Today we go over your step by step guide to finally having freedom from lust

Chronological Chapter Timestamps* - The Missing Roadmap: Why willpower isn't enough and the need for a comprehensive blueprint.

- The True Foundation: Why personal connection—not rigid religious duty—is the power source for freedom.
- The Seven Sons of Sceva: A striking story in Acts revealing why the enemy isn't afraid of your tactics.
- Standing on Bought Ground: Shifting from fighting for freedom to defending ground already won.
- Actionable Faith: How true belief manifests through intentional daily movement.
- The Baseline Question: Are you actually ready to be free? (And what to do when the answer is no).
- The Victory Routine: Morning and evening anchors that eliminate unstructured temptation.
- Environmental Audit: Why abstinence is easier than moderation when clearing out media and dopamine traps.
- Eye & Thought Discipline: Master the art of "bouncing your eyes" and stopping thoughts from building a nest.
- The Ultimate Weapon: How Jesus fought temptation in the wilderness—and why scripture memory is your only live ammunition.
- The Trachenberg Strategy: What Napoleon's defeat teaches us about "Fight by Flight."
- The 3-Step Fight Protocol: Name it, Reject it, Replace it.
- One Day at a Time: Winning the current wave instead of getting crushed by the weight of forever.

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In this opening episode of a 12-week series on The Pursuit, Pastor Bryan Dwyer, Pastor Ross Anderson, and Tracy Dwyer introduce the fundamental truths of embarking on a journey with God. Designed for both seasoned believers looking to disciple others and seekers exploring Christianity for the first time, the hosts address common misconceptions about God's character and religious expectations. The conversation centers on a pivotal core truth: God is actively for you, not against you, regardless of your past, mistakes, or perceived distance from Him. Drawing from the story of Jesus healing the leper in Matthew 8, the episode illustrates Christ's willingness to draw near to and transform those who feel isolated or unworthy. We introduce the concept of a "full-circle faith"—a dynamic process that begins by trusting Jesus for salvation and naturally progresses into living a life that honors Him and culminates in making disciples.

The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you’re looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday.

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Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Timestamps & Key Topics 00:03 - Introduction to "The Pursuit" Series Pastor Brian, Pastor Ross, and Tracy introduce the 12-week series designed to equip Christians to make disciples while offering seekers a clear, biblical picture of God. * 01:31 - Reframing the Image of God Addressing common cultural and religious baggage, the hosts discuss shifting from a rule-based view of faith to understanding God's heart and intentions toward individuals. * 04:50 - Evaluating Your Standing with God A prompt encouraging listeners to reflect on where they fall on the continuum of feeling far from vs. close to God. * 07:10 - Truth #1: God is For You, Not Against You Unpacking the assurance that God is not intimidated by anyone's past or sin, and exploring how Jesus actively pursued the broken rather than avoiding them. * 08:33 - The Story of the Leper (Matthew 8) An analysis of Jesus reaching out to touch and heal a leper, highlighting Christ's compassion, power, and willingness to restore those who feel rejected. * 14:43 - The Pitfall of Self-Righteousness & Religious Systems Examining Mark 2:17 and why trying to earn God’s favor through moral effort or rule-keeping keeps people from experiencing genuine grace. * 18:00 - Truth #2: A Pursuit of God Changes Everything Discussing John 10:10 ("life to the full") and how whole-life Christianity impacts eternity as well as daily relational, emotional, and practical living. * 20:55 - The Full-Circle Faith Framework: Trusting Jesus Understanding the first arrow of the full-circle model: starting a relationship with God strictly through faith in Jesus Christ rather than self-improvement or good works (Romans 3:22). * 28:53 - The Full-Circle Faith Framework: Living to Honor God* Exploring how genuine faith shifts internal desires, leading believers to align their choices, habits, and allegiance with God out of gratitude rather than obligation.

Key Takeaways God Is Willing and Good: Jesus's interaction with the leper demonstrates that God possesses both the power to transform lives and the desire to draw near to those who feel defiled or far away. * Salvation Is a Gift, Not an Achievement: Relationship with God begins solely by placing faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22). It cannot be bought, earned, or supplemented by human effort. * Faith Is a Journey, Not Just a Destination: Following Christ offers "life to the full" (John 10:10), impacting every area of daily living—relationships, habits, and internal peace—rather than just securing a future outcome. * Grace Drives Obedience:* Good works do not earn salvation; rather, experiencing God's free gift creates a natural desire to live a life that honors Him out of gratitude and love.

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If you’ve spent years trying to clean up your behavior through tips, tricks, and sheer willpower, only to land right back where you started, this conversation is for you. We’re moving past exterior "fixes" and diving straight into the root issue: the heart.

Episode Timestamps* – The Vomit Analogy: Why returning to destructive habits isn't just a bad habit—it's a nature problem.

– Giving the Dog a Bath: Why YouTube videos, programs, and external discipline keep failing you.
– The Hard Truth: Stop blaming your past, your friends, or your environment—taking ownership of your choices.
– The Root vs. The Fruit: How lust and addiction hide deeper issues like pride, jealousy, and anger.
– The Carfax of Your Soul: Facing the reality that your best effort will never be enough to fix a broken nature.
– "I'll Pay Full Price": The powerful shift from fighting for freedom to fighting from freedom.
– Inside-Out Transformation: Moving from external behavior management to a complete heart renewal.

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While modern business gurus like Steven Bartlett and Elon Musk emphasize extending time horizons from 5 to 50 years to build durable, multi-generational companies, they are still only scratching the surface. In this episode, we explore how the principles of long-term thinking, foundational architecture, and building "durable moats" in business directly parallel the teachings of Jesus and the Scriptures. If extending your time horizon changes the way you construct a business, extending it to eternity should fundamentally transform how you structure your entire life. Discover why worldly success without an eternal foundation is an unstable build, and how you can stop, reset, and anchor your soul on bedrock.

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Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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To entrepreneurs today, Jesus would say that true success requires extending your time horizon beyond temporal wealth to eternity by building your life on the solid foundation of His teachings. While modern business strategy emphasizes long-term planning to create lasting value, Jesus challenges business leaders to consider the state of their eternal souls. Real security comes from trusting in God rather than unreliable riches, storing up heavenly treasure, and living with an eternal perspective.

The Problem with Short-Term ThinkingModern business culture preaches the power of long-term vision. Consultants and top executives encourage founders to look past five-year exit strategies and plan for fifty-year horizons to build durable companies. Extended timeframes naturally demand stronger foundational decisions. Yet, from a biblical standpoint, even a fifty-year business strategy remains dangerously short-sighted.

Jesus addressed the trap of temporal focus when He posed a fundamental question to His followers.

Mark 8:36-37 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?

Many driven professionals achieve massive financial success while inadvertently sacrificing their marriages, families, and spiritual well-being. They focus entirely on temporal outcomes while ignoring eternal realities. The Bible teaches that every human being will live forever somewhere. Consequently, evaluating life solely through the lens of earthly achievements ignores our ultimate destiny. God calls us to expand our planning far beyond a decade or a career.

Riches Are Unreliable FoundationsBuilding a life on wealth creates a fragile structure that cannot withstand the storms of life or the reality of eternity. Money itself is not evil, but placing your trust in it creates a dangerous spiritual trap. Wealth offers a false sense of security that quickly evaporates when facing loss, tragedy, or death.

The apostle Paul provided clear instructions for those who experience financial success, highlighting where true confidence belongs.

1 Timothy 6:17-19 Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this, they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.

Paul does not condemn money; rather, he warns against trusting in its stability. When business leaders redirect their resources toward generosity and good works, they shift their investments into an infrastructure that lasts. True life is found not in accumulating capital, but in knowing and serving the God who generously provides.

The Danger of Storing Up Earthly WealthJesus frequently warned His listeners about the spiritual blindness caused by materialism. In a culture driven by net worth and asset accumulation, His warnings hit home for high achievers. He told a parable about a successful farmer who produced a bumper crop and decided to tear down his barns to build bigger ones so he could relax for decades.

Luke 12:20-21 But God said to him, "You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?" Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.

Jesus called this successful manager a fool not because he was good at business, but because he was completely unprepared for eternity. He planned for early retirement while neglecting his relationship with God. When we invest all our energy, time, and talent into temporary ventures, our hearts naturally follow those investments.

Matthew 6:19-21 Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

Aligning your desires with God's kingdom protects you from placing supreme value on things that will eventually decay.

Rebuilding on the Ultimate RockBuilding a high-rise building requires digging a deep foundation. If you try to add extra floors to a building constructed on a weak base, the entire structure eventually collapses under stress. Many professionals reach a plateau or experience a crisis because they attempted to build a massive life on a weak base.

Jesus concluded His Sermon on the Mount by contrasting two types of builders.

Matthew 7:24-27 Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rains come in torrents and the flood waters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it's built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.

The storms of life test every life and career. When difficulty strikes, only a life built on obedience to Christ stands firm. Rebuilding your life on Jesus requires taking a step back, repenting of self-reliance, and allowing Him to transform your priorities from the ground up.

The apostle Paul reinforced this truth when evaluating our lifelong work.

1 Corinthians 3:11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

Every achievement, business venture, and earthly status symbol will one day pass through the testing fire of God's judgment. Works driven by pride and temporal greed will burn away, but efforts built on faith, obedience, and love for Christ will yield eternal rewards.

The TakeawayTo entrepreneurs today, Jesus offers a loving warning and a call to true wisdom. Achieving market success means very little if you lose your eternal soul in the process. While business strategies require vision, your ultimate focus belongs on eternity. Reevaluate your priorities today, ensure your confidence rests in Christ rather than your wealth, and rebuild your life on the rock of His Word.

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What happens when you achieve the ultimate "world's version" of success—building websites with 15 million monthly views—but you're still miserable inside? In this transparent interview, Vic (the entrepreneur behind Screen Rant and Game Rant) shares his 15-year journey of tracking 34,000 food entries, surviving 11 surgeries, enduring a divorce, and ultimately finding true redemption through faith in Jesus. Vic discusses his new book, "The Last 10 Pounds," and breaks down why so many men chase the wrong idols (like money and body image) before realizing what truly matters. Whether you need to fix your physical fitness or your spiritual foundation, this episode will show you how to start your own "redeemed second half."

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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We exposes how pride and burnout sabotage growth, offering a practical plan to reset through honesty and daily discipline.

Chronological Chapter Topics:

– The Illusion of Strength: The danger of preaching discipline while living in secret failure.

– The Burnout Spiral: How reaching Day 70 and facing unexpected stress led to total capitulation.

– Deconstructing the Enemy’s Lies: How fear of future failure keeps us from taking the first step today.

– Impress vs. Influence: Why impressing people requires distance, but making an impact requires proximity and vulnerability.

– The Blueprint for Recovery: Breaking down a strict daily action plan (routine, scripture, physical discipline, and content fasting).

– Exposing Hidden Pride: Why pride is just as destructive as lust—and how it quietly sabotages spiritual growth.

– The Power of One Step: Lessons from a 105-degree run: Applying the "just one more" mindset to daily discipline.

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In this episode, we look at John Lennox’s conversation with Stephen Bartlett to learn how Christians can share the gospel with skeptics, agnostics, and curious seekers. Lennox models a thoughtful but personal approach, moving beyond debate to the deeper questions of truth, grace, forgiveness, and a real relationship with Jesus.

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Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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This episode explores the difference between toxic Christian nationalism, progressive Christianity, and faithful biblical truth. At the center is one key question: are we letting Scripture define Jesus, or are we reshaping Him to fit our politics and culture?

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Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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This episode delivers a hard-hitting tactical blueprint to help men reclaim control over their thoughts from the grip of mental temptation by using a 3-step discipline routine rooted in breathing, Scripture, and positive mental substitution.

Key Takeaways Your Brain is the Supreme Battlefield:* External adjustments are vital, but victory or defeat is entirely decided in your internal thought life. If you cannot control your thoughts, you cannot claim true self-control.

The Brain Cannot Differentiate Fantasy from Reality: Entertaining lustful thoughts triggers the same neurological damage as physical compromise. You are feeding a mental cancer that will continuously demand more territory.
The Law of Positive Substitution: The human mind cannot process negative commands effectively (e.g., "don't think about a pink elephant"). True thought discipline requires replacing a toxic thought with a highly detailed, positive focus (like skiing down a favorite mountain).
Expect the Neural Backlash: When you begin enforcing boundaries, your brain will rebel with intense, highly intrusive, or shocking thoughts to force you back into old dopamine loops. This is a sign of a dying habit, not a personal failure.

Mentioned in This Episode Scripture Passage: Romans 12:2 (The renewing of your mind)*

Scripture Passage: Ephesians 6 (The Armor of God & The Sword of the Spirit)
Scripture Passage: 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (Flee sexual immorality, you were bought at a price)
Scripture Passage: Philippians 4:8 (Fix your thoughts on what is true, pure, and lovely)

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Some people look at the New Testament and wonder if Jesus and the Apostle Paul were actually preaching two different religions. But when you look at the raw biblical text, you find perfect harmony. Was Jesus’ gospel different than Paul’s gospel? No, both taught the exact same message: humanity is trapped in sin, the law shows our need for a Savior, salvation comes only through Jesus, and we must confess our faith openly.--

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Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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In this episode, we go over how unchecked eyes secretly ruin your personal defenses and drive your life toward temptation.

Chronological "Chapter" Timestamps [00:00] - The Driver’s Ed Rule:* Why your life inevitably drifts in the exact direction of your eyes.
[01:15] - The Citadel and the Open Gate: How bad eye discipline allows the enemy to quietly assemble an army inside your walls.
[02:10] - The National Geographic Mindset: Confronting the toxic habit of taking "mental snapshots" for later.
[03:30] - The Act of Stealing: Why looking with lust objectifies others and strips away your own future loyalty.
[04:45] - The Overflowing Bucket: How temptation builds gradually drop-by-drop until sudden failure occurs.
[06:00] - Master the "Eye Bounce": The practical, immediate action step to redirect your gaze and your mind.
[07:15] - The Covenant of Job: Relying on Scripture (Job 31:1) to anchor your visual integrity.
[08:40] - The 6-Week Neurological Shift: What to expect when your eyes stop fighting against you and start fighting for you.
Deep-Dive Key Takeaways The Law of Visual Direction:* Just like driving a car at 70 mph or navigating a mountain bike through a berm, your body biologically follows your gaze. If you look at the median, you crash into it. If you look at lust, your life steers directly into it.
The Illusion of Sudden Failure: Relapse never happens all at once. Your mind is a bucket left out in a rainstorm. Every lingering look is a single drop of water. You don't notice the danger early on, but eventually, the bucket overflows and breaks. Moving the bucket means refusing to collect the drops.
Lust as Spiritual Theft: Looking lustfully at a woman is not a victimless crime. It is an act of theft—stealing her dignity, stealing your own integrity, and stealing the exclusive loyalty that belongs to your future or current wife.

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In this episode, we break down the critical framework of "environment discipline" and why trying to negotiate with your daily temptations is a guaranteed path to failure.

Chronological Chapter Timestamps [00:00] — The Ultimate Test of Resolve* Why this specific topic separates the men from the boys and causes immediate pushback from almost every man who hears it.

[00:55] — The Metaphor of the Midnight Thief A visual breakdown of how we willingly leave our windows unlocked and keys in the door for an enemy that destroys everything we love.
[02:15] — The Myth of Negotiating with Temptation Confronting the toxic illusion that you can keep the apps, late-night habits, and toxic friends while expecting your life to change.
[04:00] — Introduction to Environment Discipline Defining the core framework of the fight: why you should never risk fighting a temptation tomorrow that you can eliminate today.
[05:20] — The Cannons on the Hill Using wartime terminology to illustrate the sheer arrogance of leaving weapons of mass destruction aimed directly at your encampment.
[06:45] — Do You Actually Want to Be Healed? Diving deep into the biblical account of the paralyzed man at the pool and what it truly means to "pick up your mat" and leave your old life behind.
[09:10] — The Consequence of Extremity vs. Moderation Weighing the minor social discomfort of being "too extreme" against the catastrophic cost of not being extreme enough.
[11:00] — Burning the Ships: Lessons from Cortez How historical commander Hernán Cortés forced absolute commitment from his men, and how to apply a "scorched earth" policy to your digital accounts.
[13:10] — Amputation Over Accommodation Unpacking Jesus’ radical command to gouge out eyes and cut off hands, translating ancient truth into modern digital boundaries.
[15:45] — The 100-Day Scorched Earth Action Plan How to audit your environment tonight, pull your Fight Club into the loop, and commit to a season of absolute clearance.

Key Takeaways The Illusion of Negotiation* You cannot sit in the muck of the pigpen and expect to stay clean. Keeping triggering apps, watching boundary-pushing TV shows, or hanging out with friends who fuel your bad habits is a soft compromise that always ends in failure. If nothing changes, nothing changes.

Environment Discipline Over Willpower Willpower is a finite resource. Environment discipline removes the battle entirely by asking a simple question: Why risk fighting a temptation tomorrow if you have the power to eliminate it today? Your environment directly dictates your visual inputs, which ultimately drive your thoughts, feelings, and actions.
The "Mat" of Comfort When Jesus healed the paralyzed man, telling him to "pick up his mat" wasn't just a physical instruction—it was an environmental command. The mat represented his old life, his comfort zone, and his identity as a beggar. Carrying it meant he was leaving that space permanently with no option to return.
Abstinence Over Moderation Moderation leaves the door shut but completely unlocked. Abstinence bars the entrance entirely. True freedom requires a "scorched earth" strategy—deleting your actual accounts (not just removing the apps) so that re-downloading them out of boredom or loneliness is no longer an easy escape route.

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Sharing your faith with a Muslim friend is a beautiful opportunity, but it can also feel a bit intimidating if you aren’t sure where to start. The best way to share your faith isn’t through winning an argument or proving someone wrong; it’s through building a genuine, loving relationship centered on the person of Jesus. Because Islam and Christianity share some common language but have very different definitions for those words, a patient and clear approach is key.

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In this episode, we discuss how establishing a structured daily routine serves as the ultimate weapon for breaking free from destructive cycles and maintaining long-term spiritual freedom.

Key Takeaways Routine is Your Foundation:* Think of a structured routine as building your life on solid rock. Without it, your discipline feels shaky, leaving you highly vulnerable to old triggers when life gets chaotic.

The Power of the Bookends: Master your morning and evening. Establishing strict, consistent wake-up and bedtimes creates the psychological boundaries necessary to maintain daily self-control.
Structure Eradicates Vulnerability: Lust thrives in unstructured gaps of time. By proactively mapping out your day, you drastically reduce the idle moments where temptation typically strikes.
The Trifecta of Daily Defense: True freedom is maintained through three core daily habits: Dedicated Spiritual Time to ground your mind, Journaling (especially video journaling) to track your triggers and progress, and Physical Exercise (like a simple daily push-up challenge) to burn off restless energy and foster physical discipline.
Consistency Over Intensity: Overambitious schedules lead to rapid burnout. Keep your routine remarkably simple and sustainable—doing the small things every single day is what builds the "save button" for your progress.

Chapters [00:00] — The Solid Rock:* Why routine is the essential, missing foundation for a sustainable life.

[00:28] — My Story: A personal look at breaking free from lust and the exact role routine played in that victory.
[01:58] — Breaking the Relapse Cycle: How a structured day acts as the ultimate pattern-interrupter for chronic habits.
[04:15] — Redefining Discipline: Shifting your mindset from seeing routine as a punishment to seeing it as your ultimate path to freedom.
[05:12] — Eliminating Idle Time: How to use scheduling as a shield against temptation during unstructured hours.
[07:33] — The 5 Core Habits: A practical breakdown of wake-up times, sleep, spiritual focus, journaling, and exercise.
[09:20] — Tracking the Triggers: How written and video journaling expose the patterns behind your slips.
[13:02] — Managing Restless Energy: Utilizing simple physical movement (like daily push-ups) to build physical self-control.
[15:22] — The Burnout Trap: Why keeping your habits simple and manageable prevents dangerous exhaustion.
[16:42] — The Progress "Save Button": How the cumulative power of small actions locks in your spiritual gains over time.
[21:04] — A Shield, Not a Cure: Understanding that routine doesn't instantly solve the problem—it creates the environment for victory to happen.
[23:25] — The Final Key: Why doing the small things daily beats rare, intense efforts every single time.

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The main difference between Sunni and Shia Muslims centers on a historical disagreement over who should have led the Muslim community after the prophet Muhammad died in 632 AD. Sunni Muslims believe the leader should be elected from among the most capable members of the community, while Shia Muslims believe leadership belongs exclusively to the direct descendants of Muhammad’s family. Today, this distinction shapes everything from their religious practices and leadership structures to the modern political landscape of the Middle East.

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In this episode, we break down the critical necessity of building a confidential "Fight Club" brotherhood to break free from the trap of lust and isolation. We walk through how to identify hidden blind spots, unpack a powerful four-question framework for mandatory daily check-ins, and lay down three non-negotiable rules of accountability.

⏱️ Chronological "Chapter" Timestamps [00:00] — The Image to Protect The trap of the naturally guilty conscience, keeping secrets from the world, and the 5-year refusal to accept parental advice on vulnerability. * [01:14] — The 80% Reality Check Deconstructing the lie that you are alone or weird. Overcoming the pride and ego that prevent men from admitting they lack the willpower to do it alone. * [02:18] — Isolation Breeds Lust Why isolation is the ultimate breeding ground for bondage. A direct call to action: Pause the podcast and go find your army. * [03:39] — Force Multipliers & Spotting Blind Spots The difference between being a target in a trench and being an unstoppable force. How trusted brothers see the hidden vulnerabilities—like deep-seated insecurities about masculinity—that you are blind to. * [05:07] — The Sunlight of Accountability Defining accountability through the lens of truth. Why keeping even 1% of your battle in the dark keeps you in chains. * [06:33] — The Anatomy of a Daily Check-In Moving past the weekly debrief to high-frequency consistency. Introducing the 4-question framework to keep your brotherhood razor-sharp. * [10:14] — The 3 Non-Negotiable Rules of Fight Club* The blueprint for a trusted unit: Be Clear (absolute honesty), Be Confidential (sacred trust), and Be Committed (iron sharpening iron).

Key Takeaways Isolation is the Breeding Ground:* Every struggle with lust begins and thrives because you think you are alone in that room or with your phone. Freedom cannot grow in the dark; it requires public exposure to trusted allies.

Pride is the Ultimate Chainsmith: The ego convinces you that asking for help is an admission of weakness. In reality, admitting you cannot do it alone is the exact moment the enemy loses his leverage over you.
The "Force Multiplier" Effect: A single soldier standing alone in a trench is just a target. When you link arms with a fight club, you transform from a passive target into an offensive military force that can fight back and win.
Vulnerabilities Drive the Vice: Lust is rarely just about a tempting image or a passing thought; it is fueled by unaddressed emotions like stress, anxiety, or deep insecurities regarding your masculinity.
Lies by Omission are Links in the Chain: Withholding the parts of your battle that you think are "too weird" or shameful ensures you stay in bondage. If your fight club doesn't know 100% of the truth, they can only help 0% of the problem.

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Sharia law is the comprehensive legal and moral code that guides every aspect of a Muslim’s life, from religious rituals to social justice and personal conduct. The word “Sharia” literally means “the path to the water hole,” symbolizing a clear, life-giving way to live in obedience to God. For Muslims, following Sharia isn’t just about following rules; it’s about submitting to the will of Allah in hopes of living a righteous life and earning a place in Paradise.

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The core teachings of Islam are built on the concept of total submission to the will of Allah. At the heart of the faith are the “Five Pillars of Islam,” which act as the mandatory framework for a Muslim’s life. These teachings emphasize monotheism, daily discipline, and the pursuit of righteousness through a system of religious laws and works. From a Christian perspective, while these pillars show a deep commitment to God, they represent a path to salvation based on human effort rather than the free gift of grace.

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If you’re looking for what Islam teaches about Jesus and the Bible, you’ll find a mix of high respect and significant disagreement. Islam teaches that Jesus, known as Isa, was a major prophet born of a virgin and a miracle-worker sent by God. However, Islam explicitly denies that Jesus is the Son of God or that he died on the cross for sins. While Muslims view the Bible as originally divine, they believe its current form is corrupted and has been replaced by the Quran.

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If you’re looking into the history of Islam, you’ll find a story that began in the seventh century with a man named Muhammad in the city of Mecca. Islam emerged as a monotheistic religion that spread rapidly through trade, preaching, and military conquest across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. From a biblical perspective, understanding the history of Islam helps us see how this major world religion developed in relation to the Judeo-Christian tradition.

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See the full series: Israel and The Church

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Replacement theology, also known as supersessionism, is the theological view that the Christian church has replaced the nation of Israel in God’s plan. According to this perspective, the New Covenant established through Jesus Christ makes the Old Covenant with the Jewish people obsolete. Essentially, it teaches that the promises, blessings, and spiritual identity once reserved for Israel have been transferred to the church because of Israel’s rejection of Jesus as the Messiah.

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Covenant theology is a framework for understanding the Bible that sees God’s relationship with humanity as a series of formal agreements, or “covenants.” Rather than seeing the Bible as a collection of disconnected stories, this perspective views the entire biblical narrative—from Adam in the Garden to the return of Christ—as a single, unified plan of redemption. At its heart, covenant theology emphasizes that God is a promise-keeper who has always intended to save a people for himself through the work of Jesus Christ.

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Christian Zionism is a belief system and movement among some Christians, primarily Evangelicals, who support the right of the Jewish people to return to their ancestral homeland and the modern State of Israel. This support is rooted in a literal interpretation of the Bible, specifically the belief that God’s covenant with Abraham regarding the land is eternal and unconditional. For many Christian Zionists, the establishment of Israel in 1948 is seen as a direct fulfillment of biblical prophecy and a key prerequisite for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

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Dispensationalism is the theological system that stands as the primary alternative to covenant theology. It teaches that God has worked through different “dispensations”—or distinct periods of time—throughout history, each with its own specific rules and responsibilities for humanity. While covenant theology emphasizes a single, unified plan for one people of God, dispensationalism emphasizes that God has two distinct plans: one for the nation of Israel and one for the church.

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The way you interpret the Bible—specifically whether you lean toward Covenant Theology or Dispensationalism—acts like a pair of glasses. It colors everything you see when you look at a map of the Middle East or read the evening news. Your theology determines whether you view the modern State of Israel as a miraculous fulfillment of biblical prophecy or as a secular nation-state unrelated to the “True Israel” of the church.

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The Bible teaches that Jesus had to die because God is both perfectly holy and perfectly loving. Since every human has sinned, we owe a debt to God’s justice that we cannot pay ourselves. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, died as our substitute, taking the punishment we deserved. His sacrifice satisfies God’s justice while offering us complete forgiveness and eternal life as a free gift.

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In this episode, Pastor Bryan challenges the myth of instant spiritual transformation and explains how real change happens through the slow, often messy process of progressive sanctification—where God works in us over time to shape us into who we already are in Christ. If you’ve ever felt stuck in the same struggles, this conversation offers hope by showing that the struggle itself is actually evidence that God is still at work in you.

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Welcome back! When you become a Christian, your old nature—the person you were apart from God—is legally and spiritually dead, but it is not yet physically destroyed. The Bible teaches that you are a “new creation” in Christ, yet you still live in a fallen body with old habits. While the power of sin is broken, the presence of sin remains, leading to an ongoing internal struggle between your new spiritual identity and your old sinful patterns.

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Welcome back to the Truth Podcast!

In this episode, we explore the structural backbone of the entire Bible: The Covenants. From the rainbow over Noah to the cross of Christ, God has used formal, binding agreements to reveal his character and his unfolding plan for salvation. We’ll discuss the difference between a cold legal contract and a relational biblical covenant, and how each major agreement—Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic—ultimately finds its fulfillment in the New Covenant through Jesus Christ. Whether you are new to the faith or a long-time believer, understanding these divine promises will help you see the "big picture" of God’s unwavering commitment to humanity.

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In part two of this story, Kevin and Jennifer continue their journey as they wrestle with what faithfulness to God looks like after discovering they still had frozen embryos from IVF 20 years earlier. They share how the Lord led them through difficult decisions, unexpected pregnancy in their fifties, and offer thoughtful advice to believers navigating infertility, IVF, and the sanctity of life.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

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Links mentioned in epiosde:

Kevin and Jennifer's youtube channel.

"And the test results are..."

Allie Beth Stuckey - Why I’m Glad Alabama Has Banned IVF

In part two of this remarkable story, Kevin and Jennifer Gordon share how God led them through an unexpected next chapter decades after their infertility journey first began. After adopting their daughter, welcoming two sons through IVF and natural pregnancy, and leaving frozen embryos untouched for 20 years, they found themselves wrestling with what obedience to God would look like now. What followed was a faith-filled journey of prayer, wise counsel, medical hurdles, and ultimately a pregnancy in Jennifer’s fifties that neither of them would have chosen on their own.

This episode is a powerful conversation about life, conviction, and surrender. Kevin and Jennifer reflect honestly on the emotional, spiritual, and practical realities of IVF, frozen embryos, adoption, and trusting God when the path makes no human sense. Their story challenges listeners to think carefully about the sanctity of life, the cost of obedience, and the goodness of God in every season.

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In this episode we peel back the layers of the Genesis narrative to reveal a startling truth: Eden wasn't a retirement villa; it was a high-stakes job site. By examining the original Hebrew context, we discover that Adam and Eve were the world’s first priests, stationed in a "Garden-Temple" where the borders of heaven and earth met. We explore how their original mandate to "work and keep" the land was actually a sacred liturgical commission—the same one later given to the Levites in the Tabernacle. From the failure of the "first security guard" to the restoration found in the "Last Adam," this episode reframes your daily 9-to-5 not as a secular grind, but as a holy vocation. You aren't just earning a paycheck; you are an image-bearer called to bring God’s presence into every cubicle, classroom, and corner of the world.

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How Did Adam and Eve Function Like Priests in Eden?

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In this part one episode, Kevin and Jennifer Gordon share their remarkable journey through years of infertility, miscarriage, IVF, and adoption—and how, after decades of trusting God through disappointment and unexpected blessings, they now find themselves stepping into an unbelievable new chapter: a pregnancy at 52.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

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Kevin and Jennifer Gordon join Tracy and Bryan on the Family Podcast to share the shocking news that Jennifer is pregnant at 52 years old—and how that moment is the latest chapter in a decades-long journey of infertility, grief, faith, and surrender. They rewind to their early marriage dreams of having 2–3 kids, a heartbreaking miscarriage, and years of “nothing, nothing, nothing,” followed by difficult decisions about fertility treatments they didn’t fully understand and even feared might be “playing God.” Through prayer, unexpected open doors, and wise counsel from a godly mentor, they eventually pursued IVF—while God was also softening their hearts toward adoption.

Their story takes a dramatic turn as God redirects them to adopt their daughter from China, then later leads them back to their frozen embryos—resulting in the birth of their son Eli through IVF and another surprise: a natural pregnancy that brought their third child, Ethan. With three kids and years passing, they left remaining embryos frozen, assuming they’d “deal with it later,” even as a quiet conviction lingered. In recent years, new cultural conversations about embryos reignited the issue, and Jennifer sensed God stirring again. The episode ends at a powerful Good Friday service where she realizes she’s been holding a hidden “no” toward God—and she fully surrenders, open to whatever God asks next, even if it means something unimaginable in their 50s.

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FAILURE TO LAUNCHBig Idea: Spiritual maturity isn’t about age; it’s about the “launch.” It’s the moment you stop being a consumer of the church and start being a contributor to the mission.

In 2018, a bizarre story made national headlines. A 30-year-old man named Michael Rotondo was sued by his own parents because he refused to move out of their house. He didn’t pay rent. He didn’t help with chores. He ignored written eviction notices. Eventually, his parents had to take him to court just to get him to leave. The judge ruled that being a family member doesn’t entitle someone to stay indefinitely without contributing. He was ordered to launch.

We laugh at stories like that because they feel extreme. But the author of Hebrews delivers a similar rebuke—not to a lazy adult son, but to churchgoers who refused to grow up spiritually.

Hebrews 5:11–14 (NLT) says:

“There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen.

You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food.

For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.

Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.”

The message is clear: spiritual maturity isn’t automatic. It doesn’t come with time served in church. It comes with intentional growth.

Today we see three marks of spiritual “grown-ups” straight from this text.

Spiritual grown-ups don’t just read — they study.The author rebukes them for still needing “milk.” Milk isn’t bad. It’s essential for babies. But it’s tragic for adults. Milk is predigested. It requires no effort.

Spiritually speaking, “milk” is relying only on what others say about God. It’s surviving on a weekly sermon and never digging deeper. If your only spiritual intake is 30 minutes on Sunday, you’re on a liquid diet.

Reading the Bible is good. It’s like taking a scenic drive through beautiful country. Studying the Bible is getting out of the car and reading the historical markers. It means slowing down and asking questions.

That’s where inductive Bible study comes in:

Observation: What does the text say?
Interpretation: What did it mean to the original audience?
Application: How does it apply today?

The Bible was written to people in a specific time and culture, but it was written for us. Studying moves us from surface-level familiarity to life-shaping understanding.

And this leads naturally to the second mark of maturity.

Spiritual grown-ups don’t just study — they apply.Hebrews 5:13 says an infant “doesn’t know how to do what is right.” Knowledge without obedience produces immaturity.

You can know Greek word studies. You can debate theology. You can listen to endless podcasts. But if you don’t obey, you’re spiritually stalled.

Verse 14 says mature believers are those who “through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.” The word “training” comes from the Greek word gymnazō — where we get “gymnasium.” Growth requires exercise.

Application is spiritual training. It’s forgiveness when it’s hard. It’s generosity when it’s costly. It’s integrity when no one is watching.

Information alone doesn’t transform. Obedience does.

If we only “taste” truth without walking in it, our hearts grow dull. Discernment comes from practiced obedience.

Spiritual grown-ups don’t just apply — they teach.Hebrews 5:12 says, “You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others.”

This is the launch.

The goal of maturity isn’t self-improvement. It’s multiplication.

Ephesians 4:14 (NLT) says:

“Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching.”

Teaching others stabilizes your own faith. When you pour out, you grow up.

There is a shift every believer must make—from consumer to contributor. From audience to ambassador. From “What am I getting?” to “Who am I helping?”

The cure for spiritual dullness isn’t more consumption. It’s contribution.

When Michael Rotondo was evicted, he didn’t thank his parents. He said he was outraged. He wanted to stay a child forever.

God loves us too much to let us stay spiritually rotund—full but unproductive. He calls us out of comfort and into mission.

Don’t fight the launch. Don’t settle for the bottle when God has a feast—and a purpose—waiting for you.

Spiritual maturity isn’t about how long you’ve believed. It’s about whether you’ve launched.

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In this episode Pastor Bryan challenges the popular but dangerous habit of "narcissistic" Bible reading—treating the Scriptures like a mirror to validate our own feelings rather than a window into the mind of God. By exploring the critical distinction between Eisegesis (reading our own meaning into the text) and Exegesis (drawing God’s meaning out of it), we uncover how misusing "inspiring" verses like Jeremiah 29:11 or Philippians 4:13 can actually silence the Holy Spirit's true intent. Listeners will walk away with a practical four-pillar framework for Hermeneutics, shifting from seeking "nuggets of personal approval" to encountering the transformative, Christ-centered reality of the Word.

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Keyword: Bible Study
What’s the Difference between Eisegesis and Exegesis?
What Is Biblical Hermeneutics?

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In this episode, Tracy explains why forgiveness isn’t passive, instant, or pretending the hurt didn’t happen—it’s an active, ongoing choice that makes healing and growth possible in your marriage. She unpacks what forgiveness is (and isn’t), shows what it can look like in real-life scenarios, and challenges both spouses to not only give forgiveness but ask for it with humility.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

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Gary Chapman's book: The Five Languages of Apology

Video from the Marriage Channel: The F Word that Can Save Your Marriage

Forgiveness in Marriage: The Choice That Changes EverythingEvery marriage will face hurt. Expectations will be missed. Words will be spoken in frustration. Sometimes there will even be deep betrayal. The question isn’t if you’ll need forgiveness in your marriage — it’s whether you’ll choose it.

Forgiveness is not passive. It’s not pretending the hurt didn’t happen. And it’s not a “magic eraser” that wipes away pain overnight. Biblical forgiveness is an active, ongoing choice. It’s the decision to release the offense so that healing and growth can begin.

When Peter asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone, Jesus answered, “seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:21-22. That wasn’t a literal number — it was a posture. Forgiveness is meant to characterize the heart of a follower of Christ.

What Forgiveness Is1. Forgiveness Is a Choice

Forgiveness doesn’t always feel natural. It’s a deliberate decision not to replay the offense over and over or use it as ammunition in the next argument. It’s choosing not to hold your spouse hostage to their failure.

2. Forgiveness Is a Gift

You’re giving your spouse space to grow. You’re saying, “You hurt me, but I’m willing to move forward instead of weaponizing this against you.” It creates room for rebuilding.

3. Forgiveness Is Active and Ongoing

Some wounds are deep. If there has been infidelity, addiction, or repeated betrayal, forgiveness may not be a one-time event. It may be something you choose daily — even moment by moment — as painful memories resurface.

4. Forgiveness Means Giving Up Vengeance

Holding onto bitterness may feel justified, but it poisons your heart. Hebrews 12:15 warns about the “poisonous root of bitterness.” Revenge does not create healing soil for reconciliation.

What Forgiveness Is NotForgiveness does not mean forgetting. It does not minimize the offense. And it does not automatically restore trust.

Trust and forgiveness are not the same thing. Forgiveness is a proactive gift. Trust is rebuilt over time through consistent behavior. If your spouse betrayed you, forgiveness opens the door for healing — but trust must be earned.

God’s Model for MarriageAs followers of Jesus, our ultimate model is God Himself.

Ephesians 4:32 tells us to be “kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”

Psalm 103:10-12 reminds us that God does not treat us as our sins deserve. He removes our sins “as far from us as the east is from the west.”

Romans 5:8 declares that Christ died for us while we were still sinners.

When we remember how much we’ve been forgiven, it softens our hearts toward our spouse. We’ve offended a holy God far more than our spouse has offended us — yet He forgives with compassion.

What Forgiveness Looks Like in Real LifeScenario 1: Missed Expectations

Maybe your spouse is chronically late. They forget anniversaries. They don’t plan date nights. Forgiveness here might look like clearly communicating your expectations instead of silently building resentment. It might mean maintaining a posture that wants your spouse to succeed — not secretly hoping they fail so you can feel justified.

It also means refusing to live in “negative sentiment override,” constantly focusing on their flaws. Instead, choose to remember the qualities you love about them and invite trusted mentors or counselors to help you grow.

Scenario 2: Betrayal (Pornography Relapse or Infidelity)

This is heavier. Forgiveness in this case does not mean ignoring the betrayal. It means honest confrontation, outside help, accountability structures, and clear expectations.

Forgiveness says, “I’m willing to give you space to rebuild trust.” It does not eliminate consequences, but it removes vengeance from the equation so healing can begin.

Many couples have rebuilt after devastating betrayal — but it only happened because the offended spouse was willing to extend forgiveness, and the offending spouse was willing to earn trust.

When You Need to Ask for ForgivenessForgiveness isn’t only about giving it. Sometimes you need to ask for it.

That requires humility. It means taking responsibility without shifting blame. It means saying clearly what you did wrong and asking for forgiveness.

Healthy marriages are built when both spouses know how to forgive and how to repent.

The Better Way ForwardBitterness is like gasoline on a fire. Forgiveness is the extinguisher. One destroys; the other creates space for rebuilding.

If you want a healthy marriage, forgiveness cannot be optional. Pray for a softened heart. Meditate on how God has forgiven you. Choose forgiveness — again and again.

It’s not easy. But it is freeing. And it is God-honoring.

The Five Languages of Apology: How to Experience Healing in All Your Relationships

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Have you ever wondered if you’re a two-part or a three-part being? While many Christians use the terms "soul" and "spirit" interchangeably, others argue they represent distinct layers of our spiritual anatomy. In this episode, we dive deep into the classic theological debate between Dichotomy (body and soul/spirit) and Trichotomy (body, soul, and spirit). By exploring the Hebrew concept of nephesh, the "parallelism" of Mary’s song, and the "piercing" metaphor in Hebrews 4:12, we uncover why this isn't just a technical word study—it’s a vital look at how God redeems the whole person. Whether you feel like your emotions are at war with your faith or you're trying to map out your "inner self," this conversation clarifies how we are a unified "unity of dust and breath."

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What Is The “Trichotomist” View Of Human Beings? - The trichotomist view is the theological perspective that human beings are composed of three distinct parts: body, soul, and spirit. While the “dichotomist” view—the idea that man is a unified being of material (body) and immaterial (soul/spirit)—has been the more dominant position throughout church history, trichotomy seeks to make a sharper distinction between our psychological life and our spiritual life. According to this framework, the soul and spirit are not just different words for the same thing, but separate components with unique functions.
What Is the “Dichotomist” View of Human Beings? - The dichotomist view is the biblical and theological belief that human beings consist of two distinct parts: the material (the physical body) and the immaterial (the soul or spirit). Unlike the trichotomist view, which argues for a three-part breakdown of body, soul, and spirit, dichotomy suggests that “soul” and “spirit” are simply two different names for the same non-physical essence that lives on after the body dies.
Is There a Difference Between Soul and Spirit? - The Bible uses the terms “soul” and “spirit” to describe the immaterial part of a human being, but most biblical scholars believe they refer to the same essence seen from different perspectives. While some argue for a three-part (trichotomist) view, the “dichotomist” view—that humans consist of two parts, a physical body and a unified spiritual soul—is the most consistent way to understand how Scripture describes our inner life.

Key Discussion Points1. The Vocabulary of Humanity: An introduction to "Theological Anthropology" and why science alone cannot explain the immaterial part of a human being. 2. The Creation Account (Genesis 2:7): Analyzing the "math" of creation—dust (material) plus breath (immaterial) equals a living nephesh (soul). 3. The Trichotomist View: The belief in three parts: 4. Body: Physical relation to the environment. 5. Soul: The seat of personality (mind, will, emotions). 6. Spirit: The capacity for God-consciousness. 7. The Dichotomist View: The belief that "soul" and "spirit" are two names for the same immaterial essence, often used as synonyms or poetic parallelism in Scripture. 8. The "Hebrews 4:12" Dilemma: A closer look at the verse often used to prove a split between soul and spirit, and why it might actually be a metaphor for deep penetration rather than anatomical separation. 9. Holistic Redemption: Why compartmentalizing our "good spirit" from our "messy soul" is a dangerous lie, and how God seeks to redeem our entire being—thoughts, feelings, and bodies.

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In this episode, Tracy unpacks the pressure-filled world of youth sports and challenges parents to trade performance-driven parenting for Christ-centered encouragement that builds character instead of insecurity.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

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Parenting Your Kids in Sports: Encouragement That Builds CharacterSports can be one of the best training grounds for kids—or one of the most stressful parts of family life. If the thought of your child’s next game already makes you anxious, you’re not alone. Many parents feel pressure (from coaches, culture, other parents, and even themselves) to treat childhood sports like a career path. And if you’ve ever found yourself internalizing your kid’s performance as a reflection of your value as a parent, this topic is for you.

Here’s the big reality check: the sports world has changed fast. Not that long ago, kids played multiple sports at their local school and it was mostly about fun, learning skills, and being with friends. But today, it often feels like you have to “choose one sport,” join a competitive club, train year-round, travel constantly, and chase a scholarship—starting in elementary school. That pressure can turn sports from something healthy into something consuming.

But before we even talk strategy, we have to talk about heart posture. Many of us are parenting out of baggage we’ve never named. Maybe you had a coach who humiliated you. Maybe your parents were overly intense—or totally checked out. Maybe you were the star athlete and it fed pride. Or maybe you always felt like you were on the outside trying to prove yourself. Whatever your story is, it shapes how you respond to your kid’s wins, losses, effort, attitude, and mistakes.

So here’s the question that changes everything: Why do I care so much about my kid’s performance?

What does it “say about me” if they play well—or if they don’t? If you can’t answer that honestly, you’ll struggle to parent this area in a healthy way. Because we can’t lead our kids somewhere we haven’t gone ourselves.

Next, let’s talk expectations. A lot of sports culture sells a dream: “We’re going to get your kid a D1 scholarship.” But the odds are small. For many sports, only around 1–3% of high school athletes will reach that level. Most kids won’t—and that’s okay. The point of sports isn’t to build a résumé. It’s to build a person.

So what should our emphasis be?

Instead of obsessing over points, minutes, wins, and rankings, use sports to teach what matters in real life:

How to be a good teammate
How to celebrate others’ success
How to handle disappointment
How to respect authority (even when it’s imperfect)
How to show up, work hard, and not quit
How to build resilience after failure

These are character lessons your child will carry into friendships, future jobs, marriage, parenting, and faith.

And that leads to the biggest “moment” you need to get right: the post-game conversation.

Here’s a simple equation that can change your parenting:

Positive feedback + criticism = discouragement

Parents often think, “I’ll start with something positive, then mention what they need to improve.” But most kids don’t hear it that way. They hear the “but.” They leave the car ride feeling like they failed you—especially if they already feel pressure from coaches, teammates, or themselves.

Your job isn’t to be the assistant coach. Your job is to be the safe place.

That doesn’t mean you never talk about growth. It means you choose the right time and tone—and you stop piling on when your kid is already carrying weight. In the moment when emotions are high, your words should be steady, supportive, and encouraging.

And above everything, let your parenting mirror God’s heart toward you. God doesn’t love you based on performance. He doesn’t withhold affection when you fail. He’s compassionate, patient, and faithful.

Psalm 103 reminds us that the Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry, filled with unfailing love—He doesn’t constantly accuse, and He doesn’t deal harshly with us as we deserve. That’s the kind of spirit we want in our parenting, especially in the car ride home.

Sports can be fertile soil for discipleship—if we stop buying the lie that our kid has to be in the “1%” to matter. Your child’s identity isn’t “athlete.” That can be part of their story, but it doesn’t need to be the story.

The ultimate win isn’t a scholarship. It’s a kid who grows in character, stays grounded in Jesus, and learns how to live faithfully in the real world.

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Welcome back to the podcast! Join us this week for a special episode, highlighting the updates to our website in 2026!

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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In this episode Bryan connects the dots between modern prophetic scandals and early Mormonism, exposing how unchecked authority and “new revelation” can lead to deception, cover-up culture, and spiritual harm. This episode warns all believers to test everything against the Word of God, even in the Christian church.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Cover-Up Culture and the Modern Prophetic MovementImagine believing a leader hears directly from God—only to discover manipulation, deception, and hidden sin behind the scenes. Recent scandals in parts of the modern prophetic movement have exposed troubling patterns of spiritual abuse, cover-ups, and unchecked authority.

In this episode, we connect the dots between today’s prophetic controversies and similar patterns from church history—particularly early Mormonism. This isn’t about attacking charismatic Christians. It’s about recognizing red flags that can emerge whenever leaders claim special revelation and avoid accountability.

The goal? Spiritual discernment. Protecting your faith. Keeping your eyes on Jesus.

What We Cover in This Episode1. What Is the Modern “Prophetic Movement”?In some charismatic and Pentecostal circles, certain leaders claim to receive fresh, specific revelations from God. With social media and online platforms, these voices now have massive reach and influence.

Recent investigations have exposed:

Data mining disguised as prophecy
Manipulation through spiritual language
Allegations of moral failure and abuse
Institutional efforts to protect reputations over victims

These patterns aren’t new.

The Historical Parallel: Early MormonismIn the 1800s, Joseph Smith claimed prophetic authority and new revelation. Over time, a culture developed that:
Shielded leadership from accountability
Suppressed inconvenient truths
Protected institutional reputation
Minimized or denied moral failures

The release of the Gospel Topics Essays in 2013 revealed how long some historical realities had been obscured.

The lesson? Cover-up culture thrives wherever leaders claim unquestionable authority.

The Core Issue: Authority and “New Revelation”The connective tissue between past and present movements is this idea:

When someone claims direct revelation from God that overrides Scripture or bypasses accountability, danger follows.

Scripture never elevates any modern leader above the Word of God. The Bereans in Acts 17 were commended for testing even the Apostle Paul against Scripture.

No one is above God’s Word.

Five Red Flag QuestionsUse these to evaluate any church, ministry, influencer—or even this podcast.

Is the “anointing” used as a shield against accountability?If questioning a leader is labeled rebellion or “touching God’s anointed,” that’s a warning sign.

Biblical leaders welcome testing. False leaders silence it.

Is brand management prioritized over victim care?When:
NDAs silence victims
Image protection overrides transparency
Whistleblowers are shamed

You may be witnessing institutional self-protection rather than shepherding.

Is there a true plurality of leadership?Healthy churches have:
Multiple elders
Shared authority
Real oversight
Clear accountability structures

Unchecked, concentrated power almost always leads to corruption.

How are failed prophecies handled?Biblically, if someone claims to speak for God and the prophecy fails, they were wrong.

Deleting videos. Reframing predictions. Moving goalposts.

These are not biblical responses.

Does “new revelation” contradict Scripture?This is the ultimate test.

If a “fresh word”:

Overrides Scripture
Adds to Scripture
Reinterprets clear biblical teaching
Elevates a leader’s voice above the Bible

It is not from God.

The canon is closed. Jesus is the final and complete revelation of God.

The Real DangerThe enemy’s primary weapon is deception.

Cover-up culture doesn’t just damage institutions—it damages faith. When leaders fall and secrets surface, people often walk away from Jesus entirely.

But Jesus is not the problem.

Human pride and unchecked authority are.

The Bottom LineDon’t let:

Spiritual hype
Celebrity influence
Emotional experiences
Claims of secret knowledge

Distract you from the simple, sufficient Word of God.

The Bible doesn’t point to modern prophets.

It points to Jesus.

He has nothing to hide.

He needs no cover-up.

He is enough.

Related Resources1. What Is Cover-Up Culture in Prophetic Circles Today?(Article at PursueGOD.org) 2. Episodes on Mormon Gospel Topics Essays (Unveiling Mormonism Podcast) 3. Link to Mike Winger's Youtube: Mike Winger

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Greater Than the G.O.A.T.Hebrews 3:1–6

Who’s the Greatest of All Time?

In football, fans argue over quarterbacks. In basketball, it’s Jordan or LeBron. In soccer, Messi or Ronaldo. Every generation debates its heroes. Today we’re asking that same question—but for the Bible.

If you had asked a first-century Jewish believer, the answer would have been simple: Moses. He wasn’t just a leader. He was the prophet, the lawgiver, the deliverer, the mediator. If you had Moses, you had everything.

But Hebrews chapter 3 makes a bold claim: Jesus is greater.

The Pressure to Go BackThe book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians under intense pressure. They were facing persecution and social rejection. Following Jesus wasn’t easy. Going back to Judaism—to Moses—looked safer.

Can you relate? Sometimes faith costs something. Maybe it’s awkward conversations at work. Maybe it’s tension in your family. In those moments, the “old life” can look comfortable.

That’s why the author writes:

Hebrews 3:1–6 (NLT)

“And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God… think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger and High Priest… Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house as a servant… But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.”

Moses was faithful. But Jesus is greater.

Why Moses? Because to understand how great Jesus is, you have to understand how great Moses was.

The Prophet: The Mouthpiece vs. The MessageMoses was the great prophet of Israel—Moshe Rabbenu, “Moses our Teacher.” When God spoke, Moses delivered the mail.

At the burning bush, God said:

Exodus 3:10 (NLT)

“Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”

Moses went up the mountain and came down with God’s words. He was the mediator. The messenger.

But Hebrews tells us something bigger.

Hebrews 1:1–2 (NLT)

“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son.”

Moses delivered a message. Jesus is the message.

Moses told us what God said. Jesus showed us who God is. The difference isn’t subtle—it’s seismic.

The Architect: The Snapshot vs. The Whole PictureMoses didn’t just speak for God. He shaped a nation.

At Sinai, he brought down the Ten Commandments. In a world ruled by tyrants, this was revolutionary. Authority answered to a higher authority. Justice wasn’t based on mood; it was rooted in God’s character.

Even the Sabbath command was radical:

“Six days you shall labor… but the seventh day is a sabbath.”

In a world of slavery and subsistence farming, rest was unheard of. God declared that human worth wasn’t measured by productivity.

But even this was just a snapshot.

Fifteen hundred years later, Jesus revealed the whole picture:

Matthew 22:37–40 (NLT)

“‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’… ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Moses gave structure. Jesus gave fulfillment.

The law was never the final word—it was the frame around a greater portrait. Jesus didn’t abolish the law; He completed it.

The Servant: The Old House vs. The New HouseHebrews 3:5 says:

“Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later.”

An illustration. A preview. A shadow.

For centuries, God worked primarily through Israel. Kings like David. Prophets like Elijah and Isaiah. All servants in the house.

But the house wasn’t the destination—it was the conduit.

Even the Law hinted at something bigger:

Numbers 15:15 (NLT)

“Native-born Israelites and foreigners are equal before the LORD and are subject to the same decrees.”

Foreigners? Equal?

It was there all along.

Then comes the mic drop:

“But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house…”

Not just Israel. Jews and Gentiles. Insiders and outsiders. The offer of salvation goes out to all.

Moses served in the house. Jesus rules over it. And through Christ, we become it.

The Testimony of MosesIf you asked Moses, “Are you the one we should follow?” he would point beyond himself.

Jesus said:

John 5:46 (NLT)

“If you really believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me.”

That’s the point of Hebrews 3.

Moses was great. Faithful. Foundational. But his entire ministry was an illustration of what God would reveal later.

Jesus is greater than the prophet because He is the Word made flesh.

Greater than the architect because He fulfills the law.

Greater than the servant because He is the Son.

And if you belong to Him, you are part of His house.

So when the pressure comes—when faith feels costly—remember this:

Don’t retreat to the shadow when you have the substance.

Don’t go back to the servant when you have the Son.

Don’t settle for the snapshot when you’ve seen the whole picture.

Jesus is greater than the G.O.A.T.

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In this Valentine’s Day special, Bryan and Tracy reflect on nearly 30 years of marriage by choosing one word to define each decade, encouraging you to do the same. From the chaos of young parenting to the tension of busy schedules and the transition into the empty nest years, they share honest lessons from every season. Wherever you are in your marriage journey, this episode will encourage you to embrace the season you’re in and trust how God is using it to shape you both. We hope it inspires conversation for your Valentine's Day date night out!

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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WHY DID JESUS HAVE TO BECOME HUMAN? (CHRISTOLOGY 2)

Last week, we began our journey through Hebrews by focusing on Christ’s divine nature. In just four verses, we saw that Jesus is the agent, purpose, sustainer, and ruler of creation. He is fully God—uncreated, eternal, and the exact expression of God’s nature. That was a lot of theology packed into a small space.

Today we slow down and move to Christology part two: Jesus’ human nature. This raises a crucial question for Christians then and now: Why did Jesus have to become human?

The theological term for this is the incarnation—the central Christian belief that the eternal Son of God took on human nature in the person of Jesus Christ. Importantly, Jesus did not stop being God when He came to earth. He retained His divine nature and added a fully human nature. This means Jesus is one person with two distinct natures: fully God and fully man. No other being in the universe exists like this.

While on earth, Jesus didn’t “turn off” His divine power. Instead, He chose not to exercise His divine attributes independently. He lived in complete dependence on the Holy Spirit. The early church called this mystery the hypostatic union. It’s deep theology, but the book of Hebrews doesn’t present it as abstract theory. It presents it as good news.

Let’s slow down and read our passage for the day:

Hebrews 2:14–18 (NLT)

Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying…

From this passage, Hebrews gives us seven reasons Jesus had to become human.

First, Jesus became human because we are human. Since God’s children are flesh and blood, the Son also became flesh and blood. Only a human could represent the human race before God. To save humanity, the Savior had to belong to humanity. In God’s courtroom of justice, Jesus stands as our representative—one who truly understands our condition.

Second, Jesus became human so He could die. Death is the penalty for sin, established by God from the beginning. This is the great paradox of the gospel: the Author of life became mortal. If Jesus had remained only divine, He could not have died—and if He could not die, we could not overcome death. Hebrews later reminds us that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.

Third, Jesus became human so He could break the power of the devil. Hebrews says that through death, Jesus destroyed the one who had the power of death. Satan once held the authority to accuse humanity and hold eternal separation over our heads. Notice the tense—had the power of death. Through the cross, that authority was broken.

Fourth, Jesus became human to set us free from the fear of death. Death is still inevitable, but it no longer has the final word. In the ancient world, death was a constant companion, and fear of it shaped daily life. The Christian hope of resurrection transformed everything. As Paul later declared, “O death, where is your victory?” Christians don’t have to live as slaves to fear anymore.

Fifth, Jesus became human so He could be our high priest. A priest bridges the gap between a holy God and broken people. Jesus had to be made like us in every respect to fulfill this role. He is merciful toward our weakness and faithful toward God’s holiness. Hebrews will return to this theme again and again.

Sixth, Jesus became human so He could be our sacrifice. In the Old Testament, priests offered animals. In the New Covenant, the Priest is the sacrifice. This is the ultimate power move of grace: Jesus offered Himself to take away the sins of the people.

Seventh, Jesus became human so He could help us in our testing. Hebrews was written to believers facing persecution and temptation to give up. Jesus understands. He was abandoned, tempted, grieving, and suffering. Because He endured testing Himself, He is able to help us when we are tested.

The author later sums it up beautifully: because Jesus is our great High Priest, we can come boldly to God’s throne. If Jesus had remained distant in heaven, God’s throne would be a place of terrifying judgment—a “Keep Out” sign for sinners. But because Jesus added a human nature to His divine nature, God is now approachable.

You don’t have to clean yourself up. You don’t need fancy words. You come boldly—not because you are worthy, but because Jesus is. At the throne of grace, we receive mercy, not judgment.

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In this episode, Tracy unpacks the idea of a time budget and challenges us to take an honest look at how we spend our time and what it reveals about our true priorities. By examining our daily routines, she invites us to align our schedules with what we say matters most—especially our relationship with God.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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What Your Time Says About What You Truly Care AboutOverviewWe all have the same 24 hours in a day. How we spend those hours tells a powerful story—one that reveals our true priorities, passions, and commitments. It’s easy to say we value certain things—faith, family, health—but when we step back and take an honest look at how we actually spend our time, the truth becomes clear. Are we really living according to the values we claim to hold dear?

Time Is the Ultimate Indicator of PriorityThink about it: if someone tracked your daily routine for a week, what would they discover? Maybe they’d find that your evenings are filled with sports practices, Netflix binges, or endless scrolling on your phone. Church attendance or involvement might fall down the list with sports tourneys for the kids, camping on the weekends or other vacations. Maybe work consumes your days and fatigue takes your nights. None of these are inherently bad—but when they take up the bulk of our time, we have to ask: What’s being left out?

From Habits of the Household — Justin Whitmel Earley“Moments aggregate, and they become memories and tradition. Our routines become who we are, become the story and culture of our families.

“Think of it like this: when it comes to spiritual formation, our households are not simply products of what we teach and say. They are much more products of what we practice and do.” These habits of the household are giving our children windows into what we mean when we talk about faith.

“The liturgical lens allows us to see all of our normal moments for what they really are: moments of worship to someone or something.”

The Time Budget ExerciseOne of the most eye-opening exercises you can do is create a "time budget". Just like a financial budget shows you where your money goes, a time budget breaks down how you spend the 168 hours in your week. Include everything: sleep, work, meals, commutes, entertainment, family time, exercise, screen time—and yes, time with God.

Take time to do a time breakdown of a month. Think of all that you do in a day and in a week.

What Does Your Time Budget Reveal?Once you've created your time budget, take a step back and look at it. Ask yourself:

What gets the most hours?
What gets squeezed in?
What gets neglected entirely?
And most importantly: Where does God fit in your week?

The expectation isn’t to say you should spend hours in prayer and Bible reading a day, but a good question to ask is, “How much time does God get?” It’s about recognizing whether your relationship with God is being treated as a priority or an afterthought.

A Call to ChooseIn Joshua 24:14–15, Joshua challenges the people of Israel to make a decision:

“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness… But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua's words are a reminder that faithfulness requires intention. You don’t accidentally serve God with your life—you choose to. And that choice is reflected in how you spend your time.

Adjusting the BudgetIf your time budget reveals that God is getting your leftovers, don’t be discouraged—make a change. Just like with a financial budget, adjustments are possible. Maybe it means starting your morning with prayer instead of scrolling. Maybe it’s carving out time in your week for church, Bible study, or serving others.

Reallocating your time is about aligning your daily rhythms with what (and Who) matters most.

Final ThoughtThe truth is simple: how you spend your time is how you spend your life. And your life is shaped by your priorities.

If God is truly important to you, let it show up in your schedule. Not just in theory—but in practice, day by day, hour by hour.

ScriptureDeuteronomy 6:5–9

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

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While the Bible depicts the devil as a formidable and active force in our world, his authority is far from absolute. Often misunderstood as an equal opposite to God, the devil is actually a created being whose influence is strictly bound by divine permission. His "power" is less about brute force and more about the strategic use of deception, accusation, and the exploitation of human fear. This episode explores the specific nature of his influence—often described as the "god of this world"—while highlighting the ultimate victory that renders him a defeated foe for those who stand in the truth of Christ.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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The Ruler of a Fallen WorldThe devil is frequently referred to as the "ruler of this world" or the "god of this age." This doesn't imply legal ownership of the earth, but rather a pervasive influence over its current systems and spiritual darkness.

Atmospheric Influence: He works through human culture and philosophies to nudge people toward rebellion.
Spiritual Hierarchy: While not omnipresent (like God), he leads a structure of spiritual forces aimed at clouding human judgment.
Temporary Authority: His "rule" is a result of humanity's original fall and remains only as long as God allows it for His greater purposes.

The Strategy of DeceptionThe devil’s most potent weapon isn't physical; it is misinformation. By masquerading as an "angel of light," he twists truth to create mental strongholds.

The Father of Lies: Deception is his native language. He seeks to make good look evil and evil look good.
The Accuser: He uses our failures to convince us we are beyond God’s grace, effectively sidelining our faith through guilt.
Mental Strongholds: By planting seeds of doubt regarding God's goodness, he leads individuals into spiritual bondage.

"He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies." — John 8:44

Breaking the Power of DeathHistorically, the devil used the fear of death as a chain to keep humanity in slavery. Because sin leads to death, he used human guilt as a legal claim.

The Great Disarming: Through the incarnation and resurrection, Jesus broke this power.
A Change in Perspective: For the believer, death is no longer a tool of the enemy or a source of dread, but a transition into the presence of God.

Boundaries and Divine PermissionA crucial theological point is that the devil and God are not equal. The devil is on a "leash" and must operate within boundaries set by the Creator.

The Job Example: In the Book of Job, Satan had to request permission before acting, and God set strict limits on what he could touch.
Finite Capabilities: The devil is not all-knowing, not all-powerful, and cannot be in multiple places at once.

How to Resist the InfluenceVictory over the devil’s influence is not achieved through human willpower, but through submission to God.

Resist and Flee: The promise is that when we resist him, he will flee.
The Armor of God: This "armor" is comprised of spiritual truths (The Gospel, Righteousness, and the Word of God).
No Forced Sin: While he can tempt and suggest, he cannot control a person's will unless they give him ground.

The Takeaway: The devil is a defeated enemy. While we must remain "sober and alert," we do not need to live in paranoia. The "One who is in you" is infinitely greater than the one in the world.

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In this episode, Brandi and AJ share how unanswered questions, painful discovery, and an honest search for truth led them from “grinding for godhood” in Mormonism to encountering the real Jesus of the Bible.

Check out Brandi's Book: The Journey to Jesus: Finding Christ after Leaving Mormonism

Brandi's Instagram

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Brandi and AJ’s Story: Mormon to Atheist to ChristianBrandi and AJ were doing everything “right.” They were BYU grads, married, building a life, raising kids, and fully committed to the LDS vision of a faithful future. AJ describes it like “grinding for godhood”—a life built on steps, worthiness, temple goals, and constant striving. But then the foundation started to crack.

For AJ, some of the doctrinal history raised unsettling questions (including ideas like “blood atonement,” which they mention they’ll unpack later). For Brandi, the tipping point was watching changes in the LDS church after COVID and feeling like the church was shifting in a more progressive direction. She tried to address it the way a devoted member would: she wrote letters to Salt Lake City headquarters about what she saw as inconsistency—especially related to abortion and human life. She wasn’t trying to tear anything down. She genuinely believed the LDS church was true, and she wanted it to be consistent.

But the response felt dismissive—more like a polite pat on the head than a meaningful engagement. That frustration pushed them into a place they never thought they’d go: researching.

Looking for answers… without wanting to “deconstruct”Brandi makes an important clarification: they weren’t hunting for “gotcha” moments. They didn’t go searching because they assumed the church was false. In fact, they needed it to be true. That’s why reading outside sources felt dangerous. AJ describes that fear as avoiding the “cognitive dissonance fire”—because their hearts were convinced, and they didn’t want their minds persuaded that everything was a lie.

But once they started reading, the “genie” didn’t go back in the bottle.

They looked at sources like MormonThink because it included multiple perspectives—both critical claims and apologetic responses. That felt more balanced. Still, it wasn’t official, and Brandi felt guilty even being there. Eventually, as more historical issues piled up (like multiple First Vision accounts, questions surrounding the Book of Abraham, and other details they had never been taught), Brandi felt desperate for the church itself to clarify things. So they turned to the Gospel Topics Essays—official LDS content hosted on the LDS website.

That’s where everything shifted.

Instead of restoring confidence, the essays confirmed key issues and, in Brandi’s view, exposed more “spin” than clarity. For the first time, she seriously wrestled with the question: What if the church isn’t true?

The crossroads: nuance or truthAJ explains how people often survive early doubts by “nuancing” their faith—making room for uncomfortable data while keeping the system intact. But eventually, they reached a crossroads: Would they live in a growing pile of nuance just to keep the community and structure—or would they follow truth wherever it led, even if it cost them everything?

For them, it took about six months of intense study—re-reading, checking footnotes, cross-referencing sources, and trying to disprove what they were learning. And then came a painful realization: staying “for the good parts” wasn’t enough. They feared raising their kids inside something they no longer believed—only to have their kids later say, “You knew, and you still taught us.”

So they left.

Why ex-Mormons often leave faith altogetherThey explain why this often leads to losing all faith. Mormonism doesn’t just shape beliefs—it shapes identity, habits, relationships, and your entire framework for “the good life.” If you were taught you had the pinnacle of truth—and it collapses—then everything else can feel like lesser options or chaos.

AJ’s next step was simple: keep morality, keep family values, and “worship God in the mountains.” Brandi’s journey was darker at first. For a moment, atheism felt peaceful—like relief from endless striving and spiritual pressure. But that peace didn’t last. Holding her baby, she started asking deeper questions: Why is there something rather than nothing? Where does consciousness come from? Can I really trust my feelings to define truth?

She realized she needed sturdier ground than emotion and authority.

A new search: truth, the Bible, and the resurrectionBrandi began exploring arguments for God, morality, and the reliability of the Old Testament. That season pulled her into what she calls her “Jewish era”—not literally converting, but deeply studying the Hebrew Scriptures and seeing how unique the Bible’s ethical monotheism really is.

But she also noticed something: the story didn’t feel finished.

Eventually, the Old Testament pushed her toward the question she didn’t want to touch: Jesus. After years of associating His name with LDS pain and betrayal, she approached Jesus through a historical lens: Who was this man who changed the world’s calendar? Why does every major worldview have to deal with Him?

Then she went straight to the hinge point: the resurrection.

Because if Jesus rose from the dead, He is not just a teacher—He is Lord. And if He is Lord, then Christianity isn’t another “system.” It’s a surrender. Brandi describes the moment she felt the implications land: If this is true, it’s the most important event in human history.

AJ’s journey took a different route. He had to be confronted with sin—not just mistakes, but real guilt before a holy God. The Bible dismantled his “good person” confidence. He began to see that the gospel isn’t self-improvement. It’s rescue.

That’s the contrast they highlight:

In Mormonism, the “problem” is untapped potential.
In Christianity, the problem is sin and separation from God.
In Mormonism, the “solution” is a system of ordinances and obedience.
In Christianity, the solution is Jesus—His finished work, received by faith.

And that’s where their story is headed: not toward a better version of themselves, but toward a Savior who actually saves.

Scripture References (NLT): Jeremiah 29:13; Mark 4:9; Isaiah 53:5-6; Romans 3:10-12; Isaiah 64:6; Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.

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The Seven Attributes of Jesus (Christology 1)Big Idea: Jesus Christ is not just a chapter in the story of God; He is the Author, the Hero, and the Ending. When we see Jesus for who He truly is, every other priority in our lives finds its proper place.

Today we begin a nine-week journey through the Book of Hebrews, a letter written to magnify the greatness of Jesus Christ. Hebrews isn’t primarily about religious rules, moral improvement, or spiritual techniques. It’s about Jesus—who He is and what He has done. Everything else flows from that foundation.

The original audience was likely Jewish Christians living under Roman rule, facing intense persecution. As pressure mounted, many were tempted to abandon their faith in Jesus and return to the familiarity and safety of traditional Judaism. Hebrews speaks directly into that tension with one clear message: Jesus is greater than anyone or anything that came before Him. To walk away from Him would be to walk away from the fulfillment of all God’s promises.

The author of Hebrews remains anonymous, one of the great mysteries of the New Testament. While Paul may have influenced it, the writing style is far more polished and rhetorically sophisticated than Paul’s letters. Hebrews chapter 1 proves this immediately. Verses 1–4 form a single, majestic sentence in the original Greek—an exordium, designed to grab attention with both beauty and weight.

Hebrews 1:1–4 (NLT) sets the stage:

“Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son…”

In the Old Testament, God spoke in fragments—a dream here, a burning bush there, a prophet’s warning along the way. But in Jesus, God didn’t just send messages; He sent the Message. This is Christology—the study of the person and work of Jesus Christ—and Hebrews wastes no time getting to the point.

In verses 2–3, the author unleashes a rapid-fire description of Jesus using seven distinct attributes. In Scripture, the number seven represents completeness and perfection. Together, these form a full portrait of the Son.

Jesus is the Heir—the goal of history. God has promised everything to Him as an inheritance. History is not random; it is moving toward the coronation of King Jesus. He is the “why” behind all creation.

Jesus is the Creator—the architect of reality. Through Him, God made the universe. Jesus is not a created being; He is the source of all things. Nothing exists apart from His will.

Jesus is the Radiance—the shining glory of God. He doesn’t merely reflect God’s glory like the moon reflects sunlight; He radiates it. The Son is the visible manifestation of the invisible God—“Light from Light.”

Jesus is the Expression—the exact imprint of God’s nature. The Greek word charaktēr refers to a stamp or seal. Jesus doesn’t resemble God; He perfectly represents Him. To see Jesus is to see God.

Jesus is the Sustainer—the glue of the cosmos. He holds everything together by the power of His word. The universe doesn’t persist on autopilot; it endures because Jesus commands it to.

Jesus is the Savior—the cleanser of sin. When He purified us from our sins, the work was finished. Unlike Old Testament priests who never sat down, Jesus completed the work once for all.

Finally, Jesus is the Ruler—the seated King. He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven, a position of total authority. The victory is won.

Hebrews 1:4 reminds us that Jesus is far greater than angels, traditions, or anything else we might be tempted to trust. For believers facing hardship, this truth re-centers everything.

The message of Hebrews is clear: It’s all about Jesus. When we see Him rightly, everything else falls into place.

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In this episode, Tracy and her son AJ (almost 23) share a field guide for parenting in the digital age. Drawing from AJ’s experience growing up with smartphones and social media, the conversation isn’t meant to scare parents—but to wake them up and help them guide their kids with biblical wisdom.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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Field Guide for Parents: The Digital World and Your KidsIf you’re a parent today, you’re raising kids in a world you didn’t grow up in. Smartphones. Social media. Gaming communities. Private messaging. Endless scrolling. And the truth is, most of us are trying to parent through technology we don’t fully understand—while our kids often understand it better than we do.

In this episode, Tracy teams up with her son AJ (almost 23) to offer a “field guide” for navigating the digital world with your kids. AJ grew up in the smartphone/social media era and shares what he’s learned—both from experience and from research. They call it a cautionary tale, not because parents should panic, but because parents should wake up.

Here’s the big idea: a smartphone isn’t just a phone. It’s a powerful tool with access to an entire universe—and a lot of that universe is unfiltered, unsafe, and deeply shaping.

The Pressure Is Real—But So Is the DangerParents feel the pressure early. Today, many kids are getting smartphones in elementary school. And when “everyone has one,” kids start to feel like they’ll be left out socially if they don’t.

AJ shares that this pressure isn’t just about having a device—it’s about access to the communication apps everyone uses. If your kid isn’t on the group chat or the app the team uses, they can feel isolated.

But here’s the problem: social pressure is not a good reason to hand your child a tool they aren’t ready to handle.

Start With the Right Question: Is My Kid Ready for the Responsibility?A better question than “When should my kid get a phone?” is: Is my child ready for this responsibility?

There are phone options that allow for basic communication without opening the floodgates of social media, porn, and endless content. Parents can start with a “dumb phone” and treat it like training wheels.

AJ compares it to driving a car: you don’t hand your kid the keys and hope for the best. You teach them. You supervise. You build habits. You set boundaries. You require trust and responsibility over time.

Boundaries Aren’t About Control—They’re About ProtectionIf you decide to give your child a phone, boundaries matter.

Some practical boundaries include:

Screen time limits (and learning delayed gratification)
No phone in the bedroom at night
Charging phones in a public place
No phone use until homework/chores are done
Parents know passwords and have full access
Regular conversations about what your child is doing online

The goal isn’t to micromanage forever. The goal is to train your child to be wise and self-controlled before they’re fully on their own.

The Hidden Dangers Most Parents MissThis episode also highlights the “hidden dangers” that many parents don’t realize until it’s too late:

1) Algorithms

Social media apps are designed to learn what your child likes and then feed them more of it—often in addictive cycles. What starts as “normal” can quickly become a constant stream of harmful content.

2) Comparison Culture

Social media trains kids to compare their life to everyone else’s highlight reel. This fuels insecurity, anxiety, depression, and identity confusion—especially for young women.

3) Private Messaging & Predators

Many apps (including gaming communities) allow private conversations. Kids can be groomed, manipulated, bullied, catfished, or blackmailed by people pretending to be someone they’re not.

4) Sexual Content

One of the most urgent warnings is exposure to sexual content and pornography, which can happen shockingly early. AJ emphasizes that kids are not neurologically equipped to handle this—and it can shape their brains, desires, and relationships for years.

A Simple Framework for Different AgesTo help parents think strategically, the episode ends with a framework:

Elementary School: focus on obedience and trust (if any phone, start basic)
Middle School: focus on wisdom and self-control (strong boundaries, high caution)
High School: focus on ownership and integrity (preparing for adulthood)

And above all: don’t assume “everyone else is doing it” means you should too.

A Biblical Lens for Digital ParentingThe episode closes with a reminder that Christian parenting is countercultural. God’s people don’t follow the world’s patterns just because they’re common. We protect our kids, shepherd their hearts, and help them grow in wisdom.

Romans 12:2 (NLT) says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”

Parents, this conversation is not about fear. It’s about discernment. Your child’s heart, mind, and future are too valuable to leave to the wild west of the internet.

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In this episode, Bryan sits down with Brandi and AJ to hear how a lifetime of devotion to Mormon exaltation turned into what they call “grinding for godhood”—a relentless pursuit of worthiness, temple marriage, and eternal approval. Their story reveals the hidden pressure of a works-based faith and sets the stage for how God began to unravel everything they thought was true.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Check out Brandi's Book: The Journey to Jesus: Finding Christ after Leaving Mormonism

Grinding for Godhood: Life Inside Mormon ExaltationIn this episode, Bryan talks with Brandi and AJ, two former Mormons who were fully committed to their faith from childhood. Brandi introduces a phrase that captures their experience perfectly: “grinding for godhood.” It describes a life shaped by striving—keeping covenants, qualifying for temple blessings, and doing everything necessary to reach exaltation.

What does “grinding for godhood” mean?Brandi explains that from a young age she believed her purpose was to tap into her divine nature and eventually become like God. This wasn’t driven by ego or a desire to be worshiped. It felt like obligation—this is what I was created for, and I have to take it seriously.

AJ felt the same pressure. The temple represented the ultimate goal: exaltation, eternal family, and eternal progression. Getting to the temple—and staying worthy—was everything.

Women, godhood, and the templeFor Brandi, godhood wasn’t just a “male” idea. She fully expected to become like a “Heavenly Mother,” even though Heavenly Mother was rarely discussed in Mormonism. Eternity was tied to temple marriage, which meant finding the right husband wasn’t optional—it was essential.

That belief raised the stakes on dating, college decisions, and life itself.

Utah vs. California MormonismAJ grew up in Utah, where Mormonism was normal and rarely questioned. Brandi grew up in California, constantly interacting with non-Mormons and Christians who challenged her beliefs. Instead of weakening her faith, that pressure made her more confident and outspoken.

Brandi actively debated theology, defended the Restoration, and gave Book of Mormons to friends and teachers—believing she was sharing something life-changing.

BYU and the pressure to marryAt BYU Provo, the urgency intensified. Brandi describes the dating culture as competitive and stressful. Being single as a junior or senior felt like failure. Marriage wasn’t just about love—it was about eternity.

When Brandi and AJ began dating, the pressure followed them into engagement. Brandi admits she feared something tragic might happen before they were sealed in the temple. Eternity felt fragile, dependent on timing, worthiness, and obedience.

Garments, worthiness, and spiritual pressureBrandi explains receiving her endowment and garments—milestones she had looked forward to for years. They symbolized progress toward exaltation. Yet at the same time, she felt uncomfortable with the legalism and image-driven culture she saw in Utah Mormonism.

She loved Mormon theology and the idea of living the “higher law,” but she also felt suffocated by expectations to look perfect and hide weakness.

The first cracksNeither Brandi nor AJ were looking to leave Mormonism. They loved it. Their families were all in. But cracks began to form.

AJ’s started when he learned about blood atonement in a BYU religion class—something he had never heard despite years in the church. It forced him to reconsider the claim that prophets would never teach error.

Brandi’s concerns began with leadership decisions and perceived contradictions. Those questions eventually led them to consider researching issues more deeply—something they had been taught to avoid.

They describe that moment as frightening and disorienting. Looking outside approved sources felt wrong, even sinful. But once they started asking honest questions, everything changed.

The episode ends on a cliffhanger as Brandi and AJ stand at the edge of a journey they never planned to take.

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A Brutally Honest Take on the UncontrollablesWe live in a culture obsessed with control. Hustle harder. Plan smarter. Pray longer. If you do all the right things, life should cooperate. That’s the promise of hustle culture—and it’s incredibly seductive.

But Ecclesiastes offers a brutally honest response.

As we close our Ecclesiastes series, Qoheleth—the Teacher—pulls back the curtain on the illusion of control. Life “under the sun” is not a machine we operate; it’s a mystery we inhabit. And the more we try to control it, the more frustrated and disillusioned we become.

Earlier in the book, Qoheleth introduced us to two key ideas that shape everything else. First, his name—Qoheleth—means “Teacher,” the one who gathers people to tell the truth. Second, the word hevel—often translated “meaningless”—literally means vapor. Life is fleeting, unstable, and impossible to grasp.

Pleasure is hevel.

Wealth is hevel.

They’re not sins. They’re not gods. They’re gifts—but terrible masters.

In this final message, Ecclesiastes confronts three unavoidable realities of life: the uncontrollables.

You Can’t Control the CreatorWe live under the illusion that we are in charge—especially in American culture. Ecclesiastes says otherwise.

Ecclesiastes 7:13–14 (NLT) says, “Accept the way God does things, for who can straighten what he has made crooked?”

The hardest truth for control-oriented people is this: God is God, and we are not.

Scripture teaches that God is sovereign—not just aware of events, but actively holding the universe together and directing history toward His purposes. Sometimes God acts directly. Sometimes He allows human choices. But even when He permits something, He never loses control.

God is the primary cause—the one with the plan and the power.

Humans are secondary causes—we make real choices with real responsibility.

The bottom line is humbling: you are not the scriptwriter of your life.

You Can’t Control the ConsequencesWe assume life is a meritocracy—that the fastest, smartest, and hardest-working people always win. Ecclesiastes dismantles that assumption.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 (NLT) says, “The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race… It is all decided by chance, by being in the right place at the right time.”

Timing matters. Circumstances matter. Opportunity matters.

This doesn’t mean effort is pointless. In fact, Ecclesiastes affirms wisdom and preparation.

Ecclesiastes 10:10 (NLT) says, “Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade.”

Sharpen the blade. Work hard. Be wise.

But even then, outcomes are never guaranteed.

Ecclesiastes doesn’t call us to quit trying—it calls us to stop pretending we’re in control.

You Can’t Control the ClockSome people are better at predicting the future than others. Many of them are rich. But it’s still a guess.

Ecclesiastes is clear: the future is unknowable, and death is unavoidable.

Ecclesiastes 8:7–8 (NLT) says, “No one really knows what is going to happen… None of us can hold back our spirit from departing.”

No amount of money, innovation, or optimism can stop time—or death. The human mortality rate remains a steady 100%.

That reality sounds dark until we realize what Ecclesiastes is doing: stripping away false hope so we can find real hope.

The Only Thing You Can ControlIf we can’t control the Creator, the consequences, or the clock—what can we control?

Ecclesiastes ends with clarity.

Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 (NLT) says, “Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty.”

You can control your response to God.

Not your parents’ faith.

Not your spouse’s obedience.

Not your pastor’s integrity.

Yours.

To fear God means more than being afraid. It means awe, reverence, humility, and trust. And obedience naturally flows from that posture—not because outcomes are guaranteed, but because God is worthy.

The Gospel Answer to the UncontrollablesQoheleth lived “under the sun”—under the law, under the cycle, under the shadow of death. He didn’t see the full picture.

But we do.

Jesus stepped directly into the uncontrollables. He entered a world of chance, suffering, and death. He took the judgment Ecclesiastes warns about. He broke the cycle we couldn’t escape.

Life under the sun finds its answer in the Son.

The brutal honesty of Ecclesiastes doesn’t lead to despair—it leads to trust.

Your duty isn’t to be in control.

It’s to live in submission to the One who already is.

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Welcome back to the podcast!

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Today we're discussing part 7 in our 12-week Discipleship series with hosts Bryan Dwyer and Ross Anderson. Getting to your defining moment of faith is more than the end of your old life; it’s the beginning of a new one! Baptism is a symbol of that new life.

In this lesson we’ll learn 5 reasons why Christians should get baptized.

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In this episode, Bryan and Layne show why the Holy Spirit isn’t a reward you earn or a feeling you chase—but God’s personal presence given to everyone who trusts in the real Jesus.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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How the Holy Spirit Works Personally (and Why Mormonism Leaves People Unsure)In the last episode, we talked about how a biblical church doesn’t need one “capital P” Prophet to speak for God. Jesus didn’t set up His church to be led by a single man with exclusive access to heaven’s messages. Instead, the book of Acts shows something radically different: God gives His Holy Spirit to every believer, revealing truth through Scripture and confirming it through the people of God.

But here’s the question that hits closer to home: How does the Holy Spirit work on a personal level?

That’s where this conversation gets especially helpful—because Layne lived for 40 years inside Mormonism, where the Holy Spirit is often treated like something you earn, maintain, or even lose. And if you grew up LDS, you know the anxiety: Do I have the Holy Ghost? Did I lose it? Am I worthy enough today?

The “Holy Ghost” in Mormonism: A Gift You’re Never Quite Sure You HaveIn Mormon teaching, people are told about the “gift of the Holy Ghost,” along with ideas like “confirmations,” “warm feelings,” and the famous “burning in the bosom.” It’s often described as something that comes after baptism, through priesthood hands, and after ongoing obedience and ordinances.

But here’s the problem: many Latter-day Saints live with what Layne calls Holy Spirit insecurity.

You might feel something during prayer or a testimony meeting—then you mess up later and wonder if God is gone. The whole cycle can become spiritually exhausting, emotionally draining, and mentally confusing. Instead of a steady relationship with God, you’re chasing a spiritual signal that feels like it comes and goes.

The Holy Spirit Is a “He,” Not an “It”One of the practical moments in this episode is when the guys stop and talk about pronouns—because it reveals something deeper.

In biblical Christianity, the Holy Spirit isn’t an impersonal force. He is a person. Not a “thing” or “energy” or “vibe.” He has personhood. That’s why Christians speak of Him as “He,” not because the Spirit has a gender, but because He’s personal—God Himself dwelling in believers.

Mormonism may technically describe the Holy Ghost as a person, but it’s within a very different framework: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost as separate beings (and functionally separate gods). That changes everything. Instead of God’s direct presence, the Holy Ghost becomes more like a messenger—someone sent—while leaving people unsure what God the Father is doing, and unsure whether they can really trust what they’re experiencing.

Feelings vs. Fruit: What Are You Actually Chasing?A big “aha” in this conversation is how Mormon “spiritual feelings” often function differently than Christian worship and discipleship.

In many Christian settings, feelings can be part of worship—people may feel deeply connected to God. But in Mormonism, the emotional goal often shifts toward something else:

Feeling affirmed that the church is true
Feeling confirmed that Joseph Smith was a prophet
Feeling validated that “we can’t all be wrong”
Feeling like you made the right choice by staying loyal

Layne describes how testimony meetings can become an emotional loop where everyone repeats the same ideas in a “vanilla” way, and the shared group emotion becomes “evidence.” It turns subjective, and over time, it trains people not only how to think—but how to feel.

And if you’re not feeling it? You hide it. You fake it. You wonder what’s wrong with you.

That’s not the freedom Jesus offers.

The Bible’s Answer: You Receive the Holy Spirit When You BelieveHere’s the clearest contrast of the entire episode:

In the Bible, the Holy Spirit is not earned. He is received.

Jesus promises that those who believe will receive the Spirit:

John 7:38–39 explains that the “living water” Jesus offers is the Holy Spirit, given to everyone who believes.
Galatians 3:2 says believers receive the Spirit by faith, not by works.
Ephesians 1:13 says when you believed in Christ, you were marked as God’s own by the promised Holy Spirit.

That means you don’t have to wonder every day whether you “still have Him.” You don’t have to earn His presence with performance. When you trust Jesus—the Jesus of the Bible—God seals you as His own.

And that leads to an important (and challenging) statement: Mormonism offers counterfeits—of Jesus, the gospel, and the Holy Spirit. The goal of this episode isn’t to help people “fake it better.” It’s to call people to the real Christ and the real Spirit.

The Spirit’s Main Job: Glorify JesusJohn 16:13–14 makes it clear: the Holy Spirit guides believers into truth, and that truth centers on one thing—glorifying Jesus.

That becomes a diagnostic question:

Is “the Spirit” you’re following pointing you to a prophet—or pointing you to Christ?

If your spiritual experiences consistently push you toward trusting a man, a system, or an institution as the ultimate authority, that should raise red flags. The Holy Spirit’s mission is to make Christ clearer, not to make a prophet central.

Transformation Is the EvidenceLayne ends with five “fruit checks”—not to prove you have the Spirit (faith in Jesus settles that), but to show what the Spirit produces over time:

Love for God’s Word and truth
Conviction of sin and repentance without shame
Joy and peace not dependent on circumstances
Christlike character (the fruit of the Spirit)
Dependence on Christ instead of earning God’s favor

The real evidence isn’t a momentary feeling—it’s long-term transformation.

And that’s good news: because even when you don’t “feel” spiritual, you can still trust God’s promises. Faith isn’t following emotions. Faith is trusting the Word of God—and the Spirit uses that truth to change you from the inside out.

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A Brutally Honest Take on Work and WealthWe spend an enormous amount of our lives thinking about work and worrying about money. How much should we save? How hard should we hustle? Will we ever have enough?

The book of Ecclesiastes meets those questions head-on—with refreshing honesty.

Written by “the Teacher” (Qoheleth), Ecclesiastes doesn’t offer clichés or easy answers. Instead, it introduces us to a key idea that shapes everything else: hevel—a Hebrew word meaning vapor, smoke, or breath. Something real, but fleeting. Visible, but impossible to grasp.

Think of smoke. You can see it. It looks solid. But the moment you try to grab it, it slips right through your fingers. That, the Teacher says, is what money is like. It’s real and useful—but if you try to build your life on it, you’ll eventually discover you’re standing on nothing.

The Big Idea: Money is a helpful tool, but a horrible god.

Below are five timeless insights from Ecclesiastes that help us hold work and wealth with wisdom and humility.

Work and Wealth Are Good Gifts from GodEcclesiastes is clear: work itself is not the problem. In fact, the Teacher calls it a gift.

Ecclesiastes 5:19 (NLT)

“And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it… this is indeed a gift from God.”

Notice where wealth comes from—from God. That means we are not the source of our wealth; we are stewards of it. The Bible never commands us to be poor, unemployed, or lazy. Instead, it consistently warns against idleness.

Work is good. Earning is good. Enjoying the fruit of your labor is good—when it’s received as a gift, not treated as a god.

Don’t Sacrifice Your Peace for a PaycheckWhile work is good, toil is not.

Ecclesiastes 4:6 (NLT)

“Better to have one handful with quietness than two handfuls with hard work and chasing the wind.”

There’s hevel again. Hustle culture promises fulfillment but often delivers exhaustion. When success steals your sleep, your joy, and your sanity, something is off.

The Teacher observes that those who work hard tend to sleep well—but the wealthy often lie awake at night, anxious and restless. More money doesn’t always mean more peace.

Money Can’t Buy True HappinessIf money could satisfy the human heart, then having more would finally be enough. But Ecclesiastes says otherwise.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 (NLT)

“Those who love money will never have enough.”

The problem isn’t having money—it’s loving it. Wealth constantly promises happiness just one step ahead: a little more, a little better, a little bigger. But that finish line never arrives.

The New Testament echoes this wisdom, warning that the love of money leads to sorrow, spiritual drift, and deep regret. Money makes a terrible savior.

Enjoy What You Have Right NowHere’s one of the most practical lessons in Ecclesiastes:

Ecclesiastes 6:9 (NLT)

“Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don’t have.”

Wealth can’t buy happiness—but what you already have can be enjoyed. Contentment isn’t getting everything you want; it’s learning to appreciate what God has already given.

Gratitude replaces coveting. Presence replaces comparison. Jesus reinforced this truth when he warned that life is not measured by how much we own.

You Can’t Take Any of It With YouEcclesiastes repeatedly reminds us of a simple reality: we arrive with nothing, and we leave with nothing.

