aspect to it as we labor to express our needs and those of others before our God. Dr. Caldwell shares an example of the work aspect from Colossians 4:12, where Epaphroditus struggled, agonized, and labored in his prayers over his brothers and sisters in Christ. But says Dr. Caldwell, this isn’t something where just greater effort and more time devoted to it is pleasing to God. Jesus warns about some of the wrong kinds of prayer in Matthew 6 and Mark 12.
There is even a sense in which prayer ought to be spontaneous. We don’t need to think specifically in terms of prescribed times of prayer, as much as we need to think of what the spiritual discipline is and the kind of motivation that should move us to it. We want to be living our lives in such a condition where prayer is able to be practiced at any time in our hearts and minds, being mindful of God and the spiritual needs around us. Yet, there will also be times when we need to pull ourselves away and devote ourselves to private, intimate time with the Lord. This doesn’t need to be a physical closet with a door that can be shut. It just needs to be a place where we are able to experience uninterrupted intimacy with our God.
Dr. Caldwell says some practical steps we can take to grow in prayer would be to pray the Scriptures. Praying through the Scriptures enlarges our perspective. It helps us to break out of the patterns of prayer we can fall into. He also shares it's a good thing to begin and end our day with prayer, saying there is no better way to start and end our days. We want to be constantly aware of our neediness, that without God, we can do nothing. Prayer recognizes the sovereignty of God to work in all situations of life and that there is nothing too difficult for Him. So when we pray, we submit our wills to Him being content and satisfied with whatever He deems best. This is true as we pray both for ourselves and others.
But how do we pray this way for others when we don’t know their need or circumstances? What do we do when we don’t have specifics when all we have is someone's ‘unspoken’ prayer request? How do we pray about something we don’t know anything about? Dr. Caldwell offers some insightful thoughts on this, but the simple answer is we can pray for the person who has asked since we have no way of knowing what else to pray for. Dr. Caldwell also has some helpful and encouraging thoughts for those who submit ‘unspoken’ prayer requests. These include transparency, sharing with pastors and/or elders, asking for prayer for ourselves as we go through things we deem un-sharable, and even praying about the matter ourselves before the Lord. Dr. Caldwell says that it is possible that we share these unspoken requests out of a sense of weakness and struggles to pray about the circumstances ourselves. He also says that some things that end up on a prayer list often belong in our prayer closets as we go and take them to the Lord ourselves.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 22 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Questions Christians Have About Prayer appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
"Questions About Christianity, Transgenderism, and Homosexuality" Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListRelated MessagesAre you interested in learning more about things discussed in the podcast today? Consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Caldwell:
The Only Hope For A Guilty Soul
No Condemnation
Two Kinds of Wisdom - Parts 1 & 2
Qualities of Love - Is Discerning
The Goal of Our Ministry - Parts 1, 2, & 3
The Biblical View of Homosexual Behavior
Such Were Some of You
The Certainty of New Life
The Application of Doctrine
Salvation's New Abilities
A New Creation Perspective
"Questions About Christianity, Transgenderism, and Homosexuality Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyQuestions About Christianity, Transgenderism, and HomosexualityThis week on the Straight Truth Podcast we’ve combined several questions related to our identity as human beings. The topics discussed cover who God says we are, whom we say we are or identify as, and who we are if we have been regenerated, having been saved through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Join us to hear what Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot have to share from the Word of God about gender identity, gender dysphoria, transgenderism, homosexuality, and more.
Dr. Caldwell reminds us that we want to remember that all human beings are made in God’s image. Individuals caught up in the confusion and chaos of their bodies, feelings, and identity have souls with equal worth as ours. We must care for them as a person. No matter what sin we are speaking about, the most loving thing we can do for any human being is to tell them God’s truth. We cannot compromise and act as if we believe something we do not. It is not loving to affirm that which will destroy them. We will best love them when we represent God and His truth to them. In all our conversations about these things, we want people to know that God loves them, cares about them, and is willing to save them and change their lives. We want to do all we can to rescue sinners from the flames of hell and do it with compassion. We need to do it with graciousness and courage, never looking to be offensive or insult someone on purpose.
Some seek to change who they are by altering their physical body and outward appearance. But external physical changes we make to our bodies and appearances are only that, physical and outward. We cannot change who we are; we don’t determine that God determined that. He has made us who we are to be, and we cannot change reality. Sin is a very strong force that distorts our thinking and our feelings. The confusion surrounding these distortions represents spiritual lies and the work of a spiritual enemy. We must reorient ourselves according to God’s Word. Even if someone has had their physical body altered and afterward comes to Christ, there is much to rejoice in. While there may be sadness, sorrow, grief, and feelings of guilt over what they've done and cannot now undo, God’s grace is greater. We need to be thankful for God’s grace. We can all look back at our sins that cannot be undone. But as Christians, we can see from these things why we needed a Savior. God will give us the grace to live with the leftovers that result from our sins. And while we might be plagued with guilt, we don't dispute that we are guilty and worthy of damnation. But Christ is sufficient, and our forgiveness is real. We can rejoice in the forgiveness that we’ve received. We also can rejoice in the opportunity we now have to be a voice to those people who are being deceived as we once were.
When it comes to living in the world and engaging with people about these issues we want to be sincere, gentle, and truthful. We don’t want to engage in any kind of hypocrisy in the name of the wisdom of God. There are things that we can and do say, that are genuinely peaceful, gracious, and gentle and yet be absolutely offensive to the culture at the same time. We must remember that we cannot measure kindness by the world's standards. It must be measured by God’s standards. The Christian life is a life of love which includes how to love a world full of hostility. First Corinthians 13 tells us that love doesn’t rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth. Love never affirms evil but speaks the truth. It is not loving to affirm a perspective that belongs to lostness and that will, in the final sense, result in damnation. The message we share with those who are confused and lost must be matched with a manner that belongs to it. It is the Spirit of God who produces this in us to share the truth in the character of Christ.
As a person who is regenerate, our identity is in Christ. We will go on in this life to struggle with sin, but our sin(s) do not identify who we are. We are Christians who have been made new creations in Christ. Yet, while this is our new identity, we live in a body of unredeemed flesh with indwelling sin. We must go on to mortify those sins, putting to death the deeds of the body. Any other concept of our identity and responsibilities does not reflect the New Testament understanding of our salvation. We have new loves, new hatreds, and new capacities that we never had before. We all deal with predispositions and bents with respect toward sin that reflects our fallenness. But these things do not define us as believers. We are to think of ourselves as people who have been washed, sanctified, and justified; no longer belonging to the categories of sins in which we once lived. When it comes to our feelings, we must not dwell on how we feel but on what we know. How we feel does not help us at all. We want to be reminded of what is true, just as the Apostle Paul reminds the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 6.
Our view of ourselves and others must be embraced from the truth of the Scriptures. What God’s Word says about us as human beings is where our attention must be set; man is not the measure of these things. God has given us His Word, and that is where we find the holy and righteous standard for all things; this is where we must turn.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 22 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Questions About Christianity, Transgenderism, and Homosexuality appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
How Do We Keep Christ Central In The Christmas Season? | Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListRelated MessagesThe following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell will help to further your understanding of keeping Christ central in your everyday celebration of our Savior and Lord, not just that of Christmas, and Easter:
Unity in Christ's Lordship
The Unchanging God
God Has Spoken In Son
What A Savior
A Holy Responsibility
Living In Light of the Incarnation - Parts 1,2,3,4
Why Christ's Burial Matters - Parts 1 & 2
Christ's Resurrection & the Believer
A New Creation Perspective
The Believing Life
Matters of Conscience
How Do We Keep Christ Central In The Christmas Season? | Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyHow Do We Keep Christ Central In The Christmas Season?This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot are recording as we enter the Christmas season. Dr. Philpot reflects that it’s a significant time in the life of the Church as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. It’s an important time, a wonderful time, and a time of great joy of fellowship that happens within our church body and with our families. There are many different things we do to celebrate the birth of our Savior. At times, though, even for Christians, we can get caught up in the season and place our emphasis on the wrong things. Dr. Philpot asks about what we can do to keep Christ central during this time of year. He asks Dr. Caldwell to share how he has done this over the years.
Dr. Caldwell says he will answer and share from his perspective. He doesn't believe that his views need to be that for everyone else. Thinking about this, Dr. Caldwell tells us that Romans 14:5 is on his mind. He explains that he realizes that there are conscience matters wrapped up in discussions about holidays, so he prefers to share his own point of view. He is thankful for the Christmas season and the opportunity to reflect on the incarnation.
It is an opportunity to teach our children the truth about how God has loved the world, and it's a time for us to celebrate that as a church. Personally, he lands on the 'regards every day alike' section of Romans 14:5. So in a sense, he celebrates Christmas all the time as a believer. Still, it is a time to enjoy, a time of reflection and expression of our thankfulness and gratefulness in a unique way for what God has done in saving us. The season and Christmas day itself are celebrated worldwide. Most in our culture go about it celebrating, oblivious to the Believer’s and the Church’s reason for celebrating it. Yet, it often presents opportunities to share the gospel, the love of God, the good news of Christ.
As far as things they did as a family, Dr. Caldwell says that he and his wife were very careful to teach their children what is being celebrated at Christmas. They were careful to distinguish the truth from myths and legends, and they were careful to get the facts of the incarnation straight. For them, it has always been a sweet family time. He shares that families don’t have to be fearful of having fun during this season when they are careful and diligent to teach their children these truths.
Dr. Caldwell does not usually change up his teaching series during this time of year to follow what many would call the advent season. He tells us that he has done this occasionally, and there are times to do that. But, by and large, he wants the congregation that he shepherds to understand that the worship of our God is not compartmentalized. The truths that God’s Word teaches us matters every day.
Lastly, Dr. Caldwell speaks of the importance of not becoming unbalanced during the season. We don’t want to go overboard in a materialistic way to express our love for one another by going into debt. Nor, on the other end of the spectrum, do we want to strive so hard to make it all about the spiritual truth where a lack of enjoyment is present that misses out on the glory of God. We want our children and others to see our love and worship of God in the good gifts that He gives us. We can have joy throughout the season and thoroughly enjoy Christmas day with one another, all to the glory of God.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 16 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsSzymon MasiakSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post How Do We Keep Christ Central In The Christmas Season? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
How are difficult biblical texts profitable for me?" Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListRelated MessagesWe might say Scripture is like a gold mine. To obtain the gold within, we need to do the hard work of mining for it. Those who spend time mining the Scriptures will be saturated and satiated with the riches found contained within them. To learn more about digging and dwelling deeply in the Scriptures, consider listening to the following sermons as Dr. Caldwell exposits the Word of God:
Meditating on Scripture
Confused Disciples - Part 1
Encountering God's Word
God's Holy Word
The Truly Blessed Person
Christ's View Of Scripture
How are difficult biblical texts profitable for me? Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyHow are difficult biblical texts profitable for me?In 2 Timothy 3:16, we are told that all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. Christians who believe in the inspiration of Scripture would say that all Scripture is equally inspired, but can we say that all Scripture is equally profitable? How is a book like Leviticus profitable for a New Testament Christian? It’s a very challenging book to read and understand. If we cannot understand most of it, how can we glean application for our lives? How can a study of difficult passages and books like Leviticus help us grow in our Christian walk? These questions, and more, are asked and answered today on the Straight Truth Podcast. Join in on the conversation and hear what Dr. Josh Philpot and Dr. Richard Caldwell share about the profitability of reading, meditating, and studying all Scripture, including those difficult sections that seem unprofitable to us.
Dr. Caldwell says that sometimes we read the Bible having too much of a man-centered approach. Before jumping ahead and asking how does this apply to me, we might want to first ask what does this teach me about God. If we start with this thought in our minds when we read difficult sections of Scripture and challenging books like Leviticus, then, we might be surprised by how profitable all Scripture really is.
So, let's consider the book of Leviticus. Leviticus has context. It was meant to operate in the life of the nation of Israel; it had very specific purposes from a national point of view. It was not only purposeful but practical as well. The book of Leviticus reveals God’s attention to detail. There are things that God addresses in it that we wouldn’t even think to address. An example, Dr. Caldwell reminds us of is the specifics and details that are given for the tabernacle. We read of details and specifics in how it's made, set up, broken down, furniture/article arrangement, orderliness, and even matters of worship. So then, as we think about application, it’s a good reminder that God cares about the little things of our lives, not just the big ones.
It is also a good reminder that what we think of as necessary for our lives often underestimates what is necessary for our lives. We can often read something one day and don’t see how it informs and impacts us. But sometime later down the road, we often discover how that truth we read back there now proves to be a learned truth that is a very specific help to us. Scripture, says Dr. Caldwell, has no throwaway lines; it contains nothing that isn’t helpful. We want to remember this as we read the Scriptures. So, even when, from our vantage point, we can't see how something we read or learn about will be helpful to us, we can recognize and know, that God knows better than we do what will be beneficial and helpful for us.
How does asking ourselves, what does this text say about God help us in our Christian walk? Dr. Caldwell says there is no greater need on the part of the creature than to know his or her Creator. No greater knowledge has been given to us by our Creator than the knowledge of Himself. There is no higher calling, no higher privilege, and no more life-transforming, eternally significant issue than knowing God. It’s only as we know our Creator that we have a knowledge of ourselves (self-knowledge) that is in any way trustworthy. To shut ourselves off from the knowledge of God and then to try to understand ourselves is folly!
As the One who created us, it is God who gives us life and sustains our very life and breath; God knows us. He knows every part and portion. He knows our hearts, every single, itty bitty detail of the human makeup or psyche; our thoughts, desires, intentions, motives, etc. His Word conveys all these things and more about us and takes all of it into account as it addresses us. It gives us information about ourselves we would never arrive at on our own. Knowing God opens the door to a more accurate view of our lives; this is what we all need.
Dr. Caldwell has shared some things that help us to better understand the importance of books like Leviticus and even other difficult passages of Scripture. In light of this, how much time then should we spend on them? Can we just read through them quickly, gaining what we can as we go along, or should we spend more time on them? Dr. Caldwell shares that we need to do the hard work. He doesn’t deny that there are weightier matters in the Law than others and says that not every contour of Scripture is equal in terms of how it is going to affect our lives. But as 2 Timothy 3:16 says, all Scripture is profitable. We need all of it, which means all of it deserves our attention. God has given us this book we will not exhaust in a lifetime of studying and learning. Wherever we have deficiencies in our knowledge and understanding, we want to run to the Scriptures and grow in them.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 22 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post How are difficult biblical texts profitable for me? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Things I’ve Learned After 40 Years of Marriage & Ministry" Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListRelated MessagesThe things Dr. Caldwell speaks about on the podcast today are good and right for all Christian believers to consider and meditate upon. May we all grow in our sanctification as we ponder and apply them in our living. To learn more about what the Word of God has to say about these things, consider listening to the following sermons:
Patience
Qualities of Love - Patience
The Treasure That Allows Trust
Trusting in the Trustworthy God
The Faith Necessary for Faithfulness
Faithfulness
The Importance of Joy
The Life of Abounding Hope
Teach Us To Pray - Our Daily Bread
Christian Contentment - Parts 1 & 2
Things I’ve Learned After 40 Years of Marriage & Ministry Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyThings I’ve Learned After 40 Years of Marriage & MinistryThis week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot talks with Dr. Richard Caldwell about his life in marriage and ministry work. Dr. Caldwell has been married and in pastoral ministry for nearly 40 years. He and his wife have raised four children and currently have eight grandchildren. As he looks back, Dr. Caldwell is able to reflect on the many things he has learned over these years the Lord has given him in marriage and ministry. Dr. Philpot asks him to share some advice he would give his younger self regarding the ministry of pastoring, marriage, and raising children. Additionally, Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Caldwell to share a few lessons he has learned that he could pass on to others.
