Whatsoever Is True: Recent Episodes
Jason Korol
In a world where we're often confused by all the lies, spin and half-truths, it's essential to understand how to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Learn how the 'law of the Lord is indeed perfect' and will yield personal peace, social harmony and even political liberty for all.
Work can be frustrating. In this episode we explore the reality of vocation and we delve into the absolutely necessary reality that each of us is responsible to work...for Him, not merely for ourselves. All that we find to do should be theological in its origin and ultimate destination. Developing a theology of work protects us. It builds up our spiritual immune system and saves us from the prevailing false doctrines of the age. Come and learn about the reality of living and working in a fallen world when you're redeemed by Christ.
Being a Christian can be confusing. How are we supposed to "present our body as a living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1) at work? What happens if I'm struggling with my job or I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing for a job? What am I supposed to think about frustration over money and working hours and all that too? These are serious questions that should be talked about more. The answer to all of them is to develop a sound biblical worldview first and then apply the principles of Scripture to our individual situations. In this episode we show that the dominant philosophy of the age is wrong and how that can lead us into a sinful view of labor. Instead of seeing work as a means of glorifying the Lord and serving our neighbor, we can fall into greed and resentment if we aren't careful. Take a listen and be amazed at how the Bible puts it all into perspective.
In a world of often astonishing stupidity (foolishness) we can sometimes be overwhelmed. Government officials and economists act as though $34 trillion in debt is, well, okay. School officials teach that life is ultimately an accident, not created by God, and yet wonder why depression and meaninglessness stalk our youth. Yes, foolishness is everywhere. But we shouldn't despair. The source of it is explained in the Bible and, praise the Lord, the answer to it all is found in Christ. To live wisely is to live a gospel saturated life.
How does Resurrection Sunday prove the truth about God? How does it change everything about your life? In this short message learn how Easter changes everything to the glory of God and what that means for your life. Nothing else does this...no other worldview or philosophy. Everything else skirts the question of death or ignores it altogether. Nothing else answers why death exists and what is done about it. Christ does. That's the whole point and power of the gospel! He lived and died and rose again to set us free from this world of sin and death!
So take a quick listen. We kept this short so you could hear this powerful truth...this life changing truth and glorify God this Easter Sunday.
Wisdom, the Bible says, makes our face shine. Bitterness, on the other hand, causes a harshness of expression. The latter is the result of living in God's world as if it's one's own. Bitterness sets in when we fight God rather than repent and follow Him. Wisdom is the antidote to frustration and bitterness in that it sees God and His Word as ultimate in life rather than oneself.
But this isn't merely a thing for believers over against unbelievers. On the contrary, a good many Christians reject and ignore the great treasures they have in Christ. By ignoring prayer and the great implications of the gospel, many of us struggle with our frustrations. Bitterness is, for the Christian, prayers unprayed! Instead of taking our struggles to Him, our disappointments, our fears...even our hot anger, we stuff it down. We suppress it. Oh, what folly that is. He cares about us and is there for us to cast our worries and concerns upon. What a great treasure prayer and worship is!
In this episode we explore the reality of how wisdom makes our face shine and how to develop the right attitude toward reading Scripture as well as how to use it (the Bible) to teach us to pray.
The fact is, the world is tough. Life is tough. Sometimes things look downright bleak, don't they? Events can seem totally out of control. This is especially true when we run into apparent contradictions in life. The ungodly look like they're being blessed, but the people of faith suffer. Maybe you're there right now. If you aren't, assuredly you'll encounter a hard winter of the soul. It's for this reason that we need to take seriously ALL of what Scripture says. You see, the Preacher in Ecclesiastes is talking to YOU...he's making sure you aren't taken by surprise by life's apparent contradictions. He's lovingly and wisely trying to prepare you for real life in a fallen world.
In this episode we talk about how to overcome the great scourge of losing hope, of being battered by events, and living a defeatist life. Yes, Christians can and often do live, though saved, as ones with no future. We'll teach you in this episode how to live in faith throughout it all. No, we don't know exactly what the course looks like but we know the finish line is Christ in heaven and that He anxiously awaits us there. The course of life now, if we run it in faith, is meant to strengthen our faith muscles, so to speak. That's the key! Living by faith is always the key.
Like a baseball player is supposed to "hustle" out of the box when they hit a ball, regardless of where or how hard they hit it, so a Christian should hustle too. We don't know if we'll be out or safe on that play, but we know how the game ends. And that's exactly how we keep our stuff together here "under the sun."
"Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed..." By what? Glad you asked, "...by the renewal of your mind." The Christian life is a life of joyful obedience to Christ and His word-law. This requires that we're thoughtful and willing to learn. That's the key. All Christians are students of the Lord. A disciple is a "disciplined learner." We aren't to drift along emotionally, but we're called to grow wise in the Lord.
We're told that all who hate correction are stupid (Proverbs 12:1). This shows us that the Christian life is that of humble submission to His will for us. It shows that we're to be seeking His instruction not only in the Scriptures but also through our everyday interactions...especially our frustrations. Indeed, our frustrations and failures are wonderful opportunities that the Lord uses, if we're humble, to grow and be blessed. Let's not keep wandering in the wilderness. Let's be humble and submissive to Him. Let's take correction well. Let's not be stupid.
America is clearly in trouble. Her politics are awash in acrimony, lies, and corruption. Her media is basically an arm of the state, a propaganda machine rather than true journalists. Her social structure, shot through by sexual anarchy and the collapse of the family, is crumbling. Her wayward children, taught the lies of secular humanism and social Marxism in the schools, are suffering greatly from depression and anxiety. Confusion and drug abuse reign.
What should Christians think about all this? Well, we shouldn't be surprised because the wages of sin, of rejecting God's moral law, are always suffering and death. To this end we should be more vigilant in our own walk with Christ. We should be compelled to pray for our country and all those who are trapped in despair because of the lies. With true compassion for the lost, but with our spirits provoked by the lies like Paul in Athens, we must renew our commitment to the Great Commission. We must bring the truth of the gospel to the world. We're His ambassadors!
Now, this doesn't mean that every single one of us is an evangelist that needs to go get a soap-box and street corner. But it does mean that in whatever station we have in life that we understand it in the Lord and that we're faithful to Him, ready to give an answer to a world that desperately needs it (1 Peter 3:15). The reason for all the conflict and decay is sin. This means the answer is the gospel because only Christ can defeat sin. To that we say: praise the Lord. This is the Christian worldview. In this podcast we'll explore this and how it applies to America today.
A good many men these days are finding the philosophy of ancient Stoicism relevant and helpful. Indeed, in an age where masculinity is under siege, lots of men see the wisdom in it. But the thing is, what they truly need is Christ. He's the true wisdom of God. Though Seneca and Marcus Aurelius have many wise sayings, those uttering don't, in fact, answer the big questions of why and what for...in the end, it champions a form of fatalism.
Christianity, on the other hand, teaches us the tough truths - the full truth - behind life's disappointments and struggles. Christ Himself stands as our Alpha Male. He brings all things into proper judgment and context so that we rest assured that we can endure through Him and in Him. Rather than saying, "oh, it is what it is" we say, "the Lord is sovereign." Yes, it's a sin-sick world but Christ has overcome sin and death and so we live humbly and faithfully.