Ecclesiastes 5:15 (NLT)

“We can’t take our riches with us.”

This truth isn’t meant to depress us—it’s meant to free us. There are no hearses pulling U-Hauls. One second after you die, your net worth is zero.

That’s why Jesus ends his parable in Luke 12 with a warning: a person is foolish to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.

The Solid Ground Beneath It AllMoney is hevel. Real, but fleeting. Useful, but unreliable.

God, on the other hand, is solid ground.

The gospel invites us to stop worshiping the gift and start trusting the Giver. True wealth isn’t found in what we accumulate—but in a relationship with God that can never be taken away.

Luke 12:21 (NLT)

“A person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”

That kind of wealth lasts forever.

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In this episode, Tracy confronts the reality that culture is already discipling our teens about identity and sexuality and challenges parents and mentors to step in with honest, ongoing conversations rooted in biblical truth and grace.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

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Talking with Teens About Sexuality: Discipling Kids in a Confusing WorldTeens today are growing up in a world flooded with messages about identity, intimacy, and sexuality. From social media feeds and streaming shows to school hallways and group chats, culture is constantly catechizing them—often long before parents or mentors realize it. That leaves adults with a choice: avoid the conversation out of fear or discomfort, or step into it with honesty, compassion, and biblical truth.

In Talking with Teens about Sexuality, counselor Beth Robinson and Latayne C. Scott offer a much-needed roadmap for navigating one of the most intimidating areas of discipleship. Rather than promoting fear-based rules or one-time lectures, the authors equip parents and mentors to engage in thoughtful, ongoing conversations about sex, identity, relationships, boundaries, pornography, dating, gender, and online influences.

A key insight of the book is this: teens aren’t just battling hormones—they’re battling an entire culture that is shaping their beliefs every single day. Algorithms are discipling them. Influencers are normalizing behaviors. Entertainment is redefining identity and intimacy. If Christian adults remain silent or reactive, they shouldn’t be surprised when culture becomes the loudest voice in a teen’s life.

Robinson and Scott insist that intentionality is essential. Parents don’t need to have all the answers, but they do need to be present, informed, and emotionally available. Teens are far more likely to listen when they feel understood rather than lectured. That’s why the book repeatedly emphasizes listening before teaching, empathy before correction, and relationship before instruction.

Another strength of the book is how it reframes God’s design for sexuality. Instead of presenting biblical boundaries as arbitrary rules meant to limit freedom, Robinson and Scott show how Scripture presents them as gifts meant to protect dignity, foster trust, and lead to wholeness. Teens are desperate for a vision of sexuality that offers hope rather than shame—and the Bible provides exactly that.

The authors are also realistic. They acknowledge that parents cannot control everything their teens encounter. Pornography, sexualized content, and identity-driven messaging are nearly unavoidable in today’s digital world. But while parents can’t control the culture, they can guide their teens through it. They can create homes where hard questions are welcomed, mistakes are met with grace, and truth is spoken clearly and lovingly.

Ultimately, Talking with Teens about Sexuality is not just a parenting manual—it’s a discipleship guide. It reminds us that shaping a teen’s view of sexuality is inseparable from shaping their understanding of God, identity, and purpose. When parents and mentors stay engaged, humble, and gospel-centered, their influence remains far more powerful than they might realize.

We may not get to choose the world our teens grow up in—but by God’s grace, we do get to walk with them through it.

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In this episode, Bryan and Layne show from Acts and the Old Testament that Jesus didn’t set up His church to be led by “one guy,” but by the Holy Spirit—giving every believer direct access to God with Jesus as the Head.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

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How Does God Lead His Church Today?Many people assume that if God is real, and if the church matters, then God must lead His people through one central human authority—one prophet, one president, one pope, one voice you can always trust. That’s a natural assumption, especially if you grew up in a system where spiritual certainty came from the top down.

In Mormonism, that “one guy” model is baked into the culture. You’re taught to trust the prophet’s voice. You stand when he enters. You sing songs about him. You learn, subtly, to confuse the voice of the Spirit with the voice of a leader. And over time, it can become so normal that you don’t even notice what’s happening: you start substituting God’s voice for the voice of man.

But here’s the key question: Is that how Jesus set up His church to work?

When we open the Bible, the answer is clear—no. Jesus did not design His church to depend on one human “main character” who can’t be questioned. Instead, Jesus promised something far more personal, more powerful, and more stable: He would lead His church by the Holy Spirit, with Jesus as the Head.

Jesus’ Blueprint Starts in ActsIf you want to understand how God leads the church, you have to start in Acts 1:8. Right before Jesus ascends to heaven, He gives His disciples their mission: they will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes, and they will be His witnesses—starting in Jerusalem and spreading outward to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8

Notice what’s missing: Jesus doesn’t single out Peter and say, “I’ll speak through him now.” He doesn’t announce an ongoing chain of centralized authority. Instead, He points them to the Spirit’s power and the global mission ahead.

Then comes Acts 2, and it’s one of the most important moments in church history. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit comes—not on one leader—but on all believers gathered together. That’s the point. The Spirit is not reserved for one office or one “elite” class. God’s presence is now available to every follower of Jesus. Acts 2:1-4

That alone challenges the entire “one guy” model.

The Apostles Were a Foundation, Not a Forever OfficeMormons and Catholics both appeal to the idea of apostolic succession. But the New Testament treats the original apostles as something unique: a foundation.

Paul says the church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” Ephesians 2:20

A foundation is laid once. You don’t rebuild it every generation.

Acts itself supports this. After Judas dies (after betraying Jesus), the apostles replace him to restore the Twelve. Acts 1:15-26 But later, when James is martyred, the church doesn’t replace him. Acts 12:1-2 Why? Because Judas was a special case tied to betrayal and the completion of the Twelve. The apostles were the original witnesses of Christ and the beginning foundation of the church—not an endlessly refilled office.

The Old Testament Predicted This “New Way”This wasn’t a last-minute change. God promised long before Jesus came that He would make a new covenant—one where His law wouldn’t merely be written on stone tablets, but written on hearts.

Jeremiah prophesied that a day was coming when people wouldn’t need someone to constantly say, “Know the Lord,” because they would know Him personally. Jeremiah 31:31-34

That’s exactly what happens through the Holy Spirit. God doesn’t just hand you more rules. He comes to live in you—transforming you from the inside out.

The Holy Spirit Is Received by Faith, Not by a SystemPaul confronts religious legalism head-on in Galatians. He asks believers how they received the Holy Spirit: by obeying rules, or by believing the message about Christ?

His answer is unmistakable: you received the Spirit because you believed. Galatians 3:2

And he warns them not to start in the Spirit and then attempt to “become perfect by your own human effort.” Galatians 3:3

That “Jesus plus” mindset is exactly what traps people in religious systems. It keeps you dependent—always needing the next instruction, the next worthiness check, the next leader to tell you what God “really” wants.

But Christianity is different: Jesus is the final revelation of God, and the Spirit is God’s presence given to every believer. John 14:26

God Leads Through a TrifectaSo how does God lead His church today? Not through a single unchallengeable authority. He leads through a beautiful, stabilizing “trifecta”:

God’s Spirit living in every believer. Acts 2:1-4
God’s Word as the final, trustworthy authority. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
God’s People—a Spirit-filled community that restores, corrects, and encourages with humility. Galatians 6:1

That’s why Christianity doesn’t collapse into chaos without a prophet-president. The Holy Spirit produces fruit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—in real people living real lives. Galatians 5:22-23

And when believers stumble, the solution isn’t spiritual exile. The solution is restoration—helping each other back onto the right path.

That’s the new way Jesus promised. That’s what the Bible teaches. And that’s why a personal relationship with God is not a “bonus feature” of Christianity—it’s the whole point.

Jesus is the Head of the church. The Spirit is the guide. And every believer is invited into direct, personal access to God—no middleman required.

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A Brutally Honest Take on PleasureEcclesiastes has a way of cutting through our assumptions and exposing reality. Where Proverbs often presents life in clean cause-and-effect terms—do this and you’ll get that—Ecclesiastes responds with a sobering reminder: life isn’t that simple. This book gives us a clear-eyed look at life “under the sun,” meaning life as it exists in a fallen, broken world.

Last week, we were introduced to two key ideas that shape the entire book. The first is Qoheleth, the “Teacher,” whose reflections form Ecclesiastes. The second is hevel, a word translated “meaningless,” but more accurately understood as vapor or smoke—something fleeting, elusive, and impossible to grasp. The Teacher’s message is not that life has no value, but that life under the sun cannot bear the weight of our ultimate expectations. We were made for more than this world alone.

This week, the Teacher turns his attention to pleasure.

The Promise of PleasureIn the ancient world, pleasure was often elevated as the highest good. Today, we use words like hedonic to describe short-term, sensory enjoyment, and hedonism to describe the belief that pleasure should be the primary goal of life. The logic is simple: if it feels good, do it; if it hurts, avoid it.

That mindset feels especially familiar in modern culture. We chase experiences, comfort, entertainment, success, and romance with the hope that the next thing will finally satisfy us. Yet experience tells us something isn’t working. The more we pursue pleasure directly, the more restless we become.

Thousands of years before neuroscientists studied dopamine or psychologists described the “hedonic treadmill,” King Solomon ran a real-world experiment to see if pleasure could satisfy the human soul.

Solomon’s Great ExperimentIn Ecclesiastes 2:1–11 (NLT), Solomon describes his pursuit of pleasure in sweeping, exhaustive terms. He explored laughter and entertainment, concluding that constant amusement ultimately rang hollow. He turned to alcohol, attempting to numb the weight of life while still clinging to wisdom. He invested in massive building projects, vineyards, gardens, and infrastructure—accomplishments that would rival any modern empire.

He accumulated wealth, assets, and power beyond any king before him. He surrounded himself with music, beauty, and sexual pleasure, withholding nothing his heart desired. By every standard—ancient or modern—Solomon lived the dream. “Anything I wanted, I would take,” he writes. Ecclesiastes 2:10.

And yet, after surveying it all, his conclusion is devastating: “But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.” Ecclesiastes 2:11.

Once again, the word hevel appears. Vapor. Smoke. Nothing solid enough to build a life on.

Why Pleasure Can’t DeliverSolomon’s conclusion mirrors what many experience today. Pleasure produces a genuine emotional spike, but it doesn’t last. Over time, what once felt exciting becomes ordinary. To feel the same rush again, we need more—more success, more stimulation, more affirmation. This cycle leaves us constantly chasing, but never arriving.

The problem isn’t pleasure itself. The problem is asking pleasure to do what it was never designed to do. Pleasure can enhance life, but it cannot anchor it. When we treat pleasure as ultimate, disappointment is inevitable.

The Other ExtremeWhen pleasure fails, some people swing in the opposite direction. Instead of indulgence, they choose denial. This mindset—often called asceticism—assumes that avoiding pleasure makes us more spiritual or more righteous. But Scripture rejects that extreme as well.

From the very beginning, God placed humanity in a garden filled with beauty and abundance. Genesis 2 describes trees that were not only good for food, but also pleasing to the eye. Pleasure was part of God’s original design. He is not anti-enjoyment; He is anti-idolatry.

A Better Way ForwardSolomon eventually arrives at a wiser conclusion. “So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can,” he writes, “and people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.” Ecclesiastes 3:12–13.

This is the balance Ecclesiastes calls us to embrace. Hedonism says, pleasure is my god. Asceticism says, pleasure is my enemy. The gospel says, pleasure is a gift. Gifts are meant to be received with gratitude, not clutched with desperation.

Solomon had everything and still felt empty. Jesus, on the other hand, lived with almost nothing—and was perfectly full. Jesus offers what pleasure never can: “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” John 10:10.

True satisfaction isn’t found in chasing pleasure, but in trusting the One who gives it.

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In this episode, Tracy talks about expectations in marriage—why they matter, where they come from, and how to navigate them in a way that strengthens your relationship.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

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Topic SummaryEvery couple comes into marriage with expectations. Some are spoken, but many are unspoken—and that’s where conflict often begins. Our expectations are shaped by childhood, culture, and our inner dialogue. If we’re not intentional, these expectations can weigh down our relationship instead of building it up.

Think back to your family of origin. What roles did your parents play—or fail to play? How might those experiences shape your current expectations of your spouse? In the book, Marriage Forecasting by Tim Muehlhoff says, when frustrations come, ask yourself: “Who is in the room with me?” In other words, what past examples are influencing how I see my marriage today.

Ground Rules for Sharing Expectations1. Practice gentle honesty. 2. Avoid judgment. Your spouse isn’t a mindreader 3. Be curious listeners, not defensive.

Scripture InsightThe Bible gives us a better way. In 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Paul describes love as patient, kind, and not easily irritated. Love doesn’t assume or demand—it chooses to give. That means healthy marriages require us to talk about expectations instead of hoping our spouse will just figure them out.

We also need grace. None of us are perfect spouses. God models patience and forgiveness toward us (Colossians 3:12), and He calls us to extend the same grace to each other.

TakeawayMarriage is a lifelong journey of discovery. As you share expectations and show grace, you’ll keep learning about each other and eventually know one another well enough to anticipate needs and support each other. Muehlhoff refers to this process as growing into soulmates, so enjoy the journey!

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In this episode, Bryan and Layne explore how the Bible teaches direct access to God through Jesus, not through prophets or religious institutions, using the torn temple veil as the key turning point. Drawing from Layne’s journey out of Mormonism, they explain why trusting the Holy Spirit over human authority leads to true freedom.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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Torn Veil, Open Access Layne (a former Mormon of 40 years) and Bryan talk about what access to God looks like in Mormonism compared to biblical Christianity. The big contrast: Mormonism tends to route access through an institution and its leaders, while the Bible teaches direct access to God through Jesus, guided by the Holy Spirit.

They anchor the whole conversation in a key moment from the crucifixion: when Jesus died, the temple veil was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). That wasn’t just a detail in the story—it was God’s way of saying, “The separation is gone. The way is open.”

What This Episode CoversAccess to God: simple vs. structuredLayne describes growing up Mormon with a built-in ladder of authority—bishop, stake president, prophet—where “hearing from God” felt filtered through leadership. Bryan points out that the idea of having a personal relationship with Jesus often feels like “Christian language,” not the normal relational emphasis inside Mormon culture.

Why the torn veil changes everythingIn the Old Testament temple system, the veil represented a barrier between people and God’s presence. Only the high priest could pass through, and only once a year, with a sacrifice.

But when Jesus died, God tore the veil Himself—from top to bottom—showing that man didn’t open the way; God did. The cross didn’t just pay for sin. It also removed the whole structure of “you need someone else to get you to God.”

Prophets then vs. the Holy Spirit nowThey walk through the New Testament idea that God used prophets “in times past,” but something changes after Jesus (Hebrews 1:1–2). Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would guide believers into truth (John 16:13). Layne puts it plainly: dependence on a prophet is replaced by direct access through Jesus and the indwelling Spirit.

Why people prefer a prophet anywayEven if it’s not biblical, a prophet can feel comforting because he’s visible, official, and “safe.” Bryan compares it to legalism: rules feel helpful because they’re clear and controllable—but clarity isn’t the same thing as truth. Layne agrees: when a system is built on control, it can’t survive if people learn they can truly hear and trust God directly.

“What about chaos?” Pastors vs. prophetsThey address a common objection: If you don’t have a prophet, won’t everything fall apart? Their answer: biblical Christianity still values church, leadership, and community—but a pastor isn’t a prophet, and no leader gets to trump Scripture. The moment any person claims “God speaks through me in a way that overrides the Bible,” you’re right back to mediation and control.

Layne’s turning pointLayne shares how reading the Bible—initially to defend Mormonism—created “cracks in the foundation.” Over time, he realized he was constantly checking Scripture through the lens of church leaders instead of trusting God’s Word and the Spirit’s guidance. He describes leaving as hard, costly, and slow—but ultimately freeing.

Scriptures Mentioned (Quick List)Matthew 27:51; Hebrews 1:1–2; Acts 2; John 16:13; John 10; John 14:6; Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 2:18; Hebrews 10:19–22; Deuteronomy 13 & 18; Amos 3:7; Psalm 118.

Where This Is HeadedThey end by teeing up the next conversation: If God doesn’t lead His church through prophets, how does He lead it—without it becoming chaos?

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Welcome back to the podcas, as we close out this year with a special New Year's episode!

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Every new year brings a familiar pressure: do more, be better, try harder. But on the night before His crucifixion, Jesus offered His disciples something radically different. In a moment filled with uncertainty, anxiety, and transition, He revealed the true secrets to a fruitful life—not through striving, but through connection.

A Moment of TransitionJohn 15 isn’t a traditional “New Year’s passage,” but it may be the most important chapter for stepping into a new season. Jesus and His disciples are in the Upper Room. He has washed their feet. They’ve shared the Last Supper. Judas has already left. The weight of what’s coming hangs heavy in the air.

This moment feels like a final speech—Jesus preparing His closest followers for life without His physical presence. Twice in John 14, He tells them not to let their hearts be troubled or afraid. And yet, they clearly are.

We can relate. None of us knows what awaits us in the coming year. We don’t know what challenges, changes, or losses might be ahead. So how can we live without fear? Jesus answers that question in John 15.

Secret #1: Think Like a Producer, Not a ConsumerJesus begins with a metaphor:

John 15:1–2 (NLT) – “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.”

The disciples were likely confused. They were focused on themselves—Why are you leaving us? Why can’t we go with you? But Jesus flips the perspective. He shifts the focus outward.

Fruitfulness isn’t about self-improvement; it’s about impact.

A consumer mindset asks, What do I get out of this?

A producer mindset asks, What can God do through me?

This changes everything—our marriages, our parenting, our work, our church involvement. Instead of seeing ourselves as victims of circumstances, we begin asking how we can bring peace, serve others, and make disciples. Jesus had just modeled this by washing His disciples’ feet.

A fruitful life starts when we stop making it all about us.

Secret #2: Stay Connected to the VineJesus continues:

John 15:4–5 (NLT) – “Remain in me, and I will remain in you… For apart from me you can do nothing.”

The image is organic, not mechanical. Branches don’t strive to produce fruit; they simply stay connected. This runs counter to how we’re wired. We’re taught to maximize effort, build better habits, and dig deeper into ourselves.

But Jesus says fruit comes from abiding—learning the art of being with Him.

That’s harder than it sounds. Many of us are good at doing things for God, but not being with God. Remaining requires intentional practices that slow us down and create space for relationship: solitude, slowing, and Sabbath rest.

Jesus doesn’t need us to produce results for Him. He wants to do something in us before He works through us.

Secret #3: Let Obedience Flow from RelationshipJesus then explains what abiding really looks like:

John 15:9–10 (NLT) – “Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love.”

Remaining isn’t mystical or complicated. It’s relational. Jesus calls it love.

The relationship between the Father, Son, and Spirit existed before time began. Throughout His earthly life, Jesus lived in loving obedience to the Father—and now He invites His disciples into that same relationship.

Obedience doesn’t earn love; it expresses it. Real relationship with Jesus always produces obedience over time. Not perfection—but transformation.

The Motivation: Overflowing JoyJesus concludes with His heart behind it all:

John 15:11 (NLT) – “I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!”

This is the goal—not pressure, guilt, or fear—but joy. As we head into a new season, Jesus invites us into a fruitful life marked by impact, connection, obedience, and overflowing joy.

These are the secrets. And they still work.

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Welcome back to the podcast! Today, we are in week two of our Christmas series!

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WE THREE KINGS: A ROYAL MESS AND A FAITHFUL GOD

Most of us skim past the first seventeen verses of the New Testament. The long list of names in Matthew’s genealogy feels distant and hard to pronounce, so we move on quickly. But Matthew didn’t include those names by accident. He placed them there to ground the Christmas story in real history. Jesus didn’t drop out of the sky. He entered the world through a real family—full of faith, failure, courage, compromise, and grace.

Matthew organizes Jesus’ family tree into three groups of fourteen generations. First come the patriarchs, from Abraham to David—the rise of a family. Then come the kings, from David to the exile—the ruin of a kingdom. Finally comes the remnant, from the exile to Jesus—the long road toward restoration. Last week we looked at the outsiders in Jesus’ lineage: Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth. This week we turn to the kings.

You might expect the kings to be the highlight reel—strong leaders, noble faith, spiritual consistency. Instead, what we find is a royal mess. To understand it, we’ll look at three kings from the southern kingdom of Judah: a father, a son, and a grandson. Their stories show how faith can be passed down, rejected, reclaimed, and lost again.

King Ahaz: The Shadow of a Bad LegacyBy the time Ahaz became king, Israel was divided. The northern kingdom had fully embraced wickedness. Judah, the southern kingdom—where Jesus’ line continued—was struggling to stay faithful. Ahaz did not help.

2 Kings 16:2–3 (NLT) tells us that Ahaz “did not do what was pleasing in the sight of the Lord… Instead, he followed the example of the kings of Israel, even sacrificing his own son in the fire.”

In the ancient world, people believed that if you wanted the gods to act, you had to give them something valuable. Ahaz was losing a war and terrified of losing his throne. In desperation, he went to the Valley of Ben Hinnom and sacrificed his own son to Molech. That valley later became known as Gehenna—the word Jesus used for hell.

Ahaz’s legacy is devastating. He sacrificed his son on the altar of selfishness. Before we judge him too quickly, we should ask an uncomfortable question: What do we sacrifice our children to today? Career success, personal freedom, reputation, comfort, or misplaced ambition can quietly become modern altars.

King Hezekiah: The Cycle BreakerAfter Ahaz died, his son Hezekiah took the throne. He grew up surrounded by idolatry. He had watched his father’s choices destroy lives. Everything about his upbringing suggested he would repeat the cycle.

But 2 Kings 18:5–7 (NLT) says something remarkable: “Hezekiah trusted in the Lord… There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah.”

Hezekiah broke the cycle. He tore down idols—even destroying the bronze serpent Moses had made because people were worshiping it instead of God. He trusted God in crisis. When the Assyrian army surrounded Jerusalem, Hezekiah prayed instead of panicking. God responded by delivering the city overnight.

Hezekiah’s life proves an essential truth: your biology is not your destiny. Grace is stronger than genetics. You can be the one who says, “The trauma stops with me.” Christmas is a powerful time to ask: What patterns am I passing down, and which ones need to end?

King Manasseh: Broken AgainAfter Hezekiah, his son Manasseh became king. Surely the revival would continue—right? Instead, Manasseh reversed everything.

2 Kings 21:2–3, 6 (NLT) says he rebuilt pagan shrines and “sacrificed his own son in the fire.” He returned to the very sins his grandfather Ahaz had committed.

Manasseh’s story teaches a hard lesson: you cannot inherit a relationship with God. God has no grandchildren. Each generation must choose for itself whom it will serve. Parents can shape environments, but only God can change hearts.

The Choice Is YoursAhaz was a wicked father. Hezekiah was a faithful son. Manasseh was a rebellious grandson. It’s messy and inconsistent—and yet Jesus came from this family line.

The Christmas story isn’t about perfect families. It’s about a faithful God who enters our mess and offers every generation a choice. As Joshua declared, “Choose today whom you will serve… But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15 NLT)

Why choose God this Christmas? Because He is better than Molech. He doesn’t demand your son—He offers His own. Jesus died so we could be free, and that freedom can echo through generations.

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In this episode, Bryan wraps up 2025 and gives us a clear snapshot of what God has been doing through PursueGOD—and what’s coming next in 2026.

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Welcome back to the podcast! Join us today as we start a new Christmas series!

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The Christmas Family Tree: The Part We Usually SkipMost people love Luke 2 at Christmas—the angels, the shepherds, the manger scene. But few of us slow down for Matthew 1, the chapter that looks like the “skip intro” button of the New Testament. Genealogies feel like the part you breeze through on your Bible-in-a-year plan. Yet Matthew opens the story of Jesus with a family tree on purpose—not to bore us, but to prepare us for what Christmas is really about.

Matthew organizes Jesus’ genealogy into three sets of fourteen generations (Matthew 1:1–17). It’s not intended to be exhaustive; it’s designed to make a theological point. Jesus is the promised Son of David, the fulfillment of God’s long-awaited plan. But Matthew also includes something shocking for ancient readers: five women—and three of them appear in the very first section of the genealogy.

In the first century, writers didn’t include women in genealogies, and certainly not women with complicated, painful, or morally messy backstories. But Matthew breaks the rules to highlight a truth at the heart of Christmas: God invites outsiders, sinners, strugglers, and the unexpected into His family. These women tell us what kind of Savior Jesus really is—and what kind of grace He brings.

TAMAR — The God Who Sees the Hidden StoryMatthew 1:3 (NLT): “Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar).”

Tamar’s story in Genesis 38 is one of the most uncomfortable chapters in the Bible. She marries into Judah’s family, but tragedy and injustice quickly follow. Her first husband dies. The second refuses to fulfill his duty to give her a child. Judah promises his youngest son to her “later,” but he never intends to keep his word.

Tamar is left childless, powerless, and trapped in a culture where bearing children was the only path to honor, security, and a future. Judah fails her completely, and out of desperation she takes matters into her own hands—posing as a prostitute to confront Judah’s neglect. When Judah discovers what happened, he responds with a shocking confession:

Genesis 38:26 (NLT): “She is more righteous than I am.”

This isn’t a story celebrating deception—it’s a story exposing Judah’s injustice. Tamar is the wronged one, and yet God sees her, steps into her story, and brings redemption through the birth of Perez—a direct ancestor of Jesus.

The lesson of Tamar:

God steps into the stories we try to hide.

He doesn’t turn away from the messy parts of our past—He redeems them. Tamar reminds us that God moves toward the abandoned and overlooked with purpose and compassion.

RAHAB — The Faith That Comes Before the CleanupMatthew 1:5 (NLT): “Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).”

Rahab enters Scripture suddenly in Joshua 2, described openly as a prostitute living in Jericho. She checks all the “wrong” boxes: a Canaanite, an outcast, a woman shaped by a godless culture. Yet when the Israelite spies arrive, something unexpected happens. She hides them, protects them, and then speaks one of the strongest confessions of faith in the entire Old Testament:

Joshua 2:9,11 (NLT):

“I know the LORD has given you this land… For the LORD your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.”

Rahab chooses faith before she has a chance to “fix” her life. She trusts God long before she understands His law or His covenant. And God responds by rescuing her—and grafting her into the very family line of the Messiah.

The lesson of Rahab:

Faith comes before we clean up our lives.

God meets us where we are, not where we think we must be. Rahab’s story declares that grace reaches into unlikely places and transforms unlikely people.

RUTH — The Call to Leave Moab BehindMatthew 1:5 (NLT): “Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth).”

Ruth’s story begins with heartbreak. She loses her husband in Moab and follows her mother-in-law Naomi back to Israel, choosing loyalty to Naomi and devotion to God:

Ruth 1:16 (NLT):

“Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”

Ruth is a widow, poor, and a foreigner from Moab—a nation born through incest (Genesis 19) and excluded from Israel’s assembly for ten generations (Deuteronomy 23:3). Every cultural barrier is stacked against her.

Yet Ruth steps forward in humble, persistent faith. God brings Boaz into her life, provides for her future, and places her in the royal line—she becomes the great-grandmother of King David.

The lesson of Ruth:

To follow God, you have to leave Moab.

We all have a “Moab”—a place of old identity or broken patterns that God calls us to walk away from. Ruth shows that God honors courageous steps of faith, even when the journey feels costly.

Why These Women Matter for ChristmasIn Jesus’ day, your genealogy was your resume. You highlighted kings, heroes, and honorable ancestors. But Matthew includes:

A woman wronged and abandoned
A prostitute from a pagan city
A foreign widow from a forbidden nation

Why?

Because the Christmas story is not about polished people—it's about a faithful God inviting outsiders into His family.

This is the gospel: no matter your past, your failures, or your background, there is a place for you in the family tree of God. Jesus didn’t come for the impressive—He came for the willing. He came for Tamar, Rahab, Ruth… and He came for you.

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In this episode, Bryan talks with Noemi about her journey leaving Mormonism and discovering a relationship with the God of the Bible.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

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Welcome back to the podcast, we are in our last week of the David series!

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Failure is one of life’s great interrupters.

Sometimes it comes after a long season of struggle. Other times—like David—it crashes into our story right after success. David spent decades waiting on God’s promise, surviving betrayal, wilderness years, and impossible odds. Then at last, the shepherd-warrior became king. He won battles. He grew influence. He stacked victories. But success often tests us in ways adversity cannot. When comfort sets in, cracks in our character begin to widen. That’s exactly what happened to David.

Second Samuel 11 tells the story: David stayed home when kings went to war, saw Bathsheba, pursued her, abused his authority, and arranged Uriah’s death. It’s a tragic chain of compromise. Then God sent Nathan the prophet, who confronted him with a parable—and with the piercing words: “You are the man!” (2 Samuel 12:7 NLT). Psalm 51 is David’s prayer after being exposed. It’s a window into godly sorrow, honest repentance, and the surprising hope that failure doesn’t have to be final.

1. Failure Can Become a Doorway, Not a Dead EndMany people live as if their worst moment now defines them forever. David felt the weight of his sin deeply:

Psalm 51:3–4 (NLT) — “For I recognize my rebellion… Against you, and you alone, have I sinned.”

David makes no excuses. He names his sin before God. This is the difference between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow.

2 Corinthians 7:10 (NLT) says godly sorrow “leads us away from sin and results in salvation,” while worldly sorrow only regrets getting caught. Godly sorrow grieves how sin breaks God’s heart, not just His rules. And when we repent for breaking God’s heart, He changes our heart—not just our behavior.

If you’ve been letting failure define your future, Psalm 51 offers hope: repentance is a doorway God invites you to walk through, not a wall meant to stop you.

2. Humility Is the Hinge That Swings the Door OpenDavid doesn’t shift blame to Bathsheba, stress, or schedule. He looks inward:

Psalm 51:5–6 (NLT) — “You desire honesty… teaching me wisdom.”

Humility is what makes repentance possible. As F.B. Meyer once wrote, the gifts on God’s “lower shelves” go to the lowly. Humility is the willingness to be taught, corrected, and changed. Exposure is painful, but it is also grace—because God reveals what He intends to heal.

David’s prayer echoes another powerful invitation:

Psalm 139:23–24 (NLT) — “Search me, O God…”

That is the prayer of a teachable heart.

3. Repentance Is More Than Stopping Bad BehaviorToo many people think repentance begins with outward change. But Psalm 51 shows that repentance is first an inside work—something only God can do.

Psalm 51:7–10 (NLT) describes this inner transformation:

“Purify me… wash me… give me back my joy… create in me a clean heart… renew a loyal spirit.”

The word create in verse 10 is the same Hebrew verb used in Genesis 1:1. David isn’t asking God to improve him—he’s asking God to re-create him. Real repentance is a gut punch that leads to joy, because God restores what sin has stolen.

A joyless Christian often needs repentance more than relief. When joy disappears, it’s a dashboard light alerting us that something deeper needs God’s renewing touch.

4. When God Restores, He RedeploysMany people assume God forgives but then places us on the “spiritual bench.” David thought his story might be over too—but listen to his prayer:

Psalm 51:12–13 (NLT) — “Restore… then I will teach your ways… and they will return to you.”

Forgiven people become messengers of grace. God doesn’t waste repentance; He multiplies it. Your story—your failure redeemed by God’s mercy—can help someone else find their way home.

The One Thing God Will Never RejectDavid’s predecessor, Saul, also sinned. But Saul made excuses and tried to save face. Samuel told him:

1 Samuel 15:22–23 (NLT) — “Obedience is better than sacrifice… rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft.”

Saul lost his throne not simply because he sinned, but because he refused repentance. David, who sinned grievously, became a man after God’s heart because he responded with humility. Psalm 51 ends with this assurance:

Psalm 51:16–17 (NLT) — “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit… You will not reject a broken and repentant heart.”

Failure is not final for the person who returns to God.

Gospel CloseWe don’t go to heaven because we’re good—we go because we’re forgiven.

Ephesians 2:8–9 (NLT) reminds us salvation is God’s gift.

And 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT) says Jesus took our worst so we could receive His best.

If you’re ready for a fresh start, God is ready to recreate your heart.

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In this episode, we compare the church in the book of Acts with the church Joseph Smith built—showing how the LDS ‘restoration’ actually rebuilds the hierarchy, temples, and priesthoods Jesus fulfilled and the Reformers fought to remove. It’s not a return to the New Testament but a reversal of the freedom Christ brought.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

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SUMMARY

Latter-day Saints teach that after the apostles died, the church fell into total apostasy—losing authority, truth, and the gospel—and that Joseph Smith “restored” the original church in 1830.

But when we compare the Bible, early church history, and the medieval church, a clear pattern emerges: the LDS system doesn’t look like the church in the book of Acts. It looks like the institutional system that developed centuries later.

This episode walks through that history and shows why Mormonism isn’t a restoration of the New Testament—it’s a rebuilding of the very system Jesus fulfilled and the Reformers worked to correct.

1. What the Early Church Actually Looked Like (Book of Acts)* No temples * No priestly hierarchy * No prophet-president * No exclusive priesthood lineage * Believers met in homes, prayed, broke bread, and studied Scripture * Leadership was shared among elders/pastors * Every believer was a priest (1 Peter 2) * Access to God came directly through Jesus, not through mediators

Bottom line: The early church was simple, Spirit-led, and centered entirely on Jesus.

2. How the Church Drifted in the Middle AgesBy the 4th century, especially after Constantine:

The church became tied to political power
Bishops became rulers
Priests acted as mediators
Salvation was tied to rituals and sacraments
A single head (the Pope) claimed God-given authority

This system dominated medieval Christianity and buried the gospel under layers of tradition and hierarchy.

3. The Reformation: Returning to ScriptureLuther, Calvin, Zwingli, and the Anabaptists didn’t invent a new church.

They removed the medieval layers and returned to:

Scripture alone
Grace alone
Christ alone
Faith alone

Real renewal happens when ordinary believers open the Bible again.

4. Joseph Smith Recreates the Medieval SystemDespite claiming to “restore” the church, Joseph Smith introduced:

A layered priesthood (Aaronic & Melchizedek)
A prophet-president with final authority
Temple rituals and restricted access
Ordinances required for salvation
Centralized headquarters claiming exclusive truth

This mirrors the medieval Catholic model, not the church in Acts.

5. The LDS Temple: The Most Striking IronyJesus ended the temple system:

The veil tore
Jesus became the final High Priest
The church became the temple (Ephesians 2)
The Spirit lives in every believer

The early church never rebuilt temples or practiced proxy work for the dead.

The LDS Church brings back the very system the New Testament declares obsolete.

6. The Pattern in Real Church HistoryAcross movements—the Hussites, Reformers, Moravians, Anabaptists, Puritans—renewal always happens the same way:

By returning to the Bible
By preaching the gospel
By centering everything on Jesus

No new prophets.

No restored priesthood.

No rebuilt temple.

No extra books or hierarchy.

Just Scripture, Christ, and the Spirit.

THE MAIN POINTJesus didn’t leave His church.

The gospel was never lost.

The Holy Spirit never disappeared.

The early church didn’t need to be restored—because Christ kept His promise to build it.

The LDS restoration story isn’t a recovery of the New Testament church.

It’s a reversal—a return to the very structures Jesus fulfilled and the Reformers removed.

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Welcome back to the podcast! We're in week number five of our series on David!

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Big Idea:

God’s route to His promises is rarely efficient—it’s fruitful. When Ziklag burns and hope falters, don’t quit. Strengthen yourself in the Lord, inquire of the Lord, and obey the Lord—and you’ll find the promise is closer than you think.

ARTICLE When life feels slow, confusing, or painfully inefficient, many of us wish God acted more like a navigation app. Apps like Waze or Google Maps always chase the fastest route from Point A to Point B. But God doesn’t choose the fastest route; He chooses the forming route. That truth sits at the center of David’s story in 1 Samuel 27–30. After twenty years of running from Saul, David was exhausted. Scripture says “David kept thinking to himself…” (1 Samuel 27:1 NLT). His inner narrative was slipping, and discouragement was shaping his choices.

We’ve all been there—moments where shortcuts look tempting, where God’s promise looks distant, and where the path feels like a zigzag instead of a straight line. But David’s journey shows us how to stay faithful when you’re one step away from giving up.

Settling for ZiklagDiscouragement often begins with unsubmitted self-talk. David “thought to himself” that Saul was going to kill him and concluded that escaping to the Philistines was his best option (1 Samuel 27:1–2 NLT). Without God’s voice grounding his heart, David drifted into enemy territory.

That’s how he ended up in Ziklag.

Ziklag—likely meaning “zigzagging”—was a Philistine town that became David’s base for about sixteen months (1 Samuel 27:6–7 NLT). For a man who had been running for years, Ziklag felt like success. He finally had stability, safety, and a loyal army. It looked like arrival.

But Ziklag wasn’t the promise. It was provision—but not inheritance. God had spoken something bigger over David’s life: a kingdom, a throne, and divine leadership over Israel. Ziklag was comfortable, but comfort can quietly become compromise. Sometimes the most dangerous place isn’t the valley—it’s the almost.

Don’t confuse the interim with the inheritance. Don’t let a tired heart write your theology. God’s promises may take time, but delay is not denial.

When Ziklag BurnsThen came the breaking point. While David and his men were away, the Amalekites raided and burned Ziklag to the ground, kidnapping every woman and child (1 Samuel 30:1–2 NLT). In minutes, everything David had built was gone. Even his own men talked of stoning him.

What do you do when your life looks like ashes?

David models four responses:

Weep honestly
They “wept until they could weep no more” (1 Samuel 30:3–4 NLT).
God never asks us to fake strength.
Find strength in the Lord
When everyone turned on him, “David found strength in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:6 NLT).
Strength doesn’t rise from circumstances—it rises from communion.
Inquire of the Lord
David asked, “Should I chase… Will I catch them?” (1 Samuel 30:8 NLT).
Faith doesn’t assume—it asks.
Obey promptly
God answered: “Yes… You will surely recover everything” (1 Samuel 30:8 NLT).
David moved immediately (1 Samuel 30:9).

And God delivered. David recovered everything (1 Samuel 30:18 NLT). Yet even then, David still didn’t have the throne. He must have wondered if the promise had passed him by.

But while David was fighting at Ziklag, God was working in Israel. At nearly the same moment David was rescuing his family, Saul was dying in battle (1 Samuel 31:1 NLT). Three days later the news reached Ziklag (2 Samuel 1:1–4 NLT). The promise was not only alive—it was nearer than David realized.

You’re often closest to the promise right after the fiercest pressure.

Don’t Quit in ZiklagThe enemy doesn’t win when you’re discouraged. He only wins when you quit. Many believers lose heart not because God failed, but because they stopped one move too soon. God’s Word always produces what He promises (Jeremiah 1:12; Isaiah 55:11 NLT). Just because you can’t see movement doesn’t mean God isn’t working.

Paul says this is why we never give up: our troubles are temporary, and God is using them to form eternal glory in us (2 Corinthians 4:16–18 NLT). The path may feel winding, but the fruit is worth it.

The Ultimate ZiklagEven Jesus had a Ziklag moment. On the cross, the promise looked farthest—yet resurrection was just days away (Hebrews 12:2–3 NLT). Because He rose, your future is not in doubt (Philippians 1:6 NLT).

When Ziklag burns, don’t quit. Strengthen yourself in the Lord, inquire of Him, and obey Him. The promise is closer than you think.

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In this episode, we trace how small movements, bold revivals, and ordinary believers shaped the explosive growth of Protestant Christianity from Europe to America—and created the denominational family tree we’re part of today.

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Episode SummaryIn today’s final episode of our Church History series, we trace how Protestantism crossed the Atlantic, sparked massive revival movements, and gave rise to the denominational landscape we see today. From the Moravians and the First Great Awakening to Pentecostalism and the modern church, this episode connects the dots and shows how the global church family took shape.

1. The Moravians: The Spark Behind Modern MissionsWhere we left off last time.

• Descendants of John Hus (the Hussites / Unity of the Brethren)

• Refugees who fled to Count Zinzendorf’s estate in Saxony (3–600 people total)

Why they mattered:

• Experienced a powerful renewal on Aug 13, 1727

• Launched a 24/7 prayer chain that lasted 100 years

• Sent more missionaries than all Protestants combined by 1760

• Known for radical sacrifice—including missionaries willing to sell themselves into slavery

• Mission field spread across the West Indies, Africa, Asia, and North America

The John Wesley connection:

• Wesley encountered Moravians during a terrifying storm at sea in 1736

• Their fearless faith pushed him toward his own conversion

• This eventually shaped the Methodist movement—the largest U.S. denomination by the 1850s

2. The First Great Awakening (1730s–1740s)A transatlantic revival that birthed the modern evangelical identity—people committed not only to studying Scripture but sharing the gospel.

The Big ThreeJohn Wesley – The Organizer

• Anglican priest, Oxford “Holy Club” leader

• Had his conversion at Aldersgate (“heart strangely warmed”)

• Formed Methodist societies and class meetings

• Emphasized holiness, discipline, and new birth

• By his death: 72k British & 57k American Methodists

George Whitefield – The Preacher

• Electrifying communicator; could preach to 20k–30k without amplification

• Crossed the Atlantic seven times, preaching across all 13 colonies

• Popularized the phrase “born again”

• First international Christian “celebrity”

• Outdoor, mass evangelism pioneer

Jonathan Edwards – The Thinker

• Pastor, theologian, philosophical genius

• Sparked revival in Northampton (1734–35)

• Wrote Religious Affections, the defining book of revival theology

• Fired for restricting communion to true believers

• Later became president of what is now Princeton

• Legacy includes U.S. Senators, college presidents, and even Vice President Aaron Burr

3. Awakening & the American RevolutionThe First Great Awakening shaped the convictions behind independence:

• Human equality before God

• Freedom of conscience

• Resistance to tyranny

• Authority from God, not kings

Many revival-shaped pastors—known as the Black Robe Regiment—preached these themes and influenced the Revolutionary generation.

4. The Second Great Awakening (1790s–1840s)As post-Revolution America drifted spiritually, God brought a fresh wave of revival.

Cane Ridge Revival (1801)• Frontier Kentucky: violent, isolated, spiritually empty

• Revival broke out at a simple communion meeting

• 20–25k people attended—10% of Kentucky’s population

• Pastors from multiple denominations preached together

• Marked a shift from elite clergy to lay involvement and frontier evangelism

Birth of the Restoration MovementKey leaders: Barton W. Stone and Alexander Campbell

• Sought to recover New Testament Christianity

• Produced Churches of Christ, Christian Churches, and Disciples of Christ

• Influenced future independent & non-denominational churches

5. The Holiness Movement (Mid-1800s)Rooted in Wesley’s teaching on sanctification.

Emphasized:

• Heart purity

• Holy living

• Spirit-empowered transformation

This movement produced:

• Salvation Army (1865)

• Church of the Nazarene (1908)

• The Wesleyan Church

• Free Methodist Church

Most importantly: it laid the groundwork for Pentecostalism.

6. The Rise of Pentecostalism (1901–1914)Charles Parham (Topeka, 1901):

• Interpreted speaking in tongues as evidence of Spirit baptism

• Laid the foundation for classical Pentecostal doctrine

Azusa Street Revival (1906) – William J. Seymour

• Multiracial worship

• Tongues, healing, prophecy

• Thousands came from around the world

• Sparked global Pentecostal missions

Today:

• Over 600 million Pentecostals worldwide

• Includes Assemblies of God, COGIC, Foursquare, Pentecostal Holiness, Vineyard, Calvary Chapel, and more

7. The Protestant Family Tree — Four RootsHere are the four major roots from which almost all denominations grow.

Root 1: The Free (Radical) Reformation• Waldensians, Wycliffe, Huss

• Direct descendants: Mennonites, Amish, Moravians

• Influenced later groups: Baptists, Restoration Movement, modern non-denominational churches

Root 2: The Lutheran Tradition• German & Scandinavian Lutherans

• Pietism

• Later movements: Evangelical Free Church, charismatic Lutherans

Root 3: The Reformed Tradition• Calvin, Zwingli

• Reformed churches & Presbyterians

• Later movements: Reformed Baptists, modern Reformed resurgence

Root 4: The Anglican / English ReformationThe most influential root.

Direct and indirect descendants include:

• Episcopalians

• Puritans

• Congregationalists

• Baptists

• Methodists

• Pentecostal & charismatic churches

• Many modern denominations

• Much of evangelicalism today

8. Final ChallengeJesus promised:

“I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”

Across 2,000 years—revivals, failures, institutions, reforms—Jesus has been faithful to build His people.

This series wasn’t just about studying history.

It was about rediscovering what a biblical church looks like:

• Rooted in the gospel

• Led by the Spirit

• Faithful to God’s Word

• Devoted to making disciples

Pick up your Bible. Plug into a local church. Stay awake spiritually. And keep building the kind of church Jesus envisioned.

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Welcome back to the podcast! We're in week four of our David series!

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DAVID: How to Keep Your Heart Clean (Even When You’ve Been Done Dirty)Everyone will go through hurt—but not everyone will grow through hurt. David knew betrayal, fear, and injustice more than most. One day he was the nation’s hero with songs written about him (1 Samuel 18:6–7 NLT). The next, Saul was hurling spears at him (1 Samuel 18:10–11 NLT). Soon David found himself hunted, hungry, and hiding in the wilderness (1 Samuel 21–22 NLT).

Psalm 52 is David’s response to one of the darkest betrayals of his life—the moment Doeg the Edomite informed Saul about David’s visit to the priest Ahimelech (1 Samuel 21:7 NLT). That single moment set off a horrific chain reaction. Saul, spiraling in jealousy and paranoia, ordered Doeg to slaughter the priests of the Lord (1 Samuel 22:9–10, 17–18 NLT). David was devastated. His choices weren’t perfect, but the injustice was real and brutal.

But instead of letting bitterness rot his soul, David wrote Psalm 52—nine verses that show how to keep a clean heart even when you’ve been done dirty. If you’ve ever been betrayed, slandered, ghosted, passed over, lied about, or wounded by someone close, Psalm 52 speaks directly to you.

This short psalm gives us five steps for guarding your heart when life cuts deep.

1) Take Your Pain to GodDavid begins by naming the wrong and naming the offender. “Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor… you love evil more than good” (Psalm 52:1–4 NLT). This isn’t gossip—it’s biblical lament. It’s honesty aimed heavenward. Before David tells people what happened, he tells God.

Psalm 62:8 (NLT) says, “Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.”

If we don’t take our pain to God, our pain will take us. Lament turns our emotional chaos into prayer instead of bitterness. Trade passive-aggressive posts for honest conversation with your Father.

2) Make Room for God’s JusticeDoeg’s betrayal and Saul’s massacre were horrific. Yet David doesn’t seek revenge. He entrusts justice to God: “But God will strike you down…” (Psalm 52:5–7 NLT).

Scripture is clear:

“Never take revenge… ‘I will pay them back,’ says the Lord.” Romans 12:19 NLT.

Vengeance chains you to the very thing God wants to free you from. Instead, Scripture calls us to bless when insulted (1 Peter 3:9 NLT) and overcome evil with good (Romans 12:20–21 NLT).

Letting God judge doesn’t mean ignoring boundaries. Proverbs 4:23 (NLT) calls us to guard our hearts with wisdom—but without bitterness.

3) Own Your PartDavid wasn’t blameless in the Nob incident. He lied to the priest (1 Samuel 21:2 NLT). That didn’t excuse Saul or Doeg, but it meant David had to face his own heart: “But as for me...” (Psalm 52:8 NLT).

Being wronged doesn’t automatically make us right. Jesus teaches us to go to our brother, not about our brother (Matthew 18:15 NLT). The Spirit invites us to pray, “Search me… and point out anything in me that offends you” (Psalm 139:23–24 NLT).

This step stings—but it heals.

4) Stay Planted While You WaitDavid says, “I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God” (Psalm 52:8 NLT). Olive trees grow slowly, live for centuries, and become fruitful after pruning.

Healing doesn’t happen fast. James 1:2–4 NLT reminds us that trials produce endurance. Galatians 6:9 NLT urges us not to grow weary. When you stay rooted—in worship, Scripture, community, wise mentors—you don’t just survive hardships; you grow through them.

5) Praise in the Midst of PainDavid ends the psalm with praise before anything in his life has fully resolved: “I will praise you… for what you have done” (Psalm 52:9 NLT).

Like Joseph said after years of betrayal and injustice, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” (Genesis 50:20 NLT). Your story doesn’t end at “they meant it for evil.” In God’s hands, there is always a “but God.”

Every time the hurt resurfaces, speak a small doxology: “But God, You are faithful.”

A Picture of Forgiveness: Corrie Ten BoomAfter surviving the Ravensbrück concentration camp, Corrie met one of the former guards who had abused her sister. He asked her for forgiveness. Corrie whispered, “Jesus, help me,” extended her hand, and felt God’s love surge through her. “I forgive you, brother! With all my heart.”

Forgiveness set both of them free. That’s Romans 12 lived in real time.

Everyone will go through hurt, but not everyone will grow through hurt. When we respond like David—even in failure—it ultimately points us back to Jesus, who absorbed our sin and shame (2 Corinthians 5:21 NLT) and pours His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5 NLT).

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This episode shows how the church moved from state-controlled religion to voluntary, Scripture-governed communities—and how the Baptists, Congregationalists, Evangelical Free, and eventually Methodists emerged.

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How England’s Reformation Took a Very Different PathWhile Luther and Calvin led theological reform on the continent, England’s story began with politics.

Henry VIII wanted a male heir, the Pope refused to annul his marriage, and the king broke from Rome.

The Act of Supremacy (1534) created the Church of England—but it simply replaced the pope with a king. It wasn’t a movement of revival; it was a power play.

After Henry, England spun between Protestant and Catholic identities depending on the monarch. Edward VI pushed Protestant reforms, Mary I violently restored Catholicism, and Elizabeth I settled for a middle-way Anglicanism. The constant whiplash raised a crucial question:

If kings can change doctrine overnight, where does true faith come from—crown or conscience?

Puritans, Separatists, and the Search for a Church Governed by ScriptureTwo groups rose in response:

Puritans — Anglicans who wanted deeper biblical reform.
Separatists (Pilgrims) — Puritans who believed the system was beyond repair.

King James I shut down most Puritan reforms (except authorizing the King James Bible). He made Anglican worship mandatory by law, and that pressure pushed both groups out of England.

The Separatists, who fled first, would shape the future of the church in profound ways.

The Birth of the Baptists and CongregationalistsThe Gainsborough Group escaped to Amsterdam and encountered the Anabaptists—believers who rejected state-run religion and emphasized personal faith. John Smyth and Thomas Helwys embraced these ideas and in 1609 founded the first Baptist church. They insisted:

Faith must be personal
Baptism belongs to believers
Local churches should govern themselves
Government must never control conscience

Helwys returned to England in 1612 and founded the first Baptist church on English soil, writing boldly to the king, “You have no power over the souls of your subjects.”

Another group—the Scrooby Separatists—fled to Holland, then boarded the Mayflower and founded Plymouth Colony in 1620. Their self-governing church became the root of Congregationalism, shaping early American values of freedom, conscience, and community.

Europe’s Crisis and the Rise of PietismMeanwhile, Europe erupted into the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648) over forced religion. Millions died. When the war finally ended, the dream of a unified Christendom was gone—but so was spiritual vitality. Churches were full of rituals but empty of life.

Into that dryness stepped Pietism, led by Philip Jacob Spener, a Lutheran who called people back to:

Bible reading
Personal conversion
Lay ministry
Holiness of life
Pastors who shepherd, not just lecture

Pietism energized Lutheranism and spread into Scandinavia, inspiring the Free Church movement—churches of the reborn, not the state-registered. Scandinavian immigrants later brought this DNA to America, forming what became the Evangelical Free Church.

Why Denominations Actually FormedLooking across this whole story, one truth rises to the surface:

The gospel had been recovered—but true religious freedom had not.

Baptists, Congregationalists, Separatists, Puritans, and Pietists all rejected the idea that kings or councils could decide the faith of the people. They believed:

The church should be voluntary
Membership should be based on faith, not geography
Authority should come from Scripture, not the state
Unity should be in Christ, not enforced by law

That’s what a denomination originally meant—not a brand, but a free church, governed by the Bible and formed by conviction.

And through all these twists and turns, Jesus’ promise remained true:

“I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”

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Welcome back! We're in week three of our David series, and today we'll be talking about the trap of comparison that plagues humanity, and we'll be using David's troubled relationship with King Saul as an example!

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DAVID: THE COMPARISON TRAP

Comparison is the silent killer of joy. It slowly steals your confidence, shifts your focus, and leaves you spiritually drained. In 1 Samuel 18, we see this clearly in the lives of Saul and David. David’s moment of victory should have united Israel—but instead, it exposed the dangerous power of comparison in Saul’s heart. His story warns us that comparison doesn’t just affect how we feel; it affects who we become.

The Celebration That Turned Into JealousyWhen David returned from defeating Goliath, the nation erupted with music, dancing, and praise. The women sang:

“Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!” (1 Samuel 18:7, NLT)

This wasn’t a protest song or a political statement—it was a celebration of God’s deliverance. But Saul heard something different. Instead of hearing gratitude, he heard threat. Instead of celebrating God’s victory, he fixated on David’s recognition.

“So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David.” (1 Samuel 18:9, NLT)

Comparison took a moment of unity and turned it into a moment of insecurity.

1. Comparison Strangles Your JoySaul had every reason to be joyful—his nation was safe, his army victorious, and his reputation still strong. But when he looked sideways at David, his joy collapsed.

The same thing happens to us. Social media has made comparison effortless. Studies show people—especially Gen Z—often feel worse after scrolling, not better. We see what others have and suddenly forget what God has given us.

Scripture reminds us:

“Those who seek the Lord will lack no good thing.” (Psalm 34:10, NLT)

If God hasn’t given it, we don’t need it—not yet, and maybe not ever. Joy isn’t rooted in what others have; it’s rooted in who God is.

Joy grows in gratitude, not in comparison.

2. Comparison Stunts Your GrowthSaul’s jealousy didn’t just affect his emotions—it affected his leadership. The day after the celebration, he tried to kill David (1 Samuel 18:10–11). Instead of mentoring the young man God had raised up, Saul made him an enemy.

Proverbs warns us:

“A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones.”

(Proverbs 14:30, NLT)

Jealousy slowly eats away at your capacity to grow. Jesus had to correct Peter on this very issue. When Peter asked about John’s future, Jesus answered:

“What is that to you? As for you, follow me.” (John 21:22, NLT)

You can’t follow Jesus while watching someone else’s calling.

You can’t grow while looking sideways.

3. Comparison Steals Your FocusAs Saul’s jealousy deepened, his focus narrowed. Instead of ruling his kingdom, he watched David. Instead of building Israel’s future, he spiraled into fear.

“Saul was then afraid of David, for the Lord was with David…”

(1 Samuel 18:12, NLT)

Comparison pulls your attention away from what God is doing in you and puts it on what He’s doing in someone else. It creates what some call “sideways energy”—lots of movement, no progress.

What you stare at is what you steer toward.

If you stare at someone else’s success, you’ll steer your life toward envy and insecurity. But if you stare at Jesus, you’ll steer toward peace and purpose.

From Competition to ConfidenceEven Jesus’ disciples struggled with comparison. James and John wanted positions of honor (Mark 10:37). They chased status until Jesus corrected them.

But years later, John wrote these words:

“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children.”

(1 John 3:1, NLT)

Somewhere along the way, he stopped competing and started resting in God’s love.

That’s what the gospel does.

It replaces insecurity with identity.

It moves us from striving to belonging.

From competition to confidence.

You don’t have to chase approval.

You don’t have to earn your value.

You already belong to God—and that is enough.

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In this episode, we learn how understanding attachment theory can help couples grow closer to one another as they reflect the steadfast love and reliability of God.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

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Attachment theory is one of the most studied and trusted frameworks in relational psychology. It was developed by John Bowlby and expanded by Mary Ainsworth. At its core, it explains how the earliest bonds we form with our caregivers shape the way we understand love and connection later in life. As children, the consistency—or inconsistency—of a caregiver’s attention and responsiveness teaches us how to view ourselves and others. Those early impressions don’t disappear; they resurface in adulthood, often getting triggered in the context of our romantic relationships.

Attachment Types

Secure: A secure attachment means you can trust that the people you love will be there for you. It forms when, as a child, your caregiver consistently responded to your needs with care and reliability. That steady presence builds confidence that you are worthy of love and that others can be trusted. As an adult, secure attachment shows up as the ability to build healthy, balanced relationships—where closeness feels safe, independence isn’t threatening, and conflict doesn’t shake the foundation of trust.
Anxious Attachment: Anxious attachment develops when love feels uncertain or inconsistent. As children, those with anxious attachment often had caregivers who were sometimes responsive and other times distracted or unavailable. This unpredictability creates confusion and insecurity about whether their needs will be met. As adults, people with an anxious attachment style tend to crave closeness but fear abandonment, which can lead to clinginess, overanalyzing, or difficulty trusting their partner’s commitment.
Avoidant Attachment: Avoidant attachment develops when closeness feels unsafe or unnecessary. As children, those with this style often had caregivers who were emotionally distant, neglectful, or dismissive of their needs. To cope, they learned to rely on themselves and minimize their need for comfort or support. As adults, people with avoidant attachment tend to value independence so highly that intimacy can feel uncomfortable or even threatening. They may pull away when relationships get too close, struggle to express emotions, or downplay the importance of love altogether.

The Attachment Alarm

When your partner feels distant or inconsistent, your “attachment system” goes off. This is the brain’s way of monitoring whether you are safe and secure in the relationship. Anxious attachments are particularly sensitive to this.

Once activated, the anxious will engage in protest behaviors which means doing whatever it takes to feel safe again (calling, what’s wrong, imagination runs wild). If an avoidant, you will likely push away and might think your spouse is overreacting and can be uncompromising

Can You Change Your Attachment Style?

Yes. Attachment styles aren’t set in stone. Research shows that when your need for intimacy is consistently met and reciprocated by your partner, your satisfaction rises, and you can move toward security. A secure relationship provides the stability that allows both partners to grow in trust and intimacy. It requires selflessness, introspection and teachability.

Ephesians 5:25-26 “For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.”

‭1 Corinthians 13:4-5 ““Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.”

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In this episode, we trace how the Reformation rediscovered the gospel—from Luther’s 95 Theses to the rise of Protestant movements—and how God used ordinary people, Scripture, and the printing press to bring His Word back to the world.

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Episode SummaryBy the early 1500s, the Catholic Church had become powerful, wealthy, and deeply political. Salvation was treated like a transaction through rituals and indulgences, and the gospel was buried under centuries of human authority. The Bible was locked away in Latin, unreadable to most people. But God was preparing a movement of rediscovery—the Protestant Reformation.

In this episode, we’ll see how men like Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, John Knox, and the lesser-known Anabaptists helped bring Christianity back to the simple gospel of faith in Jesus Christ.

The Reformation wasn’t rebellion—it was rediscovery. It was a return to the gospel buried under layers of religion.

The Reformation BeginsMartin Luther, a German monk, struggled with guilt and never felt good enough for God. While reading Romans 1:17, he discovered that righteousness is a gift from God—received by faith, not earned by works. Around that time, the Church was selling indulgences to raise money for St. Peter’s Basilica, claiming that people could buy forgiveness. Outraged, Luther wrote his 95 Theses and nailed them to a church door in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517.

The document spread quickly thanks to the newly invented printing press, and a movement was born. Luther stood before church authorities and declared, “My conscience is captive to the Word of God. Here I stand. I can do no other.” While hiding from persecution, he translated the Bible into German so ordinary people could read it for themselves.

Other Reformers Across EuropeWhile Luther led in Germany, others joined the cause across Europe:

Ulrich Zwingli in Switzerland preached directly from Scripture, opposed indulgences, and emphasized simple, Bible-centered worship.
John Calvin in France and later Geneva wrote The Institutes of the Christian Religion, organizing Christian theology and emphasizing God’s sovereignty, grace, and the authority of Scripture.
John Knox in Scotland, a student of Calvin, boldly preached the gospel to kings and queens and helped establish the Presbyterian Church, governed by elders with Christ as its head.
William Tyndale in England translated the Bible into English so people could read it in their own language.

The Reformation spread rapidly, dividing Europe between those who followed the old system and those who embraced this rediscovered gospel of grace.

The Radical Reformers: The AnabaptistsNot everyone thought the Reformation went far enough. A group in Switzerland called the Anabaptists believed that faith must be personal and voluntary—not forced by rulers or religious systems. They practiced believers’ baptism, nonviolence, and freedom of conscience.

When Felix Manz and others baptized each other as adults in 1525, it was considered rebellion. Sadly, Manz was executed—not by Catholics, but by Protestants who still held to church-state control. The Anabaptists’ bold stand would later inspire groups like the Mennonites, Amish, Baptists, and non-denominational churches today.

The gospel had been freed from superstition—but not yet from compulsion. The Anabaptists carried the Reformation to its logical conclusion: that the church is not an empire, but a community of believers freely following Jesus.

The Five Solas of the ReformationThe Reformers summarized their beliefs in five Latin phrases—all beginning with the word sola, meaning “alone.” These truths became the backbone of Protestant faith:

Sola Scriptura — Scripture Alone: The Bible is the final authority for faith and life (2 Timothy 3:16).
Sola Fide — Faith Alone: We are made right with God through faith in Jesus (Romans 3:22).
Sola Gratia — Grace Alone: Salvation is a free gift from God, not earned by works (Ephesians 2:8).
Solus Christus — Christ Alone: Jesus is the only mediator between God and people (1 Timothy 2:5).
Soli Deo Gloria — To the Glory of God Alone: All of life and salvation exist for God’s glory (Romans 11:36).

The Legacy of the ReformationOnce people could read the Bible for themselves, faith became personal again. New movements formed—Lutheran, Reformed, Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, and many others. The gospel spread beyond Europe to the New World, carried by people who wanted to live out biblical Christianity in their own time and culture.

The Word of God is alive and powerful. (Hebrews 4:12)

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Welcome back to the truth podcast! We're in week two of our David series, and this week we look at how God led David from boyhood toward his most famous moment: his battle with Goliath, and how that shaped his future.

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Big Idea: God’s promises always come with a process. The making of a man or woman of God happens long before the moment of recognition — in hidden places, through faithful obedience, and in God’s perfect timing.

The Development ProcessAfter Saul’s rejection as king in 1 Samuel 15:23, God sent Samuel to anoint David. But even though David was chosen, it would take over 20 years before he would sit on the throne. That gap between promise and fulfillment was the development process — the “darkroom” where God forms character away from the spotlight.

David’s story reminds us that God develops His people like a photograph. There’s an image already imprinted — His image — but if exposed too soon, it’s ruined. God’s kingdom grows through faithfulness in little things, not instant promotion. “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21)

David’s great moment began with a simple errand: “Take this basket of grain and these ten loaves of bread” (1 Samuel 17:17-20). Before Goliath, before the crown, there was cheese delivery. God often tests us in ordinary moments to see if we’ll serve before we shine.

If you’re too big to serve, you’re too small to lead.

Faithfulness in obscurity prepares us for influence in the open. Private obedience shapes public impact.

Private Victories Protect Public CallingsDavid’s courage before Goliath wasn’t random; it was rehearsed in the field. When he fought lions and bears to protect his sheep (1 Samuel 17:34–37), he learned that God rescues and sustains His people even when no one is watching. His confidence wasn’t arrogance — it was built through history with God.

Every believer faces “lions and bears”: private temptations, hidden sins, and heart battles that no one else sees. Conquering them is how faith matures. Private compromise, on the other hand, always leads to public downfall. (James 1:15; Proverbs 28:13)

Life doesn’t change that much — the stakes just get higher.

So deal with sin in secret before it grows. Confess it to a trusted believer (James 5:16; 1 John 1:7). Every hidden victory builds strength for your future battles.

Learn to Walk in Your Own ArmorWhen Saul offered David his armor (1 Samuel 17:38–40), it didn’t fit. David had to fight with what God had already given him — his shepherd’s tools. Likewise, we must resist the urge to imitate others. The gifts, skills, and experiences God has given you are exactly what He intends to use.

If you don’t walk in it, you can’t war in it.

David’s sling was more powerful in faith than Saul’s sword in flesh. And his five smooth stones? Perhaps they weren’t about doubt, but readiness — years later, David’s men would slay four more giants (2 Samuel 21:22).

We don’t do amazing — we just do available. God does amazing.

Identify what God has put in your hand today and walk faithfully in it (1 Timothy 4:14–16).

God Prepares the Worker and the WorkWhen David killed Goliath, he did it with Goliath’s own sword (1 Samuel 17:50–51). Ironically, Goliath had sharpened the very weapon that would end him. That’s how God works — He’s always one step ahead.

This victory mirrored what God did earlier to Dagon, the Philistine idol, whose head and hands broke off before the Ark of the LORD (1 Samuel 5:1–4). God was writing a story of triumph long before David arrived on the battlefield.

God isn’t winging your life. He’s writing it.

Every moment — from Abraham’s late-life faith to Moses’ wilderness years, Nehemiah’s captivity, and the disciples’ disappointment — proves that God prepares both the person and the path. (Ephesians 2:10)

The Making OfDavid didn’t become great overnight. He became great through years of unseen obedience and faithfulness. God’s process takes time, but He’s already given us everything we need for godliness. (2 Peter 1:3)

Spiritual growth isn’t about getting more of God, but giving more of yourself to Him.

Like a child growing into their DNA, God’s design for your life is already imprinted on your soul. The image is forming — trust His timing.

God’s promises always come with a process. Let Him bring your purpose into focus.

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In this episode, we explore the courageous men who paved the way for Martin Luther—followers of Jesus who, long before the Reformation, risked everything to return the church to the authority of Scripture.

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Big Idea:

Long before Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses, God was already stirring reform in the hearts of ordinary believers. From Peter Waldo to John Wycliffe, Jan Hus, and William Tyndale, the spark of reformation began not in cathedrals but in the conviction that the Bible—not the pope—was the true authority of the church.

Episode OverviewFormation → Conformation → Deformation → Reformation

The first-century church was formed as a grassroots gospel movement led by the apostles (Acts 2).
The following centuries saw conformation through creeds and councils that clarified core doctrine.
After the fall of Rome, the church experienced deformation—institutional corruption, superstition, indulgences, and a Bible out of reach for the common person.
Yet even in the “Dark Ages,” God raised reformers who called His people back to the Word.

Key ReformersPeter Waldo (1170 AD)

A wealthy merchant who gave up his riches after reading Matthew 19:21.
Funded the first vernacular translation of Scripture into French.
His followers—the Waldensians—preached repentance, memorized Scripture, and survived centuries of persecution.

John Wycliffe (1320s–1384)

Oxford scholar who rediscovered the gospel of grace through Scripture.
Declared that “Scripture alone, not popes or councils, is the final authority.”
Produced the first complete English Bible (translated from the Latin Vulgate).
His followers, the Lollards, secretly spread handwritten English Bibles and published the Twelve Conclusions (1395)—early “theses” against corruption, indulgences, and unbiblical traditions.

Jan Hus (1369–1415)

Czech priest inspired by Wycliffe’s writings.
Preached the gospel in Czech so people could understand the Bible.
Wrote On the Church, teaching that Christ alone—not the pope—is head of the church.
Burned at the stake for refusing to recant, proclaiming, “You may roast this goose, but in a hundred years a swan will arise whose song you will not silence.”
A century later, Martin Luther would see himself as that “swan.”
His followers, the Hussites, became the Moravians, who later influenced John Wesley and the Methodist Revival.

William Tyndale (1494–1536)

Scholar fluent in seven languages, determined to make Scripture accessible to every English speaker.
Translated the Bible directly from Greek and Hebrew—the first of its kind in English.
Famous vow: “If God spare my life, I will cause a boy that driveth the plow to know more of the Scripture than thou dost.”
Printed Bibles were smuggled into England and widely read despite persecution.
Martyred for his work; his dying prayer: “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes.”
Within three years, King Henry VIII authorized the Great Bible, largely based on Tyndale’s translation.

TakeawayThe Reformation didn’t start with Luther’s hammer—it began in hidden rooms, candlelit homes, and underground movements of faithful men and women who believed every believer should have access to God’s Word.

The true reform of the church has always been about returning to the Bible, rediscovering grace, and declaring Christ alone as head of His church.

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We’re kicking off a 6-week series on one of the most recognizable figures in the Bible—David. But before we meet the shepherd who became king, we have to meet the man who came before him: Saul, Israel’s first king. Saul looked like a king on the outside, but his heart drifted from God on the inside. His story reminds us that it’s possible to look the part but lack the power.

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Israel wanted a king “like the nations.” God warned them it would bring problems, but they insisted. Saul looked the part—“a head taller than anyone else”—but he didn’t have the heart. 1 Samuel 13:14 (NLT) says, “The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.” Sadly, that man wasn’t Saul.

Today we’ll contrast Saul’s heart and David’s heart to see what it takes to have a heart after God. Saul’s downfall exposes three spiritual drift patterns we all face: fear, expedience, and pride.

A heart after God moves from fear to trust.When God doesn’t show up when or how we expect, will we still wait?

Saul couldn’t. Surrounded by enemies and losing soldiers, he panicked and offered a sacrifice himself instead of waiting for Samuel.

1 Samuel 13:12 (NLT) – “So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.”

Fear always tries to justify disobedience. Saul’s math was simple: scattering soldiers + late prophet + looming enemy = act now, ask later.

Samuel’s response cut deep: “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you… The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart.” (1 Samuel 13:13–14)

Every sin begins as a failure to trust. Faith waits when fear wants to rush. Trust trades the best I can do for the best God can do.

A heart after God moves from expedience to obedience.Expedience means taking the convenient shortcut even if it’s not right. Saul did this when God told him to destroy everything from the Amalekites—but he spared what “appealed to them.”

1 Samuel 15:9 (NLT) – “They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.”

Saul tried to spin his compromise as worship: “My troops brought in the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the Lord.” (1 Samuel 15:21)

But Samuel said it plainly:

1 Samuel 15:22 (NLT) – “Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.”

God’s commands aren’t arbitrary; they’re descriptions of reality. Break them, and you break yourself. Saul had titles but no truth-tellers. He was surrounded by people who agreed, not people who corrected. You can only be as accountable as you make yourself. Integrity means doing what’s right even when no one’s watching.

A heart after God moves from reputation to repentance.Saul confessed, but even his repentance was about saving face.

1 Samuel 15:30 (NLT) – “I know I have sinned. But please, at least honor me before the elders of my people.”

Even after rejection, Saul cared more about appearance than obedience. His pride valued reputation over repentance.

True repentance isn’t saying “I was wrong, but…” It’s humbling ourselves before God without excuses. Like a band leader who turns his back to the audience, we must learn to lead our hearts by listening to one voice—God’s.

The Man of the Moment: God’s Heart in David1 Samuel 16:1 (NLT) – “Fill your horn with oil… I have provided for myself a king.”

God rejected Saul and raised up David. Saul had been anointed from a man-made flask; David was anointed from a God-made horn. The difference was divine. “The Lord was with David, but had departed from Saul.” (1 Samuel 18:12)

And centuries later, Jesus says in Revelation 22:16 (NLT), “I am both the source of David and the heir to his throne.”

Jesus didn’t just come from David’s line—He was the source of David’s heart. The same grace that anointed David flows from Christ to us.

Saul represents human effort—trying to please God by our own strength. David represents grace—trusting the power of God’s Spirit.

Every good thing that qualified David before God was rooted in Jesus.

When we fail, Jesus offers forgiveness, transformation, and power. He alone gives us a heart after God.

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In this episode, we’ll talk about how marriage isn’t just destroyed by the big blowups—but more often by the small, everyday moments when we ignore each other’s bids for connection, and how learning to “turn toward” instead of “turn away” can change everything.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

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Many couples believe that divorce comes from big, explosive issues—infidelity, money problems, or major betrayals. But according to renowned marriage researcher Dr. John Gottman, it's often not the big things that break a marriage. It's the small, everyday moments—missed chances to connect—that slowly build up into bitterness and resentment over time.

What Is a “Bid” for Connection?Gottman calls these small moments “bids.” A bid is any attempt from one partner to get attention, affection, affirmation, or support from the other. Bids can be loud or quiet, obvious or subtle.

Examples:

“How do I look?” (Translation: Can I have your attention?)
“Getting the kids to bed is hard.” (Translation: Can I have your help?)
A spouse sitting down next to you on the couch. (Translation: Can I be near you?)

Whether you notice these bids and how you respond to them will shape the health of your marriage—far more than you might think.

The 3 Ways to Respond to a BidEvery time your spouse makes a bid for connection, you have three ways to respond. Over time, your pattern of responses becomes the emotional climate of your relationship.

Turning TowardThis is the healthy response. When you turn toward a bid, you engage with your partner’s attempt to connect. It could be as simple as answering their question, offering a smile, or stopping what you're doing to give them your attention.

Example:

Spouse: “Look at this funny video.”

Turning Toward: “Haha! That’s great. Show me another.”

What it does: Builds trust, intimacy, and love. Each “turning toward” moment is like a small deposit in the bank account of your marriage.

Proverbs 15:1 – “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.”

Kind responses create peace and connection.

Turning AwayThis is the neutral-to-negative response. You ignore the bid, act distracted, or give a half-hearted answer.

Example:

Spouse: “Can we talk after dinner?”

Turning Away: “Uh-huh…” (while scrolling your phone)

What it does: Over time, this makes your partner feel invisible or unimportant. They may stop reaching out altogether.

Philippians 2:4 – “Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”

Marriage thrives when both spouses make each other a priority.

Turning AgainstThis is the harmful response. You react with sarcasm, criticism, or irritation. It not only ignores the bid, but also shuts it down in a hurtful way.

Example:

Spouse: “This parenting stuff is exhausting.”

Turning Against: “Well, maybe if you were more organized and less lazy, it wouldn’t be so hard.”

What it does: This breeds contempt and emotional distance. It's one of the strongest predictors of divorce in Gottman’s research.

Ephesians 4:29 – “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”

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In this episode, we trace how one global faith became divided between East and West — from the councils of Nicaea, Chalcedon, and Constantinople to the final break in 1054 — and discover what it means to return to the unified, Spirit-led Church Jesus originally envisioned.

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Last week, we ended with a coronation that changed history.

In 800 A.D., Pope Leo III placed a crown on the head of Charlemagne, declaring him “Emperor of the Romans.” It was the rebirth of a Christian Rome — what we now call the Holy Roman Empire.

It seemed like a moment of triumph for the Church, but it came with a cost.

That act blurred the line between heaven and earth — between spiritual authority and political control.

The pope gained protection.

Charlemagne gained divine legitimacy.

But the partnership that promised unity in the West sent shockwaves through the East.

In Constantinople, Christian leaders looked on in disbelief. The Eastern emperor was already the rightful heir of Rome — so who gave a Western pope the right to crown another?

It was more than a political power play; it was the outworking of deeper cracks that had been forming for centuries.

So before we move forward to the Great Schism of 1054, we’re going to back up — to the early councils of the Church, when East and West still sat at the same table.

We’ll see how questions about who Jesus is, who leads the Church, and how truth is defined began to pull believers in different directions long before anyone realized the family was breaking apart.

From One Empire to Two WorldsWhen Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to Constantinople in 330 A.D., the center of gravity in the Christian world began to shift.

Rome was still revered as the old seat of power, but Constantinople — “New Rome” — quickly became the heart of a thriving, educated, and deeply spiritual East.

In the West, life revolved around survival. As the empire crumbled under invasions and chaos, the Church became the glue that held society together. Latin was the common language, law and order were prized, and the bishop of Rome — later known as the pope — grew in influence as emperors disappeared. By the time Rome finally fell in 476 A.D., it was the Church, not the state, that provided leadership and stability.

In the East, the story looked very different. The Byzantine Empire remained strong and sophisticated, speaking Greek, preserving classical learning, and weaving theology into every part of public life. The emperor saw himself not just as a ruler, but as a protector of the faith, working hand in hand with church leaders in Constantinople.

This wasn’t a rivalry at first — just two cultures expressing the same faith in different ways.

But over time, those differences deepened.

In the West, Christianity took on a more legal and institutional shape. The Church developed systems, laws, and hierarchies, with the pope eventually claiming to stand in Peter’s place as the “Vicar of Christ.”

When Did the Bishop of Rome Become “the Pope”?
The title pope (from the Latin papa, meaning “father”) was originally used broadly for bishops across the Christian world.
By the 4th century, it became increasingly associated with the bishop of Rome.
Under Gregory the Great (590–604 A.D.), the office gained immense influence during times of crisis, and from then on, pope became an exclusive title for the bishop of Rome.
By the time of the Great Schism (1054 A.D.), the pope’s title symbolized Rome’s claim to universal jurisdiction — something the Eastern Church could not accept.

In the East, Christianity retained a mystical and communal spirit. Authority was shared among several patriarchs — in Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem — each overseeing their own region while recognizing one another as equals.

Even as East and West developed distinct personalities, they still saw themselves as one Church — united by their faith in Christ and their commitment to guard the truth.

But as Christianity spread across languages, cultures, and continents, new questions began to surface: Who is Jesus, really? How does His divinity relate to His humanity? Who has the final say when the Church disagrees?

To answer those questions, Church leaders from every corner of the empire gathered in a series of monumental meetings known as the ecumenical councils.

These councils would clarify essential truths about God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit — and at the same time, begin to expose the tensions that would one day divide the family of faith.

The Early Councils: Defining Christian OrthodoxyThe Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.)Called by Emperor Constantine in the city of Nicaea (modern-day Turkey), this was the first worldwide gathering of Church leaders — bishops from both East and West.

They met to confront the teaching of Arius, who denied that Jesus was fully divine. The council affirmed that Jesus is “of one substance (homoousios) with the Father,” and produced the Nicene Creed — the first official statement of Christian orthodoxy.

This was a rare moment of unity: East and West stood together in defense of the truth about Christ.

✝ The Council of Constantinople (381 A.D.)Half a century later, Emperor Theodosius I called a second council — this time in Constantinople, the new imperial capital.

Only Eastern bishops attended, since travel from the West was difficult and the Roman Church was preoccupied with internal struggles.

This council expanded the Nicene Creed to include a fuller statement about the Holy Spirit — affirming His divinity and role in the Trinity.

While the council’s conclusions were later accepted by the West, the lack of Western participation began to show early cracks in Church unity.

The Council of Chalcedon (451 A.D.) — The First Great Split70 years after Constantinople, Church leaders gathered again at nearby Chalcedon to settle lingering questions about Christ’s nature. The result was another milestone — and another fracture.

The Council of Chalcedon declared that Jesus Christ is one person in two natures, fully God and fully man, “without confusion, change, division, or separation.” This balanced statement — called the Chalcedonian Definition — became the cornerstone of orthodox Christology for both East and West.

However, not everyone agreed.

Christians in Egypt, Syria, and Armenia rejected the Chalcedonian formula, believing it overstated the distinction between Christ’s natures. They preferred the language of “one united nature” (miaphysis) — a view they believed best preserved the mystery of the Incarnation.

The result was the first enduring break in the Christian world:

The Coptic Orthodox Church (Egypt),
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church,
The Syriac Orthodox Church (Syria), and
The Armenian Apostolic Church

all separated from the imperial (Chalcedonian) Church. These are known today as the Oriental Orthodox Churches.

This split, happening centuries before 1054, revealed a recurring pattern: theological disagreements expressed in different languages, shaped by culture and politics, could tear the Church apart.

Chalcedon was the first precursor to the Great Schism, proving that even sincere pursuit of truth can divide when humility and communication break down.

The point: By the time the Roman Empire finally fell in the West (476), the seeds of future division — linguistic, cultural, and theological — had already been planted.

The Filioque Controversy (pronounced “FEE-lee-oh-kway”)One of the most famous theological flashpoints that illustrated the tension centered on a single Latin word — filioque, meaning “and from the Son.”

Originally, the Nicene Creed (325 A.D.), reaffirmed at Constantinople (381 A.D.), declared that the Holy Spirit “proceeds from the Father.” Both East and West agreed on that wording for centuries.

But in the late 6th century, bishops in Spain added the phrase filioque to the Creed, teaching that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. They did this to defend the full divinity of Christ against lingering Arian heresies in the West. The change spread slowly through the Latin-speaking world and gained traction during the Carolingian era (8th–9th centuries) under Charlemagne’s influence.

The Eastern Church, however, was never consulted. To them, the addition broke the rules of unity — a universal creed could not be changed without a universal council. Theologically, they also worried the phrase confused the distinct roles of the Father and the Son within the Trinity.

By the time Rome officially adopted the phrase in 1014 A.D. under Pope Benedict VIII, the damage was done.

For the West, the filioque was a necessary clarification — an expression of Christ’s equality with the Father.

For the East, it was an act of theological arrogance — a symbol of the West’s growing independence and disregard for shared authority.

What began as a single word in a creed became a defining fault line between two visions of the Church: one emphasizing doctrinal precision and papal authority, the other emphasizing mystery and conciliar unity.

Political Tension — Two Empires, One FaithThe political divide between East and West came to a breaking point in 800 A.D., when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne, king of the Franks, as “Emperor of the Romans.”

To believers in the West, it was a moment of renewal — the Church and the empire united once again under Christian leadership. But to the Byzantine emperor in Constantinople, it looked like open rebellion. The East already had a Christian emperor; the pope had no right to crown another.

That single act created two competing centers of power — two “Roman Empires,” each claiming divine authority to rule in Christ’s name.

The Western Church tied itself ever more closely to political power, while the Eastern Church remained intertwined with imperial authority in Constantinople.

What had once been one faith under one empire was now a rivalry between two worlds — each convinced it was defending the true kingdom of God.

Worship and Practice — One Faith, Different ExpressionsThe split between East and West wasn’t just political or theological — it was cultural.

Even the way believers worshiped began to reflect their distinct worlds.

In the East, Communion was celebrated with leavened bread, symbolizing the risen Christ. In the West, it was unleavened bread, following the Jewish Passover tradition.
Eastern priests could marry, while the Western Church required clerical celibacy as a sign of full devotion to God.
The Eastern liturgy was poetic and mystical, filled with incense, chant, and sacred icons meant to draw the heart toward heaven. The Western liturgy was structured and formal, emphasizing order, logic, and Latin precision.

None of these differences, on their own, were heresies. But over time, they became symbols of suspicion.

Each side began to view the other as drifting from “true faith” — not because of what they believed about Christ, but because of how they expressed that belief.

Cultural diversity, once a strength, had become another source of mistrust.

Transition: From Division to DisasterBy the time the eleventh century arrived, the divide between East and West was more than theological — it was personal, political, and deeply human.

Centuries of miscommunication and mistrust had hardened into arrogance on both sides.

In Rome, popes saw themselves as guardians of order and truth — but too often mixed spiritual authority with political ambition, using faith to strengthen their influence over kings and emperors.

In Constantinople, the patriarchs were no saints either. Many had become entangled in imperial politics, defending their own prestige just as fiercely as the truth of the gospel.

The result was a Church led by men who often claimed to represent Christ — yet acted more like rivals defending territory than brothers pursuing unity.

Each side spoke a different language, followed different customs, and operated under different assumptions about leadership, worship, and power.

What began as diversity within one family of faith had become a cold distance between estranged relatives.

All it would take was a spark — a clash of egos and empires — to turn that tension into a permanent break.

That spark came in 1054 A.D., when envoys from Rome arrived in Constantinople, and the long-simmering differences between two churches, two empires, and two visions of Christianity finally exploded into open division.

The Breaking Point — 1054 A.D.The split that had been centuries in the making finally erupted in 1054 A.D., and it wasn’t over a single issue — it was over everything that had been festering for generations.

Language barriers, theological disputes, political rivalry, and personal pride all collided in one combustible moment.

When Pope Leo IX sent Cardinal Humbert to Constantinople, it was supposed to be a diplomatic mission — a chance to repair strained relations and reaffirm unity. But by the time Humbert arrived, tensions were already boiling. The Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cerularius, was outspoken, defiant, and fiercely protective of Eastern traditions. He had publicly condemned Latin practices, even closing Western-style churches in the city.

Humbert, for his part, was no diplomat. Known for his arrogance and quick temper, he arrived with letters from Rome that accused the Eastern Church of heresy and rebellion. He and Cerularius clashed almost immediately — two proud men representing two proud institutions, both convinced they alone were defending the faith.

On July 16, 1054, in a moment that would define the next thousand years of Christian history, Humbert marched into Hagia Sophia, the great cathedral of Constantinople, and placed a bull of excommunication on the altar during worship. The document denounced Cerularius and the entire Eastern Church.

Cerularius responded in kind. He convened his own council, denouncing Humbert and excommunicating the pope’s envoys. The two sides effectively excommunicated each other, each claiming to speak for the one true Church — and neither willing to back down.

The rift was now official.

The Church that had once stood united under persecution was permanently divided:

The Roman Catholic Church in the West, centered in Rome and led by the pope.
The Eastern Orthodox Church in the East, centered in Constantinople and governed by councils of patriarchs.

And while later attempts would be made to heal the wound, the bitterness of 1054 would never fully fade.

What began as a family dispute over theology and leadership ended as a tragic story of pride, politics, and lost unity — a reminder that even those who claim to represent Christ can forget to act like Him.

After the DivideThe Great Schism of 1054 was only the beginning of separation. Over the next several centuries, events cemented the divide.

10th–11th Centuries — Seeds of SeparationEven before the split, Saints Cyril and Methodius (9th century) had brought the gospel to the Slavs, creating the Cyrillic alphabet and translating Scripture.

Their work led to Prince Vladimir of Kiev’s conversion in 988, establishing Orthodox Christianity among the Slavs — the foundation for the future Russian Orthodox Church.

12th–13th Centuries — Deepening the DivideRelations worsened during the Crusades. The most devastating moment came in 1204, when Western Crusaders sacked Constantinople, looting churches and desecrating holy sites. To the Orthodox world, this betrayal by fellow Christians sealed the wound.

14th–15th Centuries — New Centers of OrthodoxyAs the Byzantine Empire declined, leadership in Eastern Christianity shifted northward.

In 1448, the Russian Orthodox Church declared independence from Constantinople.

When Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, the ancient Christian capital came under Islamic rule.

Moscow soon saw itself as the new guardian of Orthodoxy — the “Third Rome.”

The Family of Eastern ChurchesBy the late Middle Ages, Eastern Orthodoxy was a communion of autocephalous (self-governing) yet...

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Welcome back to the podcast! We’ve all heard them. Little phrases that sound wise, comforting, or even spiritual—but they’re not true. In this series, we’ll uncover some of the most common believable lies people buy into about God, life, and faith.

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In this episode, we're kicking off a new series walking through the story of the Church — from the apostles to the modern day — to uncover where things went right, where things went wrong, and what it means to stay faithful to Jesus’ design.

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Drive through any city and you’ll see it — church signs everywhere.

Catholic. Baptist. Methodist. Presbyterian. Pentecostal. Non-Denominational.

How did we get here? And more importantly… have we lost something along the way?

In this series, we’re walking through the story of the Church — from the apostles to the modern day — to uncover where things went right, where things went wrong, and what it means to stay faithful to Jesus’ design.

Here’s where we’re going:

From the Apostles to the Catholic Church (The Church Takes Shape)
The Great Schism – East and West Divide
Pre-Reformation Movements – Wycliffe, Hus, and the Anabaptists
The Protestant Reformation – Truth Rediscovered
The Denominational Explosion – 1600s – 1800s
Modern Movements – Pentecostals, Evangelicals, and Non-Denoms

When Jesus said, “I will build my church,” He wasn’t talking about buildings, politics, or denominations. He was launching a movement — a family of believers united by truth, transformed by the Spirit, and commissioned to make disciples of all nations.

Over the next two thousand years, that movement grew, spread, divided, and institutionalized. Some of it was faithful. Some of it wasn’t.

Our goal isn’t just to study history. It’s to recover the essence of a biblical church — one rooted in the gospel, led by the Spirit, and faithful to God’s Word.

What does it mean to be the kind of church Jesus actually envisioned?

The Church Jesus FoundedJesus made an unshakable promise:

“I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” — Matthew 16:18 (NLT)

At Pentecost (Acts 2), that promise became reality. The Holy Spirit filled believers, Peter preached, and thousands came to faith.

“All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.” — Acts 2:42 (NLT)

The Church began as a grassroots movement of ordinary people empowered by an extraordinary Spirit. There were no buildings, no denominations, and no political power — just a message of forgiveness and hope in Jesus Christ.

The Structure of the New Testament ChurchAs the gospel spread, the apostles appointed elders (presbyteroi), also called pastors (poimēn) or overseers/bishops (episkopoi), to shepherd local congregations. These terms describe different aspects of one office — mature, Spirit-led shepherds guiding God’s people.

Paul told the Ephesian elders:

“Guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.” — Acts 20:28 (NLT)

Church leadership was plural and local, not centralized. Deacons served practical needs (Acts 6:1–6), and every believer was equipped for ministry (1 Corinthians 12).

Christ Himself was the Head of the Church (Colossians 1:18). Authority rested not in hierarchy, but in the apostles’ teaching — the inspired Word of God.

The Foundation of the ApostlesPaul described the Church as:

“Built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.” — Ephesians 2:20 (NLT)

This “foundation” refers to the original eyewitness apostles, personally chosen and commissioned by Jesus (Luke 6:13). Their authority was unique and unrepeatable.

When James the Apostle was martyred in Acts 12, no one replaced him. Unlike Judas — whose betrayal required another to complete the Twelve — James’s death marked the close of that foundational era.

There are no “capital-A Apostles” today. Their teaching, recorded in the New Testament, remains the lasting foundation.

The Church stands on the apostolic Word, not an apostolic office.

Scripture, not succession, is our authority.

How the Early Church Made Decisions — Acts 15When Gentile believers began following Christ, some argued they must also follow the Mosaic Law. The issue threatened to divide the Church.

The apostles and elders met in Jerusalem to seek God’s will.

“So the apostles and elders met together to resolve this issue.” — Acts 15:6 (NLT)

After prayer and testimony, James concluded:

“We should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” — Acts 15:19 (NLT)

“We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.” — Acts 15:11 (NLT)

The result was a letter affirming salvation by grace through faith and urging unity among believers.

The process was biblical, Spirit-led, and communal — a model for decision-making in every age of the Church.

From Persecution to PowerThe Era of Persecution (A.D. 64–313)For nearly three centuries, Christianity was illegal in the Roman Empire.

Nero (64 A.D.) blamed Christians for Rome’s fire and executed them publicly.
Domitian (81–96) demanded emperor worship; John was exiled to Patmos.
Decius (249–251) required sacrifices to Roman gods; refusal meant death.
Diocletian (303–311) launched the Great Persecution, destroying Scriptures and imprisoning believers.