Dr. Caldwell says looking back at his younger years, he sees, what he calls, a lot of living being done in the future. He shares there was always this thinking about where you wanted to get to and what you wanted to do, resulting in a seemingly hurriedness to arrive and already be at the desired destination. So one of the things he would share would be the importance of enjoying the time and living in the moments that lead up to that time. This applies to all these areas Dr. Philpot has mentioned. Tied to this would be patience in all three realms also. He explains that there is a tendency for us, as younger individuals, to be impatient. We will often treat little things like they are big things, making things more important than they really are. We need to learn to walk through things more calmly and understandingly in order to love others well.
Dr. Caldwell shares that there is nothing more glorious, miraculous, and amazing than simple faithfulness. He says that when you can look back and see what God has provided over time, it will blow you away. If he could exhort younger men than himself, he would exhort them to be faithful in all they do. It is a faithful daily pursuit of the Lord that pays off long-term, and the joys are multiplied in ways you could not imagine. But this only happens one moment, one day, one decision at a time.
Another thing he shares is that young men tend to be competitive, maybe even to the degree of bits of jealousy here and there. But over time, as you grow and mature, what you learn is the joy of watching others flourish. You have the privilege of watching their gifts and influences be maximized. There is joy in teamwork, and whatever role you have on that team, it’s the team that matters. Of course, ultimately, as believers, we know it’s the glory of God that matters. But working together as a team really matters. If we can get this into our hearts early, it will save us a lot of heartaches, and instead will bring us a lot of joy.
The third lesson Dr. Caldwell says is hard and even sad to have to say. He tells us that sometimes when you are young, you can feel like the ministry is privileged to have you. Later on, you'll learn that the right attitude and response is that you have been privileged to be in the ministry. This is the right perspective, says Dr. Caldwell, and we want to get this sooner than later.
Lastly, he explains that these same truths apply to marriage. Often times we think too highly of ourselves, thinking our spouse is blessed to have us. But as you get older, you recognize how blessed you are to have them. Dr. Caldwell shares that we need to find contentment and joy in those the Lord has given us. We must learn to appreciate these great gifts the Lord has given us in this life. All this carries over to raising children as well. What we find in this life is that there will be a lot of disruptions, a lot of work, a lot of expense, and a lot of busyness. But without these things, we would be poorer than we realize. So we want to recognize the blessings that God has given and be appreciative of them.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 22 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Things I’ve Learned After 40 Years of Marriage & Ministry appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Christian Views On Adoption" Watch This Episode on YouTubeSubscribe To Our YouTube ChannelSupport Our PodcastJoin Our Mailing ListRelated Messages Are you interested in examining and pondering these beautiful and glorious truths more deeply, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell:
Predestined For Adoption
The Reality & Finality of Salvation
From Fearful Slaves To Loving Sons
The Witness From God & From The Word
The Greatness of The Believer's Future Glory
Thinking Our Way Home
From Childhood To Adulthood
Christian Views On Adoption Watch this episode on VimeoFollow Us On VimeoListen to the Audio PodcastSubscribe on iPhoneSubscribe on AndroidSubscribe on SpotifyChristian Views On AdoptionWhat is the Christian understanding of adoption? The WSC defines adoption as an act of God’s free grace, whereby we are received into the number and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.” Where do we find adoption in the Bible? The concept of adoption is found throughout the Old Testament but not made clear until we come to the New Testament. In the New Testament, primarily through the writings of the Apostle Paul, we are introduced to adoption as the explanation of how God saved us and how we became part of His family. This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell sits with Dr. Josh Philpot to candidly discuss how his family came to be through physical adoption and how physical adoption is a wonderful and beautiful picture of God choosing us and bringing us into His family through adoption.
Dr. Philpot shares that after marrying, he and his wife Jennifer were planning to have children a couple of years down the road into the marriage. Around the same time they were discussing their family planning, they heard sermons from Ephesians 1 on adoption. Ephesians 1 teaches that God chose us before the foundation of the world and how, in His love, He predestined us for adoption as sons to the Father through Jesus Christ. Dr. Philpot shares that he had never thought of adoption in those terms as being God’s idea, God’s plan. Those sermons really impacted him and his wife so much that it occurred to them that they ought to consider adoption at the same time they were considering biological children. What ended up taking place, however, in God’s providence, was the opening of one door and the closing of the other. Dr. Philpot shares how they had the privilege and the blessing to adopt four children and bring them into their family.
Dr. Philpot goes on to discuss the ins and outs of physical adoption. He shares with us about initial pain and sadness, the difficulties that can come, and the costliness and financial challenges associated with adoption. But, more importantly, Dr. Philpot shares the joys and delights associated with the realness of their family. Additionally, he shares some cautions about adoption, saying that maybe not everyone is called to adopt. Yet, even if we are not, there are other ways we can support it.
He tells us it’s truly amazing to consider how physical adoption today mirrors the gospel. He believes it helps to give a fuller understanding of what God has really done in saving us. He encourages us to consider what God has done in calling us out of darkness and into light and into His family. The benefits and the privileges are far greater than we will ever understand or realize in this lifetime. But physical adoption gives us a visible and real picture of that truth.
About The Straight Truth PodcastThe Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 22 CreditsProduced byJuan Carlos ClaveriaExecutive ProducersJoshua PhilpotDavid AndersHosted byJoshua PhilpotSocial Media Descriptions byMichele WatsonGraphic DesignDavid NavejasDP / EDITING / COLORJUAN CARLOS CLAVERIASPECIAL THANKS TO THEFOUNDERS BAPTIST CHURCHMEDIA TEAM VOLUNTEERSSpecial Thanks toEl Centro NetworkMusic byLynneMusicMotion GraphicsThe Media StockSet DecoratorMolly AtchisonThe post Christian Views On Adoption appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Mutual Submission In A Christian Marriage" Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages For a deeper dive into understanding the kind of submission spoken of here, consider listening to the following sermons as Dr. Caldwell exposits these verses of Ephesians 5: Characteristics Of The Spirit-Filled Life - Parts Continue Reading
The post Mutual Submission In A Christian Marriage appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Church Plant or Church Reformation? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Both church planting and church reformation/revitalization are necessary. The Apostle Paul was both a missionary church planter and a pastor. His character, faithfulness, and love are displayed and evidenced in all the letters he wrote to Continue Reading
The post Church Plant or Church Reformation? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Relationship Principles For Older and Younger Men In Ministry. Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you are interested in learning more about what these kinds of relationships look like, consider listening to the following sermons from the Word of God delivered by Dr. Caldwell: The Love Continue Reading
The post Relationship Principles For Older and Younger Men In Ministry appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Holiness & God’s Word Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages The pursuit of holiness is a requirement for every Christian because, without holiness, no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). To learn more about this, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Caldwell: Hope & Continue Reading
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Biblical Masculinity and Femininity Under Attack Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages The following sermons by Dr. Caldwell will begin to help you as you seek to properly understand biblical masculinity and femininity as revealed by God in His Word: Biblical Manhood, Womanhood, Marriage & Family Series Continue Reading
The post Biblical Masculinity and Femininity Under Attack appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
What Are The Responsibilities of Parents and Children In A Christian Family? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Consider listening to the following sermons that relate to the things discussed in today's podcast. In them, Dr. Caldwell exposits the Word of God and helps us to understand Continue Reading
The post What Are The Responsibilities of Parents and Children In A Christian Family? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
What Is The Role Of Older Members In The Church? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Consider listening to the following sermons exposited from these verses of Titus 2 by Dr. Caldwell as he seeks to faithfully preach and teach the Word of God. Generational Instruction The Continue Reading
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Can We Collaborate With Churches Of Different Denominations? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages The sermon links below, were delivered from the pulpit of Founders Baptist. These sermons relate to some of the main things Dr. Caldwell spoke about today in the podcast. If you are interested in gaining Continue Reading
The post Can We Collaborate With Churches Of Different Denominations? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Why Do We Have Two Different Worship Services On Sunday? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Below are sermons exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Caldwell over his twenty years of faithful leading and serving the flock at Founders Baptist Church. These sermons will help Continue Reading
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Am I Being Called To Be A Missionary? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Following are sermons from the Word of God that will be helpful for the one who is considering if this is where they are being called: Set Apart For The Gospel Fasting & Continue Reading
The post Am I Being Called To Be A Missionary? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Why Do Unbelievers Prosper? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages So where is your treasure? If you find yourself struggling like Asaph did and would like to gain a greater perspective of what is temporal versus that which is eternal, consider listening to the following sermons exposited Continue Reading
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How Should Christians React To Political Pressure In The Workplace? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages For additional biblical references on how Christians should react and respond to the immorality in the world around us, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell: God's Authority Continue Reading
The post How Should Christians React To Political Pressure In The Workplace? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
How To Glorify God With Money. Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about biblical giving and how to glorify God with money, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Caldwell: Biblical Giving Four Fruits Of Biblical Giving Continue Reading
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How To Glorify God With Money. Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about biblical giving and how to glorify God with money, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Caldwell: Biblical Giving Four Fruits Of Biblical Giving Continue Reading
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Why Was Satan Allowed In The Garden of Eden? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Would you like to grasp a greater understanding of God’s glory and the joy we can know by making His glory our highest aim? Consider listening to the following sermons delivered by Continue Reading
The post Why Was Satan Allowed In The Garden of Eden? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Why Was Satan Allowed In The Garden of Eden? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Would you like to grasp a greater understanding of God’s glory and the joy we can know by making His glory our highest aim? Consider listening to the following sermons delivered by Continue Reading
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Should Christian Woman Submit During Dating? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Submission is a choice. It is an act of worship to God who has saved us. It must be lived out appropriately in relationships according to the Word of God. When submission is done in Continue Reading
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Should Christian Woman Submit During Dating? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Submission is a choice. It is an act of worship to God who has saved us. It must be lived out appropriately in relationships according to the Word of God. When submission is done in Continue Reading
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The Inerrancy Of Scripture Explained. Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you are interested in learning more about the internal evidence of the Scriptures themselves and the importance of knowing what we believe and why we believe it, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from Continue Reading
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Can Unbelievers Do Good Works? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Would you like to grasp a greater understanding of what pleases God from the Scriptures? If so, consider listening to the following sermons delivered by Dr. Caldwell: The Character Of The Natural Man The Character Of Continue Reading
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What Is A Word-Centered Church? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Being a word-centered church means that the Word of God and glorifying God are seen and understood as the highest authority and aim. These are serious and sobering responsibilities. Are you interested in learning more? Consider Continue Reading
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The Role Of The Conscience In The Christian Life Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Martin Luther, who, was instrumental in the Protestant Reformation, said, “It is neither right nor safe to act against conscience.” Luther, with his conscience informed by the Scriptures, had become convinced over Continue Reading
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Am I An Idolater? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Throughout the Old Testament, idolatry is one of the greatest snares for the people of God. It is no less dangerous for us today, only more subtle in its forms. The battle is real; we must be Continue Reading
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Did King David Rape Bathsheba? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell that will assist you in digging deeper into the issues discussed in this podcast: No Condemnation The Forgiveness Of The Forgiven Why Forgiven People Must Forgive Continue Reading
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Should Christians Fight The Cultural Wars? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Consider learning more about how Christians should engage false ideas and ideologies in our culture by listening to sermons from Dr. Richard Caldwell. The sermon links included below are only a few of the many Continue Reading
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Why Do I Still Need To Confess My Sins? Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you would like to gain a deeper understanding of this subject, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell as he opens the Word of God and exposits it Continue Reading
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How To Prepare A Sermon | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more from Dr. Caldwell through sermons he has delivered to the congregation he shepherds and serves at Founders Baptist Church, consider listening from the links provided below: Spirit-Empowered Preaching Decision Prayer & Preaching Continue Reading
The post How To Prepare A Sermon | Preparing Sermons appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Why Are Pastors Called Shepherds? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you are interested in learning more about these qualities of a shepherd, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of God by Pastor Richard Caldwell: Shepherds That Preach - Part 1 Continue Reading
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How To Evaluate A Pastor | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Following are sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell that will assist one in helping think further through ministry work and service: Clear Thinking About The Ministry How To Remain Faithful In Ministry The Temperament Of A Continue Reading
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What Does the Title Pastor-Teacher Mean? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about these biblical titles, roles, and positions; and the responsibilities they are tasked with, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell: Spirit-Empowered Preaching Shepherds That Preach - Pts. Continue Reading
The post What Does the Title Pastor-Teacher Mean? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
How To Deal With Jealousy In A Christian Marriage | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Would you like to learn more about trusting God and accepting and extending forgiveness? Do you long for deep satisfaction, joy, and lasting hope? Pick up your Bible and read along Continue Reading
The post How To Deal With Jealousy In A Christian Marriage appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Are Gospel Tracts An Effective Way To Evangelize The Lost? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about sharing the gospel and doing so in a way that glorifies God, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell: Confidence In The Gospel Continue Reading
The post Are Gospel Tracts An Effective Way To Evangelize The Lost? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Should Christians Attend Weddings of Unbelievers? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about the origin of marriage and the very first wedding, consider listening to sermons that Dr. Caldwell has delivered from the Word of God in his over twenty-year span of pastoral Continue Reading
The post Should Christians Attend Weddings of Unbelievers? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Speaking The Truth in Love To My Transgender Relative | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Would you like to hear sermons that will help guide your thoughts and conversations regarding transgenderism, gender identity, and gender expression? Consider listening to the sermons linked below as Dr. Caldwell Continue Reading
The post Speaking The Truth in Love To My Transgender Relative appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Did Moses and Jesus Disagree On Divorce and Remarriage? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To listen to in-depth clear biblical teaching by Dr. Caldwell on marriage, divorce, and remarriage, consider listening to the series, podcasts, and sermons that are linked below: Marriage, Divorce & Remarriage Continue Reading
The post Did Moses and Jesus Disagree On Divorce and Remarriage? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Does The Bible Condone Polygamy? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Would you like to hear more about what God says about marriage? Grab your Bible and take a walk through the Scriptures with Dr. Caldwell as he exposits the Word of God from Genesis 2 Continue Reading
The post Does The Bible Condone Polygamy? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Why Doesn't the Old Testament Mention The Afterlife? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you would like to learn more about the afterlife, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Caldwell: The Gospel As Preservative Christ's Resurrection & The Believer The Certainty of Resurrection Continue Reading
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Have I Committed The Unforgivable Sin? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To hear more about the things discussed in today’s podcast, consider listening to the following sermons as Dr. Caldwell opens up the Word of God and exposits it for us: The Unforgivable Sin - Continue Reading
The post Have I Committed The Unforgivable Sin? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
I Can't Find a Healthy Church | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn about what a healthy church should look like and what the Believer’s responsibility to the Lord’s Church is, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Continue Reading
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How the Church Should React to the War in Ukraine | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell: The Precious Truth of Peace The Joy of Peace With God Secure in God's Love A New Continue Reading
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Are Allah and Yahweh the same God? | Watch This Episode on YouTube
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Support Our Podcast
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Related Messages If you would like to gain a better understanding of the triune God of the Bible, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Caldwell:
The Trinity - Parts 1, 2, 3 & 4
Romans 10 - The Need for the Gospel
The Need for Grace
Redemption
Abraham, the Father of All Who Believe
One New Man
Life in the Spirit
Beautiful Bloody Religion
The All Sufficient Sacrifice
God Has Spoken In Son
The Glorious Agent of Creation
God's Glorious Son
The Exact Imprint of His Nature
Are Allah and Yahweh the same God? | Watch this episode on Vimeo
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Are Allah and Yahweh the same God? Is it ever right to be Are Allah and Yahweh the same God?? Can we even express our anger at God without being sinful? What should Christians do when they find themselves angry at God for the difficult circumstances of their lives?
In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, host Dr. Josh Philpot converses with Dr. Richard Caldwell about anger. The anger he refers to is not just any kind of anger; it's the anger of a believer being directed at God. Is this right; is it wise? Should a believer be Are Allah and Yahweh the same God?? Anger is dangerous and destructive. The book of Proverbs tells us a man of great anger will bear the penalty. The New Testament calls the believer to put off and put away all anger from their life. If a believer is angry at God about their life circumstances, how can they deal with it? Dr. Philpot asks if a believer can complain to God about these kinds of things, and in doing so, can it be done without being sinful?