In this episode learn 10 lessons of a "Christian stoicism."
Death and suffering can easily cause even the most faithful to struggle mightily. In this episode we discuss how Christ has actually conquered death and what this means to our temporary - yes, temporary - setbacks in this lifetime. The only thing that's truly final is His judgment of us as "righteous in Christ!" Truly knowing this, and resting in it during tough times makes all the difference in the world.
An important thing for all of us to remember is that we're going to meet God someday. Death is a guarantee (Hebrews 9:27). With that said, the Christian shouldn't, in fact, be afraid. In today's episode we cover a critical lesson from the Bible about our eventual and inevitable meeting with the Most High God and how this truth can and should change us.
The subject of spiritual warfare is too often confusing for us. Why? Because we get sidetracked by auxiliary issues instead of the main one, which is personal holiness and the obedience of faith.
All of us are under spiritual attack. That's a given. But rather than obsessing about demons and a thousand other things, Scripture teaches us what spiritual warfare really is and, importantly, how to fight it. It's simple, yes, but not easy. The Christian warrior is devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ and thus leads a life of gratitude, humility and submission to Him. The world, the flesh, and the Devil will all conspire against us in this regard.
As we grow in personal holiness, becoming more like Him, we do this by staying in the Word, through biblical prayer, and, yes, corporate worship. Many speak of doing great things for the Lord and yet eschew the basics. That's actually a clear sign that we're losing the fight. Real spiritual warfare is fought by Christians who spend time in the Word, in prayer, and in fellowship with other believers - all learning through faithful teaching/preaching. If we're living fleshly lives, dominated by sin - by envy, conflict, lust, anger, etc. - then we're "losing" the battle. Fortunately, there's grace to be found if this is where you're at right now. The goal of life is to become Christ-like; the goal of the Enemy is to prevent this. That's the heart and soul of spiritual warfare right there.
Because we're sinners we will hurt others. And others will hurt us. Scripture doesn't leave us without wisdom and witness on this account. In today's episode we look at the reality of perhaps the Bible's worst atrocity - the mass murder of injured men by Simeon and Levi - and all that it teaches us about how we're to respond when offended or hurt by others. Thankfully, Christ and His word/law provides for us the principles of how to deal with our sins and those of our brothers and sisters too.
It's easy to stand in judgement of the secular culture - especially during pride month. But the issue is deeper than we think. In this episode we discuss how the church itself is awash in ungodly pride and presumption. Convinced of its own righteousness rather than resting on grace, and living in radical faith, the church is shot through with polytheism. The real response to Pride Month should be prayerful introspection and humble repentance. It should be a self-audit of one's spiritual condition. Yes, we should call the world to Christ but we must, especially in times like these, the days of Neo-barbarianism, bring our own sin to the cross as well.
The story of Joseph is one of the most powerful ever told. It's a tale of unbelievable barbarism, betrayal, hatred, and envy. It's also a story of incredible faith through unimaginable suffering. Joseph's life teaches us many huge lessons today. Personal lessons about seeking contentment even in the face of trials. Social lessons on the cost of envy and jealousy. And most of all, it teaches us what true forgiveness looks like and how, in fact, it's achieved to the glory of God.
There's a theological reason - a philosophical necessity, in fact - for why big blue cities in America are awash with crime. The rejection of God as the ultimate authority leads us on a collision course with the reality of our sinful nature. In this episode learn what's really happening. We shouldn't be trying to fight the so-called culture war with the weapons of politics, but with the gospel. As always, we start with the truth spoken from Scripture and end at the cross of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin. The amazing thing is that even this issue - politics and crime - can only be truly understood (and solved) by the gospel of Jesus Christ!
In 2 Timothy 4 we read about how Paul is utterly abandoned by Demas. We learn how in Paul's darkest hour, facing execution, he's all alone - save Luke. No one stood by his side. The heartbreak and agony are dripping from the verses and yet Paul's response is amazing...and instructive. What does Paul say? He says, "may it not be charged against them." The heart of Christ is exactly that! And that's the goal of Christian living and sanctification.
If you've been hurt by others, maybe betrayed, you know well the pain. The thing is, though, we don't come close to what Jesus Himself experienced for the simple reason that we're sinners and He was/is perfection in the flesh. To be conformed to the image of God's Son is to learn to suffer for the gospel and to love others even when they disappoint or, as in Paul's case with Demas, abandon you. Life in the current age will have its share of sunsets and sorrows. Paul's concern, though, should be ours too. He finishes with doxology. He praises the God who will deliver him safely on that distant shore! And he prays that others, even those that left him, will likewise be saved.
President Biden doesn't seem to care about the southern border. But instead of looking at this fact from a mere political perspective, in this episode we explain why this is happening - and why such anarchy stems from unbelief. You see, America is a humanist country now. The guiding principles of our government are purely secular and these ideas lead to the consequences we're seeing all around us such as rising crime.
But Christians can use this (and every other issue for that matter) as a means of explaining the gospel. We don't want to "win people" for a particular political party; we preach Christ because what ails us is sin and the only solution to that is repentance and faith. So, as always, we hope that you're amazed by the end of the episode as you see how the principles of Scripture "make straight our paths" - even on an issue that many think has nothing to do with the Bible.
Last week the New York Post ran a story about a young lady, Courtney, who claims to be a Christian porn star. She's not, mind you, an ex-porn star. No. She professes that God doesn't want us to suppress our sins, but to indulge them. In this episode we cover how such "silly myths" are gobbled up by "itching ears" in an age of apostasy and humanism. Also, we go over how to answer such arguments as Courtney's with biblical truth and compassion.
Tucker Carlson was recently "let go" from Fox News, which is very much like a team benching their star quarterback for no reason . So, the question begs: what's up with that? In this podcast we cover the deeper issue of why there must be free speech in a fallen world, including the relevant Biblical context, and exactly why a country that rejects God will necessarily suppress speech.
"...through the insecurity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer." 1 Timothy 4:2-5
The way to spot all false teaching is simple: it always diminishes the reality of sin and, therefore, the majesty and necessity of Christ. All forms of asceticism have this in common. They attempt to "fix the self" through abstaining from something that God created. There's nothing wrong with the foods God has created - including meat. It's not what goes into us that's the problem, but what comes out of sinful hearts.
The faith of many is adversely impacted by the erroneous belief that faith and reason are separate things. This has caused untold levels of chaos, confusion, and despair in life. Why? Because what we think about God determines how we live for Him. And to try and live for the God we don't know only ends in frustration.
In this episode we explain how only Christianity is reasonable. Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. All truth is His truth and He's not illogical. Ever! Faith is, succinctly put, trusting in the name and character of the Lord. Following Him is, therefore, the only logical path in life since He is the creator of all things. Understanding the Biblical doctrines of creation, the fall, and redemption will add so much to our lives. More still, it will protect us from the heresy that faith isn't reasonable. We don't take a "blind" step in faith! Rather, we take a step out of the darkness of sin - with all its consequences of depression, fear, aloneness, etc. -and into the glorious light of the truth of Christ.