Yet persecution purified the Church. Martyrs like Polycarp, who prayed for his captors, and Perpetua and Felicity, who sang hymns before death, inspired courage. The blood of the martyrs became the seed of the Church.

The Turning Point — Constantine and the Edict of Milan (313 A.D.)In 312 A.D., Emperor Constantine claimed to see a cross in the sky with the words “In this sign, conquer.” After victory, he legalized Christianity through the Edict of Milan.

For the first time, Christians could worship openly. Property was restored, persecution ceased, and bishops gained influence. Constantine later convened the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.), where church leaders affirmed that Jesus is “of one substance with the Father.” The Nicene Creed became a foundational statement of faith.

The shift from persecution to privilege changed everything. The once-oppressed Church became favored by the state — and power began to shape its structure.

The Rise of Imperial ChristianityUnder Theodosius I (380 A.D.), Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. Churches grew wealthy, clergy gained social status, and faith became cultural rather than personal.

The empire’s five key cities — Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem — became centers of church authority. The bishop of Rome, claiming Peter’s legacy, gradually asserted supremacy over others.

When the Western Empire fell in 476 A.D., the bishop of Rome filled the leadership vacuum. Over time, that role evolved into the papacy, and the Roman Catholic Church emerged as both a spiritual and political power.

By the Middle Ages:

The Pope was seen as Christ’s representative on earth.
Salvation was mediated through church sacraments.
Worship was conducted in Latin, inaccessible to the common believer.
Tradition often outweighed Scripture.

The Church gained stability — but drifted far from the simplicity of Acts 2.

Voices That Shaped the EraEven as the Church developed structure and faced persecution, God raised up theological thinkers whose writings would shape doctrine for centuries.

Ignatius of Antioch (c. 35–108 A.D.) – A disciple of the Apostle John, Ignatius wrote letters urging believers to stay united in truth and avoid false teachers. On his way to martyrdom in Rome, he declared, “It is better to die for Christ Jesus than to reign over all the ends of the earth.” His letters show how early Christians viewed Christ’s divinity and the Church’s unity.

Justin Martyr (c. 100–165 A.D.) – A philosopher-turned-Christian, Justin defended the faith before Roman officials, arguing that Christianity fulfilled the deepest longings of philosophy. His Apologies and Dialogue with Trypho helped bridge faith and reason, introducing the idea that all truth ultimately points to Christ.

Augustine of Hippo (354–430 A.D.) – Living after Constantine, Augustine’s writings defined Western theology. In Confessions, he showed how grace transforms the human heart; in The City of God, he contrasted the kingdom of God with the kingdom of man. Augustine taught that salvation is by grace through faith — ideas that would deeply influence the Reformers a thousand years later.

Each of these men reminds us that ideas matter — and that truth must be defended in every generation.

The Fall of Rome and the Rise of the Holy Roman EmpireBy the 400s, the Western Roman Empire was collapsing under internal corruption, economic decline, and repeated invasions by Germanic tribes (Visigoths, Vandals, Ostrogoths).

In 476 A.D., a Germanic general named Odoacer deposed the last Western emperor, Romulus Augustulus, and declared himself ruler of Italy.

That moment marked the symbolic end of the Western Roman Empire.

The Eastern Roman Empire (later called the Byzantine Empire) survived for nearly a thousand more years, with its capital in Constantinople.

After 476, the Roman Church — especially the bishop (pope) of Rome — became the only unifying institution left in the West. The popes, monks, and bishops preserved learning, provided leadership, and filled the political vacuum left by Rome’s collapse.

The “Christian Rome” DreamIn the centuries after the fall, Europe was a patchwork of tribal kingdoms — Franks, Goths, Lombards, and others. Most people looked to the Church for order and moral authority.

The popes began to see themselves as successors not only to the apostles, but also as heirs to the moral leadership once held by the emperors. The ideal of a Christian empire — where church and state worked together under God’s authority — began to take shape.

This idea would culminate in a new empire — one that claimed to be “holy” (under God), “Roman” (the successor to ancient Rome), and an “empire” (uniting Europe under a single Christian ruler).

The Rise of the Holy Roman Empire (800 A.D.)In 800 A.D., nearly 300 years after the fall of Rome, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne, king of the Franks, as “Emperor of the Romans.” This act symbolized the rebirth of a Christian Rome in Western Europe — what we now call the Holy Roman Empire.

It was an alliance:

The pope gained protection and political backing.
Charlemagne gained divine legitimacy for his rule.

The empire united much of Western Europe under a Christian identity, but it also blurred the line between spiritual authority and political control.

As historian Voltaire famously quipped centuries later, “The Holy Roman Empire was neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire.”

But in its time, it became the central stage for the medieval Church’s growing power — setting up centuries of conflict between popes and emperors over who truly ruled in Christ’s name.

Next week, we’ll see how East and West finally broke apart — how theology, culture, and authority collided in the event known as the Great Schism — and what it reveals about the Church’s ongoing struggle between truth and control.

What We LearnThe early church began as a Spirit-led movement built on Christ and the apostles’ teaching. Over time, it became an institution shaped by empire and hierarchy.

But Jesus never stopped building His Church. Through persecution, philosophy, and politics, He continued to preserve the truth of the gospel.

The lesson for us is clear:

A biblical church is not defined by power or popularity, but by truth, humility, and dependence on Christ.

When we drift from those essentials, history repeats itself.

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Believable Lies: Loving Means Affirming

Our culture has embraced a powerful but dangerous idea — that real love means total affirmation. We’re told that if we truly love someone, we must agree with everything they believe, approve of every lifestyle choice they make, and celebrate every identity they claim. To do anything less, we’re told, is hateful or judgmental. But when we look at the life of Jesus, we find a radically different picture of love. His love was never about blind affirmation — it was about truth and transformation.

Jesus Shows a Third WayIn John 8:1–11 (NLT), the religious leaders dragged before Jesus a woman caught in adultery. They demanded a verdict:

“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” (v. 4–5)

The crowd waited, silent and tense. Would Jesus condemn her or affirm her? Those seemed like the only two options. But Jesus revealed a third way — a love that was both truthful and gracious.

When the accusers persisted, Jesus replied:

“All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” (v. 7)

One by one, the accusers slipped away until only Jesus and the woman remained. Then He said:

“Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” (v. 11)

Jesus didn’t excuse her sin, but He didn’t crush her either. He forgave her and called her to a new life. That’s what real love does — it offers mercy and transformation side by side.

Our world says: If you love me, affirm me.

Jesus says: If I love you, I’ll free you.

God’s Love Is Faithful, Not AffirmingFrom the very beginning, God’s love has been faithful — but never permissive. In the Old Testament, God loved His people Israel deeply, yet He never affirmed their rebellion or idolatry. His love led Him to correct them, discipline them, and restore them.

In Jeremiah 31:3–4 (NLT), God tells His people:

“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.

With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

I will rebuild you, my virgin Israel.”

What’s remarkable about this passage is when God said it — right before Israel faced exile and destruction for their sin. Even as judgment approached, God promised His love would remain. His discipline was not the absence of love, but its expression. Like a good parent, He cared too much to let His children destroy themselves.

Proverbs 13:24 (NLT) says:

“Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children.

Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.”

True love doesn’t affirm destructive choices. It steps in to correct and rebuild. God’s love was faithful enough to discipline, patient enough to rebuild, and strong enough to keep His promises.

That’s not the kind of love our culture celebrates — but it’s the kind that saves us.

God’s Love for Us Is Sacrificial, Not SentimentalMany modern songs and slogans present love as soft, sentimental, and affirming. But God’s love is much deeper. It’s not sentimental — it’s sacrificial.

Romans 5:8 (NLT) says:

“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

God didn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up before He loved us. His love met us in our brokenness — but it didn’t leave us there. Jesus didn’t come to tell us that everything about us was fine. He came to set us free from sin.

When Jesus touched the leper in Mark 1, He didn’t leave him in his unclean condition. He healed him. His touch was compassionate, but it was also transforming. That’s how Jesus loves us.

John 15:13 (NLT) reminds us:

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Jesus didn’t affirm our sin — He died to overcome it. His love tells us the truth, even when it hurts.

When Peter tried to stop Jesus from going to the cross, Jesus rebuked him:

“Get away from me, Satan! You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” (Mark 8:33 NLT)

That’s not affirming language. It’s the tough love of a Savior who sees what’s at stake.

Our Love Should Be Humble and BoldIf God’s love is faithful and sacrificial, then our love should be the same. We are called to love others enough to tell them the truth — not harshly, but humbly.

Galatians 6:1 (NLT) says:

“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path.”

True love doesn’t look the other way when someone is headed for destruction. It gently restores. It speaks truth with grace.

Jesus calls us to love others in a way that mirrors His — not with passive approval, but with courageous compassion.

Matthew 28:19–20 (NLT) gives us the mission:

“Go and make disciples of all the nations... Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.”

Making disciples isn’t about affirming people where they are. It’s about helping them obey Jesus and become more like Him. That means real change — and real love.

The Third Way of JesusAt the end of John 8, Jesus shows us what love looks like in action. He doesn’t say, “I affirm you.” He says, “I forgive you. Go and sin no more.”

That’s the third way — the way of truth and grace. The way that refuses both cruelty and compromise.

Jesus’ love doesn’t ignore sin; it overcomes it. It doesn’t celebrate brokenness; it heals it. It doesn’t tell us we’re fine as we are; it makes us new.

The world says: Love me by affirming me.

Jesus says: I love you — now let me change you.

That’s the kind of love that changes hearts, families, and eternities.

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In this episode, Tracy examines the growing trend of Gentle Parenting through a biblical lens, showing how compassion without correction can miss God’s bigger plan for shaping a child’s heart.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

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Gentle Parenting has gained significant popularity in recent years as a parenting philosophy rooted in empathy, emotional connection, and positive discipline. It’s roots come from Alfred AdlerAdvocates promote its compassionate, respectful approach to child-rearing as an alternative to authoritarian or punitive parenting styles. While aspects of gentle parenting align with biblical calls for kindness, patience, and love, there are significant theological and biblical concerns that challenge some of its foundational assumptions. This article explores the principles of gentle parenting, the underlying views about human nature, and examines where it diverges from biblical truth from an evangelical perspective.

The Principles of Gentle ParentingAt its core, gentle parenting emphasizes a few key principles:

Connection Over Control: Gentle parenting prioritizes forming a strong emotional bond with the child over exerting control. It believes that a connected parent-child relationship is the foundation for healthy behavior, promoting cooperation rather than compliance based on fear.
Empathy and Emotional Awareness: Gentle parenting encourages parents to understand and validate their children’s emotions. The idea is that emotional intelligence and self-regulation come through modeling empathy, not through punishment or suppression of emotions.
Positive Discipline: Gentle parenting replaces punitive measures (like spanking or time-outs) with positive discipline. Misbehavior is viewed as an opportunity to teach and guide rather than punish. Natural consequences and open communication are favored over strict rules or punishments.
Respect for Autonomy: This philosophy treats children as autonomous individuals deserving of the same respect as adults. Children are given choices and involved in decision-making processes, even from a young age, to foster a sense of independence.
Modeling Desired Behavior: Parents are encouraged to model the behaviors they wish to see in their children. Instead of disciplining through authority, parents demonstrate patience, kindness, and self-control, expecting their children to learn by example.

Underlying Assumptions About Human NatureThe principles of gentle parenting rest on certain assumptions about human nature that, while appealing, often conflict with the Bible’s teachings on humanity’s fallen state and the need for discipline. Biblical parenting embraces the timeless truth of God’s Word instead of the changing ideas of popular culture. When evaluating Gentle Parenting, be sure to do it through the lens of the Bible.

Children: Inherently Good or Sinful?One of the main assumptions behind gentle parenting is that children are inherently good or morally neutral. Misbehavior is often viewed as a result of unmet needs, developmental immaturity, or a lack of understanding. This view suggests that with enough nurturing, empathy, and guidance, children will naturally grow into compassionate, well-behaved individuals.

The Bible teaches that all humans, including children, are born with a sinful nature. Psalm 51:5 says, “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” Romans 3:23 declares that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” While gentle parenting tends to see misbehavior as primarily situational or developmental, the Bible is clear that rebellion, defiance, and disobedience are manifestations of the sin nature present in all of us.

Proverbs 22:15 Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him

Therefore, while it is important to nurture and guide children, parents must also recognize the need for correction and discipline to address sin. Failing to acknowledge the sinful tendencies of children can lead to permissiveness and a neglect of the God-given responsibility to train children in righteousness.

Authority: Autonomy or Submission?Another key assumption is that children are autonomous individuals whose choices should be respected as much as possible. Gentle parenting promotes the idea that children’s autonomy should be honored, and their opinions and preferences should be given weight, even from an early age. The focus is on collaboration rather than control.

The Bible calls for children to submit to their parents’ authority (Ephesians 6:1) and for parents to exercise authority in love. God has established the family with clear roles and responsibilities, and parental authority is part of His design for the family structure.

Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”

Gentle parenting, with its emphasis on collaboration and autonomy, can unintentionally undermine the biblical concept of authority, which teaches that children are to learn obedience and respect for their parents.

In contrast to the idea that children’s autonomy should be prioritized, Scripture instructs parents to “bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). This involves not just nurturing but also setting clear boundaries and requiring obedience as part of spiritual formation.

Discipline: Cruel or Loving?Gentle parenting operates on the belief that discipline should not involve punitive measures that cause pain, discomfort, or emotional distress. Instead of consequences that might bring short-term discomfort, gentle parenting advocates for teaching and guiding in ways that maintain the child’s sense of emotional safety and comfort.

The Bible consistently teaches that discipline, including corrective discipline, is an essential aspect of parenting. Proverbs 13:24 states, “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.” Hebrews 12:6 affirms, “The Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastens everyone He accepts as His son.”

Discipline is a form of love and care, not cruelty. It helps children learn the consequences of sin and rebellion and points them toward godly behavior. Gentle parenting’s emphasis on avoiding punishment or discomfort at all costs can leave children without the necessary boundaries and correction they need to grow in wisdom and godliness.

“But misuse shouldn’t prevent right use. The presence of some dangerous drivers on the roads shouldn’t put a stop to all driving, and the existence of some abusive parents shouldn’t stop other parents from using punishment rightly”. Gospel coalition

Proverbs 3:11-12 My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline or be weary of his reproof,for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.

TakeawayGentle parenting offers a compassionate and empathetic approach to child-rearing that resonates with some biblical principles, such as kindness, patience, and love. However, from an evangelical perspective, its foundational assumptions about human nature, authority, and discipline fall short of the Bible’s teachings. Scripture teaches that children, like all humans, are born with a sinful nature and that discipline, including correction, is a vital part of their moral and spiritual formation.

While parents should always aim to model Christlike love and grace, they must also embrace their God-given authority to train, correct, and discipline their children. True biblical parenting incorporates both grace and truth, just as God deals with His children—with both lovingkindness and firm discipline.

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Many people coming out of Mormonism ask, “So now that I’m free to choose, how do I pick a church?” In this episode, we explore what it really means to find a healthy, biblical Christian church — one that’s Jesus-centered, Bible-based, and grace-driven.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

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Leaving Mormonism can feel like losing your spiritual “home base.” In LDS culture, wards are assigned by address. In biblical Christianity, you’re free to choose a local church family. But freedom raises a wise question: How do you pick a healthy, Bible-teaching, Jesus-centered church?

Start with Scripture, Not a SystemMany former Latter-day Saints have heard 1 Timothy 3:15 used to imply that the “true church” must be a single organization with one earthly headquarters and priesthood keys: “This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.” (NLT) Paul isn’t describing a corporate institution; he’s describing a community of believers built on Christ with qualified local leaders (read all of 1 Timothy 3). The foundation is Jesus himself—not a modern hierarchy. “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11, NLT) “Together, we are his house… built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.” (Ephesians 2:20, NLT)

In other words, the “pillar and foundation of the truth” is the global family of men and women who belong to Jesus and uphold his Word in local congregations.

Three Non-NegotiablesHealthy churches are:

Jesus-centered (the person and work of Christ are central),
Bible-based (Scripture is the final authority),
Grace-proclaiming (the gospel is good news, not good advice).

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true.” (2 Timothy 3:16, NLT)

“There is salvation in no one else!” (Acts 4:12, NLT)

“For everyone has sinned… Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight.” (Romans 3:23-24, NLT)

A Loving but Discerning Warning about the Prosperity GospelSome churches teach that God guarantees health, wealth, and constant success if you have enough faith. That’s not the New Testament gospel; it’s motivational religion with Bible words. Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23, NLT) The Bible prepares us for valleys as well as victories: “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.” (Psalm 23:4, NLT) Don’t swap LDS performance religion for a health-and-wealth counterfeit.

Look for Real CommunityJesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:35, NLT) In a healthy church you’ll find people who speak the truth in love, carry one another’s burdens, pray honestly, confess sins, and extend grace. “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2, NLT)

A 10-Question Church-Evaluation ChecklistUse these questions as you explore websites, listen to sermons, and visit services or small groups:

What do they believe about the Bible? Is Scripture the final authority—without “new revelation” that replaces or overrides it? (2 Timothy 3:16)
Who do they say Jesus is? Fully God, fully man, the only Savior and Lord? (Acts 4:12)
What is their gospel? Salvation by grace alone through faith in Christ alone—not Jesus plus baptism, rituals, or rule-keeping? (Romans 3:23-24)
How do they handle money and suffering? Do they teach generosity without promising guaranteed prosperity? Do they prepare people to trust God in trials? (Luke 9:23; Psalm 23:4)
Is politics in its proper place? Do they preach biblical truth about moral issues without turning the pulpit into a campaign rally?
What’s the community like? Do you see truth and love in action, and pathways into groups and serving? (John 13:35; Galatians 6:2)
How do they teach about the Holy Spirit? Biblical, Christ-exalting, orderly—avoiding unbiblical extremes or sensationalism.
How is leadership structured? Qualified elders/pastors, shared accountability, no cult of personality. (See 1 Timothy 3; 1 Peter 5:3)
How do they respond to questions and doubts? Are honest, Bible-anchored questions welcomed rather than shamed?
Do you sense freedom in Christ? “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1, NLT) Is grace the air they breathe?

Final EncouragementYou’re not trading one organization for another—you’re entering a living family built on Christ’s finished work. Jesus promised, “I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” (Matthew 16:18, NLT) Find a church that is Jesus-centered, Bible-based, and grace-proclaiming—and plug in.

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Welcome back to the podcast! We’ve all been told that if you really trust God, you’ll never have questions or doubts. But that’s simply not true. Listen today to find out why!

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Believable Lie #4: Real Faith Means No DoubtsMany Christians quietly carry a burden they rarely admit out loud: “If I really had faith, I wouldn’t have doubts.” The idea sounds spiritual, but it’s simply not true. Even the Bible’s greatest heroes wrestled with questions—including John the Baptist. Real faith isn’t the absence of doubt; it’s the choice to keep trusting Jesus even when life leaves us with a boxful of questions.

John the Baptist Looked Like a “Super Christian”When John the Baptist burst onto the scene, he seemed like the last person who would ever doubt. He preached with fiery conviction:

“But when John saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. ‘You brood of snakes!’ he exclaimed. ‘Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.’” (Matthew 3:7-8, NLT)

John didn’t mince words. He lived boldly, called people to repentance, and baptized crowds in the Jordan River. He even recognized Jesus for who He truly was:

“Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29, NLT)

At first glance, John seemed like a rock of unshakable faith. But even this great prophet had questions.

John’s First Doubts: “Why Me?”When Jesus came to be baptized, John tried to stop Him:

“But John tried to talk him out of it. ‘I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,’ he said, ‘so why are you coming to me?’” (Matthew 3:14, NLT)

John didn’t fully understand what Jesus was doing. His theology was still “under construction.” And that’s an important lesson for us: you don’t have to have perfect doctrine before you belong to Jesus. From the very beginning of Christianity, the core message was simple—Jesus is God, He died and rose again, and those who repent and believe will be saved. (Acts 2:36-39)

If John the Baptist could wrestle with holes in his understanding and still be called a man of faith, then we can, too.

John’s Expectations of Jesus Didn’t Match RealityLike many Jews of his day, John expected the Messiah to bring immediate judgment:

“He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.” (Matthew 3:12, NLT)

John pictured a Messiah who was fiery, fierce, and forceful—someone who looked a lot like himself. But Jesus showed up gentle, merciful, and compassionate. He healed the sick, blessed outcasts, and even ate meals with tax collectors and sinners.

When Jesus didn’t match John’s expectations, it created space for doubt. And the same thing happens to us. When our picture of Jesus is shaped by culture, politics, or personal preference instead of Scripture, we can feel disappointed when He doesn’t act like we thought He would.

John’s Dungeon of DoubtEventually John was imprisoned for speaking the truth about Herod’s sin. Sitting in a dark dungeon, cut off from ministry and friends, his questions grew heavier.

“John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, ‘Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?’” (Matthew 11:2-3, NLT)

This is one of the most shocking questions in the New Testament. The very man who once pointed everyone to Jesus now wasn’t sure himself. Yet his doubt didn’t disqualify him from being used by God.

Jesus’ Response to Honest QuestionsHow did Jesus respond? He didn’t scold John or shame him. Instead, He pointed John back to the evidence:

“Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. And he added, ‘God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.’” (Matthew 11:4-6, NLT)

Jesus reminded John that the signs of the kingdom were unfolding all around him. Miracles, changed lives, and fulfilled prophecy confirmed that He truly was the Messiah.

Then Jesus said something remarkable about John:

“I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist.” (Matthew 11:11, NLT)

Think about that. Jesus honored John as the greatest prophet, not after he resolved his doubts, but right in the middle of them.

What This Means for UsYour doubts don’t mean you lack faith. They mean you’re human. Real faith is choosing to trust Jesus when life doesn’t make sense. It’s holding onto Him when your theology feels unfinished, when your expectations are unmet, and when your dungeon feels dark.

Like John the Baptist, you may not have every answer. But you can trust the same Jesus who heals, restores, and raises the dead. And He blesses those who keep holding onto Him—even with questions still in their hands.

Takeaway TruthReal faith isn’t the absence of doubt. It’s trusting Jesus in spite of your doubts.

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In this episode we reveal how the infamous Kinderhook Plates—once hailed by Joseph Smith as an ancient record—turned out to be a deliberate 19th-century hoax that exposes the cracks in Mormonism’s prophetic claims.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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In 1843, Joseph Smith—the founder of Mormonism—was handed what looked like an ancient discovery: six mysterious brass plates unearthed in Illinois. But the “Kinderhook Plates” weren’t ancient at all; they were a deliberately crafted hoax designed to test Smith’s prophetic gift. In this episode, we uncover the full story—how the plates were forged, why they were presented to Smith, what he claimed about them, and how the LDS Church eventually admitted they were fake. More than a quirky historical footnote, the Kinderhook Plates pose a serious question about the foundation of Mormonism and the claims of its prophet. We’ll also point you back to the solid ground of Scripture and the simple gospel of Jesus Christ.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

The backstory of the Kinderhook Plates and why they were created
How Joseph Smith responded and what he claimed they revealed
Evidence from eyewitnesses, later confessions, and modern scientific testing proving the plates were man-made
How the LDS Church’s position on the plates has shifted over time
What the Bible says about testing prophets and why Jesus—not any modern prophet—is God’s final revelation

Why This Matters:

This isn’t just an old scandal. It’s a living test case for Joseph Smith’s credibility and for the LDS Church’s truth claims today. If a prophet can’t discern a man-made fraud, what does that say about his revelations?

Scripture Highlight:

Deuteronomy 18:21-22 – God’s own test for identifying false prophets.

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Believable Lie #3: God Won’t Give Me More Than I Can Handle

It sounds comforting to say “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” but it’s not true. In fact, the Bible teaches the opposite. Paul admitted he was “crushed and overwhelmed beyond his ability to endure” (2 Corinthians 1:8). Why? Because God never intended us to handle life on our own. He allows more than we can bear so that we’ll finally lean on Him. The promise isn’t that we’ll never be overwhelmed—the promise is that we’ll never be abandoned.

The Misunderstood Verse

This lie comes from a misreading of 1 Corinthians 10:13. The verse isn’t about suffering—it’s about temptation. God promises He won’t let temptation be more than we can bear, and He always provides a “way out.” But suffering is different. Sometimes we really do face more than we can handle.

The Truth About Temptation

Temptations are real but not irresistible. Israel’s history proves this: some fell, others stood firm—not because temptation was weaker but because God was stronger. Endurance is possible, not by willpower but by God’s faithfulness (Hebrews 2:18, James 1:12, 2 Thessalonians 3:3). God’s “way out” can be changing your environment, fighting back with Scripture, or reaching out to others for help.

The Truth About Suffering

Unlike temptation, suffering may indeed overwhelm us. Paul admitted he faced trials he couldn’t endure on his own (2 Corinthians 1:8-9). Yet suffering teaches us to rely on God, not ourselves. It drives us into the arms of Jesus and into the comfort of His people. God comforts us so that we can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:4).

The Big Picture

God may give us more than we can handle, but He will never give us more than He can handle. Trials push us to depend on Christ, to lean on our church family, and to prepare the next generation to do the same. Suffering will come. But Christ is enough.

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In this episode, we explore the four main parenting styles—authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, and uninvolved—and look at how each one impacts children, while offering biblical wisdom to help parents raise kids God’s way.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

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Parenting is one of the most important roles in a person’s life, and it significantly shapes the development and well-being of children. Over the years, psychologists and researchers have identified four primary parenting styles, each characterized by different levels of warmth, control, and communication. Understanding these styles can help parents recognize the potential outcomes of their approaches and make more informed decisions about how they raise their children. See this article.

The four main parenting styles are:

Authoritarian Parenting
Authoritative Parenting
Permissive Parenting
Uninvolved Parenting

Each of these styles affects children differently, influencing their emotional, social, and cognitive development.

Authoritarian ParentingAuthoritarian parents are often seen as strict, controlling, and demanding. They set high expectations for their children, emphasizing obedience and discipline above all else. Communication tends to be one-sided, with little room for dialogue or flexibility. Rules are enforced with little explanation, and punishment is used as a means to maintain control.
Key Characteristics:
High demands and expectations
Low responsiveness to the child’s emotional needs
Emphasis on obedience and discipline
Limited communication and explanation of rules
Effects on Children: Children raised by authoritarian parents often develop a strong sense of discipline and respect for authority but may also struggle with self-esteem and decision-making. They may become either overly submissive or rebellious, depending on their temperament. Social skills can be underdeveloped, as they may not feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and feelings openly.
Biblical Response: Authoritarian parenting emphasizes strict rules and discipline, often with little room for discussion. While discipline is important, Scripture also encourages understanding and wisdom in its application.
Ephesians 6:4 – "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."
Colossians 3:21 – "Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged."
Authoritative ParentingAuthoritative parenting is widely regarded as the most effective and balanced style. Parents who adopt this approach set clear expectations and rules for their children but are also nurturing, supportive, and responsive. They encourage open communication, explain the reasons behind rules, and allow for age-appropriate independence. Discipline is used to guide and teach, rather than to punish.
Key Characteristics:
High demands but balanced with high responsiveness
Open communication and explanation of rules
Encouragement of independence and decision-making
Use of positive discipline strategies
Effects on Children: Children of authoritative parents tend to have higher self-esteem, better social skills, and greater emotional regulation. They are more likely to perform well academically, develop good problem-solving skills, and establish healthy relationships with others. This style fosters both respect for authority and the confidence to assert their own thoughts and feelings.
Biblical Response: Authoritative parenting is characterized by a balance of discipline, love, and communication. This approach aligns closely with the biblical model of nurturing and guiding children while setting clear expectations.
Proverbs 22:6 – "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it."
Hebrews 12:11 – "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 – "These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
Permissive ParentingPermissive parents are lenient, often giving their children considerable freedom and few rules. While they are highly responsive and nurturing, they avoid setting limits or enforcing discipline. Permissive parents prioritize their children’s happiness and often allow them to make their own decisions, regardless of their maturity level.
Key Characteristics:
Low demands with high responsiveness
Few rules and minimal discipline
Emphasis on nurturing and indulgence
Children have significant freedom in decision-making
Effects on Children: Children raised by permissive parents may struggle with self-control and responsibility, as they are not accustomed to structure or boundaries. While they may develop strong self-esteem due to the high levels of parental warmth, they may also have difficulties with authority and discipline later in life. They may be more prone to behavioral problems and struggle with achieving long-term goals due to a lack of discipline.
Biblical Response: Permissive parenting focuses on nurturing and love but often lacks boundaries or discipline. While the Bible teaches the importance of love, it also warns that children need guidance and discipline to grow into responsible adults.
Proverbs 13:24 – "Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them."
Proverbs 29:15 – "The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother."
Uninvolved ParentingUninvolved parenting, also known as neglectful parenting, is characterized by a lack of both responsiveness and demands. Parents who adopt this style are often detached or indifferent, providing minimal emotional support or guidance. While uninvolved parents may meet basic physical needs, such as food and shelter, they are generally disengaged from their children’s lives.
Key Characteristics:
Low demands and low responsiveness
Minimal interaction and communication
Little emotional involvement or nurturing
Lack of structure, rules, or discipline
Effects on Children: Children raised by uninvolved parents tend to struggle with self-esteem, academic achievement, and emotional regulation. They often feel neglected and unworthy of attention, which can lead to feelings of insecurity and difficulty forming relationships. These children may also face behavioral issues and exhibit a lack of self-discipline, as they grow up without clear guidance or support.
Biblical Response: Uninvolved parenting is characterized by neglect or indifference, where parents fail to provide both guidance and emotional support. Scripture speaks strongly against neglecting children and emphasizes the responsibility of parents to nurture and guide their children.
1 Timothy 5:8 – "Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."
Deuteronomy 6:1-3 (NLT) 1 “These are the commands, decrees, and regulations that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you. You must obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy, 2 and you and your children and grandchildren must fear the LORD your God as long as you live. If you obey all his decrees and commands, you will enjoy a long life. 3 Listen closely, Israel, and be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, promised you.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NLT) 4 “Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. 5 And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. 6 And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. 7 Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. 8 Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. 9 Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

TakeawayUltimately, the Bible calls parents to reflect God’s own character in their parenting. God is both our loving Father and wise Teacher. As parents, we are called to model this dual role—being both compassionate and authoritative, nurturing our children while guiding them toward righteousness. By seeking God’s wisdom and relying on His grace, we can raise our children in a way that honors Him and helps them grow into faithful followers of Christ.

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Welcome back! We’ve all heard them—little phrases that sound wise, comforting, or even spiritual—but they’re not true. In this series, we’re exposing some of the most common believable lies people buy into about God, life, and faith.

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Believable Lie: I’m Too Far Gone for GodThey sound right at first, but when you dig deeper, you realize these lies can actually lead you in the wrong direction.

Last time we looked at the lie that “God is a killjoy.” The truth is, God created everything for our joy and good, but within the boundaries of His wisdom. Adam and Eve rejected His definition of good and the result was shame.

That brings us to today’s believable lie: “I’m too far gone for God.”

Maybe you’ve thought this before:

“If He only knew where I’ve been or what I’ve done, He would never want me.”
Maybe it’s your past mistakes—crossing boundaries, addictions, broken relationships.
Or maybe it’s not even what you did, but what someone else did to you that left you feeling unworthy.

The truth is this: No one is too far gone for God.

To prove it, let’s look at two stories—one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament. Both reveal God’s heart of mercy for people who seemed beyond hope.

Story #1: Nineveh (Jonah 3)The city of Nineveh was infamous for its cruelty, violence, idolatry, and immorality. If anyone seemed too far gone, it was them. Yet when Jonah preached judgment, the people repented in humility—and God forgave them. Jonah himself confessed the truth about God: “You are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people.” (Jonah 4:2 NLT).

This echoes God’s character revealed throughout Scripture—Exodus 34:6-7, Nehemiah 9:17, Psalm 103:8, Joel 2:13, and in the New Testament, 2 Peter 3:9. God does not want anyone destroyed but desires everyone to repent.

Story #2: The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-20)In Jesus’ parable, the younger son insulted his father, wasted his inheritance, and ended up in utter disgrace. He was convinced he was unworthy of love and hoped only to be a servant. Yet when he returned home, the father ran to him, embraced him, and restored him as a son.

The prodigal’s story proves that no matter how far you’ve run, God is watching and waiting for you to come back.

The PointThe Ninevites weren’t too far gone. The prodigal son wasn’t too far gone. And neither are you. Whatever your past, God’s love is greater. He wants you to repent, turn back to Him, and receive His mercy.

Here’s God’s honest truth: No one is too far gone for God.

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In this episode, Bryan and Layne unpack the final temple recommend questions—showing how LDS “worthiness” tests create pressure and why the Bible offers true confidence through Jesus’ finished work, not our performance.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Temple Recommend Questions (Part 2): Worthiness and the Gospel

In this episode, Bryan and Layne continue their conversation about the 16 temple recommend questions every Latter-day Saint must answer in order to be considered “worthy” to enter the temple. Picking up at question nine, they explore the topics of honesty, tithing, the Word of Wisdom, divorce obligations, temple covenants, serious sins, and the final worthiness questions.

Layne shares from his own experience as a former Mormon how these interviews shaped his view of God and created constant pressure to prove his worthiness. Together, Bryan and Layne contrast that system with the Bible’s message of grace—where worthiness is not earned by man but fully given through Christ.

You’ll hear how:

Honesty and integrity matter, but only Jesus was perfectly honest.
Tithing becomes a “fire insurance” requirement in Mormonism, but the Bible calls us to joyful generosity.
The Word of Wisdom mixes biblical wisdom with added, shifting rules.
Temple covenants are heavy and impossible to keep perfectly—yet Jesus kept the law on our behalf.
True confession begins with God, not with a bishop or stake president.
Our worthiness is found in Christ alone, not in passing a list of man-made questions.

This episode helps listeners see the difference between the pressure of man’s system and the freedom of Christ’s finished work.

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Believable Lie #1: God Is a Killjoy

We’ve all heard little phrases that sound wise, comforting, or even spiritual—but they’re not true. One of the most common is this: God doesn’t want me to have any fun. Christianity is painted as a straightjacket, filled with rules and regulations designed to rob us of joy. But when we look at the Bible, we discover the opposite. God is not against our joy—He designed us for it.

God’s First Act Was BlessingWhen God created humanity, His very first action was blessing.

“Then God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.’” Genesis 1:28 NLT

From the beginning, God was for humanity, not against them. He gave people:

The blessing of family (“be fruitful and multiply”)
The blessing of purpose and responsibility (“fill the earth and govern it”)
The blessing of authority as image-bearers (“reign over all the animals”)

This is not a killjoy God. This is a good Father who wants His children to flourish.

God’s Provision Was AbundantGod also provided generously for His people.

“Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.” Genesis 1:29 NLT

From food to meaningful work, God filled their lives with everything needed for satisfaction. Genesis even describes Eden as a “protected place of pleasure.” Far from being restrictive, God’s design was overflowing with joy and provision.

God Gave Boundaries for Our GoodBut God also gave the first moral boundary.

“You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” Genesis 2:16-17 NLT

This wasn’t about killing joy—it was about protecting it. Boundaries are part of love. Just as good parents set limits to protect their kids, God gave Adam and Eve a command for their flourishing.

The Serpent Reframed God as a KilljoyIn Genesis 3, the serpent planted the first seed of suspicion:

“Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” Genesis 3:1 NLT

Notice the distortion—turning God’s generous “every tree but one” into a restrictive “none of the trees.” This is manipulation 101: sow doubt about God’s character before telling the direct lie.

The serpent reframed God as withholding something good. Eve began to misquote God’s command (“or even touch it”) and to question His goodness. This opened the door to sin.

Redefining “Good” Apart from GodEve’s next step was to redefine what was “good”:

“The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her.” Genesis 3:6 NLT

Instead of trusting God’s definition of good, she relied on her own perception. This is still our temptation today:

In relationships, we call pleasure “good,” even when it goes against God’s design.
In money, we call success “good,” even when it’s built on greed.
In life, we call freedom “good,” even when it leads to bondage.

Redefining good apart from God always leads to brokenness.

The Results: Shame Instead of JoyThe serpent promised their “eyes would be opened.” But the reality was very different.

“At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness.” Genesis 3:7 NLT

Instead of joy, they got shame. Instead of freedom, they felt exposed. Sin always overpromises and underdelivers.

The Truth: God Wants Us Truly SatisfiedGod is not a killjoy. He created us for joy, abundance, and satisfaction in Him. True joy comes from His provision and within His boundaries. The lie of the enemy is that God’s commands limit us, when in reality they free us to flourish.

Don’t fall for the believable lie: God is a killjoy. The truth is this: from the beginning, God created everything for our good.

Next week we’ll look at another believable lie: I’m Too Far Gone for God.

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In this episode, we explore how biblical parenting is about more than rules—it’s about helping your kids move from “renting” values to truly owning a faith that lasts.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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The Principle of Ownership in Parenting: A Biblical Approach

One of the greatest responsibilities a parent has is to raise children who are equipped to navigate the world with strong, biblically grounded values. A fundamental principle of parenting is the idea of “ownership”—that the ultimate goal is for our children to leave home with the values we have instilled in them firmly rooted in their hearts. This means moving from a phase where they "rent" these values—temporarily adopting them while under our guidance—to a place where they "own" them, making those values personal, enduring, and guiding their decisions as independent adults.

The Biblical Foundation of OwnershipScripture provides a foundation for this principle, particularly in passages that emphasize training, teaching, and passing on faith to the next generation. Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it." This well-known verse reflects the heart of biblical parenting—intentional training in godly ways. However, for this promise to hold true, children must internalize the faith and values taught to them. They must “own” these teachings so that they continue to live by them when parents are no longer watching.

Moses also spoke about this principle in Deuteronomy 6:6-7: “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” The goal is not merely that children hear the commandments but that they become imprinted on their hearts. Moses was calling parents to make God’s truth a natural part of everyday life, ingraining it deeply in their children so that it would influence them long after they left their parents' homes.

From Renters to OwnersA crucial distinction for parents to understand is the difference between children being "renters" of values versus being "owners." As long as children are under our care, there is a temptation to assume that because they obey the rules, they are fully committed to the values behind those rules. However, rented values are often temporary—children follow them when it’s convenient, but they haven’t necessarily embraced them as their own. The danger is that when parents are no longer present to enforce those values, the children may abandon them.

Ownership, on the other hand, happens when children take personal responsibility for their beliefs and decisions. When children “own” the values you’ve taught them, they continue to live by those values even when no one is watching. In Luke 6:45, Jesus says, “For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” The values in their hearts will naturally influence their words and actions. True ownership transforms these values from external obligations into internal convictions.

Practical Steps for Encouraging OwnershipModel the Values You Want Them to Own

Children learn by watching their parents. They may not always listen to what we say, but they closely observe how we live. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” As parents, we need to ensure that our lives reflect the values we desire for our children. If we want them to own biblical truth, we must first live it consistently ourselves.

Ask Questions to Encourage Discovery

Asking thoughtful questions can help your children discover and internalize biblical truths on their own. Jesus often used questions to lead His followers toward deeper understanding (Luke 10:25-37, Matthew 16:13-20). By asking questions, you encourage critical thinking and help your children connect their faith to real-life decisions, fostering personal ownership of biblical values.

Create a Culture of Conversation

Encourage questions and discussions about faith, values, and moral decisions. This cultivates an environment where children feel free to wrestle with doubts and make sense of their beliefs. We already looked at Deuteronomy 6:6-7: “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Through healthy conversations, children move from passive acceptance to active engagement with the truths they’ve learned.

Encourage Friendships with Those Who Share Your Values

The company children keep has a significant influence on their lives and decisions. Proverbs 13:20 says, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.” Encouraging your children to develop friendships with others who share their biblical values can help reinforce those values. Being surrounded by peers who live out their faith will challenge and support them in their walk with Christ. Help them find communities—whether in church, youth groups, or at school—where they can form meaningful, godly friendships.

Pray for Transformation

Ultimately, the transformation from renting values to owning them is a work of the Holy Spirit. As parents, we must fervently pray that God will soften our children’s hearts and open their minds to fully embrace His truth. Ezekiel 36:26 speaks of God giving us new hearts: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.” This new heart is what makes our values their values, so pray for it in your kids!

TakeawayThe ultimate goal of Christian parenting is to see our children leave home not just adhering to the rules we set but embracing the values we’ve passed on. This journey from "renting" to "owning" values is a gradual but critical process. Through modeling, encouragement, conversation, friendships, and prayer, we can help our children take full ownership of their faith and values, ensuring that they will continue to walk in God’s ways long after they have left our homes. As they do, they will become not just reflections of us, but true followers of Christ, equipped to navigate the world with His wisdom and love.

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In this part 1 of 2 episodes, Bryan and Layne pull back the curtain on Mormonism’s temple recommend—walking through the 16 worthiness questions, why they emphasize loyalty and performance over Jesus’ finished work, and what the Bible says about true access to God.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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What Is a Temple Recommend in Mormonism?In this episode, Bryan and Layne take listeners inside one of the most important—and least understood—practices in Mormonism: the temple recommend interview.

For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), receiving a temple recommend is like getting a spiritual passport. Without it, you cannot enter Mormon temples, where sacred ordinances such as baptisms for the dead, eternal marriages, and endowments are performed. To get one, every member must answer the same 16 “worthiness questions” in interviews with both their local bishop and their stake president.

Layne, who held temple recommends for decades before leaving Mormonism, explains what these questions are, what they test, and how they compare with the Bible’s teaching about salvation, worthiness, and grace.

What Is a Temple Recommend?A temple recommend is a physical card (now often digitized) that allows a Mormon to enter any LDS temple worldwide. It is valid for two years, after which the member must repeat the interview process to renew it.

For many Mormons, obtaining a recommend is the pinnacle of religious devotion. From childhood classes to teenage priesthood offices, LDS culture builds anticipation for the temple. Preparation includes six weeks of temple prep classes and then the recommend interview.

The interview itself consists of 16 standardized questions. These questions are designed to measure whether someone is “worthy” to enter the temple. But as Layne explains, they often test external performance more than internal faith.

What the Questions Really TestThe first few questions sound straightforward:

Do you have faith in God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost?
Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and His role as Savior and Redeemer?

At face value, many Christians could answer “yes.” But the problem arises in the definitions. A biblical Christian would describe God as one eternal Being in three persons—the Father, Son, and Spirit. Yet Mormonism defines them as three separate gods. Similarly, Mormons often emphasize Jesus’ suffering in Gethsemane rather than His finished work on the cross.

The result? The questions aren’t just about belief in God or Christ—they’re about belief in the LDS version of God and Christ.

Other questions reveal more clearly the institutional loyalty expected:

Do you have a testimony of the “restoration” of the gospel through Joseph Smith?
Do you sustain the current prophet and apostles as seers and revelators?
Do you support or promote any teachings contrary to those of the LDS Church?

One “wrong” answer can disqualify you from temple access. As Layne puts it, these questions measure whether you are following the system—not whether you truly trust in Jesus.

Sensitive and Personal QuestionsSome questions also probe deeply into personal morality:

Do you live the law of chastity (sexual purity)?
Is your family life in harmony with church teachings?
Do you keep the Sabbath day holy by attending church and avoiding prohibited activities?

For young people, this can mean sitting in closed-door interviews with male bishops who ask about pornography use or sexual struggles. Layne reflects as a father how troubling this practice is—especially for daughters as young as 12 who are required to answer these questions alone with an older man.

While purity matters, the Bible makes clear that true cleansing comes through Christ’s sacrifice, not through checking boxes in an interview.

The Bible’s View of WorthinessThe temple recommend questions highlight the contrast between Mormonism and the Bible. In Mormonism, worthiness is measured by performance, institutional loyalty, and adherence to man-made rules. In the Bible, worthiness is found only in Christ:

“It is finished.” John 19:30 (NLT)
“God saved you by his grace when you believed… Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done.” Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT)
“People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 (NLT)

The gospel is not about earning access to God through interviews or rituals. It’s about receiving His finished work by faith.

Why It MattersFor LDS members, the pressure to qualify for a temple recommend can be overwhelming. Many live in fear of failing to measure up. Some bend the truth to get a “yes.” Others are tormented by conscience, wondering if they’re ever “good enough.”

The good news of the Bible is that no one is good enough—and that’s why Jesus came. His perfect righteousness, not ours, is what gives us access to God.

As Layne reflects, “These questions are laying out my righteousness. But the gospel points me to Christ’s righteousness.”

Key Takeaways* A temple recommend is required for Mormon temple worship and is renewed every two years. * Members must answer 16 questions about belief, morality, and loyalty to LDS leadership. * Many questions sound biblical but carry LDS definitions that differ from historic Christianity. * The system measures outward performance, but the Bible emphasizes inward faith in Christ. * True worthiness before God is found in Jesus’ finished work, not in our answers to man-made tests.

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Welcome back to the podcast! Today, we wrap up our Thessalonians series with the "O" word. In this lesson, we’ll see why Paul made "Obedience" his closing challenge.

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The O Word: Obedience (2 Thessalonians 3:1-18)As we close our Thessalonians series, Paul leaves his readers with one final reminder: the Christian life is not only about believing the right things (orthodoxy), but also about practicing the right things (orthopraxy). And the word that ties it all together—the “O word”—is obedience.

For many of us, “obedience” feels like a word for children. But in Scripture, obedience is at the very center of what it means to follow Jesus. Paul’s final lesson in 2 Thessalonians 3 is simple yet profound: God cares deeply about how we live.

Prayer Fuels the MissionPaul begins by asking the Thessalonians to pray for him and his team. He longs for the gospel to spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes. He also asks for protection from wicked and evil people. The lesson is clear: prayer is not a side activity; it is central to God’s mission. 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3
Obedience Is an ExpectationPaul expresses confidence that the Thessalonians will continue to do the things he commanded. That word—command—makes many modern Christians uncomfortable. Yet Paul reminds us that obedience is not optional for true believers. Casual Christians may resist authority, but disciples embrace it because it comes from Christ Himself. 2 Thessalonians 3:4-5
Laziness Is a Spiritual ProblemPaul then gives one of the most practical commands in the New Testament: don’t live idle lives. He even tells the church to separate from believers who refuse to work and to stop enabling cycles of dependency. Instead, Paul points to the dignity of work and the example he himself modeled. Obedience is not just about avoiding “big sins”—it includes everyday faithfulness, diligence, and integrity. 2 Thessalonians 3:6-10
Imitation Is a Key to DiscipleshipPaul reminds the Thessalonians to imitate his example. He worked with his hands so as not to burden the church, even though he had the right to receive support. His life matched his teaching—orthodoxy and orthopraxy together. This kind of modeling is essential for healthy Christian discipleship. 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9
Correction Is Done in LoveFinally, Paul addresses those who refuse to obey. They are to be warned firmly, even shamed by the community if necessary—but never treated as enemies. Correction in the church should always be motivated by love, aiming to restore brothers and sisters to faithful obedience. 2 Thessalonians 3:11-15

Paul closes his letter with a blessing of peace and grace, reminding us that obedience flows out of God’s love and presence in our lives. 2 Thessalonians 3:16-18

Big Idea: Obedience isn’t just for children. It’s the daily calling of every follower of Jesus.

Application: Pray for the spread of the gospel, embrace God’s authority in your life, work diligently, imitate godly examples, and lovingly call others to obedience.

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What role does the Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit) really play in a believer’s life? In this episode, Bryan and Layne explore how Mormonism, the Book of Mormon, and the Bible describe the work of the Spirit—and why those descriptions matter.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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What We Talk About in This Episode The LDS view of the Holy Ghost – As Layne shares from his own experience, many Mormons grow up seeing the Holy Ghost primarily as a “burning in the bosom,” a feeling that validates the truth of the LDS Church. But in practice, that “confirmation” is not enough—modern Mormonism teaches you also need prophets, temples, ordinances, and authority. * The contrast in the Book of Mormon – Interestingly, passages like 2 Nephi 32:5 and Moroni 10:4-5 describe the Holy Ghost much more like the Bible does: as sufficient to lead believers into all truth, without extra rituals or institutions. * The biblical picture of the Holy Spirit – The Bible consistently teaches that the Spirit is given when we believe (Ephesians 1:13, Galatians 3). He permanently indwells every believer, guiding us into truth, glorifying Jesus, and assuring us of salvation. The Spirit is a He, not an it, the third Person of the Trinity. * How modern LDS doctrine complicates things – Later revelations in the Doctrine & Covenants change the role of the Spirit. Instead of being sufficient on His own, the Spirit is portrayed as temporary, conditional, and dependent on temple ordinances and priesthood authority. This shift points believers back to an institution rather than to Christ. * Why the simplicity of Christ matters* – Both the Bible and the Book of Mormon highlight the “plain and precious” truth: the Holy Spirit Himself is enough to guide and teach. Jesus promised that the Spirit would never leave believers (John 14:26, John 16:13). Mormonism adds layers of requirements that move away from that simplicity.

Key Takeaways The Holy Spirit’s role* is to glorify Jesus and point us to Him—not to a prophet, a church, or an institution. * According to both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, the Spirit is sufficient to guide believers into all truth. * Modern Mormonism shifts the focus, teaching that prophets, temples, and ordinances are necessary for the fullness of the Spirit. * The Bible teaches that the Spirit permanently indwells every believer at the moment of faith—no rituals, worthiness interviews, or temple covenants required. * True freedom and assurance come when we embrace the simplicity of Christ and the sufficiency of His Spirit.

Why This MattersIf you’re LDS, former LDS, or just curious, this conversation raises an important question: Is the Holy Ghost enough, or do we need more than the Spirit to truly connect with God? Bryan and Layne show how the answer you give will shape your entire understanding of salvation, faith, and your relationship with God.

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Notes

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In this episode, Pastor Bryan sits down with Dr. Carson and Dr. Andrea Morley—married physicians and parents-to-be—to discuss the medical, ethical, and spiritual considerations behind birth control options for Christian couples. They break down how common methods like the pill, IUDs, and barrier methods actually work, explain the difference between preventing pregnancy and abortion from a biblical perspective, and offer personal insights on how couples can navigate this sensitive decision with wisdom, faith, and unity.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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In today’s episode, Bryan and Layne explore how the Jesus of the Book of Mormon compares with the Jesus of modern Mormonism and the unchanging Jesus of the Bible.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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Finding Jesus: Book of Mormon Jesus vs. Modern LDS Jesus vs. the BibleWhen it comes to Jesus, definitions matter. In this episode, we explore three portraits: the Jesus often taught in modern-day Mormonism (LDS), the Jesus presented in the Book of Mormon (published in 1830), and the Jesus revealed in the Bible. Understanding the differences isn’t just academic—it’s the difference between a gospel of human progress and the good news of divine rescue.

The Modern LDS View (as many were taught)

Many lifelong Latter-day Saints were taught a framework where Jesus (Jehovah) is a created spirit-son of Elohim and a Heavenly Mother, the elder brother of all humans—and even of Lucifer. In that system, God the Father Himself once progressed to Godhood, and Jesus is likewise on a path of progression. This view filters into temple endowment language about “organizing” existing matter, reinforcing the idea that God is more architect than Creator. The result? A Jesus who feels closer to us by nature, but further from us in power—a Savior on the way up, rather than the eternal Lord who stoops down to save.

The Book of Mormon’s Higher Christology

Interestingly, the earliest Book of Mormon language often sounds more like historic Christian claims about Christ’s full deity. For example, passages highlight worship directed to Jesus and language that closely parallels biblical titles for God. Whatever one concludes about its origins, the Book of Mormon’s Christological tone (especially early editions) frequently reads closer to biblical Trinitarian language than to later LDS teachings. That’s a crucial observation for anyone comparing sources within the broader Latter-day Saint tradition.

The Bible’s Timeless Witness about Jesus

Scripture presents an unchanging Christ—from eternity past to eternity future. “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God” John 1:1-3 NLT. Jesus isn’t created; he is the eternal Son through whom all things were made. “So the Word became human and made his home among us” John 1:14 NLT. The New Testament repeatedly ascribes to Jesus names, works, and worship belonging to God alone. He is “the exact likeness of God,” the preeminent One through whom and for whom all things were created Colossians 1:15-17 NLT. He bears the personal divine name “I AM” John 8:58 NLT and claims the titles “Alpha and Omega…the Almighty” Revelation 1:8 NLT.

This has massive implications. If Jesus is uncreated, then salvation rests not on our ascent to Godhood, but on God’s descent to rescue sinners. The torn temple veil at Jesus’ death dramatizes this shift from ritual ladders to a Person—direct access to the Father through the finished work of the Son (Matthew 27:51) NLT.

Why This Matters for You

If your background trained you to “follow the prophet,” the Bible gently but firmly redirects your trust: “Long ago God spoke…through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son” Hebrews 1:1-3 NLT. Christianity is not a pyramid of worthiness requirements; it’s a cross-shaped gift of grace. “God saved you by his grace when you believed…It is a gift from God” Ephesians 2:8-9 NLT. And that gift is received personally: “Those who listen to my message and believe…have eternal life” John 5:24 NLT.

A Path Forward

If you’re LDS or formerly LDS, consider this: Which Jesus can actually save—an exalted being on the way up, or the eternal Son who came down? The Bible’s Jesus doesn’t evolve with leadership changes or new essays; he is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8) NLT.

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Welcome back to the podcast! In today’s episode, we unpack Paul’s teaching on the “man of lawlessness” in 2 Thessalonians 2 and explore two main views—whether the Antichrist is still to come or was already revealed in the first century.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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The Man of Lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12)One of the most intriguing passages in Paul’s letters is found in 2 Thessalonians 2, where he describes a mysterious figure he calls the “man of lawlessness.” Christians throughout history have debated this passage, and two main questions always rise to the surface: Who is the man of lawlessness, and when will he appear?

To answer these questions, we must carefully look at Paul’s words and also consider two major perspectives Christians hold when it comes to end-times prophecy: the futurist view and the preterist view. While they differ in how they interpret certain details, both perspectives agree on one unshakable truth—Jesus Christ will return in glory, and evil will ultimately be destroyed.

Clarifying the Coming of JesusPaul begins by reminding the Thessalonian believers about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet Him. The Greek word Paul uses here is parousia, which means “arrival” or “presence.” This is the same word he used in 1 Thessalonians 4, when he described believers being caught up to meet Christ. The emphasis here is on community—believers will be gathered together into God’s presence. Far from being left out, every Christian will be part of this ultimate family reunion in the presence of Jesus.

False Alarms and the Day of the LordNext, Paul warns his readers not to be shaken by false reports suggesting that the “day of the Lord” had already come. Some people were claiming to have visions or even letters from Paul that misled the church. Paul reminds them that the day of the Lord—the time of God’s final judgment and Christ’s return—could not have already taken place because two major events must come first:

A great rebellion (apostasia in Greek, meaning “falling away”).
The revealing of the man of lawlessness.

This sets the stage for one of the most debated sections in the New Testament.

Who Is the Man of Lawlessness?The futurist view sees the man of lawlessness as a future world leader, the Antichrist, who will rise during the end times, deceive the nations, and exalt himself against God. This is why many futurists expect to see dramatic events unfold—such as the rebuilding of a temple in Jerusalem—before Christ’s second coming.

The preterist view, however, argues that this prophecy was largely fulfilled in the first century. Many preterists identify the man of lawlessness with Nero Caesar, the infamous Roman emperor who brutally persecuted Christians and demanded divine honors. Nero’s blasphemous claims and savage cruelty make him a strong candidate. In fact, through a Hebrew practice called gematria (assigning numerical values to letters), “Nero Caesar” adds up to 666, a number associated with the beast in Revelation.

So which view is right? Both perspectives have strong biblical reasoning. Some see the man of lawlessness as still to come. Others see Nero as the primary fulfillment, with the possibility of future “antichrist-like” figures repeating the same pattern of opposition to God.

The Mystery of the RestrainerAnother challenging part of this passage is Paul’s mention of the “restrainer.” Something—or someone—is currently holding back the full revelation of the man of lawlessness. Futurists often identify the restrainer as the Holy Spirit working through the church. When the church is removed (raptured), the restraining influence will be lifted, and the Antichrist will rise.

Preterists, however, tend to see the restrainer as the Roman Empire itself or Emperor Claudius, who initially prevented chaos before Nero unleashed his persecution. Others suggest a darker angle—that the restrainer is not a godly force at all but a satanic one, allowed by God to play a role until the appointed time. Whatever the case, Paul’s point is clear: God is in control of the timing.

The End of the Story: Jesus WinsFinally, Paul reassures the Thessalonians that the man of lawlessness will not have the last word. Though he will come with counterfeit signs and wonders, his end is certain: “The Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:8, NLT). Evil may look powerful, but it cannot stand against the majesty of Christ.

This reminds us of the larger point: while debates about the Antichrist can be fascinating, our focus should remain on Jesus. Paul doesn’t write to stir fear but to steady the church. Whatever our eschatological perspective, we can agree on these truths:

Evil is active in the world, but limited by God’s authority.
Deception will come, but God’s people are called to love and believe the truth.
Christ’s return will be visible, glorious, and victorious.
Every believer will be gathered into His presence.
The kingdom of Jesus is eternal and unstoppable.

That’s the heart of 2 Thessalonians 2. And it leaves us with this final assurance: don’t be shaken—Jesus wins.

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This episode exposes how Joseph Smith’s view of God shifted dramatically between the Book of Mormon and his later teachings—raising big questions about the nature of God and the foundations of Mormon theology.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Podcast Shownotes: Who Is God According to the Book of Mormon?Episode OverviewIn this episode, we take a deep dive into how Joseph Smith’s view of God evolved from the publication of the Book of Mormon in 1830 to his famous King Follett Discourse in 1844—just months before his death. Layne and Bryan explore the stark contrast between the eternal, unchanging God of the Book of Mormon and the progressive, exalted man described in later Mormon scriptures.

Whether you’re LDS, a former Mormon, or simply curious about church history, this episode will challenge assumptions and invite you to ask critical questions about the nature of God, the reliability of scripture, and what it all means for faith today.

What You’ll Learn Joseph Smith’s Changing Theology * How his earliest writings portray God as eternal and unchanging—while later teachings suggest God was once a man who progressed to godhood. * The Book of Mormon vs. Later Mormon Scriptures * Why the God described in the Book of Mormon looks much more like the God of the Bible than the God of the Doctrine and Covenants or Pearl of Great Price. * The King Follett Discourse * What Joseph Smith taught about God just three months before his death—and why it marked a major theological shift. * Contradictions and Questions * How LDS leaders respond when members raise concerns about conflicting teachings across Mormon scripture. * A Call to “Test Everything”* * Why the Bible encourages believers to examine claims critically instead of blindly following authority.

Why It MattersYour view of God shapes everything—your faith, your worship, and ultimately, your eternal hope. If the God of the Book of Mormon and the Bible is eternal, unchanging, and unique, what does that mean for the progressive, exalted man described in later LDS teachings?

This episode invites you to wrestle honestly with these questions and discover why your view of God matters more than you might think.

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Welcome back to the podcast! In today’s episode, we unpack why God allows suffering and how it can actually open the door to His justice, His rest, and His glory in our lives.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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The Theology of Suffering (2 Thessalonians 1:1-12)

IntroductionWhy does God allow suffering? This is one of the most difficult and important questions Christians face. Our culture is obsessed with avoiding pain—seeking comfort, health, and wealth at all costs. But the Bible presents a radically different picture: suffering is not an accident or a sign of failure in the Christian life. Instead, it is often the very means by which God works in and through His people.

The Thessalonian church knew this firsthand. They faced persecution and hostility because of their faith in Jesus. Paul wrote this letter to encourage them, reminding them that God had a bigger plan for their hardship.

The Context of SufferingPaul, Silas, and Timothy had planted the church in Thessalonica during their missionary journey (Acts 17). But almost immediately, opposition arose. A mob accused the believers of treason for declaring Jesus as King, and persecution broke out. Far from being surprised by this, Paul reminded them that Jesus Himself warned His followers: “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first” (John 15:18).

Suffering for the faith was not a detour—it was part of the journey. And it still is today. Christians around the world face hostility, pressure, and even violence because of their allegiance to Jesus. But as Paul explained, these hardships open doors for God to accomplish His purposes.

Three Doors Opened by Suffering1. Suffering opens the door for God’s justice.

Paul assures the believers that God sees their persecution and will make things right. True justice is not defined by cultural trends but by God’s eternal truth. Even when it feels like evil is winning, God promises to hold oppressors accountable. Ultimately, when Christ returns, He will bring judgment on those who reject Him and relief for those who trust Him (2 Thessalonians 1:5-9).

This truth should encourage us when we feel the sting of injustice. God’s justice may not come on our timeline, but it will come.

2. Suffering opens the door for God’s rest.

In verse 7, Paul promises that God will provide rest for those who are suffering. While that rest may not always come in this life, it is guaranteed when Jesus appears again. Just as hunger makes food taste better and exhaustion makes sleep sweeter, our present trials make the promise of eternal rest more precious.

This hope sustains us when we feel overwhelmed. The suffering of today cannot compare with the glory to come.

3. Suffering opens the door for God’s praise.

Finally, Paul explains that hardship results in greater worship. When Christ returns, He will be glorified among His people (2 Thessalonians 1:10). Even now, believers can rejoice in trials, knowing God is producing perseverance, maturity, and Christlikeness in them (James 1:2-4).

The more we suffer for Christ, the more deeply we understand His worth and the more passionately we can praise Him.

Living Worthy in HardshipPaul ends this section with a prayer: “May [God] give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live” (2 Thessalonians 1:11-12).

This is the ultimate goal—that even in suffering, our lives would bring honor to Jesus. Hardship is not wasted when it produces faith, endurance, and glory for God.

ConclusionSo why does God allow suffering? Paul’s answer is clear: suffering opens doors.

It opens the door for God’s justice to be revealed.
It opens the door for God’s rest to be experienced.
It opens the door for God’s praise to be multiplied.

For Christians, suffering is not meaningless. It is a powerful tool in God’s hands to shape us, strengthen us, and glorify Him. Instead of running from it, we can face it with confidence, knowing that God has the final word.

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Parenting adult kids means shifting from control to connection—this episode unpacks four biblical principles to help you build trust, encourage independence, and keep the relationship strong.

Based on the book “Doing Life with Your Adult Children: Keep Your Mouth Shut and the Welcome Mat out” by Jim Burns.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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How to Parent Your Adult Kids Without Losing the RelationshipParenting doesn’t stop when your kids become adults—but it definitely changes. If you keep treating them like teenagers, you’ll sabotage your relationship. Jim Burns, in his book Doing Life with Your Adult Children, gives practical principles for navigating this tricky new season. The big idea? Shift from control to connection.

This topic will explore four core principles from Burns to help parents make the shift from authority figures to trusted advisors—and become the kind of parents adult kids actually want to talk to. Whether you’re struggling to keep your mouth shut or wondering what role you now play in their lives, this guide will give you biblical wisdom and practical advice.

Principle #1The relationship must change as your kids become adults. Move from being the boss to being a mentor and friend. “You are a consultant at their will.” You’re not there to control but to encourage. It’s okay to grieve the change, but don’t let your identity depend on being needed.

Proverbs 22:6

Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.

Principle #2Only offer advice when asked. Unsolicited input often sounds like criticism. James 1:19 reminds us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. Let your kids make mistakes—they’ll learn more from experience than from lectures.

James 1:19

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”

Winston Churchill: “You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks.”

Keep the long view in mind. Build a new, trusting relationship.

Principle #3The goal is healthy independence. Adult children need to take ownership of their lives, especially if they’re still living at home. Set clear expectations: be productive, respect house rules, and move toward financial and relational independence with timelines and boundaries.

Be productive in the home (chores, etc)
Honor the moral code of the home
Be financially responsible and set clear goals of where they want to be in a year
Set deadlines for the arrangement and clear consequences if broken

Principle #4Be a peacemaker with in-laws and a fun, faith-filled grandparent. Don’t create pressure around holidays or competing family events. Instead, leave a legacy of love, prayer, and gospel truth.

Psalm 71:17-18

“O God, you have taught me from my earliest childhood, and I constantly tell others about the wonderful things you do. Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me.”

Doing Life with Your Adult Children: Keep Your Mouth Shut and the Welcome Mat Out

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In today’s episode, we compare what the Book of Mormon says about salvation with what the Bible teaches, exposing the extra layers Mormonism has added and pointing back to the simplicity of the gospel in Christ.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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In this episode, Bryan and Layne continue their deep dive into the Book of Mormon and what it teaches about salvation—specifically looking at 3 Nephi 11. Jesus’ words in this passage lay out four simple principles: faith, repentance, baptism, and the Holy Ghost. Layne shares how, as a former Mormon missionary, this message was taught plainly at first but later complicated by the added layers of temple rituals, exaltation, and ongoing revelations in Mormonism.

Together, they unpack key questions:

Why does Jesus in the Book of Mormon keep the doctrine of salvation simple, yet Mormonism adds dozens of extra requirements?
How does the LDS plan of salvation differ from what the Bible clearly teaches about salvation by grace through faith?
Why does the Book of Mormon present Jesus as the unchanging God, yet later Mormon doctrine redefines His nature?

This conversation challenges listeners—especially those with an LDS background—to examine whether they are truly following Jesus or simply following the changing words of modern prophets. In the end, Bryan and Layne point back to the Bible’s consistent and clear message: salvation is found in Christ alone, not in works, rituals, or added revelation.

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Welcome back to the podcast! In today's episode, we explore Paul’s blueprint in 1 Thessalonians 5 for how a church can move from good to great by honoring leaders, living out core values, and relying on God’s grace.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Good to Great: How the Church Moves Forward

(1 Thessalonians 5:12-28)

When business leaders talk about going from “good to great,” they’re usually talking about workplace culture. But the Apostle Paul wrote about the same concept nearly 2,000 years ago—not for a corporation, but for a small, young church in Thessalonica. His closing words in this letter give us a clear, practical picture of what a healthy church culture looks like and how it can grow stronger over time.

Paul’s wisdom here applies to any church in any generation. The principles he gives—about leadership, community life, personal habits, and spiritual discernment—are just as relevant today as they were in the first century. Let’s walk through them.

1. Honoring Spiritual Leaders (vv. 12-13)Paul begins with a call to recognize and honor those who lead in the Lord’s work. At this point, he doesn’t use titles like “pastor” or “elder.” Instead, he describes leaders as those who:

Work hard among the people.
Provide spiritual guidance.
Lead with care and concern.

In the Roman world, leaders often came from wealth or high social standing—people like Jason in Acts 17, who may have hosted and supported the early church in his home. But Paul tells believers to honor leaders not for their status, but for their work and faithfulness.

Honoring leaders means showing respect, supporting them in prayer, and helping them fulfill their calling. When leaders are supported and appreciated, the church thrives.

2. Living Out External Core Values (vv. 14-15)Paul then moves from leadership to the congregation as a whole. He gives five key values every church member should embrace:

Diligence – “Warn those who are lazy.” This promotes a culture of responsibility and avoids unhealthy dependence.
Boldness – “Encourage those who are timid.” Every believer can contribute; no one is too shy or unqualified to serve.
Compassion – “Take tender care of those who are weak.” We must balance strength with empathy.
Patience – “Be patient with everyone.” People grow at different speeds; grace allows room for mistakes.
Love – “Do good to each other and to all people.” The church’s kindness should extend beyond its walls.

These aren’t optional qualities. They are the visible signs of a healthy church culture that looks different from the world.

3. Practicing Internal Core Values (vv. 16-18)Healthy churches are made up of healthy believers. That’s why Paul gives three personal habits that keep our hearts aligned with God:

Always be joyful – Not surface-level happiness, but deep joy rooted in Christ.
Never stop praying – Living with constant awareness of God’s presence.
Be thankful in all circumstances – Gratitude changes how we face challenges.

Paul even says this is God’s will for those who belong to Christ. These aren’t just good suggestions; they’re essential spiritual practices.

4. Holding to Spiritual Core Values (vv. 19-22)Finally, Paul talks about values you won’t find in a corporate handbook, but are vital for the life of the church:

Don’t stifle the Holy Spirit – Remain open to God’s direction and prompting.
Don’t scoff at prophecies – Take seriously the messages God may give through His people.
Test everything – Don’t accept every teaching blindly; compare it to God’s Word.
Hold on to what is good – Once you identify truth, cling to it.
Stay away from every kind of evil – Guard the church’s purity and witness.

These spiritual disciplines protect the church from drifting into error or compromise.

5. Trusting God to Make It Happen (vv. 23-24)After all these instructions, Paul reminds the Thessalonians that real transformation isn’t powered by human effort alone. God Himself will make His people holy and keep them blameless until Christ returns.

Paul’s prayer is a reminder that while we should be faithful in our responsibilities, we ultimately rely on God’s faithfulness. Corporate “success stories” may rise and fall, but God’s work in His church is secure because He is the one who sustains it.

6. Paul’s Final Words of Grace (vv. 25-28)Paul closes with four simple but powerful actions:

Pray for one another.
Greet each other warmly.
Share God’s Word publicly.
Rest in the grace of Jesus.

The grace of God is not just the starting point of the Christian life—it’s the ongoing fuel for a church that truly wants to move from good to great.

Bottom line: The path from good to great in the church is not about flashy programs or impressive personalities. It’s about honoring leaders, living out biblical values together, staying Spirit-led, and trusting God’s grace to do the real work of transformation.

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Welcome back to the podcast, men! In today’s episode, we’re unpacking God’s good design for sex in marriage—and how to protect that intimacy from the enemy’s attacks so your marriage can thrive with joy, unity, and blessing.

The PursueGOD Men's podcast helps guys apply God's Word to their lives to become full circle followers of Jesus. Join us for a new men's episode every other Thursday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/men.

Learn more about "full circle" Christianity through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources with men and boys at church.

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God’s Good Design for Intimacy

From the very beginning, God created sexual intimacy as a beautiful and life-giving part of marriage. It’s not dirty. It’s not something God just “puts up with.” It’s a gift meant to be celebrated between a husband and wife. Genesis 2:24-25 reminds us that in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were naked and felt no shame. Physical intimacy was God’s idea—and He designed it to bring joy, unity, and blessing.

Proverbs 5:18-19 paints a beautiful picture of marital love: “Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you… may you always be captivated by her love.” And in 1 Corinthians 7:5, Paul encourages married couples to stay connected physically, only stepping back from intimacy temporarily and mutually for the purpose of prayer. Then, he says, come back together so the enemy doesn’t use that gap to tempt you.

Beware of the Enemy’s Tactics

Jesus warns us in John 10:10 that the thief’s purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. One of the enemy’s favorite ways to attack a marriage is by eroding physical intimacy. For decades, experts have said that money and sex are two of the leading causes of divorce. Even if a couple stays married, when intimacy suffers, joy and connection often fade.

That’s why Philippians 4:6 is so important: pray about everything—including your physical relationship. Ask God to protect your marriage from division in this area. Pray for open and loving communication. Pray for healing if there’s been broken trust, sexual sin, or wounds from the past. And if either spouse is carrying shame or guilt, ask God to lift that burden and restore joy.

Filling Your Spouse’s Love Tank

Ephesians 5:25 calls husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church—sacrificially and selflessly. One of the best ways to build desire for intimacy is by speaking your spouse’s love language:

Quality Time
Words of Affirmation
Physical Touch
Acts of Service
Gifts

The key is loving your spouse in ways that are meaningful to them, not just in ways that are natural to you. That means learning what fills their “love tank” and making it a priority. If her love language is physical touch, make sure there’s affectionate touch that isn’t just a lead-in to sex. If it’s quality time, let her define what that means—unhurried, undistracted time together. When your wife feels loved, seen, and valued, intimacy naturally grows.

The Role of Compromise in Intimacy

In most marriages, one spouse will have a higher sex drive than the other. That’s normal. 1 Corinthians 7:4 reminds us that in marriage, each spouse gives authority over their body to the other, meaning intimacy is a shared gift, not a personal possession. The healthiest approach is open communication and a willingness to meet in the middle.

Sometimes that involves being mindful of practical realities. Leviticus 18:19 notes that there are times when intimacy isn’t possible, and understanding your wife’s cycle can help you anticipate when she may be more inclined toward intimacy. By paying attention to each other’s needs and rhythms, you can strengthen your connection rather than drift apart.

God’s Vision for Your Marriage

God’s heart is for your marriage to be marked by joy, unity, and mutual delight. Sexual intimacy is not just about physical pleasure—it’s a deeply spiritual and emotional bond that reflects God’s love for His people. Protect it through prayer. Nurture it through intentional love and service. Guard it against the enemy’s schemes. And remember: intimacy is not just a part of marriage—it’s a gift from God to be treasured and enjoyed.

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Layne, a former Mormon of 40 years, has a deep love for the LDS community and a heart to help them see how the Book of Mormon points to the biblical Jesus.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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In this episode, Bryan sits down with Layne to explore his unique approach to sharing Jesus with Latter-day Saints—by starting with the Book of Mormon itself. Layne, a former Mormon of 40 years, has a deep love for the LDS community and a heart to help them see how the Book of Mormon points to the biblical Jesus.

The conversation centers on 3 Nephi 11, where Jesus of the Book of Mormon lays out His doctrine: faith in Him, repentance, baptism, and receiving the Holy Spirit—warning not to add or take away from these essentials. Layne shares how these simple principles in the Book of Mormon contrast sharply with the later, expanded LDS requirements found in other scriptures and modern church teachings.

Along the way, Layne reflects on:

Why the Book of Mormon sounds more like historic Christianity than modern Mormonism.
How LDS members are often conditioned to trust the prophet over their own study of scripture.
Why progressive revelation has allowed doctrines to shift far from the original text.
His own journey from “all-in Mormon” to “all-in for Jesus.”

This is just the beginning of a multi-part series where Bryan and Layne will examine what the Book of Mormon says about the nature of God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and salvation—and compare it with both the Bible and current LDS teaching.

Key Topics in This Episode:

Layne’s story and heart for the Mormon people.
Understanding the “testimony wall” and how to lower it.
Context of 3 Nephi 11 in LDS scripture.
Jesus’ four unchanging principles—and His warning about adding more.
The gap between the Book of Mormon and later LDS doctrines.

Quote to Think About:

“You don’t need a system—you need a Savior. Jesus already finished it fully and completely.”

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Welcome back to the podcast! In today's episode, we're continuing the conversation about the 'end times' seen in 1 Thessalonians.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Every couple brings a sexual “rulebook” into marriage, but true intimacy begins when you rewrite it together—with honesty, emotional connection, and God’s truth.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

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Every couple enters marriage with a “rulebook” for sex—unspoken expectations shaped by personal history, past relationships, and family dynamics. To build a healthy sex life, you have to open that rulebook together and start rewriting it in light of God’s truth.

A great place to begin is by sharing your stories. How did your parents express love—were they affectionate or emotionally distant? What past experiences have shaped your views on sex, for better or worse? Shame, pain, or unrealistic expectations from your past can quietly impact your present. Be honest with your spouse—healing starts with vulnerability.

Your body image also plays a big role in how comfortable you feel in the bedroom. Be willing to talk about it. When couples are emotionally connected, they’re far more likely to experience intimacy on every level.

Remember, sex isn’t just physical—it’s deeply relational, emotional, and spiritual. That’s why the best way to improve your sex life might begin outside the bedroom. Learn each other’s love language. Serve one another. As trust and connection grow, so will your intimacy.

Proverbs 5:19 She is a loving deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts satisfy you always. May you always be captivated by her love.

1 Corinthians 7:3-5 says, “The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Another word for deprive is defraud. Which means to cheat them.

John Piper ‘The practical application of 1 Corinthians 7:3–5 is not resolved by logic or taking turns or male dominance or female submission. It is resolved in the mystery of love that discovers even here, when our physical pleasure is more prominent than anywhere else, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). There is a holy and humble and self-sacrificing competition to make the other maximally glad. The logical stalemate is broken by the miracle of grace: With God all things are possible.”

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The story of the missing 116 pages isn’t just an early Mormon mishap—it’s a revealing glimpse into how Joseph Smith used “divine revelation” to cover his tracks and shape a theology on the fly.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Introduction One of the most embarrassing and revealing scandals in Mormon history is the story of the missing 116 pages of the original Book of Mormon manuscript. * This event not only highlights the human invention at the heart of Mormon origins but also shows how Joseph Smith used convenient “revelations” to cover his tracks. * Even South Park* famously mocked this story—because it’s so unbelievable that even secular audiences can see through it.

The Story of the Missing 116 Pages In 1828, Joseph Smith began dictating what he claimed was a divine translation of ancient golden plates, with Martin Harris* as his scribe.
Harris, facing skepticism from his wife and others, begged to take the manuscript home to prove the work's authenticity.
Smith claimed to receive divine permission after initially being told “no” twice.
Harris lost the first 116 pages—they were never recovered.

LDS Scripture:

Doctrine & Covenants 3 (July 1828):

This is Joseph Smith’s first recorded revelation after the disaster.
It is a sharp rebuke from God, calling Joseph to repentance for his disobedience but also offering reassurance that the work would still move forward.
This marks the first time Smith claimed to receive a dictated revelation directly from God, setting a pattern for how Mormon “scripture” would develop.
Why Couldn’t Smith Just Retranslate?If Smith was truly translating by the gift and power of God, why not simply redo the translation?
If the translation was truly by “the gift and power of God,” shouldn’t it have produced the same result, word for word, no matter what?
Why would God, all-powerful and sovereign, allow a human scheme to thwart the process?
If the book was engraved on plates, why not simply translate them again as-is?

Smith claimed that evil men would alter the original pages to expose him as a fraud if he attempted a retranslation.

The supposed solution: God had prepared a backup record—the Small Plates of Nephi—which covered the same historical period but with a spiritual focus.

LDS Scripture:

Doctrine & Covenants 10 (Summer 1829):

Smith claimed God told him not to retranslate but to use the Small Plates, which God had foreseen would be necessary.
The “Small Plates of Nephi” ExplainedThe Small Plates are described in 1 Nephi 9:2-5:

Nephi claims to have written two records:

Large Plates (political/historical)

The Book of Lehi was part of the large plates of Nephi — a record Mormon had abridged.

Small Plates (spiritual teachings)

Nephi says he doesn’t fully know why—only that it’s for a “wise purpose,” which Smith later claimed referred to the future loss of the 116 pages.

Reality Check:

The Small Plates narrative was written after the loss and looks like a retroactive invention to cover for the problem.

Key Fact:

The Small Plates (1 Nephi–Omni) were not part of the original translation but were added later in 1829 as a theological replacement for the missing material.
What Happened to Pages 117 and Forward? The lost material only affected pages 1–116 (the so-called Book of Lehi*).
When Smith resumed translating in April 1829, he skipped ahead and continued with Mosiah—what would have been page 117+ of the original work.
These pages were never shared with Harris or anyone else and remained intact.
Later, Smith dictated the Small Plates material (1 Nephi–Omni) and inserted them at the beginning of the Book of Mormon.

In a preface to the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, Smith writes of the lost 116 pages:

I translated, by the gift and power of God, and caused to be written, one hundred and sixteen pages, the which I took from the Book of Lehi, which was an account abridged from the plates of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon; which said account, some person or persons have stolen and kept from me, notwithstanding my utmost exertions to recover it again -- and being commanded of the Lord that I should not translate the same over again, for Satan had put it into their hearts to tempt the Lord their God, by altering the words that they did read contrary from that which I translated and caused to be written; and if I should bring forth the same words again, or, in other words, if I should translate the same over again, they would publish that which they had stolen, and Satan would stir up the hearts of this generation, that they might not receive this work: but behold the Lord said unto me, I will not suffer that Satan shall accomplish his evil design in this thing: therefore thou shalt translate from the plates of Nephi, until ye come to that which ye have translated, which ye have retained; and behold ye shall publish it as a record of Nephi; and thus I will confound those who have altered my words. I will not suffer that they shall destroy my work;

Quick Timeline:

Loss of 116 pages (Book of Lehi)

Summer 1828

D&C 3: First revelation, rebuke, and call to repent

July 1828

Translation resumes (Mosiah forward)

Spring 1829

D&C 10: “Backup plan” revealed

Summer 1829

Dictation of Small Plates (1 Nephi–Omni)

Late 1829

Book of Mormon published

March 1830

Pop Culture Mockery: South Park’s TakeThe South Park episode “All About Mormons” (Season 7, Episode 12) hilariously retells this story:
Martin Harris’ wife hides the manuscript to see if Smith can retranslate.
The show highlights the ridiculousness of Smith’s excuses, using the iconic chant: “Dum Dum Dum Dum Dum”.

Even non-Christians can see that this is not how real divine revelation works.

That's a fair and provocative way to put it — and it captures what many critics have suggested:

🤔 The Skeptical View: A Pattern of Creative ReinventionOnce Joseph Smith “got away with” explaining the loss of the 116 pages by appealing to divine revelation and an alternative source, he felt emboldened to apply the same strategy to the Bible — offering “restorations” and new material under the claim of divine authority.

Critics argue this:

The 116 pages incident set a precedent: Smith claimed God had provided a backup and that retranslation was off-limits — and it worked. His followers accepted the explanation and moved forward.

Emboldened by that success, Smith then extended the same method to the Bible, saying:

The Bible was corrupted over time (just like the lost pages could be tampered with).
He was authorized to restore the original text by revelation — just as he’d done with the Book of Mormon.

This culminated in the Joseph Smith Translation (JST), which contains:

New verses (e.g., prophecy about Joseph Smith in Genesis),
Doctrinal revisions (e.g., clarity on the Godhead),
Entire new chapters (e.g., Book of Moses, Enoch material).

💬 To critics, this looks like a pattern of theological improvisation — with Smith claiming divine revelation whenever a textual problem or doctrinal opportunity arose.

Biblical Response: God's Word vs. Joseph Smith's StoryThe Bible declares that God’s Word is eternal and preserved:
Isaiah 40:8 — God's Word stands forever.
Matthew 24:35 — His words will never pass away.
Psalm 12:6-7 — God protects His Word from corruption.

Irony: The Bible never needed “backups” because God’s sovereign hand preserved it through centuries of faithful transmission.

The Apostle Paul warns of false gospels in Galatians 1:6-9—which is exactly what we see in the origins of Mormonism.

Why This Still Matters TodayThe missing 116 pages incident is rarely discussed in LDS circles today because it undermines the claim of divine authenticity.

It shows:

The human error and inconsistency behind the Book of Mormon’s origins.
The pattern of retroactive revelation to solve theological problems.

Christians can gently ask:

Would the true God of the Bible lose His revelation?
Does this incident resemble the way God preserved Scripture?

Final Takeaway:The Missing 116 Pages episode reveals the human fingerprints all over Mormonism’s origins.

D&C 3 shows the first time Joseph Smith used a “thus saith the Lord” revelation to maintain control of the story—a pattern that continued throughout his life.

The Bible stands alone as the tested, preserved, and trustworthy Word of God, never needing patches or do-overs.

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Welcome back to the podcast! What really happens at the end of the world? In this episode, we explore Paul’s powerful vision of hope and reunion found in the Bible’s most foundational passage on the rapture.

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What Happens at the End of the World?From movies to memes, people are obsessed with the end of the world. But while Hollywood gives us dramatic survival stories, the Bible gives us something far more powerful: a message of hope. In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, the Apostle Paul writes to encourage Christians who were grieving the loss of fellow believers—and to clarify what happens when Jesus comes back.

The Rapture: What It Is and What It Isn'tThe word "rapture" doesn’t appear in most English Bibles, but it’s rooted in the original Greek and Latin translations of the New Testament.

Greek word: harpazō — to seize, snatch, or carry off suddenly.
Latin translation: rapio — from which we get the English word rapture.
Biblical reference: “We who are still alive… will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

This isn’t about random vanishing or fear-based mythology. Paul reframes ancient stories of divine abduction into a clear Christian truth: Jesus will personally gather all believers—living and dead—into eternal relationship with Him.

What Was the Church Concerned About?The early Christians in Thessalonica were grieving. Some believers had died, and the church feared they would miss out on Jesus' return.

Paul offers reassurance:

Death is described as "sleep." For Christians, death is temporary and peaceful (John 11:11-14, Acts 7:60).
Grief is not forbidden—but it’s filled with hope. We mourn differently because our hope is based on Jesus’ resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).
No one gets left behind. The dead in Christ will rise first, and the living will join them (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).

What Will It Be Like When Jesus Returns?Paul gives a vivid picture of Jesus’ return:

A loud command — likely from God Himself (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
The voice of the archangel — echoing Jesus' words in Matthew 24:31
The trumpet of God — a signal of action, judgment, and victory (Isaiah 27:13, 1 Corinthians 15:52)
The dead in Christ rise first — proving that no believer is forgotten
The living are “caught up together” with them — not isolated, but united
We meet the Lord in the air — signifying a royal welcome
We will always be with the Lord — eternal, unbroken relationship with Jesus

Why This Matters TodayPaul’s final instruction in this passage is simple: “Encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thessalonians 4:18)

This isn’t just theology—it’s pastoral care.

It’s not about predicting dates or debating timelines.

It’s about giving hope to hurting hearts.

If you trust Jesus, you have nothing to fear about the end of the world. Your future is secure.

Key Verses for Further Study 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 — Main text * John 11:11-14 — Jesus describes death as sleep * 1 Corinthians 15:52 — Resurrection at the final trumpet * Matthew 24:31 — Jesus speaks of angels gathering the elect * Isaiah 27:13, Joel 2:1 — Trumpet in Old Testament prophecy * Romans 5:8 — Christ’s death for us * 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 2:19, 3:13* — Paul's earlier mentions of Jesus’ return

Big IdeaThe return of Jesus will unite all believers—dead and alive—into eternal fellowship with Him.

And that’s a promise we can count on.

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Layne spent 40 years fully committed to Mormonism, but realizing that the temple veil was torn revealed that true access to God is through Jesus alone—not a religious system.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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Welcome back to the podcast! In this episode, we see how Paul challenges the Thessalonians—and us—to rethink generosity by pairing radical love with personal responsibility.

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Toxic Charity: How Christians Should View Generosity and Work

1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 (NLT)

In a world that often misunderstands both generosity and work, the Apostle Paul brings much-needed clarity to the early Christians—and to us today. In 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, Paul addresses the topics of brotherly love and personal responsibility. He affirms the generosity of the Thessalonian believers but also warns them to avoid forms of charity that create unhealthy dependency. Paul’s teaching is a call to Spirit-led love and dignity-restoring work.

Redefining Love: From Family to ChurchIn Greek and Roman culture, philadelphia—brotherly love—referred strictly to the bond between biological siblings. This love was expected to be loyal, sacrificial, and enduring. There was no social pressure to extend this kind of care outside the family unit.

But Paul redefines this cultural expectation. He says the kind of love reserved for family should now apply to fellow believers in the church—regardless of ethnicity, class, or background. The Christian family is not bound by blood but by the Spirit.

“You yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.” (1 Thessalonians 4:9)

This is the only time in the New Testament we find the word theodidaktoi—“taught by God.” Paul is contrasting the worldly idea of being “self-taught” in virtue (autodidaktos) with the Christian ideal: we are shaped and empowered by God himself to love deeply and sacrificially.

Generosity Rooted in God’s LoveThe Thessalonian believers were already living this out. Paul notes that they were supporting not just their own congregation but believers throughout the entire region of Macedonia. This generosity wasn’t based on surplus wealth—it came from hearts transformed by God.

“Even though they are very poor… their abundant joy has overflowed in rich generosity.” (2 Corinthians 8:2)

The Thessalonians exemplified what Christian giving should look like: cheerful, selfless, and Spirit-led. Paul’s encouragement to “do this more and more” shows that generosity is not a one-time act but a lifestyle to be continually cultivated.

A Caution About Toxic CharityBut Paul doesn’t stop with encouragement. He offers a firm challenge in verses 11-12:

“Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands… Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.”

In the Greco-Roman world, many people—especially the poor—survived through a system of patronage. Wealthy patrons provided resources, but in exchange, they expected loyalty, political support, and public praise. This created cycles of dependency and limited social mobility.

Paul calls believers out of this system. He dignifies manual labor and challenges Christians to work hard, take responsibility, and avoid becoming burdens to others. He’s not condemning all charity—he’s correcting toxic charity that robs people of dignity and promotes dependency.

Empowering, Not EnablingThis has strong implications for how we approach charitable giving today. Whether we’re talking about government welfare programs or church-based assistance, the principle remains the same: biblical charity should empower, not enable.

Helping someone in need is good. But if that help discourages personal responsibility, hard work, or growth toward independence, it can become harmful.

Christian generosity should walk the tension of compassion and empowerment. It should reflect the love of God while also honoring the biblical call to work and contribute.

Final TakeawayPaul’s teaching in this short passage is both timeless and timely. He invites us to:
Love beyond bloodlines.
Give beyond our means.
And serve in ways that elevate others—not trap them.

This is a vision for the Christian life where love is taught by God, generosity flows from joy, and work is seen as a God-honoring calling. That’s how we “walk properly before outsiders” and point people to Jesus—not just with our words, but with our lives.

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Based on the book by Dr. Leonard Sax “Boys Adrift”, this episode explores Dr. Leonard Sax’s research on the crisis facing young men—and what parents can do to turn the tide.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

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Based on the book “Boys Adrift” by Dr. Leonard Sax

Dr. Leonard Sax, a family physician and psychologist, has spent decades researching a troubling cultural trend: boys in America are becoming increasingly apathetic, while girls continue to thrive. College enrollment numbers are down, motivation is plummeting, and a growing number of boys seem to be disengaging from real life. What’s going on?

A Look at the NumbersCollege statistics reflect the shift. In 2023, men made up only 42% of students aged 18–24 in four-year colleges, down from 47% in 2011. Women were 9 percentage points more likely to be enrolled in college than men in 2022. And when boys do go to college, they are less likely than girls to graduate.

Brain Development and Early EducationBrain development plays a role, too. Girls’ brains mature faster than boys’, especially in areas related to sensory integration and self-regulation. This biological reality clashes with today’s academic environment, where even kindergarten demands early reading and writing skills—before many boys are ready.