Dr. Caldwell thinks that there are questions, as believers, we can ask and attitudes we have that are sinful. Questions and attitudes that are just dishonoring and disrespectful of God. However, in the Psalms, we find the pouring out of frustrations, questions of all kinds, asking about things that we don't understand, and things that don’t make sense to us. These examples show us that God is not afraid of our questions. Therefore we can go to God with our questions like the Psalmist, but we need to be willing to stick around to hear the answers. Are we willing to hear what He has to say?
Dr. Caldwell says that there is nothing fruitful, godly, helpful, or right about being Are Allah and Yahweh the same God?. Every kind of anger we would have with God is misguided. It is a result of wrong thinking. He reminds us to remember that we live in a fallen world. God allows things to go on in this world that grieves Him and us. But, this doesn’t mean He doesn’t care and that He won’t call people to account for it one day. Until that day comes, there are injustices and mistreatments that we all have to live through and try to manage.
If we are willing to ask why God allows it and what is produced through it, there are answers to be found in the Scriptures. But none of those answers will satisfy us if we aren’t willing to trust Him. Dr. Caldwell tells us that we need to see ourselves through the perfect lens of Scripture. We need to see all of what God has given us over and against what we really deserve. We need to know His character. We need to believe Him, trusting that all He does is good and right. But if we reject God’s answers and persist in our anger, it will not go well for us. (Later, Dr. Caldwell shares the example of Jonah as it relates here.)
So yes, we can come and share our complaints with God. But we need to come humbly, open, honest, and real. We do this, bringing our troubles, pouring out our hearts to the Lord, with the utmost reverence. Dr. Caldwell shares we have examples of godly people doing this in Job and throughout the Psalms. He shows us through a few examples how God’s people are taken care of forever through trusting Him. In addition to these, he encourages us to think about Lazarus, the beggar, and the rich man. The rich man received good things during his life, but Lazarus something far better at the end of life. Dr. Caldwell then reminds us of what the Scriptures teach us in 2 Corinthians. These difficulties and hardships are but light and momentary afflictions compared to the eternal weight of glory that awaits us. But none of this takes place outside the realm of trust. We must be willing to trust God, who has revealed His character to us in the Scriptures. And His character... is perfectly good!
About The Straight Truth Podcast The Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 18 Credits
Produced by Juan Carlos Claveria Executive Producers Joshua Philpot David Anders Hosted by Joshua Philpot Social Media Descriptions by Michele Watson
Graphic Design David Navejas DP / EDITING / COLOR JUAN CARLOS CLAVERIA
Special Thanks to El Centro Network Music by LynneMusic Motion Graphics Szymon Masiak Set Decorator Molly Atchison
The post Are Allah and Yahweh the same God? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Legalism and Moralism | Watch This Episode on YouTube
Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel
Support Our Podcast
Join Our Mailing List
Related Messages
To learn more about the many things discussed in this podcast, consider listening to these sermons below by Dr. Richard Caldwell:
Joy in Our Suffering
Blessed Assurance
Misunderstanding the Goodness of God
Series on the Book of Jonah : Chapters 1-4
The Wonder of a Believer's Life
The Two Answers for Discouragement
Learning the Trustworthiness of God
Trusting the Trustworthy God
The Reality of Everlasting Damnation
True Riches and True Poverty - Pts. 1 & 2
Legalism and Moralism | Watch this episode on Vimeo
Follow Us On Vimeo
Listen to the Audio Podcast
Subscribe on iPhone
Subscribe on Android
Subscribe on Spotify
Legalism and Moralism Is it ever right to be Legalism and Moralism? Can we even express our anger at God without being sinful? What should Christians do when they find themselves angry at God for the difficult circumstances of their lives?
In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, host Dr. Josh Philpot converses with Dr. Richard Caldwell about anger. The anger he refers to is not just any kind of anger; it's the anger of a believer being directed at God. Is this right; is it wise? Should a believer be Legalism and Moralism? Anger is dangerous and destructive. The book of Proverbs tells us a man of great anger will bear the penalty. The New Testament calls the believer to put off and put away all anger from their life. If a believer is angry at God about their life circumstances, how can they deal with it? Dr. Philpot asks if a believer can complain to God about these kinds of things, and in doing so, can it be done without being sinful?
Dr. Caldwell thinks that there are questions, as believers, we can ask and attitudes we have that are sinful. Questions and attitudes that are just dishonoring and disrespectful of God. However, in the Psalms, we find the pouring out of frustrations, questions of all kinds, asking about things that we don't understand, and things that don’t make sense to us. These examples show us that God is not afraid of our questions. Therefore we can go to God with our questions like the Psalmist, but we need to be willing to stick around to hear the answers. Are we willing to hear what He has to say?
Dr. Caldwell says that there is nothing fruitful, godly, helpful, or right about being Legalism and Moralism. Every kind of anger we would have with God is misguided. It is a result of wrong thinking. He reminds us to remember that we live in a fallen world. God allows things to go on in this world that grieves Him and us. But, this doesn’t mean He doesn’t care and that He won’t call people to account for it one day. Until that day comes, there are injustices and mistreatments that we all have to live through and try to manage.
If we are willing to ask why God allows it and what is produced through it, there are answers to be found in the Scriptures. But none of those answers will satisfy us if we aren’t willing to trust Him. Dr. Caldwell tells us that we need to see ourselves through the perfect lens of Scripture. We need to see all of what God has given us over and against what we really deserve. We need to know His character. We need to believe Him, trusting that all He does is good and right. But if we reject God’s answers and persist in our anger, it will not go well for us. (Later, Dr. Caldwell shares the example of Jonah as it relates here.)
So yes, we can come and share our complaints with God. But we need to come humbly, open, honest, and real. We do this, bringing our troubles, pouring out our hearts to the Lord, with the utmost reverence. Dr. Caldwell shares we have examples of godly people doing this in Job and throughout the Psalms. He shows us through a few examples how God’s people are taken care of forever through trusting Him. In addition to these, he encourages us to think about Lazarus, the beggar, and the rich man. The rich man received good things during his life, but Lazarus something far better at the end of life. Dr. Caldwell then reminds us of what the Scriptures teach us in 2 Corinthians. These difficulties and hardships are but light and momentary afflictions compared to the eternal weight of glory that awaits us. But none of this takes place outside the realm of trust. We must be willing to trust God, who has revealed His character to us in the Scriptures. And His character... is perfectly good!
About The Straight Truth Podcast The Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 18 Credits
Produced by Juan Carlos Claveria Executive Producers Joshua Philpot David Anders Hosted by Joshua Philpot Social Media Descriptions by Michele Watson
Graphic Design David Navejas DP / EDITING / COLOR JUAN CARLOS CLAVERIA
Special Thanks to El Centro Network Music by LynneMusic Motion Graphics Szymon Masiak Set Decorator Molly Atchison
The post Legalism and Moralism appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Angry With God | Watch This Episode on YouTube
Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel
Support Our Podcast
Join Our Mailing List
Related Messages
To learn more about the many things discussed in this podcast, consider listening to these sermons below by Dr. Richard Caldwell:
Joy in Our Suffering
Blessed Assurance
Misunderstanding the Goodness of God
Series on the Book of Jonah : Chapters 1-4
The Wonder of a Believer's Life
The Two Answers for Discouragement
Learning the Trustworthiness of God
Trusting the Trustworthy God
The Reality of Everlasting Damnation
True Riches and True Poverty - Pts. 1 & 2
Angry With God | Watch this episode on Vimeo
Follow Us On Vimeo
Listen to the Audio Podcast
Subscribe on iPhone
Subscribe on Android
Subscribe on Spotify
Angry With God Is it ever right to be angry with God? Can we even express our anger at God without being sinful? What should Christians do when they find themselves angry at God for the difficult circumstances of their lives?
In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, host Dr. Josh Philpot converses with Dr. Richard Caldwell about anger. The anger he refers to is not just any kind of anger; it's the anger of a believer being directed at God. Is this right; is it wise? Should a believer be angry with God? Anger is dangerous and destructive. The book of Proverbs tells us a man of great anger will bear the penalty. The New Testament calls the believer to put off and put away all anger from their life. If a believer is angry at God about their life circumstances, how can they deal with it? Dr. Philpot asks if a believer can complain to God about these kinds of things, and in doing so, can it be done without being sinful?
Dr. Caldwell thinks that there are questions, as believers, we can ask and attitudes we have that are sinful. Questions and attitudes that are just dishonoring and disrespectful of God. However, in the Psalms, we find the pouring out of frustrations, questions of all kinds, asking about things that we don't understand, and things that don’t make sense to us. These examples show us that God is not afraid of our questions. Therefore we can go to God with our questions like the Psalmist, but we need to be willing to stick around to hear the answers. Are we willing to hear what He has to say?
Dr. Caldwell says that there is nothing fruitful, godly, helpful, or right about being angry with God. Every kind of anger we would have with God is misguided. It is a result of wrong thinking. He reminds us to remember that we live in a fallen world. God allows things to go on in this world that grieves Him and us. But, this doesn’t mean He doesn’t care and that He won’t call people to account for it one day. Until that day comes, there are injustices and mistreatments that we all have to live through and try to manage.
If we are willing to ask why God allows it and what is produced through it, there are answers to be found in the Scriptures. But none of those answers will satisfy us if we aren’t willing to trust Him. Dr. Caldwell tells us that we need to see ourselves through the perfect lens of Scripture. We need to see all of what God has given us over and against what we really deserve. We need to know His character. We need to believe Him, trusting that all He does is good and right. But if we reject God’s answers and persist in our anger, it will not go well for us. (Later, Dr. Caldwell shares the example of Jonah as it relates here.)
So yes, we can come and share our complaints with God. But we need to come humbly, open, honest, and real. We do this, bringing our troubles, pouring out our hearts to the Lord, with the utmost reverence. Dr. Caldwell shares we have examples of godly people doing this in Job and throughout the Psalms. He shows us through a few examples how God’s people are taken care of forever through trusting Him. In addition to these, he encourages us to think about Lazarus, the beggar, and the rich man. The rich man received good things during his life, but Lazarus something far better at the end of life. Dr. Caldwell then reminds us of what the Scriptures teach us in 2 Corinthians. These difficulties and hardships are but light and momentary afflictions compared to the eternal weight of glory that awaits us. But none of this takes place outside the realm of trust. We must be willing to trust God, who has revealed His character to us in the Scriptures. And His character... is perfectly good!
About The Straight Truth Podcast The Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 18 Credits
Produced by Juan Carlos Claveria Executive Producers Joshua Philpot David Anders Hosted by Joshua Philpot Social Media Descriptions by Michele Watson
Graphic Design David Navejas DP / EDITING / COLOR JUAN CARLOS CLAVERIA
Special Thanks to El Centro Network Music by LynneMusic Motion Graphics Szymon Masiak Set Decorator Molly Atchison
The post Angry With God appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
How Should Christians Overcome Addictions? | Watch This Episode on YouTube
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Support Our Podcast
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Related Messages
To gain a deeper and more biblical understanding of these issues, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Caldwell:
The Certainty of New Life
The Application of Doctrine
Salvation's New Abilities
The Outcome of Our New Slavery
God Given Motivations for Spiritual Growth
The Believing Life
How To Heed the Warnings
Resurrection Living
Such Were Some Of You
Wisdom & Wine
Powerful or Permissible
A Love the Christian Must Reject
How Should Christians Overcome Addictions? | Watch this episode on Vimeo
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How Should Christians Overcome Addictions? How should Christians think about addictions? What should Christians do to battle and overcome addictions? Can we be completely healed from our addictions? Is there real hope for those caught up in bondage to drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, pornography, food, smoking, etc.?
This week on the Straight Truth Podcast host, Dr. Josh Philpot approaches Dr. Richard Caldwell with these questions regarding addictions. He asks Dr. Caldwell is it possible for someone to overcome being held captive to their addictions? How would he offer hope to someone who struggles with addiction?
Dr. Caldwell says where we must begin when speaking with the person dealing with these kinds of things in their life would be with the genuineness of their salvation. Because, before we can even start to discuss dealing with the issues at hand, we must know if the person has access to the things in Christ to overcome patterns of sin. So first, is, do they know Christ, do they have the Spirit of God, are they a new creation?
If the person knows Christ, they must understand and recognize that addiction issues are sin issues. Dr. Caldwell says people need to stop thinking about addictions as diseases. An addiction is a habit we have formed; it is what we do. While diseases can and may develop in our bodies by reason of the things we do to and with our bodies, disease is not the action; disease is the consequence of the action. The action we choose and then do that forms the addictions is sin. Even though one may have predispositions toward certain sins or genetics that would easily explain an individual's failings, they are still sin issues. These things must be identified, discussed, and handled biblically, using biblical language and thought of in terms of biblical categories. The Bible doesn’t deal with these things as diseases. The Bible deals with these things as sins against God. So we must deal with them as the sins that they are.
How then does a believer deal with and overcome sin? The answer, Dr. Caldwell says, is progressively and not in isolation from other believers. The believer must be faithful to the Lord’s Church and to the means that He has provided for growth and sanctification; His Word and prayer. Dr. Caldwell offers some practical insights regarding accountability for help and encouragement, the importance of vulnerability, honesty, and transparency, along with the absolute necessity of putting away pride.
Dr. Caldwell says it comes down to this: there are no magic bullets! There is not some prayer that we can pray for it all to be gone. God in His sovereignty has chosen to deliver some people almost instantly from certain addictions they have had, but that is not true for every person. We must take the disciplines spoken of in the Word of God and practice them. We must confess our sin, repent of it, and we must turn from it. However, it isn’t just a matter of stopping the sin we’ve been doing and now saying no to it. We must also be pursuing the will of God by saying yes to something else. Sometimes we lack the strength to say no because we aren’t pursuing the right things.
Lastly, Dr. Caldwell says that there is another area of dealing with our sin that is related; our thought level. He asks, are we dealing with sin artificially? Are we attempting to deal with it according to human philosophy, the best that man can offer? Any lost person can approach dealing with sin in these kinds of ways. But, there is no therapy, number of steps, or quick fix remedies that will heal or alleviate our sin problems. As Christians, we want what God gives. We want what is explained by the Spirit of God and the Word of God. If we pursue dealing with addiction this way, the result is that there is long-term help concerning our sin issues.
About The Straight Truth Podcast The Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 18 Credits
Produced by Juan Carlos Claveria Executive Producers Joshua Philpot David Anders Hosted by Joshua Philpot Social Media Descriptions by Michele Watson
Graphic Design David Navejas DP / EDITING / COLOR JUAN CARLOS CLAVERIA
Special Thanks to El Centro Network Music by LynneMusic Motion Graphics Szymon Masiak Set Decorator Molly Atchison
The post How Should Christians Overcome Addictions? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Preaching Christ From Every Scripture | Watch This Episode on YouTube
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Related Messages
To learn more about these things discussed in the podcast today, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Caldwell:
Christ, The Word of God, & True Righteousness (2)
Christ's View of Scripture
The Model For The Ministry of The Word
The Road To Emmaus
The End & The Beginning
God Has Spoken In Son
The Glorious Agent of Creation
The Sustainer of All Things
God's Glorious Son
God's Glorious Heir
Preaching Christ From Every Scripture | Watch this episode on Vimeo
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Preaching Christ From Every Scripture In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, host Dr. Josh Philpot says that there seems to be this renewed interest by some, who say that Christ ought to be preached from every Scripture. Some say that every verse is about Jesus in one way or another. In Luke 24:27, we read of a conversation Jesus has with two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, Jesus interprets the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures to them. The Psalms are included in these same interpretations when He appears to others in Jerusalem (verse 44 of the same chapter). But does this mean that every text or verse of the Old Testament speaks about Christ? Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell if this is how he understands it? He asks, is it important to preach and teach Christ from every text or verse of Scripture?