Don't let the world and all the commercialization negatively affect how you understand Christmas. The full truth of the birth of Christ will amaze you and fill your Christmas season with unspeakable joy.
In 1 Timothy 4 Paul warns us that in the latter times people will be captive to lies and false teaching. We're seeing that now. We see it everywhere. And these lies have eternal consequences, so we must be vigilant and watchful.
In this episode we discuss the topic of standing for the truth of God and fidelity to His Word. God will not tolerate false teaching from His pulpit, nor cowards in His pews. Christians must be men and women of truth because He is Truth itself. So, be warned...this episode is a strong cup of black coffee. Real Christian living takes the courage of staying true to the convictions of the faith. Consider:
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.”
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 ESV
There's a crisis in the church. Men don't know what it means to be men. The world has become bitterly divided. On one side, the woke left decries the so-called patriarchy. They hate God and, consequently, men. In response to this, some have taken to assuming that manliness means growing impressive amounts of facial hair, getting a big truck, some tattoos, and bulking up. Nothing wrong with those things but they're all mere outward adornments and not the real thing.
The real thing is Jesus Christ. He's the Alpha Male! Our goal - the goal of of real men - is faithfulness to Him. That's it! In this episode discover what it is to be a real man...a man of God, so that you don't fall for one of the irrational extremes presented by the world.
Free speech is a biblical value. As Elon Musk has bought Twitter and reinstated accounts like Babylon Bee there's been much caterwauling from the woke left. Why? Well, because there's a way that seems right to a man but its end, in this case, leads to tyranny. You see, the premises of the left - secular humanism and radical autonomy - casts them into a world of fear. For security from the consequences of sin, atheism looks to things like the state. This is why the less Christ-focused a culture is, the less freedom it has. Freedom is terrifying and unthinkable in a sinful world full of consequences unless we have faith in the sovereign God who saves us through faith.
Free speech isn't under assault by accident. It's the rational consequence of man's choice to reject God. This makes us crave the security of the state and, therefore, anything that challenges the humanistic state and its narrative must be suppressed. So, you see, we choose sin and then it victimizes us. In this episode see how Christ and His word are the foundation to true liberty and the answer to fear.
If the last few years have taught us anything it's that the church needs strong leaders. In 1 Timothy 3, Paul gives his protege, Timothy, the biblical guidelines for choosing such men. This is our path forward. Fidelity to these principles are exactly what the church must do in order to be faithful.
The easiest way to ruin our lives is to mindlessly conform to the world's self-destructive sexual ethics.
The world says, "do whatever you want" and "no one can tell you right and wrong". The problem is, this is a "right and wrong" itself. It's the philosophy of hedonism. But far from being a spoil sport, Scripture teaches us that sex is gloriously enjoyed within a true marriage. Intimacy and trust are abandoned - even shattered - when we see sex as merely another bodily function. We know deep in our souls that it's so much more than a "hook up" or a casual thing and indeed it is. We know that it's an action that represents our highest joy and commitment to another. So, to explore sex outside of God's design doesn't elevate us, but destroy us.
In this podcast learn how vastly different the Bible's definition of sex is from that of the world.
On this Easter weekend, not only do we rest in the assurance of our salvation but also the security we have amidst the storms of life. When depression, despair, persecution, and struggle meet us on the way, we rest in the truth of Scripture. God has overcome the world and we shouldn't be surprised by the difficulties when they come. Our goal isn't to be comfortable and wealthy - though those things are quite nice indeed. No. Our goal is to be faithful to the One who saved us and even now sustains us.
What does it mean to "present your body as a living sacrifice" to God? Are we to follow a bunch of rules now that we're Christians? How exactly should we go about our lives in Christ? The truth is amazing! We're to live with abounding joy and gratitude toward God now that we're saved by faith. A life of dead-rule/legalistic living isn't the thing. To love God is to live for Him and to find that, being motivated by that love, we end up obeying Him without trying. A man or woman that's in love with their spouse wants to please them, right? They don't have to be ordered around. They don't need a list. Love is their guide. Well, now that God's love has been poured into our hearts, this is our life in Christ (Romans 5:5). A life of faithfulness will be a life where sin is seen as the counterfeit and destroyer that it is. A life of faithfulness will produce greater and greater understanding of Christ through the study and application of His word.
The greatest truth in the Bible, and the one we most need to understand, is what it means to say that Jesus is Lord. The truth of this will completely change the way we live by changing the way we think. The path to good living, and to love and peace, isn't through good intentions. It's through truth. And it's this truth - that Jesus is Lord - that's at the heart of it all.
Abba! Father! Romans 8 is a tremendous blessing that teaches us the logic of our salvation.
Anticipating our struggle with surety, our pains and trials, and our worries, Romans 8 teaches us to look to the perfection of Jesus Christ as our assurance of salvation. Missing this elemental fact of Christian life causes tons of damage to our soul - inspiring dry legalism, depression, and fear. In this episode, hear the truth about your status in Christ through faith alone!
Many of us are terribly confused about what we're supposed to do as Christians. We worry and fret over a million things. The answer to all the particulars, though, is to understand what the Scripture says - and to apply its principles to our daily lives. We're free from the law - not to live lazy lives of sin and carelessness, but to devote ourselves to Him in faith. Gratitude and wise living, governed by Biblical principles is the mark of our days now, We are free. We are born again and delivered to a new life of the Spirit. In this episode we talk about what that looks like.
Saved by faith - and faith alone, not by works - we're a new creation. We read that so often in the New Testament but often don't understand the principles in play.
In this episode we take a look at this subject by going over Romans 8:1-3. We'll consider the tremendous truth of being saved and how that impacts our every day life.
Free speech is a Biblical virtue because to control one's speech is to control their mind. God has made all men, right? And He commands us to worship Him - to put our faith in His Son Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin. We know this (the gospel) because He's sent His prophets and preachers to the world with the message of reconciliation. The thing to note is that God gives all men not just life and liberty, but the right (for now...until Judgment Day) to disagree with Him. To blasphemy. To ignore Him. This is the the basis for freedom. This is the basis for free speech.
Learn so much more about this glorious truth in this podcast as well as why sin causes us to squelch debate when we can.
Russia is (perhaps...maybe...possibly) going to invade Ukraine. America isn't happy about it and the Biden Administration has been threatening "serious consequences" if that actually happens.
Well!
That's certainly a serious subject, right? I mean, a war with Russia would be an enormous catastrophe. It would be unlike any trial America has seen since the Second World War. It wouldn't be anything like dropping some precision bombs on a ragtag terrorist militia, that's for sure.
The question is, what does the Bible say about this? What does Scripture say about war, invasion, retaliation and so on? In this episode we'll bring all of this into focus through the lens of Scripture. After all, President Biden, Vladimir Putin and every single leader on earth would have no power unless it was given to them from above. Thus, as always, Christians should know the Scriptural principles in question and preach them to the world.
All of life - every category - is the Lord's. There's nothing outside of His control. Your life at work. Your marriage. Your hobbies. Economics. Law. Politics. There's no single thing in life over which the Lord, as Kuyper said, doesn't say, "Mine!"