5 Key Factors Behind the CrisisAccording to Dr. Sax, several powerful cultural shifts over the last 40 years are affecting boys in ways that parents and educators can no longer ignore. Dr. Sax identifies five key factors that are contributing to this downward spiral:

Early Education Isn’t Built for BoysKindergarten used to be a place for creativity and play. Now, it focuses on reading, writing, and sitting still for long periods—an environment where many boys struggle. Instead of adapting the system, society too often labels boys with ADHD. The CDC reports that over 11% of children aged 5–17 have been diagnosed with ADHD, often as a result of mismatched expectations rather than true disorder.
Video Games Offer an Addictive EscapeMany boys say school is boring and can’t wait to get home to their video games. These games offer fast-paced stimulation and constant action—but research shows they also increase risky behavior, diminish empathy, and disconnect boys from real-life goals.
Overuse of ADHD MedicationsStimulant medications like Adderall and Ritalin can alter motivation and personality by impacting brain receptors. Dr. Sax recommends non-stimulant alternatives like Strattera or Wellbutrin, warning that reliance on the wrong medications may do more harm than good.
Chemical Hormone DisruptionModern plastics and water contaminants act as endocrine disruptors, mimicking estrogen in the body. This not only affects puberty and hormone development in boys but may also contribute to rising ADHD rates and declining motivation.
Lack of Strong Role ModelsFrom sitcoms to social media, positive portrayals of fatherhood and masculinity have disappeared. Instead of men leading homes with strength and integrity, pop culture often portrays dads as clueless or absent. As Dr. Sax says:

“Manhood isn’t something that simply happens to boys. It’s an achievement.”

Without strong guidance, boys grow up lacking a sense of purpose, responsibility, and identity.

Solutions for Parents Rethink how you educate your son.*

Use movement and hands-on activities to make learning engaging.

1 Timothy 4:12 “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example…”

Set boundaries around video game use and encourage real-life engagement through chores, hobbies, or church involvement.

1 Kings 2:2-4

“I am going where everyone on earth must someday go. Take courage and be a man.

Observe the requirements of the Lord your God, and follow all his ways. Keep the decrees, commands, regulations, and laws written in the Law of Moses so that you will be successful in all you do and wherever you go.”

Colossians 3:23

“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”

Don’t accept an ADHD diagnosis at face value—seek professional evaluation and educate yourself on alternative treatments.
Limit exposure to plastics and other hormone disruptors when possible.
Find mentors who embody biblical manhood.

Help your son grow in responsibility and confidence as he matures. Proverbs 27:17

“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”

Final ThoughtRaising boys in today’s culture is challenging—but with intentional effort, prayer, and community, it’s possible to help them thrive.

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This episode explores the true biblical meaning of covenant—and how it offers freedom through Christ, not the pressure of performance found in Mormonism.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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IntroductionMormons often speak of “making covenants” and “keeping covenants” as central to their spiritual journey, particularly in temples.

Common Mormon Language Around “Keeping Covenants”:“Keeping my covenants helps me stay on the covenant path.”

This is one of the most common phrases in modern LDS teaching.
The “covenant path” is seen as the lifelong journey of obedience to temple covenants, commandments, and church requirements to eventually achieve exaltation (godhood).

“I need to stay worthy to enter the temple by keeping my covenants.”

Mormons must follow strict behavioral guidelines to maintain a temple recommend—this includes tithing, the Word of Wisdom, chastity, loyalty to church leaders, and more.
Failure to keep these standards can result in losing temple privileges.

“We renew our covenants every Sunday by taking the sacrament.”

Mormons are taught that by taking the sacrament (communion), they are renewing the covenants they made at baptism—and by extension, all temple covenants as well.
This creates a weekly cycle of striving to stay “worthy” of God’s blessings.

“By keeping my covenants, I can qualify for eternal life and exaltation.”

In LDS belief, eternal life (not just salvation but godhood in the highest heaven) is conditional on faithful covenant-keeping.
This includes baptism, priesthood ordination (for men), temple endowment, celestial marriage, and ongoing obedience.

“I want to be a covenant-keeper so I can be with my family forever.”

LDS doctrine teaches that only those who keep all covenants faithfully to the end will achieve celestial marriage and eternal family unity.
But what is the true biblical meaning of covenant? And how does it expose the flaws in Mormon doctrine?
This is a vital conversation for anyone transitioning from Mormonism to true biblical Christianity.
The Biblical Idea of Covenant In Scripture, a covenant is a divinely initiated relationship where God sets the terms and fulfills the promises*.

Key biblical covenants:

Noahic Covenant (Genesis 9)
Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12, 15, 17)
Mosaic Covenant (Exodus 19-24)
Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7)
New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Luke 22:20)
The Power of Genesis 15: God’s One-Sided CovenantIn Genesis 15, God formalizes His covenant with Abraham:
God promises land, descendants, and blessing.
In the ancient Near East, covenant ceremonies involved both parties walking through slain animal pieces, symbolizing: “If I break this covenant, may I die.”

But in Genesis 15:

Abraham falls asleep (Genesis 15:12).
God alone, symbolized by a smoking firepot and flaming torch, walks through the pieces (Genesis 15:17).

This signifies:

God Himself takes full responsibility for fulfilling the covenant.
It’s unconditional—Abraham does nothing to “keep” it.
A precursor to salvation by grace through Christ, not by human works or performance (Romans 4:3-5).
The LDS View of Covenants vs. the BibleMormonism’s view:
Covenants are a series of promises we make to God: baptism, temple, marriage, obedience to laws and ordinances (2 Nephi 31:5-21; D&C 132).
D&C 82: 8 And again, I say unto you, I give unto you a new commandment, that you may understand my will concerning you; 9 Or, in other words, I give unto you directions how you may act before me, that it may turn to you for your salvation. 10 I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise.
D&C 132: 4 For behold, I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant; and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned; for no one can reject this covenant and be permitted to enter into my glory.
7 And verily I say unto you, that the conditions of this law are these: All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths, vows, performances, connections, associations, or expectations, that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed…whom I have appointed on the earth to hold this power (and I have appointed unto my servant Joseph to hold this power in the last days, and there is never but one on the earth at a time on whom this power and the keys of this priesthood are conferred), are of no efficacy, virtue, or force…
Keeping covenants = earning exaltation.
19 And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them… by him who is anointed… they shall pass by the angels, and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation….
20 Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting…

What is the Bible’s “New and Everlasting Covenant”?1. The New Covenant in the Bible:The New Covenant is the central promise of God fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

It was foretold in the Old Testament:

Jeremiah 31:31-34 — “The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant… I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts.”
It promises:
Forgiveness of sins
New hearts empowered by God’s Spirit
Intimate relationship with God

Jesus inaugurates this covenant:

Luke 22:20 — “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood.”

The New Covenant is:

Unconditional for the believer—secured by Christ alone.
Internal not external—written on the heart, not on stone tablets.
Everlasting—eternal life with God that can never be lost (Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 13:20).
The “Everlasting Covenant” Language in the Bible:The Bible often refers to God’s covenants as everlasting because:
God Himself is faithful and unchanging.
The New Covenant through Jesus is the final and eternal covenant—it will never be replaced or superseded.

Examples:

Hebrews 13:20 — Jesus is the “great Shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the everlasting covenant.”
Isaiah 55:3 — Speaks of an “everlasting covenant” linked to the faithful love promised to David.
How This Contradicts Mormonism’s “New and Everlasting Covenant”:Mormon Doctrine (Doctrine & Covenants 132:6-7, 19-20):
The “new and everlasting covenant” is identified primarily as celestial marriage—the requirement to be married in an LDS temple for exaltation (godhood).
In LDS teaching, it is conditional: you must keep your covenants, be sealed in the temple, and live righteously to achieve the highest heaven.

The Bible’s teaching:

The true “everlasting covenant” is Jesus Himself and His finished work—not marriage, temple rites, or human performance.
Eternal life is a gift of grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), not a reward for keeping temple covenants.
The Land, the Covenant, and Lehi’s DepartureIn the Old Testament, the covenant with Israel is inseparable from the land of Israel (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

The Messiah was to come through the line of David, in the land of Israel, as fulfillment of God’s unbroken promises.

The Book of Mormon claims Lehi’s family was called to a new promised land in the Americas (1 Nephi 2:2).

Theological problem:

This contradicts God’s own covenantal pattern.
God does not create separate covenant peoples and lands—the covenant is fulfilled in Christ in Israel (Galatians 3:16).
The New Covenant extends the blessings of Israel to all nations, not to a splinter group in the Americas.
The True New Covenant: Secured by Christ AloneJesus declared: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20).

The New Covenant:

Secured solely by Christ—not by our works (Hebrews 8:6-13).
Brings forgiveness, transformation, and eternal life.
The Genesis 15 principle is fulfilled: God does it all—we simply receive it by faith (Romans 4:16).
For Those Coming Out of MormonismComing to grips with grace-based covenant means:
No more temple worthiness interviews to prove yourself.
No more fearing failure to keep covenants.
Resting in the finished work of Jesus—God’s covenant keeper (Hebrews 10:14).

Verses to cling to:

Romans 8:1—No condemnation for those in Christ.
John 19:30—“It is finished.”

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Notes

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We’re wrapping up our series in Galatians by looking at what grace looks like in real life—especially when someone falls short. From restoring others gently to boasting only in the cross, this final chapter gives us a powerful picture of what it means to live out grace in community.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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👉 Big Picture:

The entire letter has been Paul’s passionate plea: stop adding to the gospel. Salvation is not Jesus plus anything—not circumcision, not temple work, not “after all you can do.” It is faith alone in Christ alone. He’ll come back to this at the end of the letter, but first…

What happens when you DO screw up in a grace-filled community?

That’s what Paul answers next
Along with:
Financial generosity in that community
Should you pay your pastors?
And some final thoughts
Restore Gently, Carry One Another’s Burdens (Galatians 6:1-5)Galatians 6:1-5 (NLT) 1 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3 If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important. 4 Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. 5 For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

Key Point:

Spirit-led living means being a community of restoration: when someone sins, we help them back—not with condemnation, but with gentleness and humility.

Contrast with LDS Approach:

In Mormonism, serious sin often leads to public confession to leadership, loss of temple access, and time-based restoration that can feel shaming and hierarchical.
In the Bible, restoration is immediate through grace and repentance (James 5:16).

👉 Biblical Truth:

We are all saved by grace and need to be carriers of grace for one another.

Share All Good Things with Your Teachers (Galatians 6:6)Galatians 6:6 (NLT) 6 Those who are taught the word of God should provide for their teachers, sharing all good things with them.

Key Point:

Those who receive spiritual instruction are to share generously with their teachers—this includes financial support.

Expositor’s Commentary Insight:

Paul is likely referring to money and material support.
The context of doing good (v.10) and Paul’s broader emphasis on helping the poor (Galatians 2:10) points to generosity as a heart issue.

LDS Accusation: “Hirelings of Satan”

Joseph Smith called Christian pastors “hirelings of Satan” (History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 385) for receiving pay.
The LDS system’s unpaid clergy is presented as more righteous, but the Bible never condemns paid ministry—only false motives (1 Corinthians 9:13-14; 1 Timothy 5:17-18).

👉 Biblical Truth:

It’s not about whether a teacher is paid—it’s whether they are faithful to the gospel.

Sowing and Reaping: Generosity and Righteousness (Galatians 6:7-8)Galatians 6:7-8 (NLT) 7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. 8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.

Key Point:

You reap what you sow—whether in your generosity or in your moral choices. This is both a spiritual principle and a financial one (2 Corinthians 9:6).

LDS Distortion:

Mormonism turns this into a works-for-reward system: obey the commandments, earn blessings, climb the ladder to exaltation.
Biblical Christianity says: salvation is never earned. Good works flow from salvation, not toward it (Titus 3:5).

👉 Biblical Truth:

Sow to the Spirit, not the flesh. The harvest is spiritual, not merely temporal reward.

Don’t Grow Weary in Doing Good (Galatians 6:9)Galatians 6:9 (NLT) 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

Key Point:

Doing good can be tiring—but Paul says: Don’t give up. The harvest will come.

Contrast with LDS Perfectionism:

The LDS system demands lifelong “worthiness” with no assurance of salvation. It leads to weariness and shame.
In Christ, we persevere with joy—not because we fear losing heaven, but because we are secure in grace.

👉 Biblical Truth:

We don’t work to become accepted—we work because we are accepted.

Do Good to All, Especially the Household of Faith (Galatians 6:10)Galatians 6:10 (NLT) 10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.

Key Point:

Generosity and kindness are not limited to insiders—we’re called to do good to all, but especially fellow believers.

Expositor’s Insight:

This echoes almsgiving and financial generosity—another sign that Paul had material support in mind throughout this passage.

LDS Contrast:

The LDS community often focuses on helping fellow members, while non-members are seen as projects for conversion.
Biblical love and generosity extend beyond church walls—to neighbors, enemies, strangers (Matthew 5:44).

👉 Biblical Truth:

True generosity reflects the boundless grace of God.

Paul’s Final Words: Boast Only in the Cross (Galatians 6:11-18)Galatians 6:11-18 (NLT) 11 NOTICE WHAT LARGE LETTERS I USE AS I WRITE THESE CLOSING WORDS IN MY OWN HANDWRITING.

12 Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don’t want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. 13 And even those who advocate circumcision don’t keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciples.

14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.

Key Point:

Paul takes the pen himself (v.11) to personally emphasize his closing thoughts.
He warns again against those who boast in external religion—in his day, circumcision; in ours, temple works, missions, and LDS ordinances.
How Mormons Commonly Boast (Explicitly or Implicitly):
1. Boasting in Temple Worthiness
A key measure of “worthiness” in Mormonism is holding a valid temple recommend—which requires adherence to a strict code of behaviors (tithing, Word of Wisdom, sexual purity, church attendance, sustaining LDS leaders).
Many Latter-day Saints subtly boast in their temple status, seeing it as a badge of spiritual superiority over non-temple-worthy members or outsiders.
1. Boasting in Missionary Service
LDS young adults who have served full-time missions are often given elevated status within the community. Returned missionaries are admired, and their service is seen as a spiritual rite of passage.
There is unspoken pride in having served a mission, with some viewing non-returned missionaries as less committed or “less faithful.”
1. Boasting in Genealogical Work and Proxy Ordinances
Mormons often highlight their participation in baptisms for the dead and other proxy temple ordinances for deceased ancestors.
Success in genealogical research or number of ordinances completed can become a spiritual measuring stick—something to quietly brag about in lessons or talks.
1. Boasting in Church Callings (Leadership Roles)
LDS culture often places high value on leadership positions—bishoprics, Relief Society presidencies, stake leadership, or area authorities.
Holding important callings can become a source of spiritual pride, with those without leadership roles sometimes seen as less faithful or capable
1. Boasting in Family Size and Obedience to LDS Family Ideals
Mormons frequently boast—sometimes subtly, sometimes overtly—in having large families, temple marriages, and obedient children.
The “ideal Mormon family” is often presented as a benchmark of righteousness, leaving singles, childless couples, or those from broken homes feeling spiritually “less than.”

The Real Boast:

Paul says: “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v.14).
He makes it clear: external signs (circumcision then; temple garments now) mean nothing—what matters is being a new creation in Christ (v.15).

Galatians 6:15-18

15 It doesn’t matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. 16 May God’s peace and mercy be upon all who live by this principle; they are the new people of God.

17 From now on, don’t let anyone trouble me with these things. For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus.

18 Dear brothers and sisters, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

The True Israel:

Paul speaks peace over those who follow this rule—those who understand that salvation is by grace, not law (v.16).

Final Thought:

Paul closes with grace—the same way he started (v.18).
The gospel of grace is the true gospel—anything else is slavery.

👉 Biblical Truth:

The Christian life is grace from start to finish. Our only boast is the cross, not our own performance.

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Welcome back to the podcast! In this episode, we finish up 1 Thessalonians and learn about prayer!

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How to Pray for Just About Anyone1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 (NLT)

One of the most practical and life-changing topics in the Christian life is prayer. In this section of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, we get a front-row seat to how Paul prays for the people he loves—and how we can use this as a template to pray for just about anyone.

Whether you’re praying for:

A friend going through trials,
Someone you’re discipling,
Or even an enemy who has hurt you—

Paul’s words give us a timeless framework for how to pray with power, purpose, and perspective.

Start by Thanking GodPaul begins by expressing gratitude:

“How we thank God for you! Because of you we have great joy as we enter God’s presence.” (1 Thessalonians 3:9 NLT)

Thankfulness is the foundation of prayer. Gratitude shifts your heart from bitterness to hope. This applies even when praying for someone difficult. Find something—anything—to be grateful for: a past good moment, their God-given potential, or how God is using the situation to grow your character.

Pray for Your Impact on ThemPaul says, “Night and day we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith.” (1 Thessalonians 3:10 NLT)

Often, our prayers are entirely focused on the other person. Paul teaches us to also pray about how God might use us in their lives. Whether it’s a friend, a disciple, or even an enemy, ask:

“God, how do You want to use me in their story?”

Be open to opportunities to encourage, equip, or even lovingly challenge them. Sometimes a simple text or sharing a podcast link can make a difference.

Pray for Relational RestorationPaul continues, “May God our Father and our Lord Jesus bring us to you very soon.” (1 Thessalonians 3:11 NLT)

Paul knew that Satan was actively trying to hinder their reunion. So he prayed for God to overcome the barriers. We should pray the same for any strained relationship in our lives, including enemies.

Romans 12:18 (NLT) reminds us: “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.”

Sometimes reconciliation is beyond our control, but prayer invites God into the process.

Pray for Their Love to OverflowPaul shifts to pray for the Thessalonians themselves:

“May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows.” (1 Thessalonians 3:12 NLT)

We can ask God to help others grow in their love—not only for fellow believers but also for everyone, even those who are difficult. It’s also a moment to pray for our own heart:

“God, help me love them the way You love me.”

Pray for Eternal PerspectiveFinally, Paul lifts their eyes to eternity:

“May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people.” (1 Thessalonians 3:13 NLT)

Instead of getting stuck on temporary problems—whether it’s a friend’s trial or an enemy’s offense—pray for their ultimate readiness to meet Jesus. Pray for salvation, growth, and holiness. This eternal mindset transforms the way we pray for everyone.

The Bottom Line:Prayer changes hearts—starting with yours. Who do you need to start praying for this way?

Matthew 5:44 (NLT)

“But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”

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In this episode, we’re tackling one of the biggest sources of tension in marriage—money—by unpacking four biblical values that can help couples build unity, trust, and purpose in their finances.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

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What if the very system you trust to bring you closer to God is actually pulling you away from His grace—and true freedom is found somewhere you might not expect? In Galatians 5, Paul reminds us that true freedom comes not from religious rule-keeping or law-based performance, but from living by the Spirit through faith in Christ alone.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Galatians 5 | True Freedom in Christ

Section 1: Stand Firm in Freedom (Galatians 5:1-6)

Galatians 5:1-6 (NLT)

Christ has truly set us free. Paul urges us to stay free and not get tied up again in slavery—this time, not slavery to old sinful habits, but to religious legalism. Both are equally destructive.

Many Mormons follow rules, believing this makes them justified before God. Paul, once a Pharisee, believed the same until he encountered Christ:

Philippians 3:7-9 (NLT): Paul calls his former religious achievements "garbage" compared to knowing Christ.

Relying on works, like circumcision in Paul’s day or LDS temple worthiness today, cuts people off from Christ and God's grace. True righteousness comes by faith alone.

Big Idea: Christ set us free—don’t return to a system of religious control.

Illustration: Jesus didn’t come to give us a new set of religious rules. He came to set us free (Matthew 11:28-30).

Section 2: The Danger of Legalism (Galatians 5:7-12)

Galatians 5:7-12 (NLT)

The Galatians were running well until false teachers led them astray, adding law-keeping to the gospel. Paul warns that even small false teachings spread like yeast.

Who holds Mormons back today? Consider the "Four Horsemen" of LDS control:

LDS Leadership
LDS Scriptures
LDS Temple System (worthiness interviews, temple recommends)
LDS Culture and Social Pressure

All these create a performance treadmill, keeping people from the simple gospel of grace.

Paul is blunt: False teachers deserve judgment.

Section 3: Freedom Isn’t a License to Sin (Galatians 5:13-15)

Galatians 5:13-15 (NLT)

Freedom from the law doesn’t mean freedom to indulge the sinful nature. It leads to loving and serving others.

Key Point: True freedom leads to love and service, not selfishness.

LDS Misconception: Evangelicals are often accused of "cheap grace."

Examples:

Bruce R. McConkie (Book: Mormon Doctrine (2nd ed., 1966), p. 671) : “One of the most pernicious heresies of modern Christendom is the concept that man is saved by grace alone... This concept, as interpreted by modern Christians, removes all the restraints which encourage personal righteousness and offers salvation to the sinner merely for confessing Christ.”
Spencer W. Kimbal (Book: The Miracle of Forgiveness (1969), p. 206) : “One of the most fallacious doctrines originated by Satan and propounded by man is that man is saved alone by the grace of God; that belief in Jesus Christ alone is all that is needed for salvation.”
True to the Faith (A Gospel Reference (Official LDS Manual, 2004, p. 77): “The phrase ‘after all we can do’(2 Nephi 25:23) teaches that effort is required on our part to receive the fulness of the Lord’s grace and be made worthy to dwell with him.”

Paul anticipates this: True gospel freedom produces holiness, not lawlessness (Romans 6:1-2).

Biblical Truth: The Holy Spirit empowers believers to live differently—not to earn salvation, but because we already have it.

Section 4: The Flesh vs. The Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26)

Galatians 5:16-23 (NLT)

The Christian life is Spirit-led, not law-driven. The Holy Spirit guides us, gives us new desires, and directs our lives.

Without the Spirit, we live in the "works of the flesh" (Gal 5:19-21): sexual immorality, jealousy, fits of anger, selfishness, etc.

With the Spirit, we see the "fruit of the Spirit" (Gal 5:22-23): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Key Point: Fruit is evidence of a Spirit-led life—not a behavioral checklist for worthiness.

LDS Misunderstanding: Mormonism often presents the fruit as a checklist for earning God’s favor.

Biblical Application: True Christian living is not about trying harder but walking closer with Christ (Gal 5:25).

Galatians 5:24-26 (NLT)

Those who belong to Christ have already crucified their old sinful nature. This is positional truth—the old life is dead.

Now we walk in the Spirit daily—this is practical sanctification: living out the reality of what Christ has already done.

The LDS Contrast: No Finished Work, No Assurance

In Mormonism, justification and sanctification blur together. There’s no "it is finished" moment of assurance (John 19:30). Worthiness is always in question.

Example (Gospel Principles, Chapter 47): "We must strive continually to remain worthy…"

Key LDS mindset: Salvation is always future-oriented and uncertain.

In contrast:

Biblical Christianity offers freedom through faith in Christ.
True fruit is produced by the Holy Spirit, not by works.
Salvation is by grace alone, not grace "after all you can do."
Obedience flows from love, not fear or duty.

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Welcome back to the podcast! In this episode, we’re talking about Satan’s tactics and how he works to oppose God’s people—just like he did with the early Christians in Thessalonica.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Satan’s Tactics: How the Enemy Tries to Derail Your Faith (1 Thessalonians 2:17-3:8)In last week’s message, we explored how God’s Word exposes hearts, separating those who submit to the gospel from those who actively resist it. This week, Paul shifts the focus to a new—and even more sinister—source of opposition: Satan himself.

Many people today think of Satan as a cartoon character with a pitchfork. But Paul, Jesus, and the early church took Satan seriously. Scripture repeatedly reminds us that Satan is real and active, working to hinder God’s purposes in the world and in our personal faith journeys.

Satan Is Predictable, But Dangerous1 Peter 5:8 warns believers:

"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour."

Just like a lion prowling for isolated prey, Satan uses predictable tactics to bring down believers—especially new Christians and young churches. Paul addresses these tactics directly in this section of 1 Thessalonians.

Two Phases of Satan’s WorkPaul’s words reveal that Satan operates in two distinct phases:

Phase 1: OppositionSatan works hard to stop God’s work before it gains traction.

1 Thessalonians 2:18 – Paul says, “We wanted very much to come to you, and I, Paul, tried again and again, but Satan prevented us.”
The Greek word for “prevented” suggests military action—like tearing up a road to stop an advancing army.

Satan can bring opposition in multiple ways:

Spiritual Opposition

Paul and his team experienced spiritual resistance, as seen earlier when local leaders opposed the gospel. (1 Thessalonians 2:15-16)

Legal Pressure

Local officials had forced believers like Jason to post bond, limiting their freedom. (Acts 17:9)

Physical or Medical Struggles

Paul later refers to his “thorn in the flesh” as a messenger from Satan. (2 Corinthians 12:7)

Three Predictable Tactics Satan Uses Against BelieversWhether through phase 1 opposition or phase 2 temptation, Satan tends to use the same basic tools:

Discouragement and Suffering

He loves to discourage believers through trouble and hardship.

Temptation and Old Patterns

The tempter wants to drag believers back into sinful behaviors and old ways of thinking. (1 Thessalonians 3:5)

Separation from Community

Just like a lion hunts isolated prey, Satan tries to pull believers away from Christian fellowship.

Phase 2: Victory (If We Let Him)Paul feared that Satan’s efforts might have caused the Thessalonians to fall away.

1 Thessalonians 3:5 – Paul refers to Satan as “the tempter,” fearing that their faith had been shaken.

But thankfully, that’s not what happened. Timothy’s report was encouraging:

Faith and Love Remained Strong
They Remembered Paul with Joy
They Hungered for More Spiritual Connection

Paul celebrates their resilience and reminds them (and us) that Satanic opposition does not equal Satanic victory.

God’s Solution: Spiritual ResilienceInstead of praying for trouble-free lives, Paul encouraged believers to stand strong in the face of trials.

1 Thessalonians 3:3-4 – “We are destined for such troubles… and they did come.”

God uses trials to build spiritual strength. And while Satan wants to shake your faith, God equips you to stand firm.

Romans 16:20 – “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”

The takeaway? Stay alert. Recognize Satan’s schemes. But above all—stand strong in the victory you already have in Jesus Christ.

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In Galatians 4, Paul draws a bold line between spiritual slavery and true sonship—and if you’ve ever felt trapped by religious performance like in Mormonism, this chapter is your invitation to step into the freedom of being fully adopted by God through faith in Christ alone.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

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Galatians 4 | From Slavery to Sonship

Theme: Freedom in Christ vs. LDS Legalism and Spiritual Bondage

Last time in Galatians 3, Paul made it crystal clear: Salvation comes by faith in Christ—not by keeping the law. Paul dismantled the idea that law-keeping could ever make someone right with God.

He pointed to Abraham, showing that even he was saved by faith long before the law was given. Paul explained that the law was like a temporary guardian or tutor, showing us our sin but never designed to save us.

The big takeaway from Chapter 3: We are made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ—not by religious performance or obedience to commandments.

Where Galatians 4 Picks Up:

Now, in chapter 4, Paul continues that argument—but he shifts the focus to something deeply relational. He introduces the beautiful truth that believers aren’t just forgiven sinners—they’re adopted children of God!

Paul uses family language—sons, heirs, adoption, Abba Father—to contrast the cold slavery of law-based religion with the warm relationship of grace-based Christianity.

This next section will especially hit home for LDS listeners, because Mormonism still keeps people under law, denies full adoption until after lifelong worthiness, and often replaces a personal relationship with God with institutional loyalty and religious performance.

Let’s dive into Galatians 4: From Slavery to Sonship.

Section 1: Galatians 4:1-7 | From Slaves to Sons: Relationship by Faith, Not Law

Paul starts with a cultural illustration. In ancient times, heirs had no more rights than slaves until their father declared them full sons.

Jewish context: Age 12, "son of the law"
Greek context: Coming of age around 18
Roman context (likely Paul’s audience): The father chose the time for full adoption and inheritance

Spiritual point: Before Christ, people lived like spiritual minors—under guardianship, lacking freedom.

Galatians 4:3 says we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world—elemental spiritual forces linked to pagan gods and demonic powers.

Modern LDS Parallel:

Many LDS today engage in spiritualistic practices: energy healing, chakra work, astrology apps, spirit communication, manifestation, and lightworking. Mormonism’s openness to extra-biblical revelation makes this trend possible and widespread.

God’s Rescue Mission Through Christ (Galatians 4:4-5):

Jesus came at God’s appointed time to redeem those under the law. Not just freedom from slavery—but full adoption as sons and daughters.

Result (Galatians 4:6-7):

Believers receive the Holy Spirit, prompting us to call God "Abba, Father." We are no longer slaves but God’s own children and heirs.

Contrast with LDS Doctrine:

LDS salvation is future, conditional, and performance-based. Biblical salvation is present, relational, and grace-based.

Section 2: Galatians 4:8-11 | Warning: Don’t Trade One Slavery for Another

Before Christ, the Galatians were slaves to false gods—demonic powers behind pagan religions. Now that they know God, Paul is shocked they would turn back to "weak and miserable principles."

Expositor’s Insight: Legalism and false religion are weak (they can’t redeem) and miserable (they can’t provide adoption).

LDS Application:

Mormonism today offers another powerless, performance-based religion: temple worthiness, tithing, Sabbath observance, priesthood ordinances.

Paul warns against religious calendar legalism—observing special days, months, seasons, and years—as another form of spiritual slavery.

Section 3: Galatians 4:12-20 | Paul’s Pastoral Plea: Don’t Turn on the Messenger

Paul reminds the Galatians how they once welcomed him like an angel, despite his illness. But now, because he’s telling them hard gospel truth, they’re treating him like an enemy.

Joseph Smith Parallel:

Paul’s words fit what Joseph Smith did—alienating people from gospel-preaching churches and setting himself up as the only voice of truth, introducing a new legalistic, works-based system.

Paul expresses deep emotional pain, longing for Christ—not law—to be fully formed in them.

Evangelical Reflection:

Christians today don’t want to win arguments with Mormons—we want them to experience true spiritual rebirth.

Section 4: Galatians 4:21-31 | Two Covenants: Hagar (Law) vs. Sarah (Promise)

Paul uses the story of Abraham’s two sons:

Hagar represents the Old Covenant, law, slavery, and earthly Jerusalem.
Sarah represents the New Covenant, promise, freedom, and heavenly Jerusalem.

Key spiritual point:

Ishmael was born by human effort (law and works), Isaac was born by supernatural promise (grace and faith).

LDS Application:

Mormonism is modern Hagar:

Founded by human effort and Joseph Smith
Built on law, temple covenants, priesthood ordinances, and works righteousness

Biblical Christianity is Sarah:

Supernatural, Spirit-born
Resting on God’s promise of salvation through Christ alone

Paul ends with a strong command: "Cast out the slave woman and her son… we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman."

Evangelical Call to LDS Listeners:

Leave Mormonism’s slavery. Embrace spiritual freedom, adoption, and grace through faith in Christ alone.

Chapter 4 Summary for Mormons:

LDS Religion:

Man-made, law-based, performance-driven
Founded by human effort (Joseph Smith)
Requires obedience to ordinances and priesthood covenants
Keeps people enslaved under weak and miserable principles

Biblical Christianity:

God-made, grace-based, Spirit-born
Founded on Christ’s finished work
Offers adoption and freedom the moment you trust Christ
Grants full sonship and inheritance through the Holy Spirit

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God's Word isn't just a collection of wise sayings—it’s alive, powerful, and confrontational. In this episode, we dive into 1 Thessalonians 2:13–16 to explore how Scripture doesn’t merely inform us—it exposes us. From heartfelt conversion to outright rejection, everyone ultimately has to deal with the truth of God’s Word. Are you willing to submit to what it reveals in you?

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

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Title: The Power of God’s Word (1 Thessalonians 2:13-16)

This week:

God’s Word doesn’t just inform you—it exposes you.
Whether you believe it or not, the Word of God will reveal what’s really going on inside.
You can run, but you can’t hide from God’s Word.
The power of God’s Word
Specifically, how it can expose you
Whether you believe or not, what’s really going on inside you
I meet with people all the time, and I can’t always tell where they stand
Some of you might say, “I don’t know myself!”
But here’s what we can say for sure:
God’s Word will eventually expose everyone
You can run, but you can’t hide from God’s word.
Our key verse actually comes from another book of the Bible
Hebrews, author unknown (possibly Apollos)
Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) 12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
God’s word draws a line in the sand
Are you willing to submit to God?
We’ll see this in action in our text today
Start with our question:
Q. When was the last time God’s Word exposed something in you?
Reading the Bible, finding something objectionable
Ex: Kenzie reading the Bible in high school…
Or listening to a sermon…

1 Thessalonians 2:13a Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is.

Pay attention to two words here
Received = paralabontes
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The reception of teachings from a teacher by a student was commonly described using the word employed here (paralabontes)... as in the case of Alexander the Great, who "received from his master [Aristotle] his ethical and political doctrines"...
Intellectual assent
Accepted = edexasthe
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) While accepted (edexasthe) is almost synonymous with received of the previous clause, the verb commonly places more emphasis on personal appropriation. In other words, they solemnly received the sacred message and appropriated it for themselves.
Not just head level, but heart level
Gut-level belief
IOW Paul is describing their moment of conversion
They shared the good news about the Messiah (more than philosophy)
In their words, a human appeal (on the surface)
But really God’s word, a divine invitation (beneath the surface)
1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NLT) 5 For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true.
The Thessalonians received and accepted it
2 Thessalonians 2:14 (NLT) 14 He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is how God’s Word works for those who believe:
The External Call: Someone shares the message
You’re broken, Jesus can save you
Physical ears
The Internal Call (Acts 2:37): God Makes It Personal
The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, opens eyes to the truth of the gospel, and invites the person to respond (John 16:8-11).
Spiritual ears
This work is real, personal, and internal—not just hearing a message, but feeling the weight of God's call on your heart.
Acts 2:37 (NLT) 37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
Faith and Repentance (Romans 10:9): Our Response to God’s Work
Romans 10:9 (NLT) 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
God’s word has exposed my innermost thoughts and desires.
And now I’m responding to it (accepting it)
Once God gives spiritual life, a person willingly and joyfully turns to Him.
They repent—turn away from sin—and believe the gospel.
This is what we usually call conversion: our active response to God’s saving grace.
Regeneration: God Gives a New Heart
The person is “born again”, made spiritually alive
Note: Calvinists would say that regeneration happens before Faith/Repentance
See Calvinism vs Arminianism (series)
Changed Life (1 Thess 2:13): Evidence of True Conversion
New desires, growing obedience, and love for Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 2:13b And this word continues to work in you who believe.

What about people who reject God’s word? (The Tragic Response of Unbelief)

Let’s read on…

14 And then, dear brothers and sisters, you suffered persecution from your own countrymen. In this way, you imitated the believers in God’s churches in Judea who, because of their belief in Christ Jesus, suffered from their own people, the Jews. 15 For some of the Jews killed the prophets, and some even killed the Lord Jesus. Now they have persecuted us, too.

Notice that Paul is calling out those who reject God’s word
It has a different effect on them
They heard the same external call
But instead of responding to the message with faith and repentance
They killed the messengers
Prophets first
1 Kings 19:10 (NLT) 10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
Jesus: Matthew 23:37 (NLT) 37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.
Stephen: Acts 7:51 (NLT) 51 “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you!
Resist, reject the internal call (see above)
Jesus second
Now some of the believers

The harshest words come next:

15b They fail to please God and work against all humanity 16 as they try to keep us from preaching the Good News of salvation to the Gentiles. By doing this, they continue to pile up their sins. But the anger of God has caught up with them at last.

The Bible is clear: not everyone is neutral. Some are actively resisting, mocking, or even trying to undo God’s purposes. This was true in biblical times, and it’s still true today.
Obviously: Persecutors of the Church
Governments, extremists, or individuals who arrest, silence, or kill Christians around the world today.
North Korean Government
Radical Islamist Groups (e.g., Boko Haram, ISIS)
Also: Militant Atheists
Some aren’t just skeptical—they are aggressively anti-God and anti-Bible.
Richard Dawkins, who calls belief in God a “delusion” and encourages others to mock religion.
And even: Activists Who Reject God’s Design
Movements that promote confusion about gender, the devaluation of life, or sexual immorality are often grounded in rebellion against God’s created order (Romans 1:18-32).
Planned Parenthood promotes and profits from abortion, undermining the sanctity of human life made in God’s image (Psalm 139:13-16).

Some people resist God out of ignorance. Others actively oppose Him with their words, actions, and influence. But no one will stop His plan.

Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) 12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Close: Finish with the next verse

Hebrews 4:13 (NLT) 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

The Greek term there (“trachēlizō”)
Hebrews 4:13 (Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) "Laid bare" is an unusual word, sometimes used of wrestlers who had a hold that involved gripping the neck and brought victory. So the term can mean "to prostrate" or "overthrow."
A submission hold in wrestling (and other combat sports like MMA or jiu-jitsu) is a technique that forces the opponent to tap out (submit) because of pain, pressure, or the threat of injury. It's designed to make someone completely surrender control.
Line in the sand: are we willing to submit?

Bottom line:

Whether you're a skeptic or a seeker, believer or doubter, God’s Word will confront you.

You will either resist it, or let it change you.

Q. When was the last time God’s Word exposed something in you?

And then… did you respond with rejection—or repentance?

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Welcome back to the podcast, men! In the last episode, we wrapped up our fathers and daughters series! Today we’re going to shift gears and talk about fathers and sons.

The PursueGOD Men's podcast helps guys apply God's Word to their lives to become full circle followers of Jesus. Join us for a new men's episode every other Thursday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/men.

Learn more about "full circle" Christianity through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources with men and boys at church.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

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Fathers and Sons: Imparting Wisdom, Work Ethic, and ResilienceWelcome back to the podcast, men! We’ve just wrapped up our series on Fathers and Daughters, and today we’re kicking off a brand-new conversation: Fathers and Sons.

While many of the same parenting principles apply to both sons and daughters, Scripture teaches that God created men and women with unique roles and responsibilities. That means our parenting approach toward sons should reflect those God-given distinctions.

Whether your sons are still at home or fully grown, this conversation is for you. If you’re a grandfather, these principles still apply as you influence your grandsons or encourage your adult sons in their own fatherhood journey.

Impart Wisdom IntentionallyOne of the most important roles a father plays is helping his son pursue wisdom and pursue God. It’s not enough to simply model wisdom; we need to have direct, intentional conversations about it.

Proverbs 3:1-6 (NLT)

"My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart... Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding."

Solomon—the wisest man who ever lived—understood the importance of passing wisdom to the next generation. As dads, that’s our responsibility too.

Whether you’re naturally talkative or more reserved, God calls every father to teach. This doesn’t mean you need to be a Bible scholar or a polished speaker. Just be intentional.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 (NLT)

"Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up."

Practical ways to do this include reading the Bible together, listening to Bible-based podcasts, or using tools like the resources at pursueGOD.org.

Proverbs 3:13-15 (NLT)

"Joyful is the person who finds wisdom... Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her."

A wise son will experience more joy and fewer regrets—whether it’s about money, relationships, or making wise life choices.

Teach Them to WorkFathers must teach their sons the value of hard work. Work is not a punishment—it’s part of God’s design for men.

Genesis 2:15 (NLT)

"The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it."

Before sin entered the world, God gave Adam meaningful work. This shows that work is not a result of the fall—it’s a fundamental part of being a man.

Unfortunately, in today’s culture, too many men are disengaged from the workforce. In August 2024, 6.8 million American men between ages 25 and 54 were neither working nor looking for work.

As fathers, it’s our job to push back against this trend. Sons need to learn that work isn’t just about earning a paycheck—it’s about fulfilling their God-given purpose.

Colossians 3:17 (NLT)

"And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father."

Whether it’s mowing lawns, washing cars, or helping with household chores, let’s teach our sons that work is good, meaningful, and God-honoring.

Help Them Embrace Mistakes as Part of GrowthOne of the biggest challenges for young men today is fear of failure. Many sons grow up paralyzed by indecision because they’re afraid of making mistakes.

That’s why fathers must teach their sons that mistakes are part of life—and part of growth.

Romans 8:28 (NLT)

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."

This verse doesn’t just apply to things outside our control. It also applies to the consequences of our own bad decisions. God can redeem even our biggest blunders.

Proverbs 16:9 (NLT)

"We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps."

Making plans is important, but we should hold those plans loosely and trust God with the outcome.

1 Timothy 1:15-16 (NLT)

"This is a trustworthy saying... 'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners'—and I am the worst of them all."

Paul’s testimony reminds us that no mistake is too big for God’s grace.

Proverbs 10:8 (NLT)

"The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces."

Are you modeling grace when your son fails? Are you affirming your love for him even when he makes mistakes? Don’t let perfectionism or criticism steal your son’s courage.

Remember: If it was easy, everyone would do it.

Final ChallengeFathering sons takes intentionality and biblical focus. Whether your son is 5 or 35, ask God to help you speak wisdom, model work ethic, and extend grace when mistakes happen.

This week, find one specific way to engage with your son (or grandson) on one of these topics.

You’re building into the next generation of godly men.

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Galatians 3 is Paul’s bold rebuke to any religion that adds effort to grace—and that includes modern Mormonism. In this episode, we unpack Paul’s powerful message that salvation doesn’t come through priesthoods, ordinances, or performance—but by faith alone. From Abraham to the cross to the new covenant, God’s promise has always been simple: Trust in Jesus, and you belong. Mormonism complicates what God made clear. This chapter shows why that matters.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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While ancient and modern philosophies offer partial truths about life and happiness, Christianity offers something greater - not just a set of ideas to live by, but a relationship with Jesus Christ who transforms us from the inside out and invites us into God's kingdom.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

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Today we’re covering 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12.

Week 1 Big Idea: In a world of competing tribal identities, Paul reminds the Thessalonians - and us - that our primary identity as believers is our belonging to God's family, which changes everything about us.
Week 2 Big Idea: Just as the early Christians boldly proclaimed Jesus as Lord in a world that worshipped Caesar, we're called to put our hope in Christ's kingdom rather than in political powers or cultural influences that promise to "save" us.

Today’s text: It’s the section of the letter where Paul describes his entrance and strategy when he first arrived in Thessalonica (Acts 17).

To better understand this passage in its context, we need to explain the situation in this city.
Thessalonica was a thriving Roman city—a hub for trade, politics, and ideas.
Like other major cities in the empire, it attracted traveling philosophers, orators, and moral teachers.
These figures shaped public thought, civic identity, and moral behavior.
We see this in Acts 17
First, Paul was in Thessalonica (v1-9)
Then went to Berea (v10-15)
Then to Athens (v16-33)
Acts 17:18 (NLT) 18 He also had a debate with some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. When he told them about Jesus and his resurrection, they said, “What’s this babbler trying to say with these strange ideas he’s picked up?” Others said, “He seems to be preaching about some foreign gods.”
To the average person in Thess, Paul would have looked like one of these philosophers
Today we’ll see: What Paul brought was greater than philosophy.
Let me explain:

Four Types of Philosophers in Paul’s day:

Epicureans – The Seekers of Pleasure
Taught that pleasure (understood as peace of mind and freedom from pain) was the greatest good.
Focus: Avoid pain, enjoy simple pleasures, carpe diem (sieze the day).
In today’s world: Think of voices that say, “Just protect your peace,” or “Do whatever makes you happy,” often divorced from accountability or eternal truth.
Ex: Oprah Winfrey
“Life is not an obligation, but an opportunity to be whoever and whatever you want. ”
“God is a feeling experience, not a believing experience.”
Ex: Deepak Chopra
“The universe has no fixed agenda. It responds to your intentions.”
Stoics – The Disciplinarians of Virtue
Taught that virtue is the highest good and that people should live according to reason.
Focus: Self-control, inner peace, moral duty, acceptance of fate.
Popular with: Military leaders, Roman elites, civic leaders.
Seneca (c. 4 BC – AD 65): A Roman Stoic philosopher and advisor to Emperor Nero.
Note on The "Letters of Paul and Seneca"
14 fictional letters that claim to be a correspondence between Paul and Seneca. Forgeries, likely from the 4th century AD.
Early church fathers like Jerome and Augustine were aware of these letters, but most scholars agree they are inauthentic.
There’s no reliable historical evidence that Paul and Seneca ever met or directly interacted, even though they lived and worked in the same time period and both were in Rome around the early 60s AD.
Back to Stoics: In today’s world, think of influencers who preach self-help, mental toughness, and daily routines as the key to fulfillment and purpose.
Ex: Jocko Willink (retired U.S. Navy SEAL)
“When something is going wrong or going bad, you just look at the issue and say: ‘Good.’”
Ex: Ryan Holiday (who writes on Stoicism)
“The obstacle in the path becomes the path… within every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition.” — The Obstacle Is the Way
Cynics – The Critics of Culture
Street philosophers who rejected social conventions, lived simply, and preached blunt moral truth.
Focus: Simplicity, rejection of wealth and status, moral confrontation.
Known for: Harsh, shocking speech to provoke repentance.
Example: Diogenes of Sinope (c. 412–323 BC)
Lived in a barrel, mocked power, shamed the rich
Known for carrying a lantern “looking for an honest man”
Quote: “He has the most who is most content with the least.”
In today’s world: Think of podcasters, commentators, or "truth-tellers" who gain followers by being edgy, abrasive, or confrontational—often at the expense of kindness or humility.
Ex: Joe Rogan - podcaster
Platform for unfiltered opinions, countercultural voices
Often questions mainstream media, institutions, and ideologies
Values authenticity and open dialogue, even at the cost of offense
Ex: Dave Chappelle
Social critic through comedy; mocks political correctness and hypocrisy
Uses shock humor and uncomfortable truths
Ex: RFK Jr?
Sophists – The Showmen of Rhetoric
Skilled public speakers who performed persuasive lectures for fame and fortune.
Focus: Rhetoric, applause, emotional appeal, personal gain.
Common Traits: Flattery, dramatic performance, high fees, public acclaim.
In today’s world: Think of charismatic content creators, motivational speakers, or "hustle culture" coaches who use flashy talk, trends, and crowd appeal to gain attention—even if their content is shallow.
Ex: Tony Robbins
“If you can’t, you must. If you must, you can.”
Ex: Joel Osteen
“God is going to take you where you’ve never been, to accomplish what you’ve never dreamed.”

Now to the text:

1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 (NLT) 1 You yourselves know, dear brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not a failure. 2 You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition. 3 So you can see we were not preaching with any deceit or impure motives or trickery.

Unlike the Epicureans
“Do whatever makes you happy”
Paul was no Epicurean!
And neither would the Thess believers be
The message of Jesus comes with
Being treated badly
Suffering
Great opposition
If the Epicureans encountered this
They would have bailed!

4 For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. 5 Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money! 6 As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else.

Unlike the Sophists: showmen, people-pleasers
Trying to impress
The ones who came in literally charging fees for their message
Today:
Charging speaking fees
Joel Osteen
In-person appearances: Generally charge $100,000 or more
Tony Robbins:
$500,000 – $750,000 for in-person keynotes
Virtual engagement fees are typically lower (around $100K/hour)
Oprah
$1.5 million – $2.5 million for premium events
Paul deliberately distanced himself from the kind of philosophers or public figures who used eloquence or ethics as a platform for self-promotion.

7 As apostles of Christ we certainly had a right to make some demands of you, but instead we were like children among you. Or we were like a mother feeding and caring for her own children. 8 We loved you so much that we shared with you not only God’s Good News but our own lives, too.

Unlike the Cynics
edgy, abrasive, or confrontational
Look at the language Paul uses…
Relational, familial
I love that last part: shared not only the gospel, but our lives
This is mentoring…
It’s what Jesus did
“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
Often attributed to Theodore Roosevelt, though its exact origin is debated.

9 Don’t you remember, dear brothers and sisters, how hard we worked among you? Night and day we toiled to earn a living so that we would not be a burden to any of you as we preached God’s Good News to you. 10 You yourselves are our witnesses—and so is God—that we were devout and honest and faultless toward all of you believers. 11 And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. 12 We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.

Unlike the Stoics?
More than self-help, mental toughness
But wait, some of this sounds Stoic
Night and day we toiled to earn a living
we were devout and honest and faultless
“For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.”
This is the key to understanding the difference between Paul and the philosophers of his day

Here’s the point:

When Paul showed up, he was more than a philosopher
He wasn’t just bringing more human ideas to be weighed and integrated
Christianity isn’t about a philosophy, it’s about a person: Jesus.
There’s some truth to all of these ideas
Epicureans were right to seek peace and contentment.
God has placed that desire in our hearts
Stoics were right to value discipline and virtue.
But these things don’t exist for their own sakes
They were missing the POINT and the SOURCE
Cynics were right to critique hypocrisy and corruption.
But they don’t realize the Bible teaches we’re all
Hypocrites and corrupt
Sophists were right that words have power.
That’s why these ideas keep showing up today—repackaged in podcasts, TED Talks, motivational books, and Instagram reels.
But here’s the problem:
They all fall short.
They all miss the point.
Paul’s message was more than philosophy
Paul came not with persuasive words, but with power—the power of the gospel.
He preached a crucified and risen Savior, not a new self-help strategy.
His message didn’t ask, “How can I live better?”
It declared, “You must be made new.”
And you can only be made new in the person and work of Jesus
That’s what he meant when he said
For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.
Paul didn’t show up to inspire people—he came to rescue them.
Not with philosophy, but with a person: Jesus, the Son of God.

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In this episode, we dive into Galatians chapter 2 and uncover a powerful message about freedom in Christ—a freedom threatened by religious rules, even in the early church. Paul recounts his face-to-face confrontation with Peter over hypocrisy, challenges the idea of adding requirements to the gospel, and defends salvation by grace alone.

For Latter-day Saints, this chapter raises important questions:

Do we need religious leaders to validate our message from God?
Are modern commandments—like the Word of Wisdom—spiritually necessary?
What does it really mean to be “justified by faith”?

📖 Key Scriptures: Galatians 2:4-5 – “They wanted to enslave us… but we refused to give in.” * Galatians 2:6 – “They added nothing to me.” * Galatians 2:11 – Paul opposes Peter to his face * Galatians 2:16 – “We are made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law.” * Galatians 2:21 – “If keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.”*

🔍 Main Takeaways: Paul's Gospel Didn’t Come from Church Leaders: He didn’t need Peter’s approval—and neither do you need a prophet to affirm what Christ has already revealed. * Religious Rules Can Undermine Grace: Just like Jewish food laws, modern LDS regulations can create barriers to true fellowship. * The Word of Wisdom Parallel: Paul would not have endorsed any rule that divided believers or suggested that Christ’s work was incomplete. * Justification Is Not Earned: We are declared righteous by faith—not after all we can do, but because of what Christ already did.*

💬 Questions to Ponder or Discuss:1. What “modern regulations” might be adding pressure to your faith? 2. Do you relate more to Paul’s gospel of grace—or to Peter’s moment of religious compromise? 3. How would your relationship with God change if you truly believed that Jesus finished the work?

📣 Join the Challenge:This is Part 2 of the Galatians Challenge for Mormons. Read Galatians 2 this week. Pray honestly. Ask hard questions. The true gospel is worth fighting for—just like Paul did.

👉 Subscribe to follow the full series and share it with someone who’s ready to rethink religion.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Welcome back! In today's episode, we explore how the early Christians in Thessalonica dared to proclaim a different kind of “good news”—one that directly challenged the power and propaganda of the Roman Empire.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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The Gospel vs. The Empire: Why Jesus, Not Caesar, Is the Real Good News

Setting the Stage: A Young Church in a Pagan CityThe Apostle Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians is one of his earliest writings, addressed to a young and courageous church in the city of Thessalonica. Located in Macedonia, this city was a thriving cultural center in the Roman Empire. It was full of competing loyalties:

Civic Assemblies that promoted public allegiance to Roman rule
Jewish communities rooted in Old Testament tradition
Pagan mystery cults that worshiped local gods like Cabirus and Dionysus
Imperial cults that demanded loyalty to Caesar, who was honored as “Lord” and “Savior”

This cultural mixture made Thessalonica a spiritual and political battleground. It was in this context that Paul boldly preached a new message—one that didn’t fit into any existing category.

Caesar and the Counterfeit GospelTo understand the revolutionary nature of Paul’s gospel, we need to grasp how the Roman Empire presented its rulers.

Julius Caesar (100–44 BC) was a military genius and political reformer. After his assassination, the Roman Senate declared him divine—Divus Julius.
His adopted son, Caesar Augustus, used that claim to establish himself as the “Son of God.” He was also called “Savior” and “Lord”, and he was praised for bringing peace to the empire—the Pax Romana.
In 9 BC, an inscription from Priene declared Augustus’s birthday “the beginning of the good news (euangelion)” for the world.

This was the Roman Empire’s version of the gospel: salvation through the emperor, peace through power, and a kingdom built by human might. It was political propaganda wrapped in divine language.

Paul’s Radical Message: The True GospelIn direct contrast, Paul brought a different kind of good news to Thessalonica.

“For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true…”

— 1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NLT)

This message centered on Jesus—not Caesar—as the true Son of God, the real Savior, and the eternal King. Paul wasn’t just preaching theology; he was making a political and spiritual declaration. His message was:

Not about the birth of Augustus, but the death and resurrection of Jesus (Acts 17:3)
Not about human rule, but about the kingdom of God
Not about Rome’s peace, but about peace with God through Christ

A Church That Chose a New AllegianceThe Thessalonian believers responded with joy—even though it brought suffering.

“So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you.”

— 1 Thessalonians 1:6 (NLT)

Their conversion was radical. They turned away from idols, including allegiance to Caesar, and began to serve the living and true God (1 Thessalonians 1:9). This wasn’t a mild change—it was a total shift in identity. According to scholars, they didn’t mix Jesus into their old beliefs; they abandoned the old system entirely.

Their faith became contagious. Paul says that their testimony rang out across Macedonia and Achaia. Others heard not just about their beliefs, but about how they lived and suffered for their allegiance to Christ.

A New Calendar, a New KingdomPaul finishes this section with a bold statement:

“And they speak of how you are looking forward to the coming of God’s Son from heaven—Jesus, whom God raised from the dead. He is the one who has rescued us from the terrors of the coming judgment.”

— 1 Thessalonians 1:10 (NLT)

While Rome proclaimed the emperor as savior, Paul declared that Jesus is the one who will rescue us. While Roman decrees tried to reshape time around Augustus’s birth, Christians later reshaped the global calendar to mark the birth of Jesus:

AD (Anno Domini) = “In the year of our Lord”
BC = “Before Christ”

Even in secular culture today, though terms like BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) are used, they still trace back to the same pivotal event: the birth of Jesus.

The Takeaway: Only One King Can Make Things RightFrom Caesar Augustus to modern politicians, the world keeps looking for someone to fix everything—someone who can restore order, bring peace, and heal division.

But no emperor, president, policy, or celebrity can do what Jesus has already done.

Jesus brings peace with God, not just peace in society
Jesus reigns eternally, not just temporarily
Jesus, not Caesar, is the true Son of God and Savior of the world

So if you’re asking today, “Who’s going to make things right?”—just look at the calendar. History itself testifies to the answer.

Jesus is Lord. And He’s coming again.

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In this kickoff episode of the Galatians Challenge for Mormons, we dive into chapter 1 of Paul’s letter to the Galatians—a bold defense of the one true gospel. Paul says even if an angel preaches another message, let him be cursed. Sound familiar? We explore the striking parallels between Paul’s warning and Joseph Smith’s claims about receiving the “fullness of the gospel” from the angel Moroni.

We also examine Paul’s background as a Pharisee, how the early church responded to his conversion, and why that response stands in stark contrast to Joseph Smith’s rejection of all existing churches. This episode challenges listeners to consider: Are you following the gospel revealed by Jesus—or a different one?

📖 Bible Text: Galatians 1

📚 LDS References: Joseph Smith—History 1:19; Moroni’s message (1838 account)

🔍 Key Questions:

What does Paul say about authority and grace?
How should we respond to “new” gospels, even from angels?
Why did the early church praise God for Paul—but Joseph Smith denounced them?

✅ Perfect for:

LDS truth-seekers, former Mormons, and anyone wanting to understand the unchanging gospel of grace.

🔗 Learn more: PursueGOD.org/galatians-mormons

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Welcome to Galatians Challenge for Mormons—a Bible study series for Latter-day Saints who are ready to explore the message of grace straight from Scripture. In this first lesson, we dive into Galatians chapter 1 and confront a question that rocked the early church... and still matters today:

“What is the true gospel?”

Galatians 1:1 (NLT) This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.

Paul wastes no time making something clear—his message isn’t secondhand, and it didn’t come from church leaders or tradition. It came straight from Jesus Christ.
🧠 Evangelical View:
True spiritual authority comes from God’s direct calling—not priesthood succession or church offices. Paul's authority didn’t come from Peter or James—it came from Christ alone.
👀 Mormon Viewpoint:
The LDS Church teaches that priesthood authority was lost and restored through Joseph Smith. But Paul says his authority didn't come through men at all—challenging the idea that authority must be passed through earthly hands.
🔍 Challenge Question:
If Paul wasn’t ordained by men, what does that say about the necessity of priesthood succession for gospel authority today?

Galatians 1:2-5 (NLT) 2 All the brothers and sisters here join me in sending this letter to the churches of Galatia.3 May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. 5 All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.

There’s the gospel in simple terms!
It’s all about Jesus

Galatians 1:6-7 (NLT) 6 I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.

Context: Judaizers
The earliest Christians were Jews. Jesus was Jewish. The apostles were Jewish. And in the beginning, the movement was seen as a sect within Judaism. But then Gentiles started coming to faith—and that’s when things got messy.
Some Jewish Christians believed that faith in Jesus was not enough. They insisted Gentiles had to become culturally Jewish too—especially by being circumcised and keeping dietary laws and Sabbath observance (see Acts 15:1, Galatians 2:3-5).
These were the Judaizers.
They weren’t outsiders. They were part of the early church—but they were promoting a hybrid gospel: Jesus as the Messiah, yes, but only for those who also accepted the yoke of Moses.
This tension reached a boiling point in Acts 15—the Jerusalem Council.
Acts 15:1 (NLT) 1 While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers: “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
The apostles debated: Do Gentiles have to become Jews to follow Jesus?
And the answer was a firm no. Peter said:
“Why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear?” (Acts 15:10)
Paul's letters, especially Galatians and parts of Romans and Philippians, go on the offensive against this distorted gospel. To Paul, the Judaizers weren’t just slightly off—they were undermining salvation itself.
Paul warns the Galatians that a new, “improved” gospel is actually no gospel at all. Even if an angel from heaven preached it—it should be rejected.
⚖️ Evangelical View: The gospel is about grace—salvation by faith in Christ alone. Adding works, laws, or ordinances twists the good news into something dangerous.
📜 Mormon Application:
Joseph Smith claimed to restore the gospel through an angel (Moroni), including new ordinances and covenants. But Paul says even angels can't change the gospel of grace.
📣 “Let him be accursed!”—Paul doesn’t mince words about altering the gospel.
🔍 Challenge Question:
If someone brings a gospel that adds temple rituals or priesthood ordinances to faith in Jesus—how does Paul say we should respond?
Galatians 1:8-9 (NLT) 8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.

Galatians 1:10-12 (NLT) 10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. 11 Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. 12 I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ.

Interesting: this was Joseph Smith’s claim as well!
Here’s the difference:
Paul’s revelation aligned with
Existing scripture
Existing structure (apostles)
More on this in chapter 2
Joseph Smith’s revelation went against
Existing scripture
Existing structure (churches)
Joseph Smith’s revelations changed the gospel over time—first emphasizing the Book of Mormon, then expanding into temple rites and eternal progression. Paul, on the other hand, stuck with one gospel from the very beginning.
🔍 Challenge Question: Is your gospel rooted in a changing tradition—or in the unchanging revelation of Jesus Christ?

Paul finishes the chapter by bearing his testimony:

Galatians 1:13-24 (NLT) 13 You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion—how I violently persecuted God’s church. I did my best to destroy it. 14 I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors.

Paul, formerly known as Saul of Tarsus, was a highly trained Pharisee before his conversion to Christianity. He was born into a Jewish family and was a Roman citizen by birth. Paul studied under the famous rabbi Gamaliel in Jerusalem (Acts 22:3), which means he was thoroughly educated in the Hebrew Scriptures and the traditions of the Pharisees—one of the most strict and devout Jewish sects.
As a Pharisee, Paul was zealous for the law and deeply committed to maintaining Jewish purity and tradition. He described himself in Philippians 3:5-6 as:
"Circumcised the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless."
His zeal led him to become a fierce persecutor of early Christians, believing them to be heretics. But after a dramatic encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9), Paul’s life was radically transformed. He went from persecutor to preacher—turning his deep knowledge of the Law into a powerful foundation for proclaiming the gospel of grace.

15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.

Notice: grace
Paul is not about Paul anymore. He’s all about Jesus.

When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. 17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus. 18 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days. 19 The only other apostle I met at that time was James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I declare before God that what I am writing to you is not a lie.

Again, revelation directly from Jesus.
But: Paul was willing to submit to existing leadership
This is amazing to me!!

21 After that visit I went north into the provinces of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And still the churches in Christ that are in Judea didn’t know me personally. 23 All they knew was that people were saying, “The one who used to persecute us is now preaching the very faith he tried to destroy!” 24 And they praised God because of me.

✅ Biblical Pattern:
Paul didn’t oppose or replace the existing church—he joined it. His message matched theirs, and his conversion encouraged them.
🚫 LDS Contrast:
Joseph Smith, on the other hand, claimed that all existing churches were wrong. In his 1838 First Vision account, he said: “I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong... their creeds were an abomination in his sight.” (Joseph Smith—History 1:19)
📣 Key Difference:
Paul was embraced by the church because his gospel aligned with theirs. Joseph Smith rejected all churches, claiming they had fallen away and needed restoring.
🔍 Challenge Question:
When someone claims to preach the true gospel—do they unite with the body of Christ, or declare all others to be false?

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Welcome back to the pod! In our new series, we'll explore two of the earliest letters in the New Testament—written by the Apostle Paul to a young church facing pressure, persecution, and cultural confusion. Tune in as we unpack the first few verses of Thessalonians.

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A New Identity in Christ: Kicking Off the Thessalonians SeriesToday we launch a powerful new series on the letters to the Thessalonians. These two short New Testament books—1 and 2 Thessalonians—were written to one of the earliest churches planted by the Apostle Paul. Before jumping into the rich theology and encouragement in these letters, it’s helpful to explore the background: Who was Paul writing to? Why did he write? And how can these ancient letters speak directly to us today?

Understanding the Timeline of Paul’s LettersBefore diving into 1 Thessalonians, let’s take a quick detour through the New Testament table of contents. The Apostle Paul wrote 13 letters (or epistles), and they weren't written in the order they appear in your Bible. Understanding their timeline helps us grasp the historical and spiritual context of each one.

1 Thessalonians was written around AD 50, making it one of Paul’s earliest writings—possibly his second after Galatians. Here’s a simplified overview of Paul’s epistles in chronological order:

Galatians (AD 48) – After Paul’s first missionary journey
1 Thessalonians (AD 50) – Written from Corinth after Timothy’s encouraging report
2 Thessalonians (AD 51) – Soon after 1 Thessalonians to clarify teaching on Christ’s return
1 & 2 Corinthians (AD 55–56) – To address division and reconciliation
Romans (AD 57) – A theological masterpiece written before a trip to Jerusalem
Prison Epistles (AD 60) – Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians from Rome
Pastoral Epistles (AD 63–67) – 1 Timothy, Titus, and finally 2 Timothy before Paul’s death

The City of Thessalonica and the Church’s BirthPaul planted the church in Thessalonica during his second missionary journey (see Acts 17). But his time there was brief. After just three weeks of preaching in the synagogue, persecution forced Paul and his team to flee the city. This sudden departure left the young church without strong leadership during a time of growing hostility.

Later, while Paul was in Corinth (see Acts 18), he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to check in. Timothy’s report was encouraging, so Paul wrote 1 Thessalonians to strengthen, teach, and affirm the faith of these new believers.

Importantly, this letter was written before any of the four Gospels had been completed. The early church relied on the oral tradition of eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. It wasn’t until decades later, as those eyewitnesses began to pass away, that the written Gospels were compiled (see Luke 1:1–4).

Competing “Tribes” in Ancient ThessalonicaPaul’s opening words to the church are deeply theological and culturally subversive:

“We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:1 NLT)

That word “church” in Greek is ekklesia, and in the Greco-Roman world, it didn’t originally mean a religious group. It referred to a political or civic assembly—like a town hall meeting. Thessalonica had many such groups:

Civic Assemblies – Free male citizens met to vote on laws and policies, aligned with Rome’s authority.
Pagan Mystery Cults – Groups worshiped deities like Cabirus (a local messianic figure) and Dionysus (god of wine and ecstasy), often through secret rituals.
Imperial Assemblies – Citizens gathered to declare loyalty to Caesar, who was worshiped as “lord” and “savior.”
Jewish Synagogues – Paul first preached here, and some Jews and God-fearing Greeks joined the Christian faith. (See Acts 17:2–4.)

In this context, Paul redefined ekklesia to mean a new kind of people—not gathered around a king or philosophy, but around Jesus Christ as Lord.

A New Kind of Tribe: God’s PeoplePaul’s main point in 1 Thessalonians 1 is that the believers now have a new identity:

“You belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:1 NLT)

Their former “tribes” no longer define them. They now belong to God’s people—those who have responded to the gospel through faith.

Paul continues:

“We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly. As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:2–3 NLT)

This “trifecta” of faith, love, and hope becomes a recurring theme in Paul’s writing. In 1 Corinthians 13:13, he calls these the three things that last forever.

Who Gets the Credit?Finally, Paul reminds them of one crucial truth:

“We know, dear brothers and sisters, that God loves you and has chosen you to be his own people.” (1 Thessalonians 1:4 NLT)

This verse introduces the concept of being “chosen”—a powerful biblical idea that Paul expands later, especially in Romans. For now, the message is clear: God gets all the credit for our salvation. We didn’t earn our way into God’s tribe. He brought us in because of His love.

So What? Identity MattersIn today’s world, people still form tribes—political, cultural, ideological. But Paul’s message remains: Your primary identity must be in Christ. If you’ve trusted Jesus, then you belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ above all.

That identity should shape your views on politics, sexuality, family, money, and everything else. And for those still considering, the invitation is open: God loves you. He has made a way for you to belong to His eternal tribe.

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Welcome back to the podcast! In this episode, we're wrapping up our series, "How Stuff Works", with a topic that has many different opinions on it in today's culture: the Church. The Bible is clear on this, though, and today we'll see what is has to say!

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How the Church Works

Big Idea: God designed his Church to involve his people in key purposes that bring about his plans in this world.

No other organization on earth compares to the Church. It’s not simply a building or a weekend service. It’s the living body of Christ, chosen and designed by God to carry out his mission in the world. From the very beginning, Jesus made it clear that he would build his Church—and not even the powers of hell could stop it. (Matthew 16:18)

Let’s unpack how the Church works by looking at four core truths from Scripture.

There Is One True ChurchWhen Jesus spoke of “my church” in Matthew 16:18, he wasn’t referring to a specific building or religious organization. The Greek word for church is ekklesia, meaning “the called-out ones”—a gathering of people summoned for a purpose. The Church Jesus established is the community of all true believers in Jesus throughout history. This is sometimes called the “Universal Church.”

It’s important to understand that the Universal Church transcends denominations, traditions, and geographic locations. No single church or association can claim to be “the one true Church.” The true Church consists of everyone who has placed their faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.

The Bible uses powerful imagery to help us understand the nature of the Church:

The Bride of Christ (Revelation 19:7) reflects the intimate and loving relationship between Jesus and his people.
A Spiritual Family and Nation (Ephesians 2:19) shows how believers belong to one household, united under God’s rule.
A Temple and a House (Ephesians 2:20-21) describes how we are being built together as a dwelling place for God’s Spirit.
Jesus Is the Head of His ChurchColossians 1:18 makes it clear: Christ is the head of the Church, which is his body. This means Jesus himself is in charge. He leads through the truth of the Bible, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and through biblically qualified leaders like elders and pastors.

Jesus guides the Church like a shepherd leads his flock. In 1 Peter 5:1-4, elders are instructed to care for God’s people with humility and a servant’s heart, always pointing back to the Chief Shepherd—Jesus.

While the Universal Church is invisible and eternal, it takes visible form through local churches. These are the communities where believers gather for worship, teaching, fellowship, and mission. Though no single local church represents the entirety of the Universal Church, each one is a part of the larger body of Christ, carrying out God’s purposes in their unique context.

The Church Is a CommunityThe Church is more than just an organization—it’s a living organism. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 describes it as a human body with many parts, each necessary and interconnected. Regardless of background—Jew or Gentile, slave or free—we’ve all been baptized into one body by the same Spirit.

The early church demonstrated this vibrant community in Acts 2:42. They were devoted to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship (koinonia), to meals, and to prayer. The word koinonia carries the idea of sharing life deeply—meeting needs, eating together, and worshiping as a unified family.

This kind of biblical community stands in stark contrast to the individualism of our culture. The Church is a place where people of every race, status, and story can belong because of our shared identity in Christ.

The Church Ministers in Three SpheresGod has given the Church three primary purposes, expressed through three ministry areas:

A. Ministry to God: WorshipRomans 12:1 calls us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices—our spiritual act of worship. Worship isn’t just about music; it’s about honoring God with every part of our lives. Everything the Church does—from teaching to singing to prayer—is ultimately directed to God as an act of praise.

B. Ministry to the World: Evangelism and MercyJesus commanded his followers to be witnesses to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). The Church exists to proclaim the gospel to the lost and to demonstrate God’s compassion through acts of mercy. Whether it's feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, or advocating for justice, the Church reflects God’s character when it serves the world. Deuteronomy 15:10 reminds us that generosity honors God and brings his blessing.

C. Ministry to Believers: DiscipleshipThe Church is also called to help believers grow into spiritual maturity. Jesus’ Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) is a clear mandate to make disciples, teaching them to obey everything he commanded. In the early church, this happened through the Word, fellowship, and shared life. Today, it happens through mentoring, teaching, small groups, youth ministry, and more.

Final ChallengeThere is nothing like the local church when it’s working right. It’s beautiful. It’s powerful. It’s God’s chosen tool to bring hope to the world.

So get involved.

Worship faithfully.

Serve others.

Invest in the next generation.

Join in God’s mission to the world.

Be the Church.

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Welcome back men! Today we discuss, as fathers, what it means to help our daughters fight the lies of the enemy - lies that the world feeds them daily.

The PursueGOD Men's podcast helps guys apply God's Word to their lives to become full circle followers of Jesus. Join us for a new men's episode every other Thursday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/men.

Learn more about "full circle" Christianity through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources with men and boys at church.

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Fathers and Daughters: Fighting the Lies of the EnemyIn today’s culture, our daughters face countless lies about identity, beauty, purpose, and purity. As fathers, we play a vital role in shielding them from these attacks and pointing them toward God’s truth. This episode is a call to action for dads who want to raise daughters grounded in biblical wisdom. We’ll look at four common cultural lies and explore what the Bible says instead.

Lie #1: Gender Doesn’t MatterTruth: Men and women are both created in the image of God—and their differences are part of His beautiful design.

Our culture is increasingly blurring the distinctions between male and female, but Genesis 1 shows us something better. God created humanity “male and female,” and He called it “very good.” (Genesis 1:27,31)

Genesis 1:27 (NLT) – “So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

Genesis 1:31 (NLT) – “Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!”

As fathers, we should affirm and celebrate the unique design of our daughters. Teach them that their femininity is not a limitation but a God-given strength. When we embrace the beauty of gender differences, we reflect God’s plan for flourishing families and communities.

Lie #2: Outward Beauty Is What Matters MostTruth: Real beauty grows from within and never fades.

Today’s young women are bombarded with unrealistic beauty standards. Social media filters, influencer culture, and cosmetic trends send the message that their worth is tied to appearance. But the Bible tells us something very different.

Proverbs 31:30-31 (NLT) – “Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.”

1 Peter 3:3-4 (NLT) – “Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.”

Dads, it’s great to tell your daughter she’s beautiful—but don’t stop there. Compliment her kindness, her compassion, her integrity. Encourage her spiritual growth and help her see that true beauty increases as she draws closer to Christ.

Lie #3: A Woman’s Role Is Either Limited or Guilt-RiddenTruth: God calls women to a wide range of roles—including motherhood and work—and each one is valuable.

The culture may downplay stay-at-home moms, while some churches may inadvertently shame women who work outside the home. Both extremes are unbiblical. Proverbs 31 gives us a picture of a strong, capable woman who manages a household and engages in meaningful work.

Proverbs 31:10-31 describes a “wife of noble character” who runs a business, cares for her family, and blesses her community.

Our daughters need to know that both homemaking and career aspirations can honor God when pursued with the right heart. It’s not about one-size-fits-all roles—it’s about walking in God’s purpose with courage and faith.

Lie #4: Sexual Freedom Equals Real FreedomTruth: God’s boundaries for sexuality lead to freedom, not bondage.

Culture promotes the idea that casual sex and provocative behavior are empowering. But Scripture says otherwise. Song of Songs warns us not to awaken love before the proper time.

Song of Songs 8:4 (NLT) – “Promise me, O women of Jerusalem, not to awaken love until the time is right.”

God’s design for sex is good and powerful, but it must be handled with care. When we step outside His boundaries, we invite emotional pain, broken trust, and lasting regret. Fathers should affirm God’s sexual ethic with gentleness and clarity—pointing their daughters to a better, more fulfilling path.

You don’t have to get into the details of the “sex talk” if that’s not your role, but you can certainly reinforce God’s purpose for purity. Remind your daughter that she is valuable, worthy of respect, and not defined by cultural norms.

Proverbs 30:20 (NLT) – “An adulterous woman consumes a man, then wipes her mouth and says, ‘What’s wrong with that?’”

Let’s teach our daughters that purity is not about shame—it’s about walking in freedom and grace.

Final Word to Fathers: Be Her Protector and Truth-TellerWe’re called to more than just physical protection. We are the spiritual gatekeepers for our daughters—guarding their hearts and minds from the lies of the enemy. That means paying attention to what influences them, having regular conversations about faith and identity, and being the voice that consistently speaks truth and love.

She needs to know her worth from you before the world tries to define it for her.

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In this episode, Aleck shares her story of coming out of Mormonism and experiencing a real relationship with Jesus.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Welcome back to the pod! Have you ever wondered how the Bible was written, and how exactly it's structured? Listen to today's episode as we talk about those things, as well as unpacking why it matter to us spiritually.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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How the Bible WorksToday we continue our How Stuff Works series with a topic that’s both deeply theological and intensely practical: How the Bible Works. For Christians, the Bible is more than just a religious book—it’s the inspired Word of God. But where did it come from? How is it structured? And how do we read it in a way that transforms our lives?

These are big questions, and this summary explores three essential truths that come from our Bible Basics series:

Where Did We Get the Bible?The Bible didn’t fall from the sky, nor was it just a random collection of human wisdom. Scripture teaches that the Bible was inspired by the Holy Spirit.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT) “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”

“Inspired” literally means “God-breathed.” That means the words of the Bible carry the very breath of God, and He speaks to us through its pages.

Mark 12:36 (NLT) “For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said…”

Jesus affirmed the divine origin of the Old Testament scriptures. The human authors wrote using their own style and voice, but were guided by the Spirit of God.

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NLT) “No prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding... those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.”

Verbal plenary inspiration means that the very words (verbal) and all parts (plenary) of Scripture are inspired by God. Though the original manuscripts were written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, God has preserved His message through faithful transmission and translation.

Translation Types:

Word-for-Word (Formal): ESV, NASB
Thought-for-Thought (Dynamic): NIV, NLT

While only the original manuscripts are infallible, modern translations are trustworthy because of careful preservation, thousands of manuscripts, and the sovereignty of God.

What Is the Structure of the Bible?The Bible is one book made up of 66 individual books, divided into two testaments:

Old Testament (39 Books): Written over 1,000 years and originally part of the Hebrew Bible, it includes:

Law (Genesis–Deuteronomy)
History (Joshua–Esther)
Wisdom/Poetry (Job–Song of Songs)
Prophets (Isaiah–Malachi)

New Testament (27 Books): Written within a generation after Jesus' resurrection, it includes:

Gospels (Matthew–John)
History (Acts)
Letters/Epistles (Romans–Jude)
Apocalypse (Revelation)

Matthew 5:17-19 (NLT) “I did not come to abolish the law... but to accomplish their purpose.”

Jesus didn’t reject the Old Testament—He fulfilled it. The New Testament reveals how God’s promises culminate in Jesus.

How Do I Read the Bible?The Bible is not just for study—it’s for transformation. We recommend starting with the Gospel of John and reading through the New Testament one book at a time. Read it like this:
Start with John, then continue through the rest of the NT
Mix in a gospel (Matthew, Mark, or Luke) every few epistles
Repeat the NT before jumping into the OT

Joshua 1:8 (ESV) “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth… meditate on it day and night… then you will have good success.”

Romans 12:2 (NLT) “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”

As you read, remember that the Holy Spirit not only inspired the Bible—He also illuminates it today. He helps us understand and apply it to our lives.

The goal isn’t just to gain knowledge—it’s to be transformed by the truth.

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In this episode, Tracy unpacks practical ways to help your kids tell the truth—showing how honesty builds trust, honors God, and shapes godly character.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Teaching Kids to Tell the TruthLying is making an untrue statement with the intent to deceive and gain some advantage. As parents, it’s crucial to address this issue from a spiritual perspective because lying is part of our sin nature (Romans 3:23). The Bible mentions lying between 155-180 times, depending on the translation, highlighting its significance in God’s eyes.

Why Do Kids Lie?Children lie for various reasons, including:

To meet a need – They want something, like a cookie on the counter, and lying seems like an easy way to get it.
To avoid trouble – They fear consequences, like breaking something and blaming a sibling.
For attention – They exaggerate or fabricate stories to impress others.

God’s Perspective on LyingLying started at the beginning of time. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve tried to deceive God by hiding after they sinned. This shows that dishonesty is deeply ingrained in human nature.

God takes lying seriously, and so should we as parents. The Bible explicitly warns against it:

Leviticus 19:11 – "Do not steal. Do not deceive or cheat one another."
Proverbs 6:16-19 – "There are six things that the Lord hates… a lying tongue, a false witness who breathes out lies..."
One of the 10 commandments “not to bear false witness”

Lying damages relationships, erodes trust, and goes against God’s nature. As parents, our goal is to train our children to value truthfulness and recognize the long-term consequences of dishonesty.

How to Train Kids to Be Honest1. Model TruthfulnessChildren learn by example. If they see parents lying—whether about small things like “I’m not home” when avoiding a call or exaggerating stories—they will assume dishonesty is acceptable.

Create a Safe Environment for HonestyEncourage open conversations where your child feels safe to tell the truth without immediate harsh consequences. Family discussions and Bible-based resources help cultivate this environment.
Explain How Lying Hurts OthersHelp children understand that lying damages relationships:
Breaks trust – When someone lies, others find it difficult to rely on them.
Hurts feelings – Lies can cause emotional pain to family and friends.
Makes life uncertain – Example: If parents didn’t follow through on picking up their child from school, it would create insecurity.
Be Gracious But Clear* Don’t overreact when a child confesses. Instead, affirm their honesty while addressing the wrongdoing.
Deliver appropriate consequences without anger, explaining that lost trust leads to fewer freedoms.
Remind them that honesty is the pathway to greater trust and privileges.
Celebrate HonestyRecognize and reward truthful behavior. When your child tells the truth in a difficult situation, acknowledge their courage and reinforce that honesty honors God.
John 14:16 – Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
Colossians 3:9 – "Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices."
Ephesians 4:25 – "Put away falsehood, and speak truthfully to your neighbor."

By intentionally guiding our children to embrace honesty, we help them develop character that reflects God’s truth and love.

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Welcome back to the podcast! Join us today as we talk about eternity. Eternity is not just a vague spiritual concept—it’s a concrete reality taught throughout Scripture. Everyone will spend eternity somewhere, and the Bible gives us a clear roadmap to understand what happens after we die.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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How Eternity Works: A Biblical Breakdown of the AfterlifeEternity is not a vague hope—it’s a concrete reality. Every human being will live forever in one of two places, and the Bible tells us everything we need to know about what happens after we die. Let’s walk through what Scripture reveals about the nature of the afterlife, judgment, and how to prepare for the day we take our final breath.

Understanding the Biblical Concept of the Afterlife1. Sheol and Hades: The Temporary Realm of the DeadIn the Old Testament, Sheol is described as the “realm of the dead”—a shadowy place where both the righteous and unrighteous awaited judgment. In Greek, the word used is Hades. Jesus gives us a vivid picture of this realm in Luke 16:19-31, telling the story of a rich man in torment and a poor man named Lazarus resting in “Abraham’s bosom.”

“Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead.” (Luke 16:22-23 NLT)

This story reveals three key features of Sheol:

A place of torment for the unrighteous
A place of comfort for the righteous
A great chasm separating the two, uncrossable after death (Luke 16:26)

Peter refers to another compartment—Tartarus—a gloomy prison for fallen angels awaiting judgment (2 Peter 2:4). This concept shows the complexity of the pre-resurrection afterlife.

Jesus Changes Everything: The Cross and the Empty TombAfter His death, Jesus didn’t just remain in the grave—He descended to the realm of the dead. He told the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)

Peter writes that Jesus “preached to the spirits in prison” (1 Peter 3:19), and Paul echoes that Jesus “led a crowd of captives” to Heaven (Ephesians 4:8). Paradise was emptied and relocated—those who had died in faith now dwell directly in God’s presence.

“We are... willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8)

Today, believers go straight to be with Jesus. Hades remains only as a place of waiting for the unrighteous dead.

Gehenna: The Final Destination of JudgmentThe term Gehenna—used frequently by Jesus—refers to the Valley of Hinnom, a site associated with child sacrifice and later used as a garbage-burning pit. Jesus used it to describe final judgment.

“Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28 NLT)

Jesus also spoke of “outer darkness” where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12). This isn’t a metaphorical inconvenience—it’s eternal separation from the presence of God.

In the end, Hades itself is thrown into the lake of fire—what Revelation calls the “second death” (Revelation 20:14-15). This is the final judgment for all who rejected Christ.

What the Bible Says About Judgment and Salvation

“Each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27)

There are no second chances after death. No reincarnation. No purgatory. No spirit-world missionaries offering a postmortem gospel.

We all fall short of God’s standard (Romans 3:23). Unrepentant sinners, those who reject Christ, and even the self-righteous will face the same end—eternal separation from God.

“They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power.” (2 Thessalonians 1:9)

The Good News: Jesus Came to Rescue UsBut judgment isn’t the end of the story. Galatians 1:4 says that Jesus “gave his life for our sins… to rescue us from this evil world.” He lived a sinless life, died in our place, and rose again to defeat death.

“God... freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.” (Romans 3:24 NLT)

How to Be Ready for Eternity

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

Salvation is a gift offered to all, but it must be received by faith. The one question that determines your eternal destiny is this: Did you trust in Jesus?

Those who believe will enter eternal life with God. Those who reject Him will face judgment. The choice is yours.

What Will Heaven Be Like?Heaven isn’t floating in the clouds—it’s a renewed creation, rich in beauty, community, and the full presence of God.

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes… All these things are gone forever.” (Revelation 21:4 NLT)

In this new heaven and earth, we’ll enjoy perfect fellowship, unbroken relationships, and life as it was meant to be. Most importantly, God will dwell with us.

“Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people.” (Revelation 21:3 NLT)

Eternity is real. Are you ready for it?

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Welcome back, men! This episode kicks off a two-part series, starting with daughters and followed by a focus on sons. If you’re a dad of girls, whether young or grown, these principles will help you reflect God’s heart and guide your daughter with wisdom.

The PursueGOD Men's podcast helps guys apply God's Word to their lives to become full circle followers of Jesus. Join us for a new men's episode every other Thursday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/men.

Learn more about "full circle" Christianity through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources with men and boys at church.

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Raising Daughters: A Father’s Role in Shaping Her Identity and Faith

Being a father to a daughter is both a gift and a calling. In a culture that often blurs gender roles and redefines family dynamics, dads have the opportunity—and responsibility—to model biblical love, identity, and leadership.

Love Her Mom WellOne of the most important ways a father can influence his daughter is through the way he loves her mother. Whether you're married to her mom or co-parenting after divorce, your behavior sets a powerful tone in her life.

The Bible calls men to love their wives sacrificially, the way Christ loves the Church:

Ephesians 5:25-29 (NLT)

“For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her… Husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.”

This kind of love is not based on feelings—it’s based on commitment, humility, and servant leadership. When your daughter sees you lay down your preferences to honor and serve her mom, she internalizes what to expect from a future husband. She learns to value healthy love and recognize unhealthy behavior.

Even if you’re a single dad, you can still live out this principle. Show respect for your daughter’s mother. Avoid speaking negatively about her, especially in front of your daughter. Be honest when appropriate, but always take the high road. God can redeem even the most broken family dynamics when you commit to modeling grace and truth.

1 Peter 3:7 (NLT) adds another layer:

“In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding… She is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life.”

Treating your wife—or your daughter’s mom—with honor is one of the greatest gifts you can give your daughter.

Speak Her Love LanguageEvery child is wired to receive love differently, and girls especially need consistent, heartfelt affirmation from their fathers. Author Gary Chapman outlines five “love languages” that help decode how people give and receive love: words of affirmation, acts of service, quality time, gifts, and physical touch.

Your daughter likely leans into one or two of these. Your job is to learn what speaks most clearly to her heart and make it a regular part of your relationship.

Words of Affirmation – Tell her what you love about who she is, not just what she does. Be mindful of criticism—it cuts deeper in daughters who thrive on verbal encouragement.
Quality Time – Let her choose the activity. The goal is not what you do together, but that you're fully present.
Acts of Service – Sometimes love looks like helping with a science project or fixing something she values.
Gifts – Thoughtful, not flashy. It’s about meaning, not money.
Physical Touch – Hugs, high-fives, or sitting close on the couch. Appropriate affection from you can affirm her value and reduce the likelihood that she’ll seek it in the wrong places.

Proverbs 16:16 (NLT) says, “How much better to get wisdom than gold, and good judgment than silver.” Wisdom in parenting means understanding your daughter’s emotional needs and responding intentionally.

Stay in Your LaneAs a father, you have a critical role—but not a complete one. You’re not called to be everything to your daughter. There are certain conversations better handled by your wife or a trusted, godly woman.

Titus 2:4-5 (NLT) says,

“These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure...”

Topics like puberty, sexual purity, and physical development are often more comfortably and effectively addressed by a woman. This doesn’t mean you avoid important subjects altogether—it means you walk with humility and invite others to speak into her life where needed. If you’re a single dad, lean into the church community. Find a trusted woman your daughter can talk to and feel safe with.

Additionally, you must remember that your daughter’s ultimate identity comes from God, not you. You were never meant to meet all her emotional or spiritual needs

Genesis 1:27 (NLT) reminds us:

“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

Fathers are called to guide, protect, and bless—but only God can fill her soul. Your job is to point her to Him.

Final Thoughts: A Gentle and Quiet SpiritIn a world obsessed with external beauty, dads have the opportunity to affirm the kind of beauty God values most.

1 Peter 3:3-4 (NLT) says,

“Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty... You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.”

You can shape how your daughter views herself by the way you treat her and talk to her. Speak life. Model grace. Point her to the God who made her, loves her, and has a plan for her life.

Being a dad to a daughter may feel overwhelming, but God will equip you if you seek Him daily. Start by loving your wife (or co-parent) well, knowing your daughter’s heart, and staying faithful in your lane. God will use your imperfect efforts to do something eternal in her life.

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Tune into the podcast today for a special Mother's Day edition of our How Stuff Works series, as we explore how exactly a healthy family works!

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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How Healthy Families Work (Mother’s Day Message)

Series: How Stuff Works | Message Theme: Biblical Family Health

Overview:

Mother’s Day is a time to celebrate, honor, and reflect. But it also surfaces a truth we all need to acknowledge: there are no perfect families. The Bible is full of flawed family dynamics—jealousy, rivalry, favoritism, rebellion—and yet, God still worked through those families to accomplish His purposes. This message explores how even in our mess, God calls us toward something better: the pursuit of a healthy family. Not perfect—healthy.

This Mother’s Day message outlines three biblical traits that characterize healthy families. These traits are not reserved for "ideal" households but are accessible to any family that’s willing to trust God, lean into His Word, and do the work.

Dysfunction in the Bible: You’re Not AloneBefore we dive into healthy family traits, it’s important to recognize that dysfunction is nothing new. The Bible gives us raw and honest pictures of broken family systems:

Adam & Eve’s family: Jealousy led to murder (Genesis 4). Cain couldn’t handle being overshadowed by his brother Abel.
Isaac & Rebekah’s family: Favoritism and deception led to betrayal (Genesis 27). Jacob and Esau’s rivalry split their household.
David & Bathsheba’s family: Lust and abuse of power caused trauma, loss, and rebellion (2 Samuel 11-15).
Zebedee’s family (James & John): Even Jesus' disciples struggled with ambition and pride (Mark 10:35-37; Luke 9:54).

These examples remind us that family pain is part of the human experience. But they also reveal that God works with broken people to tell a story of redemption.

Trait #1: Families Who Are Jesus-CenteredHealthy families don’t center around trends—they center around truth. That truth is Jesus.

Why it matters:

Every family is centered on something—money, sports, school, success, or even the family itself.
When Jesus is the center, God’s Word becomes the foundation, and the Holy Spirit empowers the people in the family to grow and serve.

What it looks like:

Time: Prioritizing church, small groups, and faith-based community.
Finances: Giving generously, and including kids in those conversations.
Atmosphere: Creating a culture of worship, spiritual conversation, and daily discipleship at home.

Key Scripture:

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (NLT) – “Repeat [these commands] again and again to your children… Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road…”

Trait #2: Husbands and Wives Who Choose LoveThe health of a family often hinges on the strength of the marriage.

What culture says: Love is a feeling that fades over time.

What God says: Love is a covenant and a choice.

What it looks like:

Choosing each other daily, even when emotions run dry.
Showing affection openly—kids notice this!
Modeling sacrificial love that mirrors Christ’s love for the Church.

Key Scripture:

Ephesians 5:25-26 (NLT) – “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her…”

Trait #3: Dads and Moms Who Transfer OwnershipHealthy parenting is about preparation, not perfection. The goal is to gradually transfer responsibility to your kids.

Three parenting styles:

Controlling parents: Never let go of decisions.
Uninvolved parents: Don’t care enough to stay engaged.
Healthy parents: Coach and guide while gradually releasing control.

What it looks like:

Teaching kids to manage time, money, relationships, and faith.
Letting them fail safely so they can learn.
Moving from discipline to dialogue as they mature.

Key Scripture:

Proverbs 22:6 (ESV) – “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Conclusion: Embrace the Mess and Trust GodThere are no perfect families. But there are Jesus-centered families. There are love-choosing couples. There are parent-coaches who raise their kids with vision.

Whether you’re a mom, dad, grandparent, or mentor—you can be part of creating a healthy family. It doesn’t happen by default. It happens by design. And it starts with a decision: to let God lead your home.