Dr. Caldwell responds by saying that he thinks it is important to preach Christ from every part of Scripture. But, he would not agree with the idea that every verse of Scripture refers to Jesus. He believes that this is where preachers and teachers can get into dangerous territory. The Scripture gets allegorized, and the imagination gets preached instead of the actual text. Preachers and teachers need to be faithful to the Scriptures. They need to remind themselves that there is no one more interested in magnifying God’s Son than God. God is the One who has given us the Scriptures.
The Scriptures are God's self-revelation; they are His special revelation. In them, God has revealed and made Himself through His Word known to mankind. The crescendo of God's special revelation is God’s Son. Consequently, it should not surprise us that as God glorifies Himself, that is, makes Himself known in the Scriptures, the high-point of that self-revelation would be His Son.
So, while Dr. Caldwell says he doesn’t see Jesus in every verse of Scripture, every part of the Scriptures has a reference to Him. This, he shares, is the whole of the Old Testament; the Law, the prophets, and the wisdom writings, all of it, he says, had to do with Christ. But this doesn’t lead him to believe in a Christocentric interpretation of Scripture. However, he does believe in a "Christotelic" sense of reading the Bible.
This requires one to ask, how does this section relate to God’s Son, to God’s redemptive mission in His Son. For as Jesus says in John 5:39, the Scriptures testify about Him. Then, with this understanding, if he is faithful to say what the Scriptures say, he is doing the will of God with respect to magnifying His Son. Dr. Caldwell doesn’t have to invent teachings about Christ or read something into the Scriptures; it’s there. He simply needs to say what the Bible says, and Christ is preached.
Next, Dr. Caldwell gives a few examples from the New Testament of the manner in which the Apostle Paul preached Christ. In 1Timothy 1:11, Paul says that he shares the glorious gospel of the blessed God with which he has been entrusted. That gospel is the gospel of the glory of Christ, as Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4 and then goes on to share that God reveals His glory in the face of Christ. Right now, human beings can only know God through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Because as Paul says, it is in the face of Christ that we behold the glory of God.
So the task for the preacher, as they preach through the Scriptures, says Dr. Caldwell, is to ask, what is God saying in this context. From Genesis to Revelation, God is making Himself known. So it must be asked, what relationship does this section of Scripture have to that story. Dr. Caldwell shares an example of how he does this from Genesis 1.
Dr. Caldwell reminds us that all of Scripture has a relationship to God's Son. Therefore, it is important and necessary to preach Christ from all of Scripture. But not by adding to it or reading into it something that isn't there. It is by God's will that Christ would stand in this place in God's self-revelation. In fact, what God has chosen to do in terms of reconciling all things both in heaven and on earth, all finds its nexus at the cross of Christ. What Christ came into this world to do brings everything to its intended end.
During the conversation, Dr. Caldwell touched on several other topics that relate. Those topics range from symbolism and theophanies, from the nature of the progressive revelation of Scripture and what could be known in Old Testament times compared to New Testament times; to the fulfillment of hopes and expectations.
About The Straight Truth Podcast The Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 18 Credits
Produced by Juan Carlos Claveria Executive Producers Joshua Philpot David Anders Hosted by Joshua Philpot Social Media Descriptions by Michele Watson
Graphic Design David Navejas DP / EDITING / COLOR JUAN CARLOS CLAVERIA
Special Thanks to El Centro Network Music by LynneMusic Motion Graphics Szymon Masiak Set Decorator Molly Atchison
The post Christian Advice For Young Men and Young Women appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Christian Advice For Young Men and Young Women | Watch This Episode on YouTube
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Related Messages
Consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Caldwell:
The Contrast of Healthy Teaching
The Church's Older Men
What God Would Have Women To Be
The Young Men of The Church
A Slave's Life
What Every Brother Needs To Remember
Respecting God's Order For Men & Women
Generational Instruction
A Model For Young Men
A Godly Young Woman
Women Teaching Women
Six Marks of Godly Manhood
Christian Advice For Young Men and Young Women | Watch this episode on Vimeo
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Christian Advice For Young Men and Young Women This week on the Straight Truth Podcast host, Dr. Josh Philpot questions Dr. Richard Caldwell about young people. He says that society at large is not improving; it is not getting better but seems to be getting worse. This presents challenges for all Christians for sure, but definitely some very different challenges that weren’t as prevalent in years past for the younger people of our day. Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Caldwell to share what he believes to be the biggest challenges for young men and young women today?
Dr. Caldwell believes the biggest issue for both groups, young men and young women, is disconnection. The young people of today are disconnected from generational instruction. He shares that what has come with the explosion of sexual immorality in our culture is an implosion of the nuclear family. Families are fractured all around us; the result is a lack of fatherly and motherly instruction. This has perpetuated a great breakdown of respect across the board of the younger generation towards the older generation. What gets lost in this is the wisdom and experience that older people bring. By having no respect for older people, young people cannot benefit from their knowledge and experience; this is a great danger.
However, says Dr. Caldwell, this isn’t only a problem in society at large. He also sees it in the realm of the church. There is an attitude among many young people as if spiritual life just sort of began with them. If there is something they don't know or are unsure about, they determine they will make up their own minds about it. They go about this by studying, reading, listening to podcasts and sermons on YouTube. Often neglecting to live their lives in the context of a local church and among family, where they can be taught, guided, and instructed.
Instead, they live their lives out in a sort of isolated, self-willed, self-directed kind of experience. This then bleeds over into many other areas of their lives – marriage, raising children, how friendships are regarded, recreational things, what they engage in the culture, etc. In all these areas, there is a danger where one is not willing to be taught anything, it is pride, and it is destructive.
Dr. Caldwell next shares some specific guidance for young men. In the New Testament, young men are, specifically, tasked with being submissive to their elders. This, he says, tells him that young men struggle with authority. So one of the greatest qualities he would like to see built into young men's lives is respect. They need to be learners, teachable, and have hearts of humility. A young man who respects authority, experience, and age, will benefit from it for a lifetime. Dr. Caldwell gives several examples where a young man’s life can be impacted by giving heed to this.
Concerning young women, Dr. Caldwell says it's important that they not be led astray by feminism but instead embrace the biblical model of womanhood. They are to be key players in their home, loving and caring for their husbands and children as Christian women. He also tells them not to buy into the egalitarian movement within the church culture. Young women can do these things by knowing and understanding what God has made women do and be.
Dr. Caldwell says maybe, just maybe, the front burner issue is- Will men be men and women be women according to the will of our Creator? He believes that many of the challenging issues young men and women face today have a genesis in their upbringing. They have not seen these God-given roles modeled and lived out properly in their homes. Dr. Caldwell believes this is where older, godly, wise, biblically saturated people can be so helpful to the younger generation if they are willing to listen to them.
Lastly, Dr. Caldwell also offers some advice for the older generation. He emphasizes that they need to not put up such a grumpy old man front. They need to realize the strength in younger men that the New Testament speaks of. In them, there is courage, boldness, and a willingness to risk for the Kingdom of God that often dissipates from the older generation. Older men need to be able to applaud what is good about the younger generation and be humble enough to be good helpers to them.
No matter what age we are, embracing what the Scriptures have to say about our lives and what God requires of us is the answer to most, if not all, of the challenging issues we will face in this life. Often this is easier said than done because pride inhibits us. But if we will turn and humbly seek the Lord, He hears us. It is from Him that abundant grace flows to enable us to walk in a manner that honors and pleases Him.
About The Straight Truth Podcast The Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 18 Credits
Produced by Juan Carlos Claveria Executive Producers Joshua Philpot David Anders Hosted by Joshua Philpot Social Media Descriptions by Michele Watson
Graphic Design David Navejas DP / EDITING / COLOR JUAN CARLOS CLAVERIA
Special Thanks to El Centro Network Music by LynneMusic Motion Graphics Szymon Masiak Set Decorator Molly Atchison
The post Christian Advice For Young Men and Young Women appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Self-Appointed Pastors? | Watch This Episode on YouTube
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Related Messages
Consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Caldwell:
A New People, a New Life, and a New Fellowship
The Temperament of a Godly Leader
Foundational Thinking for Faithful Ministry
The 13 Marks of an Effective Church - Parts 1 & 2
The Word of God Advancing
The Ministers of the Word in the Life of the Church
The Men Who Lead the Church
A Healthy Church
Self-Appointed Pastors? | Watch this episode on Vimeo
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Self-Appointed Pastors? Should the role of pastoral leadership be self-appointed? Is it wrong for an individual or group of individuals to decide to start a church on their own if they see a need? Who should determine if, when, and where a church should come into existence?
This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, a listener has written about a church setting where they were blessed by the preaching but found themselves confused over how that church body came into existence. The listener writes with several questions regarding this. Dr. Josh Philpot brings these questions to Dr. Richard Caldwell for a helpful discussion on church startups, church planting, and the role of church leadership. As Dr. Caldwell shares his thoughts and opinions, he seeks to answer these questions from the Bible and the examples we find there.
Dr. Caldwell begins by saying when we look at the expansion of the Church in the New Testament, there is no doubt the Church was built on the foundation of the Apostles. What we see are churches that are planted by the Apostles or by representatives of the Apostles. Each of those churches is subject to Apostolic authority. The Apostles either appointed elders themselves or appointed men who were given the task of appointing elders in the churches that were planted. So the New Testament pattern seen is that of the church planting churches where there is accountability, responsibility, and oversight. Dr. Caldwell tells us that he believes this is the pattern even for today. Churches should be the ones to plant churches.
However, having said this, he reminds us that there are faithful men like Apollos in the New Testament. Apollos, as far as we know, was not sent nor appointed by anyone. The response to Apollos and his teaching was not to rebuke him or tell him to stop. Priscilla and Aquila heard him, took him under their wing, and instructed him further in the way. Apollos went on to be very active within the realm of Apostolic ministry and very useful. Therefore, Dr. Caldwell says he wouldn’t rule a man out just because the church he pastors didn’t start the way he thinks it ought to.
He shares that we need to be discerning in this situation. The following are some questions he suggests that ought to be considered. Is this a man who is self-will? Is he a man who has gone out on his own, not willing to be accountable to others? Is this a godly man? Is he a man who is not rejecting New Testament ecclesiology and The Church in its larger sense? Is he dismissive of accountability and responsibility? Does he reject it outright? Does he have a humble, submissive attitude at the church that now exists? Is he seeking to glorify God?
Not knowing all the situations and circumstances that brought this man and the others to start a church on their own makes it difficult to give precise and concise answers. Yet Dr. Caldwell gives careful thought as to some of the reasons why this may have come about. But no matter how this particular church started, he believes the better way to start a church is through church planting. As he has explained, it is by an existing church being presented with the need for, or seeing the need, themselves and seeking the Lord in that process.
If this man and the others were in a church body that didn’t see this need as they did, it would have been good for them to find a church that did. It would have been better to have found a church that reflected what they believed and saw the need as they did. Then to have submitted themselves to the church planting process, allowing themselves to be evaluated by the church leadership.
Dr. Caldwell points out that pastors and all those leading in church ministry need the affirmations of godly people to do the ministries that they do. In fact, he says, it is one of the things that will keep them where they need to be in difficult times. Those in leadership need to know that other people have affirmed their giftedness and godliness and that these same people stand behind them and the ministry that they have. It is vital to have this knowledge for longevity and faithfulness in ministry.
The Church is not a human institution. It is not something we build and grow. God has instituted the Church and, it is God who gives the growth. The Lord Jesus Christ said that He will build His Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. It is through His commission we get to be a part of this. This requires us to have a correct view of ecclesiology.
Right understanding our Lord's Church really matters as we desire and seek for His kingdom to grow and expand across the globe to all nations, tribes, and tongues. We must go forth knowing that He has provided the way for this to be done that honors and glorifies Him best. May we humbly seek Him and His Word as we go about our endeavors to participate in such a privileged and high calling.
About The Straight Truth Podcast The Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 18 Credits
Produced by Juan Carlos Claveria Executive Producers Joshua Philpot David Anders Hosted by Joshua Philpot Social Media Descriptions by Michele Watson
Graphic Design David Navejas DP / EDITING / COLOR JUAN CARLOS CLAVERIA
Special Thanks to El Centro Network Music by LynneMusic Motion Graphics Szymon Masiak Set Decorator Molly Atchison
The post Self-Appointed Pastors? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Habitual Sin | Watch This Episode on YouTube
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Related Messages
To learn more about the things discussed in today's podcast, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Caldwell:
The Fleshly Mind & The Law of God
Life In the Spirit
Salvation's Obligation
The Reality & Finality of Salvation
The Seriousness of Easter
No Chance to Repent
Genuine Repentance
The Believer's Obligation Regarding Sin
Worship & The Mortification of Sin
Heed the Warnings
How to Heed the Warnings
Habitual Sin | Watch this episode on Vimeo
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Habitual Sin This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, host Dr. Josh Philpot speaks with Dr. Richard Caldwell about habitual sin. What is habitual sin? Is a habitual sin different than other sins? Is practicing sin the same thing as habitual sinning? Is someone who habitually sins an unbeliever? Are there differences between how a believer and an unbeliever deal with habitual sin in their lives? Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Caldwell to help us gain insight into the differences regarding practicing sin, habitual sin, and sinning habitually.
Dr. Caldwell says that where there is new life there are new desires. It results in new hatreds and new loves. Where eternal life has come, the believer has received a new nature. That new nature is internal, and it desires to please God. Before this, we were unregenerate, living in the flesh, slaves to sin with no power to overcome it. But with new life in Christ, the power of sin has been broken. So even though the flesh still abides with us as believers, we are no longer enslaved to it. We now battle sin daily through the power of the Spirit. The trajectory and direction of our life have been forever changed. That change results in a new lifestyle and a new course of life. While we still sin, we aren’t just given over to it; we don’t revel in it; we battle it. As we grow in the Christian life, there is maturing that takes place. And through it, we learn what it is to overcome sin, though, in this life, we will never be sinless. Dr. Caldwell turns to 1 John 2:4-5 and shares from it to help us understand what the pattern of growth should look like in the life of a believer.
Next, Dr. Caldwell turns to 1 John 3:4-5, reading and sharing, from this passage. He explains that salvation brings with it respect for God’s authority. Before we are saved, we don’t respect God’s law, His commandments. Instead, we cast off these things and live our lives as if there is no authority over us. Salvation changes all this; we do not go on making a practice of sinning. Anyone who goes on in their sinning reveals they have no regard for the authority of God. That is not what belongs to a believer’s life.
Dr. Caldwell picks up again at 1 John 3 and reads from verse 6 to verse 9, which he tells us teaches us about our new nature. The new nature we receive has changed everything. Not only should we not practice sin as a pattern, but we can’t if we are born again. In fact, says Dr. Caldwell, this is what verse 10 teaches us. As believers, we pursue righteousness, not sin. We have a respect for the Word of God and desire to be submitted to the authority of God. We don’t make a practice of living to our flesh in habitual, ongoing, unrepentant sin. However, as previously mentioned, this doesn’t mean that believers are sinless; 1 John 1:8 makes this clear. The Christian knows they sin. They grieve over their sins, want to be free from them, and long for the day when the battle will be over. Until then, we engage in war against it, seeking to put sin to death.
When it comes to whether we are a believer who is dealing with habitual sin or an unbeliever who is just habitually sinning, there are differences. Dr. Caldwell gives a few examples of how we can understand these differences. One he has already mentioned. Believers want to be out of their sin; they want to be rid of it. For them, it involves grief, godly sorrow, and repentance that turns to God in faith to deal with it. The unbeliever is not troubled over their sin. But if they are, it is usually related to remorse. This reveals itself in sorrow over being caught in the sin and sorrow over the repercussions of the sin. It is regret that does not look to God; there is no solution. The result is that the unbeliever goes on sinning because there is no power to overcome it. The unbeliever has no faith that looks to God to overcome sin.
The battle to mortify our sin as Christians is a life-long engagement. We are to be killing sin, or sin will be killing us. We cannot claim to know Christ and live in disregard to our sin, the Bible is clear about this. We either know Christ and are in the Spirit, controlled by the Spirit seeking to please God, or living in the flesh controlled by the flesh and cannot please God.