The crisis of our time is that we - saved Christians - don't understand and practice this all-important principle. Too often we stumble through our days unaware of the radical Lordship of Jesus Christ. Too often we live as Christians but drift along, following the old principle of life - letting the world define its own categories for us. But that's not the truth. And it's not what we were made for. We were made for Him, to live for Him. And to do that we must learn to think His thoughts after Him. This means no more wandering through the barren wilderness of humanism in our minds.
Every category of life is defined by God. Being saved, don't stop half-way. Allow yourself to experience the true and great joy of life, which is the transformation of your mind through the Spirit of God. This is done by learning to think in truth. It's done by learning to think Biblically.
So many of us struggle with sin. We name the name of Christ, we come to Him in humble repentance, and sometimes we soar on the knowledge and hope of God. But then, unfortunately, there's a private struggle too. It's there. We fight against the old nature. We fight to put to "death the deeds of the flesh" that keep bubbling up. What's going on? Does this mean we aren't really saved? No! This is the subject of Romans 6 and 7. The struggle against sin and our misunderstanding of it causes loads of worry and unnecessary anxiety in the Christian life.
The truth is that we're saved by faith alone. No amount of works, nor adherence to the law, or any other code will justify us before God. But with this knowledge, in loving faith, in gratitude, our lives our renewed and we'll inevitably encounter struggles with our old nature. It's a given. If it happened to Paul, it will happen to us. This shouldn't cause us despair but more and more reliance upon grace in order to defeat the old sin-nature within us. The law is powerless to defeat sin. Only grace and faith can do that. So, don't despair in your fight. Getting hit doesn't mean you aren't really saved. It simply means that you're in the ring. Christ has and will continue to deliver you from this body of death!
This is what it means to be more than a conqueror in Him who loves us.
America is on a collision course with reality. If America is a ship, it's the Titanic and God's moral law is the iceberg. Nowhere is this more evident than in our current inflation crazed economy. In this episode we cover why there's inflation - what the true root of it is - and how literally everyone has been swept up in the greed. But we'll learn the way out too. We'll learn about what God says is the proper economic system so that Christians are alert and prepared to offer a reason for the hope they have in a troublesome time. And, armed with this knowledge, we'll be able to minister to others who are caught up by the storms and offer them the truth of Jesus Christ.
Psalm 23 tells us something amazing. It teaches us that we're walking in the shadow of death...the whole world is the shadow of death. But there's joy and peace in the Lord. There's peace in knowing in our hearts that there is no condemnation for us and that ultimately He'll bring us to that beautiful and distant shore. We're destined to be with Him for eternity! That's that antidote to depression, not denial of the reality of it. Let's face it: there's quite a bit in this lifetime to be depressed about. Christians are the realists of life and we shouldn't fake it. The thing is, the depressing things don't get the last word...Christ does!
We're told everyday that we can't bring religion into politics. The problem is that this means that we must concede that Christ isn't Lord. It means, by default, that the civil magistrate, and civil affairs are "neutral" - that is, outside of His control. But the Bible clearly teaches the opposite of this. It says, "for there are no authorities except from God. (Romans 13:1)." You see, it's a question of ultimacy. If the state (or any other authority) gets to define its own role, and its own limits, then Jesus isn't Lord.
When we get this right in our head, when we remember always to look at the world biblically, and that this is our Father's world, we can speak the truth in love. Only then. Accepting the myth of neutrality is merely reinforcing the flimsy foundation of unbelief and we should never concede to it. If there's no ultimate authority, there can be no derivative ones either. Ask the unbeliever to account for that. In this episode we break down the stakes and we show how a radical commitment to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the supremacy of His Word is exactly the right thing to do.
Tyranny is rising. The church has been reticent to call out the false messiah's of the age and that's left Christians who are yearning for truth feeling abandoned. In this episode we take a hard look at the trend to evangelical appeasement of the new Jezebel - the woke movement in all its ugly variants. We show the truth that many pastors have been more afraid of being labeled "mean" than they have been eager to preach the full gospel. Most importantly, we show the road back home, which is to Christ. We show that fidelity to the Word is the beauty and glory of Christian life.
In all, this is a day that Christians can truly shine. It isn't a time for mediocrity and neutrality but for holy living and full devotion to Him who saved us.
Did you know that the Bible provides the principles of a good economy? Moreover, it warns against idleness and corruption too. What America is experiencing, and will continue to suffer from in the immediate future, is an increase in the cost of goods and services due to the debasement of our currency. Why has this happened? Because we've grown to love money instead of being focused on productivity.
Great and small, rich and poor...we've become convinced that we live in a "consumer" economy. Remember, it's the "love of money" that causes problems for us, not the love of productivity and service through our talents to the glory of the Lord. The love of money is the love of irresponsible wealth; it's the gain of money without the work of producing goods and services needed by our neighbor. And a society that loves money is a covetous society that will demand its government produce money for it. Hence the printing of money, which is the source of inflation. After all, you can print money, but you can't just print real businesses and wealth.
To stop the inflation America must turn from its sin and repent of its covetousness. It must humbly embrace the biblical standard of wealth, which is:
- Be productive
- Earn money through that productivity
- Save
- Invest
Any other so-called path to wealth is a lie. This inflation we're experiencing is the first head winds of an economic hurricane soon to make landfall.
Is the recent mandate biblical? To answer this question properly we have to logically (that is, biblically) understand the subject of authority and where it comes from. The one who has the right and power to issue ethical proclamations, and back them up with penalties of violence, is and must be God. If government has the right to define right and wrong, it is God; if a person can do that, he/she is God. That, my friends, is the simple truth. Thus, in this episode we talk about the true nature of authority and why everyone is getting this wrong...even Christians.
Yes, real Christians do deal with depression and stress. So don't think that you're alone. In this episode we cover the answer these realities of living in a fallen world. Far from just trying to ignore the problems, in Christ, and with each other's help, we should meet the world head-on by focusing not on the worry, but on the sovereign Christ who loves us.
It's not just the love of God that saves us, but the sovereignty too. When we understand and meditate on the fact that Jesus is all powerful as well as perfectly loving, we have the antidote to our worries.
Last week a young man, apparently with a sex addiction, sought out and murdered innocent women at various Atlanta area massage parlors. Sexual addiction is real and it's chewing up our homes, families and nation. The world keeps telling us that sexual liberty is a good thing, a thing to be cherished, but the truth is that it brings us down to the level of animals when we reject the biblical model of sexual ethics.
In this episode we cover this essential issue and go over what the Bible says should be our standard and goal in life.
Congress just passed, and the President should be signing into law, a $1.9 trillion "relief" bill. What does the Scripture say about such profligate spending? Well, clearly it's a sin to simply print money out of thin air, no matter the reason. In this episode we unpack the sinful dangers of not just printing money but the reason why it's sinful in the first place. Many of us don't understand what the Bible means when it says that the love of money is the root of all sorts of evil (kakos...Greek for crap, by the way) in society. Indeed, all of creation is the Lord's - especially law and the economy. So join us and learn to consider this issue from the Biblical perspective.