Challenge for the Week:

Pick one of the three traits and work on it this week.

Maybe that’s inviting Jesus more clearly into your family rhythms.
Or choosing love when it’s easier to walk away.
Or letting go just a little more as your kids grow.

Healthy families don’t happen overnight—but they can happen one choice at a time.

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In this episode, Tracy discusses how to recognize toxic people, protect your peace, and set healthy boundaries—just like Jesus did. You'll learn when it's time to speak truth in love, when to step back, and how to navigate difficult relationships with wisdom and grace. This episode is based on the based on the book by Gary Chapman When to Walk Away.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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Understanding and Dealing with Toxic People (New Topic)A toxic person is someone who consistently exhibits harmful behaviors, whether through manipulation, control, emotional damage, or fostering negativity. They create unhealthy environments, draining the energy and peace of those around them. As Christians, we are called to navigate relationships with wisdom and discernment, ensuring that we guard our hearts while maintaining a Christ-like attitude.

Signs of a Toxic PersonRecognizing toxic behavior is the first step to protecting yourself from its effects. Here are some common traits of a toxic person:

They thrive on conflict (Manipulator). Rather than seeking peace, they enjoy stirring division and fueling drama.
They scapegoat and blame others. As Dr. M. Scott Peck explains, toxic individuals refuse to acknowledge fault, instead attacking others to preserve their self-image.
They manipulate for attention. Toxic people use neediness, guilt, and even aggression to monopolize your time, energy, and emotions.

Questions to Ask YourselfIf you suspect someone in your life may be toxic, ask yourself these questions:

Do my interactions with them leave me drained and emotionally exhausted?
Does my relationship with them steal my peace, joy, and hope?
Are they interfering with my ability to cultivate other healthy relationships?
Do I feel manipulated, minimized, or controlled by them?
Do they seem to thrive in anger, malice, slander, or deceit?

How Should I Deal with a Toxic Person?Navigating relationships with toxic individuals requires wisdom, boundaries, and a commitment to biblical truth. Here’s how you can respond:

Label the bad behavior. Recognizing toxicity allows you to set new boundaries. Honoring someone doesn’t mean pretending they are something they are not.
Speak the truth. Be honest, but if they refuse to receive it, stop trying. Jesus modeled this when he let people walk away (Matthew 19:16-26).
Avoid gossip and unnecessary defense. If someone misrepresents you, respond calmly: “I’m sorry you feel that way.”
Guard your heart by setting boundaries. Proverbs 26:4-5 reminds us to handle fools wisely—sometimes by not engaging.
Limit your time with them. Say no to unreasonable requests and unnecessary interactions.
Pray for them. Even toxic people need God’s grace, but that doesn’t mean you should allow them to harm you.
Spend time with the right people who love and encourage you.
Avoid rash judgment. Address real issues but don’t let past hurts lead you to label someone unfairly.

Toxic people must be called out for their actions, but we must be careful not to fall into the same trap of destructive behavior ourselves. Instead, we should seek God’s wisdom and set healthy boundaries while keeping our own hearts aligned with His truth.

What if the toxic person is my spouse?

Pray for God to change their heart. Pray for God to keep your heart tender and patient. (story in book about husband focusing on Gospel)
Draw appropriate boundaries for safety and sanity (might mean separation)
Seek professional counseling
Find Christian community to bolster you.
For kids, you can’t rescue them from bad decisions. God who could doesn’t even control us

What did Jesus model for us?

Matthew 19, the Rich young ruler came to prove his own righteousness and Jesus challenged him to sell his possessions. The young man walked away sad because he loved his stuff more than Jesus. Jesus let him walk away. He didn’t chase him down or try to soften the message. .
Jesus retreated several times for prayer and quiet. He drew boundaries and didn’t let people demand things from Him he didn’t want to give.
In Luke 4, Jesus returns to his hometown and teaches in the synagogue. The people didn’t like his message and demanded he leave and He did. John 13, Jesus let Judas stay at the table and even washed his feet but he also called him out.

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Welcome back to the podcast! Today we're getting a little more personal in our "How Stuff Works" series. Tune in!

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Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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How Toxic People Work: Understanding the Inner Life of a Toxic PersonToday’s topic hits close to home for many people. Toxic people aren’t just “difficult personalities.” According to the Bible, their behavior often stems from deep spiritual dysfunction. In this installment of our “How Stuff Works” series, we examine what really drives toxic people and how we can respond biblically and wisely.

We’re looking at the tragic life of King Saul, Israel’s first king. At first, Saul appeared to be a promising leader—anointed by God, popular with the people, and empowered to lead. But his story quickly derailed due to unchecked insecurity, spiritual rebellion, and destructive behaviors that poisoned his relationships and led to his downfall.

Through Saul’s life, we uncover four key truths about how toxic people work. This study will help you understand toxic patterns, identify red flags, and—most importantly—learn how to respond like David did: with grace, boundaries, and wisdom.

Toxic People Are Driven by InsecurityScripture Reference: 1 Samuel 18:6-9 (NLT)

When David rose to fame after defeating Goliath, Saul’s jealousy ignited. Rather than celebrating David’s success, Saul saw him as a threat.

“They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!” – Saul (1 Samuel 18:8)

This response reveals a deep insecurity—a fear of being replaced, overshadowed, or exposed. Toxic people often present as confident or successful, but beneath the surface is a fragile identity rooted in comparison and fear.

Spiritual Insight:

True security comes from knowing you are made in the image of God. Without that, people seek worth through achievements, control, or praise. Saul had no mentor to guide him toward that deeper security—and it cost him everything.

Toxic People Are Used by the EnemyScripture Reference: 1 Samuel 19:9-10 (NLT), Romans 1:28, 1 Timothy 1:19-20

After rejecting God's authority, Saul became vulnerable to spiritual torment. The Bible says “a tormenting spirit from the LORD” came upon him—a judgment, not cruelty. God gave Saul over to his rebellion, just as Romans 1 warns.

Toxic behavior can be a form of spiritual warfare. Satan works through envy, rage, deceit, and division—the very qualities that defined Saul’s descent. He went from throwing spears to throwing accusations and lies.

Common toxic traits tied to this:

Manipulative
Controlling
Judgmental
Blaming others

Contrast this with the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Toxic People Believe Their Own LiesScripture Reference: 1 Samuel 22:7-8 (NLT), John 8:44

Toxic people often live in a narrative that justifies their behavior. Saul painted himself as the victim and accused David and even his own son Jonathan of betrayal—fabricating a conspiracy that didn’t exist.

Jesus said that Satan is “the father of lies” (John 8:44), and those influenced by him will twist the truth to suit their agenda. Toxic people gaslight, manipulate, and blame to maintain control and justify their actions.

This form of dishonesty becomes part of their identity—they no longer distinguish between truth and deception.

Toxic People Ultimately Destroy ThemselvesScripture Reference: 1 Samuel 31:1-6 (NLT)

The final chapter of Saul’s life is devastating. After years of paranoia, violence, and spiritual rebellion, he dies in battle, taking his sons and companions with him. The toxic fallout of his life affected everyone close to him.

“So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.” – 1 Samuel 31:6

Unchecked toxicity isn’t just relational—it’s self-destructive. And it leaves collateral damage in its wake.

Responding to Toxic People: Lessons from DavidDavid, the target of Saul’s toxicity, offers us a model of how to deal with these kinds of relationships.

A. Don’t Take RevengeScripture Reference: 1 Samuel 26:23-24, Romans 12:18

David had multiple opportunities to kill Saul, but he refused. He trusted God to deal with Saul in His own time. Toxic people provoke us to react—but revenge only fuels the cycle.

“I refused to kill you even when the LORD placed you in my power… May the LORD value my life, even as I have valued yours today.” – David (1 Samuel 26:24)

B. Learn to Walk AwayScripture Reference: 1 Samuel 19:10, 1 Samuel 27:1, 2 Timothy 4:14-15

David didn’t try to fix Saul. He set a boundary. He walked away. For nine chapters of 1 Samuel, David is on the run, choosing safety and sanity over confrontation.

“The best thing I can do is escape to the Philistines… and I will finally be safe.” – David (1 Samuel 27:1)

This wasn’t weakness. It was wisdom. Sometimes the most Christlike thing you can do is walk away. Even Jesus did it—with the Pharisees, with toxic crowds, with unrepentant people.

Final EncouragementNot every difficult person is toxic. But when you recognize the patterns, don’t try to fix, please, or control them. That’s not your job. Let God handle them, and focus on keeping your heart pure.

If someone in your life fits this profile, pray for wisdom. Set boundaries. Trust God. And remember David’s example: don’t become toxic in the process of dealing with toxicity.

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In this episode, Brigham shares how God broke through and led him to real faith in Jesus — even before he knew all the problems with Mormonism. His story shows how God meets us right where we are and keeps pulling us closer.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Notes

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How can God be three and one at the same time?

In this episode of our How Stuff Works series, we explore the mystery of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Using real-world discoveries like Copernicus’ heliocentric model and the outdated belief in bloodletting, we show how truth isn’t something we invent—it’s something we uncover.

Just like scientists observed the universe and aligned their beliefs with reality, we can observe Scripture and align our faith with how God has revealed Himself.

The Trinity isn’t a contradiction—it’s a deep truth waiting to be understood.

🔍 Join us as we explore how the Trinity works—and why it matters for your faith today.

📺 Watch the full How Stuff Works series for more!

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Tracy discusses best practices for helping children process grief, including modeling healthy mourning, engaging in age-appropriate conversations, and offering comfort through the promise of Heaven.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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Cohabitation before marriage is the new normal in today’s culture. But what does God actually say about living together before tying the knot? In this video, we’ll unpack what the Bible teaches about sexual sin, premarital sex, and how your choices today shape your future marriage.

🔥 Discover:

• What the Greek word porneia really means

• Why premarital sex IS forbidden in Scripture

• How cohabitation impacts trust and future faithfulness

• The key principle of love being a choice, not just a feeling

📖 Featuring verses from Hebrews, 1 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians, and more—this video calls couples to honor God before they say “I do.”

✅ Whether you’re dating, engaged, or mentoring someone who is—this is a must-watch conversation on purity, commitment, and biblical love.

🗣️ Join the conversation in the comments: Do you think it’s okay for Christians to live together before marriage?

ChristianDating #BiblicalRelationships #Cohabitation #PurityCulture #MarriagePrep #FaithfulLiving #PursueGOD

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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Welcome back to the podcast! The resurrection of Jesus isn’t just a historical fact—it’s a present-day power source. In this kickoff to our How Stuff Works series, we’re unpacking Ephesians 1:18-20 to explore how the resurrection gives us confident hope, a new identity, and daily strength through the Holy Spirit.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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How the Resurrection Works

Welcome to Easter and the kickoff to our new series: How Stuff Works. Today, we're not just celebrating a historical event—we’re discovering how the resurrection of Jesus works in real life. The empty tomb isn’t just a symbol of the past; it’s a source of power for today.

We’re unpacking Ephesians 1:18-20 to explore how the resurrection gives us:

Confident hope for today and eternity
A new identity as God’s prized possession
Daily power through the Holy Spirit

So, how does the resurrection work? It transforms how you live right now—not just how you feel about death.

Ephesians 1:18-20 (NLT)

I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead…

1. The Resurrection Gives Us Confident Hope

We live in a world short on hope. But the resurrection proves that death isn’t the end. Our hope isn’t wishful thinking—it’s the deep assurance that God will fulfill His promises.

Temporal hope anchors us during hard times.
Philippians 4:13 reminds us that we can endure anything through Christ.
Eternal hope assures us that death is not the end.
1 Corinthians 15:19 says that if our hope is only for this life, we are to be pitied.

2. The Resurrection Makes Us God’s Inheritance

Ephesians 1 says that we are God’s glorious inheritance. That’s a radical shift! You’re not just saved—you’re treasured.

Before: we were dead in sin and “objects of wrath” (Ephesians 2:1-3)
After: we are God’s masterpiece, created anew for His purposes (Ephesians 2:10)

Jesus didn’t rise just to create a holiday. He rose to claim what’s His: you.

3. The Resurrection Empowers Us for Everyday Living

That same power that raised Jesus from the dead is now available to every believer through the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 1:19-20 and Acts 1:8 point to the Spirit’s power in us.
It’s not about doing one big thing—it’s about daily strength: loving your kids, resisting temptation, staying faithful, sharing your faith.

If you feel powerless today, maybe it’s time to turn to Jesus. His resurrection power still works.

Takeaway

The resurrection of Jesus changes everything—not just back then, but right now. But it only works for those who place their faith in Him.

Admit your brokenness.
Trust in Jesus' death and resurrection.
Let Him give you hope, identity, and power.

Join us for the rest of this series as we explore how the resurrection—and the Spirit behind it—still works.

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Welcome back to the podcast! Today, we’re wrapping up our “Generous” series—not with a lesson about money, but about something even more valuable: forgiveness.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Forgiveness and the $18 Billion Debt: What Jesus Really Meant in Matthew 18The average American household carries over $100,000 in debt, with over $6,000 in credit card balances alone. Debt is normal in our culture. But imagine this: someone walks up and says, “I just paid off your mortgage, your student loans, your credit cards, your car, and your kids’ college tuition.” You’d be speechless.

Now picture yourself turning around and blowing up at someone who still owes you ten bucks from last week’s lunch. That’s the exact contrast Jesus paints in Matthew 18. It’s extreme. It’s uncomfortable. And it’s meant to be.

Forgiveness Isn't Optional—It's Essential

Matthew 18:21-22

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!”

Peter thought he was being generous. Jewish tradition taught you only needed to forgive someone three times. So Peter more than doubled that—and Jesus blew it all out of the water. “Seventy times seven” wasn’t a number—it was a mindset. Forgiveness isn’t a ritual; it’s a daily posture.

Jesus’ Parable: The $18 Billion Dollar Debt

Matthew 18:23-24 (paraphrased)

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who called in his debts. One servant owed him 10,000 talents.”

In biblical terms, 10,000 talents is about 200,000 years’ worth of wages—roughly $18 billion today. Jesus was making a point: the debt was absurdly unpayable.

Why so much? The man was likely a tax farmer—someone who paid the empire upfront and then overcharged the people to make his profit. Corruption was baked into the job.

Matthew 18:25-27

“Since he couldn’t pay, the master ordered he and his family be sold. The man begged for mercy. The master had compassion and forgave the debt completely.”

The Greek word used here for compassion—splagchnistheis—refers to deep, gut-level mercy. This is the same word used for Jesus in Matthew 9:36 when he looked at the lost crowds and felt moved to act.

The Twist: The Man Who Couldn’t Forgive $30,000

Matthew 18:28-30

“But the forgiven servant went out and found a fellow servant who owed him 100 denarii (about $30,000 today). He choked him and demanded instant payment.”

It’s infuriating, right? This man had just been forgiven a ridiculous debt. Then he turns around and can’t forgive someone else a fraction of what he owed.

His fellow servant even used the same words: “Be patient with me and I will pay it.” But this time, the plea fell on deaf ears.

Matthew 18:31-34

“When the king heard what happened, he was furious. He threw the first servant into prison to be tortured until the debt could be paid.”

Which—spoiler alert—it never could. Endless torture was the point.

The Point of the Parable: Forgive Like You’ve Been Forgiven

Matthew 18:35

“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”

This story is ultimately about your heart. About your capacity for compassion. About understanding that you owed God $18 billion—and He forgave you. So now, will you forgive the $30k someone else owes you?

What Forgiveness Is (and Isn’t)Let’s get practical. Forgiveness doesn’t mean…

That what happened was okay.
That you’re pretending it didn’t hurt.
That the other person gets off the hook.

Forgiveness does mean…

You’re releasing the power that pain has over your heart.
You’re choosing to stop letting bitterness control you.
You’re giving a double gift—one to yourself, and one to the offender.

Hebrews 12:15 (NLT)

“Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.”

Forgiveness frees you. You can forgive even if they never say sorry. You can forgive and still have healthy boundaries. And most importantly, forgiveness reflects the heart of God.

Romans 12:18 (NLT)

“Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.”

Final Challenge: Picture That Person—and ForgiveYou were in spiritual debt up to your eyeballs. God forgave all of it. So now think about that person who hurt you. Picture their face. Say their name. Ask God for the compassion—splagchnistheis—to forgive them from your heart.

This is what relational generosity looks like. And followers of Jesus should be the most generous people in the world.

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In this episode, Tracy explores the four seasons of marriage—spring, summer, fall, and winter—and how couples can thrive in each one by staying intentional, connected, and rooted in God. Learn how to recognize your current season and respond with wisdom, grace, and faith.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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The Seasons of Marriage: How to Grow Through Every Stage of Life Together

Marriage, like nature, has seasons. Each one brings its own beauty—and its own challenges. Recognizing the season you’re in can help you lean into God's plan for your relationship, making your marriage stronger and more fruitful no matter the circumstances. Let’s walk through the four seasons of marriage and explore how to navigate them with purpose and love.

Spring: Say "Yes" to Your MarriageSpring is the season of new growth. It’s often filled with young children, rising careers, and a never-ending to-do list. This can make marriage feel more like a project than a partnership. But in this busy season, couples must learn the power of saying “No” to the good so they can say “Yes” to the best—their relationship.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us that “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” That includes making intentional space to invest in your spouse.

Summer: Embrace the Joy of TogethernessSummer brings warmth, connection, and space to enjoy each other. Maybe the kids are older, or the pressures of early adulthood have passed. This is a great time to intentionally deepen your relationship. Enjoy vacations, long talks, and shared hobbies. But don't get lazy—use this time to keep building a stronger bond.

Song of Solomon 2:10 says, “My beloved spoke and said to me, ‘Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me.’” Summer is about pursuing your spouse with intentionality.

Fall: Prepare for ChangeFall often brings transitions—career shifts, an empty nest, or unexpected loss. Change can be stressful and unsettling. That’s why this season requires grace, communication, and adaptability. It’s easy to turn inward during change, but this is when you need each other the most.

Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages us: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart… He will make your paths straight.” Trusting God together through change can anchor your marriage.

Winter: Fight for Your MarriageWinter is the hardest season. It can bring grief, health issues, financial strain, or emotional distance. These trials are real, but so is God's faithfulness. This is when you fight hardest for your marriage—through prayer, counseling, and a commitment to stay connected even when feelings fade.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 says, “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer.” Winter is not the end—it’s a chance to build resilience and rediscover why you said “I do.”

Every marriage goes through seasons. The key is to recognize where you are and respond with grace, truth, and intentionality. With God at the center, you can weather every season together.

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Luke 2:52 shows Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, but does that mean He had to progress into godhood? The Bible teaches that Jesus has always been fully God—eternal and unchanging.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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One of the most fascinating verses about Jesus’ early life is Luke 2:52:

"Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people." (NLT)

This verse raises an important theological question—did Jesus “progress” over time, even spiritually? Some people, including members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, see this as evidence that Jesus wasn’t always fully divine. According to LDS teaching, even God the Father was once a man who progressed to godhood, and Jesus followed a similar path. But what does the Bible actually say?

Let’s break it down and compare the LDS view with what Scripture really teaches about the eternal nature of Jesus Christ.

The LDS View: Jesus Progressed to GodhoodIn LDS teachings, Jesus is seen as the “firstborn spirit child” of Heavenly Father and progressed to become like God. One key scripture cited is Doctrine and Covenants 93:12–14, which says:

“And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;

And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness;

And thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first.” (D&C 93:12–14)

LDS leaders interpret this to mean that Jesus had to grow spiritually—receiving "grace for grace"—until He became divine. This supports the broader LDS belief that even God the Father was once a mortal man who progressed to godhood. As stated by former LDS President Lorenzo Snow:

“As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become.”

This couplet summarizes a core tenet of Mormon theology—that God the Father and Jesus Christ both progressed from a mortal state to divine status. But this concept stands in contrast to the Bible's teaching about Jesus' eternal nature.

The Biblical View: Jesus Grew in His HumanityLuke 2:52 shows that Jesus experienced real human development. He grew in body (“stature”), in mind (“wisdom”), in relationships (“favor with all the people”), and in His connection with God the Father (“favor with God”).

Jesus didn’t just appear out of nowhere as a fully grown man. He was born as a baby, raised in a family, and matured over time. This aligns with the Christian understanding of the incarnation—that Jesus, though fully God, also became fully human (John 1:14). Hebrews 2:17 says, “Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God.”

So yes, Jesus “progressed” in His humanity, not in His divinity. He matured like any person would—because He was truly one of us.

Jesus Was Always Fully GodHere’s where the Christian understanding differs sharply from LDS teaching. While Jesus grew and learned in His human nature, He never stopped being God. From eternity, Jesus was—and is—fully divine.

John 1:1 says, “In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus didn’t have to “become” God. He didn’t earn it. He is God.

Philippians 2:6-7 explains that “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.” Jesus laid aside His privileges—not His divine identity.

His Growth Shows His Willingness to Relate to UsThe fact that Jesus grew in wisdom and stature shows His humility and love. He chose to enter into the human experience completely, not just physically but also mentally and emotionally.

Hebrews 4:15 reminds us, “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.” Jesus’ growth doesn’t mean He was ever lacking or imperfect. It means He was fully human in every way—except sin.

This matters because it means Jesus can truly sympathize with us. He knows what it’s like to grow, to learn, to struggle, and to trust God.

Jesus Did Not Progress to Godhood—He Always Had ItSome people point to verses like Luke 2:52 or D&C 93:12–14 to argue that Jesus “became” divine, as if He wasn’t God before. But Scripture is clear: Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). His divine nature didn’t evolve—it’s eternal.

The idea that Jesus had to progress to godhood is not found in the Bible. That idea comes from LDS scripture and teachings such as Lorenzo Snow’s couplet. In contrast, the Bible teaches that Jesus condescended, meaning He came down to our level to rescue us.

To go deeper on how Christians understand the eternal nature of God and the Trinity, check out pursueGOD.org/trinity. For more on systematic theology and the core doctrines of biblical Christianity, visit pursueGOD.org/systheo.

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Welcome back to the podcast! This week, we're continuing our series on generosity. Are you willing to get your hands dirty? Figure out what that meamns in this episode!

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Big Idea: Generosity isn’t just something you give. It’s something you live. When we serve others, we reflect the heart of Jesus.

Opening Question:
Who’s the most generous person you’ve ever met—not with money, but with their presence, their time, their service?
Examples:
Ken - oversees benevolence, goes over the top
Mike and Emma - in their 80’s, pulling weeds at the church
Clean team members - washing toilets for Jesus
Some leadership philosophies say, ‘Don’t get your hands dirty—delegate the dirty work.’
From The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli: Power and control define leadership. Servanthood is seen as weakness.
So some have concluded that servants should stay at the lower levels
And executives should rise to the top and STOP serving
It doesn’t help the organization for them to get their hands dirty
But Jesus didn’t climb some ladder and retreat from people. He stepped down from heaven. He picked up a towel. He washed feet. He gave his life.
That’s generosity that gets its hands dirty. And that’s the kind of generosity Jesus calls us to.

Series Recap:Generosity is giving to others through a selfless act without expecting anything in return.

Week 1: The Generosity of God
He gives love, provision, guidance—overflowing.
Our generosity starts as a response to His generosity.
Week 2: Generous in Giving
Financial generosity matters—it reflects the heart.
But it’s not the whole picture.
If we think generosity only happens when we write a check, we miss the life Jesus is calling us to.

Today’s focus: Generosity that takes action. That sees needs and serves. This is about serving others with the heart of Jesus.

Jesus Modeled Generous ServanthoodMatthew 20:25-28 25 But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 26 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The disciples were arguing about status. Jesus reframed it.

“Whoever wants to be great must be a servant.”

Jesus didn’t just talk about service—he embodied it.

“The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life.”

He didn’t come to receive, but to give.
He healed, fed, helped, taught.
And ultimately, he gave his life on the cross.

That’s generosity:

Giving to others
Through a selfless act
Expecting nothing in return

John 13:34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.

Jesus washed his disciples’ feet.
Then said: “Love each other as I have loved you.”
Love like Jesus = getting your hands dirty.
Servanthood at HomeEphesians 5:25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her…
Husbands, love like Christ—who gave himself for the church.
Real love isn’t just romantic feelings. It’s selfless action.

In the home:

Serve your spouse: not out of duty, but delight.
Kids learn by example—more than lectures.

Two key ways to train kids in servanthood:

Serving within the family:
Chores aren’t just chores. They’re opportunities to shape the heart.
Connect the dots: “This blesses your sibling / helps mom / supports our family.”
Serving with the family:
Invite kids to serve alongside you.
Our examples: serving on the clean team as a family.

Point: Home is the first place to practice generosity that gets its hands dirty.

Servanthood at ChurchA. Formally: Serving through church rolesActs 6:3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.
Church grew, needs increased. Apostles delegated.
Serving was organized—but always about people, not just tasks.

Examples:

Many Christian churches (esp megachurches): outsource serving opportunities
I grew up in one of these churches
My first job in high school: church custodian! (hated it)
Mormon church: members do the work
Don’t even pay pastors (bishops)
Only paid staffer at the local level: custodian
How we do it:
Hundreds of volunteers at all of our campuses
Requires a lot of organization and team leadership
Kids’ church, youth, coffee, welcome, worship, sound, media etc.
How many paid custodians across 8 campuses: 0!
Everyone has a chance to get their hands dirty!

B. Informally: Serving one another in everyday ways Galatians 5:13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. * Again we see the connection → serving one another is an expression of “love one another” * Roman 12:13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. * This isn’t a program of the church → just what believers do * See a need → act to help * Ethiopian mom who opened her home to us * Our example: Opening our home to a young couple * Crazy story: After prepping this lesson I happened to listen to a podcast * A guest mentioned the stat that * Baby boomers are house rich, bedrooms to spare * Most young people will never be able to afford a home * So I googled: The 3 markets with the highest share of excess bedrooms: * #3 Salt Lake City, Utah (12%) * #2 Colorado Springs, Colo. (12.1%) * #1 Ogden, Utah (12.2%) * 1 Peter 4:10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. * 1 John 3:16-18 16 We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister[f] in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? 18* Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. * I know you’re starting to see this theme repeated about the nature of love * We know what love is based on what Jesus did for us * Says: that’s how we ought to love our brothers and sisters in Christ * We ought to give up our lives for them * That’s exactly what happens when you give up your time / energy / convenience / other priorities → to serve * Final verse → talk is cheap (not generous) * You can say you love each other all day long → but one thing will prove it * Let’s show the truth by our actions

Servanthood in the World Galatians 6:10* Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
Especially believers - this is clear in the Bible
You need to serve the family of faith
But this verse includes “everyone” - people who are not part of the family of faith
As the appropriate targets of our servanthood
This is the heart of Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan, in Luke 10
Tells story of a Jewish man who was robbed / beaten up / left for dead → on the side of the road
Two Jewish religious leaders walked by / ignored him
The one who stopped was not Jewish, but a Samaritan → very different / animosity
He did some first aid on the guys wounds
Transported him to a motel → paid for him to stay and get fed while he recuperated
Luke 10:36-37 36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. 36 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”
We serve the family of faith and the people around us.

Jesus said: “Go and do the same.”

Example:

Tell a story from your life or community—like Sally helping neighbors or walking dogs.

Point:

Generosity that gets its hands dirty doesn’t check someone’s beliefs first.
It sees a need and responds with love.

TAKEAWAY: How Will You Get Your Hands Dirty?Generosity that gets its hands dirty means:

Serving at home
Serving at church
Serving in the world

All rooted in the example of Jesus—who gave everything for us.

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Court and Becca, both inactive Mormons, discuss their experiences with the church and their journey to Jesus. Becca, raised in a more religious family, held onto her faith despite being inactive, while Court, who became inactive at a young age, had no intention of returning.

After having a daughter, Becca felt a sense of urgency to re-engage with the church, leading them to attend services and participate in traditional Mormon practices. They eventually left the church, seeking a more accepting and grace-filled community. Despite initial skepticism, they eventually found a Bible study that rekindled their faith and led them to seek a new church home.

Grace, as defined in the Bible, is a gift from God, not something earned through works. Mormons, who believe in salvation through works, miss out on the true meaning of grace and the forgiveness offered by Jesus.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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Welcome back to the podcast! Tithing is one of the most debated topics in Christian circles. Many believers have been taught that they must give exactly 10% of their income to the church, often based on Old Testament commands. But is this what the Bible truly teaches for New Testament believers? Let's find out!

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Let’s explore some common misconceptions about tithing and what God really expects from us when it comes to giving.

Misconception #1: Christians are commanded to tithe.Many Christians believe that tithing is a requirement under the New Covenant, but the truth is that tithing was originally part of the Mosaic Law given to Israel. The 10% tithe had three main purposes:

Support for the Levites (and Temple) – The tithe funded the priestly tribe of Israel, who had no land inheritance (Numbers 18:21-24). Numbers 18:21 – “I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the tent of meeting.”
Festivals and Worship – Part of the tithe was meant to be used for religious feasts and celebrations in worship of God. Deuteronomy 14:23 – “Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine, and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God... so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always.”
Provision for the Poor – A portion of the tithe was used to help widows, orphans, and foreigners (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). Deuteronomy 14:29 – “The Levites... and the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns may come and eat and be satisfied, so that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.”

So: The Old Testament tithe functioned more like a national tax than a purely voluntary religious offering.

When combined, these tithes amounted to about 23.3% of a person's agricultural income over a three-year cycle—closer to a national tax supporting both religious and social functions in Israel.
Unlike modern church tithing, which is often seen as an act of personal giving, the Old Testament system was more like a structured government tax ensuring the well-being of the nation.

The New Testament mentions tithing in a a grand total of four passages:

Hebrews 7:1-10
Hebrews 7:5-6 (NLT) Now the law of Moses required that the priests, who are descendants of Levi, must collect a tithe from the rest of the people of Israel, who are also descendants of Abraham. But Melchizedek, who was not a descendant of Levi, collected a tenth from Abraham.
Context: This passage discusses Abraham giving a tenth to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20) and connects it to Jesus' superior priesthood. However, it does not command Christians to tithe but rather uses tithing as a historical reference to highlight the greatness of Christ’s priesthood.
Hebrews 7:9 (NLT) we might even say that these Levites—the ones who collect the tithe—paid a tithe to Melchizedek when their ancestor Abraham paid a tithe to him.
Matthew 23:23 (also Luke 11:42)
Matthew 23:23 (NLT) 23 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.”
Context: Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for their legalistic approach to tithing while neglecting more important spiritual matters. He acknowledges their tithing but emphasizes that justice, mercy, and faithfulness are more important.
Luke 18:12 (parable of Jesus)
Luke 18:11-12 (NLT) The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
Context: This is part of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee boasts about his tithing, but Jesus contrasts his self-righteousness with the humility of the tax collector, showing that God values a repentant heart over legalistic practices.

So clearly, Christians are NOT commanded to tithe in the New Testament

Anyone who says they are is putting words in God’s mouth.
But this isn’t the biggest misconception about tithing by a longshot.
Because today, most Christians aren’t legalistic about giving at all
If that’s you, listen to this…

Misconception #2: Christians are free NOT to giveMany Christians understand the first myth and misapply it to create this second myth. They think freedom in Christ means freedom from giving. Wrong! What we do with our money matters to God. It’s a HUGE litmus test for our devotion to Jesus.

IOW: Just because we’re not required to tithe DOES NOT mean we shouldn’t give.

That’s why Jesus spoke about money frequently in the Gospels—more than most other topics. Approximately 11 of Jesus' 39 parables focus on money or use money as a key illustration. Money is mentioned in about 15% of Jesus’ recorded teachings. Here are a few examples:

The Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, Luke 18:18-30) – Jesus tells a wealthy man to sell his possessions and follow Him, showing the danger of wealth becoming an idol.
Matthew 19:23 (NLT) 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.”
The Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21) – A man builds bigger barns to store wealth, but God calls him a fool because he isn’t "rich toward God."
Luke 12:15 (NLT) 15 Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”
"You Cannot Serve Both God and Money" (Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13) – Jesus warns about wealth competing with devotion to God.
Matthew 6:24 (NLT) 24 “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”
"Give to Caesar What Is Caesar’s" (Matthew 22:15-22, Mark 12:13-17, Luke 20:20-26) – Jesus addresses taxation and the balance between duty to government and duty to God.
Mark 12:17 (NLT) 17 “Well, then,” Jesus said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
What would happen if you didn’t pay your taxes?
What will happen if you don’t ever give to God?
The Cost of Discipleship (Luke 14:28-33) – Uses financial planning as a metaphor for counting the cost of following Him.
Luke 14:33 (NLT) 33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.

Just because we’re not required to tithe DOES NOT mean we shouldn’t give.

Misconception #3: God Cares about Your Heart, Not the AmountHere’s the reality: God cares about your heart more than the amount of money you give. That’s true enough. But dig just a little deeper for the facts: the relative amount you give almost always indicates your heart toward God, and whether you are truly generous (as we’ve been defining).

That’s what the story of the poor widow is all about:

Luke 21:1-4 (NLT) 1 While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

Jesus praised the widow who gave two small coins because she gave out of faith and sacrifice, while others gave large amounts with wrong motives. But don’t miss the point: Jesus noticed the amount they gave compared to the amount they had. There’s a mathematical term for that: percentage.

TakeawayChristians are not under a legalistic obligation to tithe 10% of their income. Instead, God calls us to generous, cheerful, and sacrificial giving as an act of worship. Whether it’s 10%, more, or less, the key is to give with the right heart and to trust God with our finances.

Christians are NOT commanded to tithe in the New Testament
But just because we’re not required to tithe DOES NOT mean we shouldn’t give.
God cares about your heart… and the amount is a signpost
the relative amount you give almost always indicates your heart toward God, and whether you are truly generous

Generosity is giving to others through a selfless act without expecting anything in return.

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How feedback is given makes all the difference! This episode covers practical do’s and don’ts for correcting with grace, encouraging growth, and keeping communication open with teens. Learn how to balance honesty with kindness and build trust while guiding them toward maturity.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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Giving Helpful Feedback to Your TeenAs parents, we want to guide our teens toward maturity, but how we give feedback can make all the difference. The Bible encourages us to speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:29), which means balancing honesty with kindness. Here are some do’s and don’ts to help you give feedback that builds your teen up instead of tearing them down.

The Do’s:Be Kind but Clear – Your words should encourage growth, not just point out flaws. Make sure your feedback is constructive, not critical. (Ephesians 4:29)

Give Time to Process – Your teen might not immediately agree with you. Be patient and trust that your words will sink in over time.

Keep Earning Trust – Build a relationship where they feel safe to hear your feedback. Spend time with them, listen to their thoughts, and engage in their world.

The Don’ts:Don’t Be Passive-Aggressive – Sarcasm or veiled criticism, even if meant as a joke, can create distance instead of growth.

Don’t Be a Nag – Constantly pointing out flaws can make your teen tune you out. Pick your battles wisely.

Don’t Lecture – Teens often know what you’re going to say before you say it. Instead of a lecture, invite them into the conversation and let them express their perspective. (Proverbs 22:6)

Giving helpful feedback is about more than just correcting behavior—it’s about shaping the heart and character of your teen in a way that honors God.

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Welcome back to the podcast! We’re launching a four-week series on generosity, and here’s the premise: Christians should be the most generous people in the world. And the evidence backs this up.

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Christians Lead in GenerosityResearch from organizations like the Barna Group and Philanthropy Roundtable confirms that Christians donate significantly more to charities—both religious and secular—than non-religious people. Consider these statistics:

In 2018, secular households in the U.S. donated an average of $1,225 annually, with a median donation of $450.
Religious households gave more—an average of $2,656 per year, with a median of $1,000.

The World Giving Index evaluates nations based on helping a stranger, donating money, and volunteering. The 2023 top five are:

Indonesia – Score: 68; 82% donated money, 61% volunteered time.
Ukraine – Score: 62; 78% donated money, 37% volunteered time.
Kenya – Score: 60; 53% donated money, 51% volunteered time.
USA – Score: 58; 61% donated money, 38% volunteered time.

The U.S. leads in total foreign aid donations, disbursing $71.9 billion in 2023. It also ranks first in individual charitable giving as a percentage of GDP (1.44%).

Clearly, generosity is a defining mark of believers. But what exactly is generosity?

Defining GenerosityGenerosity is giving to others through a selfless act without expecting anything in return. Let’s break that down:

Giving to Others – This could be financial, relational, or otherwise. In this series, we’ll cover:
Week 2: Giving
Week 3: Serving
Week 4: Forgiving
A Selfless Act – Many people are naturally generous—to themselves! But biblical generosity flips the script:
Some are extravagant toward their own material desires but stingy toward others’ needs.
True generosity prioritizes others above personal gain.
Without Expecting Anything in Return – This is the real test.
Do you give in your marriage without expecting something back?
Do you parent with an expectation of repayment?
Are you friends with people who only take, or do you model generosity regardless?

God’s Generosity in the BibleGod is the ultimate example of generosity. From creation to salvation, He gives freely, abundantly, and graciously.

God’s Generous ProvisionGenesis 1:28-30 (NLT): “Then God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply... I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.’”

From the very beginning, God provided everything needed for life. Even after humanity’s failure, He continued to provide, not because of our worthiness, but because of His nature.

Matthew 5:45b (NLT): “For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.”

God’s Generous GuidanceJames 1:5 (NLT): “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you.”

God is not stingy with His wisdom. King Solomon’s request for understanding (1 Kings 3:9) pleased God, and He responded by giving wisdom, wealth, and honor beyond expectation (1 Kings 3:10-13). God delights in generously guiding His people.

God’s Generous LoveJohn 3:16 (NLT): “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Romans 5:8 (NLT): “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

God’s generosity is not transactional—it is sacrificial. He gives not because we have earned it, but because He loves us unconditionally.

How Should We Respond?Since God has been so generous to us, how should we respond? The Bible encourages us to reflect His generosity in our lives—by giving freely, serving others, and forgiving others. That’s what this series is all about.

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Welcome back to the podcast! Life’s storms are inevitable, but they are never without purpose. In Acts 27-28, Paul faces a brutal shipwreck, yet through it all, God positions him for greater influence and impact. Join us today as we finish our series on the book of Acts!

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The Sovereignty of God in the Storms of LifeToday, we conclude our study of the book of Acts by returning to the verse that set the foundation for the entire book:

Acts 1:8 (NLT) – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Throughout Acts, we’ve seen this mission unfold. The book began with Peter as the central figure, but in the second half, Paul took the lead. However, the real main character of Acts is not Peter or Paul—it’s the Holy Spirit, guiding and empowering believers.

As we study Acts 27-28, we encounter one of the most famous shipwreck stories in history. More than just an adventure, it teaches us powerful lessons about trusting God in life’s storms. We will uncover three key truths that remind us of God’s sovereignty, even in the fiercest trials.

1. Storms Can Come Even in the Center of God’s Will

Acts 27:1 (NLT) – “When the time came, we set sail for Italy. Paul and several other prisoners were placed in the custody of a Roman officer named Julius, a captain of the Imperial Regiment.”

Paul’s journey to Rome, described in Acts 27-28, is sometimes called his fourth missionary journey, though he was technically a prisoner under Roman custody. His earlier missionary journeys had taken him across the Mediterranean world:

First Journey (Acts 13–14): Paul and Barnabas traveled through Cyprus and Asia Minor.
Second Journey (Acts 15:36–18:22): Paul extended his mission into Greece.
Third Journey (Acts 18:23–21:17): Paul revisited churches and had an extended stay in Ephesus before heading to Jerusalem, where he was arrested.

Now, on his way to stand trial before Caesar, Paul encounters a storm unlike any before.

Acts 27:20 (NLT) – “The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone.”

This moment reminds us that following Christ does not guarantee an easy journey. In fact, trials often come even when we are in the center of God’s will. Paul himself described the immense hardships he faced:

2 Corinthians 11:25-27 (NLT) – “Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea… I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas...”

Paul wrote 2 Corinthians before this shipwreck in Acts 27, meaning he had already experienced multiple shipwrecks! His life was a testament to perseverance in the face of storms.

Application: Storms don’t mean you’re outside God’s will. * Faithfulness to God does not exempt us from suffering. * Trials test and refine* our trust in God’s plan.

2. Storms Can Elevate You to a Place of InfluenceAmid the chaos, something surprising happens: Paul, a prisoner, becomes the leader of the ship.

Acts 27:21-22 (NLT) – “No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, ‘Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down.’”

At first, Paul was just another prisoner. But as the storm raged, the crew turned to him for guidance. He gave orders that even the Roman soldiers obeyed:

Acts 27:30-32 (NLT) – “Then the sailors tried to abandon the ship… But Paul said to the commanding officer and the soldiers, ‘You will all die unless the sailors stay aboard.’ So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and let it drift away.”

Acts 27:33-35 (NLT) – “Just as day was dawning, Paul urged everyone to eat… Then he took some bread, gave thanks to God before them all, and broke off a piece and ate it.”

In times of crisis, God often raises up His people to places of influence. This is a recurring biblical pattern:

Joseph rose to power in Egypt after enduring slavery and imprisonment.
Daniel was promoted in Babylon after standing firm in faith.

Paul’s experience aligns with this truth:

2 Corinthians 12:10 (NLT) – “That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Application: God can use your trials to give you a platform for influence. * Leadership is not about position—it’s about character and trust in God. * Your faith in trials* can be a powerful witness to others.

3. Storms Can Test the Quality of Your FaithAfter surviving the storm, Paul finally arrives in Rome. But instead of retreating in exhaustion, he continues to boldly proclaim the gospel:

Acts 28:30-31 (NLT) – “For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.”

Paul doesn’t complain. He doesn’t wallow in self-pity. He keeps sharing the gospel with relentless obedience.

How do you react to storms? Do you trust God’s sovereignty, or do you panic? * Do you see trials as an opportunity for growth*, or just as an obstacle?

The book of Acts ends on a cliffhanger—Paul in Rome, awaiting trial. Church tradition suggests the following events happened after Acts 28:

Paul’s First Roman Imprisonment (A.D. 60-62) – He preached under house arrest and wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
Paul’s Release and Further Ministry (A.D. 62-66?) – He possibly traveled to Spain and revisited churches.
Paul’s Second Roman Imprisonment and Martyrdom (A.D. 67-68) – Arrested under Nero’s persecution, Paul was likely beheaded for his faith.

Paul’s unwavering faith is captured in his words:

Philippians 1:20-21 (NLT) – “I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.”

Application: Storms reveal the true depth of our faith. * God’s sovereignty means nothing happens outside His control. * Faithfulness is measured* not just in easy times but in trials.

Paul’s journey through the storm in Acts 27-28 reminds us of three key truths:

Storms Can Come Even in the Center of God’s Will – Trials do not mean you’re outside God’s plan.
Storms Can Elevate You to a Place of Influence – God can use hardships to give you opportunities to lead.
Storms Can Test the Quality of Your Faith – Trials reveal what you truly believe about God’s sovereignty.

No matter what storm you face, God is still on the throne. Will you trust Him? Will you remain faithful?

Even in life’s fiercest trials, God is working for His glory and your good. Keep your eyes on Him.

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In this episode, Tracy explores a powerful concept that can shape the way you view your marriage—for better or worse. She discusses Positive and Negative Sentiment Override, a mindset that influences whether you focus on the qualities you love and respect in your spouse or dwell on the things that frustrate or hurt you. Your perspective can either foster a thriving, joyful relationship or lead to a cycle of negativity and despair.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

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Welcome back to the podcast! One of the most powerful tools we have as believers is our personal testimony—our story of encountering Jesus and experiencing His transforming power. In today's episode, we'll look at Paul's approach to this while he stood trial.

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The Apostle Paul provides a masterclass in sharing one’s testimony in Acts 25–26 when he stands trial before Governor Festus and King Agrippa. His defense is not just a legal argument but a compelling gospel presentation. Today we’ll talk about five steps to sharing your testimony effectively. But first, a couple of introductory comments to set this thing up…

A. Look for Divine Encounters EverywhereSome people wait for the perfect opportunity to share their testimony, but it never comes. They expect a “divine encounter” to be obvious and heavenly, but usually it’s just another moment in an otherwise ordinary day. In fact, it could even be on your worst day that God drops an opportunity on your lap. That’s what seemed to happen with Paul:

Acts 24:27 (NLT) 27 After two years went by in this way [Paul in prison after being falsely accused], Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul in prison.

Paul didn’t take a break from sharing his faith when he was imprisoned and on his way to Rome for trial. Every step of the way, wherever he found himself, he looked for opportunities to tell people his story - and more importantly the gospel story. Here’s how he said it to his understudy:

2 Timothy 4:2 (NLT) 2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not….

Swan - Possibly ref. Peter as well for those who believe they have screwed up too badly to credibly share the Gospel???

1 Peter 3:15 (NLT) …And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.

When it comes to sharing your testimony, don’t wait for the perfect opportunity. Be ready to share your story on the good days and the bad days. Any moment can be a divine encounter; you just have to be looking for it.

Great conversation starters:

“If you could have one miracle, what would it be?”
“On a scale from 1 to 10, how close do you feel to God?”

B. Put Yourself in a Seeker’s ShoesPaul was a genius when it came to communicating the gospel to different types of people. He started with his people, the Jews. Then he moved on to the Gentiles. In these chapters he’s…

Acts 25:17-19 (NLT) 17 When his accusers came here for the trial, I didn’t delay. I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in. 18 But the accusations made against him weren’t any of the crimes I expected. 19 Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive.

1 Corinthians 9:22-23 (NLT) 22 … Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. 23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.

Start with Your Life Before ChristPaul begins by recounting his background, emphasizing his zeal as a Pharisee and his persecution of Christians (Acts 26:4-11). He highlights that he was once opposed to Jesus, making his transformation all the more striking.

Acts 26:9-11 (NLT) 9 “I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene. 10 Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. 11 Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities.”

Application: When sharing your testimony, start with where you were before you met Christ. What was your mindset, your struggles, or your misconceptions? This helps others relate to your journey and see the power of change.

Describe Your Encounter with ChristPaul vividly recounts his dramatic meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 26:12-18). He details how Christ confronted him, revealed His identity, and called him to a new mission.

Acts 26:12-15 (NLT) 12 “One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. 13 About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. 14 We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’ 15 “‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting.’

Application: Share how you came to know Christ personally. Whether your experience was dramatic or quiet, explain what led you to surrender your life to Jesus. Be specific about what changed in your heart and mind.

Explain How Your Life ChangedPaul doesn’t stop at his conversion—he describes how his life radically changed. He became a bold preacher of the gospel, calling people to repentance (Acts 26:19-23).

Acts 26:19-22 (NLT) 19 “And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven. 20 I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do. 21 Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried to kill me. 22 But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest.

Application: Tell others how your life has been transformed. What changes have you experienced in your thoughts, actions, and purpose? How has your relationship with Christ shaped your daily life?

Point People to the GospelPaul doesn’t just share his story—he ties it back to Jesus and the message of salvation. He tells Agrippa that Christ’s death and resurrection fulfill the Scriptures (Acts 26:22-23).

Acts 26:17-18 (NLT) ‘Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles 18 to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’

Application: Your testimony is not just about you—it’s ultimately about Jesus. Use your story as a bridge to explain the gospel, emphasizing that the same grace that saved you is available to everyone.

Be Bold and Trust God with the ResultsPaul’s testimony provokes strong reactions. Festus calls him crazy (Acts 26:24), and Agrippa seems moved but noncommittal (Acts 26:28). Yet, Paul remains bold, expressing his desire for everyone to come to faith in Christ (Acts 26:29).

Acts 26:28-29 (NLT) 28 Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?” 29 Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”

Application: Expect mixed responses when sharing your testimony. Some may be intrigued, others may resist, but our job is to faithfully proclaim what Jesus has done in our lives and trust God with the results.

CloseSharing your testimony is a powerful way to witness for Christ. By following Paul’s example in Acts 25–26, we can learn to share our story in a way that is relatable, Christ-centered, and bold. Remember, your testimony is unique and valuable—God can use it to impact lives and draw others to Himself.

1 Peter 3:15 (NLT) …And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.

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Growing up in a devout Mormon family, Holli never imagined she'd question her faith—until life’s challenges and hidden truths changed everything. In this episode, she shares her journey of doubt, the struggle to balance faith and family, and the beauty of experiencing God's grace.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

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In this candid episode, Holli opens up about her lifelong journey within Mormonism and the transformation that led her to question long-held beliefs. Raised in a devout Mormon family and having served a mission in Chile, Holli’s early life was steeped in the traditions and comforts of the church. However, as life’s trials and a series of eye-opening experiences unfolded, she found herself living a double life—physically present in her community while her heart and mind embarked on a quest for deeper truth.

A Lifelong Bond Turned ChallengingHolli shares that her early years were deeply rooted in the church, with family, mission work, and a strong communal identity serving as her rock. The church not only provided her with a sense of purpose but also defined her identity, making the journey of deconstruction all the more painful when personal loss and hidden truths emerged.

The Moment of UnravelingThe turning point came unexpectedly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discomfort with mandated safety measures and revelations about the church’s financial interests—like its involvement with Pfizer—sparked questions about the institution’s true nature. As Holli discovered unsettling aspects of church history and policies, her once-black-and-white faith began to blur into a complex tapestry of doubt and revelation.

Balancing Family and FaithOne of the most challenging aspects of Holli’s journey is the delicate balance of staying connected to her children’s community while embracing her newfound convictions. Identifying as “pimo” (physically in, mentally out), she continues to participate in church life for her children’s sake, even as her personal beliefs evolve. Her honest approach—attending a local Christian church she loves while gently distancing herself from traditional Mormon practices—exemplifies the struggle many face when re-evaluating deeply ingrained identities.

Embracing Compassion and ListeningDespite the upheaval in her spiritual life, Holli emphasizes the importance of compassion and open dialogue. Her advice resonates with anyone grappling with the complexities of faith: listen deeply, approach others with empathy, and remain open to the transformative power of truth. She also highlights the additional struggles faced by widowed women in the church, urging for a more inclusive and understanding community.

Moving Forward in FaithHolli’s story is a powerful testament to the challenges of unlearning a lifetime of beliefs and the courage required to forge a new path. As she navigates this transition, her journey invites us all to reflect on our own spiritual paths and the ways we can seek a deeper, more honest connection with God.

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Welcome back to the podcast! Today, we continue our study of Acts with Acts 23-24, discussing how exactly to have a clear conscience! Be sure to rate this show if you enjoy it, God bless you!

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In Acts 23–24, we find the Apostle Paul standing trial before the Jewish Sanhedrin and later before the Roman governor Felix. Throughout these intense encounters, Paul boldly declares, "I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day" (Acts 23:1). His words and actions in these chapters offer insights into how to have a clear conscience before God.

Q. How do you cultivate a clear conscience?
I’m using “cultivate” on purpose. It’s like a tender plant that needs attention
Ex: Trying to keep a plant alive or cultivate a garden
In Greek philosophy, conscience (syneidēsis) was understood as an internal moral compass, a faculty of self-awareness and judgment regarding right and wrong.
This is the fundamental problem with the secular idea of conscience: who gets to decide what’s right and wrong?
Today’s Oxford defn: an inner feeling or voice viewed as acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior.
Our definition of sin (Pursuit Lesson 4): Sin is going your own way, trusting and acting on your own opinions and feelings instead of on God’s truth.
Hebrew thought associated conscience more with the heart (lev), emphasizing moral responsibility in light of God’s law.
From The Meaning of “Heart” in Hebrew: the concept of the “heart” is best understood as the “inner person” – the seat of our mind (thoughts), emotions (feelings), and will (intentions).
In the NT, we’ll see today: in light of Christ’s work on the cross and the gift of the HS, having a clear conscience is about submitting your whole self – thoughts, feelings, intentions – to the Way of Jesus.

Before we get to Paul’s speech in Acts, let’s start with his first letter to Timothy

This gives us good context for what we’ll be reading in Acts
It also helps us to understand the value of a clear conscience
It’s not just good for you, your inner life
It’s also good for the people around you, it impacts your ability to love

1 Timothy 1:5 (NLT) 5 The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith.

The purpose = believers would be filled with love
Ring a bell? Greatest commandment = LOVE
Where that love comes from:
a pure heart,
The whole NEW self – thoughts, feelings, intentions
Already perfected in the court of heaven, not yet here on earth
But the longer we’re in it, the more we can love.
a clear conscience,
A clear conscience frees you up to really love
If you don’t believe you’re forgiven, you’ll never truly love
a guilty conscience causes you to be isolated and alone
How can you love in THAT place?
and genuine faith
In JESUS, which is the root of it all
By faith we can have a clear conscience
We believe Romans 8:1 (NLT) So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus

Now to the text in Acts:

Acts 23:1 (NLT) 1 Gazing intently at the high council, Paul began: “Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!”

Talking to the Jewish ruling council called the Sanhedrin, same group involved in Jesus’ trial
“Gazing intently” - A stare down! Paul looked these guys squarely in the eyes
This is a sign of calm confidence, he knew who he was
He wasn’t afraid of the examination, the accusations
He was being falsely accused, not unlike Jesus. But he was not afraid.
Q. Do you have calm confidence when accusations come?
From someone else
From your own thoughts

Step 1 toward a clear conscience: Put yourself on trial.

This may sound counterintuitive, but it’s helpful!
Don’t be afraid to examine yourself.
A clear conscience is not afraid of examination.
You may not be able to confidently “stare down” your accusers just yet
But the more you learn the gospel, the more your confidence will grow
You’ll learn that God is the ultimate judge, and he has made his verdict clear
Not guilty!
Rom 8:1 “There is no condemnation…”
Later in ministry it happened again, this time among the Corinthian Christians:
1 Corinthians 4:3-4 (NLT) 3 As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. 4 My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.

Back to Acts for our next insight:

Acts 23:1 (NLT) 1 Gazing intently at the high council, Paul began: “Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience!”

“Brothers” - Paul used to be part of the elite!
He knew he wasn’t beneath them, even though they thought he was
Their thoughts and feelings said one thing
His thoughts and feelings said another
Who was right? Whichever aligned with Jesus!
Now Paul surrounded himself with a different group
Fishermen and tax collectors
People who had walked with Jesus

Step 2 toward a clear conscience: Surround yourself with godly people.

There’s no substitute for this.
If you want to embrace the new YOU, stay rooted in the good news, you need a community of people who are committed to the same thing.

The Book of Psalms opens with this concept…

Psalm 1:1-2 (ESV) 1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Look at the progression:
Walk
Walking suggests casual interaction, exposure, or initial influence.
It refers to adopting the advice, values, or worldview of the ungodly.
At this stage, the person may be merely listening to sinful ideas or flirting with temptation.
Stand
Standing implies a greater degree of association and lingering.
Instead of just passing by ungodly influences, the individual is now pausing, considering, or even participating in sinful behaviors.
This reflects a deeper acceptance of sinful ways, possibly even justifying them.
Sit
Sitting signifies settling down and becoming comfortable in sin.
At this stage, the person is not just influenced but is actively engaging and identifying with scoffers (those who openly mock righteousness).
This is the most entrenched stage—one has now embraced a sinful lifestyle and even ridicules those who pursue godliness.
V1 is about what NOT TO DO. V2 is about what TO DO.
Do not hang with the wicked
Motivational speaker Jim Rohn is famous for this quote: "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with."
He stole that concept from the timeless wisdom of Psalms.
Do delight in the law of the Lord
Instead of being shaped by wicked influences, the blessed person finds joy and guidance in God’s Word.
Rather than walking, standing, or sitting in sin, he is meditating on the truth, shaping his heart and mind according to God’s will.

Back to Acts for our final step:

Acts 24:14-16 (NLT) 14 “But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets. 15 I have the same hope in God that these men have, that he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous. 16 Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.”

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) In forensic terms, this is a breathtaking turn: after a series of emphatic denials, the accused is about to make a confession!

Step 3 toward a clear conscience: Admit that you follow the Way of Jesus.

Admit it to yourself every day.
It’s easy to forget it
It’s easy to talk yourself out of it
Jerry Bridges in The Discipline of Grace: "Preach the gospel to yourself every day."
Admit it to others unapologetically
Paul unapologetically admitted to his new way of life
Even though Jesus was a convicted criminal
Even though the high council wanted to convict Paul
A clear conscience is the result of a submitted life, not a perfect life. This requires a lifestyle of confession and repentance.

Hebrews 10:20-22 (NLT) 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.

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Anxiety is on the rise among kids, but as parents, we have the opportunity to guide them through it. In this episode, we’ll unpack the common triggers of anxiety, practical ways to help kids cope, and—most importantly—how grounding them in Scripture and God’s truth can bring peace and confidence in the midst of fear.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Anxiety is becoming a growing issue among kids today. More children are struggling with worry, stress, and fear than ever before. The pressures of school, social media, and an unpredictable world make it easy for kids to feel overwhelmed. The statistics are concerning—more than 1 in 10 kids in the U.S. deal with anxiety, and many suffer in silence. As parents, we need to recognize the signs and equip our kids with the tools to manage their anxiety in a healthy way.

Signs of Anxiety in ChildrenKids don’t always know how to express what they’re feeling, so anxiety can manifest in different ways. Here are some common signs to watch for:

Trouble concentrating – Difficulty focusing on tasks at school or home.
Nightmares – Frequent bad dreams, especially around big life changes.
Irritability – Becoming easily frustrated or upset over small things.
Negative thoughts – Worrying excessively or imagining worst-case scenarios.
Physical tension – Restlessness, fidgeting, or clenching fists.

Common Triggers of AnxietyAnxiety can stem from different sources, including:

Fear of failure – Worrying about measuring up in school, sports, or family expectations.
Social concerns – Fear of rejection or not fitting in with peers.
Stranger danger – Natural wariness of unfamiliar people or situations.
Past trauma – Emotional scars from difficult past experiences.

How Parents Can HelpNormalize the Feeling* Let your child know it’s okay to feel anxious sometimes. * Help them name their feelings so they can better understand and process them. * Be careful not to let your own anxiety feed theirs—stay calm and reassuring. * Some anxiety is normal, especially during big life changes (new school, loss of a loved one, divorce), but pay close attention if it lasts for months.

Encourage Open Communication* Create a safe space for your child to talk about their worries. * Share your own experiences with anxiety to help them feel less alone. * Find moments to connect—sometimes kids open up more during activities they enjoy (e.g., while drawing, playing, or lying on the floor after school).

Face Fears Gradually* Instead of avoiding fears, help your child face them step by step. * Prep them for stressful situations by talking through what to expect. * Pray together the night before a big event and remind them of God’s presence.

Create Familiarity* Help your child get comfortable with new situations in advance (e.g., visiting a new school before their first day). * The goal isn’t to remove all anxiety but to teach kids how to manage and overcome it. * Pray with your child regularly about their worries.

Teach Practical Coping Techniques Encourage breathing exercises, visualization, or calming activities (drawing, music, etc.). * Bible memorization is a very powerful tool: * 2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” * Philippians 4:6-7* – “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Consider Professional Help* If anxiety significantly impacts your child’s daily life, seeking help from a mental health professional can be beneficial. * Early intervention can make a big difference in helping kids develop healthy coping mechanisms.

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Welcome back to the pod! Today we’re talking about discerning the will of God – a popular topic for Christians everywhere. We’re asking the question, Q. How Do I Know If It’s God’s Voice or Just My Own Thoughts?

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

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It’s easy to fool ourselves when it comes to discerning God’s will

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NLT) 9 “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? 10 But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives.

We all have secret motives driven by the sinful nature.

2 Timothy 4:3 (NLT) 3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.

We all have a tendency to do this when looking for direction

Seek out people who say what we WANT them to say

Not necessarily what GOD is really saying to us
And here’s the crazy thing: it’s not always false teachers who do this
Sometimes it’s our best friends or our loving parents
That’s what we’re going to see in the text today
It’s a stark reminder that discerning the will of God is a tricky thing
And while I can’t give you a blanket answer for your personal life
I can give you principles for discerning God’s will

But first, to the text for today. We’re actually starting in Acts 20…

Acts 20:22-23 (NLT) 22 “And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, 23 except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead.”

Paul felt like he heard from God on this.
“Bound by the Spirit” in Acts 20
“compelled by the Spirit” in Acts 19
Have you ever felt like this?
But how do you know it’s really from God?
Not an audible voice
Gut feeling - could just be a bad burrito from the night before
The human heart is deceitful…

It gets even more interesting:

Acts 21:4 (NLT) 4 We went ashore, found the local believers, and stayed with them a week. These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem.

“Through the HS”
Same HS that “bound” and “compelled” Paul?
Seems confusing.

And then this:

Acts 21:10-12 (NLT) 10 Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. 11 He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’” 12 When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

What the heck!? Even more messages from the HS
Pause: What would YOU have done at this point?

Here’s what Paul did:

Acts 21:13-14 (NLT) 13 But he said, “Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

Paul was certain that he heard from God, even though it contradicted the Spirit-led advice he received from people who loved him and wanted the best for him.
Here’s what I think was happening:
These people were really listening to the Spirit. Sometimes our Spirit-driven love for people causes us to give them advice that we think is for their good – but is ultimately against God’s will for them.
This kind of love is “ruinous empathy,” even though it comes from a good place. The Holy Spirit produces love in us, but it takes maturity to understand how to apply it in our relationships. Galatians 5:22, Matthew 16:22-23
This means: When we’re trying to discern the will of God for our lives, we need to guard against this “friendship effect.” We have a responsibility to listen to the Holy Spirit above every other voice.
This is what Paul was able to do, and that’s how he had such clarity about God’s will.

So how did he do it? I could tell you all the standard stuff:

God’s Word: Read your Bible
God’s Spirit: Pray for guidance
God’s People: Ask godly friends

All of that is true, but you’ve heard it before. Today I’m going to tell you something a little different, a lot more unexpected. I want to show you two things about Paul’s life and mindset that made the difference for him…

Paul’s clarity didn’t come at the point of decision, but from a lifelong commitment to Jesus.
Think about what we’ve been learning through the book of Acts:
Paul was a zealous Jew, persecuting Christians
Then Paul became a Christian and completely changed his life.
Quit his Pharisee job
Lost his reputation and old friends
Made new, less educated friends
Committed his life to the Jesus way
Compare that to your story. (most likely)
You want God’s guidance in a major decision in our life
You want to know it’s the right choice
You want God to bless the outcome
And yet you’re “half in” on your commitment to Jesus
The point: your clarity flows from your commitment
You can’t hear God’s voice at the point of decision if you’ve haven’t made a practice of listening to it a thousand other times.
It’s like my wife at golf:
She gets so frustrated when she mis-hits the ball
And yet she plays three times a year!?
You can’t expect results if you don’t develop the discipline of a committed life.
Paul’s clarity didn’t come at the point of decision, but from a lifelong commitment to Jesus.
If you want to discern God’s voice from your own thoughts two years from now, go all-in for Jesus today.
Paul embraced the difficult path instead of defaulting to the easy one.
We all do the opposite of this, for sure!
We default to the easy path and reject the difficult one
Surely God doesn’t want THAT for us!
God’s will for his people is not always to take the easiest or most comfortable road.
That’s hard for Americans to hear. We’re so used to comfort that we’ve come to expect it, even demand it. We have an entitlement mentality.
This impacts how we “hear” the voice of God. We hear what our itching ears want by default.
Should I stay in this marriage? Too hard.
Should I talk to someone about my addiction? Too complicated.
Should I increase my giving? Not gonna happen.
Paul had a different view of God’s will.
He expected that it would cost him something.
It was part of his conversion story: Acts 9:15-16 (NLT) 15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
And he taught people to have this expectation: Acts 14:22 (NLT) They encouraged them to continue in the faith, reminding them that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.
That’s what you’ll read in Acts 21-22. A difficult journey (and it’s only beginning!)
Misrepresented, Falsely accused
Arrested, Attacked - all because he was sharing a new gospel (Jew + Gentile)
In earlier stories believers were miraculous released from captivity (5:17-21; 12:1-17; 16:25-30).
Not this time: from now on (Acts 21-28) Paul will be a prisoner
History tells us he is martyred
That’s why everyone was warning him not to go to Jerusalem.

Close:

Acts 21:14 (NLT) When it was clear that we couldn’t persuade him, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”

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Welcome back to the podcast! We've previously looked at seven marks of a healthy church in Acts 2:42, and today we'll revisit that topic. We're going to look at five more marks to help you view your own church, or a church you're curious about, through a biblical lens!

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Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Q. How do I know if a church is healthy?

This is a question we get all the time when people are moving to a new area
What should you look for in a church? How do you know it’s functioning biblically?
To be sure: there is no perfect church out there
Today’s message is not intended to be overly critical
But there are healthy churches and there are unhealthy churches
And the litmus test is easier than you think
Note: We answered this the first time back in Acts 2
The question for that lesson was: How Do You Grow a Church?
The basic idea was that healthy things grow
The seven marks of the early church, a healthy, growing church: baptisms, biblical teaching, authentic community, commitment to prayer, financial generosity, friendliness to outsiders, and dependency on Christ. Acts 2:42-47
Today we’re going to answer the question again
This time almost 30 years later
The events in Acts 2 take place around 30 AD, the year of the Ascension.
The events in Acts 20 take place during Paul's third missionary journey, which occurred around 53–57 AD.
Paul is sharing his final thoughts with the elders in Ephesus. We’ll extract 5 marks of a healthy church.

Acts 20:16-17 (NLT) 16 Paul had decided to sail on past Ephesus, for he didn’t want to spend any more time in the province of Asia. He was hurrying to get to Jerusalem, if possible, in time for the Festival of Pentecost. 17 But when we landed at Miletus, he sent a message to the elders of the church at Ephesus, asking them to come and meet him.

Didn’t want to be delayed by the church, but sent for elders
I get it! Hard to get out of church sometimes because of all the relationships!
So he sent only for the elders
In a hurry: Probably because he was bringing offering for the believers in Jerusalem
Paul wrote Romans from Corinth during the timeframe of Acts 20
Romans 15:25-27 (NLT) 25 But before I come [to Rome], I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there. 26 For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. 27 They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially.
Pentecost marked the birth of the church (Acts 2)
But it probably also brought on hardships for Jewish Christians
So the Gentile believers wanted to bless them!

Acts 20:18-20 (NLT) 18 When they arrived he declared, “You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now 19 I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. 20 I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes.”

V20 gives us the first sign to look for in a healthy church: preaching that is committed to speaking the truth, even when it’s unpopular.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NLT) 3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.
Many churches these days buy into popular, progressive ideology and take a low view of scripture. Watch out for these signs of progressive (woke) “Christianity”:
The Bible is treated as a historical document shaped by human biases rather than as the inspired, authoritative Word of God.
Traditional biblical teachings on sexuality are dismissed as outdated or oppressive.
Hell, judgment, and exclusivity of Christ are often softened or denied.
Evangelism is seen as arrogant or colonialist rather than a biblical mandate.
"Deconstruction" of faith is encouraged, leading many to abandon core Christian beliefs.
Paul didn’t fall for this, and neither should we.
Acts 20:26-27 (NLT) 26 I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, 27 for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.
At Alpine:
That’s why we did the “Kingdom Politics” series
At Alpine we’re committed to speaking the truth, even when it’s unpopular.
That’s the first mark of a healthy church

Here’s the second mark: preaching that invites a response to the gospel.

Acts 20:21 (NLT) 21 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.

Look at how simply Paul enumerates the two-part response to the gospel: repent and believe.
This has been the simple gospel invitation for 2,000 years.
Go back through all the sermons we’ve studied in Acts, and you’ll see this repeated:
Peter’s first sermon (Pentecost): Acts 2:38 “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God….”
Peter’s second sermon (temple): Acts 3:19 “Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.”
Peter to Cornelius: Acts 10:43 “...everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”
Paul’s first missionary journey: Acts 13:38-39 (NLT) We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. 39 Everyone who believes in him is made right in God’s sight—something the law of Moses could never do.
Paul’s second missionary journey (in Athens): Acts 17:30 (NLT) 30 “God… commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him.”
Biblical preaching doesn’t just offer information. It invites transformation through a simple response to the gospel message of Jesus.
Repentance = right attitude toward God
“Change of mind” - I want to go his way now
Many churches avoid this, never call out sin
Make it a social club
Change the focus instead to prosperity
Here’s what’s in it for you…
Faith = trusting that Jesus is LORD
Jesus is Messiah – preached to Jewish audiences
Jesus is Lord – preached to both Jews and Gentiles
Bold statement to Jews
He’s more than you thought the Messiah would be!
(Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The title “Lord” was also proclaimed christologically in Jewish circles, with evident intent to apply to Jesus all that was said of God in the OT
Preaching that invites a response to the gospel - that’s the second mark of a healthy church
If your church never invites people to repent and believe, find another church!

The third mark expands on this:

Acts 20:24 (NLT) 24 But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

The third mark is preaching that elevates the power behind the gospel: grace.
It’s too easy to get the wrong idea that salvation is to our own credit.
That we can work for our right standing before God
Almost every other world religion teaches some form of this
Ex: In Islam, the concept of scales (Mīzān, ميزان) is central to the belief in divine justice and accountability on the Day of Judgment (Yawm al-Qiyāmah). The scales symbolize the weighing of a person's deeds—both good and bad—to determine their eternal fate.
Surah Al-Qari’ah (101:6-9) “Then as for him whose scales are heavy [with good deeds], he will be in a pleasant life. But as for him whose scales are light, his refuge will be the Abyss.”
Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT) 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
The power behind the good news of the Bible is God’s grace. Pure gift. All credit goes to him.
This is what Paul preached increasingly in his ministry!
Acts 20:32 (NLT) 32 “And now I entrust you to God and the message of his grace that is able to build you up and give you an inheritance with all those he has set apart for himself.”
It’s the essential third mark of a healthy, biblical church.
If your church doesn’t preach it, find another church.

The first three marks were about preaching. The last two marks are about leadership.

Acts 20:28-30 (NLT) 28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders. 29 I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. 30 Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.

The fourth mark is healthy church leadership that is committed to doing their job: shepherding the flock and protecting it from false teachers. Acts 20:28-30
Legalism on one side: 1 Timothy 4:1-3 (NLT) 1 Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. 2 These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. 3 They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods.
Liberalism on the other: 2 Timothy 3:1-2 (NLT) 1 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.
Health church leadership protects the flock from both extremes.

The final mark of a healthy church has to do with how leaders handle money:

Acts 20:33-34 (NLT) 33 “I have never coveted anyone’s silver or gold or fine clothes. 34 You know that these hands of mine have worked to supply my own needs and even the needs of those who were with me.”

The fifth mark is church leadership that stewards finances well.
This doesn’t mean you can’t pay your pastors.
1 Timothy 5:17-18 (NLT) 17 Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!”
It does mean that your pastors shouldn’t be in it for the money.
1 Timothy 6:9-11 (NLT) 9 But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 11 But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
This is a warning to all Christians!

Q. How do I know if a church is healthy?

Look for these five marks:
preaching that is committed to speaking the truth, even when it’s unpopular.
preaching that invites a response to the gospel: repentance and faith.
preaching that acknowledges the power behind the gospel: grace.
leadership that is committed to shepherding the flock and protecting it from false teachers.
leadership that stewards finances well.

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In this episode, Tracy debunks three common myths about listening and shares four practical keys to becoming a better listener.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

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True listening is an active process that involves understanding and empathizing with the speaker, not just hearing the words. It’s about fully engaging with the speaker’s emotions and perspective, which is essential for stronger relationships and better communication.

Research shows that women typically engage both hemispheres of the brain when listening, which allows them to pick up on emotional cues, while men tend to use one hemisphere, focusing more on the content. Recognizing these differences can improve communication and understanding between genders.

Listening isn’t passive or automatic. It’s an active skill that requires practice and attention. Myths like “good listeners are born” or “listening always requires solutions” can hinder effective communication. Listening to understand and validate feelings is often more important than offering advice or fixing problems.

Active listening means giving your full attention, free from distractions, and showing engagement through nonverbal cues like eye contact and nodding. Reflecting on what’s been said helps ensure understanding, and responding thoughtfully with empathy shows respect for the speaker’s perspective.

Facts about listening:

Listening retention: People typically only remember about 50% of what they hear immediately after a conversation, and less than 25% after 48 hours
One study finds that 45% of a person’s time awake is engaged in some kind of listening, which amounts to around 7.58 hours per day for US citizens.
Each person hears between 20,000 – 30,000 words each day, which on average amounts to around 0.3 – 0.5 words per second during time awake.
This totals 20 – 30 words per minute or 1,200 – 1,800 words per hour.
In contrast, the average person speaks 16,000 words a day, between 4,000 – 14,000 words less than we hear.
Listening to 30 minutes or more of nagging/complaining can negatively affect the brain’s problem-solving skills.
Research has shown that women engage both hemispheres of their brain when listening, whereas men typically rely on just one.

The Art of Listening: A Key to Stronger Relationships

In today's fast-paced world, where we're constantly bombarded with information and distractions, one thing is often overlooked: listening. Genuine listening is more than just hearing words; it's an active process that involves truly understanding, validating, and empathizing with someone else’s perspective. Whether you're talking to your partner, a friend, or a colleague, good listening can strengthen relationships, resolve conflicts, and foster deeper emotional connections.

The Facts About Listening

How much time do we actually spend listening?

Studies show that people typically spend around 45% of their waking hours listening. That’s approximately 7.58 hours each day for a person in the U.S.! And when we break it down, each of us hears anywhere between 20,000 to 30,000 words daily. That’s about 1,200 to 1,800 words per hour, or a little over 20 words every minute. In comparison, the average person speaks only about 16,000 words a day—between 4,000 and 14,000 words less than we hear.

But here’s what’s even crazier, despite the sheer volume of words we hear, retention rates are surprisingly low. People remember only about 50% of what they hear immediately after a conversation, and within 48 hours, this drops to less than 25%. This suggests that while we may be engaged in listening for hours every day, we’re not always absorbing or retaining much of what we hear. So, it’s worth our time to learn what it looks like to be a good listener.

The Difference Between Hearing and ListeningProverbs 18:2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.

Listening is not the same as hearing. Hearing is a passive, physiological process—it's just the act of sound waves hitting our eardrums. Listening, however, is an active and intentional process that requires us to interpret, reflect, and respond. For example, a person might hear a partner’s complaint about a missed event, but true listening means engaging with their emotions and perspective. It’s not just about hearing words, but about understanding the meaning behind them.

In fact, research suggests that women tend to engage both hemispheres of their brains when listening, whereas men typically rely on just one hemisphere. (The left hemisphere of the brain is generally responsible for language processing, logic, analytical thinking, and mathematical abilities, while the right hemisphere is associated with creativity, spatial awareness, intuition, emotions, and artistic skills) This could explain why women may be more attuned to the emotional nuances of a conversation, while men might focus more on the content. Understanding these differences can help foster better communication in relationships by acknowledging the unique ways each person processes information.

Common myths

Myth #1- Every conversation needs to end with concrete solutions.

Nichols points out that when a partner shares something with us, they’re not always looking for advice or solutions. More often than not, they simply want to feel heard. For instance, if your partner is upset about missing an important event, rather than immediately offering solutions, try acknowledging their feelings first. You could say something like, "I understand why you're upset. It sounds like this was really important to you." This simple act of validation lets your partner know that their feelings are recognized, which can help defuse tension and foster emotional connection.

Myth #2- Listening is a passive activity

Many people believe that listening is passive—that simply staying quiet while someone talks is enough. Or, choosing to listen means you agree with or are conceding fault. In reality, real listening is anything but passive—it’s a dynamic process that involves empathy and understanding. Active listening involves fully engaging with the speaker, reflecting on their words, and responding thoughtfully.It’s doing what we expect from others-listening to understand.

Myth #3- Good listeners are born that way

Listening is a skill—one that can be developed and improved over time. Like any skill, it requires practice and intentionality. By making the decision to engage with your partner or loved one in a more empathetic, attentive way, you can become a better listener.

The Art of Real Listening: What Does it Look Like?In his book The Art of Listening, Michael Nichols emphasizes that real listening is about actively validating and appreciating your partner’s feelings and perspectives. The temptation is strong to put our own perspective out there, forgetting that the other person in the conversation has thoughts to share as well.

Practical Listening Skills

Listen to understand

Listening starts with a decision to be fully present. This means putting away distractions, such as your phone or computer, and giving your full attention to the person speaking. Avoid interrupting or immediately jumping into problem-solving mode. Instead, let the speaker express themselves fully before you respond.

Provide Appropriate Nonverbal Communication

Listening isn’t just about words—it’s also about how we communicate nonverbally. Nodding, maintaining eye contact, and showing other signs of engagement can help convey that you’re fully focused and invested in the conversation. These cues not only encourage the speaker to continue but also help strengthen the connection between you and the speaker.

Clarify and Reflect

One effective technique for improving listening is to reflect on what you’ve heard by repeating or paraphrasing it back to the speaker. This ensures that you’ve accurately understood their point of view and helps clarify any potential misunderstandings. For example, you might say, "So, what you're saying is that you felt overlooked when I didn't make it to the event, right?"

Provide Your Input Thoughtfully

Once you've truly understood the other person’s perspective, share your thoughts—but do so with empathy and understanding. Your input should show that you’ve considered their feelings and that you're approaching the conversation from a place of respect.

In case you think this is just a psycho babble, the Bible has some important principles to apply to the topic of listening.

James 1:19 “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry”

Hebrews 12:14 “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

Ultimately, real listening is about making a conscious choice to prioritize your partner’s feelings and experiences. It’s about being present, patient, and open-minded. By practicing active listening, you’ll not only become a better communicator but also foster a deeper, more supportive relationship with the people around you.

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Welcome back to the pod! Today we’re covering Acts 19, so open your Bibles. Here’s the question we’ll answer: What Is the Right Response to Sin?

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Q. What Is the Right Response to Sin?

We all sin; it’s our response to sin that matters most
See 10 Sinful Responses to Sin
Minimizing Sin: “It’s no big deal.”
Rationalizing Sin: “He deserved it.”
Blame-Shifting: “She made me.”
Codifying Sin: “It’s a condition, not a sin.”
Worldly Grief: “Sorry I got caught.”
Today in our text (Acts 19) we’re going to see two groups of people
Who were confronted with their sin problem and had a choice to make
One group is an example of what to do
The other group, what NOT to do
The context for the chapter is one particular sin: sorcery
But the lessons apply to everyone, everywhere

The Set UpActs 19:11-12 (NLT) 11 God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. 12 When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.

We’re in Ephesus, a renowned center of occult practices in the ancient Greco-Roman world.
To the secular world, miracles look like magic
We saw this with Peter and his shadow (Acts 5), Philip and Simon Magus (Acts 8)
The point: Jesus>magic (understatement)

Acts 19 (NLT) 13 A group of Jews was traveling from town to town casting out evil spirits. They tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus in their incantation, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches, to come out!”

Note: they weren’t followers of Jesus, but they were using his name as an incantation.
Reminiscent of the "Ephesian Letters" (Greek: Ἐφέσια γράμματα, Ephesia grammata) – a set of words or symbols believed in antiquity to possess magical power. These were often inscribed on amulets, statues, or other objects.
The exact content of the Ephesian Letters is debated, but ancient sources suggest they were a group of six mystical words: Askion, Kataskion, Lix, Tetrax, Damnameneus, Aisia
These words were considered meaningless in everyday language but were thought to hold esoteric significance, potentially tied to ancient rituals or the invocation of supernatural powers. Some scholars believe they were connected to the worship of Artemis of Ephesus, the city's patron goddess.
These Jewish exorcists were using Jesus’ name like it was one of these six mystical words.

Acts 19:14-16 (NLT) 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a leading priest, were doing this. 15 But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” 16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.

The Sons of Sceva attempted to invoke the name of Jesus without genuine faith in Jesus, treating it as a magical formula for their own gain. They did not believe in Jesus or recognize His authority as Lord; instead, they saw His name as a tool to enhance their reputation as exorcists.
Essentially "taking the Lord's name in vain" (from the Third Commandment, Exodus 20:7)
Acts 19:17 (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The ignominious defeat of the Jewish exorcists by the demon showed the Ephesians that 'Jesus' is a power that cannot be controlled: 'he will not act as a lackey for anyone who calls on his name.'

So that’s the backdrop for our two groups today. Magic vs. Miracles in Ephesus. Let’s meet our first group.

The First GroupActs 19:17-19 (NLT) 17b A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. 18 Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. 19 A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars. 20 So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.

Acts 19:18 (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Apparently they were moved by the exposure and overcoming of the exorcists to realize that their own previous involvement with the magic arts now needed to be acknowledged. Perhaps they had kept scrolls in which spells were written as an insurance policy, in case their new-found faith proved to be inadequate in some situation! Burning the scrolls was a way of repudiating what they contained and represented a greater trust in God to deliver them from trouble and supply their needs.

Let’s summarize this group’s response to sin:

They feared the Lord.
We talked about this back in Acts 4: The fear of the Lord is a reverent awe of God.
(acknowledged power and sovereignty)
They confessed and disclosed their sin.
I know the NLT say “confessed”, but the original Gk expands on it:
exomologoumenoi kai anangellontes, 'confessing and disclosing'
Confessed = to say the same thing (as God)
Disclosed = exposed it to the light, truth. They didn’t…
Minimize it: “It’s no big deal.”
Rationalize it: “He deserved it.”
Codify it: “It’s a condition, not a sin.”
Blame-Shift: “She made me.”
They disclosed it. Admitted it. Put it out there.
They destroyed their old ways.
Militant! This is war!
Burned the incantation books in a bonfire
These might have been the mysterious and magical “Ephesian Letters”.
Wasn’t just Worldly Grief: “Sorry I got caught.”
They did something about it.
I have decided to follow Jesus… No turning back, no turning back.

The result:

Acts 19:20 So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.

The word of the Lord grew
Mightily
And it prevailed. It overcame. It tore down strongholds. It grew. It spread.

The Second GroupThe second group we meet begins in verse 24.

Acts 19:23-27 (NLT) 23 About that time, serious trouble developed in Ephesus concerning the Way. 24 It began with Demetrius, a silversmith who had a large business manufacturing silver shrines of the Greek goddess Artemis. He kept many craftsmen busy. 25 He called them together, along with others employed in similar trades, and addressed them as follows: “Gentlemen, you know that our wealth comes from this business. 26 But as you have seen and heard, this man Paul has persuaded many people that handmade gods aren’t really gods at all. And he’s done this not only here in Ephesus but throughout the entire province! 27 Of course, I’m not just talking about the loss of public respect for our business. I’m also concerned that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will lose its influence and that Artemis—this magnificent goddess worshiped throughout the province of Asia and all around the world—will be robbed of her great prestige!”

Notice their response:

Instead of fearing God, they feared losing money.
Instead of confessing their sin, they pointed fingers.
Paul’s the problem, not us
Paul persuaded and turned away…….
Instead of disclosing their sin, they defended it.
Vs 27 Temple of the great goddess, Artemis will be regarded as worthless and be dethroned if we don’t do something
Instead of destroying their old way, they worshiped it even more.
Acts 19:28 (NLT) 28 At this their anger boiled, and they began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Took action to maintain idols rather than destroy them.

The result:

Acts 19:32 (NLT) 32 Inside, the people were all shouting, some one thing and some another. Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there.

In Gk: “The assembly was in confusion”
Assembly = ekklēsia
Same word as church elsewhere in Acts!
When you respond to sin with more sin…
you join a different group, a different “church”: the world
They have their own beliefs, values etc
They go against God’s word, and anything goes
The result: confusion

CloseQ. What Is Your Response to Sin?

Like the second group:
Pointing fingers
Defending your sin
Ending up confused and in the world
Or like the first group:
Fearing God
Confessing and disclosing your sin
Destroying your old way
Experiencing the “powerful effect” of the message of Jesus

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Today we’re finally continuing with our Acts series! We spent December on a Christmas series, and January on politics. We left off on the “speed round”, covering one chapter at a time, and today we pick up again at Acts chapter 18. Grab your Bibles and buckle up…

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Q. When Should You “Shake the Dust” and Move On?

We’re going to see this in action in the text today, but first we need to back up and see where it comes from in the Christian ethos
Jesus' teaching to His disciples when He sent them out to preach:
Luke 9:5 (NLT) 5 “And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”
This symbolic gesture was meant to demonstrate that the messengers had fulfilled their duty and were no longer responsible for the people's rejection.
It was a sign of divine judgment, indicating that those who refused to listen were accountable for their own spiritual condition.
Ouch. This seems harsh! But maybe you’ve been there:
A family member who has rejected Jesus
A co-worker you’ve tried to share with
Someone with a stubborn, rebellious heart on hot topics
Abortion
Gender, sexuality
Today we’re going to answer two questions:
When should you move on?
When should you stick around and invest?

The TentmakersActs 18:1-3 (NLT) 1 Then Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2 There he became acquainted with a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently arrived from Italy with his wife, Priscilla. They had left Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome. 3 Paul lived and worked with them, for they were tentmakers just as he was.

Acts 2 mentions there were Jews from Pontus on the day of Pentecost who were converted. Perhaps Aquila was one of them.
Aquila was a tentmaker by profession. Probably had a lot of experience living in his product in his travels. Add them all up, he traveled over 4,500 miles. That’s crazy in that day.
Romans 16:3-5 (NLT) 3 Give my greetings to Priscilla and Aquila, my co-workers in the ministry of Christ Jesus. 4 In fact, they once risked their lives for me. I am thankful to them, and so are all the Gentile churches. 5 Also give my greetings to the church that meets in their home.
What did he do in all those travels?
Worked a regular job (he was a tentmaker)
Shared gospel
The Point: it was normative to make disciples in the early church
Not just for the “professionals” like Paul (who btw wasn’t a professional!?)
And not just MEN, either! Priscilla is mentioned first 4 out of 6 times
women made disciples too!

So everyone needs to pay attention to this next part.

Since we’re all supposed to be “sent out”, we all need to know when to move on

Shake the DustActs 18:4-6 (NLT) 4 Each Sabbath found Paul at the synagogue, trying to convince the Jews and Greeks alike. 5 And after Silas and Timothy came down from Macedonia, Paul spent all his time preaching the word. He testified to the Jews that Jesus was the Messiah. 6 But when they opposed and insulted him, Paul shook the dust from his clothes and said, “Your blood is upon your own heads—I am innocent. From now on I will go preach to the Gentiles.”

This clearly comes from Jesus’ teachings, as we said at the top
But here’s the crazy thing: it has Jewish roots
Jews would shake the dust off their feet when leaving Gentile territories before entering the Holy Land to avoid bringing "unclean" contamination back with them. It symbolized a separation from those perceived as outside the covenant of God.
But Jesus took this Jewish idea and flipped it on its head!
His disciples were sharing the Good News with Jews
So he was telling them: if the Jews rejected his message…
treat them like Gentiles!?
Put this in the context of what we’re learning in Acts
A new community of God is being formed
Jews + Gentiles – unthinkable!
Even more unthinkable: More Gentile than Jewish!
Not because God is against Jews, but because Jews are rejecting God
So Paul takes a Jewish thing: shake dust from Gentile territories
And flips it on it head: shake dust from Jewish territories… and go to Gentiles!
It answers our question: When Should You “Shake the Dust” and Move On?
When the person has a stubborn heart, unwilling to listen
God won’t force his truth on anyone, neither should we
This is so difficult when it’s someone we love
This is why Jesus always said, “he who has ears to hear, let him hear…”
Those are the people Jesus invested in. We see it in a guy named Apollos…

The Apollos FactorFinish the sermon by skipping to end of the chapter and looking at Apollos

This is an example of a guy who’s ready to be invested in
It’s because of a quality he has that we’re just going to call “The Apollos Factor”
See if you can spot it

Acts 18:24-26 (NLT) 24 Meanwhile, a Jew named Apollos, an eloquent speaker who knew the Scriptures well, had arrived in Ephesus from Alexandria in Egypt. 25 He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit and with accuracy. However, he knew only about John’s baptism. 26 When Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching boldly in the synagogue, they took him aside and explained the way of God even more accurately.

Had incredible gifting
eloquent speaker
knew the Scriptures well
taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit and with accuracy
Who wouldn’t want those giftings!? Some call it the “IT” factor.
But it’s not the Apollos factor that made him worthy of investment
The Apollos Factor: he had a teachable heart (ears to hear)
For all of his gifting, he missed something important
“he knew only about John’s baptism”
Not exactly sure what this means. Maybe didn’t understand that believer’s baptism is different.
P and A called out the deficiency, and he listened.
No shaking dust, no moving on, instead two things:
they took him aside (didn’t throw rotten tomatoes during his sermon)
explained the way of God even more accurately
The point: Apollo had the heart attitude to receive instruction
That makes a person worth investing in
What about YOU?

CloseWe need to finish with one more observation about shaking the dust and “moving on”

It symbolizes ownership and accountability
I took ownership and did my part, shared the truth
You are now accountable for rejecting it
It sounds so final, so harsh
Doesn’t sound like the Jesus I know

So check this out…

Acts 18:19-21 (NLT) 19 They stopped first at the port of Ephesus, where Paul left the others behind. While he was there, he went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews. 20 They asked him to stay longer, but he declined. 21 As he left, however, he said, “I will come back later, God willing.”

This is the guy who shook the dust from his clothes and said, “From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” (v6)
13 verses later he’s back in the synagogue, sharing with Jews again.
This reflects the heart of God for people. He wants everyone to hear. He keeps giving people chances.
Truth is, we never fully “move on,” even with…
A family member who has rejected Jesus
A co-worker you’ve tried to share with
Someone with a stubborn, rebellious heart on hot topics
God can always change a heart
That’s why we don’t burn bridges, even after we’ve said all that we can.

Paul said it later like this:

2 Corinthians 5:20 (NLT) 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

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In this episode, Bryan, Bo and KD talk about the Mother in Heaven LDS Gospel Topic.

Find the article here.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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The "Mother in Heaven" doctrine in Mormon theology, which teaches the existence of a divine mother alongside God the Father, has been a subject of discussion and controversy within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). While the LDS Church officially affirms this doctrine, it remains somewhat vague and underdeveloped in official teachings. Several key arguments against or critiques of the "Mother in Heaven" doctrine are as follows:

Lack of Scriptural SupportCritics argue that the concept of a "Mother in Heaven" is not explicitly taught in the Bible or the Book of Mormon. There are no direct references to a divine mother figure in these scriptures. While some Latter-day Saints cite passages that imply a heavenly mother (such as references to the "Heavenly Father" and his "children"), these passages are not specific to a maternal deity. Critics contend that the doctrine is an extrapolation based on theological assumptions rather than scriptural foundation.
Ambiguity in DoctrineThe doctrine of a Mother in Heaven has not been systematically developed or defined in LDS teachings. Official statements by church leaders are rare and often vague, leading to concerns about its theological and doctrinal clarity. Some critics argue that the lack of detailed teaching about her nature, role, and relationship to God the Father makes it difficult for members to fully understand or engage with the doctrine.