About The Straight Truth Podcast The Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 18 Credits
Produced by Juan Carlos Claveria Executive Producers Joshua Philpot David Anders Hosted by Joshua Philpot Social Media Descriptions by Michele Watson
Graphic Design David Navejas DP / EDITING / COLOR JUAN CARLOS CLAVERIA
Special Thanks to El Centro Network Music by LynneMusic Motion Graphics Szymon Masiak Set Decorator Molly Atchison
The post Habitual Sin appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Practical Steps For An Effective Prayer Life | Watch This Episode on YouTube
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Prayer is difficult, it is hard, it takes time, and we must discipline ourselves for it. God has provided it as a means for us to come and ask, seeking Him in love, reverence and humble adoration, submitting and surrendering our needs, requests and, desires to Him. While our prayers do not change God’s mind, prayer does change things, and it changes us. To learn more about these things, consider listening to the following sermons from Dr. Caldwell as he digs deep, mines out, and delivers the truth from the Word of God:
Contrasts In Prayer
The Model Prayer
The Motivation For Prayer
Prayer, God's Willingness & Our Reluctance
Our Prayers & God's Will
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Practical Steps For An Effective Prayer Life This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, host Dr. Josh Philpot speaks with Dr. Caldwell about prayer and the Christian life. Dr. Philpot has several questions he presents for discussion: Should we have a specific time devoted to prayer? Is praying in our prayer closet the same as praying without ceasing? What does Pastor Caldwell mean when he speaks of laboring in prayer? How do our prayers work since God is sovereign?
Dr. Caldwell jumps right in and says there is probably nothing harder or more difficult in our Christian life than prayer. Prayer has a work aspect to it in that it requires our time and devotion. He shares that in Colossians 4:12, we read of Epaphras struggling in prayer for the Colossians. The Greek word translated as 'struggling', means to agonize, to labor. But, it isn’t just something that we labor in time devoted to it that pleases God; it's not offering up long prayers for an extended time that pleases God. In fact, Jesus warns about these kinds of prayers in Mark 12:38-40. So then, we need to think about what prayer is and what it expresses.
Prayer is a discipline, but it’s a relational discipline; it isn’t something without fellowship. Prayer is communication from our hearts and minds to our God. There ought to be a motivation that stirs us and moves us to pray based on what God teaches and promises us regarding it. We have to come before Him aware of our own needs and the needs that are all around us.
Dr. Caldwell explains that to pray without ceasing is about ongoing prayer that happens throughout the day. No one prays 24/7, but what is intended is that we live our lives mindful of God and the spiritual needs around us. Prayer in this sense is somewhat spontaneous, where there are ongoing conversations that are taking place in our hearts and minds all day long with the Lord. Yet, there is this other kind of prayer, the going into our closets, where we need to pull away from other things. This kind of prayer allows us time to be alone with our God in undivided devotion.
Dr. Caldwell has said that he doesn’t want people to think in terms of prescribed times for prayer, as much as he wants them to understand the spiritual discipline. Having said this, he does think it’s a good thing to begin our day with prayer, believing that it sets the trajectory for everything else in the day. He also believes that it is good to end our day in prayer, communing with our God as we prepare to close our eyes in sleep for rest.
Lastly, Dr. Caldwell tells us that if we are constantly aware of our neediness and are mindful that without Christ we can do nothing, we will pray. If we are unaware of our needs, we won’t pray. Our lives will be prayerless because we are self-dependent. A self-dependent, prayerless life is a proud life. But, if we are praying, depending on God to work in situations, bring salvation to the lost, and more, then we are believing that God is sovereign over these situations and He alone can bring the change. This is true about everything in life; there is not anything that God is not sovereign over. He is Lord over everything He has made, and there is nothing too difficult for Him. Prayer doesn’t change the mind of God, but prayer is the means God has determined to work through, so prayer matters. So, when we come to Him in prayer, we come submissively. We come asking God to do things, desiring His will to be done and for Him to be honored and receive glory in it. While we don't always know what His specific will is for a situation, we can humbly surrender the outcome to Him, being content and satisfied with whatever He deems as best.
About The Straight Truth Podcast The Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 18 Credits
Produced by Juan Carlos Claveria Executive Producers Joshua Philpot David Anders Hosted by Joshua Philpot Social Media Descriptions by Michele Watson
Graphic Design David Navejas DP / EDITING / COLOR JUAN CARLOS CLAVERIA
Special Thanks to El Centro Network Music by LynneMusic Motion Graphics Szymon Masiak Set Decorator Molly Atchison
The post Practical Steps For An Effective Prayer Life appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
How Do We Keep Christ Central In The Christmas Season? | Watch This Episode on YouTube
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Related Messages
The following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell will help to further your understanding of keeping Christ central in your everyday celebration of our Savior and Lord, not just that of Christmas, and Easter:
Unity in Christ's Lordship
The Unchanging God
God Has Spoken In Son
What A Savior
A Holy Responsibility
Living In Light of the Incarnation - Parts 1,2,3,4
Why Christ's Burial Matters - Parts 1 & 2
Christ's Resurrection & the Believer
A New Creation Perspective
The Believing Life
Matters of Conscience
How Do We Keep Christ Central In The Christmas Season? | Watch this episode on Vimeo
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How Do We Keep Christ Central In The Christmas Season? This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot are recording as we enter the Christmas season. Dr. Philpot reflects that it’s a significant time in the life of the Church as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. It’s an important time, a wonderful time, and a time of great joy of fellowship that happens within our church body and with our families. There are many different things we do to celebrate the birth of our Savior. At times, though, even for Christians, we can get caught up in the season and place our emphasis on the wrong things. Dr. Philpot asks about what we can do to keep Christ central during this time of year. He asks Dr. Caldwell to share how he has done this over the years.
Dr. Caldwell says he will answer and share from his perspective. He doesn't believe that his views need to be that for everyone else. Thinking about this, Dr. Caldwell tells us that Romans 14:5 is on his mind. He explains that he realizes that there are conscience matters wrapped up in discussions about holidays, so he prefers to share his own point of view. He is thankful for the Christmas season and the opportunity to reflect on the incarnation.
It is an opportunity to teach our children the truth about how God has loved the world, and it's a time for us to celebrate that as a church. Personally, he lands on the 'regards every day alike' section of Romans 14:5. So in a sense, he celebrates Christmas all the time as a believer. Still, it is a time to enjoy, a time of reflection and expression of our thankfulness and gratefulness in a unique way for what God has done in saving us. The season and Christmas day itself are celebrated worldwide. Most in our culture go about it celebrating, oblivious to the Believer’s and the Church’s reason for celebrating it. Yet, it often presents opportunities to share the gospel, the love of God, the good news of Christ.
As far as things they did as a family, Dr. Caldwell says that he and his wife were very careful to teach their children what is being celebrated at Christmas. They were careful to distinguish the truth from myths and legends, and they were careful to get the facts of the incarnation straight. For them, it has always been a sweet family time. He shares that families don’t have to be fearful of having fun during this season when they are careful and diligent to teach their children these truths.
Dr. Caldwell does not usually change up his teaching series during this time of year to follow what many would call the advent season. He tells us that he has done this occasionally, and there are times to do that. But, by and large, he wants the congregation that he shepherds to understand that the worship of our God is not compartmentalized. The truths that God’s Word teaches us matters every day.
Lastly, Dr. Caldwell speaks of the importance of not becoming unbalanced during the season. We don’t want to go overboard in a materialistic way to express our love for one another by going into debt. Nor, on the other end of the spectrum, do we want to strive so hard to make it all about the spiritual truth where a lack of enjoyment is present that misses out on the glory of God. We want our children and others to see our love and worship of God in the good gifts that He gives us. We can have joy throughout the season and thoroughly enjoy Christmas day with one another, all to the glory of God.
About The Straight Truth Podcast The Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 16 Credits
Produced by Juan Carlos Claveria Executive Producers Joshua Philpot David Anders Hosted by Joshua Philpot Social Media Descriptions by Michele Watson
Graphic Design David Navejas DP / EDITING / COLOR JUAN CARLOS CLAVERIA
Special Thanks to El Centro Network Music by LynneMusic Motion Graphics Szymon Masiak Set Decorator Molly Atchison
The post How Do We Keep Christ Central In The Christmas Season? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Virtual Church – Online Church Only? | Watch This Episode on YouTube
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Related Messages
Consider listening to the following sermons that Dr. Caldwell has previously delivered to the flock at Founders Baptist:
The Church - Part 1
The Church - Part 2
Considering Others
A Holy Responsibility
Perseverance and the Local Church
The Supernatural Nature of The Church
A Believer's Relationship to The Church
The Ministers of The Word in the Life of The Church
The Behavior of a Healthy Church
Virtual Church – Online Church Only? | Watch this episode on Vimeo
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Virtual Church – Online Church Only? What is wrong with doing or having church online? Isn’t virtual church attendance still being present and active with the body of Christ? Why is it so essential that churches meet face-to-face?
These are questions that Dr. Philpot presents to Dr. Caldwell on this week’s episode of the Straight Truth Podcast. Dr. Caldwell seeks to guide and instruct us biblically in our thinking about these questions. He explains what the Church is. Why meeting face-to-face is an act of obedience, not just essential, and why doing or having church online does not reflect church body life.
Dr. Caldwell begins by telling us that the Church is an assembling of God’s people. It is the body of Christ gathering together for the purposes that God has set forth in His Word; it is what He has commanded. Therefore, the Church does this on the Lord’s Day, gathering to mutually encourage one another, sing songs of praise, study God’s Word and partake of the ordinances. This is church life that God has commanded for His people.
Dr. Caldwell speaks of 1 Timothy 3:14 and 15, where Paul writes to Timothy so that people will know how to conduct themselves in the Lord's household. He tells us this instruction is absolutely unnecessary if there is no need to gather together. Paul speaks of things here that take place in the Church through the fellowship of God’s people. So through Timothy, Paul wants the people of God to know how to do these things. Next, Dr. Caldwell turns to Hebrews 10:24 and 25, where the people who belong to the Lord are explicitly commanded to gather together.
Dr. Caldwell says that all of the mutual ministry verses of the New Testament require interaction with one another; they cannot be lived out without other people. Sitting at home accessing truth online does not equal obedience to these sorts of commands. He shares that we can be thankful and rejoice in our ability to access and obtain sermons and written material over the internet. Yet, he grieves over the lack of Biblical ecclesiology that he sees in many believers in our time (ecclesiology: the doctrine and study of the Church, her being, ministry, mission, and worship.).
Many people are accessing truth like they are going through a cafeteria line, picking and choosing from a variety of sources. This, he says, reveals a real lack of understanding about what it means to love the head of the Church if we are not listening to the head of the Church regarding His household.
Lastly, Dr. Caldwell speaks about the New Testament. While it is written and communicated through letters, there are still things those writers wanted to share and impart to people that could only be done so face-to-face. There is something about face-to-face communication with other human beings that is needful for us. There are things that we cannot communicate well any other way. Things can easily be misunderstood when not done in person.
While email and texting are helpful ways to communicate, they are voiceless communication. These are absent and void of facial expression, intonation, body language, and more. There is nothing in these forms of communication beyond bare words. The value of engaging with one another in person cannot be overestimated.
While we can watch live-streamed church services online and can download sermons, sermon notes, and entire messages in print, we cannot download the Christian life or church life. These are for sure wonderful means available to us when we are temporarily unable to gather with our local church body. However, they should never replace our physical gathering. To do so does not constitute participation in church life. A digital church is not the household of God. Interested in gaining a better understanding of the Church, the Christian life, and church life?
About The Straight Truth Podcast The Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 16 Credits
Produced by Juan Carlos Claveria Executive Producers Joshua Philpot David Anders Hosted by Joshua Philpot Social Media Descriptions by Michele Watson
Graphic Design David Navejas DP / EDITING / COLOR JUAN CARLOS CLAVERIA
Special Thanks to El Centro Network Music by LynneMusic Motion Graphics Szymon Masiak Set Decorator Molly Atchison
The post Virtual Church – Online Church Only? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Sermon Plagiarism | Watch This Episode on YouTube
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Related Messages
To learn more about the responsibility of preachers and preaching, consider listening to the following sermons prepared and delivered by Dr. Caldwell to the congregation he shepherds at Founders Baptist Church. Several will expand on the passages shared in the podcast today; others are included to offer further guidance, instruction, and encouragement for approaching God’s Word.
The Model for The Ministry of The Word
Confidence & Conscience
God's Word in a World of Chaos
The Two Answers for Discouragement
A Great Divide - Our Profession vs. Our Living
The Faith Necessary for Faithfulness
A Mindset for Faithful Ministry
Preparing for Spiritual Difficulty
A Time for Itching Ears & Accommodating Preachers
Clear Thinking About the Ministry
How To Remain Faithful in Ministry
Selecting and Training Men for Ministry
Sermon Plagiarism | Watch this episode on Vimeo
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Sermon Plagiarism This week on the Straight Truth Podcast host, Dr. Josh Philpot says that a big topic nowadays, specifically within Baptist circles, but more broadly within the Evangelical world, is plagiarism among pastors. He shares that in the past, pastors have been fired from their congregations for plagiarizing. Yet today, it almost seems like this is a more acceptable thing to do. We are hearing of pastors agreeing with another pastor to share their sermons without telling their church.
There is this borrowing, taking, and replicating, of the work and ideas of another pastor, then presenting it and representing it as their own. Is this appropriate? Is it ever a good idea to preach someone else's sermons? Have the men who are doing this or have done this disqualified themselves? Dr. Philpot tells us that Dr. Richard Caldwell has pastored for over 30 years now, working hard to prepare and deliver sermons from the Word of God. He asks Dr. Caldwell to share what he has to say about this, and what is his perspective on the borrowing of sermons, in part or whole?
Dr. Caldwell says he sees all sorts of concerns wrapped up in this and several problems with what has come to light recently regarding the plagiarizing of sermons. The first and primary issue that he sees is a fundamental misunderstanding of the task of a pastor. Many pastors see themselves as managers of an organization instead of shepherds. Therefore, they become a mouthpiece and communicator of a message, but not a New Testament shepherd that feeds the people of God with the Word of God.
Dr. Caldwell desires us to see and hear what he speaks of and gives voice to as he shares on this matter. He opens the Word of God and turns to passages in 2 Corinthians and 2 Timothy. He reads and comments on some of the aspects that he has in mind as he goes along. Following are highlights he shares from each passage of Scripture:
2 Corinthians 1:12:
Sincerity, simplicity, straightforwardness, and divine wisdom should characterize the ministry of pastors.
2 Corinthians 4: 1-2:
Preaching is meant to be the open statement of the truth as it is found in God’s Word.
Pastors are not looking to superficially, artificially influence people.
Pastors are not seeking to affect people emotionally or to bring about some sort of response.
Pastors are not putting together a package that will have an intended outcome or influence that they mean to bring about.
Pastors ought to want to study the Word of God, know what it teaches, and want to communicate it to their flock the best way they know how to.
The process of being a pastor means that they first wrestle as a student before being a teacher.
2 Corinthians 4:13-14:
Pastors are to be men who genuinely sincerely believe; therefore, they speak.
The pastors preaching process ought to reflect a conviction that comes from studying God's Word for themselves.
Pastors ought to be men who have studied well and believe what they have learned so that what they preach and share with their congregation comes from their own hearts and mind.
2 Timothy 2: 14-15:
Pastors have the charge to present themselves to God as approved, as workmen unashamed, those who rightly handle the word of truth.
The process of being a preacher involves proving oneself to be a good student.
Pastors have to study the Word of God rightly to communicate it rightly.
Pastors have to have a reverence for God and His Word, understanding what the Scriptures are.
No one has the right to trifle with the Word of God, doing whatever they want with it.
2 Timothy 3:16-17, 2 Timothy 4:1-2:
Pastors must have these truths on their hearts and mind.
Pastors must recognize the weighty reality of standing before Jesus one day and having to give account for everything they have said in His name.
Pastors are not CEOs. They are shepherds.
What a pastor delivers to their congregation should be the overflow of God’s work on their own heart.