What we think about the Lord will determine how we live for Him. Unfortunately, many Christians are more afraid of the world, in particular, the Left, then they are the Lord. This is because Jesus Christ has been turned into a mealy-mouthed, Christianized Santa Claus in many churches. Why? Well, because we've become convinced that talking about hell and God's hatred of sin will turn people off. The problem is, Jesus didn't share this opinion, so neither should we. In fact, the most unloving thing in the world to do is to lie to people about the danger of sin and the surety of death. This doesn't mean that we're to be rude and obnoxious, of course, but it is to say that we should be bold in our proclamation of the necessity of faith in Christ for salvation.
And lastly, we need to be reminded that the gospel's goal is never to be popular but to tell the truth of God to sinners. If we fear offending listeners with the gospel then we invariably teach them about a false messiah. To remedy this we must return to the biblical concept of the fear of the Lord, which is the whole duty of man and the most loving thing in all the world. After all, what can be more loving than to tell others about the glory of Jesus Christ?
When Rush Limbaugh died many people took to social media to actually celebrate his death. Not only that, some relished it with vile words, slander and horrific insults. In today's episode we discuss the danger of insults. This might not be a popular subject but its a biblical one, indeed, for Jesus warned us not to insult and slander our neighbor lest we be in danger of judgment. In fact, this area alone is probably one of the toughest for believers - sanctified speech.
All in all, it's never a Christian virtue to insult someone. We can attack ideas without attacking people. Learn how in this episode.
In these days, many are wondering if/when God will judge America for its sin. In this episode we consider the subject. In point of fact, God's judgment has already begun by the fact, explained in Romans 1, that He is "giving us over" to do what ought not to be done. In this process, as we keep going down, down, down the moral road of disrepute, we will continue to reap more and more of the terrible consequences of these sins.
Even so, our hope and prayer is for grace upon ourselves, our homes and the country. We remember that God saves sinners through grace alone and faith alone, so we pray that America turns to Christ and repents. So, join us as we consider this serious subject and learn to think biblically about the current times.
You've probably already heard about the report released by RZIM that concluded that yes, indeed, the great apologist, Ravi Zacharias, had indeed engaged in sexual sin. Sadly, they uncovered a deep and profound pattern of sinful behavior that exposed multiple women to abuse. It was heartbreaking to read.
In this episode we talk about how dangerous sin is and how to learn lessons from this sordid affair. Too often the modern church doesn't talk about sin frankly and openly, so it leaves Christian men exposed to the attacks of temptation. But talking about sin and its devastating consequences isn't a negative thing to do if we're teaching it in relation to the glory of Christ. More still, we shouldn't just say, "hey, Christian men, don't commit sexual sin" and leave it at that. We must teach how that's to be done, which is through the filling of the mind with Godly virtues and disciplines. Too often we leave a vacuum. Too often Christian men don't know the provisions God has given so that we might live gloriously, beautifully, immersed and amazed by the truth of God. The answer isn't the mindless suppression of temptation; that won't work anymore than ignoring a bill will help pay it. No, the answer is in increasing our ability to "think on these things" that are true and beautiful.
In this episode we look at the attempt to impeach former President Trump a second time. Our Scripture text to guide our thinking (and all thinking must be informed by the principles of Scripture, after all) is the commandment to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. More than that, we look more carefully at the background of the commandment from Leviticus 19 and how we're instructed not to slander our neighbor, lie about him/her, and to deal frankly (rationally) with them, trying to give them the benefit of the doubt. This isn't a suggestion, by the way, but the commandment of the Lord and the context through which we're to understand loving our neighbor.
To that end, we conclude that Donald Trump is a victim of a slanderous lie. He told people at his speech on January 6 to go "peacefully", but this very pertinent fact is being omitted by most news coverage. He is allowed to disagree with the election results. Democrats did for four years over the alleged Russian collusion. It's everyone's right to disagree and to speak freely. He never incited violence in his speech as is evidenced by his words. But the press is suppressing this. In all, we can disagree with him or anyone, but we must not lie about them. We must give them - even a politician we don't like - the same benefit of the doubt we'd like if we were in their shoes. To do otherwise is against God's command.
Why can't we sin? And, while we're at it, why can't we be a Christian, avoid the "big ones" like adultery and all that, but sin "a little?" What's the big deal?
In this episode we cover the root of sin and how deceptive it is. The root of much weakened Christianity is not really trusting God, nor knowing what that means in the first place. "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Well, temptation says that there are things He can't do, so we run off after this or that "little sin" and then pay the price by being spiritually stuck in the mud. We cover the danger of this and show how the great and true goal of Christian life is trusting God with everything and following Him.
Many of us live lives of barely controlled anxiety. We worry about money, our jobs, our kids, our future. There's always a dull ache in our soul about what could happen "down the road." But the thing is, if we're in Christ we know that He will never lose us, never forsake us and that all things will work together for our good. This is amazing news and should help us, comfort us and give us great peace.
The great danger is, therefore, not what can happen to us but our moving into fleshly habits of greed and/or lust. All false teaching will lead us away from the reliance on Scripture as our final standard of authority and into habits of sin. This is our great danger in life and its conformity to the world rather than to God and His word. In this episode we unpack this powerful and life altering truth.
The path to a joyful life is one that rejoices in the Lord. Unfortunately, knowing how to do this - to rejoice and delight in God - is a discipline (and, yes, it's a discipline) that's unknown to many of us. In today's episode we cover Philippians 4 :4-9 and unpack the amazing principles it teaches us about how to develop a life that overcomes anxiety, worry, and fear. Far from repressing negativity and life's frustrations and failures, this passage shows us the path of overcoming them with Godly discipline which leads to true joy and peace.
Too many Christians are confused about the unbiblical and, therefore, sinful nature of socialism. Worse still, many have been deceived into thinking that socialistic schemes are, in fact, ethically good, even loving. The opposite is true and in this episode we explain why any support of socialism is antithetical to biblical principles and should be rejected. The core of socialism is that the state has power or even ownership of private property. This sets up the state, for all intent and purposes, as God. This leads to the violation of the commandments against theft (redistribution of income for any purpose is still theft) and coveting.
But charitable giving is a great thing, of course. The point is, the Bible commands that all giving be done opposite to how state run schemes operate. First, all giving is to be done for the glory of God, not man or some politician. Second, giving is never to be done under compulsion (2 Corinthians 9:7)! Forced charity isn't charity, but theft and it obliterates the heart of God's command to give. Individuals should give - not demand that others do it for them via tax schemes. Socialism reverses the moral poles and has led to great bitterness and ever increasing tension within America. A return to biblical principles is what we need. Moreover, we should be more worried about our own sins and our own walk with the Lord rather than trying to vote to make others give more. Christ gave all for us, so we should be radical givers, sowing generously in all that we do.
America is awash today in wimpy Christianity. Why? Because Christians don't know their Bible - and they don't know it because they don't believe that it's the preeminent part of life and the final authority under heaven. In this episode Jason gives four easy tips to overcome lazy living and to get on the path of solid discipleship.