There is a practical concern about the limited role that the Mother in Heaven plays in LDS worship and rituals. Critics argue that while her existence may be acknowledged, she is not directly involved in the faith practices of members, such as prayer or temple rituals. This leads to questions about her relevance within the broader framework of Mormon worship and theology, raising concerns that her role might be more symbolic than substantive.

Historical Silence and InconsistencyHistorically, early LDS leaders (including Joseph Smith) did not explicitly teach about a Mother in Heaven, and the concept was rarely mentioned for many years. The doctrine became more prominent in the 20th century but remains less central than other aspects of LDS theology. Critics argue that this historical silence and inconsistency undermine the claim that the concept is an essential or deeply rooted part of Mormon belief.
Theological Concerns about Gender RolesSome critics view the doctrine as reinforcing traditional gender roles by placing women in a subordinate position to God the Father. They argue that, by emphasizing the distinction between the Father and the Mother in Heaven, the doctrine may inadvertently reinforce ideas of patriarchal hierarchy. Others contend that it fails to offer a robust theological vision of women’s equality with men, especially given the traditional gender roles often ascribed to women in the LDS Church.
HeresyIn traditional Christian theology, God the Father is often portrayed as the singular, omnipotent deity, without the need for a divine consort. Some critics argue that introducing a Mother in Heaven diminishes the monotheistic view of God, potentially complicating the relationship between God and humanity. This can be seen as problematic from a Christian theological standpoint, where God is typically understood as a single, indivisible entity.

Given the lack of clear, authoritative teachings about the Mother in Heaven, some argue that it can lead to speculative ideas and even heretical notions. For example, there have been occasional theological and social debates about the role of heavenly mother, which could distract from core doctrines of salvation, Jesus Christ’s role, and the focus on God the Father in worship.

ConclusionWhile the doctrine of a Mother in Heaven is acknowledged in some Mormon circles, critics highlight issues related to its lack of scriptural foundation, doctrinal ambiguity, historical inconsistency, gender implications, and theological coherence. Many believe that it is more of a speculative or peripheral teaching rather than a central tenet of the LDS faith.

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We’re tackling a subject today that our grandparents never really dealt with, our parents most likely didn’t deal with it, but it seems to be in our face and in the faces of our children on a daily basis - and that is the issue of gender. What Does the Bible Say about Gender?

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Are there two genders? Is gender just a social construct? Can I change my gender if I feel like I’m not really the gender that I was born as? These are questions that no one was even asking just a few decades ago.

We look to God and his Word in all that we do. So what does God’s Word have to say about gender? 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. - His Word is useful. It teaches us what is true. There is truth when it comes to gender. It corrects us when we’re wrong, and there are a lot of wrong ideas on this issue of gender.

In the beginning, God created them male and female. This was before the fall and God said it was very good. The differences between male and female should be celebrated, not diminished.

Genesis 1:27-28 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

In the beginning, God created them male and female. This was before the fall and God said it was very good. The differences between male and female should be celebrated, not diminished.
God’s design, his perfect design, was two genders; male and female. This was his original, perfect plan. Both are created in the image of God. Both have immeasurable worth and value. They are of equal worth and dignity, but they are not the same. They complement one another. Eve is described as Adam’s help mate. The differences between male and female are good. They are for our benefit. They should be celebrated, not diminished.
God’s command to be fruitful and multiply could only be carried out because of the two distinct genders and their roles in procreation.

Genesis 1:31 Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!

When God looked over the creation earlier in the creation story, it was good at the end of each day. It wasn’t until God created humankind that it was very good! The differences between male and female are part of what made it very good!
I’m so thankful women aren’t exactly like men. I can guarantee you my kids are thankful. Their mom brings strengths to our family as a result of her femininity that I don’t have. And my wife is kind of a tomboy. That’s probably a politically incorrect term nowadays. She rides motorcycles. She’d rather wear pants than a dress. She likes shooting guns. But she still brings a nurturing, a compassion, and an empathy that I lack. I know some of that is more personality related than gender, but not all of it. Studies show that, on average, women are more nurturing than men. Women are more compassionate than men. They typically have more empathy.
Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities (1991 Diana Halpern PhD) In her preface to the first edition, Halpern wrote: “At the time, it seemed clear to me that any between-sex differences in thinking abilities were due to socialization practices, artifacts and mistakes in the research, and bias and prejudice. … After reviewing a pile of journal articles that stood several feet high and numerous books and book chapters that dwarfed the stack of journal articles … I changed my mind.”
The neuroscience literature shows that the human brain is a sex-typed organ with distinct anatomical differences in neural structures and accompanying physiological differences in function, says UC-Irvine professor of neurobiology and behavior Larry Cahill, PhD.

Genesis 6:17-21 Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. 18 But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 19 Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. 20 Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive.

The flood was sort of the great reset and once again, we see the importance of male and female - Noah and his sons and their wives, male and female from each kind of animal.
The reality is if you put 50 biological men or 50 biological women on an island, regardless of what they identify as, that whole population will die out in one generation. There is no way to create offspring without the two, distinct genders being present.

Psalm 139:13-16 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.15You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book.Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

Our gender is determined at conception. The sex of a baby is determined by its chromosome make-up at conception. An embryo with two X chromosomes will become a girl, while an embryo with an X-Y combination results in a boy. God has a plan and purpose for our life before we take our first breath.
This is one of the most powerful passages in scripture to me. God has made me wonderfully complex. His workmanship is marvelous. If you’re struggling with gender identity, you need to know that God has created you wonderfully complex. He saw you before you were born. He has a purpose and a plan for your life.
When we trust our feelings over what God has declared to be true, we are essentially declaring that we know better than the perfect, holy God who created us. Any attempt to alter how God created you is rebelling against his plan and usurping his authority. It is saying, “I know better than God does. He got it wrong!” That has to be one of the most arrogant, prideful stances we can take. Think of what that would look like if we did that in other areas of our life. God, I know you said don’t steal, but I’m pretty sure I feel like I deserve this thing and I can’t afford to buy it. God I know you said marriage was a lifelong commitment, but I don’t feel like my spouse loves me and I know you want me to be happy so I’m going to bail on my marriage.

Jeremiah 17:9 The human heart is the most deceitful of all things and desperately wicked, who really knows how bad it is?

We live in a culture that says, “Follow your heart. Do what makes you happy.” The Bible says our heart is the last thing we should be following. It is desperately wicked. It leads us astray all of the time. Your heart says you don’t feel warm and fuzzy for your spouse any more so it’s time to move on. Your heart wants to sleep with your boyfriend or girlfriend before you’re married. Your heart wants instant gratification. We have to trust in the truth of God’s Word over our own thoughts, feelings, and opinions - very definition of sin.

God not only has plans and purposes for us individually, he has distinctive roles for men and women in the church and in the home. We see different roles listed in both the OT and NT. Priests were men only. If a person would have identified as a male, would they have been qualified to be a priest? In the NT, there are different instructions to men and women.

Deuteronomy 22:5 A woman must not put on men’s clothing, and a man must not wear women’s clothing. Anyone who does this is detestable in the sight of the LORD your God.

This prohibition of altering gender is not limited to surgery or hormone blockers. Men are not to dress as women, women are not to dress as men. That doesn’t mean women can’t wear pants - It’s common in our culture for women to wear pants. Pants aren’t considered “men’s clothing” in our culture. Wouldn’t forbid a man to wear a kilt in a culture where men commonly wear kilts. It’s not women’s clothing in that culture.

Why does it matter?

Love rejoices in the truth. Truth matters, and this is a topic that calls us to speak truth. We need to speak it gracefully and with compassion, but we also need to speak it unashamedly. God calls us to protect the weak and vulnerable.

1 Corinthians 13:6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.

This comes from the famous “love” passage you’ve probably heard recited at a wedding ceremony. The “it” in verse 6 is love. Love rejoices in the truth. When we truly love someone, we want them to know truth. We want to speak truth.

James 1:27 Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.

Proverbs 31:8-9 (NLT) 8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. 9 Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

Why is this so important? In that culture, orphans and widows were the most vulnerable. We have a calling to protect the weak and vulnerable. Our children are being attacked by an agenda that is trying to destroy Biblical teaching. I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say this is an organized attack straight from the pit of hell. Our battles aren’t against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces, principalities, and evils of this dark world.
What’s the harm? First, the harm is it’s rebellion against God. That never ends well. There are always consequences for sin. The Bible tells us the wages of sin are death. There is also physical harm. Children who are making decisions about their bodies that are often irreversible at an age when they can’t legally drive, they can’t vote, they can’t smoke or drink alcohol and yet we’re allowing them to make these decisions.
Don’t be apathetic. Don’t be slothful. Engage with your children on this issue. They’re hearing about it non-stop from culture, social media, their peers. Speak truth into their lives. Resources at pursueGod to help you.

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In this episode, Jordan and Becca share their story of leaving the Church of Christ -- a high control religion similar to Mormonism. Wherever you're at in your faith, this is a powerful and encouraging episode you won't want to miss!

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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Every human life, from conception to natural death, is inherently valuable and deserving of protection. Life begins at conception, as this marks the start of a unique human organism with its own DNA, potential, and future.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

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We’re in part 3 of our Kingdom Politics series.
Today we’ll answer the question: Q. What Does the Bible Say about Abortion?
This is an emotionally charged topic
Maybe some of you want to swipe up, put up walls, run away
Because you have personal hurts around this topic
Or because you just want to stick your head in the sand
I encourage you to resist that temptation
There’s something here for everyone
I’ll try to speak the truth in love…
Such an important topic that I’ve written this episode twice
I want to make sure I get it right, which means I need to make sure I understand the opposing view
Why are so many people in favor of this? Even some Christians?
Let’s start with…

The Pro-Choice ArgumentSee the argument for and against pro-life | Lex Fridman Podcast

Pro-Choice Argument #1: Bodily Autonomy - A fundamental principle of human rights is that individuals have the right to control their own bodies. Pregnancy profoundly affects a person's body, health, and life, and no one should be compelled to undergo it against their will.
Pro-Choice Argument #2: Gender Equality - Denying access to abortion disproportionately affects women and those who can become pregnant, limiting their ability to participate equally in society by controlling their reproductive choices and futures.
Pregnancy changes women in a way that it cannot change men, so it’s a form of sex discrimination to make women go through with an unwanted pregnancy.
From an article by a Christian Latina Mom: “Yes, the anti abortion movement has its lens focused solely on birth, but I think they've lost Jesus in the process. How are we protecting all God's creatures beyond gestation? What is being done to help people out of poverty? When will we get mandated paid parental leave? When will we stop aiding wars that lead to the death of many innocent people? When will our maternal health system be fixed so women, especially Black women, don't have to worry about whether or not they are going to survive childbirth in this country? This fight is not about "protecting life" it is about control — controlling women, to be exact. And that's a fight I cannot get behind. I think God understands that and loves me just the same.”
History lesson: In the United States, eugenic sterilization laws were passed in many states (popularized in 1920’s), disproportionately targeting Black women, Indigenous women, and immigrants. These sterilizations were often carried out without informed consent.
1907: Indiana passes the first eugenic sterilization law in the United States, targeting those deemed "unfit" to reproduce (e.g., individuals with disabilities or mental illness).
1919: Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, writes about controlling the reproduction of people she considered "unfit," which included those with mental or physical disabilities, as well as impoverished groups, immigrants, and minorities. Here’s the title of the article: "Birth Control and Racial Betterment"
1925: Hitler’s ideas about racial purity, Aryan superiority, and the need to eliminate "undesirable" traits outlined in his book Mein Kampf.
1927: The Supreme Court upholds forced sterilization laws in Buck v. Bell. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes famously writes, "Three generations of imbeciles are enough."
1933: Hitler implements eugenic policies on a national scale, starting with the Law for the Prevention of Hereditarily Diseased Offspring. This law legalized forced sterilization for individuals with conditions such as mental illness, epilepsy, and physical disabilities.
1973: Roe v. Wade legalizes abortion in the U.S., with abortion services often concentrated in low-income and minority communities, raising concerns about systemic targeting.
Pro-Choice Argument #3: Personhood - Many argue that personhood and the associated rights develop gradually and that early-stage embryos do not yet possess the qualities (e.g., consciousness or viability) that confer full moral status.
SLED acronym: Pro-choice advocates often argue that personhood is not established until certain criteria are met:
Size: Some argue that the unborn’s small size makes them less of a person. The idea is that a tiny embryo cannot hold the same moral status as a fully grown human.
Level of Development: Pro-choice proponents frequently claim that personhood is tied to cognitive development. Since the unborn cannot think, feel pain, or exhibit consciousness in the early stages of pregnancy, they argue that the fetus is not yet a person.
Environment: It is often asserted that life inside the womb is fundamentally different from life outside it. Until a baby is born and separates from the mother, some argue, it cannot be considered fully human.
Degree of Dependency: Pro-choice advocates may contend that the unborn’s complete reliance on the mother for survival makes them less than a person. They might equate this dependency with a lack of individual autonomy, which they see as essential for personhood.

The Pro-Life ArgumentPro-Life Argument #1: Intrinsic Value of Human Life - This is the crux of the pro-life argument. Every human life, from conception to natural death, is inherently valuable and deserving of protection. Life begins at conception, as this marks the start of a unique human organism with its own DNA, potential, and future. (Winger - It’s a living, whole human)

Genesis 1:27 Genesis 1:27 (NLT) 27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Pillar 2 of God and Govt from week 1 of this series: God, Not the Government, Gives Rights to Every Human Being.
That’s why this whole argument hinges on whether babies in the womb are human!
They’re not “potential human beings”, but “human beings with potential”
Not once in the history of humanity, did a pregnant mother give birth to a monkey or a fish or a tree. Every single time a human being came out!

Exodus 21:22-25 (NLT) 22 “Now suppose two men are fighting, and in the process they accidentally strike a pregnant woman so she gives birth prematurely. If no further injury results, the man who struck the woman must pay the amount of compensation the woman’s husband demands and the judges approve. 23 But if there is further injury, the punishment must match the injury: a life for a life, 24 an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth….”

Exodus 21 (New Bible Commentary) In the case of murder the death penalty was invoked, not out of indifference for human life, but rather because each human life is of tremendous value (Gn. 9:6).
Exodus 21 (New Bible Commentary) The distinctiveness of the biblical laws is apparent when one compares them with other Ancient Near Eastern laws. In the earlier Laws of Hammurabi, a murderer was required to make only financial compensation to the victim’s family. This contrasts sharply with the biblical insistence of a life for a life. On the other hand, the non-biblical laws apply the death penalty to breaking and entering, looting at a fire, and theft. These examples reveal that in other cultures financial loss was sometimes treated more seriously than loss of life. The biblical laws consistently emphasize that human life is of greater value than material possessions.

Psalms 139:13-16 (NLT) 13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. 15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. 16 You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

Friends, if you’ve bought into the pro-choice narrative, you’ve been gaslit
“My body, my choice” is a lie
That baby in the womb has its own body with its own DNA
To elevate a woman’s right to choose above the level of a baby’s right to live is simply not biblical or logical.
This next verse shows us something more…

Luke 1:41 (NLT) 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Pro-Life Argument #2: Moral Responsibility to the Vulnerable The unborn baby, as the most vulnerable and defenseless member of the human family, deserves special protection. Society has an ethical obligation to advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Proverbs 31:8-9 (NLT) 8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. 9 Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

Some of you have stayed silent on this issue because it’s unpopular
Some are silenced because of your empathy for women
Hear this, please: in the vast majority of cases, women are not the vulnerable ones here
The unborn are the helpless ones. They are “those being crushed”.
The bible commands us to speak up for them.

Pro-Life Argument #3: Pro-Life, Not Just Pro-Birth – advocating for comprehensive support for the pregnant mother and the child after it’s born

Pro-Moms: advocating for the health and support of moms who bear the burden of pregnancy
Women matter to God just as much as babies in the womb.
Pro-Family: advocating for mom and a dad in the home
Pro-Dads: advocating for a return to biblical masculinity
A culture that devalues life often stems from broken views of manhood. Men must reject the cultural narratives of irresponsibility and self-indulgence.
One of the greatest tragedies in the abortion debate is the silence of men. While women bear the physical burden of pregnancy, men often bear moral and relational responsibility. Research consistently shows that a significant percentage of women who have abortions feel unsupported or pressured by the men in their lives. When men fail to step up, women are left to make heart-wrenching decisions alone.
The abortion issue is not just a women’s issue; it is a human issue and, more importantly, a gospel issue. Men need to take the lead, but every follower of Jesus has a part to play.
Moses’ final words to the Israelites on their way in to the Promised Land:
Deuteronomy 30:19 (NLT) “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!”

The Takeaway:Last week we learned that we are citizens of heaven first, and that should impact our participation in this great country (where we are foreigners and exiles). We’re not meant to stand back and let America wander away from the biblical principles it was founded on. Here’s the takeaway for this issue, three practical steps that I hope you’ll pray about so you can honor God in this area:

Adopt: Some of you will be led to take this life-long leap of faith. This is one of the most practical ways to be a light on this dark issue.
Support: Partner with organizations that provide emotional, financial, and practical support to pregnant women.
Disciple: Walk with someone who’s struggling to understand a biblical worldview on this. Parents: disciple your kids on this topic, or the world will. Remember the first two types of governance we talked about last week: self-governance and family governance. If we lead in this, policies in civil government will follow.

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Some modern day religions claim to be Christians...but are they really? Go through this series with a small group or mentor, and let's take a closer look at some religions that may actually be cultish. This week: Seventh Day Adventists.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Part I: The HistoryOrigins in the Millerite Movement* William Miller (1782–1849): A Baptist preacher who studied Bible prophecy, particularly the books of Daniel and Revelation. Based on his calculations of Daniel 8:14, Miller predicted that Christ would return to earth around 1843–1844. * The Great Disappointment (October 22, 1844): When Jesus did not return on the predicted date, many of Miller’s followers abandoned the movement. However, a small group believed the date was correct but misunderstood the nature of the event (we will get into this more when we discuss some of the false doctrines they promote).

Formation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church* The Sabbath Movement: A group led by Joseph Bates and others began emphasizing the importance of observing Saturday (the biblical Sabbath) as a day of worship, based on the fourth commandment. * The Sanctuary Doctrine: After the Great Disappointment, followers like Hiram Edson taught that Jesus did not return to earth but instead entered the heavenly sanctuary to begin a new phase of His ministry (the “investigative judgment”). * Ellen G. White (1827–1915): Considered a prophetess by Adventists, she played a central role in shaping SDA beliefs and practices. Her visions and writings helped unify the movement and promote distinctive doctrines.

Official Organization* 1863: The Seventh-day Adventist Church was officially organized in Battle Creek, Michigan, with approximately 3,500 members. * Expansion: By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the SDA Church grew rapidly, emphasizing evangelism, education, and healthcare.

Today’s SDA Church* Global Reach: The SDA Church has grown into a worldwide denomination with over 21 million members. * Focus Areas: It emphasizes education, healthcare, and missionary work while holding to its unique doctrines.

Part II: The Similarities and DifferencesSimilarities:* The belief in the Trinity * The humanity and deity of Christ (but there is a little twist here) * Salvation by grace through faith (but we will discuss this) * Authority of Scripture (but we will discuss this as well) * The Second Coming of Christ * Resurrection of the Dead

While there are many similarities in the beliefs between SDA and orthodox Christianity, there are some disturbing differences that Christians need to be aware of when considering SDA’s.

Observance of the Sabbath* This is pretty deep. They firmly believe that the 4th commandment to observe the Sabbath is still enforced today and this part of the law was not “fulfilled” in Christ. * SUNDAY LAW: They associate Sunday worship with the Mark of the Beast. They largely derive this from an interpretation of Bible prophecy. They interpret the beast in Revelation 13 as a system of false religion or false worship, mainly the Roman Catholic church. * SDAs believe the Roman Catholic Church is the beast in Revelation, Sunday worship is the “mark of the beast,” and a future Sunday law will test whether people are loyal to God (by keeping the Sabbath) or to human authority (by observing Sunday). * Since the RCC was instrumental in establishing Sunday as the official day of worship as opposed to Saturday, those who partake of Sunday worship instead of Sabbath worship in the future will be guilty of taking the mark of the beast or pledging their allegiance to this false system of worship. * How do they view Sunday worshiping Christians? * SDAs believe that the "mark of the beast" will only apply in the future, when Sunday worship is enforced by law as a global religious mandate. Until then, they view Christians who worship on Sunday as sincere but misinformed about God’s Sabbath command. * Ignorance of the Truth: They teach that many Christians worship on Sunday out of tradition or lack of knowledge about the Sabbath. In such cases, God does not hold them accountable (Acts 17:30). * SDAs feel a duty to inform Sunday-keeping Christians about the biblical Sabbath. They see this as part of their mission to call people out of "Babylon" (Revelation 18:4), which they interpret as false religious systems, including Sunday worship. * They often present the Sabbath as a test of loyalty to God and obedience to His commandments. * What does Ellen G. White Say? * "The Sabbath is the golden clasp that unites God and His people." (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 6, p. 351) * “Christ is the sinner’s only hope. By His death, He brought salvation within the reach of all.” (The Desire of Ages, p. 131). * SDAs use quotes like this to argue that White did not teach salvation by works or Sabbath-keeping alone. * In Testimonies for the Church, she stated:“It means eternal salvation to keep the Sabbath holy unto the Lord.” * Statements like this can lead to a legalistic mindset where believers feel their salvation depends on rigid obedience to laws, which undermines the gospel of grace. * * What Does The Bible Say? * Scripture References: * Not mentioned as a command to observe in the entire new testament. Not only that but the opposite is mentioned. * Romans 14:5-6: “One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord.” * FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF REST * Colossians 2:16-17: “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.” * Galatians 4:9-10: “But now that you have come to know God... how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world... You observe days and months and seasons and years!”

The Investigative Judgment* What is it? * What Was the Great Disappointment? * In 1844, many Christians followed a preacher named William Miller, who said Jesus would return on October 22, 1844. * When Jesus didn’t return, it was called the Great Disappointment because people were devastated. * Trying to Understand What Happened * Some of Miller’s followers thought the date was right, but they misunderstood what was supposed to happen. * A man named Hiram Edson had a new idea. He said that instead of Jesus coming back to earth, He did something important in heaven. * A New Explanation * Edson said Jesus entered the Most Holy Place in heaven (based on Daniel 8:14) on October 22, 1844. * He based this on the Old Testament idea of the Day of Atonement, when priests would cleanse the temple of sins. * Ellen G. White: Her visions affirmed this interpretation, and it became foundational for SDA theology. * The Investigative Judgment * They believed Jesus started a new work in heaven, called the Investigative Judgment: * Jesus is now reviewing the lives of all believers to decide who will be saved. * This is like a heavenly courtroom where records are checked.

Outcome:

The faithful who remain obedient are confirmed as saved.
Those who turn away from God are judged unworthy and will not be resurrected to eternal life.
Criticisms of the Investigative Judgment

Lack of Clear Biblical Support:

Many argue that Daniel 8:14 refers to the restoration of the Jerusalem temple, not a heavenly judgment.
Hebrews 10:12 states that Christ’s sacrifice was "once for all," implying no additional phase of atonement is needed.

Salvation by Works?:

Critics say the doctrine emphasizes human effort and obedience, potentially undermining salvation by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Conflict with Assurance of Salvation:

Mainstream Christianity teaches that believers can have full assurance of salvation in Christ (Romans 8:1), while the Investigative Judgment may lead to uncertainty.

How This Differs from Mainstream Christianity

Completed Atonement: Christians believe Christ’s work on the cross was finished and fully sufficient for salvation (John 19:30, Hebrews 10:10-14).
Hebrews 10:14: "For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy."
Judgment After Second Coming: Mainstream Christians teach that judgment occurs after Christ’s return, not as an ongoing process since 1844.

Points for Discussion with SDAs

Christ’s Finished Work:
Ask: "If Jesus said 'It is finished' (John 19:30), why is another phase of atonement necessary?"
Assurance of Salvation:
Highlight verses like 1 John 5:13, which assure believers of eternal life.
Interpretation of Daniel 8:14:
Explore whether the prophecy could refer to the earthly temple and historical events, not a heavenly sanctuary.

The Role of Prophecy (Ellen G. White)* Who Was She? * Ellen G. White (1827–1915) was one of the founders of the SDA Church. She claimed to have received over 2,000 visions and dreams, which she shared through books, articles, and sermons. * Her writings, such as The Great Controversy and Steps to Christ, are considered inspired by God. * Her Role in SDA Theology: * While not officially considered equal to Scripture, her writings are referred to as the "lesser light" that leads to the "greater light" of the Bible. * She is seen as a fulfillment of Revelation 12:17 and Revelation 19:10, which SDAs interpret as God raising up a prophet for the end times. * Scope of Influence: * White’s writings address doctrinal issues (e.g., Sabbath-keeping, the investigative judgment) and practical matters (e.g., diet, education, health). * Many SDA doctrines are rooted in or affirmed by her writings. * The SDA Position on Prophecy * Seventh-day Adventists (SDA) view prophecy as an ongoing tool for divine guidance, with Ellen G. White regarded as a modern-day prophetess. While her writings are considered a "lesser light" pointing to the Bible, they are heavily relied upon to shape doctrine and practice. SDAs believe her visions and teachings fulfill biblical prophecies, such as those in Revelation 12:17 and 19:10, and serve as authoritative guidance for the end times. This elevated role often leads to her writings being treated as a lens through which Scripture is interpreted, raising concerns about undermining the sufficiency of the Bible. * The Orthodox Christian Position on Prophecy * Completed Revelation: * Christianity teaches that God’s revelation is complete through Jesus Christ and the Scriptures (Hebrews 1:1-2, 2 Timothy 3:16-17). * Scripture References: * Hebrews 1:1-2: “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.” * 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” * Revelation 22:18: “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.” * Prophecy in the New Testament primarily functioned to authenticate the early church and ceased with the apostolic era. * The Bible as the Final Authority: * Mainstream Christians affirm sola scriptura (Scripture alone) as the ultimate authority for faith and practice. * Additional revelations or prophecies are not required for guidance or doctrine. * How to Lovingly Engage SDAs on This Issue * Affirm Common Ground: * Acknowledge their desire to follow God and their respect for Scripture. * Example: “It’s clear you care deeply about knowing God’s will. Let’s explore what the Bible says about prophecy.” * Point to the Sufficiency of Scripture: * Use verses like 2 Timothy 3:16-17 to show that Scripture is sufficient for all aspects of faith and practice. * Ask: “If the Bible is complete and sufficient, why would we need additional revelations?” * Test Prophecies Biblically: * Highlight Deuteronomy 18:22 and 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, which teach that prophecies must be tested and verified. * Ask: “If even one prophecy is inaccurate, should we consider the person a true prophet?”

ConclusionEmphasize the Common Ground* Highlight shared beliefs with SDAs, such as: * Belief in Jesus as fully divine and the Savior. * The authority of Scripture. * The hope of Jesus’ Second Coming. * This helps foster understanding and a respectful tone while distinguishing key doctrinal differences.

Address the Key Differences* Recap major theological concerns, such as: * Sabbath and Salvation: Stress that salvation is by grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9), not tied to keeping the Sabbath or other works. * Investigative Judgment: Affirm that Jesus’ work on the cross was complete, and there’s no need for a separate judgment to determine salvation (Hebrews 10:14, John 19:30). * Prophecy and Ellen G. White: Remind viewers that Scripture is the final authority (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and any extra-biblical claims must be tested carefully.

Encourage a Biblical Response* Urge Christians to respond with truth and grace when engaging SDA members: * Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). * Ask thoughtful questions to challenge their assumptions without attacking their beliefs. * Focus on the gospel and the assurance of salvation in Christ.

Offer Hope and Assurance* Reinforce the sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice: * “For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:14). * Remind viewers of the joy and freedom found in Christ: * “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

End with a Call to Study the Bible* Encourage the audience to study Scripture deeply for themselves and to know God’s Word: * “Let’s commit to growing in our understanding of the Bible so we can stand firm in truth and share the gospel with those who are seeking.”

Soul Sleep and AnnihilationismSoul Sleep:

SDAs teach that when people die, their souls do not go to heaven or hell immediately. Instead, they enter an unconscious state referred to as "soul sleep," awaiting the resurrection at Christ’s return.
Death is likened to a deep, dreamless sleep where the person has no awareness of the passage of time (Ecclesiastes 9:5, John 11:11-14).
Refuting Soul Sleep
These verses suggest that the soul remains conscious after death:
Luke 16:19-31 (The Rich Man and Lazarus):
Jesus describes the rich man and Lazarus experiencing conscious realities immediately after death—one in torment and the other in comfort.
This story undermines the idea of unconsciousness after death.
Philippians 1:23-24:
Paul writes, "I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far."
This indicates that being "with Christ" happens immediately after death, not after an unconscious waiting period.
2 Corinthians 5:8:
"We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord."
Suggests a direct transition from physical death to being in the presence of the Lord.
Revelation 6:9-10:
Souls of martyrs under the altar cry out to God, asking how long until judgment.
Demonstrates that souls are conscious and aware before the resurrection.

Annihilationism:

SDAs reject the idea of eternal torment in hell. They believe that the wicked will be resurrected for judgment but will ultimately be destroyed (annihilated) rather than suffer eternal punishment.
This destruction is seen as the "second death" (Revelation 20:14-15), where the wicked cease to exist entirely.
Refuting Annihilationism
Matthew 25:46:
"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
The same word "eternal" is used for both punishment and life, showing parallel everlasting duration.
Revelation 14:10-11:
"They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment will rise forever and ever."
Indicates eternal, ongoing torment for those who worship the beast.
Daniel 12:2:
"Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt."
Describes eternal consequences for both the righteous and the wicked.
Mark 9:47-48:
Jesus speaks of hell as a place "where the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched."
Indicates unending suffering rather than annihilation.

Dietary Restrictions and Health Practices SDA Belief: * SDAs promote a vegetarian or plant-based diet and discourage the consumption of "unclean" meats listed in Leviticus 11 (e.g., pork, shellfish). * They advocate for abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine as part of living a holy and healthy life. * Health is viewed as a spiritual obligation, tying physical well-being to faithfulness to God. * Ellen G. White’s Influence: * White wrote extensively on health, calling the body the "temple of the Holy Spirit" and teaching that a vegetarian diet was God's ideal for humanity. * In The Ministry of Healing*, she stated, "Grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables constitute the diet chosen for us by our Creator." * White also claimed that avoiding "unclean" meats and harmful substances is essential for moral and spiritual clarity. * Holistic Living: * The SDA Church operates many hospitals, clinics, and wellness centers worldwide, emphasizing the connection between health and spirituality. * Their Health Message is central to their outreach, and they see it as...

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Should Christians get involved in politics? Aren’t we supposed to keep church and state separate? What does the Bible say about all of this? In our last lesson we talked about the biblical principles upon which America was founded. In this lesson we’ll talk about the overlap between earthly politics and heavenly thinking as we answer the question: What does the Bible say about citizenship? We find the answer when we understand the four types of government in the Bible.

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Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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The Bible presents a comprehensive framework for understanding governance, not merely as a human invention but as divinely instituted. When we think of this word, we usually apply it only to civil governance, but the Bible shows us that there’s so much more to it. Let’s start with a basic definition: Governance is directing the affairs of an individual or group under established principles and laws. The opposite of governance can be described as anarchy or chaos, where there is a lack of structure, direction, or control. Anarchy implies the absence of authority or established principles to guide behavior and decision-making. In a biblical sense, the absence of governance often leads to disorder and the breakdown of societal harmony, as seen in instances like the time of the judges when "everyone did what was right in their own eyes" (Judges 21:25). This highlights the necessity of God-ordained governance – linked to his fixed moral law – for maintaining order and flourishing.

At the heart of this framework is the foundational truth that God created humanity to govern the earth under His authority. In Genesis 1:28, God commands Adam and Eve to “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 2:15 highlights their role as stewards: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” This divine mandate establishes humanity’s responsibility to exercise wise and faithful governance over creation. That plays out through four distinct types of governance listed in the Bible: self-government, family government, civil government, and church government. Each plays an important role in God’s design for order and flourishing.

Self-Government: The Foundation of All GovernanceThe concept of self-government is first introduced in Genesis 3, when God places Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden with a clear mandate: to tend the garden and to abstain from eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17). This command required personal responsibility and moral accountability. When Adam and Eve failed to govern themselves, sin entered the world (Genesis 3:6-7), highlighting the critical role of self-governance in maintaining harmony with God and creation.

Self-government is the cornerstone of biblical governance. Proverbs 16:32 emphasizes, “Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.” The New Testament further underscores the importance of self-governance through the fruit of the Spirit, which includes self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). A society thrives when individuals practice self-discipline and align their lives with God’s moral law.

Family Government: The First InstitutionThe family is the first human institution established by God, beginning with the union of Adam and Eve (Genesis 2:24). In Genesis 4, the narrative of Cain and Abel reveals the dynamics of family relationships and the consequences of failing to uphold familial responsibilities.

The New Testament provides further guidance for family governance. Ephesians 5:22-6:4 outlines roles and responsibilities within the family: husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the church, wives are to respect their husbands, and parents are to raise their children in the “training and instruction of the Lord.” This structure reflects God’s design for nurturing individuals who can practice self-government and contribute positively to society.

Civil Government: God’s Provision for Justice and OrderCivil government is established in Genesis 9, following the flood. God’s covenant with Noah includes the institution of human authority to uphold justice: “Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind” (Genesis 9:6). This verse underscores the role of civil government in protecting life and administering justice.

Romans 13:1-7 expands on the purpose of civil government, describing it as God’s servant to do good and to punish wrongdoing. Civil authorities are tasked with maintaining order and ensuring justice, acting as agents of God’s common grace. However, civil government is not autonomous; it is accountable to God and must operate within the bounds of His moral law. In Acts 5:29, Peter says, “We must obey God rather than people” when the rules of this world go against God’s commands. Daniel’s story (Daniel 6) and the brave actions of the Hebrew midwives (Exodus 1) remind us that we should stand up for God’s ways when needed.

Church Government: Shepherding God’s PeopleChurch government is instituted to provide spiritual oversight and guidance. Jesus’ declaration in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church,” establishes the church as a distinct entity under His authority. The early church’s structure is detailed in the New Testament, with roles such as elders, deacons, and pastors outlined in passages like 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.

The primary role of church government is to shepherd God’s people, ensuring sound teaching, administering sacraments, and fostering spiritual growth. Hebrews 13:17 urges believers to “have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account.” Church government operates in partnership with family and civil government, addressing spiritual matters and promoting godly living.

Harmonizing the Four GovernmentsThese four types of government—self, family, civil, and church—are interdependent and must operate in harmony for society to function as God intended. Self-government is foundational, enabling individuals to contribute positively to family, civil, and church governance. Family government nurtures and trains individuals in righteousness. Civil government maintains justice and order, while church government provides spiritual guidance and oversight.

When each sphere respects its God-given boundaries and responsibilities, society flourishes. As believers, understanding and embracing these principles equips us to live faithfully and advocate for a biblically grounded vision of governance in every aspect of life.

Close: Citizenship in HeavenThe Bible teaches that believers are citizens of heaven first. In Philippians 3:20, Paul writes, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” This means our main focus should be living for God. Philippians 1:27 adds, “Whatever happens, live in a way that shows you love Jesus and follow Him.” Knowing we belong to God changes how we live and treat others.

How to Be a Good CitizenThe Bible gives us a few clear ways to be good citizens in our communities:

Pray for Leaders: First Timothy 2:1-2 says to pray for “kings and everyone in authority so we can live peaceful, godly lives.” Prayer helps us trust God and support those in charge.
Pay Taxes: Jesus said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s” (Mark 12:17). Paying taxes helps support services that keep things running smoothly.
Work for Justice and Peace: When the Israelites were taken into exile in Babylon, God gave them a message through the prophet Jeremiah: “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare” (Jeremiah 29:7). Although Babylon was a pagan nation, the Israelites were called to contribute positively by building homes, planting gardens, and raising families there (Jeremiah 29:5-6).

As citizens of both heaven and earth, Christians are called to live with purpose, integrity, and love. By respecting earthly authorities, working for the good of their communities, and prioritizing God’s kingdom above all, believers can be a powerful witness to the world. When we live in this way, we honor God, bless others, and share the hope and light of Jesus Christ wherever we go.

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In the last episode we talked about what is a cult (how to identify a cult, etc.). If you missed that one, be sure and go and check that out. In today’s episode we will focus our attention on a group that claims to be the real Christians, but as we will show today the Jehovah’s Witnesses are not Christians.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses originated in the late 19th century with Charles Taze Russell, an American preacher deeply interested in Bible prophecy. Here’s a concise history of the organization:

Part I: The HistoryOrigins and Founder: Charles Taze Russell (1852–1916): Russell was influenced by Adventist teachings, particularly their focus on Christ’s second coming. Disillusioned with mainstream Christianity, he began his own Bible study group in the 1870s in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. * 1870s The group now known as Jehovah’s Witnesses was initially called Bible Students or International Bible Students Association (IBSA) during its early years. This name reflected their focus on studying the Bible and disseminating their teachings. * Publication of Zion’s Watch Tower (1879): Russell launched this magazine to spread his interpretations of the Bible, emphasizing end-time prophecies and the imminent return of Christ. * Why was it called Watchtower? * The name "Watchtower" comes from the Bible, where watchtowers were used as places to keep watch and warn of danger. In ancient times, people would stand in tall towers to look out for enemies or protect their vineyards from animals. * Jehovah's Witnesses use the name Watchtower because they believe they are like spiritual watchmen. They think their job is to warn people about the coming of God’s Kingdom and the end of the current world system (what they call Armageddon). They see themselves as sounding the alarm and helping people prepare for what they believe is God’s judgment. * The name also reflects their focus on being alert and vigilant about spreading their teachings, which they view as essential for saving others. The magazine The Watchtower* became their main way to share these warnings and spread their message worldwide.

Formation of the Organization:* Incorporation as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (1884): Russell formally organized his followers under this name, focusing on mass publication and distribution of literature. * Today’s Stats and Organizational Structure * 8.6 million members today (2023) * Governing Body: A centralized leadership that claims exclusive authority in interpreting the Bible. * Emphasis on door-to-door evangelism, distribution of "Watchtower" and "Awake!" magazines. * Rutherford’s Leadership (1916–1942): After Russell’s death, Rutherford took control. He rebranded the movement, introducing the name “Jehovah’s Witnesses” in 1931 to distinguish it from other groups. He centralized authority, increased door-to-door evangelism, and solidified distinct doctrines, such as rejecting political involvement and military service. * Failed Prophecies: Under both Russell and Rutherford, numerous end-of-the-world dates were predicted and failed, including 1914, 1925, and later dates.

Failed Prophecies:1874 – Christ’s Invisible Return* Prediction: Charles Taze Russell, the founder, taught that Jesus Christ returned invisibly in 1874 to begin ruling spiritually. * Outcome: This claim was later adjusted to fit their evolving theology, and they eventually moved the "invisible return" date to 1914.

1914 – The End of the World* Prediction: Russell taught that the end of the current world system (Armageddon) would occur in 1914. * Outcome: When nothing happened, the Watch Tower Society claimed Jesus began ruling invisibly in 1914 and that World War I was part of the fulfillment of prophecy.

1925 – The Resurrection of Biblical Patriarchs* Prediction: Joseph Rutherford, the second leader, predicted that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and other faithful men of old would be resurrected in 1925 to rule over the earth. * Outcome: When this did not happen, the prophecy was quietly dropped. A mansion in California (called Beth Sarim) that was built to house these resurrected patriarchs was eventually sold.

1941 – The Beginning of Armageddon* Prediction: Rutherford suggested that Armageddon was very near, specifically during or shortly after World War II. * Outcome: The war ended, but Armageddon did not occur.

1975 – The End of the World* Prediction: The Watch Tower Society heavily implied that the end would come in 1975, linking it to their calculation of 6,000 years since the creation of Adam. * Outcome: Many Jehovah's Witnesses sold their homes and quit their jobs in anticipation. When nothing happened, the leadership blamed the members for "misinterpreting" their teachings.

Why These Failures Matter* Credibility Issues: According to Deuteronomy 18:22, a false prophecy is a sign that the message is not from God. Jehovah's Witnesses' repeated failed predictions have led many to question their claim of being God’s sole channel of communication. * Impact on Members: These predictions caused emotional and financial strain on members who made life-altering decisions based on them. * Shift in Teachings: After each failure, Jehovah's Witnesses adjusted their theology or blamed misunderstandings to maintain credibility and control over followers.

Part II: The DifferencesKey Writings The Bible: Jehovah’s Witnesses use the New World Translation (NWT), a version modified to align with their doctrines. * Divergence: Mainstream Christians consider the NWT unreliable due to alterations like John 1:1 ("the Word was a god") and Colossians 1:16 (inserting "other" to suggest Jesus is a created being). * Supplemental Texts: Publications like The Watchtower and Awake! magazines, as well as books like What Does the Bible Really Teach?* serve as authoritative teaching tools. * Divergence: These writings are considered equal to, or sometimes above, Scripture in authority by Jehovah's Witnesses.

Who is God?* Jehovah’s Witnesses: Jehovah is the one true God, the Father, distinct and separate from Jesus and the Holy Spirit. * Divergence: Reject the Trinity, which is a core doctrine of mainstream Christianity. Christians believe in one God existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Who is Jesus?* Jehovah’s Witnesses: * Jesus is a created being, the first and greatest creation of Jehovah. He is identified as Michael the Archangel. * Jesus is not co-equal or co-eternal with God and was merely human during His earthly ministry. * His resurrection was spiritual, not physical. * Jesus’ death provides an opportunity for salvation, but works are required to earn it. * Divergence: * Mainstream Christianity teaches that Jesus is fully God and fully man (John 1:1, Colossians 2:9), eternally preexistent, and co-equal with the Father. * Christians affirm the physical resurrection of Jesus (Luke 24:39, 1 Corinthians 15:4).

Who is the Holy Spirit?* Jehovah’s Witnesses: The Holy Spirit is not a person but an impersonal force or "God’s active power." * Divergence: Mainstream Christianity teaches the Holy Spirit is a distinct person within the Trinity, co-equal with the Father and the Son (John 14:26, Acts 5:3–4).

How to Be Saved* Jehovah’s Witnesses: * Salvation requires faith in Jesus, adherence to the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and participation in works like door-to-door evangelism. * Only faithful Jehovah’s Witnesses will survive Armageddon and enter God’s Kingdom. * Divergence: Mainstream Christianity teaches salvation by grace through faith alone, not by works (Ephesians 2:8–9, Romans 10:9–10).

What Happens After Death?* Jehovah’s Witnesses: * The soul ceases to exist at death (annihilationism). * Only 144,000 anointed believers go to heaven to reign with Christ. * The rest of the faithful will live forever on a restored paradise earth. * The wicked will be permanently destroyed, not eternally tormented. * Divergence: Christians believe in eternal life with God for believers and eternal separation from God in hell for the wicked (Matthew 25:46, Revelation 20:10, 14–15).

More Facts About the 144,000In Jehovah’s Witnesses’ beliefs, the 144,000 are a select group of people who will go to heaven to rule with Christ. They don’t interpret it the same way Christians do who believe these are 12,000 Jewish evangelists from each of the 12 tribes. They interpret it symbolically. This teaching is based on a literal interpretation of Revelation 7:4 and 14:1-3, which mention 144,000 sealed servants of God.

Criteria for Being Part of the 144,0001. Spiritual Anointing: Jehovah’s Witnesses believe these individuals have a special spiritual calling or "anointing" from God. This is not something they choose but something they believe God reveals to them. 2. Faithfulness: Members of the 144,000 are viewed as exceptionally faithful Jehovah’s Witnesses who dedicate their lives to serving God and spreading His message. 3. Time Period: They teach that the selection of the 144,000 began with Jesus’ apostles and continued into the early 20th century. By the mid-1930s, they believed that most of the 144,000 had already been chosen.

Hope of Joining the 144,000 Today* Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that very few spots remain in the 144,000 because most were already chosen in the past. * It is technically possible for someone today to believe they are part of the 144,000 if they experience a personal conviction of being "anointed." * However, this claim is rare and often viewed with skepticism by the broader Witness community.

For Most Jehovah’s Witnesses* The majority do not believe they will go to heaven. Instead, they look forward to living forever on a paradise earth under the rule of Christ and the 144,000. * Witnesses who are not part of the 144,000 are referred to as the "great crowd" (based on Revelation 7:9).

Differences From Mainstream Christianity* Mainstream Christians do not interpret the 144,000 in Revelation as a literal, exclusive group. Instead, many view this number symbolically, representing the 144,000 Jewish evangelists (12,000 from the 12 tribes of Israel) who spread the gospel during the tribulation. * Christians believe all who are saved through faith in Christ will reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12, Revelation 20:6), not just a select few.

Other Facts, Beliefs, and Practices* Reject Holidays and National Symbols: Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas, Easter, or birthdays and avoid pledging allegiance to national flags or serving in the military. * Divergence: These practices are cultural, not doctrinal, in mainstream Christianity. * Refuse Blood Transfusions: Based on their interpretation of Acts 15:28–29, they refuse blood transfusions, even when life-threatening. * Divergence: Mainstream Christians do not interpret these verses as prohibiting medical blood transfusions. * Evangelism Focus: Known for rigorous door-to-door evangelism and distributing literature. * Divergence: Evangelism is a Christian practice, but mainstream Christians emphasize it as part of a broader relationship with Christ rather than as a requirement for salvation. * Governing Body Authority: The Governing Body, based in Warwick, New York, is viewed as God's sole channel of communication. * Divergence: Mainstream Christianity holds that all believers have access to God through Christ (Hebrews 4:16) and emphasizes the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9).

Part III: How To Reach ThemBuild a Relationship of Trust* Be Kind and Respectful: Jehovah’s Witnesses are often trained to expect hostility. Being warm and genuine can open doors for deeper conversations. * Show Interest: Ask about their beliefs and listen attentively. Avoid debates early on. * Example: “Can you tell me more about why you believe this way?”

Use Thoughtful Questions Ask questions that encourage them to think critically about their beliefs without feeling attacked. * About the Bible: “Why does the New World Translation* render John 1:1 differently than most other Bible translations?” * About Prophecies: “What should we think about an organization that predicts events that don’t come true? How does that fit with Deuteronomy 18:22?” * About Salvation: “Why do we need works to be saved if Ephesians 2:8-9 says salvation is a gift from God?”

Focus on Jesus* Jehovah’s Witnesses have a distorted view of Jesus. Bring the conversation back to who Jesus is. * Use John 20:28: Thomas calls Jesus “My Lord and my God.” * Use Isaiah 9:6: Jesus is called “Mighty God.” * Ask: “How can Jesus save us if He is not fully God?”

Share the Gospel Clearly* Emphasize grace over works: * Ephesians 2:8-9: Salvation is through faith, not by works. * Romans 10:9-10: Confessing Jesus as Lord leads to salvation. * John 14:6: Jesus is the only way to God.

Challenge Their Exclusive Authority* Highlight that the Bible warns against adding or subtracting from God’s Word (Revelation 22:18-19). * Ask: “If the Governing Body is God’s channel, why have their teachings changed so much over time?”

Use Scripture They Recognize Stick to verses in their own Bible (New World Translation*). They may dismiss other translations as corrupt. * Cross-reference verses they know with others to show biblical consistency.

Be Patient and Persistent* Don’t expect immediate change. Many Jehovah’s Witnesses fear leaving because of family shunning. * Continue to pray for them and share truth gently over time.

Share Testimonies* If possible, share stories of former Jehovah’s Witnesses who found freedom in Christ. This can plant seeds of doubt about the organization and hope in the gospel.

Example Conversation Starter* You: "Thank you for sharing your beliefs with me. I’ve always wondered—what does it mean for you to have a personal relationship with Jesus?" * Jehovah’s Witness: "We believe Jesus is the way to Jehovah, but we worship Jehovah, not Jesus." * You: "That’s interesting. In John 14:6, Jesus says He is the way, the truth, and the life. Do you think that means we can talk directly to Him too?"

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The U.S. Constitution, finalized in 1787, is a cornerstone of governance and liberty. While it does not explicitly mention God, many of its principles align with biblical truths. These truths emphasize the role of moral law, the divine origin of human rights, and the purpose of government. In this episode we explore three pillars of God and government, enriched with Scripture to reveal how these principles reflect biblical teaching.

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There Is a God, and He Has Established a Fixed Moral LawThe Constitution assumes the existence of universal truths—principles that govern justice and fairness. This idea aligns with the Bible’s declaration:
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1, NLT)

By acknowledging a Creator, the foundation of the Constitution reflects an ordered world governed by divine laws. These moral laws are evident in the Ten Commandments, given to guide human behavior:

“You must not steal. You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:15-16, NLT)

The rule of law, central to the Constitution, echoes biblical justice. In God’s eyes, righteousness and impartiality are essential:

“Judges must be impartial. They must hear the case of those who are poor just as they hear the case of those who are rich.” (Deuteronomy 1:17, NLT)

The Constitution reflects this concept by establishing a legal system grounded in objective, unchanging principles that mirror God’s moral law, ensuring fairness and accountability.

God, Not the Government, Gives Rights to Every Human BeingThe Constitution’s protection of inalienable rights—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—rests on the belief that rights are given by God, not government. Scripture affirms this truth:
“What are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.” (Psalm 8:4-5, NLT)

Every human being possesses dignity and worth because they are created in God’s image:

“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27, NLT)

This foundational truth underscores the Constitution’s emphasis on individual freedoms. By safeguarding these rights, the document reflects God’s design for humanity. Government’s role, then, is to protect these God-given freedoms, not to grant or revoke them.

Government Exists to Protect Rights and Enforce Moral LawThe Constitution defines government’s purpose as protecting rights and maintaining order. The Bible reinforces this by teaching that government is a servant of God, tasked with promoting good and restraining evil:
“The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you.” (Romans 13:4, NLT)

The preamble begins with the phrase, “We the People,” emphasizing that authority flows from the consent of the governed. This principle aligns with biblical teaching on appointing leaders:

“Choose some well-respected men from each tribe who are known for their wisdom and understanding, and I will appoint them as your leaders.” (Deuteronomy 1:13, NLT)

However, the Constitution’s scope raises a question: do these rights extend only to citizens, or are they universal? Scripture challenges us to recognize that all people are valued by God, deserving of justice and dignity:

“For God does not show favoritism.” (Romans 2:11, NLT)
“Do not take advantage of foreigners who live among you in your land. Treat them like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself.” (Leviticus 19:33-34, NLT)

These verses remind us that while the Constitution primarily governs its citizens, its principles reflect God’s heart for all people.

ConclusionThe U.S. Constitution is a remarkable reflection of biblical principles. It acknowledges a Creator who establishes moral law, affirms that human rights come from God, and defines government as a servant to protect those rights. As Christians, we can celebrate these truths while advocating for policies and practices that align more fully with God’s Word.

Ultimately, true liberty is found not in human governance but in submission to God’s eternal law. As Scripture reminds us:

“For the Lord is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us.” (Isaiah 33:22, NLT)

By living out these principles, we can encourage a nation that honors God and reflects His justice, mercy, and truth.

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Tithing isn’t mandated by the New Testament, but Christians should be good stewards of their money by giving regularly, proportionately, and sacrificially.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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Tithing, the practice of giving 10% of your income to God, is a topic that Christians still talk about a lot. In the Old Testament, tithing is part of the Mosaic Law, but in the New Testament, people debate its place. Surprisingly, the word “tithe” (or its variations) only shows up four times in the New Testament. Before we dive into the New Testament, let’s quickly look at tithing in the Old Testament to understand what it tells us about the practice.

The Nebulous Nature of the Tithe in the Old Testament

In the Old Testament, the concept of the tithe is mentioned multiple times, but its exact application and scope were somewhat complex and varied. For example:

Levitical Tithe: Numbers 18:21-24 describes a tithe given to the Levites as compensation for their service in the Tabernacle. This tithe was based on agricultural produce and livestock, not monetary income.
Festival Tithe: Deuteronomy 14:22-27 outlines a tithe that was set aside for annual festivals. This tithe was consumed by the giver and their household in a celebratory feast before the Lord.
Charity Tithe: Deuteronomy 14:28-29 refers to a tithe given every third year to support the poor, including the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow.

So, the “tithe” wasn’t a one-size-fits-all thing. It was actually a bunch of different obligations that served different purposes in ancient Israelite society. And guess what? It mostly applied to people who worked in farming, not to everyone who made money or had stuff. This is important to keep in mind when we think about how tithing might work in our modern world.

The Four Appearances of the Tithe in the New Testament

Now let’s dive into the four references to the tithe in the New Testament. Surprisingly, we never find Jesus or any New Testament author commanding us to tithe. Instead, the tithe serves as a cautionary tale, highlighting what NOT to do when it’s done with the wrong intentions.

1. Matthew 23:23

In Matthew 23:23, Jesus says to the Pharisees:

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former."

Jesus acknowledges the Pharisees’ strict tithing, even of garden herbs, but points out that they neglected more important things like justice, mercy, and faithfulness. He doesn’t say tithing is wrong, but he emphasizes the importance of having a pure heart and focusing on the bigger picture of living a godly life.

2. Luke 11:42

Luke’s Gospel includes a parallel to Matthew 23:23, where Jesus says:

"Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue, and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone."

This passage echoes what Matthew said. The Pharisees were all about following the rules, especially about tithing, but they forgot to show God the love and justice that’s really important. Jesus said that just doing the right things on the outside, like tithing, isn’t enough.

3. Luke 18:12

In the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, the Pharisee boasts:

"I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get."

This part of the Pharisee’s prayer is super self-righteous, and it’s a total contrast to the humble tax collector. Jesus is pointing out that the Pharisee is being too proud and thinks he’s all righteous because he tithes. But tithing, like any spiritual practice, is pointless if you don’t have a humble and repentant heart.

4. Hebrews 7:1-10

The Book of Hebrews references tithing in its discussion of Melchizedek and Abraham:

"This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything..."

The author of Hebrews uses this historical account to show how Melchizedek’s priesthood is better than any other, and it’s a picture of Christ’s eternal priesthood. Tithing here is like a way of honoring and recognizing spiritual authority. But this passage isn’t really about telling Christians how much to give, it’s about showing that Christ is our High Priest, the one who’s in charge forever.

A New Testament Approach to Giving

In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus goes beyond the rules and teaches us to understand the true meaning behind them. For instance, He explains the deeper meaning of the commands against murder and adultery, not just by saying they’re wrong, but by saying that anger and lust are the root causes. This principle also applies to giving. Jesus says that we should give generously, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it shows a changed heart. When our treasure is rooted in God’s kingdom, generosity flows naturally:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

And consider the early church’s crazy generosity in Acts 2:44-45. They all shared everything they had, and they sold their stuff to help anyone who needed it. This is the spirit of giving in the New Testament—a heart that’s been changed by the gospel. The New Testament doesn’t make tithing a strict rule for believers. Instead, it encourages us to give generously, out of love and thanksgiving (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Takeaway

The four New Testament references to the tithe give us some important clues, but they don’t make tithing a strict rule for today’s Christians. Instead, they point to a higher standard of giving—one that comes from being fair, kind, loving, and generous. While Christians today don’t have to tithe the same way it was done under the Mosaic Law, we’re still called to be good stewards of the resources God has given us.

A good rule of thumb is to make sure your giving is regular, proportionate, and sacrificial. It should be a regular spiritual discipline, whether weekly, monthly, or yearly. It should be in proportion to your income, whether 2%, 10%, or more. And it should be sacrificial, because we’re following a Savior who sacrificed his life to buy us the freedom we could never afford.

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How do we know the difference between conviction and condemnation?

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Baby Jesus couldn’t tell us anything about his birth, because he was fully baby. But grown-up Jesus can. In this episode we'll look at three reasons Jesus came into the world... in his own words.

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05 Baby Jesus (Christmas Eve)

Title: Three reasons Jesus came into the world (in his own words)

Intro: Kids and ChristmasI’m not sure if kids really write letters to Santa anymore. You can probably just tweet at him or send him your wishlist on Instagram. But I did come across a couple actual letters from kids to Santa that I wanted to share with you:

Dear Santa,
You did not bring me anything good last year.
You did not bring me anything good the year before that.
This is your last chance.
Signed, Madison
Dear Santa,
There are three little kids who live at our house.
There is Jeffrey; he is 2.
There is Ashley; she is 4.
And there is Norman; he is 7.
Jeffrey is good some of the time.
Ashley is good some of the time.
But Norman is good all of the time.
I am Norman.

Kids love Christmas. Do you know who was the first kid at Christmas?

Jesus! (Did you ever think about that?)

Tonight we’re finishing our Christmas series

The Story of Christmas from People Who Were Actually There
The innkeeper: make room
The shepherds:
The wise men:
King Herod:
Today: Baby Jesus

The most important person who was actually there is… Jesus.

We don’t have his viewpoint as a baby
Because he was fully baby, so he doesn’t remember
How many of you remember when you were a baby?
Some people claim to remember their birth, but that’s bogus:
We have "infantile amnesia," the inability to recall events from the first few years of life.
Memory formation, particularly episodic memory (the ability to recall specific events), begins to function more reliably around the age of 3–4.
My earliest memory is about 5
Sunday morning, brother’s face bit by a German Shepherd
So, baby Jesus couldn’t tell us much about his birth
But grown-up Jesus can
At Christmas we tend to think of Jesus as a baby, but Jesus didn’t come to just be a baby, He came because He’s Immanuel, “God with us”
Today: three reasons Jesus came into the world (in his own words)

John 3:16 (NLT) 16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son….”

Jesus came as the ultimate demonstration of God’s love
Principle: the gift you give is a demonstration of your love
Not everyone understands this (me, AJ)
“This is how _____ showed his love: he gave me ______”
God understands this principle, that’s why he gave his one and only son
Ultimate demonstration of his love
Not like giving Kenzie’s hand in marriage
That will be a blessing to her
He gets to provide and protect now
God gave his Son for a brutal purpose
That’s the second thing…

John 3:17 (NLT) 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

What a simple, powerful verse
So many people see God as judgmental
Christmas proves that he is not
He sent his son to save the world
To do that, he would have to die in our place
(Come back for Easter to learn more)
Come back on Sunday to learn about the difference between conviction (good) and condemnation (bad)
Jesus didn’t come to condemn us, but to set us free
But this doesn’t mean we’re free to live wreckless, sinful lives…
That’s what Jesus’ final quote is all about…

John 12:46 (NLT) 46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.

John 8: 12 (NLT) 12 Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

Light is a fun theme at Christmas time
Star of Bethlehem (the light above our drum cage)
Lights on houses, trees, etc.
But the real reason lights are connected to Christmas is this:
If we follow Jesus, He leads us out of the darkness of
Selfishness
Pride
Addiction
Anger
Anxiety
Hopelessness
Fear
Grief
Purposelessness

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Intro* In our penultimate lesson of our Christmas series * The story of Christmas from people who were actually there * The inn keeper - making room for Jesus * The shepherds - loners and outcasts invited into the story * The magi - pagan astrologers used by God * Today: King Herod

But, as always, let’s start with a question:

Q. Whose Kingdom Are You Building?

Think about it: everyone’s building someone’s kingdom
A successful friend of mine wants to start his own business
He’s made a lot of money for the owner of his company
Dawned on him: why doesn’t he start his own!!
Today’s point isn’t to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs
It’s to call your attention to this fact:

Everyone’s working for someone’s kingdom

Either God’s or yours

Today as we meet King Herod we’ll find a ruler desperate to protect his kingdom at all costs, even opposing God’s eternal plan.

NOTE: The Bible mentions several rulers named Herod, each playing a distinct role in different contexts. The Herods were a dynasty of Edomite rulers under Roman control, and they feature prominently in the New Testament:

1st Gen: Herod the Great: Ruler at Jesus' birth. (Matthew 2:16-18)
2nd Gen:
Herod Archelaus: Feared by Joseph. (Matthew 2:22)
Herod Antipas: Executed John the Baptist, mocked Jesus. (Mark 6:14-29, Luke 23:7-12)
Herod Philip I: First husband of Herodias. (Mark 6:17)
Herod Philip II: Tetrarch of northeastern territories. (Matthew 16:13)
3rd Gen: Herod Agrippa I: Executed the apostle James and imprisoned Peter. (Acts 12:1-4)
4th Gen: Herod Agrippa II: Heard Paul’s defense. (Acts 25:13–26:32)
Herod the Great = clear bad guy in the story

Driven by self-interest (building his own kingdom) made some terrible decisions

It’s easy to see sin in someone else’s life, isn’t it?

But when we look in the mirror, we’re often blind…

Truth is: We are Herod - we all tend to do this, act out of destructive self-interest:

Sinful Habits
Addiction that destroys you and your relationships
Or Even Good things:
Careers: pushing hard at any cost (often families)
Finances: building wealth without asking “what for?”
Relationships: burning bridges
Influence: Gaining followers but losing friends
Blinded by self-interest: Elizabeth Holmes, founder of Theranos (see “The Dropout” podcast)
once celebrated as a groundbreaking entrepreneur who promised to revolutionize the medical industry with her blood-testing technology.
obsessed with maintaining her image as a visionary leader and controlling the narrative about her company’s success.
But Theranos' technology didn’t work as claimed, and Holmes had built her empire on lies.
She lost her company, her reputation, and her freedom, as she was convicted of fraud and sentenced to prison.

Can you relate?

To Elizabeth
To Herod
Let’s find out…

Last week: Magi came asking about the “newborn king of the Jews”...

Matthew 2:3-4 (NLT) King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

Gk. Tarasso “stirred up” like the pool water in John 5. Herod got “fidgety” when he heard about the Messiah. His position suddenly didn’t seem so secure. He was uncomfortable.
Why? Because the Roman Senate appointed Herod as “King of the Jews” 40 yrs earlier!
More about Herod:
of Idumean descent, meaning he was not ethnically Jewish but came from a region south of Judea that had been forcibly converted to Judaism.
a brilliant and ambitious builder, responsible for many monumental projects, such as The Second Temple in Jerusalem (known as Herod’s Temple)
The First Temple: Built by King Solomon around 957 BC, destroyed in 586 BC by the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar.
After the Persian Empire conquered Babylon, King Cyrus issued a decree (538 BC) allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple (Ezra 1:1-4).
The Second Temple: completed in 516 BC, during the reign of Darius I, exactly 70 years after the First Temple's destruction, fulfilling Jeremiah's prophecy about the 70-year exile (Jeremiah 29:10).
Starting in 20 BC, King Herod massively renovated and expanded the Second Temple, making it a grand and majestic structure.
The Romans, under General Titus, destroyed the Second Temple during the Jewish-Roman War, fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24:1-2.
Since then, no Jewish temple has been built on the Temple Mount, which is now home to the Islamic Dome of the Rock.
Many Christians, especially in dispensationalist theology, see the Third Temple as a key element in end-times prophecy.
Back to Herod: infamous for his paranoia and willingness to eliminate perceived threats.
Ex: he ordered the execution of several family members, including his wife and three of his sons, fearing they would usurp his throne.
Caesar Augustus said that it was better to be Herod’s pig than his son!
The point: this guy wanted to build his own kingdom, no matter the cost.

The religious leaders told him the birthplace would be Bethlehem, so…

Matthew 2:7-8 (NLT) 7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8 Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

Fake news

Wise men took another route home to avoid Herod. Then…

Matthew 2:13 (NLT) 13 After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

(IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition) Like Moses, Jesus escaped the fate of other male babies (Ex 1:22–2:10), and some Jews were expecting the coming of a prophet “like Moses” (Deut 18:15, 18).

Matthew 2:14-15 (NLT) 14 That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, 15 and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”

First of three OT prophecies in this section, proving God’s sovereignty
(IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition) Matthew builds almost every paragraph from the genealogy to the Sermon on the Mount around at least one text in the *Old Testament, explaining some event of Jesus’ life from Scripture.
Out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1)
Massacre of the Innocents (Jer 31:15)
“Called a Nazarene” - not found in OT?!
To be “from Nazareth” was meant as an offense
Nathaniel: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” (John 1:46).
“He was despised and rejected by men...” (Isaiah 53:3).
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) Matthew is therefore not saying that a particular OT prophet foretold that the Messiah would live in Nazareth; he is saying that the OT prophets foretold that the Messiah would be despised (cf. Pss 22:6-8, 13; 69:8, 20-21; Isa 11:1; 49:7; 53:2-3, 8; Da 9:26).
The point: Jesus is King, and his will shall be done
Every knee will bow…

Close:

Herod was not an atheist. He believed in the God of Israel, he listened to the magi, consulted the Jewish religious leaders, trusted their insight into the scripture… and then used this information to hunt Jesus.

Herod believed Jesus was the Messiah, but he refused to submit to him as his Messiah.
Jesus must be your savior and lord.

Instead of trusting in ourselves and in our “little kingdoms,” we must trust in the true king who rules over the Kingdom of God. We must trust him with our finances and families, with our salvation and our spiritual growth. We must trust him and keep trusting in him.

Everyone’s working for someone’s kingdom
Either God’s or yours

Matthew 6:33 (NLT) 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

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In this series: The Big Three Christian Cults (disclaimer #2)

Mormonism (17 million)
Jehovah’s Witnesses (8 million)
Seventh Day Adventists (22 million) - Is it or is it not a cult? Debated for 70 years

What is a Cult?A Clear Explanation of the Term "Cult"Define "cult" in a religious context:

Groups that claim to be Christian but deviate significantly from core biblical doctrine.
Disclaimer: Not every person who is in these groups aligns with everything we are going to cover

How do cults start?

“Many cults begin with a charismatic leader or group claiming special revelation or insight that goes beyond or distorts the Bible. They often address unmet spiritual or emotional needs, offering certainty in confusing times or claiming to restore ‘lost truths.’ Over time, they develop exclusive doctrines, emphasize obedience to their authority, and create a sense of dependency by isolating followers from outside perspectives. The common thread is a departure from the core gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, replacing it with human authority, works-based salvation, or extra-biblical teachings.”
Second Great Awakening, burnt over district, restorationism
Cane ridge revival 1801
Back to basic Christianity
End Times fervor
1844
If not careful we see this happening on YouTube today.

Signs You’re in a Cult (Allen Asks)Explain that any deviation from these essentials leads to a distorted or false version of Christianity.

So what are some of the essentials?

Distortion of Scripture & Sound Doctrine Sufficiency of Scripture (Sola Scriptura): * The group uses its own interpretation of the Bible or an altered version of Scripture to fit its teachings. * The authority and sufficiency of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17). * Extra-biblical writings or revelations are often elevated to the same level as, or higher than, the Bible. * Example: Jehovah’s Witnesses’ New World Translation and Mormonism’s Book of Mormon.*

Deity of Christ* The group teaches a view of the deity of Christ that diverges from the traditional Christian view of Jesus being fully human and fully divine

Salvation by Works The group teaches that salvation is earned through strict adherence to their specific rules, laws, or practices. * Grace and faith in Christ alone are downplayed or redefined. * Example:* Emphasis on Sabbath-keeping by SDAs or door-to-door evangelism by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

High Control Leadership The group is led by a single charismatic leader or a small group of leaders who demand unquestioning loyalty and obedience. * Leaders often claim divine authority or special revelation, making their words equal to or above Scripture. * Example: Ellen G. White's writings being treated as authoritative by SDAs. * The BITE acronym, developed by Steven Hassan, is a framework used to identify cult-like behavior by analyzing how groups control their members. BITE stands for: * Behavior Control * Regulates individual behavior, often through strict rules, schedules, or restrictions on personal freedom. * The group discourages relationships or interactions with non-members, labeling outsiders as dangerous or untrustworthy. * Members are often isolated socially, emotionally, or even physically. * Information Control * Limits access to outside information and promotes only the group’s teachings as truth. * Encourages censorship, misinformation, or monitoring. * Thought Control * Discourages independent thinking and critical analysis. * Promotes an “us vs. them” mentality and enforces group doctrine as absolute truth. * E*motional Control * Manipulates feelings to instill fear, guilt, or loyalty. * Uses emotional pressure to maintain control and discourage leaving the group.

Exclusivity The group believes it is the only true way to God, salvation, or enlightenment. All others are considered deceived or lost. * Membership in the group is often seen as essential for salvation. * Example:* SDAs view themselves as the "remnant church" with unique truth.

Why This Series Matters Emphasize the importance of discernment: * (INTERNAL): Protecting believers from false teachings (Matthew 7:15, 1 John 4:1). * We talk about how easily and quickly many of these cults began. They began with private Bible studies that distorted scripture.* * (EXTERNAL): Encouraging Christians to engage lovingly and effectively with members of these groups. * Highlight the urgency of addressing cults because they claim to be Christian but distort the gospel, leading people away from freedom in Christ and sometimes even salvation.

How to Engage People in Cult Groups* Lay out a biblical approach to addressing members of these groups: * Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). * Avoid debates and focus on the gospel. * Ask questions that challenge their assumptions without attacking their beliefs. * Pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in conversations.

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Bryan, Bo and KD talk about the multiple accounts of the First Vision and the article in the Gospel Topics series.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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Find the article here.

The First Vision is one of the most pivotal events in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), regarded as the moment when Joseph Smith, the founder of the church, received a divine visitation from God the Father and Jesus Christ. This vision, which Smith claimed to have experienced in 1820 in the woods near his home in Palmyra, New York, is foundational to LDS theology, marking the beginning of the Restoration of the gospel and the establishment of the LDS Church. As such, the account of this vision is central to the faith of millions of Latter-day Saints.

In an effort to address the complexities surrounding the multiple accounts of the First Vision, the LDS Church published an article titled "The First Vision Accounts" in its Gospel Topics series. The article is part of the Church's broader effort to engage with historical scholarship, acknowledging that there are discrepancies between the various accounts Joseph Smith gave of his vision over the years. While the article seeks to harmonize these differences and present the vision as a consistent and inspired event, a closer critical examination reveals several concerns, particularly regarding its treatment of historical context, the inconsistencies between accounts, and the theological implications of these discrepancies.

Acknowledging Multiple AccountsThe article begins by acknowledging that Joseph Smith gave several accounts of the First Vision over the years, each with varying details. This is a notable step in the Church's public engagement with historical criticism, as it is an issue that has long been raised by scholars and critics alike. The article lists the key versions of the First Vision: the 1832 account, the 1835 account (given to a man named Joshua, later written down by a scribe), the 1838 account (which is the version published in the History of the Church), and later retellings in the 1840s.

The acknowledgment of multiple accounts is an important admission, especially given that some critics have argued that the differing versions undermine the credibility of Joseph Smith’s vision. The article explains that these differences are not contradictions, but rather reflections of Joseph Smith's evolving understanding of the experience, the audience he was addressing, and his desire to emphasize certain aspects of the vision depending on the context.

While this approach offers a plausible defense for the differing accounts, the article could be seen as somewhat dismissive of the deeper implications of these discrepancies. A more robust engagement with the question of why Joseph Smith's retellings varied so widely, both in terms of content and theological emphasis, would provide a more nuanced perspective.

Inconsistencies Between AccountsThe article emphasizes that the differences between the accounts do not invalidate the event itself. Instead, it suggests that the variations are natural and even expected, given that Joseph Smith was recounting a profound spiritual experience over the course of several years. The article points out that the 1832 account, for example, mentions only a single divine being, while the 1835 and 1838 accounts describe both God the Father and Jesus Christ appearing to Joseph Smith. The differences in the descriptions of the vision's purpose and the timing of the event are also addressed.

However, the Church’s explanation often minimizes the significance of these discrepancies. For instance, the 1838 account, which is the most widely cited version and the one included in the Doctrine and Covenants, is markedly different in tone and detail from the earlier accounts. In this version, Joseph Smith describes being told that all existing churches were wrong, and he is directed to join none of them. In contrast, the 1832 account is more introspective, focusing primarily on Smith’s own search for forgiveness and peace. The question of why Smith’s understanding of the vision shifted so dramatically between these accounts remains largely unexplored in the article.

A deeper exploration of these variations would be valuable for those seeking to reconcile these differences with the Church’s theological narrative. Why did Joseph Smith choose to emphasize the condemnation of other churches in the 1838 version, when earlier accounts do not mention this? Why did his earlier descriptions of the vision focus more on personal spiritual longing and forgiveness, while later accounts stress the Restoration of the gospel and the rejection of existing Christian denominations?

The Theological Emphasis of the AccountsThe article makes a strong case for the idea that the differing accounts of the First Vision reflect Joseph Smith’s evolving theological understanding and his need to adapt his narrative to the needs of different audiences. It suggests that as Smith’s ministry grew, his understanding of the vision became more doctrinally developed, with the 1838 account aligning with the Church’s later teachings on the nature of God, the rejection of traditional Christian denominations, and the coming Restoration.

However, this emphasis on the theological evolution of the First Vision raises significant questions about the historical authenticity of the vision itself. If the details of the vision evolved so substantially over time, can it be said that the vision was a singular, unchanging experience? Alternatively, is it possible that Joseph Smith’s retellings were shaped by his growing theological views and the evolving context of his religious movement, rather than being a direct account of an unchanging historical event?

The article could do more to address these concerns directly. While it is understandable that Smith’s understanding of the vision would evolve as his theological framework developed, the wide discrepancies between the accounts (particularly in terms of the nature of the vision’s message and the number of divine beings involved) invite a critical reflection on how the vision may have been shaped by Smith’s later doctrinal developments. To what extent was the vision interpreted through the lens of later LDS teachings, such as the doctrine of the Godhead, which was clarified in the 1830s and 1840s?

Theological Implications for Modern BeliefFor modern Latter-day Saints, the First Vision is a foundational event that underpins their belief in the divine restoration of the gospel. The account of the vision provides theological legitimacy for the unique doctrines of the LDS Church, particularly the nature of God and the rejection of traditional Christian teachings. However, the theological significance of the First Vision rests on the assumption that the vision was a consistent and divinely inspired event.

The article’s attempts to harmonize the various accounts may be comforting to some members of the LDS Church, but they do not fully address the theological tension that arises from the inconsistencies between the accounts. If the vision was truly a divine revelation, why did Joseph Smith present such different versions of it? Can modern believers continue to rely on the vision as a historically accurate event, or should they focus more on its theological and symbolic meaning?

TakeawayThe LDS Church's article "The First Vision Accounts" represents a significant step forward in acknowledging the historical complexities of the First Vision and the discrepancies between Joseph Smith's various retellings of the event. It is a commendable effort to engage with historical criticism and present a faith-based explanation for the differences between the accounts. However, the article falls short in addressing some of the deeper theological and historical questions raised by these inconsistencies.

While the Church’s explanation that the differences reflect Joseph Smith’s evolving understanding of the vision may provide a satisfactory answer for many believers, it does not fully address the implications of these differences for the historical authenticity of the vision. A more comprehensive exploration of the cultural and religious context of Joseph Smith’s time, as well as a deeper reflection on the theological consequences of the variations in the accounts, would provide a more nuanced and rigorous response to the challenges posed by modern scholarship.

Ultimately, for those who seek a deeper reconciliation between faith and history, the article leaves several important questions unanswered. Nevertheless, it is an important contribution to the ongoing dialogue between history, theology, and the LDS community’s understanding of its foundational narrative.

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In response to Jesus, the Wise Men gave him generous gifts while holding nothing back. Join us this week as we discover who these wise men really were!

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I think there are 2 kinds of ppl who come to church around Christmas

Ppl who are very familiar w/all Christmas stories in Bible
Ppl whose experience of Christmas has been a lot more secular
The kind of thing you get in stores / at school
In the popular Christmas movies that we rewatch every year
This series is for everyone, but especially for those who feel far from God
Because the people who were actually there on the first Christmas
Were not the people anyone would have expected
Last week we saw the surprising inclusion of the shepherds in the Christmas story
They were loners and losers, on the outside of society
Yet God broke his 400-year silence and declared the Good New first to them!
Today: another shocker
The story of the “wise men” or “magi”
Maybe you thought it was normal, natural
They’ve always been a part of the Christmas story
But actually, it makes no sense in its worldly context
Today we’ll answer two questions:
Who were the magi, and why are they in the Christmas story? What were their three famous gifts all about?

Matthew 2:1-2 (NLT) 1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

First of all, a few trivial facts:
Only mentioned in Matthew
Never says there were three of them (We three Kings…)
Most likely not kings (astrologers is a better translation, as we’ll see)
In Jerusalem because that’s where they would have expected to find a king
(IVP Bible Background Commentary: NT, Second Edition) The Magi had come to Jerusalem because that was where they expected to find any Judean king—but Herod had apparently not had any new sons lately.
Probably alludes to Nu 24:17: "A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel."
Bigger question: who were the Magi?
Likely pagan Zoroastrian priests or scholars from Persia, skilled in astrology and prophecy.
Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest continuously practiced religions, originating in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran) around 1200–1000 BCE.
One of the world's first monotheistic or dualistic religions.
Dualism: A cosmic battle between good and evil, with human beings playing a central role.
Moral principles: Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds as the path to righteousness.
Today primarily found in Iran, India (Parsis), and the global diaspora.
Estimated at 100,000–200,000 adherents worldwide.
(Here’s where it gets really interesting)
Zoroastrianism became a state religion under Cyrus the Great (550 BC)
Cyrus’ rule is remembered not only for his military conquests but also for his policies of tolerance and governance, which earned him respect in the ancient world and a unique place in biblical history.
Cyrus is the guy named as God’s "anointed" (Messiah or chosen one) over 150 years before his rise to power:
Isaiah 45: (NLT) 1 This is what the LORD says to Cyrus, his anointed one, whose right hand he will empower.
Isaiah 44:28 (NLT) 28 When I say of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,’ he will certainly do as I say. He will command, ‘Rebuild Jerusalem’; he will say, ‘Restore the Temple.’”
This prophecy highlights Cyrus as an instrument of God’s plan, even though he was a pagan king.
Zoroastrianism, like Judaism, awaited a great savior figure and paid close attention to celestial signs.
Cyrus wasn’t the Messiah; maybe this baby will be…
(but there’s something even crazier about the Magi)
The OT explicitly forbids their kind of astrology:
Isaiah 47:13-14 (NLT) Where are all your astrologers, those stargazers who make Qi predictions each month? Let them stand up and save you from what the future holds. 14 But they are like straw burning in a fire; they cannot save themselves from the flame. You will get no help from them at all; their hearth is no place to sit for warmth.
So why the heck are they featured in the Christmas story?
And why would God use the stars to speak to them?
Answer: Because he’s God, and he wants everyone to find him.
And so the Magi came to worship Jesus.
Shockingly, God revealed himself to these pagans
Who can relate?
Some people feel so far from God, so unworthy
Yet time and again in the Bible we see this theme
Jeremiah 29:13 (NLT) 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me.
Doesn’t the question of who Jesus is deserve some effort?
To figure out what he’s all about
To see if you can find him / meet him face to face?
I encourage you: God won’t leave you in the dark
If you are genuinely searching for him

Back to the text:

Matthew 2:3-4 (NLT) 3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

Herod was threatened by another’s rule
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) He was not a Jew…. but the Romans made him King of Judea in 40 B.C.
We’ll save this for next week…

Matthew 2:5-6 (NLT) 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote: 6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

Notice how much the leading priests and teachers of religious law knew
And where they got it from (Scripture)
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) Matthew's main purpose in this story is to contrast the eagerness of the Magi to worship Jesus, despite their limited knowledge, with the apathy of the Jewish leaders and the hostility of Herod's court--all of whom had the Scriptures to inform them. Formal knowledge of the Scriptures, Matthew implies, does not in itself lead to knowing who Jesus is.
This is setting up a theme in the gospels:
Those who seem close to God (religious insiders) often aren’t
God reveals himself to outsiders
The pagan Magi!!
Their willingness to travel hundreds of miles reflects a hunger for truth and a readiness to worship.
(IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition) Gentiles come to honor Israel’s true king; meanwhile, the religious teachers who knew the most (2:5) failed to act on the truth, even already at Jesus’ birth.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) “In this chapter, Matthew introduces the major theme of his Gospel: the Jews have rejected the offer of salvation, but the Gentiles will accept it. . . . The Gentiles will be brought into the place which the Jews had forfeited by their unbelief, and the Church will be the Israel of the last days, destined to share in the joys of the age to come” (Fenton).

Matthew 2:9-11 (NLT) the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

“Bowed down and worshiped”
Illustrate: guy gets down on knee to propose
Humbling himself
Recognizing value / worth of the woman he’s proposing to
Think of all the movies you’ve ever seen that have a king in them
The invariable response to majesty / honor of king…
Act of bowing down / prostrating oneself
They recognized who Jesus was as “king of the Jews”. His authority. His anointing by God. The right response to him: acknowledgment, praise, humility. Just knowing about Jesus isn’t enough. Once you realize who he is, recognize that he deserves to be honored and valued by you.
“Gave him gifts”:
Gold:
Symbol of kingship and honor.
Points to Jesus as the King of Kings
Revelation 19:16 (NLT) 16 On his robe at his thigh was written this title: King of all kings and Lord of all lords.
Frankincense:
Used in temple worship to symbolize prayer and the presence of God (Exodus 30:34).
Exodus 30:34 (NLT) 34 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather fragrant spices… and mix these fragrant spices with pure frankincense….
Points to Jesus as the High Priest who mediates between God and humanity (Hebrews 4:14-16).
Myrrh:
An embalming spice, symbolizing suffering and death.
Points to Jesus’ role as the Savior who would die for the sins of the world (John 19:39-40)..
John 19:39 (NLT) 39 With him came Nicodemus, the man who had come to Jesus at night. He brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes.
They opened their treasure chests
Gave Jesus what was valuable to them
What cost them some sacrifice to bring
Not only sacrifice of its expense
But also of their time / effort / risk in the journey
This is where the tables get turned a bit
Bc the myrrh represents HIS gift to US
He gave his life so we could have a new life
He died to pay for our sins
His death means → we can live forever
He offers this gift freely, without conditions → just by grace
To anyone / everyone who will take it
This shows how much he values YOU!
He offers you a gift of infinite sacrifice and worth

Matthew 2:12 (NLT) 12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

They returned home "by another way," symbolizing a transformation after meeting Christ.
They travelled a great distance, at great effort, to find this child. What about YOU? Are you willing to undertake your own search for Jesus?

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Today we’re in part 4 of our mini-series on how salvation works

Three weeks ago: Is Anyone Too Far Gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)
Answer: No! God can reach you on the desert road to nowhere
Two weeks ago: How Does Spiritual Conversion Actually Work?
We’ll looked at the dramatic conversion story of Saul (Paul)
– and what we can generalize from his experience.
About the HS opening eyes
And how faith/repentance changes you in an instant
From death to life
From enemy of God to child of God
Last week: How can you know if you’re really saved? (Acts 9:20-31)
Paul went about preaching the gospel immediately
The disciples in Jerusalem didn’t believe he was really saved!? After 3 years!
We looked at how Christians can have “assurance” of their salvation
Today to finish up we’ll dig deeper into a theological question:

Q. Did God Change How Salvation Works?

Have you ever thought about this?
In the NT
grace, forgiveness, Jesus
Jn 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Jesus is THE way. But what about in the OT?
Did salvation work one way in OT before Jesus
And another way in NT after Jesus?

Q. What was the Old Testament way of salvation?

Many thought: saved by keeping the commandments
In Jewish tradition, there are 613 commandments (known as the Mitzvot) in the Torah. These commandments are derived from the five books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) and encompass a wide range of moral, religious, and civil laws. 248 positive commandments (things to do) and 365 negative commandments (things not to do)
Scholars estimate that around 100 to 150 of the 613 commandments address issues of purity and impurity.
Dietary Laws (Kashrut): These include commandments related to clean and unclean animals (Leviticus 11, Deuteronomy 14).
Table fellowship refers to the practice of sharing meals, which in ancient Jewish culture held deep social, religious, and spiritual significance. In the context of the Old Testament and Jewish tradition, sharing a meal symbolized more than just eating together; it represented community, unity, and, in many cases, ritual purity. This practice also reinforced the separation between Jews and Gentiles due to differences in dietary laws and religious observance. Eating with Gentiles, who were considered ritually impure, could defile an observant Jew, requiring purification rites (Leviticus 20:24-26).
Clean vs. unclean
So is this how people were saved in OT? Keep yourself clean?

The answer is found in today’s text.

The passage we’re reading today is groundbreaking.
The early Christians are going to learn the answer to this question
…by way of answering a broader question about salvation.
Here’s the story:

Acts 10:1-6 (NLT) 1 In Caesarea there lived a Roman army officer named Cornelius, who was a captain of the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God. 3 One afternoon about three o’clock, he had a vision in which he saw an angel of God coming toward him. “Cornelius!” the angel said.

4 Cornelius stared at him in terror. “What is it, sir?” he asked the angel.

And the angel replied, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have been received by God as an offering! 5 Now send some men to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.”

Acts 10:9-14 (NLT) 9 The next day as Cornelius’s messengers were nearing the town, Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, 10 and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. 12 In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. 13 Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.”

14 “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.”

Even after Jesus’ teaching on this, Peter still didn’t understand (see below). This would be the moment that he really got it… and its implications for the church.
Mark 7:18-19 (NLT) 18 “Don’t you understand either?” he asked. “Can’t you see that the food you put into your body cannot defile you? 19 Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes.)

Acts 10:15-16 (NLT) 15 But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” 16 The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven.

This is a watershed moment in salvation history
Peter was learning the answer to our question today
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) What was implicit in the teaching of Jesus is now made explicit. The clean and unclean provisions of the law were temporary, designed to keep Israel a holy and distinct people, until the time when Jews and Gentiles could receive the forgiveness of sins and sanctification on the same basis, through faith in Christ (Acts 20:32; 26:17-18; cf. 15:9, 'having cleansed their hearts by faith').

Peter was confused, then Cornelius’ men showed up..

He went with them to the Gentile’s house, and said this:

Acts 10:28 (NLT) 28 Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean.”

It wasn’t just about food! It was about people.
God was revealing himself to Cornelius, and Peter was to share the gospel
Note similarity with Samaritan revival
Philip shared the gospel
But God waited for Peter and John to give HS
This same pattern is happening
God could have just shared the gospel in a vision
But he wanted Peter to share it
Not for Cornelius’ sake
But for Peter’s sake!

Acts 10:34-36 (NLT) 34 Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. 35 In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. 36 This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all…. 43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”

Not just Lord of Jews. (mind blown)
Salvation now goes out to Gentiles. This isn’t just a Jewish thing.
Salvation is not about being clean or unclean according to Law
It’s about trusting Jesus to clean you by his final work on the cross
He is the ultimate sacrifice
No longer a need for the old system

And here’s where it connects to our question of the day…

This answer doesn’t just apply to Jews and Gentiles moving forward

It applies to everyone looking backward!
Q. Did God Change How Salvation Works?
Answer: no!! Everyone who has ever been saved… has been saved by faith
Jews in NT were saved by faith in the one who came (Jesus).
Gentiles in NT were saved by that same faith in the one who came (Jesus).
People in OT were saved by faith, too
In the one who was to come, even though they didn’t know his name
Object of faith was still Messiah
Galatians 3:11 (NLT) 11 So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
Quoting OT! Now they look back and see the truth: it was always faith
salvation by faith, apart from the Law was an Old Testament principle
Romans 4:1-3 (NLT) 1 Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? 2 If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way. 3 For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
Believed in God’s promise (about his offspring)
Even though it was humanly impossible (he was old and childless)
God counted him as righteousness (even though he wasn’t)
Because of his faith.
Faith in God to come through on his promise
His promise was all about Jesus!

Here’s the point:

No one was ever saved by perfectly keeping the Law
Not back then, not today
The Law simply shows people how imperfect they are
To set the stage for the One who could perfectly keep the Law
= Jesus
So all along this was God’s plan for salvation
It was always about dependence upon God, trusting his pathway
In the OT his pathway was a concept: Messiah
In the NT his pathway had a name: Jesus
Everyone who has ever been saved… has been saved by faith in Jesus.
As Peter said to the Jewish leaders in Acts 4:

Acts 4:12 (NLT) 12 “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

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The concept of pre-mortal existence—that humans existed before their earthly life—is a theological doctrine central to Mormonism (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). In contrast, the traditional Christian view, rooted in the Bible, maintains that life begins at conception, and there is no pre-birth existence of the soul. In this episode, we explore both perspectives and defend the biblical view against Mormon teachings on pre-existence.

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Pre-Mortal Existence: A Biblical Response to Mormon Teachings

The concept of pre-mortal existence—that humans existed before their earthly life—is a central doctrine of Mormonism, officially known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). In contrast, traditional Christianity, grounded in the Bible, teaches that life begins at conception and denies any pre-birth existence of the soul. This article will explore both perspectives and present a biblical defense against the LDS doctrine of pre-existence.

The Mormon Belief in Pre-Mortal ExistenceIn Mormon theology, it is believed that human beings existed as spirit children of God before their earthly life. This belief is foundational to their understanding of the purpose of life. Key Mormon scriptures, including Doctrine and Covenants 93:29 and Abraham 3:22-23 (from the Pearl of Great Price), outline the idea that humans lived as pre-mortal spirits in heaven before coming to Earth.

Mormons believe that this pre-mortal existence is essential for understanding why humans are sent to Earth: to receive bodies, face challenges, and ultimately return to God. Life on Earth is seen as a critical step in an eternal journey of progression, where spiritual growth continues after death.

Biblical Refutation of Pre-Mortal ExistenceWhile Mormonism presents a narrative of pre-mortal existence, traditional Christianity finds no biblical basis for this belief. Instead, Scripture presents a clear view that human life begins at conception, and each soul is uniquely created by God.

Several key passages are often misunderstood in LDS theology but, when correctly interpreted, refute the concept of pre-existence:

Jeremiah 1:5 (NLT): “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
This verse, often cited by Mormons, does not refer to a pre-existence. Instead, it highlights God's foreknowledge and His plans for Jeremiah. Similar language is used in passages like:
Romans 8:29: God’s foreknowledge and predestination.
Ephesians 1:4: God’s choice of believers before the foundation of the world. These passages emphasize God’s omniscience, not human pre-mortal existence.
Psalm 139:16 (NLT): “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”
This text celebrates God's intimate knowledge and sovereignty over human life, beginning in the womb, not before it.
Galatians 1:15 (NLT): “But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace.”
Similar to Jeremiah, this passage reflects God’s foreknowledge and plan, not pre-existence.

In all these instances, the biblical narrative is clear that life begins at conception, and God’s knowledge of individuals precedes their birth but does not suggest a pre-mortal life.