Pastors can benefit from the work of others, and they should.
Wherever a pastor benefits from the work of others and wants to communicate what they have learned from someone else, it needs to be attributed.
Dr. Caldwell says that plagiarism does not reflect what ought to be in the process that a pastor undertakes. He sees plagiarizing as a matter of qualification for ministry. For those men who are guilty of plagiarizing the sermons of others, they need to not only acknowledge it but repent of it. If they are not willing to walk through the process that requires them to work hard and make sure they rightly handle the Word of God, they need to step out of the office. To do otherwise is irresponsible.
About The Straight Truth Podcast The Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 16 Credits
Produced by Juan Carlos Claveria Executive Producers Joshua Philpot David Anders Hosted by Joshua Philpot Social Media Descriptions by Michele Watson
Graphic Design David Navejas DP / EDITING / COLOR JUAN CARLOS CLAVERIA
Special Thanks to El Centro Network Music by LynneMusic Motion Graphics Szymon Masiak Set Decorator Molly Atchison
The post Sermon Plagiarism appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
How to Be Ready For Death | Watch This Episode on YouTube
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Related Messages
Would you like to hear and learn more about things discussed in this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast? Consider sitting down with your Bible to listen as Pastor Richard Caldwell exposits the Word of God, delivering sermons that speak to this very subject matter.
The All Sufficient Sacrifice
Fearless Expectations
The Fear Free Life
The Life of Peace - Joy
The Life of Peace - Trusting Prayer
The Question
God's Grace on Death Row
The Greatness of the Believer's Future Glory
Christ's Resurrection & The Believer
Instant Immortality
How to Be Ready For Death | Watch this episode on Vimeo
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How to Be Ready For Death This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot speaks of the heightened awareness of death that has surrounded us this last year or so. This overt awareness has come primarily due to Covid19 and the deaths associated with it. While it brings a reminder of death, and to some, great fear, we need to remember that death is an ongoing fact of this life, regardless of how or when it comes. As Christians, this is not something of which we are ignorant. The Bible clearly states that death is the result of sin, for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
As Believers in Christ, we should think differently than the world around us about the loss of life, the expiration of our physical earthly bodies. While we should not be preoccupied with death, we should be mindful of it; we should be prepared and ready, for it can come at any time. In thinking about death, Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Caldwell to share how he would help a church member, or anyone for that matter, to be prepared for death.
Dr. Caldwell says, if we believe the Gospel and have trusted Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Scriptures make our future clear. We are not in the dark about what is on the other side of death; we have a sure hope. There is life beyond what we now know, a life that is an everlasting joy in the presence of God our Savior. When we die, our soul enters the presence of the Lord (2 Cor.5:8), so we are not to grieve as those who have no hope (1Thess.4:13). Then one day, we will have a new body that matches the new us, and we will live forever, body and soul, in the presence of the Lord. But even now, if our eyes should be closed in death, we would wake up in the presence of Jesus. So if we believe the Gospel, there is no reason to be afraid.
Dr. Caldwell tells us that the New Testament Scriptures teach us that the death and resurrection of Christ make the process of death something that we do not have to fear. The Apostle Paul writes about this to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 15:53-57, which Dr. Caldwell reads. He reminds us that Christ's triumph over death and the grave means we have no reason to fear it. So if someone wants to prepare and be ready for the reality of death, he would say to them: Believe the Gospel, believe the Word of God, and believe the promises of God.
Dr. Philpot mentions that the Bible speaks of a peace that passes all understanding. He speaks of Paul giving us a surety that Jesus has accomplished the victory over death and of Paul elsewhere speaking of death as gain. Would Dr. Caldwell then say that this means Christians should never fear physical death?
Dr. Caldwell says that there can be a dread associated with the circumstances of death for sure. Thinking about some of the kinds of actions or incidents that bring about death can very well be something that would challenge us. Consider just one, burning to death. But this is where that peace comes into play. Our God is able to sustain us, even amid those kinds of fears. We have to trust Him and know that His grace is sufficient. Dr. Caldwell shares about a recent incident where the Lord sustained a member of our congregation.
This man went through a situation where he faced a real possibility of death. While going through that situation, he shared that the Lord had given him a supernatural sense of peace and rest. Dr. Caldwell tells us that this is an example of what Believers have access to when they believe God at His Word. Our God is real and living. His Spirit lives in us and is present with us. We have to learn to depend on the Lord. Whatever we experience from Him, we experience from faith. It, therefore, requires us to believe Him, believing His promises and the truth that we are safe in His hands.
Death is a disturbing actuality. The fear of death can cause us to do many things in the attempt to outrun it and outlive it, but it is inevitable. Yet, if we know Christ salvifically, we have no reason to fear death. He has defeated death and the grave. He is our hope and our life. We can live for Him without the fear and sting of death and can face death knowing we will enter His presence the very day we die; what a glorious reality. So let us be mindful of it but not be preoccupied with it. Let us be prepared and ready for it by living out each day He gives us Corem Deo.
About The Straight Truth Podcast The Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
If you like our podcast we invite you to help us by spreading the word. Make sure you share this podcast with your friends and family through Facebook, Twitter, or other social media avenues. Don’t forget to subscribe to our feed through your favorite podcast player, and subscribe to our YouTube and Vimeo channel.
Season 16 Credits
Produced by Juan Carlos Claveria Executive Producers Joshua Philpot David Anders Hosted by Joshua Philpot Social Media Descriptions by Michele Watson
Graphic Design David Navejas DP / EDITING / COLOR JUAN CARLOS CLAVERIA
Special Thanks to El Centro Network Music by LynneMusic Motion Graphics Szymon Masiak Set Decorator Molly Atchison
The post How to Be Ready For Death appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.
Should I hate My Family To Follow Christ? | Watch This Episode on YouTube
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Related Messages
If you would like to hear additional teaching on this passage and others that speak of being a disciple of Christ, consider listening to the following sermons by Pastor Caldwell:
The High Cost of True Discipleship
Count the Cost - Parts 1 & 2
What Every Christian Should Recognize About Salvation
The Priority & Urgency of Following Jesus - Parts 1 & 2
Plowing a Straight Row
The Peacemakers
Should I hate My Family To Follow Christ? | Watch this episode on Vimeo
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Should I hate My Family To Follow Christ? This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, we will be considering the teaching of Jesus from Luke 14. After reading Luke 14:25-27, a listener has questions. They want to know what Jesus means when He uses the word hate and says we cannot be a disciple unless we do so. Does it really mean that we are to harbor hatred towards our family to follow Jesus? Or is this hyperbole? Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Caldwell if he would explain this and give his thoughts on the text. Dr. Caldwell will take us to the Word of God, read the passage in question, and explain what it teaches about being a disciple of Christ.
Dr. Caldwell reminds us that the best interpreter of Scripture is Scripture. So when we do this with this passage, what becomes evident is that Jesus is not using the word hate in the sense of personal animosity. To follow Him does not make us hateful toward other people in our life. The word hate is used here in the sense of choice, of preference. What Jesus is saying is to be His disciple, He must have first place. He must have first place in our lives in everything, which includes even our most intimate relationships.
Dr. Philpot wonders if the word hate is used here for shock value. But Dr. Caldwell says, no, he does not see it that way. As he stated, he sees it used in the sense of choice. Jesus is speaking about ultimate priority, choosing one thing over another, about our devotion. Our loyalty and allegiance to Him must be preeminent. All other loves must be subordinate to our loving Him. Where this becomes evident and plays out is usually in our closest relationships. Our love, and commitment to Jesus, will often be interpreted by our family members as hatred.
Dr. Philpot wonders if this is similar to other sayings of Jesus in Scripture. Jesus speaks of bringing a sword that divides, speaking in terms, of the gospel and accepting Him as Lord and Savior. Is this the same as this passage in Luke?
Dr. Caldwell says there is no doubt that the gospel is a sword. It unites, but it also divides. When we come to Christ in salvation, and other members of our families do not, there is now a difference, a separateness. So here, the gospel is like a sword that divides. This divide causes conflict to enter our lives and brings difficulties in our relationships that were not there before. Our relationship with Jesus has priority over these other relationships. To them, it seems as though we hate them, even though we really do love them.
Lastly, Dr. Philpot and Dr. Caldwell speak of what is meant in this passage to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Dr. Caldwell explains that the primary way the word disciple is used in the New Testament is a follower of Christ. It is someone who knows Jesus through salvation. You cannot be a follower of Christ unless you receive Him for who He is and He is Lord. Every believer is called to acknowledge the lordship of Christ and show Him preference over all earthly ties.
Our priorities before coming to Christ are many and varied. Jesus makes this clear in His teachings throughout the Gospels as He warns against faint-hearted attachments to Himself. He desires us to see that to be His disciple is costly. We must be willing to give up everything for Jesus, possibly even our own life.
About The Straight Truth Podcast The Straight Truth Podcast: Christian Opinions in an Increasingly Secular World. Join Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Josh Philpot, and their guests as they discuss news events, current affairs, and cultural issues from a Biblical point of view. Find the truth at www.straighttruth.net
The Straight Truth Podcast is a weekly opinion show hosted by Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Straight Truth is available as an audio podcast on iTunes or as a video podcast through YouTube or Vimeo. The duration of the podcast is approximately 10 minutes. We release new episodes every Thursday.
The topics discussed in the Straight Truth Podcast are current events, matters that challenge traditional Christian values, and questions submitted by audience members. Dr. Caldwell, Dr. Philpot, and their guests seek to answer these questions with Biblical truths and from a Christian conservative point of view. The Holy Bible is the inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God; it alone is and will be the basis and authority of
answering any and all questions.
The Straight Truth Podcast is the perfect podcast for those seeking to strengthen their faith, to be informed on how to broach difficult topics with a Christian point of view, to share their faith with unbelieving friends, to challenge the status quo of their own beliefs by viewing them under the lens of the Scriptures, to interpret current news events from a Biblical point of view, and more.
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Season 16 Credits
Produced by Juan Carlos Claveria Executive Producers Joshua Philpot David Anders Hosted by Joshua Philpot Social Media Descriptions by Michele Watson
Graphic Design David Navejas DP / EDITING / COLOR JUAN CARLOS CLAVERIA
Special Thanks to El Centro Network Music by LynneMusic Motion Graphics Szymon Masiak Set Decorator Molly Atchison
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Church Planting. | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you are interested in learning more about things spoken of in the episode today, consider listening to the sermons below. There are eight messages, six preached by Dr. Caldwell and two by Daron Roberts. As these godly Continue Reading
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The Lord’s Supper. | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you would like to hear more in-depth teaching on this subject matter, consider listening to the following sermons exposited by Pastor Caldwell from the Word of God: A Powerful Table for Perpetual Blessing Monumental Change Upper Continue Reading
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At What Age Should My Teenager Date? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To hear more about the subject matter discussed in this podcast, consider listening to the following sermons exposited by Pastor Caldwell: A Generational Plan for Discipleship The Believing Life Living for the Continue Reading
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The Church and The Social Justice Movement. | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To hear more about the role of the Christian and that of Christ's Church in the world, consider listening to the following messages delivered from the Word of God by Pastor Richard Caldwell: Continue Reading
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Remembering 9/11. | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Do you want to understand these things better? Do you want to know what God says about these things? Are you prepared to listen to what He has to say about them? For deeper insight, consider listening to Continue Reading
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How Should Christians Deal With Media Overload? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To hear more about how we can do these things, consider listening to the following sermons as Dr. Caldwell reminds us of the lives we are urged to live from the Word of Continue Reading
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Misunderstood and Misused Passages About Evangelism. | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To gain a fuller understanding of meaning and applications for biblical texts, consider listening to the sermon links included below. These are sermons that Pastor Caldwell has exegeted from the passages spoken about in Continue Reading
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Should Women Be Preaching in Churches? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To hear and learn more about this subject from Dr. Caldwell, consider listening to these sermons he has exposited from the Word God: Women In Worship - Parts 1, 2, & 3 Reasons For Continue Reading
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Should Christians Doubt Their Faith? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you would like to learn more about how to do this, consider listening to the following sermons by Pastor Caldwell: A Powerful Lesson In Faith Dealing With Doubt - Parts 1 & 2 When Continue Reading
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Important Questions to Ask Before Marriage | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about a God-glorifying and God-honoring marriage, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of God by Pastor Caldwell: Marriage, Divorce, & Re-Marriage The Joy of Sexual Faithfulness in Continue Reading
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Evangelizing Professing Christians | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To hear and learn more about the topic of false profession discussed today, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell: The Purpose For Parables How The Gospel Is Received Gospel Reception - Parts 1, Continue Reading
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Knowing Good and Evil | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you are interested in learning more about this subject matter and the only answer for it, consider listening to the following sermons by Pastor Richard Caldwell: Marriage & Man's Original Sin Driven To Paradise Under Continue Reading
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Degrees of Sin and The Punishment It Warrants | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To hear and learn more about sin and what our response to it should be, consider listening to these sermons by Pastor Richard Caldwell: The Seriousness of Easter Getting To Know The God Continue Reading
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Should Christians Support Israel or Palestine | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages For additional help on how to think about these ongoing issues between Israel and Palestine, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Richard Caldwell: Observations For Evangelism Continue Reading
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Old Testament God vs. New Testament God – Different or the Same? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more on this subject, consider listening to sermons from Dr. Caldwell as he faithfully exposits these truths from both the Old Testament and the New Testaments: Continue Reading
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Discernment, Faith, and Fidelity to the Truth Part 2 | Jerry Wragg | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To grow in and cultivate biblical discernment, consider listening to sermons by Dr. Caldwell from the Book of Romans (Series from 2019-2021). Specifically, consider listening to the sermons Continue Reading
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Jerry Wragg | Discernment, Faith, and Fidelity to the Truth | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about the importance of Gods people being discerning and how to grow and cultivate discernment, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Caldwell, along with those Continue Reading
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The Unspoken Prayer Request | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about prayer, how to pray, difficulties present in prayer life, and the responsibility we have to pray for others, consider listening to the following sermons by Pastor Caldwell: The Life of Peace - Continue Reading
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Does One Need A Formal Education To Teach In The Church? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about these things, consider listening to sermons exposited from the Word of God by Pastor Caldwell. These sermons will help give a deeper insight into the Continue Reading
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Spiritual Leadership In The Home | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about the things discussed in this podcast, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Richard Caldwell: A Believer's Relationship To The Church The Church - Continue Reading
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Is Church Membership Biblical? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about the things discussed in this podcast, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Richard Caldwell: A Believer's Relationship To The Church The Church - Part Continue Reading
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Should Christians Refer To People By Their Preferred Pronouns? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages The following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell will help to further our understanding and application of these things: Qualities Of Love - Is Discerning The Goal Of Our Ministry - Pts. Continue Reading
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Can Someone Rightly Identify As A Gay Christian? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn about our identity as believers in Christ Jesus, we must look at how the New Testament Scriptures speak about us. The culture will continue to create categories, labels, and identities Continue Reading
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Should Christians Be Forced To Get The COVID-19 Vaccine? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Since this episode was filmed some concerns have been raised about the possibility that aborted babies were used in the creation of one or more of the Covid-19 vaccines. We do not know Continue Reading
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Did Adam Have Free Will? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about this hope and the things discussed in today’s podcast, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell: The Certainty of Salvation - Pts. 1 & 2 What Adam's Continue Reading
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Are Some Sins Worse Than Others? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about these things discussed in this podcast, consider listening to the following sermons: God's Greatest Commandment - Man's Greatest Need Life’s Most Important Question - Part 1 & 2 The Sin Continue Reading
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Why Did God Create Satan? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List *Clarifying Note: Christian theology teaches that God’s decrees of election, reprobation, creation, and the fall occur in eternity past. However, the logical order of God’s decrees is debated. Although not discussed in this podcast, we understand that Continue Reading
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Why Did God Allow Sin In The World? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Why Did God Allow Sin In The World? Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Why Did God Allow Sin In The World? Continue Reading
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Does God Hear The Prayers Of An Unbeliever? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Does God Hear The Prayers Of An Unbeliever? To learn more about the things shared in today’s podcast, consider listening to or watching the following sermons exposited by Dr. Caldwell: Teach Us Continue Reading
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Should A Christian Vote For A Democrat? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Should A Christian Vote For A Democrat? To learn more about living out the Christian life, rightly dividing the Word of God, and how to apply it to every aspect of life, consider Continue Reading
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The Dangers of Spiritual Darkness | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages The Dangers of Spiritual Darkness To learn more about these sayings of Jesus and gain a deeper understanding of the things spoken about in this podcast, consider listening to or watching the following sermons by Continue Reading
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Understanding The Details And The Big Picture Of The Bible | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Understanding The Details And The Big Picture Of The Bible To learn more about things discussed in this podcast consider listening to sermons exposited from the Word of God by Continue Reading
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Should I Really Rip Out My Eye To Resist Sin? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Should I Really Rip Out My Eye To Resist Sin? Sin is an ongoing battle for the Believer and is one of lifelong difficulty. It is a matter of such Continue Reading
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Is The Christian Life A Life Of Little To No Effort? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Is The Christian Life A Life Of Little To No Effort? Putting off worry and anxiety, for a life of trust that excludes passivity, requires a life of dependent Continue Reading
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How Do I Go About Loving My Enemies While Not Surrounding Myself With Them? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages How Do I Go About Loving My Enemies While Not Surrounding Myself With Them? To learn more about loving enemies and doing good to and for Continue Reading