With everything going on right now in the world of politics, we need to be able to think clearly, not according to the world's standards, but by God's. How do we do this? Simple. We look to see what Scripture says about the nature and role of government authority. Only when we do this will we avoid the wild contradictions that are so sadly evident right now.
These are indubitably tough times for Christians in America. But we shouldn't focus all of our attention on politics and the growing paganism in our culture. Where should we focus? Well, our primary concern should be with fidelity to the word of God both in our homes and churches. Like Apollos, we should strive to be mighty in Scripture. Unfortunately, many professing Christians remain woefully ignorant of the great truths of the Bible and, therefore, end up living lives that are conformed to the world's standards of self-rule and sin.
In this podcast we cover the most important thing in the life of every Christian, which is "putting on the armor of God" to protect ourselves and churches from the lies and snares of sin.
There's no more unpopular subject in the world than those of sin, judgment and hell. Non-believers hate any reference to hell and this sometimes makes Christians reluctant to talk about it. It's of critical importance, however, to understand what the Bible says about these subjects or else we run the risk of talking about a Jesus Christ and God of our own imaginations.
In this podcast we run through the Biblical worldview of these subjects. First, Jesus talked about hell...a lot. He came to die for sinners because the punishment for sin, for the cosmic rebellion against the holy God, is death. There's literally no way to speak of Jesus without speaking of sin or else we empty the cross of its meaning. Second, to say that God loves the sinner but hates the sin in relation to the argument that there's no hell, is wildly unbiblical. God throws the sinner in hell, not the sin. This might make us uncomfortable but that's irrelevant because we aren't God.
In all, the people who say there's no hell or judgment are worshipping a false god of their own imagination. The loving thing to do, truly, is to tell people the truth about their condition (sin) and tell them about God's wonderful provision in Christ for them through repentance and faith.
Everyone is biased in some way. That's not necessarily a sin. For example, rooting for one team over another is a form of bias. There's nothing sinful in that, of course. But having one set of rules for one team at the expense of another isn't bias, it's cheating. That's the issue with the so-called mainstream media. They have openly advocated for Joe Biden by suppressing credible evidence of his corruption. That's not mere bias, it's corruption.
The truth should be important to Christians and regardless of our views on President Trump, we shouldn't accept the fact that the media is plainly assisting his opponent in the upcoming election. All major news agencies recently ran stories about allegations that President Trump had said disparaging things about soldiers despite the report citing only "anonymous" sources. Despite this extremely low journalistic standard, they refuse to report on the horrible scandal of Hunter Biden's shady business dealings in Ukraine and China despite the evidence being Hunter's personal emails! That's corruption. For this reason, we need to face the fact that the media isn't merely biased and are, therefore, no longer journalists.
There's no greater danger to one's personal peace and joy than conflict. Anger, arguments, disagreements, and all sorts of issues cause untold stress in our lives. Fortunately, the Bible has a way out of all that and the core of it starts with our own ultimate commitment. We aren't to rely on our own understanding (Proverbs 2:5-6) but base our reasoning on the principles of Scripture. Sadly, this is a rare thing...even within the church! Next, we're to focus on Christ and follow Him while, importantly, granting that same right to other Christians (John 21:22).
Conflict comes from only one source: the denial of the authority of the Word of the Lord in our lives. To live peaceably with everyone, so long as it depends on us, we must endeavor to be transformed in our thinking so that all facts and circumstances are evaluated through biblical principles. When we do that, our conflicts will be less and less.
One of the greatest dangers in Christian life is worry. We're commanded not to be anxious and yet many of us struggle mightily in this area. In this podcast we cover the root of the issue, which is our basic heart commitment. At the core of the problem of worry is - brace yourself - covetousness. Now, most of us don't think we have a problem with covetousness because we become convinced that since other people have more than we do, we can't be greedy. But the sin of greed and covetousness isn't a rich person's problem alone. No. In fact, a poor person can be far worse in this regard than someone who's rich. It's a heart issue, not a matter of our bank balance.
So, how do we overcome this problem that plagues so many of us? Simple. We trust in the Lord and understand what Jesus says in Luke 12. We rest in the assurance of our salvation by faith alone, rejoicing in God's care and provision for us, and we pray with thanksgiving always. This is the context in which we are then to present our worries and petitions to Him. When we do this, worry and anxiety will begin to fall away and be replaced with that wonderful fruit of the Spirit - contentment.
In Proverbs 26:4-5 it seems like we have a contradiction. It's actually quite the opposite. We read that we aren't to answer a fool according to his folly but as his folly deserves. The key to it is to understand the context, which is that the non-believer, the person who says there's no such thing as absolute right-and-wrong, is always making moral proclamations. This means that people are consistently contradicting themselves and we shouldn't join them in the charade but challenge the central point behind their moral assertions. We should ask them: by what standard are you judging? That's the key.
The Democrat Party is animated by unbiblical ideas. This isn't to say that individual politicians are evil. Maybe they are and maybe they aren't. That's not the issue. What's important is that we understand the major ideas of the party itself and get past the vitriol and character attacks that abound this election year.
To start, the Democrat party is fundamentally Marxist at this point. They have no tolerance for free speech they disagree with, hate the 2nd Amendment (and the principle of self-defense upon which it stands), and are literally jailing Christians that dare worship in public today in defiance of their lockdown orders. The claim by the left that Donald Trump is a dictator is preposterous in that the President, despite his flaws, supports both freedom of religion and the right to bear arms. No dictator supports those things. A tyrant that wants you armed and free to worship is like a virgin rapist - a contradiction in terms.
Second, the Democrats are pro-abortion. No greater political evil exists today than the wholesale slaughter of the one million babies that lose their lives every year on the altar of convenience and sexual liberty.
And lastly, the Democrats, by pushing the State as the answer for all things, are idolatrous. God is the One who provides, not government. But to hear Democrats say it, there's no area of life whatsoever that government shouldn't be in charge. In this way, the State is God and encourages people to look to government, and have faith in it rather than the living God. Families and charities are obliterated by the idolatrous state!
In all, the Republican Party has its problems. That's true. This isn't to say they're God's party. It's simply to say that the Democrats are clearly anti-Christian and no Christ follower should support their evil agenda.
The easiest way to stay in the truth is to remember the what the gospel really is, which is the person and work of Jesus Christ on behalf of sinners.
In this episode we talk about Romans 10 and how understanding the simplicity of the cross of Christ will keep us safe from false teaching.
The Netflix movie, Cuties, is, indeed, profoundly sinful. But there's more to it than dumping Netflix and moving on with our lives. Something as vile as the sexual exploitation of children doesn't happen overnight. It is, rather, or at least should be, a wake up call to us that we should take sexual purity seriously. To do this we must return to the truth of biblical sexuality which is found in marriage. Cuties doesn't exist in a vacuum but is the result of the breakdown of the Christian view of family and sex in Western civilization.
Leftist/Atheism is a false religion - a full worldview and moral system shot through with horrible contradictions. Unfortunately, many Christians have their chance to witness for Christ compromised when they engage Leftists because we get bogged down putting out "brush-fire" arguments. In this podcast learn how to "take every thought captive" and "tear down the stronghold" of this humanistic philosophy. We do this by focusing on the core premises used by Leftism and instead of arguing politics, we carefully minister to them by exposing the arbitrariness of their ideas.