The Uniqueness of ChristA significant theological issue with the Mormon doctrine of pre-mortal existence is that it undermines the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. In Christian theology, Jesus is uniquely pre-existent. John 8:58 records Jesus saying, “Before Abraham was, I am.” Unlike any other human being, Jesus existed eternally as God before His incarnation.

John 3:13 further emphasizes this uniqueness: “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.” If all humans existed in heaven before their earthly lives, this statement would lose its meaning. Jesus’ pre-existence sets Him apart as the only one who descended from heaven, making His divinity and incarnation singularly significant in the plan of salvation.

Theological Implications of Pre-Mortal ExistenceThe Mormon doctrine of pre-mortal existence raises two critical theological problems:

The Authority of Scripture:
Mormon teachings about pre-existence are not found in the Bible, but are drawn from extra-biblical sources like the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. Orthodox Christianity affirms that Scripture is complete and sufficient, as stated in 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Adding non-biblical teachings undermines the authority of God’s Word.
Salvation and Grace:
In Mormonism, pre-mortal existence is part of an eternal progression that continues after death. This view stands in contrast to the biblical teaching of salvation by grace through faith in Christ’s atoning work (Ephesians 2:8-9). The Bible presents this life as a one-time opportunity to embrace God’s grace, after which comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27). There is no eternal progression or second chance after death.

The Biblical View is ClearIn defending the biblical perspective against Mormonism, it is evident that the Bible teaches a linear view of human existence, beginning at conception and culminating in eternal life or judgment after death. The doctrine of pre-mortal existence as taught in Mormonism is not supported by Scripture. Instead, the Bible affirms that each human being is uniquely created by God, beginning with conception, and Jesus Christ alone pre-existed as the eternal Son of God.

Christians engaging with Mormons on this topic should emphasize the sufficiency of Scripture, the uniqueness of Christ, and the centrality of grace in salvation. While discussions on doctrinal differences should be respectful and gracious, they are essential for upholding the truth of the biblical message.

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Welcome to part three in our Salvation 101 mini-series! Today we'll be asking and answering the question: How can you know if you’re really saved?

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Q. How Can You Know If You’re Really Saved?

Part 19 in our Acts series!!
Part 3 in our mini-series on “How Salvation Works”
Two weeks ago: Is Anyone Too Far Gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)
Answer: No! God can reach you on the desert road to nowhere
Last week: How Does Spiritual Conversion Actually Work?
We’ll looked at the dramatic conversion story of Saul (Paul)
– and what we can generalize from his experience.
Today: How can you know if you’re really saved? (Acts 9:20-31)
Paul went about preaching the gospel immediately
The disciples in Jerusalem didn’t believe he was really saved!? After 3 years!
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Even believers who have seen the power of God at work in their own lives can doubt God's ability to change others.
The fancy term for this: “assurance of salvation”
Can you have it for yourself?
Some people “know that they know” they’re saved, no problems with this
So many other people doubt their salvation and live in fear of judgment
Here’s the thing: you can think you’re saved and NOT be saved
False conversions are a thing. Jesus said:
Matthew 7:21-23 (NLT) 21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. 22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ 23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
Ouch! One of the most frightening verses in the Bible!
So, how can you know? We’ll get to that answer, but let’s start with our text…

Acts 9:19-20 (NLT) Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 20 And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!”

Wow! What a transformation in Saul’s life
One moment he’s persecuting these messengers of Christianity
Next moment he IS a messenger!
Have you met anyone like this? Total transformation

Acts 9:21 (NLT) 21 All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?”

Acts 9:22 (NLT) 22 Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) When Luke says that Saul grew more and more powerful, the term he uses (enedynamouto) suggests the empowerment of the Spirit.
Proving from OT, on which he was an expert (scales fell)

Acts 9:23 After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. 24 They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. 25 So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) This signifies the completion of a significant period in the narrative (cf. Lk. 9:51) and is consistent with the mention of a three-year gap between his conversion and his first journey to Jerusalem as a Christian:
Galatians 1:15-18 (NLT) 15 But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him 16 to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles.
When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. 17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus. 18 Then three years later I went to Jerusalem to get to know Peter, and I stayed with him for fifteen days.

Acts 9:26 (NLT) 26 When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!

Now you know why this was our question of the day.
Saul had been a Christian for 3 years, yet the Jerusalem believers doubted it
They (all of them?) thought he was a false convert! (still afraid of him)
Would YOU have?
Have YOU ever struggled to truly believe in the life-changing power of Jesus?
In someone else’s life
In your own life

So, back to our question:

Q. How Can You Know If You’re Really Saved?

Paul himself later raises this question to some “believers” in Corinth:
2 Corinthians 13:5 (NLT) 5 Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith.
This is Saul, now called Paul, writing to the Christian church in Corinth. It’s jacked up. There’s stuff going on there that’s not Christian at all. And there are two questions that must be answered to see if their faith would pass the test:
First, will they believe Paul’s message?
They didn’t like what he was saying. They were even challenging his authority as an apostle. That was the test.
It was Saul’s test, too, last week: When Jesus called out Saul and challenged his understanding, he shockingly submitted to him.
Now it was the Corinthians’ turn. Would they submit to the truth?
Second, will they repent and turn from their own way?
Remember last week: Christianity is a way, not just a set of beliefs.
True conversion happens when you leave the way of death to follow the way of Jesus.
These so-called believers were not following the way of Jesus
Paul was calling them out on it, and their response would tell him if their faith was genuine.
1 John 3:9-10 (ESV) 9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

Let’s finish the question for Saul:

Acts 9:27 (NLT) 27 Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.

We met this guy earlier. The encourager. Living up to his name.
Ananias vouched for Saul in Damascus because he saw Jesus in a vision.
Barnabus vouched for Saul in Jerusalem because he saw a changed life.

Acts 9:28 (NLT) 28 So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.

They realized he was a true believer, and he
Stayed with them
Preaching with them
Saul’s story had a clear answer: he was saved, no doubt about it.

What about you?

Three simple questions to know if you’re truly saved (full circle):

Have you trusted Jesus for salvation? (nothing else can save, but it’s more than mere confession)
Do you live your life to honor God? (practice righteousness vs practice sinning)
Do you care enough to share with others? (make disciples)
This might be the ultimate litmus test.
In the book of Acts, all of the believers did more than receive the message; they shared it.

Acts 9:31 (NLT) 31 The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

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In this episode, Pastor Bryan takes a deep into the Bible to answer the question "Do Mormons Hold the Keys to the Kingdom?".

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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The phrase "keys to the kingdom" is found in Matthew 16:19, where Jesus tells Peter, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." This phrase has significant theological implications, especially in the context of how different Christian traditions interpret its meaning. While various denominations, including Roman Catholicism and Mormonism, have their own views on this passage, this article will focus on a biblical perspective of the "keys to the kingdom" and offer a critique of how it is understood in Mormon doctrine.

Mormon Doctrine of "Keys to the Kingdom"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormonism) teaches that the "keys to the kingdom" refer to the authority of the priesthood, which they believe was restored through Joseph Smith. In Mormon doctrine, the "keys" of the priesthood are held by Church leaders, specifically the president of the Church, who is considered a prophet, seer, and revelator. These keys are believed to include the authority to perform necessary ordinances for salvation, such as baptism, confirmation, marriage, and other sacred rites.

Mormon teaching emphasizes that the priesthood keys are necessary for entering the celestial kingdom, the highest level of heaven in LDS theology. They believe that these keys were lost after the death of the original apostles and were restored through Joseph Smith during the early 19th century. In this view, the LDS Church is the only church that has the fullness of the priesthood keys necessary for salvation.

What Does the Bible Really Teach about the "Keys to the Kingdom"?Matthew 16:15-19 (NLT) 15 Then Jesus asked his disciples, “But who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. 18 Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”

In Matthew 16:19, the "keys to the kingdom" symbolize authority, specifically spiritual authority in the context of the Church. The image of keys implies the power to open and close doors, which in this case represents the ability to grant or deny access to the kingdom of heaven. This authority is often understood to involve the power of teaching, guiding, and governing within the Church under Christ’s leadership.

Authority to Bind and Loose: The terms "bind" and "loose" in first-century Jewish context referred to legal and religious rulings. To "bind" meant to forbid something, while to "loose" meant to permit something. This indicates that Peter, and by extension the apostles and the Church, were given the authority to make decisions in matters of faith, practice, and discipline. This is confirmed in Matthew 18:18, where Jesus extends this authority to the community of believers as a whole (in the context of a believer sinning).
Matthew 18:18 (NLT) 18 “I tell you (plural) the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) To the church as a whole there is committed the responsibility of declaring what conduct is forbidden to the believer and what is permitted. This was very necessary in a situation where the Jewish Scriptures were accepted as the Scriptures of the believers, but where the Jewish interpretation was rejected, as were many Jewish practices that those who performed them alleged were based on Scripture. The church as a whole should decide such matters, Jesus is saying.
Foundation of the Church: Jesus tells Peter, "On this rock, I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). Some have interpreted this to mean that Peter himself is the foundation of the Church, while others view the "rock" as Peter’s confession of faith that Jesus is the Messiah. Either way, the authority of the apostles is firmly grounded in their role as witnesses to Christ and His resurrection (Ephesians 2:20). And it’s all about Jesus:

Biblical Context of AuthorityThroughout the New Testament, authority is a critical theme, and Jesus makes it clear that all authority comes from Him (Matthew 28:18). The "keys" given to Peter are not Peter's own personal authority but a stewardship of the authority of Christ. Pillar New Testament Commentary: “The early church knows nothing of a personal headship over the church possessed by Peter. He, together with John, was “sent” by the church (Acts 8:14), he is called by the church to give an account of himself (Acts 11:1-18), it is James, not Peter, who presides over the council in Jerusalem (Acts 15), and Paul rebukes him sharply (Gal. 2:11-14).”

Significantly, the "keys" do not represent unlimited or independent authority. Jesus, as the head of the Church (Colossians 1:18), remains the ultimate source of power. The authority to "bind and loose" is contingent upon faithfulness to Christ’s will, which is why the early apostles operated not as autonomous rulers but as humble servants of the Word (1 Corinthians 3:5-11).

Colossians 1:18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body.
1 Corinthians 3:11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

Moreover, this authority is always exercised in service to the Gospel. Peter and the other apostles are commissioned to preach, teach, and lead in a way that aligns with Christ's teachings (see Acts 2, 8, and 10 for the door opening to Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles respectively). Contrast this with the Jewish leaders shutting the door on people (see Matthew 23:13)

Matthew 23:13 (NLT) 13 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.”

A Biblical Critique of the Mormon View1. No Apostolic Succession of Keys in the Bible: While the Bible does speak of the apostles receiving authority from Christ, it does not suggest that this authority was passed down in a formal, institutionalized manner after their deaths. Ephesians 2:20 says that the Church is "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone." This implies that the apostles’ unique role in establishing the Church was foundational and not something that would continue through future generations. 2. The Priesthood of All Believers: In the New Testament, the concept of priesthood shifts dramatically. 1 Peter 2:9 refers to all believers as a "royal priesthood," indicating that every Christian, through faith in Christ, has direct access to God. Hebrews 7:23-28 and Hebrews 10:19-22 emphasize that Jesus is the perfect and eternal High Priest, rendering any additional earthly priesthood unnecessary for salvation. 3. Christ’s Authority is Final and Complete: Jesus declares that "all authority in heaven and on earth" has been given to Him (Matthew 28:18). The idea that the "keys" were lost and needed to be restored is not supported by Scripture – and it would make Jesus incompetent! After His resurrection, Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to the apostles (John 20:22) to guide them, indicating that the Church was fully equipped for its mission. The New Testament gives no indication that there would be a need for additional restoration of authority. 4. Salvation is Through Faith, Not Ordinances: The New Testament consistently teaches that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9), not through the performance of ordinances. While baptism, communion, and other practices are important expressions of faith, they are not prerequisites for salvation in the biblical sense. The idea that the "keys to the kingdom" involve controlling access to salvation through ordinances contradicts the teaching that faith in Christ alone is what saves (John 3:16, Romans 10:9).

The TakeawayThe biblical understanding of the "keys to the kingdom" is that they represent the authority Christ gave to the apostles to lead the Church in faithfulness to His teachings. This authority is always under the lordship of Christ and serves the proclamation of the Gospel. The idea that the keys were lost and later restored through Joseph Smith, as taught in Mormonism, is not supported by the Bible. Rather, the Bible emphasizes the sufficiency of Christ’s authority and the priesthood of all believers, showing that access to the kingdom of God is granted through faith in Jesus Christ, not through institutionalized priesthood or restored keys.

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Notes

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Welcome back to the podcast as we continue our journey through the bool of Acts. Today we’re starting a 4-week mini-series on salvation, and we'll be answering this question: Is anyone too far gone for God?

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Q. Is anyone too far gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)

I often meet people who assume the answer is yes…
Past Sins: Many people believe that their past mistakes, whether big or small, make them unworthy of God's love and forgiveness. They may feel too "dirty" or guilty to be accepted.
Current Sins: Those battling ongoing struggles, such as addiction or habitual sin, may feel trapped in their behavior and believe that God has turned away from them.
Feelings of Unworthiness: Some individuals struggle with low self-esteem or feelings of inadequacy. They may feel they're not "good enough" for God because of how they perceive themselves, often because of sins against them.
Spiritual Doubts: People who struggle with doubt or uncertainty about their faith might think God would reject them for not being "strong" believers. Compare your faith with someone else’s.
Today we’re going to see the story of a guy who was definitely too far gone for God, at least from a Jewish religious perspective. But he kept seeking anyway, and he found the surprising answer to this question: No one is too far gone for God!
Let’s get to the text…

Desert RoadActs 8:26 (NLT) 26 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”

Last week: Philip was in Samaria leading a revival!
Must have seemed strange that God would send him away from Samaria to a desert road going nowhere!
Away from Jerusalem, where God was on the move
Toward Gaza - either the old city, destroyed by Alexander Jannaeus in 96 BC, or the newer city which replaced it in 56 BC (Pillar New Testament Commentary)
(IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition) Philip might have no one to preach to on a little-traveled road that would lead by a deserted city, and after the revival in Samaria this command must seem absurd to him; but God had often tested faith through apparently absurd commands (e.g., Ex 14:16; 1 Kings 17:3-4, 9-14; 2 Kings 5:10). The term translated “south” can also mean “noon”; traveling at noon was very rare (see 22:6; comment on Jn 4:5-6), so this detail, if intended, would make the command seem even more absurd.
Barrett 1994, 422-3. There are 25 uses of mesēmbria in the LXX and all except Dn. 8:4, 9, appear to mean 'midday'. Cf. Acts 22:6 for Saul's conversion 'at noon' (peri mesēmbrian). Spencer 1997, 94, argues that travel at such an extraordinary time and under such unusual circumstances has the literary effect of suggesting an opportunity for 'world shattering knowledge and experience'.
Desert road leading nowhere - is that where you find yourself metaphorically?
God sent Philip there with a message to share
Now he just had to see who was traveling down that road…

The EunuchActs 8:27-28 (NLT) 27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

Ethiopia = Cush in the Bible, not modern Ethiopia. Today, part of Sudan.
Is 11: 11 (NLT) In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people—those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt; in southern Egypt, Ethiopia…
Zephaniah 3:10 (NLT) My scattered people who live beyond the rivers of Ethiopia (Cush) will come to present their offerings.
Eunuch = devoted
to the queen
Castrated males held positions of honour and trust in oriental courts (cf. Herodotus, Persian Wars 8.105; Philostratus, Apollonius 1:33.6).
to the God of Israel
Traveled a long way to worship at the temple
Even though he could never become a full Israelite
Deut 23: (NLT) 1 “If a man’s testicles are crushed or his penis is cut off, he may not be admitted to the assembly of the LORD.”
(P. H. Kern, 'Paul's Conversion and Luke's Portrayal of Character in Acts 8—10') the eunuch represents 'the ultimate outsider, not even capable of circumcision should he desire it, and inadmissible to the temple.'
Probably could go no further than the Court of the Gentiles, and could not even bring any sacrifices required by the Law
(D. R. Schwarts, 'On sacrifice by Gentiles in the Temple of Jerusalem', in Studies in the Jewish Background of Christianity (WUNT 60; Tübingen: Mohr, 1992), 102-116) Gentile sacrifices could have been regarded as gifts brought to the temple authorities for the upkeep of the building or for the use of others in the temple ritual, but not strictly for the benefit of the offerer.
Reading from Isaiah
Hungry for scripture
Devoted beyond the ritualistic trip

Acts 8:29 (NLT) 29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”

What a picture!
This is the verse we use to describe mentoring
Walk along beside someone to help them pursue God

Acts 8:30-31 (NLT) 30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.

More signs of his desperate search
Philip would have been nasty!
Yet the eunuch invited him to sit in his bougie carriage

The PassageActs 8:32-33 (NLT) 32 The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.

And as a lamb is silent before the shearers,

he did not open his mouth.

33 He was humiliated and received no justice.

Who can speak of his descendants?

For his life was taken from the earth.”

Isaiah 53:7b-
So he had already read this part:
3 He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
The eunuch could relate!
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.
The eunuch recognized he was a sinner

Acts 8:34-35 (NLT) 34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” 35 So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.

Philip knew the secret: all of scripture points to Jesus
Beginning with this same Scripture (Is 53) implies Philip kept reading…

Isaiah 56:3-5 (NLT) 3 “Don’t let foreigners who commit themselves to the LORD say,

‘The LORD will never let me be part of his people.’

And don’t let the eunuchs say,

‘I’m a dried-up tree with no children and no future.’

4 For this is what the LORD says:

I will bless those eunuchs

who keep my Sabbath days holy

and who choose to do what pleases me

and commit their lives to me.

5 I will give them—within the walls of my house—

a memorial and a name

far greater than sons and daughters could give.

For the name I give them is an everlasting one.

It will never disappear!

CloseQ. Is anyone too far gone for God? (Acts 8:26-40)

No! This is what the eunuch learned: his uncleanness, his unworthiness, his unJewishness, nothing could separate him from God anymore. Jesus opened the door for him with his death and resurrection, and the same is true for you. Don’t let your
Past Sins
Current Sins
Feelings of Unworthiness
Spiritual Doubts
…get in the way of a relationship with God.

Romans 8:38-39 (NLT) 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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Today we’ll look at the first part of Acts chapter 8. We’ll do a “threat assessment” on the early church as we answer this question: What Are the Church’s Greatest Threats?

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Q. What Are the Church’s Greatest Threats?

(Alpine is 23 years old today!)
First public service held Sept 9, 2001
Two days later the twin towers fell and the world changed
Threat of terrorism
Threat of global war
Threat of losing American way
But Alpine continued to grow, and today…
Eight campuses, and growing!
Opening service at the Syracuse building
Where will God take us in the next 23 years?
And what threats will we have to endure?
Today we’ll look at three threats that the early church faced (persecution, power, and division) and one bonus threat that seems unique to us today (apathy).
We have a lot to cover, so let’s get straight to the text…

The Threat of PersecutionActs 8: (NLT) 1 Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.

Acts 8:1-3 (NLT) A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. 2 (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) 3 But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

The External Threat
Pay attention to the language here, and how different it is from what we’ve seen so far in our study of Acts
First, let’s review the memories (honeymoon stage)
Growth: Acts 2:41 (NLT) 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
Miracles: Acts 3:7 (NLT) 7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened.
Community: Acts 4:32 (NLT) 32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.
Freedom: Acts 5:42 (NLT) 42 And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”
Now we have all new language:
“Great wave of persecution”
I remember standing in the ocean with my kids when they were young, the power of the waves
That’s nothing compared to the tsunami that hit Japan
March 11, 2011
They call it “3/11”
The church experienced this external threat
A tsunami of persecution
scary
“all the believers … were scattered”
So much for community!
And then this:
“Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church”
This guy’s personal mission!
I’ve seen some of these guys on YouTube…
Atheists
Christian haters
Deconstructionists

But here’s the thing with God: a threat is just an opportunity.

Acts 8: (NLT) 4 But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.

Don’t you love it!?
Genesis 50:20 (NLT) You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. (Like the Esther story with Haman)
In fact, this was God’s plan all along: that the next stop after Jerusalem would be Judea and Samaria. Let’s put some verses side-by-side:
Acts 1:8 (NLT) 8 …And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus’ final words before his ascension
Acts 8:1 (NLT) …and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.
Bad thing, right? Not quite…
Acts 8:4 (NLT) But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.
What the enemy meant for evil….

Then Luke gives a specific example…

Acts 8:5 Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. 6 Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. 7 Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

How did all of this start? With persecution in Jerusalem.

And that’s where our bonus threat comes in…

The Threat of ApathyQ. Does the church face the threat of persecution today?

In some countries, yes. Ex: Iran
Iran was number nine on Open Doors’ 2022 World Watch List, an annual ranking of the 50 countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution.
Sheep Among Wolves Vol 2 documentary
Incredible persecution among Christians in Iran
Yet the church is growing, gospel is spreading
Underground!
According to scholar Shay Khatiri of Johns Hopkins University, “Islam is the fastest shrinking religion in there [Iran], while Christianity is growing the fastest”, and in 2018 "up to half a million Iranians are Christian converts from Muslim families, and most of these Christians are evangelicals." He adds that "recent estimates claim that the number might have climbed up to somewhere between 1 million and 3 million".
But what about America, where there is no true persecution?
Iranian Christian couple was able to move to the US. But after being in US, wife began to plead with husband to take her back to Iran.
“There’s a satanic lullaby here. All the Christians are sleepy, and I’m feeling sleepy.”
Spiritual apathy is a greater threat than persecution.
Lulled into our comfortable lives
Not caring about the lost
Not serious about our pursuit of God
Because we feel like we don’t have to be

As we read on, Luke describes another threat in the early church, one that still exists today.

The Threat of PowerActs 8:9-11 (NLT) 9 A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. 10 Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” 11 They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.

Think of him as a popular secular influencer

Acts 8:12-13 (NLT) 12 But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.

Simon had magic, Philip had miracles
To the outside observer, might not have looked different
Notice the similarities in the crowds reactions:
Astounded with his magic
Amazed by his miracles
Even Simon the sorcerer is impressed
He believed
He was baptized
Remember this as we hear the rest of the story…

Acts 8:14-17 (NLT) 14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there. 15 As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. 16 The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.

(New Bible Commentary) It is, of course, delightful that John, who once wanted to call down the fire of judgment on a Samaritan village (Lk. 9:54), was one of those who was now calling down the Holy Spirit!

But here’s where the threat comes in…

Acts 8:18-19 (NLT) 18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power. 19 “Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!”

Simon was thinking in terms of magic power and influence
And he wanted to buy this influence
This came to be known as “Simony” - named after this passage!
Simony is the act of buying or selling spiritual things, particularly church offices or roles
In medieval Europe, the church was often intertwined with the feudal system. This led to church positions being treated as hereditary titles, sometimes sold or exchanged for political support.
The sale of indulgences, closely related to simony, became a central issue leading to the Protestant Reformation.
Here’s what the threat might look like today: desire to be an “Apostle”
Or bishop or prophet… or whatever you call it
The person who holds the keys to the kingdom
Making a claim to this kind of power when it’s not up for grabs
Mormon idea (and other groups like Catholics, New Apostolic Reformation): apostles still exist and authority is conferred by laying on of hands (apostolic succession)
According to Joseph Smith's account, the first major instance of the laying on of hands took place on May 15, 1829. Joseph Smith and his scribe, Oliver Cowdery, were translating the Book of Mormon when they had questions about baptism and authority. In response to their prayers, John the Baptist appeared to them as a resurrected being. John the Baptist laid his hands upon Joseph and Oliver, conferring upon them the Aaronic Priesthood, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, the gospel of repentance, and baptism by immersion for the remission of sins. John instructed them to baptize each other and gave them the authority to do so.
Shortly after the conferral of the Aaronic Priesthood, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery reported that Peter, James, and John laid their hands upon Joseph and Oliver, conferring upon them the Melchizedek Priesthood. This higher priesthood includes the authority to lead the Church, bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost, and perform other sacred ordinances. This priesthood is also believed to include the authority to administer the Church's sacraments and other spiritual gifts.
But here’s the truth: We don’t have apostles anymore in the foundational sense (See Unveiling Mormonism Episode 70). Only offices in the church are elder or deacon (See two weeks ago in the Acts series).
Maybe even more important to understand: even in the NT the apostles didn’t have exclusive rights to give the HS.
In Acts 9, Ananias (not an apostle) laid hands on Saul and he received the HS
In Acts 10 the HS was given to a group of Gentiles without the laying on of hands. Given directly by God
In Acts 2 the same thing happened for the disciples - given directly by God, no laying on of hands (Jesus could’ve done it before his ascension if it was always a thing.)
The point: HS is God’s gift to give, not man’s. He can give it through apostolic laying on of hands (Acts 8, 19) or not (Acts 2, 9, 10)
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) Neither baptism nor the laying on of hands conveys any status or power of itself, though Simon with his shallow spiritual perception thought they could.
Generally, the New Testament teaches that all who put their faith in Jesus receive the Holy Spirit (Galatians 3:2, Ephesians 1:13). This indwelling is not dependent on the physical laying on of hands but is the work of the Holy Spirit in response to faith.

So why did God wait to give his HS through Peter and John? Why not just do it himself without the involvement of the Jerusalem apostles? The reason: it could have created the threat of division.

The Threat of Division* (Zondervan Bible Commentary (1 Vol.)) Why did the Spirit not ‘fall upon’ the Samaritan believers as He did later on the Gentiles who received the word in Caesarea (10:44–48)? It must be remembered that the Samaritans had maintained a Jehovistic worship for centuries, divorced from Jewish witness, God’s channel of salvation (Jn 4:22). The believers ‘in the name’ might have desired to run their own show, carrying the schism over to the church. * God wanted two things: * To show the Samaritans that the apostles were the real deal. * This was the foundation of one church * To show the apostles that the Samaritans were the real deal. * They were fully accepted by God, just like they had been * They received the same HS! * Were it not for this, there would be division in the church * Remember: still mainly a Jewish thing * In this chapter the door opens to the Samaritans * Soon enough the door will open to the Gentiles

CloseSo what are the threats facing the church today?

Persecution
Apathy
Power
Division

And so many more - maybe you can make your own list with your family, small group, or mentor. But I think it would be good to end this section where Luke does:

Acts 8:25 (NLT) 25 After testifying and preaching the word of the Lord in Samaria, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem. And they stopped in many Samaritan villages along the way to preach the Good News.

Threats will come. Our job is to preach the Good News in every generation.
Mat 16:18 (NLT) I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

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In this conversation, Bryan and Bo discuss the final three Articles of Faith in the LDS Church. They touch on the changing doctrines and teachings within Mormonism and the difficulty of finding accurate information outside of church-approved sources.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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Shownotes:

Find the official LDS Article of Faith at their website here.

LDS:“We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.”

LDS:“We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.”

LDS:“We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.”

AC: “Sanctification” describes the maturing process, guided and enabled by the Holy Spirit, in a believer’s life. The standard for this process is derived from the Bible and informed and interpreted through reason, tradition, and experience. Where Scripture gives clear directives we submit ourselves wholly to its teachings. Where it is silent we extract timeless principles that apply to our situation and seek to live responsibly. We do not, however, bind the conscience of other believers in areas of spiritual or cultural ambiguity. (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Pet. 1:13-16; 1 Thess 4:1-8; Col. 3:17; Matt. 5:13-16; Eph. 2:10; Gal. 6:9-10).
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics-essays/plural-marriage-in-kirtland-and-nauvoo?lang=eng

https://www.pursuegod.org/systheo/

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Today we’re covering Acts 7, the story of the first Christian martyr. We were going to ask the question, “Do Christians still get stoned?" (haha), but instead we want to take this story to another place.

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What do you do when the truth challenges tradition?

We all do it: we grew up believing one thing, handed down through the generations
Often difficult to rethink these things, ingrained
Many times it had good roots, a tradition based on truth
But the tradition veered off course, gets legalistic
Became more man-made, and pretty soon the truth it was based on is no longer in sight.
Example: religious traditions
Not drinking alcohol
dressing up for church
Example: irreligious traditions
Drinking alcohol
Football on Sundays (missing church)
Boating on weekends

To be clear: there are times when truth aligns with tradition

We’re certainly not saying that tradition always loses, or that new should always replace old
In fact, these days we need to embrace traditional family values, like:
Marriage is one man, one woman, for life
God made man and woman; gender is not fluid
All human life is precious to God, including the unborn
One more: Sex should be saved for marriage
The key is to know where to find the truth, and then align with it
In the examples above, old-fashioned tradition aligns with the truth
We find it clearly in the Bible
These are truths that should not change with each new generation
But there are other examples where tradition actually misses the truth
You think that by following the tradition you’re following God
BC it’s what your parents did
And it’s what their parents did
But when you trace it back, somewhere it got disconnected from the truth
So now everyone’s doing it for tradition’s sake
And these kinds of people can be INTENSE

Today we’ll see an alarming example of truth vs. tradition

The Jewish religious leaders grilling Stephen
He’s challenging their traditions as he teaches about Jesus
They think he’s missing the point bc they’re steeped in tradition
But ironically they’re the ones missing out on the truth
We’ll see their response to the truth-teller
They reject the message and kill the messenger
It’s a warning to us when we’re challenged…

Let’s get to the text:

The SetupActs 6:8-10 (NLT) 8 Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. 9 But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. 10 None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.

Reminder from last week: Stephen wasn’t just a behind the scenes servant!
Truth is available to anyone
Not just the traditionally elite
This is how Christianity started, and it’s still true today!

Acts 6:11-15 (NLT) 11 So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.” 12 This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council. 13 The lying witnesses said, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses. 14 We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” 15 At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s.

Point: when you’re more committed to tradition than truth, you’re willing to lie about it!
Irony: this undermines the very Moses tradition they were supposedly committed to
“Thou shalt not bear false testimony”
Gut check: are you willing to be brutally honest about the traditions you’re elevating over truth?
Back to my example: I didn’t want to be wrong about alcohol
Tempted to bend the truth, gaslight myself

Acts 7:(NLT) 1 Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are these accusations true?”

Pay attention to how Stephen responds to this question.
Remember, they’re false accusations. But Stephen doesn’t care!
He’s not insecure. He knows the truth. He doesn’t even defend himself.
He was raised in the same tradition as these guys. But then he met Jesus and everything changed.
Instead of defending against these accusations, he shares the gospel with these guys!!
Makes me think of Olympic opening ceremony scandal
So many Christians offended by scandal
And they should be!
But what’s your response?
“God will not be mocked! Paris must burn!”
Stephen’s response was to share the gospel
Care more about the people who offended him

Acts 7:2-4 (NLT) 2 This was Stephen’s reply: “Brothers and fathers, listen to me. Our glorious God appeared to our ancestor Abraham in Mesopotamia before he settled in Haran. 3 God told him, ‘Leave your native land and your relatives, and come into the land that I will show you.’ 4 So Abraham left the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran until his father died. Then God brought him here to the land where you now live.

Remember the accusations: “Stephen says Jesus wants to change the customs Moses handed down to us…”
But Stephen starts the story well before the Law - goes to father Abraham
Wants to show God’s heart for his people, the very context for the Law (they forgot)
The point: Truth goes to the heart of God’s Word. It doesn’t cherry pick verses and take things out of context.

Then Stephen continues with the history lesson

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon…
This must have been so offensive to the spiritual leaders! How dare he instruct them?!
They were the experts on history and tradition! But his point is that they were missing the key all along. This is easy to do when we get so focused on tradition and lose sight of the truth.
John 5:39-40 (NLT) 39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! 40 Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life.”

Acts 7:37-39 (NLT) 37 “Moses himself told the people of Israel, ‘God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people.’ … 39 “But our ancestors refused to listen to Moses. They rejected him and wanted to return to Egypt.

There it is. He’s showing them their place in the story. They’re not the good guys. They’re the ones who are failing to listen (shema) to Moses. (The very accusation against him.)
Q. Why did they refuse to listen to Moses?
Comfort zone

Acts 7:51-53 (NLT) 51 “You stubborn people! You are heathen at heart and deaf to the truth. Must you forever resist the Holy Spirit? That’s what your ancestors did, and so do you! 52 Name one prophet your ancestors didn’t persecute! They even killed the ones who predicted the coming of the Righteous One—the Messiah whom you betrayed and murdered. 53 You deliberately disobeyed God’s law, even though you received it from the hands of angels.”

What a moment! He’s calling out the religious leaders
How will they respond?

Acts 7:54 (NLT) 54 The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage…. 57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him 58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.

Acts 7:59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

Shows his heart for them.

Q. What do you do when the truth challenges tradition?

Their response to the truth-teller:
eliminate the source of discomfort
reject the message and kill the messenger
It’s a warning to us when we’re challenged…
What we should do:
Go to God’s Word, the source of truth
Embrace the truth, even if it’s uncomfortable
The HS convicts, not us.
And the HS allows us to respond when truth challenges tradition.

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Today we're beginning a new chapter in our Acts book series, as we uncover what chapter 6 has to say about organizing a church.

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Is there a right way to organize a church?

But seriously, lots of debate on this over the centuries
Elders, deacons, pastors, bishops, etc.
Are these different positions in the church?
Today I’ll show you that there are only two “offices” in the church when it comes to positions of leadership
But is there only one prescribed, God-ordained way to organize?

Acts 6:1 (NLT) 1 But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.

Church growth brings it challenges!
Greek speaking vs. Hebrew speaking - Warning against cliques in the church, us vs. them mentality, contrary to the unity Jesus calls us to have and the unity that will show the world we are his disciples

Acts 6:2-4 (NLT) 2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. 3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. 4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”

Division of labor
Apostles weren’t discounting the importance of meeting physical needs. The apostles were teaching “everything they had seen and heard” ( We have seen this phrase used earlier in the book of Acts). They couldn’t just pass that responsibility on to people who hadn’t walked with Jesus. They didn’t have Bibles available for the average believer. They were teaching what Jesus had taught them, both prior to his crucifixion and between his resurrection and ascension.
The church should be looking for opportunities to meet physical needs of others, particularly other believers. (1 John 3:17, James 2:15-16)
Philosophy of ministry to have elders/pastors whose only role is teaching the Word of God. Teaching the Word of God is extremely important, but we do have a different context today. Believers do have access to the Bible. They do have access to other believers, commentaries, etc.
Notice the requirements don’t mention anything about the charisma, wealth, talents of the individuals being put forth for consideration. It is about their character, wisdom, and being Spirit filled.
Note also the importance of prayer. The apostles were intentional about making room in their schedule for prayer. This is critical in ministry. Something I certainly fall short in at times.

Acts 6:5-6 (NLT) 5 Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). 6 These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.

Everyone liked this idea - maybe the biggest miracle in all of scripture!!
Process: men selected from the people, presented to apostles who released them for ministry
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) In the history of exegesis and church government, Acts 6 with the appointment of Stephen and six others was always seen as relevant to diaconal definition and identity. But they are not actually called deacons using the Greek word diakonos. That word refers to a “servant” in various senses and capacities in Paul’s twenty-one uses of the word.

Let’s break down “diakonos” (servant, minister, deacon) in Paul’s writings:

General uses: Not referring to official positions in a local church
Rom 15:8 - Christ has become a servant
1 Cor 3:5 - Apollos and Paul are servants
Col 1:7, 4:7 - Epaphras and Tychicus are ministers
2 Cor 11:15 - Satan has servants
Office of deacon in local church: Only 3 times!
Phil 1:1 (NLT) I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons.
Philippians written around 60-62 AD
1 Tim 3:8-12 In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity….
1 Timothy 62-66 AD
Romans 16:1-2 (NLT) 1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a deacon in the church in Cenchrea. 2 Welcome her in the Lord as one who is worthy of honor among God’s people. Help her in whatever she needs, for she has been helpful to many, and especially to me.
Some people debate whether this is referring to an official role in the church or just a general statement like the earlier list.
May be the first reference to the office of deacon. Was the concept even yet formalized in the early church or in the mind of Paul? We don’t know.
Romans written around 57–58 AD
(Stephen selected 30-36 AD)
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Even if Acts 6 and the appointment of seven men to assist in serving widows is brought into the discussion, it may be surprising how little is known from the NT sources about specifics regarding the office of deacon. Much of what we think we know today likely stems from projecting back into early NT history the roles of deacons with which we are familiar from traditions that can be attested in full only much later. This does not mean contemporary discussion of deacons cannot make appeal to these (and other) Scriptures. It is simply to underscore that the explicit sources are quite limited. Applications made from them deserve to be careful and as modest as the amount of definite information available.

In summary, here’s what we can say for sure from the Bible:

The office of overseer (elder, pastor) is different from the office of deacon (minister, servant).
Paul appointed overseers in churches (around 50 AD): Acts 14:23 (NLT) 23 Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
The office of overseer was open to men only. The office of deacon appeared to be open to both men and women.
Some churches debate this
Alpine is committed to this. Overseers, pastoral team is made up of godly men who carry the burden of spiritual authority in the church, to include church discipline, etc.
Some overseers are already functioning in “pastoral care” roles, including hospital/prayer visits, baby dedications, and even performing weddings.
Appointment to either of these offices was a serious thing, and both overseers and deacons were expected to be whole-hearted followers of Jesus.
We’ll see this with Stephen next week…
1 Timothy 3:9 (NLT) 9 They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience.
Stephen was, even died for his faith. Guess who was there witnessing it: Paul, the guy who later wrote 1 Timothy!
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Historians can only speculate on how this incident might still inform Paul’s thinking on the character of deacons decades later.
However it’s organized, the church should proclaim and protect the gospel. (So it’s for Christians and non-Christians.)
We’ve seen proclaim over and over in the book of Acts
Soon we’ll see protect… as false teaching creep in
That’s a major role of the overseers

CloseThe result of a well-organized church was growth!

Acts 6:7 (NLT) 7 So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.

Many of the Jewish priests were converted - Who would have guessed that during Jesus’ earthly ministry? Who would have guessed it right after his resurrection? It would have seemed hopeless. They were the chief source of opposition. They hung Jesus on the cross.
God is a God of miracles. He brings dead things to life. He makes beauty from ashes.
Who in your world have you given up on because you think it’s no use? They’re a lost cause. I hope this would encourage you to keep praying for them. Keep witnessing to them. Keep sharing the love of Christ with them.
The priests were mostly of Sadducean persuasion. They didn’t believe in a resurrection. What a turn around!
One of the things that helped God’s message to spread was winning as a team. More people were getting involved in the work of the ministry (Ephesian 4:11-12, Core Value #3).

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In this episode, Bryan and Bo discuss the concept of the gathering of Israel in Mormonism and compare it to the Christian view of dispensationalism. They explore the differences between the literal gathering of Jewish people in Israel as believed by dispensationalists and the broader gathering of believers in Mormonism. They also discuss the role of the temple in Mormonism and how it differs from the Christian understanding of salvation through faith in Jesus. The conversation highlights the simplicity and grace of biblical Christianity compared to the works-based approach of Mormonism.

Find the official LDS Article of Faith at their website here.

LDS:“We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.”

AC: We believe every person’s eternal destiny is sealed at the moment of death. God knows those who are His own. Those who have accepted His free grace through Jesus Christ will live forever to glorify Him. Unbelievers will be judged with righteousness and separated forever from His presence. (2 Cor. 5:6-10; Luke 23:40-43; Phil. 1:23; John 5:29; Luke 16:22-28; Matt. 25:46; 1 Cor. 15:51-55; Heb. 9:27-28; Rev. 22:3-5; Rev. 1:17-18)
See also: https://www.pursuegod.org/eschatology/

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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We read about the way that God intervened in human affairs in the Bible. Does he still do that today? And if not, Why not? That’s what we’ll look at in our text today (Acts 5:12-42) where we see three examples of divine intervention.

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Q. How does divine intervention work today?

Before we get to the text, let’s make this question personal. Have you ever found yourself in an impossible situation where you needed some divine intervention? Your back was against the wall, and if God didn’t show up you’d be in a world of hurt…

Early days of Alpine: we emptied our bank accounts and were still $2000 short. Went to the mailbox day of closing to find a $2000 check from out of state friends!
Some of you might be in a similar place
Financially
Relationally
Emotionally
Physically
Spiritually

Today, in our passage we are actually going to see a couple of unlikely interventions orchestrated by God to get people out of own impossible situations. Let’s get to the text…

MiraclesActs 5:12-16 (NLT) 12 The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. 14 Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. 15 As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. 16 Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.

The most amazing kind of divine intervention: miracles. A couple of observations about the text:
This was a direct answer to their prayers from ch 4: Acts 4:30 “Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
The purpose was to validate their message, point people to Jesus. It wasn’t about the apostles!
Peter’s shadow: note how the ESV says it: Acts 5:15 (ESV) they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them.
The Bible doesn’t actually say that they were healed this way, but rather that they hoped they would be.
But the big question: does God still intervene like this today?
We covered this a few weeks ago in Acts 3. Here’s a reminder of some of the talking points:
Miracles still happen today, but we do not have the power to demand them. The Bible teaches that only God has the power to speak things into existence.
As opposed to “name it and claim it” theo
We can’t just order God around. The more we are aligned with Jesus, the more we can pray according to his will.
John 15:7 But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
So why don’t we see this as much today?
Maybe we don’t need it to validate our message.
Even in Jesus’ ministry on earth, his miracles tapered off after a while. He said sign-seekers were wicked and perverse. (Mt 16:4)
Maybe it’s our lack of faith. (wake up call)
Maybe it’s our lack of desperation.

But that’s just the first kind of divine intervention in the text. There’s more!

AngelsActs 5:17-21 (NLT) 17 The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, 20 “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!” 21 So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching.

What does the Bible say about angels?
The Bible has a lot to say about angels, and some of it will surprise the modern ear. For starters, angels are a different species than humans; they are not the souls of dead people!
Nature: Angels are created by God (Colossians 1:16) and are spiritual beings (Hebrews 1:14).
They don’t look like what you think. They often announced: “Fear not!” IOW, they’re terrifying! Danish film studio’s wicked attempt at putting what the Old Testament prophets describe to CGI: Check out this video.
Messengers: The word "angel" means "messenger," and they often serve as God's messengers to humans.
Ex: Gabriel appeared to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus (Luke 1:26-38).
Warriors: Angels engage in spiritual warfare, battling against evil forces. Michael, the archangel, is often associated with this role (Revelation 12:7-9).
Numerous: The Bible describes a vast number of angels organized into ranks or orders (Revelation 5:11, Colossians 1:16).
Protectors: Angels are sometimes seen protecting or delivering God's people. (Acts 5, Acts 12).
Q. Do angels still work like this today?
Hebrews 1:14 (NLT) 14 Therefore, angels are only servants—spirits sent to care for people who will inherit salvation.
Some Christians believe that every person has a guardian angel assigned by God to protect and guide them.
Cessationist View: Some Christians, particularly in Reformed and evangelical traditions, believe that while angels exist, their direct intervention in human affairs may be less common or more subtle today. They argue that with the completed revelation of Scripture, God primarily guides and protects through the Holy Spirit and His Word, rather than through angelic visitations.
Continuationist View: Many Christians, especially those in charismatic and Pentecostal traditions, believe that angels continue to intervene in the lives of believers today. They cite personal testimonies of protection, guidance, or miraculous events that they attribute to angelic activity.

PeopleActs 5:26-28 (NLT) 26 The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them. 27 Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. 28 “We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” he said. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”

The disciples wouldn’t relent. Continued to reject their authority, and then…

Acts 5:33-35 (NLT) 33 When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. 34 But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. 35 Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men!

Acts 5:38-39 (NLT) 38 “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”

Sometimes God intervenes directly through people
Even people who don’t acknowledge him
Ex: Cyrus in OT

CloseRomans 8:28 (NLT) 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

He might use miracles, angels, or even regular old people
Or he might not intervene in any of these ways
7:57-60 Stephen’s martyrdom
12:1-2 James’ death
21:30-36 Paul’s extended imprisonment

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Chris and Beck share their journey of leaving the Mormon Church after facing the questions and doubts they had. If you came to Mormonism because of the social side of it - the friendships, connection, and community - then this episode might be for you!

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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The story of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 4:32-5:11) offends the modern reader, but it should help us to answer a timeless question: What is the fear of the Lord? Matthew 10:28

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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What is the fear of the Lord?

I remember hearing this phrase as a kid and I thought it was a bad thing
Not supposed to be afraid of God, are we?
I was told that it’s just talking about “respect”
Respect God, like you respect a sweet old man
Grampa Gene
But then I read verses like this:

Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

(Gulp) This is not respecting a sweet old man!
This is Jesus telling people to fear God. This is in opposition to someone who might say the fear of the Lord is just an Old Testament thing.

I bring up this question because today we’re covering Acts 4:32-5:11. It tells a terrifying story and then lands on this verse:

Acts 5:11 (NLT) 11 Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.

That’s a BAD thing, right? Wrong. It’s a good thing, and that’s what we’re going to be talking about today. Before we read it, let me ask you a question:
Do you take God too seriously or too lightly? (put it on a spectrum)
I think 99% of today’s Christians take him too lightly
he is just a sweet old grandpa figure
Today’s story will hopefully swing the pendulum back a bit
Now let’s get to the text…

The Scary StoryActs 4:32-35 (NLT) 32 All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. 33 The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. 34 There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them 35 and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.

Another general description of the early church
More than that… it’s a setup for the two stories to follow…

Acts 4:36-37 (NLT) 36 For instance, there was Joseph, the one the apostles nicknamed Barnabas (which means “Son of Encouragement”). He was from the tribe of Levi and came from the island of Cyprus. 37 He sold a field he owned and brought the money to the apostles.

There are lots of cool nicknames: “Air Jordan”, “The Rock”, “Billy the Kid”, but how cool would it be to have the nickname “Son of Encouragement".” Now that’s a guy I want to hang around. Do you have some encouragers in your life?
This is almost certainly the same Barnabus who shows up three more times in Acts (9:26-7; 11:22-6; 15:37)
A positive example of generosity in the early church
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Although only a field was sold, ownership of land was the principal source of wealth and social standing in the Greco-Roman world. Barnabas thus embodies the ideal of the 'servant-benefactor', well known in that culture…
To contrast what’s about to come…

Acts 5:1-2 (NLT) 1 But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. 2 He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.

The big “but”
There was Joseph… but there was Ananias (Which one are YOU?)
Remember there were no chapters in the original manuscript. Luke starts verse 1 with “But”. He is specifically contrasting something about Barnabas with something about Ananias and Sapphira.
Note: this wasn’t actually about the money, as we’ll see
It was about the heart
It was about wanting to look good (hypocrisy)
Maybe they were hoping for a cool nickname with the bringing of this gift.

(We’re getting to the scary part…)

Acts 5:3-4 (NLT) 3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. 4 The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”

You lied to the HS… to God
More evidence that the HS is God!
Side note: God’s attitude toward generosity
The property was yours to sell or not
The money was yours to give away or not
2 Corinthians 9:7 (NLT) You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

(Back to the text, and here’s the terrifying part…)

Acts 5:5-6 (NLT) 5 As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. 6 Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him.

Wait… what?! Does this sound like the God you know?
A lot of Christians want to skip over this story, hard to explain
Doesn’t sound like “Your Best Life Now” that is promised by those modern-day preachers
Well I’m not going to explain it away.
It really happened.
It really was God’s doing.
And it freaked everyone out

But there’s more…

Acts 5:7-10 (NLT) 7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?” “Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.” 9 And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.” 10 Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

This is a great story to remind us of a couple things:
God is all-powerful
We are not

Acts 5:11 (NLT) 11 Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.

This is the proper response to God
Too many people in today’s culture (and church) forget this
So let’s answer the question: What is the fear of the Lord?

Reverent AweThe fear of the Lord is a reverent awe of God.

So much more than just “respect”
Recognizing his transcendence, holiness, power, judgment
Not just being afraid of what he can do to you
But that’s definitely a part of it
That’s why “great fear” gripped the church in Acts 5
Ex: Kenzie disobeyed, said, “That’s OK…”
But it wasn’t OK. And I disciplined her. Then she didn’t simply “respect” me like a sweet old man anymore.
Belles: It’s not a walking on eggshells kind of fear that God might lash out at any moment. I feared my dad’s authority. I feared his power. I loved him and knew he loved me. I didn’t fear unjust punishment or random unkindness, but I feared when I had done wrong and knew I would have to answer to him.

Building BlockThe fear of the Lord is the building block for knowledge.

Let me say it another way: You can’t really know anything in this life until you see God for who he is and you see yourself for who you are… and you acknowledge the infinite gap between the two positions.
Even simpler: If you think you’re on the throne of your life, you’re a moron.
Fear of the Lord is not a building block for knowledge. It’s the building block.
Once that block is in place, you can start learning.
Because you say, “You know it all. I know nothing.”
Like at the end of Job: “I’ll shut up now and let you speak.”
Can you imagine:
Helping Michael Phelps with swimming
Or helping Elon Musk with making money
Or helping God with the rules in the Garden (“Did God really say…”)
Defn of sin: trusting and acting on your own opinions and feelings instead of on God’s truth. (ie, not fearing God)
You have nothing to offer God until you see the gap between you and him
This is fear of the Lord, and it’s the building block for knowledge.
The first chapter of Proverbs makes it clear:

Proverbs 1:7 (NLT) 7 Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

“What the alphabet is to reading, notes to reading music, and numerals to mathematics, the fear of the LORD is to attaining the revealed knowledge of this book.” (Waltke)
Beginning has the sense of “the first and controlling principle, rather than a stage which one leaves behind; cf. Eccl. 12:13.” (Kidner)
Fools don’t just lack knowledge. They despise it. They purposefully choose to reject wisdom. Current examples:
Gender issue (People testifying before congress that men can have babies.)
abortion (a drunk driver who kills a pregnant woman can be charged with two counts of vehicular manslaughter in many states, but some of those same states allow abortion.)

CloseSo how should we think about this God described in Acts 5? Is he worth following?

“Aslan is a lion - the Lion, the great Lion." said Mr Beaver. "Ooh" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he - quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion"... "Safe?" said Mr Beaver … "Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

1 John 4:18 (NLT) … perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.

What about the many passages of Scripture, Old and New Testament (such as Ecclesiastes 12:13 and 1 Peter 2:17), which tell us we should fear God? The fear John writes of here is not the appropriate reverence we should all have of God, but the kind of fear which involves torment – that agonizing kind of fear which robs our soul of all joy and confidence before God. It is the fear that is the opposite of boldness in the day of judgment.

The justice of God met the love of God at the cross. When we trust Jesus for salvation, we can fear God without being afraid of judgment.

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The world as we know it is against Jesus. Because of this, we might face hard questions, attacks, and more that challenge our faith. In today's episode, we answer the question: How Should Christians Respond to Bold Opposition?

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How Should Christians Respond to Bold Opposition?

Define bold opposition: enemies of God, the cross
Threats against our values, the truth of the Bible
Olympic ceremony's 'Last Supper' sketch
The segment… resembled the biblical scene of Jesus Christ and his apostles sharing a last meal before crucifixion and featured drag queens, a transgender model and a naked singer
Hugo Bardin, whose drag queen character Paloma took part in the tableau, was disappointed Paris 2024 had felt compelled to apologise. "An apology means recognising a mistake, recognising that you deliberately did something to harm, which was not the case," Bardin said. "What bothers people isn’t that we're reproducing this painting," Bardin continued, "what bothers people is that queer people are reproducing it."
Other examples in recent years:
Andres Serrano's Piss Christ (1987): controversial photograph depicting a crucifix submerged in urine
Authors like Richard Dawkins [The God Delusion (2006)] and Christopher Hitchens [God Is Not Great (2007)]
Comedians like George Carlin and Bill Maher
Criticism of Christian stances on social issues (such as LGBTQ+ rights, abortion, and contraception) has often been accompanied by mockery, portraying Christians as outdated or intolerant.
Philippians 3:18-19 (NLT) 18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.
Bold enemies of the cross. Getting bolder every year. This makes me mad. How should we respond to this?
We are told to be tolerant, inclusive, kind - yet we are mocked for our belief in Biblical values and our desire to follow Jesus
Many Christians want to curse them: pray for their destruction, call down God’s judgment like James and John did in Luke 9
Summarize story: Luke 9:51-54 (NLT) 51 As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. 53 But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem. 54 When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?”
They thought this was God’s MO
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) This flagrant image appeals to the precedent of Elijah, who called down fire to destroy companies of soldiers sent to him by King Ahaziah of Israel (2 Kgs 1:10, 12)

Trans: And Elijah wasn’t the only one who called for God’s judgment…

The OT exampleHezekiah (2 Kings 18-19)

Backstory: Assyria, the world power at the time, attacked powerless Israel during the reign of King Hezekiah.
Assyria’s King Sennacherib taunted Hezekiah
The odds were stacked against Israel
Hezekiah was one of the few good kings
2 Kings 18:5-6 (NLT) 5 Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before or after his time. 6 He remained faithful to the LORD in everything, and he carefully obeyed all the commands the LORD had given Moses.
2 Kings 19:10-11 (NLT) 10 “This message is for King Hezekiah of Judah. Don’t let your God, in whom you trust, deceive you with promises that Jerusalem will not be captured by the king of Assyria. 11 You know perfectly well what the kings of Assyria have done wherever they have gone. They have completely destroyed everyone who stood in their way! Why should you be any different?”
2 Kings 19:15-16 (NLT) And Hezekiah prayed this prayer before the LORD: “O LORD, God of Israel, you are enthroned between the mighty cherubim! You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth. You alone created the heavens and the earth. 16 Bend down, O LORD, and listen! Open your eyes, O LORD, and see! Listen to Sennacherib’s words of defiance against the living God.”
2 Kings 19:19 (NLT) “Now, O LORD our God, rescue us from his power; then all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you alone, O LORD, are God.”
Note: He prayed for deliverance
2 Kings 19:35 (NLT) That night the angel of the LORD went out to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. When the surviving Assyrians woke up the next morning, they found corpses everywhere.

Trans: This was the OT way. Seemed approved by God. But then Jesus showed up, and things started to change…

Jesus’ TeachingFamous sermon on the Mount, packed with new interpretations:

Matthew 5:43-45 (NLT) 43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.”

Notice the quotes there: only “love your neighbor” has them
That’s because it’s the only biblical part!
Scripture doesn’t teach “hate your enemy” - that was a teaching of the religious leaders, an addition
Basically the same religious leaders who had killed Jesus and were now persecuting his followers
The ones who called themselves “children of the Father”
Yet Jesus is saying the true children act differently
They love their enemies and pray for them!?

Trans: Jesus taught this kind of stuff all the time. Was it just hyperbole? Was he just trying to make a point?

Actually, no. This is how he wanted his followers to live. Acts 4 was their first test after his ascension….

The Believers’ PrayerActs 4:23 (NLT) 23 As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said.

First opportunity to respond to persecution
Similar to the Hezekiah situation; leaders rejecting God

Acts 4:24 (NLT) 24 When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—”

Reminiscent of how Hezekiah started his prayer
Trusted in God’s sovereignty, God’s planning behind it all
He’s big; his enemies are small
Just exactly how I feel about the Olympic drag queens

Acts 4:25-26 (NLT) 25 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying, ‘Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans? 26 The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the LORD and against his Messiah.’

This is a quote from Ps 2
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) Sometime just prior to the Christian period, Ps 2 was beginning to be used within some Jewish circles as a messianic psalm, and the early Jewish Christians knew of this usage, approved it, and applied it to Jesus
“Gathered together” -
That’s what it feels like today - the whole world has lost it’s mind and has become an enemy of Christ
This is why we need to gather together with other believers! We need community if we are to stand firm against the enemies of the cross

Acts 4:27-28 (NLT) 27 “In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. 28 But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will.”

Incredible (and offensive) understanding of Ps 2
“The kings of the earth” = Herod + Pilate
“The Messiah” = Jesus
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The surprising fulfillment of the psalm is that Herod and the people of Israel aligned themselves with foreign nations and their rulers in opposing the Lord and his Anointed One
Again, notice their understanding of God’s sovereignty

And here’s the payoff, the answer to our question…

Acts 4:29-31 (NLT) 29 “And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30 Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

They didn’t pray for deliverance from enemies or judgment on enemies
Prayed for boldness to preach the word
Preach it to each other
The “preached the word of God with boldness”
But no one else was there
It’s almost like they were practicing on each other
Men’s group: how encouraging is it to hear the truth plainly and boldly spoken
Podcasts as well, including men’s podcast
Preach it to your kids at home
talk about our biblical values clearly and boldly - but with love toward the enemies of Christ
Preach it to the world
Don’t be afraid to open your mouth, even though you might be mocked or shamed
But do it in love, and remember that it’s not your job to save anyone

CloseBack to James and John’s request…

Luke 9:54-56 When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 So they went on to another village.

But Jesus rebuked them
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The word for “rebuke” (Gk. epitiman) is intense, usually reserved for the rebuke and exorcism of demonic forces.
Then they just moved on.
To the next village, the next group to hear the gospel

Q. How Should Christians Respond to Bold Opposition?

A: Share the truth in love and boldness, and pray that God would open their eyes to it.
Go on to another village if they don’t.

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Today we’ll answer the question: When should you reject spiritual authority? It was required a few times in Christian history, and it all started with Peter and John in Acts 4.

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Here’s a question: When Should You Reject Spiritual Authority?

Some of you may say, Always
No one wants to submit these days…
Judges era: “Everyone did what was right in their own eyes”
General lack of respect for spiritual authority
So much hopping around from church to church
Not a “sense of awe” that we saw at the end of book of Acts
But see Is Spiritual Authority a Thing Anymore?
Quick answer: Yes!
Spiritual leadership in the church flows from Jesus’ authority, and obedience to godly leaders benefits the soul.
Hebrews 13:17 Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.
So I’ll ask again: When should you reject spiritual authority?
Because you shouldn’t blindly follow it
There are times you should reject it, as we’ll see in the text today
We’re covering Acts 4:1-22
We’ll get there in a minute, but first…

Examples from HistoryMartin Luther (1483-1546)

1507: Ordained as a priest.
1517: On October 31, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church, challenging the Catholic Church’s practice of selling indulgences and other corruptions. This event is often marked as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.
1520: Published three key works: "To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation," "On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church," and "On the Freedom of a Christian," outlining his theological views and criticisms of the Church.
1521: Excommunicated by Pope Leo X in January. In April, he was summoned to the Diet of Worms, where he famously refused to recant his writings, saying, "Here I stand, I can do no other." Declared an outlaw by the Edict of Worms.

William Tyndale (c. 1494-1536)

1523: Sought permission to translate the Bible into English, but was denied by the Bishop of London. Fled the next year to Germany to work on his translation.
1525: Completed the New Testament in English, printed in 1526 in Cologne and Worms.
1526: The first printed copies of Tyndale’s New Testament were smuggled into England, where they were banned and burned by the Church.
1536: William Tyndale was executed by strangulation and then burned at the stake on October 6.

Jan Hus (c. 1372-1415)

1400: Ordained as a priest.
1411: Excommunicated by Pope John XXIII for his opposition to indulgences.
1415: Jan Hus was burned at the stake on July 6 for his teachings and refusal to recant.

John Wycliffe (c. 1330-1384)

1376: Began criticizing the wealth and corruption of the Church, calling for reform.
1377: Pope Gregory XI condemned Wycliffe’s teachings, issuing five papal bulls against him.
1380: Wycliffe started translating the Bible into English, believing that scripture should be accessible to all believers. His translation was completed by his followers after his death.
Wycliffe is often called the "Morning Star of the Reformation" for his early calls for reform within the Catholic Church.

But 1300 years earlier, the ragtag followers of Jesus were the first Christian reformers. And that story begins in Acts chapter 4

the first clash between the apostles and the Jewish religious authority.
In the Gospels, Jesus was the one clashing with the spiritual leaders. but now in the church age the battle will be waged between the followers of Jesus and the religious establishment.
Chapter 4 gives us our first glimpse at the changing of the guard. the church has been born, but in its infancy it's unclear to the apostles how they will relate to the temple and its leaders. This chapter begins to reveal the answer…

The ShowdownActs 4:1-2 (NLT) 1 While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees. 2 These leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead.

Who did these guys think they were? Uneducated!!

Acts 4:3-4 (NLT) 3 They arrested them and, since it was already evening, put them in jail until morning. 4 But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5,000.

Jesus: “I will build my church….”

Acts 4:5-7 (NLT) 5 The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest. 7 They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?”

Same as Jesus’ trial: Luke 20:2 (NLT) 2 They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”

Acts 4:8-10 (NLT) 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, 9 are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? 10 Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead.

Boldness to point people to Jesus
But it gets even more bold…

Acts 4:11-12 (NLT) 11 For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’ 12 There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

Last chapter: Acts 3:22-23 (NLT) 22 Moses said, ‘The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.’ 23 Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’
We’re about to see this prophecy fulfilled in the religious leaders. They would be cut off, not the disciples!
Notice the exclusive claim: salvation in no one else
This would have been offensive to Jewish ears
Blasphemous to the leaders’ ears
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Members of the Sanhedrin would have agreed that the God of Israel is humanity's only true saviour (cf. Ex. 15:1-11; Is. 43:11-12; 45:22; Ps. 96:1-5). But Peter now insists that the name of Jesus is the exclusive means by which God's saving power can be invoked and experienced.

Changing of the GuardActs 4:13 (NLT) 13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.

Irony: these guys were nobodies, and the educated guys were blown away by their understanding of the OT
They had “been with Jesus”. That’s all the training they needed

Acts 4:16-18 (NLT) 16 “What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. 17 But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.” 18 So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.

This was their exercise of spiritual authority

Acts 4:19-20 (NLT) 19 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20 We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

This was the changing of the guard. Old Israel was done. New Israel had begun, led by a bunch of misfits and nobodies.
Peter and John rejected their religious authorities, because those authorities rejected Jesus.

CloseSo, When Should You Reject Spiritual Authority?

Not talking about the Reformation, because the evangelical church at large doesn’t need that
But it’s a “mini-reformation” question: when should you find a new church?
The answer is easy: when it corrupts any of the core teachings of the early church:
Jesus is Lord (do they get Jesus right?)
We are saved by grace (do they get salvation right?)
We’re on a mission (do they get disciple-making right?)

Close with a challenge: think twice before you reject authority

Too many people hop from church to church and lack authority
Hebrews 13:17 Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.

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Emotional intelligence (EQ) is crucial for successful relationships, including marriage. EQ is different from IQ and focuses on understanding and managing emotions, as well as understanding others. The five traits of EQ are self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, empathy, and social skill. In this episode, Bryan and Tracy discuss the importance of EQ for a healthy marriage.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

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Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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Have you ever heard of the “name it and claim it” movement? It encourages people to “speak into existence” whatever they want, and if they really believe it, it will happen. Some of you have probably listened to some of these teachers, and maybe you've learned some helpful things. That's great! But at least a part of their teaching is very dangerous, and that's what we want to address in today's podcast.

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Before we get to Acts chapter 3 to answer the question, let's look at

A Brief History of the Word of Faith Movement:

The Word of Faith movement, also known as the "prosperity gospel" or "health and wealth gospel," has its roots in the early 20th century, with influences from several theological streams and key figures. Here is a brief history of its development:

Early Influences

New Thought Movement: The New Thought movement, which began in the late 19th century, emphasized the power of the mind, positive thinking, and the belief that thoughts could influence material reality. Phineas Quimby (1802–1866) was an American spiritual healer, mesmerist, and the founder of the movement. (Not a Christian.)
Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, was one of Quimby’s patients. Although Eddy later developed her own theological system, elements of Quimby’s teachings can be seen in the early foundations of Christian Science.
E.W. Kenyon: Often considered a foundational figure in the development of the Word of Faith theology, E.W. Kenyon (1867-1948) blended elements of New Thought with traditional Christian beliefs. Kenyon's teachings emphasized the power of words and the concept of "positive confession."

Core Teachings

God-like Nature: Copeland has controversially suggested that Adam had a god-like status before the Fall, reflecting the idea of humans being little gods or having divine attributes. Jesus' redemptive work aims to restore what was lost in the Fall, allowing believers to reclaim their authority and dominion through faith.
Positive Confession: Copeland teaches that Adam had the power to speak things into existence, similar to how God created the world with His words. Believers can have this same power:
“Words are spiritual containers, and your words create your future.”
"Our words create our destiny."
The faith-force: Copeland portrays faith as a tangible, powerful force that believers can harness to influence their circumstances and manifest God's promises in their lives.
“Faith is a spiritual force. It is substance. Faith has the ability to effect natural substance.”
This concept is often summarized by phrases like "speak it into existence" or "name it and claim it," emphasizing the power of positive confession.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NLT) 3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

Today we’re going to study a chapter that the Word of Faith guys love… but misinterpret. We’re going to show you what it’s really saying, not what our itching ears want it to say.

The HealingActs 3:1-2 (NLT) 1 Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple.

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Even though Jesus had implied that he would replace the temple in the plan and purpose of God (cf. Mt. 12:6; Jn. 2:19-22; 4:21-4), his disciples did not immediately disengage themselves from the temple and separate themselves from the traditional practices of their religion…. The temple area remained an important context for that witness until they were excluded from it by mounting opposition to the gospel.

Acts 3:3-6 (NLT) 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. 4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”

Expecting some money: major problem with name it and claim it theology: they're the ones expecting some money! So many of them exploit the poor, needy, and desperate
Examples?
Takeaway: be careful which ministries you support
Get up and walk: But what about physical healing? the beggar would get that for sure. is it something that we can claim in the name of Jesus whenever we need it? Not exactly.
Miracles still happen today, but we do not have the power to demand them. Related: https://www.pursuegod.org/should-we-believe-in-miracles-today/
The purpose of miracles in scripture was to authenticate God’s message. That’s why we often see miracles tapering off after God’s messenger has been validated. John 20:31
Even in Jesus’ ministry on earth, his miracles tapered off after a while. He said sign-seekers were wicked and perverse. Matthew 16:4
God can still do whatever he wants, even signs and wonders. But the ongoing miracle in the church today – the thing that validates our message – is love. Galatians 5:22-23
In the name of Jesus: The power is in Jesus’ name, not in Peter’s words. The problem with the “name it and claim it” mindset is that it minimizes Jesus and maximizes us. Only God has the power to speak things into existence.

Acts 3:7-8 (NLT) 7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.

Sounds more like a Name It Claim It passage, right?!
But let’s read on…

The OpportunityActs 3:12-13 (NLT) 12 Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? 13 For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this.

Peter saw his opportunity - interesting choice of words
Name it claim it teachers “see their opportunity” to
Ask for money, often exploiting the poor
Elevate themselves
But pay attention to Peter’s “opportunity”...

Acts 3:16 (NLT) 16 “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.”

Faith in Jesus' name. He says it twice.
The point: the power is in Jesus’ name
Not our faith! In fact, our faith is weak
It’s not about the size of your faith, it’s about the object of your faith
Not our words! We have no power to speak things into existence - we are not “little gods”
Notice which prayers are answered:
John 15:7 (NLT) But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted!
1 John 5:14-15 (NLT) And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.
Matthew 6:10 (NLT) May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Peter was aligned with God’s will when he spoke words of healing over the crippled man.
We can’t just order God around. The more we are aligned with Jesus, the more we can pray according to his will.
Name it claim it objection: “But it’s always God’s will that we have health and wealth.” No!
Paul's Thorn in the Flesh: In 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, Paul speaks about a "thorn in the flesh" that he pleaded with the Lord three times to remove. However, God responded, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
Trophimus: In 2 Timothy 4:20, Paul mentions that he left Trophimus sick in Miletus. This implies that despite being a close associate of Paul, Trophimus was not healed at that time.
Timothy's Frequent Illnesses: In 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul advises Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach and his frequent illnesses. This indicates that Timothy had ongoing health issues that were not miraculously healed.
Jesus himself: Acts 3:18 (NLT) 18 But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things.
Even Jesus suffered! So must YOU.
The point: God never promises health and wealth to his followers. So what does he promise?

The PromiseActs 3:19-20 (NLT) 19 Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away. 20 Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.

If we can’t just “name and claim” whatever we want as followers of Jesus, which promises can we expect to receive from Jesus? Acts 3 answers the question:
Forgiveness of sins.
Spiritual promise
Past, present and future.
Times of refreshment.
Earthly promise.
Spirit-filled life
John 7:38-39 (NLT) 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him….)

Acts 3:26 (NLT) 26 “When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.”

Notice the real “blessing”...
We can’t name and claim health and wealth. But here’s what God does promise: forgiveness and refreshment. That’s a better blessing!

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In this conversation, Bryan and Tracy discuss the topic of selfishness in marriage. They explore five areas where selfish attitudes and behaviors tend to appear: finances, preferences, emotions, time, and chores. They emphasize the importance of recognizing and admitting one's own selfishness and making a commitment to be less selfish. They also discuss the need for open communication, compromise, and serving each other in order to have a healthy and thriving marriage.

Takeaways:

Selfishness can be present in various areas of a marriage, including finances, preferences, emotions, time, and chores.
It is important to recognize and admit one's own selfishness in order to grow and improve as a spouse.
Open communication and compromise are key in addressing selfish attitudes and behaviors in a marriage.
Serving each other and considering the needs and preferences of one's spouse is essential for a healthy and thriving marriage.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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In today’s lesson, we're finishing up our study of Acts chapter 2. We’ll look to the early church’s example to answer the question: How do you grow a church?

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Today we're finishing up our study of Acts chapter 2. Can you believe it took us 5 weeks to get through this chapter? This won't happen for every chapter throughout our study. In fact next week we're going to cover all of chapter 3 in 1 week. but today we finished the chapter with a glimpse into what the early church was like. In particular, we get to see the secret sauce for church growth. We're going to answer this question: How do you grow a church?

Church growth statistics:

As of 2020, there were approximately 2.3 billion Christians worldwide, making up about 31% of the global population.
Pentecostalism and Charismatic movements are among the fastest-growing Christian denominations globally.
Africa and Asia are experiencing significant growth. Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to have the largest number of Christians by 2060.
In the United States, weekly church attendance dropped from about 39% in 2013 to around 29% in recent years.
Headed in Europe’s direction?
In the Netherlands, regular church attendance fell from approximately 50% in the 1950s to below 10% by the early 2000s.
United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark: regular church attendance at or below 5%.
Note: “church attendance” doesn’t capture the whole picture, but it gives us an idea. Truth is, many attendees aren’t even Christians! (stats don’t include house churches or nature Christians)

Share about our history/vision at Alpine Church for growth

Include some videos and photos?

Today we're going to try to learn from the early church to see what they did to grow…. I see 7 marks of healthy church growth; if you’re a pastor, leader, attender, consider how you do in each of these areas.

Seven Marks of Healthy Church Growth:

Baptisms

Acts 2:41 (NLT) 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The population of Jerusalem at the time is estimated to have been between 180,000 and 200,000. Even 3,000 converts in the temple precincts would have been 'a distinct minority of the crowd.'
Principle: Healthy church growth is conversion growth, not transfer growth.
Jesus: “Go make disciples…” meant something different than what it means in most churches today. (Pursuit)

Biblical Teaching

(NLT) 42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching,
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) "The apostles' teaching " refers to a body of material considered authoritative because it was the message about Jesus of Nazareth proclaimed by accredited apostles. It undoubtedly included a compilation of the words of Jesus (cf. 20:35), some account of his earthly ministry, passion, and resurrection (cf. 2:22-24), and a declaration of what all this meant for humanity's redemption (cf. 1Co 15:3-5)--all of which was thought of in terms of a Christian "tradition" that could be passed on to others (cf. 1Co 11:2; 1Th 2:13; 2Th 2:15; 3:6).
1 Corinthians 15:3-5 (NLT) 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve.
2 Thessalonians 2:15 (NLT) 15 With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.

Authentic Community

42 (NLT) and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper)
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) to the fellowship (tē koinōnia). The koinōn- words in Greek normally mean 'to share with someone in something' above and beyond the relationship itself, or 'to give someone a share in something.' The sharing in this case could simply refer to material blessings, as described in vv. 44-5, where we are told that the believers had everything in common (koina).
This is key for our Church. (expand)
Small groups
Mens/women’s groups
Student groups
Friend groups

Commitment to Prayer

42 (NLT) and to prayer.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Finally, they devoted themselves 'to the prayers' (tais proseuchais). The plural form with the article in Greek suggests that the reference is to specific 'prayers' (KJV, NRSV, ESV), rather than to prayer in general (TNIV, to prayer). In the context, this most obviously points to their continuing participation in the set times of prayer at the temple (cf. 3:1 note).
Morning Prayer (Shacharit): around 9 am. It included recitations of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) and the Amidah (the central prayer of Jewish liturgy).
The disciples were likely at morning prayer on the day of Pentecost when the Spirit was given.
Afternoon Prayer (Minchah): around 3 pm.
Evening Prayer (Ma'ariv): after sunset.
At our church: Corporate prayer at services, small groups, praying for the body throughout the week, personal prayer lives of individuals

Financial Generosity

Acts 2:44-45 (NLT) 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.
Sounds extreme, but consider the example of the couple who literally gave their home away.
The Giving Pledge: Initiated by Warren Buffett and Bill Gates, it encourages billionaires to pledge at least half of their wealth to philanthropy. Over 200 individuals and families have signed on. Buffett committed to giving away 99% of his wealth.
Mackenzie Scott: Following her divorce from Jeff Bezos, donated billions to various organizations, including LGBTQ+ rights.
Christians: don’t let the secular world outgive you! Let’s be generous givers.
Reverse-tithers
R.G. LeTourneau practiced reverse tithing, giving away 90% of his income to charitable causes and living on the remaining 10%.
Rick Warren, author of the best-selling book "The Purpose Driven Life" and pastor of Saddleback Church, has practiced reverse tithing for many years. After the success of his book, he and his wife decided to give away 90% of their income and live on the remaining 10%. He also returned 25 years of salary to his church and stopped taking a salary from the church thereafter.
John Wesley, the 18th-century founder of Methodism, practiced and preached the principle of living simply to give more generously. Despite earning a significant income from his writings, he lived on a modest amount and gave away the majority of his earnings.
David Green, the founder of Hobby Lobby
Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A
Shoeshiner: Albert Lexie, though not a millionaire, was a shoe shiner who practiced extraordinary generosity. Over 30 years, he donated over $200,000 in tips to the Free Care Fund at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, living on a minimal income himself.
V45 comes from Jesus himself: Luke 12:33-34 (NLT) 33 “Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. 34 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”

Friendly to Outsiders

47 (NLT) all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) it is possible to translate the Greek 'having goodwill towards all the people', which would be appropriate to the context.
Either way the point is the same: healthy churches are friendly to outsiders, so outsiders are hungry for what the church has to offer.
“Seeker-friendly” is criticized by some today, but that’s a good description of the early church!
User-Friendly Services
Avoiding Church Jargon
Casual Atmosphere
Seeker-friendly isn’t the problem; watering down the Bible is.

Christ-dependent

47 (NLT) And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.
Church growth is Jesus’ work!
We make disciples. Jesus builds the church. (Steve Murrell)
Mt 16:18 (NLT) I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.

Close

Healthy things grow, and a healthy church is marked by disciple-makers.

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Understanding your temperament can help you appreciate your spouse, rather than trying to change them into your likeness. Today on the podcast Bryan and Tracy talk about the Meyers Briggs Type Indicator and how you can use it to strengthen your marriage.

Find discussion questions to talk about this at FLEXTALK.org.

Or for a faith-based conversation, find it at pursueGOD.org.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

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Today as we continue in our study of the book of Acts we look at a passage that is both encouraging for its simplicity but also confusing because of how some have interpreted it throughout history. We'll get to all of that in just a second, but first let's take a look at the question that it will help us to answer in our study today: Q. Do You Have to Get Baptized to Be Saved?

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

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In simplest terms there are two sides to this debate:

some people say that yes, baptism in water is required for salvation.
One of their key verses comes from our text today.
other people say no, baptism is not required for salvation.
Full disclosure, I am squarely on the side of the “No’s”. I believe the Bible is very clear in teaching that we are saved by faith, and baptism is something that we do after we are saved. we do it out of obedience to Christ's commands, just like we obey in a thousand other ways.
God does not wait to save us until after we are baptized; that goes against the clear teachings of scripture. I’ll show you those teachings today.
Before we get to that, you might be asking why it even matters?
Is this just a side issue, something that everyone can simply decide about for themselves and we don't really need to fight over it? Like pre-trib versus post-trib or wine versus juice
I believe it is a fundamental issue that everyone needs to wrestle with. If you get this wrong, you might be getting salvation wrong! that's a big deal, so let's not take this question lightly.
If baptism is required for salvation, I would want to know it. I would not want to teach the wrong gospel or lead people astray.
I spent 4 hours watching a debate on this. (See Bible Thinker for more.) I seriously listened to it with a willingness to change my mind if the Bible made it clear that baptism is a requirement for salvation. but at the end of the video, I was more convinced than ever that my viewpoint really is the more biblical one.
So wherever you stand on this issue, whether you've thought about it a lot or are just now learning about it, I invite you to let God's word speak for itself and make your own decision about whether you have to get baptized to be saved. let's get into this

For the last 2 weeks we've been studying Peter's first ever sermon preached in the church age. it was a two-part sermon where he first started with teaching about the Holy Spirit and then he finished a teaching about the basic gospel message, which is all about Jesus and his death and Resurrection. it must have been a great sermon because as we continue to read the text for today, we can see that it had a great impact…

Acts 2:37 (NLT) 37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”

You’ve come to church, you’ve heard the message, now what?

Acts 2:38-41 (NLT) 38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.

Wow! The church went from 120 people to 3,000 in one day!
First I want to make some general observations about what is going on here. then we will take a deep dive on verse 38 and answer our question for the day.
Peter is preaching to a Jewish audience, and his charge to them to get baptized is actually surprising. The Jewish people in Jesus's day already had a context for baptism, but now Peter is giving it a completely different meaning.
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The Jews generally looked on baptism as a rite only for Gentile converts (i.e., proselytes), not for one born a Jew, and it symbolized the break with one's Gentile past and the washing away of all defilement.
Peter was telling them that they too had to repent and get baptized. he was essentially telling them that they were no better than gentiles! this would have been very offensive to a proud jew, but not to the people that day. notice that they were cut to the heart and genuinely wanted to know what they had to do to respond to this radical message about jesus.
Remember that Peter had said in the message (last week) that they were partly responsible for the death of jesus. they were the ones who put him on the cross, along with Lawless Gentiles and God himself.
The true gospel offends our sensibilities. true believers respond anyway.
Second he says that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. this is different than the baptism of John that we read about in the gospels. John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. this new baptism is something more. yes, it's a baptism of repentance, but it's specifically a baptism into the name of Jesus Christ, the one who died and rose again.
We see the distinction later in Acts chapter 19. that's where Paul encounters a group of quote unquote disciples who had only heard about the baptism of john. they didn't even know about the Holy Spirit, so they clearly weren't in Jerusalem on the day of pentecost! so Paul Shared the gospel with them and they were baptized into the name of Jesus. then they received the Holy Spirit just like we read about and Acts chapter 2. pretty cool.
Third he says “every one of you”. Baptism is an individual response to the gospel message. No one can do it for you.

Trans: But for today, we want to focus in on this one verse, and we want to drill down on how to interpret it. notice the construction in the English Standard Version:

Acts 2:38 (ESV) 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Peter is saying do __ and then __ will happen
It’s descriptive for sure
But is it prescriptive?
Is it prescribing this to everyone?
Namely, repentance + baptism = forgiveness of sins
is required for salvation
If this was all the Bible said about it, we might say yes
But the Bible says a lot more!

To answer this question we start with the most basic hermeneutical principle: let the Bible interpret the Bible. Use clearer parts of Scripture to help interpret more difficult passages. It’s clear throughout the New Testament that salvation is by faith alone. Here are some examples:

Peter’s very next “sermon”: Acts 3:19 (ESV) 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out…
Just repent. No mention of baptism. Did he so quickly forget the requirement?
More on repentance later…
Peter with Cornelius: Acts 10:43-48 (ESV) 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” 44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
Just believe (v43), no mention of baptism.
Then they received HS before baptism.
We’ve already seen: salvation means you’re forgiven + receive gift of HS
So their reception of gift of HS indicated that they were saved, forgiven
See Eph 1:13, 2 Cor 1:22 - sealed w HS at moment of salvation, guarantee
Yet they were not yet baptized
Romans 10:9 (ESV) 9 because, 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.
Once again, no mention of baptism
In fact, Paul quotes Joel 2 just like Peter did in Acts 2:
Romans 10:13 (ESV) 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
This speaks to repentance and faith. Nothing more required.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Saved through faith. Not faith + baptism.
If God waited for you to get baptized to be saved, it would be dependent upon a work.
But it’s not, and it never was…

Even before Christ’s death and resurrection people were saved by faith. Abraham and the thief on the cross are clear examples of this – and neither of them was baptized.

Romans 4:2-3 (ESV) 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
This is a direct quote from Gen 15
God had made a promise to Abraham in Gen 12 (through your seed, all nations will be blessed)
But there was no progress on the promise, and Abraham began to doubt
Then the bombshell: Gen 15:6 “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”
Not “Abraham went and did something…” He just believed
Paul saw this as the gospel in the OT
Abraham wasn’t righteous, but his faith changed everything. NOT his works.
Romans 4:5 (ESV) 5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness.
Piper: “When faith is born in the soul, we are still ungodly.”
We haven’t done a single good work.
We haven’t obeyed even one commandment.
We haven’t even yet been baptized!
And then Paul says something that couldn’t be clearer re: baptism…
Romans 4:10-11 (ESV) 10 How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. 11 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised.
In the same way, righteousness is counted to us before baptism, not after!
Note: one of Paul’s points is that Gentiles do not need circumcision to be saved.
It goes against the argument to say they need to be baptized instead!
Just replacing one outward symbol with another
The thief on the cross is another example of this principle: salvation has always been by faith
For those before Christ, faith is looking forward
For us today, faith is looking backward
Either way, it’s all salvation by faith in Jesus
There wasn’t one way to be saved in OT and a different way in NT
For thief on cross, his salvation worked just like Abraham
He believed Jesus,
repented of his previous way of thinking (mocking)
And Jesus said “today you’ll be with me in paradise”
But he had not been baptized!

Here’s the point: Baptism is an important symbol and ordinance, but it’s not the active ingredient of salvation. We are saved by faith alone, and Peter’s first sermon teaches us that true faith requires repentance.

God is not waiting for us to get baptized to declare that our sins are forgiven
He clearly didn’t require it before Jesus died (eg. Abraham and the thief)
Why would he make salvation harder after Jesus died?!
Baptism is an ordinance and a symbol
An ordinance: a commandment that we should obey!
Not a sacrament that saves us
Don’t miss the point and neglect baptism
You should do it if you have trusted in Jesus
And a symbol of the death and resurrection of Jesus
Romans 6:3-4 (ESV) 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
So what’s the active ingredient?
Faith. (We are saved by faith alone.)
But that is not simply believing a bunch of facts about Jesus.
True faith requires repentance
Repent = metanoia = change your mind and attitude
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) In Acts 2:38, repentance means a radical reorientation of life with respect to Jesus, expressing sorrow for having rejected the one accredited by God as Lord and Christ (cf. 2:22-36).
In The Pursuit we call it a new “attitude”
A submitted heart toward Jesus: “What should we do?”
It will eventually impact our actions

But at the point of faith it is only an attitude of submission.

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In this episode, Bryan and Tracy interview their own young adult children on growing up in Utah as non-LDS!

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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Today we’ll answer a basic, yet important question: What is the real gospel? The true gospel has been hijacked by televangelists, secularist, and political parties, but to rediscover it we simply need to re-read the first sermon ever preached in the church age.

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What is the “Good News” that the church should offer to the world?

Churches have corrupted it since the beginning!
Galatians 1:6-7 (NLT) I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.
These were the Judaizers in Paul’s day, already corrupting the simple message of Jesus.
Said you had to become a Jew first, and then a Christian
Works gospel = God wants you to save yourself
Today there are too many false gospels to count, but I’ll mention a few:
Prosperity gospel = God wants you to be healthy and wealthy
Woke gospel = God wants you to be YOU
Red/Blue gospel = God wants you to be a Republican/Democrat
The true gospel has been hijacked by televangelists, secular humanists, and political parties, but to rediscover it we simply need to re-read the first sermon ever preached in the church age.
That’s what we’ll do today.

Let’s turn to Acts 2.

Last week we saw part one of Peter’s sermon

The day Moses longed for and Joel predicted had finally come!
Now the HS was available to everyone
That’s what they were seeing in real time - historic!

Today we’re looking at the second part of the sermon

This is the first time we see the bare essentials of the Christian message
Peter didn’t sit down days earlier and write this out, but…
His mind was opened to understanding the Scriptures (Luke 24:45)
He had been trained by Jesus for 40 days on the “Kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3)
He had just been “baptized with the Holy Spirit” and empowered! (Acts 1:8)
These three things combined to produce the first sermon ever preached
And the basic elements of Peter’s message will be repeated throughout Acts
See 3:13-26; 4:10-12; 5:30-2; 10:36-43; 13:23-41
And these bare essentials have never changed.

The gospel is all about Jesus.

Acts 2:22-24 (NLT) 22 People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know.

First part of Peter’s sermon was about HS (last week)
But the meat of the sermon was about Jesus; already the false gospels get it wrong
Works gospel: Jesus + works
LDS: “We are saved by grace after all we can do.”
Galatians 3:2 (NLT) 2 Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.
Prosperity gospel: Jesus + stuff (what’s in it for me)
Benny Hinn: "God will begin to prosper you, for money always follows righteousness."
In other words, to become a Christian, in this way of seeing things, is to have all the same desires you had as an unregenerate person—only you get them from a new source, Jesus. And He feels so loving when you do. (Piper, John. Brothers, We Are Not Professionals (p. 25). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.)
Philippians 3:9-11 (NLT) For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
Woke gospel: Jesus + affirmation
Matthew Vines: "God created you and loves you just as you are. Your sexual orientation is not a sin, and you are not broken. God’s love for you is not contingent on you becoming someone else, but on you embracing who you truly are."
This is a corrupted view of Jesus: Jesus loves you just as you are
That sounds nice, but to come to him requires repentance
The opposite of sin: trusting and acting on your own opinions and feelings instead of on God’s truth
we’ll see this next week when we look at the response to the gospel
Acts 2:38 (NLT) 38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God…”
For now let’s summarize Peter’s, gospel = Jesus + nothing
You’re not going to see any of these things endorsed in Peter’s sermon
Saved by works
Motivated by prosperity
Affirming of sinful lifestyles
Just this: “God publicly endorsed Jesus”
No other endorsement needed!

But let’s zoom in a little more:

The gospel requires the cross.

Acts 2:23 (NLT) But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him.

Jesus had to suffer and die.
Some churches try to minimize this
Temptation to whitewash the gruesome details
But it was required to absorb the wrath of God
Who was behind the crucifixion? Peter gives 3 answers:
Lawless Gentiles
Religious Jews
“Christ is King” controversy with Candace Owens
I don’t know how Owens meant it, but…
It’s not anti-semitic to make that claim
The truth: Jews and Gentiles put Jesus on the cross
That includes you and me. Our sin put him there.
But look back at the text for the biggest insight…
God himself (this was God’s plan all along)
1 Peter 1: (NLT) 20 God chose him as your ransom long before the world began…

The gospel is proven by the resurrection.

Acts 2:24 (NLT) But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.

Without the resurrection, there is no gospel (good news)
1 Corinthians 15:14 (NLT) And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless.
Jesus was raised to life first; His followers will be next
In the next verses, Peter proves the resurrection in two ways
It was prophesied in the OT (v25-31)
Acts 2:31 (NLT) 31 David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.
The apostles saw it for themselves
Acts 2 (NLT) 32 “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this.”
The resurrection proves the supernatural plan of God
It defies logic and the laws of nature
If you can’t believe this ultimate miracle, you can’t be saved
1 Corinthians 1:18 (NLT) 18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.

The gospel declares Jesus is Lord

Acts 2 (NLT) 33 Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.

His Kingdom is already established, and Jesus is already on the throne!
It’s not an earthly kingdom like you thought it would be; it’s better than that!
Oh yeah and it comes with a gift: the promised HS!
When you make Jesus Lord of your life, the you get the HS as a permanent gift!
We talked about this last week, but many gospel presentations miss it.

36 “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”

Jesus is Messiah - we’ll see that preached to Jewish audiences
Jesus is Lord - preached to both Jews and Gentiles
Bold statement to Jews
He’s more than you thought the Messiah would be!
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The title "Lord" was also proclaimed christologically in Jewish circles, with evident intent to apply to Jesus all that was said of God in the OT
This is Peter’s summary statement, makes most sense in context of earlier verse:
Acts 2:21 (NLT) 21 But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.

Close:

The gospel is an invitation.

Will you call on the name of the Lord? His identity is no longer secret. It’s Jesus!
Who died on the cross for our sins
Who rose from the dead to prove he’s the Messiah
Who reigns even now at the right hand of the Father
Every other “gospel” is a cheap fake
Trying to sell you something that won’t satisfy
And won’t save
The real gospel is all about Jesus
Have you accepted the invitation to make him Lord of your life?

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Honoring your father and mother is more than just obedience when you’re a child. What does it look like to honor our parents in the different seasons of life?

The PursueGOD Men's podcast helps guys apply God's Word to their lives to become full circle followers of Jesus. Join us for a new men's episode every other Thursday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/men.

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If you grew up in the church, you more than likely know that one of the ten commandments is to honor your father and mother. Even if you didn’t grow up in the church, you probably know that. Until the last few decades, it’s been widely accepted that in most cases, children should obey their parents. One of the questions we want to look at today is does that mean children are always required to obey their parents? What if their parents are asking them to do something that is against God’s Word? What if their parents ask them to do something that could cause them harm or harm to someone else? Another thing we want to wrestle with is does this honoring our father and mother look the same in all stages of life, or does it change in different seasons? So we’re going to break it down to obeying your parents when you still live with them, honoring them once you’re out on your own, and how do we honor them in their last stages of life.

Obedience in the HomeLearning to submit to our parents’ authority is one of the first steps in learning how to submit to God’s authority. We can respect their position as parents even when their actions are not worthy of honoring.