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How Do I Know That I Am Really A Christian? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages How Do I Know That I Am Really A Christian? Having a right understanding of salvation is crucial. It means the difference between life and death, heaven and hell, where Continue Reading
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Is Abuse Biblical Grounds For Divorce? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Is Abuse Biblical Grounds For Divorce? To learn more about God’s design and purposes for marriage, along with gaining a more concise understanding of the concession for divorce and the implications that should follow Continue Reading
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Do Infants That Die Go To Heaven? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Do Infants That Die Go To Heaven? For further considerations of the nature and character of God, of His love for children and that of mankind in general, consider listening to or watching Continue Reading
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How Should Christians Deal With Depression? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages How Should Christians Deal With Depression? To help take the truths of this podcast discussion to heart and mind, consider opening the Word of God and following along with Dr. Caldwell as he exposits Continue Reading
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Why Is There Evidence Of Evolution? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Why Is There So-Called "Evidence" Of Evolution To hear more about the things discussed in today’s podcast, consider listening to the following sermons from the Word of God, delivered by Dr. Richard Caldwell: This Continue Reading
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How To Know If Christianity Is The Right Religion | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages How To Know If Christianity Is The Right Religion To gain a deeper understanding of the of uniqueness of Christianity, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of Continue Reading
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Can Satan Be In The Presence of God? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about the strategies of Satan and how we are to resist, flee, and overcome them, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell: Christ's Faithfulness & Our Continue Reading
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How Should Christians Think About The Nation of Israel? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages How Should Christians Think About The Nation of Israel? We must always hear Scripture first in its proper context and setting to arrive at its meaning. Once we’ve done this, we Continue Reading
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How To Accurately Apply The Scriptures | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages How To Accurately Apply The Scriptures We must always hear Scripture first in its proper context and setting to arrive at its meaning. Once we’ve done this, we can then ask what difference does Continue Reading
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Does God Still Give New Revelation? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Does God Still Give New Revelation? To hear and learn more about God’s revelation to us, consider listening to sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell at the links provided below. If you would like to Continue Reading
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Does God Speak Audibly Today? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Does God Speak Audibly Today? To hear and learn more about God speaking to us, please consider listening to the following messages delivered and exposited from His Word, by Dr. Richard Caldwell: God Has Spoken Continue Reading
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Are Some People Created For Damnation? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Is It Right For A Christian To Go To Court Against The Government? To hear more and grow in your understanding of the things addressed in this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, please Continue Reading
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Are Some People Created For Damnation? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Are Some People Created For Damnation? To hear more and grow in your understanding of the things addressed in this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, please consider listening to the following sermons, by Continue Reading
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How Should I Pray? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Do I Have Free Will In Salvation? To gain further clarity and understanding of things discussed in today’s podcast, consider listening to or watching the following sermons exposited from the Word of God, by Dr. Richard Continue Reading
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How Should I Pray? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages How Should I Pray? To learn more about prayer, its importance in the life of the Christian, and how to grow in prayer, consider watching or listening to the following sermons by Dr. Caldwell. Additional podcast Continue Reading
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How To Make Wise Decisions | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages How To Make Wise Decisions. Below are sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell that will help us to grow further in our understanding of God’s Word. They will help to instruct and guide us in rightly Continue Reading
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The Imprecatory Psalms Explained | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages The Imprecatory Psalms Explained. As believers, we should seek the will of God in everything we do. When we are wronged, we seek the Lord, we pray and we ask, yet we want to leave the Continue Reading
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Should Christians Ever Engage in Violent Protests? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Should Christians Ever Engage in Violent Protests? These are times that call for Christians to be wise and discerning, shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. We must know and understand the Word Continue Reading
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Singing Worship Songs From Questionable Sources | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Singing Worship Songs From Questionable Sources. Following are sermons that will help in understanding how to navigate with wisdom and discernment this week’s topic and other difficult subject matters that may come up in Continue Reading
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Can a Christian Woman Who Is Faithful at Home, Become a Workaholic? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Can a Christian Woman Who Is Faithful at Home, Become a Workaholic? To better understand the roles and responsibilities given to women in marriage, to their roles as Continue Reading
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Going the Extra Mile | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Going the Extra Mile. If you would like to learn more about loving and serving others well, the following sermons by Dr. Caldwell will help you in that endeavor. As he preaches and teaches passages of Continue Reading
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Discernment | Christian Discernment | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Discernment. To learn more about developing and growing in discernment, about the wisdom of God, as opposed to the wisdom of the world, and about what a healthy church looks, and behaves like, consider listening to Continue Reading
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The Benefits of Being Single | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages The Benefits of Being Single. To learn more about how these truths work themselves out in the life of a Christian and within the body of Christ, consider listening to or watching the following sermons Continue Reading
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Should Christians Listen to Secular Music? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Should Christians Listen to Secular Music? To learn more about the responsibilities of the Christian life of growing in discernment, understanding Christian liberty and freedom, developing an informed Christian conscience, and about pleasing God Continue Reading
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Sinning: Why Can't I Stop Sinning? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Sinning: Why Can't I Stop Sinning? To learn more about these truths discussed in today’s podcast please consider watching or listening to the following sermons from the Word of God, delivered by Dr. Richard Continue Reading
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The Fallacy of the Word Of Faith Movement | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages The Fallacy of the Word Of Faith Movement The presence or absence of money is not the way to measure God’s blessing. As Christians, our hope is in the Lord, not our Continue Reading
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Man and His Work: The Responsibilities of Man as Husband and Father | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Man and His Work: The Responsibilities of Man as Husband and Father Following are sermons preached by Dr. Richard Caldwell, that will help in furthering your understanding of Continue Reading
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How Can I Best Lead My Family? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages How Can I Best Lead My Family? To learn more about approaching family leadership in the manner Dr. Caldwell has discussed in today’s podcast consider studying the biblical passages that relate with him Continue Reading
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Have I Married the Wrong Person? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Have I Married the Wrong Person? Knowing and understanding God’s design, purposes and goals for marriage will help us know we haven’t married the wrong person. Right thinking and understanding of God’s commands and Continue Reading
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How Parents Should Approach Physical Discipline | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages How Parents Should Approach Physical Discipline If you’d like to learn more about parenting, raising children up in the admonition of the Lord, and godly discipline, consider listening to the following sermons from the Continue Reading
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What Do the Words – the Kingdom of God - Mean? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Join Our Mailing List Related Messages What Do the Words – the Kingdom of God - Mean? Matthew chapter 6 is about being brought into the kingdom of God, knowing our heavenly Father, and having the whole of Continue Reading
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Debunking So-called Biblical Contradictions | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Debunking So-called Biblical Contradictions. To hear more on topics addressed in this weeks podcast consider listening to the following sermons exposited by Dr. Richard Caldwell from the Word of God: The Seriousness of the Ministry The Glory of the Continue Reading
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Coronavirus, The Hand of God at Work or Something Else? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Coronavirus, The Hand of God at Work or Something Else? To gain a deeper understanding of God’s sovereignty and the importance of knowing that He is, consider listening to the following sermons exposited Continue Reading
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Are There Physiological Causes for Anxiety? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Are There Physiological Causes for Anxiety? Dr. Caldwell addresses some of these issues in another podcast, and in several sermons. Listeners may want to prayerfully consider watching or listening with their Bibles in hand. This affords the hearing Continue Reading
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Did The Old Testament Saints Go Directly To Heaven? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Did The Old Testament Saints Go Directly To Heaven? To learn more about the places of eternal life and eternal death consider listening to or watching the sermons below by Dr. Richard Caldwell: The Continue Reading
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Why Doesn’t God Save Everyone? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Why Doesn’t God Save Everyone? For sermons that dive deeper into the things shared in this podcast, please watch or listen as Dr. Caldwell expounds the Word of God with faithfulness and clarity: The Reason For God's Wrath Continue Reading
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My Teen Won’t Go to Church | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Join Our Mailing List Related Messages My Teen Won’t Go to Church. Sermons to help with applying and living out these biblical truths shared in today’s podcast can be watched and listened to from the following links: God’s Gift of a Godly Wife Continue Reading
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Choosing Our Friends and Companions Wisely | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Choosing Our Friends and Companions Wisely. Sermons to help with applying and living out these biblical truths shared in today’s podcast can be watched and listened to from the following Continue Reading
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Why Did Jesus Preach in Parables? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Related Messages Why Did Jesus Preach in Parables? The following are links to sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell that exposit several of the parables found in the Gospel of Mark and a link for all the conference messages from Founders Baptist’s – Truth Continue Reading
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Should Women Be in Combat Roles in the Military? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Related Messages Should Women Be in Combat Roles in the Military? Sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell that will help in further defining and clarifying the roles of men and women from the Scriptures may be watched or listened to from Continue Reading
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Should Christians Fast? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Related Messages Should Christians Fast? To hear more that relates to this topic and how you apply God’s truths to your life, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell: The Witness of Ana The Humility of Saving Faith Silencing Truth to Uphold Tradition Continue Reading
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Are There Spiritual Realities at Work in Sickness and Disease? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Related Messages Are There Spiritual Realities at Work in Sickness and Disease? To hear more on these topics discussed in today’s podcast consider listening to the following expository sermons delivered from God’s Word by Dr. Richard Caldwell: No Power Continue Reading
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How Much Time is Enough for Personal Bible Study? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Related Messages How Much Time is Enough for Personal Bible Study? Following are sermon links by Dr. Richard Caldwell that will expand our thinking and understanding of worship and living coram Deo, living our entire life in the presence of Continue Reading
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Help Me Explain The Doctrines of Grace | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Related Messages Help Me Explain The Doctrines of Grace. Sermons that will help you think through this process more deeply and sermons that will help you to keep fresh in your mind the sovereignty of God can be listened to from the Continue Reading
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I Am Afraid to Share My Faith | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Related Messages I Am Afraid to Share My Faith. To hear more about overcoming your fears and being a faithful witness for Christ consider listening to the following sermons from the Word of God by Dr. Richard Caldwell: Free From The Fear Continue Reading
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Should I Get Baptized a Second Time? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Related Messages Should I Get Baptized a Second Time? If there are questions that remain regarding regeneration, repentance, true salvation, and water baptism you can dive deeper into these subjects with Dr. Richard Caldwell as he exposits the Word of God in the Continue Reading
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Should Christians Date Online? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Related Messages Should Christians Date Online? The following are sermons by Dr. Caldwell for anyone who would like to dive deeper into the wisdom and discernment needed in contemplating using dating apps and online services, also here are sermons that discuss the Continue Reading
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How Should Christians Choose Their Entertainment? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Related Messages To learn more about how should christians choose their entertainment, developing an informed Christian conscience, understanding Christian liberty and freedom, and about pleasing God in matters of individual choice, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell: Matters of Continue Reading
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Explaining the Trinity to an Unbeliever | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Related Messages To learn more about the Trinity consider listening to the following sermon’s from Founders Baptist Church, where Dr. Richard Caldwell is the senior pastor. These sermons come by way of Dr. Bruce Ware, who was invited to come Continue Reading
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The Lord’s Prayer Explained | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To study the Lord’s prayer, gain a deeper understanding of the elements, and a deeper appreciation for the model prayer the Lord has given us, consider listening to the following sermons. At each of these links, Continue Reading
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Do My Prayers Change God’s Mind? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To hear more on the question: Do My Prayers Change God’s Mind? - consider listening to the sermon links below. The Do's & Don'ts of Prayer A Shepherd's Prayer For God's People, Part 1 Continue Reading
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The Importance of Preaching | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages The Importance of Preaching. Sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell that speak about the priority of preaching and the importance of hearing God’s Word may be watched or listened to from the following links: The Ministers Marching Continue Reading
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Is an Interracial Marriage an Unequal Yoke? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Is an Interracial Marriage an Unequal Yoke? Dr. Caldwell and Dr. Philpot share that Founders Baptist held a conference on Racial Unity and the Gospel a couple of years ago. They encourage us to Continue Reading
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Should a Christian Work for a Company that Celebrates Sin? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Should a Christian Work for a Company that Celebrates Sin? If you would like to hear more about this topic; consider watching or listening to the following sermons by Dr. Continue Reading
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Witnessing Harsh and Unloving Correction | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you would like to hear more about Witnessing Harsh and Unloving Correction; consider watching or listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell: The Great Correction: https://youtu.be/pyeBQmnWK4g Gentleness: https://youtu.be/1y7x85OoWvE Watch this episode on Continue Reading
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Water Baptism and Baptism Of The Spirit Explained | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you would like to hear more about Water Baptism and Baptism Of The Spirit Explained; consider watching or listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell: The Holy Spirit's Work in Continue Reading
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Biblical Truth About Transgenderism | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you would like to hear more about the Biblical Truth About Transgenderism, how to deal and cope with the guilt, shame, pain, and consequences of sin consider watching or listening to the sermons included below Continue Reading
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Biblical Truth About Infant Baptism | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Related Messages To learn more about Biblical Truth About Infant Baptism please listen to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell that will help guide you to that end. One Baptism The Holy Spirit's Work In Conversion The Life That Pleases Continue Reading
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How We Work With God to Increase Our Faith | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about How We Work With God to Increase Our Faith please listen to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell that will help guide Continue Reading
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Honest Motives Before God | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you’d like to learn more about having Honest Motives Before God, dealing with the thought life, mortifying your sins, putting to death those things that are earthly in you, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Continue Reading
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How To Find The Right Church | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To listen to or watch sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell on the subject, How To Find The Right Church, you can click on the links below: The Church - Pt. 1 & Pt. 2 Continue Reading
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Money Advice for Christians | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To listen to or watch sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell on the subject, Money Advice for Christians, you can click on the links below: True Financial Freedom Biblical Giving Four Fruits of Biblical Giving How Giving Continue Reading
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Questions that Christian Singles Might Ask | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Questions that Christian Singles Might Ask. To watch or listen to the individual full-length episodes along with sermons related to each specific topic you can access them by these links: Christian Courtship and Dating Continue Reading
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Healthy Marriages, Fixing Broken Marriages, Christian Parenting, and Dealing with Rebellious Teens | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To watch and/or listen to these podcasts in full length and access the sermons for each topic discussed you can click on the following links: Keys To a Continue Reading
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Illegal Immigration, Racism, and Christian Politics | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages These are the links to the full episodes featured on this compilation episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, "Illegal Immigration, Racism, and Christian Politics": A Christian Perspective on Illegal Immigration The Real Solution to Continue Reading
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God’s Will, Faith and Prayer | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Related Messages These are the links to the full episodes featured on this compilation episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, "God’s Will, Faith and Prayer": How To Know The Will of the Lord How Do I Increase My Faith? If God is Sovereign, Why Continue Reading
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Godly and Biblical Worship | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To learn more about biblical and godly worship you can listen or watch the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell: The Worship of the Church, Parts 1 thru 8 True Worship Worship's Public Response, Part 1 Continue Reading