This method is a four step approach and will lead the debate to Christ. A Christian's first goal in these debates should be to win converts to Christ, not a political party, so our method of argumentation should take this into account. Learn this four step process and your ability to engage the world's ideas in Christ's name will be a thousand times more effective than ever before.
The root of the civil unrest in cities like Portland and Seattle isn't the want of true, biblical justice. The root is envy and anger. In this episode we talk about the book "In Defense of Looting" by Vicky Osterweil which was praised recently by NPR. In it the author admits that the goal of looting and rioting is to tear down the system that requires work (and, therefore, responsibility) so people can get stuff for free. Seriously. She also says that looting and causing damage to businesses aren't the same as a home invasion because...well, businesses are bad because they have stuff, or something like that.
So, as you can see, the root of this is envy and greed. It's the desire to have stuff and to have it immediately. This leads to violence, of course.
The biblical mandate is for security of property (thou shall not steal) gained through honest work. This is the basis for voluntary commerce and is the only way for a society to be peacefully established and maintained. All work is Godly and no one should use force or fraud to gain anything. This should be the goal of biblical social order. There will still be differences in wealth amongst people and families in such a society but that's not evil. Evil is using force to gain something at someone else's expense. In this way, the rioters and looters, motivated by hate and envy, are in open rebellion against God's order for a free and fair society.
One of the great objections to Christianity in the public square is the "West Wing" attack. In that old TV show, Martin Sheen, playing the president, challenged a moralizing Christian (played rather uncharitably, of course) to live according to Old Testament. As it went, the argument seeks to invalidate Christian objections to sinful issues of modern life by claiming that since Christians aren't following everything the Bible says in Leviticus they're being contradictory.
Are they? The answer is a clear no. God's moral law has not, nor will it ever change. The civil and ceremonial laws of the Old Testament, however, are another issue that needs to be properly understood in light of the cross of Christ. So, if this objection has stumped you in the past, or it's an area you haven't considered much, this podcast is a must as it clears up the needless confusion.
When it comes to talking with non-believers about moral issues, Christians have often been derided as being intolerant. This objection has some basis in fact, unfortunately, as all of us know some highly legalistic and self-righteous (professing) Christian that had a laser focus on the faults of others. Well, this isn't, in fact, true biblical Christianity. A self-righteous Christian is a contradiction in terms. More still, a believer, saved by grace, is more worried about how their own sins impact others than the shortcomings of their neighbor.
Lastly, we shouldn't be bullied into laying down our "sword," which is the Word of God just because others object to it. The question is: by what standard do we or anyone else appeal to when discussing issues of morality and right and wrong? A Christian should be unabashedly biblical in their thinking. This is actually the opposite of arrogance and is, rather, sweet humility, as it grounds reasoning in the Lord, rather than mankind. In this way we'll see that the atheist is actually unable to stand on their own ground when it comes to moral reasoning and has to borrow Christian premises to make their point.
Mankind is always in the rebellion of sin and hates the moral restraints God has placed upon us (Psalm 2). That being said, when everyone does what's right in his/her own eyes, that is, they create their own morality, conflict is inevitable. This is why we see the mad swings between anarchy and totalitarianism among the left. They cry for complete sexual anarchy but then demand massive state controls. On the surface this would seem to make no sense but when you understand the human condition (in sin) the reason is clear.
Also, the left is fundamentally Marxist now. In this podcast we'll cover the stated goals of the Communist Party from 1963 on how to undermine the country from within. As you'll see, much of their agenda has been achieved and the goal, be sure, is nothing short of turning America into a communist nation. That being the case, a conflict is coming as they (the Left) will not stop short of their goal. In all, the answer to America's problems isn't Communism but the consistent application biblical principles of freedom and rule of law for all. Communism is a false gospel and will lead, as it always does, to war and bankruptcy. The revolution we need already took place at Calvary.
When the Bible says that there's a way that seems right to a man but that its end is death, what does it mean exactly? And, importantly, how do we avoid that mistake? In this episode we consider this critical verse and unpack its meaning.
America is presently engaged in an epic and dismal orgy of self-destruction. What we're seeing is God "giving us over" to the consequences of our unbelief and foolish premises. And this is the thing to know about God's judgment of people and nations - one of the worst things that can happen to us is for Him to let us go our own way and reap the whirlwind for it. In our case right now, claiming to be wise and loving, we're setting the stage for national bankruptcy and totalitarianism in the name of fighting a virus. We're so convinced that we can't be wrong that it doesn't dawn on us that the consequences of our actions could very well be devastating.
In John chapter 20, after His resurrection, Jesus appears to Mary. She's distraught and thinks that His body has been stolen. She's is great emotional turmoil and can't even think straight. It's so bad that she mistakes Him for the gardener.
Well, interestingly, Jesus asks her, "Woman, why are you crying?" On the surface this seems like an odd question to ask since the answer's rather obvious. But Jesus doesn't ask questions for His sake since He already knows. Instead, He asks questions so that we face the obvious about ourselves and our situation - which, alas, we're experts at avoiding. We're all experts at seeing the mistakes of others, right? Well, the Lord often comes and asks us to face a truth we're suppressing, that we won't face.
Is it biblical to demand that others wear masks? In this episode, we go over the confusion surrounding COVID-19 transmission and mandates that everyone should wear a mask. As always we seek to use biblical principles to discern what's the right thing to do.
The Bible is the central authority in life - the final standard of appeal in all matters - because it's God's word. The greatest mistake Christians make is not living accordingly. Instead of immersing themselves in Scripture, they end up, by default, conformed to the world's wisdom instead.
In this podcast we cover this problem and how to overcome it. We address issues over biblical translations, can the Scriptures be trusted, and what it means to live according to the Bible.
Be warned. Marxism is a murderous, totalitarian dance with the Devil. Seriously. Many Christians are completely unaware of its anti-Christian philosophical foundation and have unwittingly thrown their support behind ideas radically opposed to Jesus Christ.
This is a dangerous time in America, indeed. More dangerous than that, though, is for Christians to accept ideas uncritically. We are to "test everything" and to love the Lord our God with all our minds. That said, to really want justice in America is to want righteousness because there can't be the latter without the former. And there can be no righteousness without the gospel. Marxism is a false gospel that says man's problem isn't sin but inequality - whether that be by income or race. Its answer to inequality isn't the gospel but revolution in order to bring about a true state of communism on earth. Thus, Marxism is utopian. The problem is, when mankind tries to make heaven on earth without Christ, he makes hell, not paradise.
In this podcast we expose the lie of Marxist philosophy, how it's a false religion in our midst, ensnaring many.
The Devil is a liar, Jesus says, and was a liar from the beginning. When faced with the troubles of our time it's tempting to look for worldly solutions. But mankind's problem, the foundation of all our social and personal ills, is sin. Sin will impact different people and cultures in varying ways but the root is always the same so to fix a problem caused by sin we must be careful not to simply repeat the cycle.