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Does God Love Everyone the Same? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages You can click on the following links to listen or watch sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell that will give you a deeper understanding of God’s love, and answer the question: Does God Love Everyone Continue Reading
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The limits of the Grace of God | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages For a deeper understanding of God’s grace, understanding the forgiveness He offers in Christ, and the turning from a life of sin to a life lived by grace, you can listen to or Continue Reading
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The Reality of Spiritual Warfare | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To listen to more in-depth teaching on The Reality of Spiritual Warfare, here are sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell that may be listened to or watched from the following links: The Christian's Battle: Parts 1 Continue Reading
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I Don’t Love My Spouse Anymore | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages To hear more on biblical marriage, love and sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell related to the topic "I Don’t Love My Spouse Anymore", click on the links below: Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage Series (2018) Continue Reading
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Questions About Baptism | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell that can help you understand baptism and its significance in the life of a believer can be listened to or watched here: The Baptism of Jesus: Click Here The Baptism in the Continue Reading
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A Christian Perspective on Abortion | Watch This Episode on YouTube El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Following are sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell, that address some of the issues that were brought up in this podcast as related to a Christian Perspective on Abortion, Continue Reading
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How To Be Free From Guilt | Watch This Episode on YouTube El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell about how to be free from guilt, conscience, righteousness and the only hope we have for dealing with these can be listened Continue Reading
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How To Deal With My Anger | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell that are helpful in addressing sinful anger and putting it to death: New Clothes for the New Man Pt.1 - Click Here Putting to Death What is Earthly - Continue Reading
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How to be a Good Christian Parent | I Want to Be a Godly Parent | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify How to be a Continue Reading
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I Disagree With the Leadership of My Church | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell that speak to the health and vibrancy of a church that seeks to honor the Lord and are related to the topic of disagreements with church leadership, Continue Reading
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Should Christians Enjoy Luxuries? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you would like to hear more about how Christians should handle wealth, luxuries and how to be faithful stewards of what God had has given and entrusted to us, you can listen to the following Continue Reading
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A Christian Perspective on School Shootings | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages Below you can find sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell related to the topic of school shootings and that will help you better understand the wrath of God, why He is storing up wrath and Continue Reading
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Does God Hear and Answer the Prayers of an Unbeliever or Unrepentant Sinner? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you’d like to know more about God and if God hears and answers the Prayers of Unbelievers, consider listening to the following messages by Dr. Richard Continue Reading
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How Can We Be Sure of Our Salvation? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages How Can We Be Sure of Our Salvation? The following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell can help us in further examination, dealing with sin, living a life that reflects true salvation, having Continue Reading
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How to Forgive Sin When it Seems Impossible and Unforgivable | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you’d like to hear sermons related to the questions about being in an abusive marriage or a more in-depth teaching with detail and clarity regarding marriage, divorce, and remarriage, Continue Reading
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How to Forgive Sin When it Seems Impossible and Unforgivable | Watch This Episode on YouTube El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you would like to hear more about How to Forgive Sin When it Seems Impossible and Unforgivable and true Biblical forgiveness, you Continue Reading
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How Can I Become a Leader in My Church? | Watch This Episode on YouTube El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you are interested in learning more about being a faithful servant in the Lords Church you can listen to these sermons by Dr. Continue Reading
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How to Structure My Daily Devotionals | Watch This Episode on YouTube El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Continue Reading
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How to Structure My Daily Devotionals | Watch This Episode on YouTube El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Continue Reading
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Owen Strachan on the Excellency of God’s Sovereignty – How it Should Shape Our Understanding and Living | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Owen Strachan Continue Reading
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Rick Holland on the Sovereignty of God in Salvation and being a Real Calvinist vs. a Theoretical Calvinist | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Rick Continue Reading
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Anthony Kidd on the Sovereignty of God in Election and Beyond | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Anthony Kidd on the Sovereignty of God in Continue Reading
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Phil Johnson on Understanding and Embracing the Sovereignty of God in Election | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Phil Johnson on Understanding and Embracing the Continue Reading
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Dr. Steven Lawson on Coming to Know and Love the Doctrines of Grace| Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Dr. Steven Lawson on Coming to Know Continue Reading
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The Gift Of Modern Day Prophecy | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify The Gift Of Modern Day Prophecy This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Continue Reading
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Is my Holiness the Same as God's Holiness? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Is my Holiness the Same as God's Holiness? This week on Continue Reading
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Misconceptions About Holiness | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Misconceptions About Holiness This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, we are talking about Misconceptions About Holiness. Continue Reading
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Should Christians Follow Old Testament Law? | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Should Christians Follow Old Testament Law? This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Continue Reading
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Students: Prioritize the Local Church | Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Join Our Mailing List Support Our Podcast Watch this episode on Vimeo Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Students: Prioritize the Local Church Dr. Richard Caldwell and host Dr. Josh Philpot have Continue Reading
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Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe To Our iTunes Feed Ministry Education and Pastoral Calling This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, we are talking to Dr. Richard Caldwell, Dr. Tom Schreiner, Dr Bruce Ware Continue Reading
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Watch This Episode on YouTube El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Related Messages If you are interested in learning more about God’s will, you can listen to these sermons by Pastor Richard Caldwell: As The Lord Wills https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=5300418250 Continue Reading
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How to Measure a Church’s Success This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, the best Christian podcast on the web, we are talking about how to measure a church’s Success. Is a church’s success to be measured by the number of people that attend on a given weekend? How about the amount of money or beautiful buildings it has? Is Continue Reading
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HOW DO I INCREASE MY FAITH? | Watch This Episode on YouTube El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Continue Reading
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Watch This Episode on YouTube El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Support Our Podcast Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify How to Pray More Effectively This Continue Reading
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Watch This Episode on YouTube El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Android Reading the Bible for Beginners This Continue Reading
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Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Christians, Anxiety, Depression and Prescription Medication (Season 4 Episode 34) This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, the best Christian podcast on the web, we are talking about Christians, Anxiety, Depression and Prescription Medication. Is it unbiblical for a Christian to take medication for anxiety Continue Reading
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Church Discipline | Dealing With Sin Through Church Discipline (Season 4 Episode 33) This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, the best Christian podcast on the web, we ask the question: What is Church Discipline? Why do some churches discipline their members and others do not? What should be the motive behind church discipline? How should church discipline be enacted Continue Reading
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Why Does God Allow Suffering? (Season 4 Episode 32) This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, the best Christian podcast on the web, we ask the question: How Do I Confront My Friend’s Sin? When should I confront the sin of others? Should I confront sin in the lives of my non-Christian friends? Does the Bible offer guidance in confronting Continue Reading
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Watch This Episode on YouTube Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Why Does God Allow Suffering? (Season 4 Episode 32) This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, the best Christian podcast Continue Reading
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Are Christians Commanded to Tithe? (Season 4 Episode 31) This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, the best Christian podcast on the web, we ask the question: Are Christians Commanded to Tithe? Does the Bible command a tithe of ten percent? Is a Christian even commanded to tithe in the New Testament? What if I can’t afford to give a tithe? Continue Reading
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The Role of the Church in Politics (Season 3 Episode 30) This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, the best Christian podcast on the web, we are talking about the role of the Church in politics What role does the Church have in politics? Should the Church align and identify itself with a specific political party? How can the Church speak Continue Reading
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Watch This Episode on YouTube El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Related Messages If you are interested in learning more about prayer and the Christians participation in Gods purposes, you can listen to these sermons by Pastor Richard Caldwell: Prayer, Gods Willingness & Our Reluctance Click Here Continue Reading
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Biblical Counseling (Season 3 Episode 28) This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, the best Christian podcast on the web, we are talking about biblical counseling. In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and special guest Dr. Nicolas Ellen talk to us about biblical counseling and its purpose and goal. They help us see that, while Continue Reading
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Freedom From Porn (Season 3 Episode 27) This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, the best Christian podcast on the web, we are talking about freedom from porn. How can I be free from my struggle with pornography? Can accountability/support groups and filtering rescue me from my addiction to pornographic images? I don’t really have to go to such extremes Continue Reading
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Watch This Episode on YouTube El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Support Our Podcast Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Watch this episode on Vimeo El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Restoring a Broken Marriage (Season 3 Episode 26) This week Continue Reading
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Watch This Episode on YouTube El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Keys to a Successful Marriage (Season Continue Reading
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Did God Approve of Genocide in the Old Testament? (Season 3 Episode 24) This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, the best Christian podcast on the web, we answer the question: Did God Approve of Genocide in the Old Testament? When God commanded the destruction of entire cities in the Old Testament, was he condoning – even commanding -- genocide? Continue Reading
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Talking About Sexual Abuse In The Church. (Season 3 Episode 23) This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, the best Christian podcast on the web, we are talking about sexual abuse in the Church. The Me Too movement has brought about a much greater awareness of sexual abuse, not only throughout our culture, but also within the context of the church. Continue Reading
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Is the Creation Story True? (Season 3 Episode 22) This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, the best Christian podcast on the web, we ask the questions: Is the Creation Story True? How do we know the biblical account of creation is true? Does science contradict the creation story? Is it possible to read those first few chapters of Genesis, Continue Reading
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Does the Bible Contradict Itself? (Season 3 Episode 21) Does the Bible Contradict Itself? Are there contradictions in the Bible? With so many human authors, is it possible there could be errors in Scripture? Or is the Bible truly inerrant? In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and special guest Dr. Nicolas Ellen provide examples of Continue Reading
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Where Did Jesus Go When He Died? (Season 3 Episode 20) Where Did Jesus Go When He Died? When Jesus died on the cross, where did He go? Did Jesus go to heaven? What about Old Testament believers who died prior to Christ’s death and resurrection? Was there some sort of “holding place” for them? In this episode of the Continue Reading
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Did Jesus Say He Was God? (Season 3 Episode 19) Did Jesus say he was God? Is there a verse in the Bible in which Jesus explicitly says that he is God? He used titles like "Son of Man", "Chief Cornerstone," and "The Good Shepherd," but did he actually say he was God? When Jesus walked the earth, why were Continue Reading
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Why Do Christians Criticize Each Other? (Season 2 Episode 18) Why Do Christians Criticize Each Other? Why do Christians disagree with one other? If Christians love each other and believe the Bible, why are they often divided over certain issues? In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and special guest Stuart Sanders explore the reasons behind Continue Reading
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My Spouse Wants More Kids But I Don’t (Season 2 Episode 17) My Spouse Wants More Kids But I Don’t. Does the Bible have anything to say about how many children a couple should have? Is it wrong to want only a few kids? If a husband and wife disagree on whether or not to continue growing their family, who Continue Reading
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The Lies of Suicide (Season 2 Episode 16) The Lies of Suicide. What does the Bible say about suicide? Is it sin? Can someone who takes his own life be a Christian? Will he or she still go to heaven? In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and special guest Stuart Sanders explain that, in Continue Reading
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Are Modern Day Miracles Real? (Season 2 Episode 15) Are Modern Day Miracles Real? Is there any such thing as miracles today? When we witness amazing things happening around us, are we right to recognize those events as works of God? Does He still perform miracles like He did in Bible times? In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, Continue Reading
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What Is Wrong with the Prosperity Gospel ? (Season 2 Episode 14) What Is Wrong with the Prosperity Gospel ? Does God promise us health, wealth, and prosperity if we follow Christ? Is our physical and financial well-being a good way to gauge our spiritual health? What is the biblical view of the ever-prevalent prosperity gospel? In this episode of Continue Reading
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Watch This Episode on YouTube El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Subscribe To Our YouTube Channel Support Our Podcast Join Our Mailing List Watch this episode on Vimeo El vídeo ha sido subtitulado en español. Follow Us On Vimeo Listen to the Audio Podcast Subscribe on iPhone Subscribe on Android Subscribe on Spotify Christian Courtship and Dating (Season 2 Continue Reading
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A Christian Perspective on Illegal Immigration (Season 2 Episode 12) A Christian Perspective on Illegal Immigration . Immigration, especially illegal immigration, is currently a major controversial issue in our culture. How should a Christian view immigration in light of what the Bible says? How would Jesus respond to illegal immigration? What does the Bible say about how we should treat Continue Reading
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Christian Singles and Sexuality (Season 2 Episode 11) Christian Singles and Sexuality . What does the Bible say about singleness? How does an unmarried Christian deal with sexual desires and temptations in a way that honors God? What does it mean to remain sexually pure before marriage? Is sex outside of marriage really sinful? In this podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell Continue Reading
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The Real Solution to Racism (Season 1 Episode 9) What is The Real Solution to Racism? How does a Christian view the human race? What are we to do about the racial prejudice we see around us? What does racial unity in the church look like? In this podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Ken Ramey discuss racial injustice as just Continue Reading
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How To Honor a Difficult Mom (Season 2 Episode 9) We are supposed to honor our mothers on Mother’s Day, but what exactly does that mean? How do we honor difficult or “bad” mothers in a way that’s Biblical? Can we live a life that pleases God without necessarily having to honor our parents? In this special Mother’s Day episode, Continue Reading
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How Do I Deal with My Rebellious Teen? (Season 1 Episode 8) How do I handle my rebellious teen? Is there something I need to change about my parenting? What’s the best way to confront him about his sin? In this podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Ken Ramey emphasize the importance of not only speaking the truth of God’s Continue Reading
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Why Are Christians Judgmental? (Season 1 Episode 7) Why Are Christians Judgmental? Is Christianity a judgmental religion? Doesn’t the Bible say, “Thou shalt not judge?” If Christians are called to love, shouldn’t they practice tolerance and acceptance? In this podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Ken Ramey explain the difference between judgmentalism (which is wrong) and judging (which is actually Continue Reading
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How Do I Deal with Anxiety? (Season 1 Episode 6) How Do I Deal with Anxiety? Anxiety is an issue that all of us face at some point in our lives. What can we do when we’re crippled by worry, fear, and dread? What is the answer for the anxiety that so often plagues us? In this podcast, Dr. Richard Continue Reading
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Why is the Reformation Important? (Season 1 Episode 6) What Is the Reformation? The Reformation is a key part of church history – but why? What is it about the Reformation that made it so significant? Why is it still important to us today? In this podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and special guest Dr. Ken Ramey discuss the Reformation as Continue Reading
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Why Are There So Many Denominations? (Season 1 Episode 4) Why Are There So Many Denominations? There are countless denominations in Christianity – why so many? Which denomination should we align ourselves with? What are we to look for in a church with regards to its denomination? In this podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and special guest Dr. Ken Ramey suggest Continue Reading
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A Pastor’s Response to the Stormy and Trump Scandal (Season 1 Episode 4) A Pastor’s Response to the Stormy and Trump Scandal . The Stormy Daniels and Donald Trump scandal is a hot topic in the news right now. How do we view this issue from a Christian perspective? What does the alleged affair say about our President’s spiritual state Continue Reading
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Should I Get a Divorce? My spouse was unfaithful, should i get a divorce? What does the Bible say about divorce? What do I do if my spouse has sinned against me by committing adultery? Do I have a right to divorce my spouse if he/she has been sexually unfaithful? In this podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and special guest Dr. Continue Reading
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Is There a Heaven? (Season 1 Episode 2) Is There a Heaven? What will happen to me when I die? Is there an afterlife or a heaven? If there is a heaven, what is it like, and how do I get there? These are perhaps the most important questions we will ever consider in our lifetime, and only our Creator Continue Reading
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Should I marry someone with a different religion? (Season 1 Episode 1) Should I marry someone with a different religion? What about someone who is not religious at all? Does it really matter if I marry someone who is not a Christian? These types of questions often arise during the dating process. Thankfully, the Bible is not silent when it Continue Reading
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