The root of the Devil's lie is "did God really say?" That's the lie he builds destruction upon. He doesn't drive up and abduct people by force; he uses duplicity. Well, today, as we're confronted with protests and racism, and calls to tear everything down and remake America, we must understand that we can't solve old sins with new ones. The answer to oppression isn't new oppression. The answer is to go to God's word and see that He's given us the blueprint - the divine principles upon which we can rightly order our personal, professional and political lives. That's the answer, not more of the same.
The thing is, though it's right there in Scripture, explained in Romans 12-13, we don't want to believe it. We insist on fixing our problems with worldly solutions. Instead of turning to Christ for grace and submitting to God's moral law, we try and rewrite morality after our own - and ever changing - standards. Next, and ominously, we hijack the civil magistrate and call him our servant. But there are no governing authorities except from God and the government is God's servant, not ours. The government is God's avenger, an impartial power with the mandate to punish crime regardless of wealth, sex, race or anything else because God shows no partiality. Not until we accept God's order for our lives will we have peace and justice and any attempt to try our own solutions or to go our own way will simply create new victims and conflicts in place of the former.
In 1 Samuel 12 the prophet Nathan confronts King David over his sins of adultery and murder. Up until that point, David was sure that these sins were hidden and behind him. But we have no "secret chambers" and God knows all things.
As Nathan confronts the King there are many critical lessons for us to learn. First is that getting what we want in life - economically, vocationally, etc. - can lead us to a place of spiritual lethargy. What we really need isn't worldly things, but Christ. Second, watch how David announces judgment - in God's name! - on the imaginary bad guy even while he's guilty of such horrific sin. This should caution us as to how dangerous pride and self-righteousness are even for the saved. Finally, God is merciful and forgives David's sin when the King repents and admits the obvious at last. Even still, there are grave consequences for these trespasses, which should caution even Christians against playing with fire, so to speak. Yes, the Lord is most merciful, but He's not mocked and there are often earthly consequences for sin as we see in this case. This should compel us to stay close to our disciplines so as to stay safe from temptation.
Please join me as we provide an overview of some of my favorite chapters of Scripture and breakdown what they mean for us.
Too often we end up focused on the external world, looking for our blessings there, instead of looking to the Word of God where our true riches reside. Psalm 1 comes right out and gives us the greatest truth about life. It teaches us that this is God's world and we are blessed when we delight in His revelation, thinking about it, pondering it, and cherishing it. Knowledge and application of God's word is the goal of Christian life, so let's dive in and see more. I hope it's a blessing for you.
A real problem for many of us is figuring out what it means to be saved - how we're supposed to live and conduct ourselves. In this podcast we'll address a few misconceptions that might be vexing to you (they were to me).
For starters, you don't have to act "churchy" or something like that. Keep being you. Your personality and unique talents are God's gift to you and others. The thing to know is that being the best you can be is only possible without sin. Many of us succumb to a false notion that you should be concerned with "acting Christian" - whatever that means - rather than knowing, loving and living for the Lord. Superficial Christianity happens when we make little personal details about ourselves (like hairstyle, smoking, how loud you talk, etc.) more important than a heart set on Christ. The real body of Christ, the true church, is full of a diversity of believers with unique gifts and personalities. So, don't worry about trying to fit in with other people, looking like them, acting like them - worry about loving God. True Christianity isn't about your social graces.
Another big issue is doctrine, that is, knowing the Bible. True doctrine isn't dry and stuffy - it's wonderful and full of the great blessings of life. Imagine falling in love with someone. You want to know everything about them and spend time with them. It's the same with God. Christians are lovers of God and we get to know Him through Scripture. All of us struggle with this at times but don't despair. Go outside and bring your Bible. Read Psalm 19 and look around and see how the heavens really do declare the glory of God. That's certainly not stuffy! It's beautiful.
Anyway, true Christianity is delighting ourselves in the Lord (Psalm 37:4). Christ died for you so that you can have this incredible and abundant joy. My hope with this episode is to remove some common lies of the enemy that can keep you from really experiencing Christ and the blessed growth that comes from this.
The biggest lie in the world is that there's not enough evidence for God. The tragedy is that many Christians accept this and begin their evangelical and apologetic efforts from this premise. But this is dishonoring to God and clearly unbiblical since Scripture says that the evidence of God is plain to everyone - through nature and our inner conscience - so there's no excuse for unbelief. In this podcast we cover this hard hitting subject and show how a right understanding of God's declaration of himself to all people will radically transform our faith and outreach efforts.
How do we know that Christianity is true? Easy...because there's no way to make sense of life without it. Seriously. In this podcast, learn how when someone disagrees that Christ is Lord they must assume certain things that can only be true, in fact, if Christ is Lord. For example, when someone disagrees, they assume that truth exists. But why would truth exist in a chance universe? That makes no sense whatsoever. In all, unbelief never makes any sense and a proper understanding of this will strengthen your faith and help you understand that only the Christian faith is reasonable and true.
One of the great problems of the modern church is that it doesn't take the responsibility to seriously define the faith. Tragically, this leaves many churchgoers unaware of the central truths of the Bible. In this podcast we discuss this failure and respond to Jon Steingard who announced on social media that he no longer believes in God. It's our hope that endeavors such as these can be used by God for "soul defense" - to make sure that doubts are answered and our mutual love of the Lord is strengthened in truth.
The Lord loves a cheerful giver. Also, He commands that Christians give and share - but here's the thing - giving shouldn't be done under compulsion. No one should be forced to give, which is what socialism is. It's forced charity. Not only that, it's giving toward the goal of glorifying the state, not God. Certainly, real Christianity isn't a life of greed and lust for wealth. But socialism is a false gospel that causes voters to covet their neighbor's goods and demand the unjust taking of income and property. By elevating covetousness and theft as the central means of achieving social/political goals, socialism causes division and strife. Worse, by having people look to the state for security and wealth, it encourages idolatry. We are to pray to the Lord to give us this day our daily bread - the Lord, not the government.
In this podcast we discuss how everyone - believer and non-believer alike - deserve the blessing of political liberty. We know in our hearts that no one should be attacked or oppressed but, tragically, it continues to happen even to this day. The reason for this is because we refuse to follow the principles of Christ and apply them to our personal and political life. Strife and conflict are always the result in a world where we don't abide by biblical principles.
In a world directed by Biblical principles, what happens to people who don't believe in Christ? Do they have equal political rights? Is everyone free? That's something that Christians are hit with and, sadly, have weak answers or none whatsoever. In this episode we cover how Christianity logically provides for the existence of true political liberty and rule of law for EVERYONE, Christian and non-christian alike.
Many people think that you can't bring Christianity into politics. In this episode learn the two major reasons that's false. More than that, we explain how abiding by Biblical principles leads to liberty and the proper rule of law. In all, there's great acrimony in politics and civic life precisely because we're trying to decide on crucial matters of right and wrong on our own - and ever shifting - standards. The way to peace runs to the cross of Jesus Christ.
Our inaugural podcast! We're so excited to get started and in this episode we'll spend some time going over the big idea(s) of Whatsoever Is True and getting to know your host. The main goal is to apply biblical principles to every area of life - personally, socially and even politically. To that end we want to live Christlike lives, which requires that we know how to think biblically about all aspects of life.