Exodus 20:12 12 “Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you

Being obedient to God’s covenant is what would bring them long and peaceful lives in the land God had given them. The parents were charged with passing God’s commandments on to the children.
We first learn to submit to authority from our parents. Our culture hates the word submission, but as believers, we submit to God’s authority in our lives.
Bond Servant analogy
You can honor the position even if you don’t honor their actions. We must obey God rather than men.
Paul’s response to Sanhedrin
Acts 23:4-5 Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!” 5 Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”

Ephesians 6:1-2 Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord,[a] for this is the right thing to do. 2 “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: 3 If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”

Obey - hypakouō, v. to obey, be obedient; to answer (the door)– obey, obeyed, accepted, answer, obedient
Honor - timaō, v. to honor, show respect, give recognition– honor, give proper recognition, honored, price set, show proper respect
Multiple reasons to honor our parents
We belong to the Lord - learning to submit to authority is a chief responsibility of parents for their children. It helps us to learn to submit to God’s authority.
There is blessing. Israelites were told it would lead to a long life in the land God was giving them.

Can Disobey when obedience would result in harm or is against God’s command.

1 Samuel 20:28-34 "Jonathan answered, 'David earnestly asked me for permission to go to Bethlehem. He said, ‘Let me go, because our family is observing a sacrifice in the town and my brother has ordered me to be there. If I have found favor in your eyes, let me get away to see my brothers.’ That is why he has not come to the king’s table.' Saul’s anger flared up at Jonathan and he said to him, 'You son of a perverse and rebellious woman! Don’t I know that you have sided with the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of the mother who bore you? As long as the son of Jesse lives on this earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Now send someone to bring him to me, for he must die!'”

32 “'Why should he be put to death? What has he done?' Jonathan asked his father. But Saul hurled his spear at him to kill him. Then Jonathan knew that his father intended to kill David. Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the feast he did not eat, because he was grieved at his father’s shameful treatment of David."

Luke 14:25-27 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

Leave and Cleave Men are called to leave and cleave when we marry. There is a shift and the most important earthly relationship we have is now with our wife. That relationship needs to take precedence over the relationship with our mom and dad.

Genesis 2:24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Matthew 19:4-6 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

Scheduling, holidays
Parenting
Take ownership of communicating to your parents, your spouse takes ownership of communication with their parents

Final Stages 1 Timothy 5:1-2 "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity."

1 Timothy 5:3-4, 8 "Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever."

There may come a point where we can’t physically meet their needs. We shouldn’t experience guilt and condemnation when we get assistance.
We shouldn’t just automatically pick the solution that is most convenient for us. What is going to truly honor them?
We need to treat our spouse’s parents situation with the same care and thoughtfulness that we do our own situation.
Even when we can’t care for them physically, we shouldn’t neglect the emotional and relational care they need.

Close* Don’t talk negatively about your parents, write words of encouragement to them * Most parents are doing the best they know how to do, empathy

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Mormons believe in one Prophet and 12 Apostles, and they think they've got 'em. And the priesthood is their thing to pass along to boys as young as 12 years old! But what does the Bible say?

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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Find the official LDS Article of Faith at their website here.

LDS:“We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.”

AC: We believe the Bible, composed of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is inspired, authoritative, and infallible in its original manuscripts. It is, therefore, the only complete and final authority in faith and life. (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-2; John 17:17; Romans 3:4; John 20:30-31; Matt. 24:35).

LDS:“We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.”

AC: We believe in one true universal church, comprised of all who genuinely acknowledge the message of the gospel of God’s grace through Jesus Christ. This church, we believe, has many valid local expressions and denominations. God through the Holy Spirit equips every believer with spiritual gifts for the edification of the body of Christ. Mature believers recognize this and participate in God’s work alongside other followers of Christ. (1 Cor. 12:12; Eph. 1:22-23; Eph. 2:19-22; Phil. 1:1; Acts 2:42; Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

No need for apostles

Acts 1 (NLT) 21 “So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus—22 from the time he was baptized by John until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection.”
Judas was replaced not because he died, but because he betrayed Jesus. When James died in chapter 12, the church did not replace him.
Rev 4 (NLT) 2 And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and someone sitting on it. 3 The one sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled his throne like a rainbow. 4 Twenty-four thrones surrounded him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads.
Rev 21:(NLT) 12 The city wall was broad and high, with twelve gates guarded by twelve angels. And the names of the twelve tribes of Israel were written on the gates. 13 There were three gates on each side—east, north, south, and west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
(IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition) Jesus had made clear the continuity between the twelve tribes in the Old Testament and the first *apostles in the New Testament by his initial numbering of those apostles.
Eph 2 (NLT) 20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) In 1Co 3:11 Paul calls Christ himself the foundation. Here, however, the apostles and prophets constitute the foundation as those who were closely associated with Christ in the establishment of the church. They were the witnesses of his resurrection appearances and the preachers of the good news. Filled with and guided by the Spirit, they had a unique role in establishing the church.

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Today we’ll look at part one of Peter’s first-ever sermon in the church age. It begins to answer the question: What is the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives today?

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Last time we saw what happened to the disciples on Pentecost:

Sound of wind, tongues of fire - representing God’s Spirit
Spoke out miraculously in other languages, declaring praises of God
People were confused, some even mocked

Today we’ll see Peter’s response to it

How far has he come! Now he’s going to explain what’s going on
Pay attention to his use of scripture
Jesus had earlier opened their minds to understand
Then he spent 40 days before his ascension teaching them
Surely this is part of his preparation
But the other part: the power of the HS
Acts 1:8 (NLT) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere…

In the next two weeks we’re going to break down Peter’s explanation

In part he was answering their question: Acts 2: (NLT) 12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?”
Some answered: it means you’ve been drinking!
Peter refutes that right away
But more than that he was preaching the first sermon ever
This was the beginning of the church age
A new era that would redefine things
God’s people would expand from Israel to the church
Relationship with God would now become personal
Previously corporate, mediated through leaders, priests, etc.
Now personal, mediated through God the Holy Spirit - that was part of the significance of tongues of fire on them individually.

And so today, as we take the first part of Peter’s sermon, we’re going to answer this question: What’s the Role of the Holy Spirit in Our Lives Today?

He is God, so he’s always been active
But his activity is different in our lives today compared to OT times
And it all started on the day of Pentecost 2000 years ago

We’ll get there in a second, but first we have to start with an OT story…

If only someday…Numbers 11:16-17 (NLT) 16 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Gather before me seventy men who are recognized as elders and leaders of Israel. Bring them to the Tabernacle to stand there with you. 17 I will come down and talk to you there. I will take some of the Spirit that is upon you, and I will put the Spirit upon them also. They will bear the burden of the people along with you, so you will not have to carry it alone.

Numbers 11:25 (NLT) 25 And the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. Then he gave the seventy elders the same Spirit that was upon Moses. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But this never happened again.

Numbers 11:26-28 (NLT) 26 Two men, Eldad and Medad, had stayed behind in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but they had not gone out to the Tabernacle. Yet the Spirit rested upon them as well, so they prophesied there in the camp. 27 A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp!”

28 Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ assistant since his youth, protested, “Moses, my master, make them stop!”

Numbers 11:29 (NLT) 29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit upon them all!”

Moses understood the burden of prophecy
Speaking to people for God
Calling them to be obedient to him
That’s why he wished everyone could relate to God like that
But it just wasn’t the reality (yet)
Numbers 12:6-7 (NLT) “If there were prophets among you, I, the LORD, would reveal myself in visions. I would speak to them in dreams. 7 But not with my servant Moses. Of all my house, he is the one I trust.”

Later, the prophet Joel foretold a new era:

Joel 2:28-29 (NLT) “Then, after doing all those things,

I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy.

Your old men will dream dreams,

and your young men will see visions.

29 In those days I will pour out my Spirit

even on servants—men and women alike.”

This was the scripture that Peter would quote in his first-ever sermon. Let’s take a look at it now…

Peter’s sermon (part 1)Acts 2:14-21 (NLT) 14 Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you, fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this. 15 These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. 16 No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel:

17 ‘In the last days,’ God says,

‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy.

Your young men will see visions,

and your old men will dream dreams.

18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit

even on my servants—men and women alike—

and they will prophesy.

19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens above

and signs on the earth below—

blood and fire and clouds of smoke.

20 The sun will become dark,

and the moon will turn blood red

before that great and glorious day of the LORD arrives.

Restored: God’s plan all alongLast week we saw that baptism with the HS empowered regular people to share the Good News with people.

But the HS does so much more than that!
Back to the Moses story - his frustration came from the people’s complaining in the desert
They had hard hearts, and he felt the burden of it

And that’s the role of the Holy Spirit

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (NLT) 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

CloseWhat’s the Role of the Holy Spirit in Our Lives Today?

(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) Three major aspects of the ministry of the Holy Spirit are described in vv.8-15: (1) to the world--conviction of sin, righteousness, and judgment (vv.8-11); (2) to the disciples--direction and truth (vv.12-13); (3) to Jesus--revealing him more perfectly to and through those who represent him (vv.14-15).
John 16:8 (NLT) And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.
John 16:13 (NLT) When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.
John 16:14 (NLT) 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.

That last part we’ll cover next week, because the HS is just part 1 of Peter’s sermon. Part 2 is all about Jesus.

Acts 2:21 But everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved.

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In today's episode, Bryan, Bo and KD talk through the fourth Article of Faith.

Find the official LDS Article of Faith at their website here.

LDS:“We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

AC: We believe that Scripture affirms two ordinances in the church: water baptism and communion. Mature believers participate in both ordinances. (Matt. 28:19; Acts 8:35-39; Rom. 6:1-5; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:23-26).

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Today we look at a topic that gets all kinds of Christians fired up. Is speaking in tongues biblical? If you were raised in a Pentecostal church, your answer is “yes”! If you were raised in a cessationist church, your answer is “no”! In this episode we’ll see what the Bible has to say.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

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First, let’s define terms. Pentecostalism: Pentecostalism is a Christian movement that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily within the United States. It places a strong emphasis on the direct experience of the Holy Spirit, particularly through practices such as speaking in tongues, divine healing, and prophecy. The movement takes its name from the biblical event of Pentecost, as described in the book of Acts, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples of Jesus, empowering them to speak in other languages and to proclaim the gospel.

The Azusa Street Revival - Los Angeles, California, from 1906 to 1909, at the Apostolic Faith Mission located on Azusa Street.
Pentecostal vs. Charismatic
AoG, Church of God, Foursquare, Calvary Chapel, Hillsong, Bethel Church, etc.

Cessationism: Cessationism is a theological position within certain Christian circles that holds that certain spiritual gifts, particularly those described in the New Testament such as prophecy, speaking in tongues, and miracles, ceased or ceased to be normative after the apostolic age or the completion of the New Testament canon.

Historical Perspective: Cessationists may point to historical evidence suggesting that the frequency of miraculous gifts decreased after the apostolic era, leading them to conclude that these gifts ceased to be normative in the life of the church.
Completion of Scripture: Cessationists often argue that the purpose of miraculous gifts was to authenticate the message of the apostles and to establish the early church. With the completion of the New Testament canon, they believe that the need for such miraculous gifts diminished.
Cessationism is a theological perspective rather than a denominational affiliation, so it can be found within various Christian denominations to varying degrees. However, there are certain denominations or theological traditions that tend to emphasize cessationist beliefs more strongly than others. Many Reformed churches, particularly those influenced by the teachings of John Calvin and the Westminster Confession of Faith; Some Baptist churches, etc.

Next, let’s look at ActsIn the Bible, speaking in tongues is primarily discussed in the New Testament, particularly in the book of Acts and in the letters of the Apostle Paul. Here are some key passages often cited as a biblical defense of speaking in tongues:

Acts 2:1-4: This passage describes the event of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples of Jesus, and they began speaking in other languages. This event is often considered the origin of the Christian practice of speaking in tongues.
Acts 2:9-11 (NLT) 9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!”
This was for the Jews.
Acts 8:14-18 (NLT) 14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there. 15 As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. 16 The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.
This was for the Samaritans.
Does not explicitly say they spoke in tongues, but is the most likely answer
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) We are not told just how the coming of the Holy Spirit upon these new converts was expressed in their lives, but the context suggests that his presence was attended by such external signs as marked his coming on the earliest Christians at Pentecost--probably by some form of glossolalia.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The best explanation is that God himself withheld the Spirit until the coming of Peter and John, 'in order that the Samaritans might be seen to be fully incorporated into the community of Jerusalem Christians who had received the Spirit at Pentecost.'
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The delay in the sending of the Spirit put the Samaritans somewhat in the position of the Jewish disciples before Pentecost. They had a genuine faith in the risen Lord, but had not yet received the promised Holy Spirit. Neither the experience of those first disciples nor the experience of the Samaritans can be made the basis for a two-stage view of Christian initiation, either in a Catholic or Pentecostal sense.
Acts 10:44-46: In this passage, the Holy Spirit falls upon Gentiles who believe in Jesus, and they begin speaking in tongues, much like what happened at Pentecost. This demonstrates that speaking in tongues is not limited to a specific group or ethnicity.
Clear sign that God’s invitation was for Gentiles.
Acts 10:44-46 (NLT) 44 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. 45 The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too. 46 For they heard them speaking in other tongues and praising God.
Acts 19:1-7: Paul encounters some disciples in Ephesus who had not yet received the Holy Spirit. After Paul lays hands on them, they receive the Holy Spirit and begin speaking in tongues and prophesying.
Acts 19:1-2 (NLT) 1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul traveled through the interior regions until he reached Ephesus, on the coast, where he found several believers. 2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them.
Paul saw that the two went hand-in-hand! It was normative.
Ephesians 1:13-14 (NLT) And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
Acts 19:2-4 (NLT) “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 “Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.” 4 Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”
Baptism of John different than baptism of Jesus
Didn’t know the gospel yet!
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) Probably these twelve men thought of John the Baptist as the height of God's revelation--perhaps even as the Messiah himself.
Acts 19:5-7 (NLT) 5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. 7 There were about twelve men in all.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) So why did the group in Ephesus collectively experience the phenomena of tongues and prophecy when other converts in Acts apparently did not?
At one level, it was the appropriately dramatic inauguration of Paul's ministry in this city, where God's Spirit would be remarkably at work, opposing the power of magic and false religion, and winning many to Christ throughout the region.
At another level, it was specifically related to the identity and need of these particular men. As those influenced in some way by the ministry of John the Baptist, they were brought collectively into the community 'established by Jesus and his disciples through the Spirit.'
In salvation-historical terms, they were a transitional group, whose full incorporation into the church needed to be openly demonstrated.
If this was the last of it, I’d be a cessationist. But it’s not!

Let’s consider 1 Corinthians 14The section starts in ch 12:

1 Cor 12:(NLT) 1 Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this.
We need this today!
He makes it clear: speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift for the body (corporate) - v28
Not everyone has this corporate gift.
But it doesn’t matter, because love is greater than any spiritual gift
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NLT) 1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.

Then gets into details in ch 14. Let’s get into it and draw some conclusions about his mysterious gift of tongues…

1 Corinthians 14:1-4 (ESV) 1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

Tongues builds YOU up
Prophesy builds the CHURCH up
Paul’s conclusion…

1 Corinthians 14:5 (ESV) 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

It’s not a bad thing! It’s not forbidden, it’s encouraged
But in the church (corporately), it’s not always helpful

1 Corinthians 14:12 (ESV) 12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

They were eager for manifestations. Why?
Feels good! Builds you up.
Maybe also a spirit of competition, arrogance?
Definitely immaturity
1 Corinthians 11:17-18 (ESV) 17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you.
1 Corinthians 11:21-22 (ESV) 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.
Consumeristic mentality
Paul’s point, again: “strive to excel in building up the church.”

1 Corinthians 14:13-15 (ESV) 13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The contrast between spirit and mind "was well known in the Hellenistic world, where 'spirit' was considered to be a faculty superior to that of mind. In the Platonic view of inspiration the mind is somehow displaced or inactive, virtually asleep, when inspiration occurs. For Paul, unlike the Platonists, such inactivity is problematic. Paul wants to see "the spirit and the mind work together. His plea is for the complementarity of spirit and mind in prayer. Ultimately his anthropology is holistic."
Pauls says here he will pray with his “spirit”, which in context is clearly praying in tongues
I believe you can pray with your spirit in other ways
Romans 8:26 (ESV) 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
The point: Paul prays and praises in tongues
The question: in which context? Corporately or personally?
v 18 gives us the answer…

1 Corinthians 14:18-19 (ESV) 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The thrust of the surrounding argument suggests he rarely, if ever, spoke in tongues in public worship. His meaning could possibly be I will pray with my spirit [in private], but I will also pray with my understanding [in church]...
This much is clear: in Paul’s personal prayer life, he spoke in tongues often
He was thankful for it
It edified him on a personal level
But in the church setting he did not exercise it
it would take approximately 75 minutes to speak 10,000 words at a typical conversational rate!

1 Corinthians 14:39-40 (NLT) 39 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.

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Welcome back to the podcast, men. The federal holiday, Juneteenth, is coming up on June 19th. The question I want us to look at today is, “Does celebrating Juneteenth make you woke?” Is it something I as a Christian should celebrate? Is it something I should be suspicious of?

The PursueGOD Men's podcast helps guys apply God's Word to their lives to become full circle followers of Jesus. Join us for a new men's episode every other Thursday.

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Background on “woke”

First defined in print by William Melvin Kelly in a 1962 NY Times article.
Added to Merriam-Webster dictionary in 2017 - actively attentive to important facts and issues, especially issues of racial and social justice.
Woke has morphed into pushing radical ideologies, not only tolerance but acceptance and approval of sinful lifestyles and choices, using affirmative action and diversity, equity, and inclusion policies over a candidate’s performance or abilities to fill a role in a company, educational institution, or political office. Woke ideologies routinely ignore facts - biological facts - there are two genders, facts about God’s blueprint for marriage,
The term is divisive, polarizing - even among Christians.

Psalm 37:30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

Please don’t just tie how you think about this into your political affiliation.

We’re going to have a bit of a history lesson today.

What is it? Although Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday in June of 2021, it was celebrated long before that. The holiday commemorates the freeing of slaves in Galveston, TX two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation.

History of the holiday

Emancipation Proclamation - Executive Order January 1, 1863, all enslaved people in the states currently engaged in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” So it only addressed those who were enslaved in the confederate states. The E.P. freed approximately 500,000 of the estimated 3.9 million slaves in the U.S.
13th Amendment
- Passed by the Senate on 4/8/1864
Passed by House of Reps. 1/31/1865
General Gordon Granger
General Order 3 freeing slaves in Galveston and

Celebrate FreedomIt is the only federal holiday to commemorate the end of slavery in the U.S. There is no “Emancipation Proclamation Day”, “13th Amendment Day” or “End of Civil War Day”. Many of Israel’s festivals and celebrations had connections to the Lord freeing them from slavery in Egypt.

Exodus 13:3-7 So Moses said to the people, “This is a day to remember forever—the day you left Egypt, the place of your slavery. Today the Lord has brought you out by the power of his mighty hand. (Remember, eat no food containing yeast.) 4 On this day in early spring, in the month of Abib,[a] you have been set free. 5 You must celebrate this event in this month each year after the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites, and Jebusites. (He swore to your ancestors that he would give you this land—a land flowing with milk and honey.) 6 For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast. Then on the seventh day, celebrate a feast to the Lord. 7 Eat bread without yeast during those seven days. In fact, there must be no yeast bread or any yeast at all found within the borders of your land during this time.

Commanded to celebrate and commemorate their deliverance from slavery in Egypt

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Don’t Make it Political Celebrating a noble and good thing is appropriate, whether or not the political party you ascribe to is the one to institute it. 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil.

Do you automatically disregard something someone says because of which side of the political aisle they’re on? We should evaluate what they’re saying and hold on to what is good. We know what is good by comparing it to God’s Word.

1 Corinthians 7:20-23 "Yes, each of you should remain as you were when God called you. 21 Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it. 22 And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ. 23 God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world."

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In this episode, Bryan, Bo and KD talk through the second and third Articles of Faith.

Find the official LDS Article of Faith at their website here.

What Mormons Believe about Sin:

LDS:“We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression.”

At first glance this seems much more fair than the Christian take. But as we dig deeper we see that this LDS concept creates a pattern of judgment and works based behavior/religion

AC: We believe God created mankind in His own image. At the beginning of human history, however, man chose to disobey the sovereign God and so brought sin onto the earth. All people everywhere have since been born into this sinful nature and are subject to God’s righteous judgment: death and eternal separation from Himself. (Gen. 1:26; Gen. 3; Rom. 3:23; 6:23; Jer. 17:9; John 3:18; Eph. 2:1-3).

What Mormons Believe about Salvation:

LDS:“We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”

AC: We believe God’s plan from the beginning of time was to be in relationship with all people. Since sin makes that relationship impossible for everyone, God established a way to credit righteousness. He accepts Jesus Christ’s death on the cross as a payment for the sin of humanity. Those who repent of their sin and believe in God’s work are forgiven and restored to relationship with God. This is salvation, and it is God’s work from beginning to end, so that we are saved purely by grace. (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:4-7; John 3:16-17; Rom. 3:24-26; 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 8:1; 1 John 5:11-13; John 1:12).
Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT) 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

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Today we’re studying Acts 2:1-13, the passage that essentially describes the birth of the Christian church. It begins to answer an important question: What is the purpose of baptism with the Holy Spirit?

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Today’s lesson is exciting, because there’s something for everyone:

Those who are into this topic
Pentecostals, charismatics
Those who are freaked out by this topic
Christians from more chill religious backgrounds
Non-denoms, mainline
Those who are new to Christianity
Not sure what we’re even talking about
Start with this: “baptism with the HS” from a pentecostal perspective
The concept gained particular prominence during the early 20th-century Pentecostal revival, beginning with the Azusa Street Revival in 1906. It emphasized a powerful, personal experience of God's presence and the manifestation of spiritual gifts.
The Assemblies of God is one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in the world, founded in 1914 in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Foursquare Church - Founded in 1923 by evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson in Los Angeles, California.
In the mid-20th century, this emphasis spread beyond Pentecostal denominations to the broader Charismatic movement which embraced similar experiences of the Holy Spirit.
The Jesus Movement in the 60’s and 70’s, along with Calvary Chapel.
The Vineyard Movement began in the late 1970s and was founded by John Wimber. The first Vineyard church was officially established in 1982 in Anaheim, California.
Catholic charismatic movement
Hillsong, Bethel Church, etc.
In these environments you’ll hear about “baptism with the HS”
There’s one main evidence: speaking in tongues
So it becomes a huge focus in these churches
Often becomes the main thing
It’ll freak you out if you’ve never seen it before
But what does the Bible say about it?

That’s what we’ll answer today: What is the purpose of baptism with the Holy Spirit?

We don’t believe things based on how weird or normal they seem
We look to God and his Word in all we do (and believe)

First of all, “baptism with the HS” is in the Bible, not just made up by the pentecostals and charismatics

The term was coined by Jesus!
Acts 1:5 (NLT) “John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
This is why the disciples went back to Jerusalem
Practiced disciplines of connection, prayer, Bible study
Waited on God with great expectation
But not exactly sure what it would look like
Baptism with the HS was a biblical concept way before it was a pentecostal thing
The real question is what is the purpose?
That’s what our text will answer today
Because the Pentecostal movement traces its roots back to Acts ch 2.
But I think they get something wrong with how they apply it. So let’s dig in…

Acts 2:1-2Summary: All the believers were together for Pentecost - a Jewish holy day that celebrated the giving of the Law to Moses. The sound of a mighty wind filled the house, which to the Jewish mind was a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:1-2 (NLT) 1 On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting.

Pentecost
one of the three great pilgrim festivals of Judaism, along with Passover and Tabernacles
celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover
Leviticus 23:15-16 (NLT) 15 “From the day after the Sabbath—the day you bring the bundle of grain to be lifted up as a special offering—count off seven full weeks. 16 Keep counting until the day after the seventh Sabbath, fifty days later. Then present an offering of new grain to the LORD.”
Expositor’s Bible Commentary (EBC): It was originally the Festival of the Firstfruits of the grain harvest (Ex 23:16; Lev 23:17-22; Nu 28:26-31); it was called the Feast of Weeks because it came after a period of seven weeks of harvesting that began with the offering of the first barley sheaf during the Passover celebration.
EBC: By the time of the first century A.D., however, it was considered the anniversary of the giving of the law at Mount Sinai and was a time for the annual renewal of the Mosaic covenant…
This is important! We’ll come back to this in a bit
Sound
Tornado witness accounts
This was a public thing, not private!
Windstorm
Sounded like a wind; but was it actually wind?
Wind = ruah (Hebrew) = pneuma (Gk) = spirit
John 3:8 (NLT) The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
Ezekiel 37:9 (NLT) 9 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’”
Ezekiel 37:10-14 (NLT) 10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army. 11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ 12 Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the LORD. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the LORD has spoken!’”

Let’s read on…

Acts 2:3-4Summary: Something like flames appeared on each believer, yet another symbol of God’s presence. Previously the disciples had been influenced by the Holy Spirit, but now everyone was indwelt by the Spirit – something Jesus promised would happen.

Acts 2:3-4 (NLT) 3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4 And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

Fire
EBC: Fire as a symbol of the divine presence was well known among first-century Jews (cf. the burning bush [Ex 3:2-5], the pillar of fire that guided Israel by night through the desert [Ex 13:21], the consuming fire on Mount Sinai [Ex 24:17], and the fire that hovered over the wilderness tabernacle [Ex 40:38]). John the Baptist explicitly linked the coming of the Spirit with fire (cf. Mt 3:11; Lk 3:16).
each of them
This represented a shift in how God would relate to his people: now it would be personal, not just corporate.
EBC: under the old covenant the divine presence rested on Israel as a corporate entity and upon many of its leaders for special purposes, under the new covenant, as established by Jesus and inaugurated at Pentecost, the Spirit now rests upon each believer individually. In other words, though the corporate and individual aspects of redemption cannot actually be separated, the emphasis in the proclamation of redemption from Pentecost onward is on the personal relationship of God to the believer through the Spirit, with all corporate relationships resulting from this.
filled with the Holy Spirit
Note: the disciples were already influenced by the HS
Being “filled” is something different, more
John 14:16-17 (NLT) And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.
“indwelling” vs influence
John 7:38-39 (NLT) Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
Ephesians 1:13-14 (NLT) 13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. 14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
This passage is worth noting: John 20:21-23 (NLT) 21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
This is way before Pentecost. So did he give the HS twice? No!
(Expositor's Bible Commentary) For this ministry Jesus provided the Holy Spirit and the commission to proclaim the forgiveness of sins. These are linked together for a new ministry. This was the initial announcement of which Pentecost was the historic fulfillment.
On v23: (Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)) Jesus was giving the apostles (and by extension, the church) the privilege of announcing heaven’s terms on how a person can receive forgiveness. If one believes in Jesus, then a Christian has the right to announce his forgiveness. If a person rejects Jesus’ sacrifice, then a Christian can announce that that person is not forgiven.
(Expositor's Bible Commentary) God does not forgive people's sins because we decide to do so, nor does he withhold forgiveness because we will not grant it. We announce it; we do not create it. This is the essence of salvation. And all who proclaim the Gospel are in effect forgiving or not forgiving sins, depending on whether the hearer accepts or rejects the Lord Jesus as the Sin-Bearer.
EBC: whereas Pentecost was for Judaism the day of the giving of the law, for Christians it is the day of the coming of the Holy Spirit.
Law for OT was constitution, guide for the people
Spirit for NT plays this role, but better!
(EBC) the Spirit's coming signals the essential difference between the Jewish faith and commitment to Jesus, for whereas the former is Torah-centered and Torah-directed, the latter is Christ-centered and Spirit-directed.
Jeremiah 31:33-34 (NLT) “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel after those days,” says the LORD. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the LORD.

Acts 2:5-13Summary: Many devout Jews were drawn to the scene and heard the believers miraculously speaking in their various languages. This was God’s purpose all along: to share Jesus’ message with every nation.

Acts 2:5-13 (NLT) At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.

7 They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee, 8 and yet we hear them speaking in our own native languages! 9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites, people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia, 10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans, and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done!” 12 They stood there amazed and perplexed. “What can this mean?” they asked each other.

13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them, saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”

Disciples had asked, “When will you restore our kingdom?”
Isaiah 11:11-12 (NLT) 11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people— those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt; in southern Egypt, Ethiopia, and Elam; in Babylonia, Hamath, and all the distant coastlands. 12 He will raise a flag among the nations and assemble the exiles of Israel. He will gather the scattered people of Judah from the ends of the earth.

Back to our question: What is the purpose of baptism with the Holy Spirit?

CloseSummary: The purpose of baptism with the Holy Spirit is not to speak in unknown languages, but to share the gospel! Every believer receives this spiritual baptism at conversion, which should result in boldness to witness.

The strange languages were not about tongues for the sake of the believers
It was for the non believers!
Sharing the Good News with them in their languages
I’m not saying the spiritual gift of tongues is not for today
We’ll address that when we cover 1 Corinthians 14
I’ll do that soon right here on the podcast
I am saying that in Acts 2, the purpose was clear…
Jesus had already told them:
Acts 1:8 (NLT) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The purpose of baptism with the Holy Spirit is not to speak in unknown languages, but to share the gospel!
(Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary) This is the first appearance of the phrase “filled with the Holy Spirit” (2:4) in Acts. Elsewhere in Acts, this phrase points to the power to proclaim the gospel message, not to one’s superior status in the eyes of God or one’s private spiritual development (see 4:8, 31; 9:17; 13:9).
Every believer receives this spiritual baptism at conversion, which should result in boldness to witness.
Have you been born again? If so, you have the HS

Is there evidence of it in your life?

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This is a story of how God restored the things that Mormonism stole.

Parenting
Marriage
Community
Relationship with God
Constantly trying to fit into a box of someone else’s making

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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Today we continue in Chapter 1 in our Acts study, and we’ll cover just a few verses as we answer this question: What’s the best way to wait on God?

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

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What’s the best way to wait on God?

That’s what we’ll see the disciples doing in the text
Last week Jesus got the disciples all riled up
He told them he would send the HS to empower them
He told them to wait in Jerusalem (Luke 24:49)
But he didn’t tell them how long it would take
The angels caught them staring into heaven while Jesus ascended

Have you ever been there? Waiting for God to act?

Romance - when will I finally find the “One” - ?
Provision - in financial struggles or with career opportunities
Deliverance - from addiction you’ve tried to kick
Healing - in a relational conflict
Vindication - you were falsely accused or misunderstood
Wisdom - esp for new believers who just want to know Bible more
Anxiety - when will you take this away?

We’ve all been there. Today as we open the Bible we’re going to get a few practical, actionable tips to answer the question: What’s the best way to wait on God? We’re all doing it; we might as well do it right!

So let’s get to it….

Acts 1:12-13aActs 1:12-13 (NLT) "12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile. 13 When they arrived, they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying."

Went to the upstairs room
Possibly the upper room from the last supper
May have been like headquarters in early days
May have been the “home of Mary, the mother of John Mark” that Peter visited after jailbreak (12:12)
the Mount of Olives
ie, Jesus ascended to heaven from Mount of Olives
Makes sense, in light of this OT prophecy:
Zechariah 14:2-4 (NLT) "2 I will gather all the nations to fight against Jerusalem…. 3 Then the LORD will go out to fight against those nations, as he has fought in times past. 4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem…."
a place of judgment for nations when Jesus returns
remember, this was part of the “kerygma” (early message = Jesus + faith + Spirit + return)
We’ll see this in Peter’s first sermon in ch 2
Has now become the place of blessing for nations
He’ll give them a chance to respond to kerygma
“Blessing on all nations” (Gen 12)
returned to Jerusalem
Simple obedience
Luke 24:49 (NLT) 49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”
They had great expectation, but little understanding
This is where we are when we wait on God
What do you do in this case? First answer:
Obey what you know
Do the next right thing
Trust God to open the door when time is right

Acts 1:13b-14Acts 1:13-14 (NLT) "Here are the names of those who were present: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the zealot), and Judas (son of James). 14 They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus."

The names (let’s cover this first)
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The lists of the Twelve in Mk. 3:16-19 and Mt. 10:2-4 differ from Luke's lists mainly by putting Thaddaeus where Luke has Judas son of James and in the order of the names. It is possible that Thaddaeus (or Lebbaeus in some MSS) was a nickname for this Judas.
Same list as Luke = those Jesus called are still in the picture, minus Judas. 11 out of 12 ain’t bad!
Think about all the people who have come and gone at church…
“along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus”
Final mention of Mary in the Bible
These women were an important part of the early disciples - that’s incredible if you think about it
The brothers of Jesus
At first skeptics Mark 3:21-35
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Perhaps Jesus' resurrection appearance to James (1 Cor. 15:7) was responsible for the conversion of Joses, Judas and Simon also (cf. Mk. 6:3).
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) James became the leader of the Jerusalem church (cf. 12:17; 15:13-21; 21:18) and 'the Lord's brothers' were acknowledged alongside the apostles as a distinctive group in the Christian community (cf. 1 Cor. 9:5).
They all met together and were constantly united in prayer
Two of “Big 5” spiritual disciplines from Pursuit #9:
Connection, community
Too many believers try to go through life alone. You won’t find this anywhere in the NT
Luke 24:53 give us more detail about what they were doing “together”:
Luke 24:53 (NLT) And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.
Three environments for connection from L9 in the Pursuit: large (church), small (group), and individual (mentoring)
How would you grade yourself in each of these areas?
Prayer
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) It is striking that at almost every important turning point in the narrative of God's redemptive action in Acts we find a mention of prayer (e.g. 1:24; 8:14-17; 9:11-12; 10:4, 9, 30; 13:2-3).
Reminder that this is God’s thing, not ours. “You will be my witnesses…” not “you must be” - it’s going to happen!

CloseConnection + Prayer - You need these things when you’re waiting on God - you’re not doing it right if you’re not doing this!

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Today we continue our study of Acts, covering Acts 1:6-11. Here’s the question we’ll answer as we look at the text: Does God favor one nation over another?

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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This is an important question in today’s world:

Issue of immigration
Christian nations vs. Muslim nations, etc.
It was a question on the minds of the disciples in Acts 1
Jesus had just spent 3 yrs with them
Almost exclusively did ministry among Israelites
Matthew 15:21-24 (NLT) 21 Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely.” 23 But Jesus gave her no reply, not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to go away,” they said. “She is bothering us with all her begging.” 24 Then Jesus said to the woman, “I was sent only to help God’s lost sheep—the people of Israel.”
Note three things:
Jesus was silent!?
Disciples wanted him to send her away
Jesus was sent to help only Israel
Jesus ends up healing the daughter
But it was the exception, not the rule
Seems nationalistic, right?!
The point: disciples thought God favored Israel
Very nationalistic in their ideology
The “Chosen ones”
Deuteronomy 7:6 (NLT) For you are a holy people, who belong to the LORD your God. Of all the people on earth, the LORD your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.
Seems like American Christians today
We are the new chosen ones
We have the only true God
We have a better ideology
We are God’s favorites
But what does the Bible say about this?

Let’s warm up with a history lesson on Israel:

Theocracy
First King - Saul
United Monarchy (c. 1000–930 BCE)
King David (c. 1010–970 BCE) : David united the tribes of Israel and established Jerusalem as the capital.
King Solomon (c. 970–930 BCE) : Solomon, David's son, built the First Temple in Jerusalem. After his death, the kingdom split into two.
Divided Monarchy (c. 930–722 BCE for Israel, c. 930–586 BCE for Judah)
Kingdom of Israel (Northern Kingdom) : Fell to the Assyrian Empire in 722 BCE.
Kingdom of Judah (Southern Kingdom) : Continued until it fell to the Babylonian Empire in 586 BCE.
Assyrian Rule (c. 722–605 BCE)- The Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BCE, leading to the exile of many Israelites.
Babylonian Rule (c. 605–539 BCE)- The Babylonians, led by Nebuchadnezzar II, destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple in 586 BCE, initiating the Babylonian Captivity.
Persian Rule (c. 539–332 BCE)- Cyrus the Great of Persia conquered Babylon in 539 BCE and allowed the Jewish exiles to return and rebuild the Temple (Second Temple period).
Greek Rule (c. 332–167 BCE)- Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire, including Israel, in 332 BCE. After his death, the region was controlled by the Ptolemies and then the Seleucids.
Maccabean/Hasmonean Period (167–63 BCE) : The Maccabees revolted against Seleucid rule (part of the fragmentation of Alexander’s empire), leading to the establishment of an independent Jewish kingdom (the Hasmonean dynasty) in 142 BCE.
The period saw the expansion of Jewish territory, increased influence of Jewish culture, and the emergence of significant religious sects such as the Pharisees and Sadducees. The legacy of the Hasmoneans is still remembered, particularly through the celebration of Hanukkah.
Roman Rule (63 BCE–330 CE)- The Roman general Pompey captured Jerusalem in 63 BCE.
Herodian Dynasty (37 BCE–4 BCE) : Herod the Great ruled as a Roman client king.
Jesus’ life, death, resurrection
In 70 CE, the Romans destroyed the Second Temple following a Jewish revolt.
Bar Kokhba Revolt (132–135 CE) : A significant but ultimately unsuccessful Jewish rebellion against Roman rule.
Byzantine Rule (330–636 CE)- The Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) controlled the region until the early Islamic conquests.
Islamic Caliphates (636–1099 CE)
Rashidun Caliphate (636–661 CE)
Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE)
Abbasid Caliphate (750–969 CE)
Fatimid Caliphate (969–1099 CE)
Crusader Period (1099–1291 CE)- Crusaders established the Kingdom of Jerusalem, controlling the area intermittently until 1291 CE.
Mamluk Sultanate (1291–1517 CE)- The Mamluks, based in Egypt, controlled the region following the Crusaders.
Ottoman Empire (1517–1917 CE)- The Ottomans conquered the Mamluks in 1517 and ruled the region until World War I.
British Mandate (1917–1948 CE)- After World War I, the League of Nations granted Britain the mandate to govern Palestine.
State of Israel (1948–Present)- Israel declared independence on May 14, 1948, and has since been a sovereign nation. The region has seen various conflicts and peace processes involving neighboring countries and entities.

Acts 1:6Acts 1:6 (NLT) 6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

has the time come… free Israel and restore our kingdom
There was a payoff that Israelites historically had in their minds, Israel-centric
Can’t blame them; It was even articulated by an angel to Mary:
Luke 1:31-33 (NLT) 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
And understood by the prophet Anna:
Luke 2:38 (NLT) She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.
Disciples were thinking of all of this in nationalistic and political terms
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The question the disciples asked reflects the embers of a once blazing hope for a political theocracy in which they would be leaders (cf. Mk 9:33-34; 10:35-41; Lk 22:24). Now the embers are fanned by Jesus' talk of the coming Holy Spirit. In Jewish expectations, the restoration of Israel's fortunes would be marked by the revived activity of God's Spirit, which had been withheld since the last of the prophets.
Longing for the return of the glory days of King David and Solomon

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Through the witness of Jesus' apostles, 'the kingdom' would be restored to Israel, but not in nationalistic or political terms, nor immediately in the full and final sense outlined in biblical prophecy (cf. 3:19-26).

Acts 1:7-8Acts 1:7-8 (NLT) 7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

not for you to know
The disciples weren’t wrong about the big idea (God’s kingdom would come), they were wrong in many of the details
Next week: there are some things that are not for us to know, at least not yet. Can you handle that?
End times - so many people want to know! YT is blowing up with videos
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Christians have to live with the tension of knowing that the work of the gospel is central to God's eschatological plan, but never being able to calculate the exact date of the End.
Sickness - why won’t you heal this person?
Marriage - why haven’t you brought me “the one”
Ex: my friend who was obsessed with that, until he realized he needed to “get his house in order” and leave the rest to God
Ex: my daughter who saw her friends dating (and failing) has learned to trust God with those details
Ex: Adam was put to sleep and woke up to Eve!
Sometimes we’re like the kids in the backseat, pestering God with our questions. Sometimes it’s simply not for us to know. We need to trust his plan and his timing.
But you will receive power
Gk “dunamis”, our word for dynamite!
Watch for this in the chapters ahead: power!
Power to do miracles, for sure
But even more importantly, power to speak out…
you will be my witnesses
First, the apostles were eyewitnesses
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) As 'eyewitnesses' (Lk. 1:2; cf. Acts 1:3a), they guarantee the historicity of the major events in Jesus' life, and as those uniquely instructed by him (Lk. 24:44-8; Acts 1:3b-5), they pass on Jesus' own understanding of his person and work.
This is important, and it’s why we don’t need prophets/apostles in that sense today
See Does God Still Speak Through Prophets
Second, this is a calling on every Christian
And one of the main roles of the HS in our lives
Being “baptized” = all in for Jesus
I grew up in a charismatic church
Taught that “baptism with the HS” was all about speaking in tongues
We’ll see why later in this series
But many pentecostals miss the main thing:
The Spirit empowers us to be witnesses for the Kingdom of God
It happened at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry
Luke 4:14-15 (NLT) 14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. 15 He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.
The disciples already saw Jesus “tell people about him” by the power of the Spirit
Now it was their turn
in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth
This is the outline of the book of Acts
They’re starting in Jerusalem (Acts 1-7)
Then they’ll move to Judea and Samaria (Ch 8-12)
Then to the ends of the earth
Paul’s Journeys (Ch 13-21)
Paul’s Trials on his way to Rome (Ch 22-28)
The book will end on a cliffhanger:
Acts 28:30-31 (NLT) 30 For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, 31 boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.
Notice the reverse symmetry with the gospel of Luke
Jesus started in Galilee of the Gentiles
Moved his way through Samaria and Judea
Ended up in Jerusalem for his trial and death
As we saw last week:
The gospel of Luke was about seeking Jesus and learning the truth about his life, death, and resurrection.
In Luke’s sequel (Acts) the focus changes to sharing Jesus, specifically the message of his kingdom.

But here’s the point, and the answer to our question: Does God favor one nation over another?

Answer: NO!
The shocker will be (spoiler alert):
The Kingdom of God was not just about Israel; it’s an invitation that must go out “to the ends of the earth”
Not the disciples’ nationalist and political agenda!
Isaiah 43:8-9 (NLT) 8 Bring out the people who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. 9 Gather the nations together! Assemble the peoples of the world!
Isaiah 43:10 (NLT) “But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the LORD. “You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God—there never has been, and there never will be.
Isaiah 49:6 (NLT) He says, “You will do more than restore the people of Israel to me. I will make you a light to the Gentiles, and you will bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”
God did not choose Israel for Israel’s sake
He chose them to be a light to the nations
One more thing: notice “you will be”
Not, “you must be” like a command
It’s more of a statement of inevitability; a prediction; a promise
God’s Word will go out, his Kingdom will be established
The only question: will you be a part of this movement?

Acts 1:9-11Acts 1:9-11 (NLT) 9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

he was taken up
The Luke account of this was a cliffhanger; in Acts it’s a turning point
Jesus had to leave so they could take the baton
Now it was their turn to bring the message to the world
Transition to the ministry of the Spirit
Jesus wouldn’t visit them “from time to time” to teach them
Now that would be the HS’s job, a continuous presence
“Men of Galilee,”
Interesting that they called them that
A reminder of where Jesus first invited them to follow him: on the shores of the Sea of Galilee (of the Gentiles!?)
Luke 5:10 (NLT) “From now on you’ll be fishing for people!”
Q. But what KIND of people?
History of Galilee
The Assyrians deported many of the native Israelites and brought in people from other parts of their empire, which increased the Gentile presence in Galilee. (2 Kings 15:29, 17:24-27)
Following Alexander the Great's conquests, Hellenistic culture spread throughout the Near East, including Galilee. This influence further contributed to the region's mixed population.
By Jesus’ day it was a crossroads of trade and culture, which allowed the message of Jesus to spread more easily to both Jews and Gentiles.
The point: Galilee was NOT just about Israel
Isaiah 9:1 Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever…. but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory.
why are you standing here staring into heaven?
Hilarious!
Reminds me of so many modern Christians
Love to worship God, go to conferences, study eschatology
Never go beyond “staring into heaven”
someday he will return
Bookends: Christ’s ascension and his return
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) In effect, the introduction lays down 'the eschatological framework within which the Christian story is to unfold'. The church lives between Jesus' exaltation into heaven and his return and its life is determined by these boundary markers.
In between: we need to get to work
He’s on the throne in heaven, resurrected, alive
He’s still overseeing the whole project
And he’s coming back when time is up

CloseBut this picture gives us our answer to the question we started with: Does God favor one nation over another?

Answer: No
The Kingdom of God is not about national boundaries
Not about earthly kingdoms that come and go
The Kingdom of God is already established in heaven. It's permanent, and Jesus is on the throne. No nation is favored; every nation is invited.

Revelation 7:9-10 (NLT) 9 After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”

In every generation, as Christians, our job is to invite people. Every nation, not just the ones we’re most familiar with. Why are you standing there?

Where is your Jerusalem? (neighborhood, community)
Where is your Judea/Samaria? (multisite, keep growing)
Where is your “ends of the earth”? (missions)

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In this bonus episode, Bo and KD continue their discussion on Mormonism and women. They explore the cultural aspects of Mormonism as it relates to women, including the recitation of the Young Women's theme, the concept of exaltation, and the pressure on women to find a worthy husband. They also discuss the emphasis on modesty and the challenges of dressing in a way that is garment-appropriate. The conversation highlights the control and judgment that can arise from these cultural expectations.

Takeaways:

The pressure to find a worthy husband and the fear of not being able to achieve exaltation can create anxiety and control in Mormon women.
The emphasis on modesty and the requirement to wear garments can lead to judgment and policing of women's clothing choices.
In Mormonism, women are expected to prioritize having children, and infertility can be a source of judgment and unsolicited advice.
Leaving the Mormon church can be particularly difficult for women, as it is seen as breaking up the eternal family.
It is important to prioritize God above all else and recognize that being part of God's family is more important than the Mormon concept of an eternal family.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

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Today we start a new series on the Book of Acts. We’ll cover the first five verses and answer the question: How should we act on the message of Jesus?

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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A lot of people view Christianity as merely an ideology or a set of beliefs.

I just need intellectual assent to the right ideas, believe the right things
I go to church, read the Bible (occasionally) to learn these ideas
This is how a recent article struck me: Why I am now a Christian
Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Grew up Muslim in Kenya
“The most striking quality of the Muslim Brotherhood was their ability to transform me and my fellow teenagers from passive believers into activists, almost overnight. We didn’t just say things or pray for things: we did things. As girls we donned the burka and swore off Western fashion and make-up. The boys cultivated their facial hair to the greatest extent possible.”
Then became an atheist
“You can see why, to someone who had been through such a religious schooling, atheism seemed so appealing. Bertrand Russell offered a simple, zero-cost escape from an unbearable life of self-denial and harassment of other people.”
Eventually became a Christian. But why?
Because only Christianity has “an elaborate set of ideas and institutions designed to safeguard human life, freedom and dignity….”
This is true, but is this all there is?
For many “Christians,” yes
It’s a better ideology than atheism, Islam
But it’s more than ideology - it should cause us to act.

Acts 1:1-2Acts 1:1-2 (NLT) "In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit."

In my first book
Acts is Part 2 of the Luke-Acts volume
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) Luke-Acts being originally one work in two volumes, which sometime during the last part of the first century or very early in the second began to circulate as two separate works
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The Acts of the Apostles was originally written as the second part of a two-volume work, and its inseparable relation to Luke's gospel must be kept in mind if we are to understand the work.
Luke 1:1-4 (NLT) 1 Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. 2 They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. 3 Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, 4 so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.
So the author was obviously Luke (the doctor)
Colossians 4:14 Luke, the beloved doctor, sends his greetings…
Philemon 1:23-24 (NLT) 23 Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. 24 So do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my co-workers.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Acts begins with a long, programmatic sentence in Greek (vv. 1-5), which looks back in summary fashion to the concluding scenes of Luke's Gospel and prepares for the great events soon to be narrated.
Writing to Theophilus
Spiritual seeker trying to learn the truth about Jesus
With disciples, we find the answers by the end of the gospel:
Luke 24:44-45 (NLT) 44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
It’s one thing to hear the message. It’s another thing to understand.
Contrast with disciples on road to Emmaus
Luke 24:27 (NLT) 27 Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
That’s what we’re going to learn throughout this study.
46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’
The message about Jesus is one thing (v46)
Sharing the message is another thing (v47)
That’s the subject of the Book of Acts
50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.
Luke leaves us with a cliffhanger
As we’ll see, this passage overlaps with the beginning of Acts
See it for yourself side-by-side
Luke 24:44-53 and Acts 1:3-5

Acts 1:3Now we’re ready to turn back to Acts. Notice the overlap with the end of Luke:

Acts 1:3 (NLT) 3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

During the 40 days:
Luke is retelling the story from Luke 24
See above
How cool to have been there for Jesus’ 40-day workshop!?
Appeared from time to time
Jesus’ involvement (intermittent) vs. Holy Spirit’s involvement later (continuous)
Jesus’ role = die and rise; HS role = convict, move us
Talked about the Kingdom of God
What Jesus was doing throughout the gospel of Luke
Now it was time for them to connect the dots
Understand, not just hear
This is what they would be doing in the Book of Acts
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Jesus' teaching of the apostles qualified them in a unique sense to be the authoritative interpreters of Scripture for the earliest Christian communities and for subsequent generations of believers
Speeches in Acts = about ⅓ of the text! (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Evangelistic speeches convey the contents of the message presented by different characters in different situations. In this gospel-centred framework, Luke regularly uses the Greek noun logos ('word') to describe the actual message proclaimed by Jesus and his followers.
Understanding the “kerygma” - the core message of the Christian gospel, the essential elements preached by the apostles: Jesus + faith + Spirit + return
Luke-Acts boils down to two things:
Seeking Jesus (this is what Luke is about)
Learning about his life, death and resurrection.
Responding in faith to it
Gaining entrance into his kingdom
Sharing Jesus - full circle (this is what Acts is about)
Being a servant in his kingdom
It’s not about him serving YOU
He gives the orders, you follow them
It’s our turn to get in the game and share the story
That’s the mission of the church
And Acts is the story of the church’s beginnings

Two more verses for today:

Acts 1:4-5Acts 1:4-5 (NLT) "Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

The gift he promised
Talking about the HS (God himself!)
Not just Acts of the Apostles. God is behind it all! Acts of the HS
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Luke's special interest in the Holy Spirit is indicated by the 57 occurrences of the noun pneuma ('Spirit') in Acts alone.
John 16:7-8 (NLT) But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.
Baptized w the HS
Totally immersed
In just a few days
Does this sound like the end of something or the beginning?
The beginning for sure!
Yes, Jesus died… but that means the start of something, not the end
Cliffhanger, just like at end of Luke

CloseThis brings us back to the question we started with: How should we act on the message of Jesus?

Christianity is more than a solid ideology
Yes, it’s a better ideology than atheism, Islam
But it’s not just something to learn about or read about
Not just a message about who Jesus is and what he did
We need more than intellectual assent to these beliefs
More than church attendance or reading the Bible
It should cause us to act.
That’s why Luke didn’t stop at Luke
He went on to write Acts
The story of Christ-followers who didn’t just learn… they acted
by spreading the message of the Kingdom of God

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In this episode Bryan, Bo, and KD discuss the Mormon perspective on the fall of Adam and Eve and how it shapes their view of women. They contrast this with the biblical view that emphasizes the equality and value of both men and women as image bearers of God. The conversation also touches on the Mormon belief in becoming gods and the role of women in Mormonism.

Mormonism has a different interpretation of the fall and the role of women compared to biblical Christianity.
The biblical view emphasizes the equality and value of both men and women as image bearers of God.
Toxic masculinity and controlling behavior from husbands and a desire for control and subversion from wives are the result of the curse.
Jesus is the solution to this hostility, as he crushed Satan's head and overcame sin and death.
In biblical Christianity, there is no difference between men and women at the foot of the cross, and all believers have access to God through Jesus.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

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Today we’ll answer the question, “What does God really think about women?” Culture often says biblical Christianity demeans, diminishes women - but is that true? For some churches, it is.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

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The biblical answer is clear: God loves women and from the beginning has worked to bless them. John 10:10

John 10:10 (NLT) The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
This reflects God’s heart for humanity in Gen 1-2. We’ll see that today.
But look at how the thief (Satan) is working against this plan - and he’s also been doing that from the beginning! We’ll see that today in Gen 3.
But a lot of people think that the Bible lowers and denigrates women. This is what you would expect from an ancient document, reflecting ancient societal norms. For example:
Ancient Sumerian proverb (circa 2100 BC): "Woman is a pitfall, a hole, a ditch," "Woman is a sharp iron dagger that cuts a man's throat."
Plato in "Timaeus" (circa 360 BC): "And if a man lived well... and according to his appointed lot... they will make him a man again in his next incarnation... but if he lived a cowardly and unrighteous life... they make him a woman."
Aristotle in "Politics" (circa 330 BC): "The male is by nature superior, and the female inferior; and the one rules, and the other is ruled."
We’re going to see today that from the opening chapter of the Bible, God starts with the opposite statement. That’s incredible if you think about it. God’s purpose from the beginning was to give women a rich and satisfying life.
The word for this is “blessing”, and we’re going to break it into two parts…

Equality

God’s first blessing was equality: he created women and men in God’s image, making them equal in dignity and worth.

Many people mistakenly believe the Bible teaches that women are less valuable than men.
Toxic masculinity example?
Genesis 1:26-27 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us....” So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
What “Imago Dei” means (Pursuit L3): This means we are like God in certain ways, such as mentally (we have the capacity to think and create), relationally (we were designed to be in relationship with others) and spiritually (there’s a part of us that lives forever). Imago Dei is also a reference to humanity’s responsibility to “reign” and represent God to the rest of creation.
That applies to all of us: male and female. But not animals. We are different from the rest of creation. Imago Dei sets us apart. People matter to God - men and women alike.
In fact, over and over the Bible elevates women (shocking for ancient literature):
Women heroes: Esther, Deborah, Naomi, Rahab, Hannah, Abigail, and more…
NT: Mary, Anna, Mary Magdalene, Martha, Priscilla, Lydia, Phoebe…
Women were the first witness to the resurrection and were given the important task of proclaiming the good news to the disciples.
Property rights: In general, inheritance passed through male descendants. Sons inherited land, money, and other assets from their fathers. This system was designed to keep property within the paternal family line and ensure the economic stability of families. But consider the daughters of Zelophehad (Numbers 27):
Numbers 27:4 (NLT) 4 “Why should the name of our father disappear from his clan just because he had no sons? Give us property along with the rest of our relatives.”
God not only granted their request for land, but he commanded Moses to make it part of the law for all of Israel - daughters would have inheritance rights!?
So, God’s first blessing was equality: he created women and men in God’s image, making them equal in dignity and worth.

Differentiation

God’s second blessing was differentiation: he created women different from men on purpose so they could complement each other. Part of this blessing is the calling on men to be servant leaders to women.

God’s original vision for woman and man was partnership and harmony. He created an environment in which they were meant to thrive together.

The picture was harmonious in Gen 1. Here’s a summary:
God created Adam and the animals and it was good, but something was missing.
God created Eve and commissioned Adam and Eve to:
Reproduce: Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth
Govern: reign over creation
Enjoy: eat food God would had provided
Honeymoon! Now everything was “very good”
My own life: good as a bachelor, but so much better with Tracy
Jerry Maguire: “You complete me”
But Gen 2 goes back and gives more detail to the Gen 1 account. Interesting:
An emphasis on God’s provision, preparing the environment for humans
Then we see this sequence:
God made Adam. Genesis 2:7 (NLT) 7 Then the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.
God put Adam in the Garden. (provision and purpose) Genesis 2:15 (NLT) 15 The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.
God gave Adam a command. Genesis 2:16-17 (NLT) 16 But the LORD God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
Then God created Eve.
Here’s the takeaway:
Godly men submit to God and then lovingly lead. This is part of the blessing of differentiation.
God made men to actively engage with God and others.
Today’s lie: church is for women

Trans: Here’s what happens when men fail to stay engaged: God’s blessing gives way to a curse. Let’s look at it…

Curse (Hostility)

Genesis 3:1 (NLT) The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

Note: The very first thing the enemy does in the world: assaults God’s pattern (men submit, then lovingly lead)
(John Piper clip from Manhood and Womanhood before Sin

Genesis 3:6 (NLT) 6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.

Have you noticed this before:
Man was there! He was passive, failed to step in
She ate first, then gave it to him.

Here’s the result, the curse of sin:

Genesis 3:16 (NLT) Then he said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.”

Notice the curse vs the blessing
Blessing: be fruitful and multiply
Curse: it will be painful
Blessing: govern together, two become one (harmonious)
Curse: hostility
You will want to control your husband
The sense here is
He will rule over you
The sense here is
Women and men were both broken because of the fall.
These days it’s a lot easier to talk about toxic masculinity than it is to talk about toxic femininity. But (sorry moms) women are just as broken as men.

Point: Blessings come when men submit to God and speak the truth. Curses come when men shrink back and fail to lead.

Adam and Eve sinned when they believed a lie and elevated their desires above God’s command. The result was a curse: instead of harmony, now there would be hostility between the sexes.
Men, do you want to give a gift to your wives and kids on Mother’s Day? Get serious about your relationship with God. Speak up. Step up. Lead.

Trans: Here’s the good news - this curse doesn’t have the final word. God had a plan even in Genesis to deal with this hostility between women and men.

Close

Through Jesus, the curse is reversed and we are free to return to God’s original plan to bless women (and men).

Here’s the good news, hinted at in the previous verse:

Genesis 3:15 (NLT) 15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.

Hostility runs deeper than man vs woman. It’s good vs. evil
And good will win out. That’s what this verse is saying.
It’s talking about Jesus, what he would do. (Gospel)
He would be born of a woman
Satan would strike his heel (crucifixion)
Jesus would strike his head (resurrection)
Then the hostility could end

So, What Does God Really Think About Women?

God loves women and from the beginning has worked to bless them. John 10:10
He ultimately did it through Jesus:

Galatians 3:26-28 (NLT) 26 For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.

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In this episode, Bryan, Bo and KD explore the question that skeptics and scoffers love to use to stump Christians: If God is good, why does evil exist? At first blush this paradox seems impossible to answer. But take a second look at the Bible and you’ll not just make sense of this difficult question, you’ll find an answer that can change your eternity.

Takeaways:

Mormonism and Christianity have different understandings of God, Satan, and the nature of evil.
Evil is not just external, but also resides within each person.
Evil exists because people exist. Sin is what broke the world, and God is being patient with people to give them a chance to repent.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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Skeptics and scoffers love to stump Christians with this question: if God is good, why does evil exist?

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Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Philosophers have framed the problem like this:

If God is able to prevent evil, but not willing to do so, he is evil himself.
If God is willing to prevent evil, but not able, he is impotent.

At first blush this paradox seems impossible to answer. But take a second look at the Bible and you’ll not just make sense of this difficult question… you’ll find an answer that can change your eternity.

We’re going to find today’s answer in 2 Peter chapter 3, and we’ll get to that by the end of the lesson (I promise). But let’s frame this whole question with this verse:

2 Peter 3:3 (NLT) Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires.

A “scoffer” asks the question without really wanting to know the answer. They’ve already made up their mind, and they simply want to disprove.
A genuine seeker is different. They ask the question in good faith, and have a heart that’s willing to submit to God. I hope this is the attitude you have as you approach the question.

So let’s start with the first part of the question: God is good - this much we know for sure! From The Pursuit, Lesson 1:

Jesus shows us the truth: God is for you, not against you. Through his life and teachings, Jesus shocked the religious world with his attitude toward the lost and irreligious. He invited lowly fishermen and despised tax-collectors – not religious experts – to be in his inner circle. And then he went around rubbing shoulders with drunkards, healing the demon-possessed, and touching the untouchables. Jesus didn’t avoid the broken and the lost, he sought them out. Here’s a perfect example:
Matthew 8:2-3 Suddenly, a man with leprosy approached Jesus and knelt before him. “Lord,” the man said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared.
The leper knew that Jesus had the ability to heal – he just didn’t know if he had the willingness to do it. For most people, it’s easier to believe that God is powerful than to believe that he is good. But here’s the truth: he is both!
And consider how Jesus healed the leper: he touched him. That was unthinkable in Jesus’ day.

Now to the second part of the question: why does evil exist? This will take some explaining. But consider this: God does eradicate some evil.

Genesis 6:5-8 (NLT) The LORD observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the LORD was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. And the LORD said, “I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them.” But Noah found favor with the LORD.
This is the culmination of sin on the earth. Started with Adam and Eve, then Cain kills Abel. Sexual perversion described at beginning of ch 6. Evil abounds!
God said “Enough!” - recap flood story
Note: this brings up an interesting theological debate: God was sorry? Is that regret? Does this challenge his sovereignty?
But Noah found favor (would YOU have?)
Genesis 18:20-21 (NLT) So the LORD told Abraham, “I have heard a great outcry from Sodom and Gomorrah, because their sin is so flagrant. I am going down to see if their actions are as wicked as I have heard. If not, I want to know.”
Genesis 18:23-25 (NLT) Abraham approached him and said, “Will you sweep away both the righteous and the wicked? Suppose you find fifty righteous people living there in the city—will you still sweep it away and not spare it for their sakes? Surely you wouldn’t do such a thing, destroying the righteous along with the wicked. Why, you would be treating the righteous and the wicked exactly the same! Surely you wouldn’t do that! Should not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?”
Abraham continues to negotiate: 45, 40, 30, 20, 10
Story of Sodom and Gomorrah. Sexual perversion (again).
Genesis 19:24-25 (NLT) Then the LORD rained down fire and burning sulfur from the sky on Sodom and Gomorrah. He utterly destroyed them, along with the other cities and villages of the plain, wiping out all the people and every bit of vegetation.
Q. Is this what God should always do?
Q. Would you be spared like Noah and Lot?
Most of us draw a line on sin and ask God to deal with the sinners on other side of the line!

Romans 5:12 (NLT) When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

We’re all on the wrong side of the line; we all deserve God’s judgment.

The point:

2 Peter 3:5-7 (NLT) …God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed.
Here’s what Peter is saying:
God’s word is powerful enough to create everything
That same word is powerful enough to judge everything
Evil will someday be definitively dealt with!
Sit with that for a minute. As sure as God created everything, God will judge everything. Vengeance is the Lord’s. If you’ve ever been hurt, used, abused, etc - God will someday make it right. He is just. Justice will prevail.
Note: God is the author of creation AND justice. But he’s not the author of evil.
Q. So why doesn’t God put an end to all things evil?
2 Peter 3:9 (NLT) The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.
The word in Gk for “some” and “anyone” is the same pronoun. Peter appears to be saying that God doesn’t even want the scoffers (some people) to be destroyed!
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Unfortunately, it is often the culture that co-ops the followers of Jesus into sharing their national and cultural hatreds and rejoicing the destruction of people whom God wished would have repented. The day of the Lord may indeed come, but the desire of God and of his people is that it finds no one whom God has to judge (even if there is little hope in scripture that will actually be the case).

One more verse from 2 Peter

2 Peter 3:15 (NLT) And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved.

Evil exists because people exist. Sin is what broke the world, and God is being patient with people to give them a chance to repent.

He could eradicate evil again, but what would happen to YOU?

The truth is, God dealt definitely with evil at the cross.

Romans 5:6 (NLT) When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

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In this episode, Bryan, Bo and KD talk about how the Mormon church claims to have prophets who speak authoritatively for God. But is that really a thing anymore? If not, how do we hear from God? This podcast explores the answer to that question. They discuss the role of the Holy Spirit in the Old and New Testaments, the concept of worthiness in Mormonism, and the differences between capital P prophets and lowercase p prophets. They emphasize that every believer now has the Holy Spirit and that the Bible is God's authoritative Word. They also talk about the closed canon and the importance of testing everything against God's Word.

Takeaways:

There are two different types of prophets: a capital “P” prophet who speaks authoritatively for God, and a lowercase “p” prophet who speaks what God has already spoken.
The canon of Scripture is closed, meaning that God is not going to speak authoritatively through prophets anymore.
The Bible is God's authoritative word and does not need to be supplemented with new revelation from prophets.
The gift of prophecy in the local church is about reminding people of what God has already spoken, not bringing new revelation.
Believers should test everything against God's Word and hold on to what is good.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Some churches claim to have prophets who speak authoritatively for God. But is that really a thing anymore? If not, how do we hear from God?

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Does God Still Speak Through Prophets?

Let’s start with a passage that seems to answer the question:

Ephesians 4:11 (NLT) Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

Seems clear, right? Prophets are still a thing.
So the churches that claim to have prophets and apostles are the most biblical churches? Not so fast. Let’s look into this…

Prophets in the OT

Prophets in the OT were not mere fortune-tellers but messengers chosen by God to guide, comfort, and ultimately call people back to God.

Exodus 3:9-10 (NLT) “Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”
Ezekiel 2:3-5 (NLT) “Son of man,” he said, “I am sending you to the nation of Israel, a rebellious nation that has rebelled against me. They and their ancestors have been rebelling against me to this very day. They are a stubborn and hard-hearted people. But I am sending you to say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says!’ And whether they listen or refuse to listen—for remember, they are rebels—at least they will know they have had a prophet among them.
Hosea 1:2 (NLT) When the LORD first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the LORD and worshiping other gods.”
Jonah 1:1-2 (NLT) The LORD gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”

Prophets in the NT

In the NT the Holy Spirit was given to every believer, and this caused prophecy to take on a whole new meaning and purpose.

Acts 2:17-18 (NLT) ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike—and they will prophesy.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Whereas the Spirit especially designated and empowered the prophets and other leaders of Israel under the Old Covenant, God promises that all his people will be possessed by the Spirit in the last days.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The expectation from 2:17-18 is that all believers under the New Covenant would 'prophesy' (prophēteusousin), and so share to some extent in the prophetic role (cf. 19:6). However, it is clear that some of the early Christians were especially gifted in prediction (cf. 21:4, 9, 10-11), and others in exhorting and strengthening believers in their discipleship (cf. 15:30-2).
Acts 21:9-12 (NLT) He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy. Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, “The Holy Spirit declares, ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.’” When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.

Two Types of Prophet

The key to answering this question is to consider the two types of “prophet”. The first is capital “P” prophet = speaks authoritatively for God. It’s what we see here:

Ephesians 2:19-20 (NLT) So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.

This is what I call capital “P” prophets - those who spoke authoritatively and laid the foundation. Paul describes it further in the next chapter:
Ephesians 3:5 (NLT) God did not reveal it to previous generations, but now by his Spirit he has revealed it to his holy apostles and prophets.
Through Peter, John, Paul, etc. God revealed his plan of salvation: Jew +Gentile. Good news! But not what the people expected.
This was prophetic revelation. New revelation. This work is done. God does not need to reveal anything new through prophets.

Ans: God does NOT speak through these types of prophets anymore.

But that’s different than the gift of prophecy in the local church. That’s what Paul is talking about in Ephesians 4, the passage we started with today. Now we’re ready to read it in context:

Ephesians 4:11-12 (NLT) Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

This is what I call lower case “p” prophets - those who speak out to every new generation (and congregation) what God has already spoken.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 (NLT) Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.

Close:

Why do we no longer need prophets in the capital “P” sense? The ultimate “prophet” is Jesus himself.

Hebrews 1:1-2 (NLT) Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son….

We’ll find all the revelation we need in Jesus. Look to him for your answers.

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In this episode, Bryan, Bo and KD explore the differences between the Bible and the Book of Mormon, focusing on textual and historical evidence. They discuss how the Book of Mormon lacks archaeological evidence and contains anachronisms, while the Bible has extensive evidence supporting its accuracy and reliability. They emphasize that the Bible tells one unified story, written by multiple authors over 1500 years, yet remaining consistent. They also address the reliability of Bible translations, explaining that translations are accurate and reliable, and the Joseph Smith Translation cannot be considered a true translation. They conclude by highlighting the power and inspiration of the Bible as the Word of God.

Takeaways:

Mormons believe the Bible is the word of God, but it is not infallible and has errors.
The Bible is ranked below the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price in Mormon canon.
Christians believe in the verbal plenary inspiration of the Bible, meaning that divine inspiration extends to the very words themselves and all parts of the Bible.
The Book of Mormon lacks archaeological evidence and contains anachronisms, while the Bible has extensive evidence supporting its accuracy and reliability.
The Bible tells one unified story, written by multiple authors over 1500 years, yet remaining consistent.
Translations of the Bible are accurate and reliable, and the Joseph Smith Translation cannot be considered a true translation.
The Bible is the Word of God and can be trusted.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

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Why do so many churches and Christians make such a big deal of the Bible? Isn’t it just an out-dated, irrelevant piece of ancient literature? Shouldn’t we keep it on the shelf and use more modern books to teach us how to live? These are the questions we’ll explore today.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

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before we examine the Bible, let’s start with some fun trivia about all those other books on the shelf…

10 notable best-selling books of all time:

The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss - 10.5 million
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain - 20 million
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - 29 million
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - 40 million
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle - 43 million
Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren - 50 million
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis - over 85 million
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling - 120 million
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens - Over 200 million
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes - Over 500 million

Top three best-selling books of all time:

The Quran - Estimated 800 million copies sold and distributed.
Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-tung - Over 900 million copies sold.
The Bible - Estimated 5 billion copies sold and distributed.

So, back to the question we’ll unbox today:

Q. Is the Bible Just Another Book?

Think about how all of those other books were written:

All of those other books were the product of one or more clever minds
They all followed a similar process:
Come up with the concept
Create a storyline, characters, etc.
Do some research if needed for accuracy
Write and re-write
My favorite book on the topic: “On Writing Well” by William Zinsser
“Simplify, simplify.”
“There’s no minimum length for a sentence that’s acceptable in the eyes of God.”
“Writers must constantly ask: what am I trying to say? Surprisingly often they don’t know.”
"Ultimately the product any writer has to sell is not the subject being written about, but who he or she is."

But this is what separates the Bible from every other book: it is not the product of one person’s ideas or creativity. Nobody had to dream up the storyline or characters, and no one had to read “On Writing Well” to turn out the best chapters and verses. The Bible, Christians believe, is unique because it alone was inspired by God. Here’s how Paul explained it to Timothy:

2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT) All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

See Where Did We Get the Bible?
“Inspired” = “God-breathed” (theopneustos)
Jesus himself attested that the Bible is inspired by God: Mark 12:36 (NLT) “For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said…” Jesus then quoted Psalm 110. He believed that when David wrote that Psalm, he spoke under the Spirit’s inspiration.
Verbal plenary inspiration: divine inspiration extends to the very words themselves, and to all parts of the Bible and all subject matters on which the Bible speaks.

Another passage:

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NLT) Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

Not just some dude’s random thoughts or ideas

But how did this work? Inspiration means that the Holy Spirit superintended the process so that the very words written were exactly what the Spirit intended. They are both the words of the human author AND the words of God himself.

Inspiration does not equal some kind of dictation. Authors were not like copyists or transcribers, writing down the words of someone dictating a letter. The Bible authors spoke in their own language and style, using their own words and thoughts, in response to specific situations they were dealing with.
While it is the Word of God, it is also the words of human authors. The two are not mutually exclusive. God spoke through human authors, through their unique personalities, experiences, language, culture and time.

This is why we can trust the Bible. It is not just the thoughts of humans, but God speaking to us, through the human authors.

One more verse on this:

1 Corinthians 2:13 (NLT) When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.

But how can we trust that the Bible is reliable in the form we have it today? After all, it was written literally thousands of years ago. Are we sure there wasn’t some sort of “telephone game” going on?

Explain telephone game

Here are two reasons we can trust the Bibles we have today (see Lesson 2 in The Pursuit for more):

Historical Evidence

Ancient manuscripts and archeological digs have stacked up in favor of biblical reliability. The Bible was written thousands of years ago, long before printing presses and modern technology. Manuscript fragments of the biblical text have endured wars and weather throughout the ages, and the scraps that remain represent just a fraction of the originals. Are those remnants enough to provide a reliable testimony for modern-day readers? And how can we be sure that the message hasn’t been corrupted over the millennia? The good news is that the God who inspired the scriptures was also powerful enough to preserve those writings through the ages.

Consider the manuscript evidence. Manuscript copies in the ancient world were painstakingly hand-written, and not all of them survived the ravages of time. Reliability of ancient writings is determined by the number of copies (or partial copies) of the work in existence. So how does the Bible stack up? See for yourself:

Today we have only 49 copies of Aristotle’s writings.
Homer’s “The Iliad” does a little better, with 643 copies in existence.
The New Testament wins by a landslide, with almost 5700 Greek copies and over 19,000 copies in other languages!

The New Testament clearly has more manuscript evidence than any other ancient work.

But how do we know that those manuscript copies are faithful to the originals? What if human authors changed the message, intentionally or otherwise? Modern archeology helps us answer this question, thanks to the Dead Sea Scrolls. In 1947 a shepherd boy discovered some ancient scrolls hidden away in remote caves in the Middle East. This led to even more discoveries in the area, and in the end almost 1000 manuscripts were recovered. Parts of almost every book of the Old Testament were found, and some of those fragments proved to be almost 1000 years older than the oldest manuscripts known at the time.

This offers a perfect test for the reliability of our modern translations. The book of Isaiah provides the most compelling example, since the Dead Sea Scrolls contained a complete copy of the prophet’s writings. When compared to the Masoretic Text (the oldest copy previously known, dating back to about 800 AD), the Isaiah manuscript from the Dead Sea Scrolls was 95% identical! And the only differences were minor, often just variations in spelling.

So the historical evidence stacks up in favor of the reliability of the Bible. But there’s more:

Textual Evidence

The Bible is the most impressive writing project in the history of the world. It contains 66 books written by 40 different authors over the course of 1500 years, and yet it tells one unified story. Think about it: Moses, a Jewish slave raised in the house of a Pharaoh, wrote the first five books. John, a fisherman-turned- revolutionary, wrote the last four books. In between were books and letters written by shepherds, kings, prophets, tax collectors, doctors, and more. And the most prolific author in the New Testament was Paul – a religious Pharisee who zealously persecuted the Jesus followers before joining them.

Most of these authors never met each other, and many of them were unaware of the other books and letters that would eventually be included in the Bible. Their writings spanned different cultures and languages over the course of 15 centuries, and yet the Bible amazingly reads as one story. From beginning to end it’s about Jesus, and the fulfilled prophecy is the glue that holds it together. Let’s take just a few examples:

Of the 12 tribes of Israel, Judah was surprisingly predicted to be the one through which Jesus would come – which is exactly what happened. Genesis 49:10, Matthew 1:1-3
It was prophesied that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, and that’s how it happened – even though his mother didn’t even live there. Micah 5:2, Luke 2:1,4
Prophets wrote with shocking accuracy about the torture and death of Jesus hundreds of years before it happened – exactly as predicted. Psalm 22, Isaiah 53

It was because of these kinds of prophecies that Jesus spoke these words to the religious leaders of his day:

John 5:39 You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

The Bible amazingly tells one story, centered on Jesus, because it was ultimately inspired by the God of human history.

One more question:

Q. But how can we trust that it’s translated correctly?

Think about it: The Bible comes to us through translation. It was not originally written in English, but in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. The Bible has been translated into many languages throughout the world, and continues to be. Many translations are available today that are clear, readable, understandable,and true to the original.

English language translations follow two approaches: formal equivalence (word for word) and dynamic equivalence (thought for thought). Word for word translations often fail to capture the meaning of idioms.
If you translate an idiom word for word it completely loses its meaning. For example, Matthew 9:15 (NLT) says, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom?” The phrase “wedding guests” is literally: “sons of the wedding hall”. If this was translated word for word, the meaning of the original text would be obscured. Yet thought for thought translations can introduce more of the translator’s interpretation into the text.
Interpretation is always a factor in the process of translation from one language to another, no matter which approach is preferred, because no two languages have exact correspondence of vocabulary or grammar. But the translator’s goal is to minimize the interpretations added in the process.

We don’t believe that translations are inspired by God. Only the originals are without error, as spoken by God himself through the human author. But even though the original manuscripts are no longer available, God has preserved the biblical text to a remarkable level. We can trust the Bibles we read today.

And here’s why: any translation you pick up is based on the large collection of existing manuscripts we talked about earlier. When translators (experts, by the way, not random volunteers and hobbyists) draw on the witness of these existing manuscripts, it creates confidence that our Bible translations have not been tampered with.

Contrast with a paraphrase: when someone takes an existing translation and re-writes it in his own words.

Close:

So let’s answer the question for today:

Q. Is the Bible Just Another Book?

The answer is NO! The Bible is different from every other book in history, and not just because it blows away the competition in the “Best Selling” category. It’s different because it is God-breathed, written by human authors but superintended by the Holy Spirit. So read it! You can trust it, and it can change your life.

Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

2 Corinthians 3:13-16 (NLT) We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away. But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand. But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

See Also:

https://www.pursuegod.org/bible-basics/
https://www.pursuegod.org/systheo/

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In this conversation, Bryan, Bo and KD discuss the question of whether there is only one true church, specifically focusing on the Mormon Church. They explore the concept of a testimony in Mormonism and how it differs from the Christian understanding of a testimony. They also discuss the idea of the church as an organization, denomination, or building, and explain that the biblical definition of the church is the assembly of called out believers in Jesus. They conclude that while there may not be one true church in the sense of a specific institution or denomination, there is a capital C church that includes all true believers in Jesus throughout history.

Takeaways:

Mormons believe that the Mormon Church is the one true church, and this belief is ingrained from a young age.
The biblical definition of the church is the assembly of called out believers in Jesus, and it is not limited to a specific organization, denomination, or building.
A testimony in Mormonism is a memorized statement that focuses on the prophet, the church, and sometimes the family, rather than on Jesus.
While Mormonism as an institution is not part of the one true church, individuals within the Mormon church can still have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
Core doctrines such as belief in the Bible, the Trinity, the deity of Jesus, salvation by faith, and life after death are important in determining if a church is part of the one true church.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Notes

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Several religions claim to be the one true church or the exclusive path to heaven. But what does the Bible say? Is there only one true church? And if not, do all roads lead to heaven? These are the questions we’ll explore today.

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Q. Is there only one true church?

Definitions

Let’s start by defining terms. Before we answer the question about whether or not there is one true church, we need to make sure we understand what the “church” is and what it isn’t.

The church is not a building. You might say, “I’ll meet you at the church.” or “Our men’s group meets at the church.” But the building itself is not the church.
The church isn’t an organization.
The church isn’t a denomination.
Ex: Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Assemblies of God
Southern Baptist Convention (SBC): The largest Baptist denomination in the United States
American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA): with a more moderate theological stance compared to the SBC.
Conservative Baptist Association of America (CBAA)
National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. (NBCUSA): One of the oldest and largest African-American Baptist denominations in the United States, known for its emphasis on social justice and missions.
National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. (NBCA)
Baptist Union of Great Britain
Canadian Baptists of Western Canada
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF)
National Baptist Convention of Nigeria (NBCN)
General Association of Regular Baptist Churches (GARBC)
Estimating the exact number of Christian denominations is challenging due to various factors, including differing criteria for what constitutes a denomination and the existence of many small, independent churches. However, scholars and religious experts often cite figures ranging from 30,000 to 40,000 Christian denominations worldwide!!

From Sys Theo, Lesson 10:

The church is neither a building nor an organization. It is a people, the community of all those who stand in a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Ekklesia - assembly of the called out ones - called out by the proclamation of the gospel to gather around Christ.

John 10:9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.

So, back to our question: Is there only one true church?

Answer:

NO – in the sense that there’s only one institution/denomination that gets it right

YES – in the “C” sense of the global community of true believers in the basic Bible message

John 17:20-21 (NLT) “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

Ephesians 4:3-7 (NLT) Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all. However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ.

Explain in terms of denominations

5 Doctrines Every Christian (Church) Believes:

The Bible is God’s Word. Christians believe that the Bible is the infallible word of God, which is sufficient for all we need to live the Christian life. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
God is three in one. Christians believe that there is one God who eternally exists as three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). All three persons are equal and eternal. Matthew 28:19
Jesus is fully God. Christians believe that Jesus is both fully God and fully human as the second person of the Trinity. He has always existed as God, and the world was created through him. John 1:1-2
We are saved by faith in Jesus. Christians believe that every person is broken by sin and in need of salvation. We are saved by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:8-9
There’s life after death. Christians believe that Jesus is returning in order to set up his kingdom and judge the world. Those who have trusted Jesus for salvation will live eternally in heaven, while others will be eternally separated from the presence of God. John 11:25-26

Analogies

I want to finish with three analogies used in the Bible to describe the church. Each of these word pictures helps us to understand the importance of the church… and being a part of it.

The “Church” Is:

The Bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:22-33)
Ephesians 5:22-33
Don’t talk smack on Christ’s bride
“all their creeds were an abomination in his sight” - Joseph Smith
As with any faithful groom, Christ only has one bride. There aren’t many brides - there is one true church, one bride, the capital C church.
The Body (Ephesians 4:15-16)
Ephesians 4:15-16 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
The church doesn’t function in the most healthy way possible unless all of the parts are functioning. You have a role to play. God has given you gifts to use for the building up of the church. (1 Peter 4:10) You might not think your role is important - it is! You might feel like the heel or the big toe - gout story.
Mountains are my church - there isn’t a stone, tree, or creek that needs encouragement, prayer, or fellowship from you, but there is someone in the body that does.
The Church is to be on mission - we can be united in mission even if we’re not uniform. The Great Commission is for all believers - the Church.
A Family (Ephesians 2:19)
Ephesians 2:19 (NLT) So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.
As with any family, communication and connection are important. The Bible talks about how we’re supposed to treat one another. We’re told to weep with those who weep, rejoice with those who rejoice. We’re supposed to gently restore those that are caught in sin - making sure we’re humble and careful not to slip into sin ourselves. We are to pray for one another. We are to meet physical needs for one another.

One more thing: how can you become a part of the “C” church?

John 10:9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.

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Almost every world religion offers a pathway to heaven through good works and personal efforts. Some even include a list of sacraments: Holy rituals by which a person can merit salvation. But Christianity is different. According to the Bible, there’s only one way to know if you’re good enough for God, and it has nothing to do with what you can do.

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Before we look at what the Bible says, let’s do a quick survey of a few popular world religions…

Hinduism: Hinduism does not have a singular concept of salvation but rather multiple paths (yogas) that lead to spiritual liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara). These paths include devotion (bhakti), knowledge (jnana), and selfless action (karma yoga), among others. Salvation is achieved when an individual realizes their true self (atman) as one with the ultimate reality (Brahman). (Liberation depends on YOU.)

Buddhism: Salvation in Buddhism is the cessation of suffering and the cycle of rebirth, achieved through the elimination of desire and ignorance. In Buddhism, the goal is to attain enlightenment (nirvana) by following the Noble Eightfold Path, which includes principles such as right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. (Nirvana depends on YOU.)

Islam: In Islam, the plan of salvation involves belief in the oneness of God (Allah) and the prophethood of Muhammad. Muslims believe in living a righteous life according to the teachings of the Quran and the Hadith (sayings of Muhammad). Salvation is achieved through faith, repentance, and good deeds, with the ultimate reward being entry into paradise. Salvation in Islam is not guaranteed solely by faith or deeds but is ultimately dependent on the mercy and judgment of Allah. Muslims strive to live a life that is pleasing to Allah and to follow the teachings of Islam in the hope of attaining salvation in the afterlife. (Paradise depends on YOU.)

(Note: similarity with Mormonism. “Saved by grace after all we can do.”) - Don’t include this in sermon!

TRANS: So what does Christianity teach? To find that answer we need to look at one more world religion: Judaism. Jesus was Jewish. Christianity came out of Judaism. Understanding the link between those two religions, and specifically the key difference between them, will give us the insight we need to answer our question today. Let’s start with the words of Jesus from his famous Sermon on the Mount:

PerfectionMatthew 5:17 (NLT) “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.”

When Jesus talks about “the law and the prophets” he’s referring to Judaism. Here’s Judaism in a nutshell:

God chose Abraham and made him some promises (Gen 12)
God gave the 10 commandments to Moses - rules to live by in the land of promise they were about to enter.
The people kept breaking the laws and failing to live right.
Judges 21:25 (NLT) In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.

In Mt 5 Jesus is basically saying: “There’s nothing wrong with the law; there’s something wrong with the people.” That’s why he said this:

Matthew 5:20 (NLT) “But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!”

Jesus goes on in the sermon to list examples in every area of life:

You’ve heard “don’t murder,” but I say anger = murder in your heart
You’ve heard “don’t adulterate,” but I say lust = adultery in your heart
You’ve heard “the punishment must match the crime,” but I say turn the other cheek
You’ve heard “love your neighbor,” but I say “love your enemy”

Then Jesus finishes the section with this crazy statement:

Matthew 5:48 (NLT) But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

So, how good is good enough? Perfection. Anything less won’t work.

The PickleThis leaves us in a pickle. God requires perfection, but people are far from it. The Apostle Paul explained this clearly in his letter to the Romans:

Romans 3:20 (NLT) For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

This is crazy: Paul used to be a Pharisee! He was one of those guys from the Sermon on the Mount that Jesus was talking about. He was trying to get to God through his own works. Here’s how Paul himself explained it:

Philippians 3:5-6 (NLT) I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

This next verse I want to use the NIV, because it helps us to calculate what Paul is trying to say:

Philippians 3:7 (NIV) But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The shift from plural gains to singular loss indicates that Paul is not giving different values to each of his assets, discounting them at different rates: some are marked down 50%; others down 90%. Because of Christ, Paul has counted up all of his assets and considered them to be one huge liability. After his conversion to Christ, Paul recalculates the value of all of the advantages of his family and his accomplishments, his social class and his moral achievements, and then he enters the new bottom line: they all add up to one overwhelming disadvantage, one huge loss.
Paul was in the red… and then he met Christ
Famous Mormon example of a dad buying bike for his kid?

The GiftHere’s how Paul explained the math to the Ephesians:

Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT) God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

Think about the word “gift”. How much do you pay for it? Exactly nothing. Once you pay for it, it’s no longer a gift!

Ex: Ross at the summer outreach event. Guy trying to pay for water bottle.

Two things about a gift:

“None of us can boast about it.” - religious boasting
We don’t have to wonder if we’ve done enough.
Contrast with Islam: “Salvation in Islam is not guaranteed solely by faith or deeds…. Muslims strive to live a life that is pleasing to Allah and to follow the teachings of Islam in the hope of attaining salvation in the afterlife.”
But they’ll never know for sure!!

Back to Romans for two more verses:

Romans 3:21-22 (NLT) But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law…. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

So the Bible’s answer to the question “How good is good enough for God?” reveals the difference between Christianity and every other religion.

Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam are all “works-based”– It’s about what YOU can do to reach enlightenment, earn nirvanah, become righteous.
Christianity has a different message: YOU can’t do anything to save yourself. People have tried, and they’ve always failed!
You’ll need the perfection of Jesus. You’ll only get that by faith.

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KD shares her amazing story of how the God of the Bible got a hold of her heart. She talks about growing up in a Mormon household, the fear of her parents' potential divorce, and her deep desire to have an eternal family. She also discusses the pressure she felt to be a perfect wife and the impact of learning about polygamy in heaven. Her and Bo discuss the challenges of perfectionism and the burden of trying to earn their salvation within the Mormon Church. They discuss the impact of checklist mentality and the struggle to find grace within the confines of their faith. The loss of their daughter becomes a turning point in their spiritual journey, leading them to reevaluate their beliefs and seek a deeper understanding of Jesus.

Takeaways

Growing up in a Mormon household can come with unique challenges and pressures, such as the fear of divorce and the emphasis on eternal families.
Learning about polygamy in heaven can be unsettling, especially for those who have witnessed infidelity or unhealthy relationships.
The pressure to be a perfect spouse and maintain a worthy image can lead to controlling behaviors and mental distress.
Discovering the true God of the Bible can bring relief and freedom from the burdens and expectations of Mormonism. The pressure to be perfect and earn salvation can create a heavy burden and lead to feelings of inadequacy.
Navigating the tension between grace and checklist mentality can be challenging, especially within the Mormon faith.
Finding a Christian church and embracing the true meaning of grace can bring relief and a deeper understanding of God's love.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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We’ve been on a long journey through the gospel of Mark. We started this in January of 2023. Throughout Mark’s gospel, he has been building a case that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. He opened his gospel with this declaration and has spent the last 16 chapters stacking up the evidence. Today we're looking at this question: What would it take to convince you that Jesus is the Son of God?

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We’ve seen testimonies:

Mark 1:11 And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”
Mark 1:24 (NLT) “Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
Mark 8:29 (NLT) Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”

We’ve seen teachings:

Mark 2:17 (NLT) “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”
Mark 7:15 (NLT) “It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.”
Mark 10:15 (NLT) “I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”

We’ve seen his miracles:

Physical miracles
cleansing the leper
giving sight to the blind
Healing the lame
Resuscitating Lazarus
Nature miracles:
Feeding the multitudes… twice!
Walking on water
Calming the storm
Even a spiritual miracle:
casting out evil spirits

TRANS: But there’s one miracle that stands out above them all. It’s the final and most important piece of evidence to point us to the true identity of Jesus. Today we’re looking at the incredible resurrection of Jesus.

The resurrection is the climax of Mark’s gospel. Without the resurrection, there is no good news. Jesus’s death would simply be the most tragic case of injustice in history, with not an ounce of goodness to it. It was the resurrection that changed the minds of his disciples. It was an encounter with the risen Christ that changed them from cowardly, sniveling men who deserted him and were always arguing about who would be the greatest… to brave, faith-filled men who unashamedly proclaimed Mark 1:1 – that Jesus is the Son of God.

NOTE: As we dig into Mark 16, we’re going to go through verse 8. If you’re reading in your Bible, you’ll likely have a footnote that says the “earliest manuscripts stop at verse 8.” I want to talk about that for just a moment. I want to share with you why this strengthens my confidence in the accuracy, historicity, and authority of God’s Word. I’m going to give you some reasons why we’re choosing to stop at verse 8 today and why many Bibles still include verse 9-20.

Earliest manuscripts we have don’t contain 9-20
Overwhelming majority of early manuscripts do contain it.
Early church fathers quoted from verses after verse 8
Elements of verses 9-20 are found in other gospels and nothing in it contradicts scripture.
(honesty/transparency) - we can trust the Bible

Mark 16:1-4 Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3 On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside.

They purchased burial spices. They had no expectation of an empty tomb. They expected to find a dead body. This anointing was not an attempt to preserve the body. Jews didn’t practice embalming. It was an act of love and devotion. They bought the spices at the first opportunity and made their way to the tomb at the first safe opportunity (as soon as it was daylight). They didn’t put off showing their devotion to Jesus. The touching of a dead body would have made them ceremonially unclean, another sacrifice they were willing to make for Jesus. What are we willing to sacrifice for him?

It’s powerful testimony that all of the gospels record women being the first to hear/see the good news of the resurrection. If you were making the story up, you’d never have women be the first to confess the resurrection. Their testimony wasn’t admissible in court. (honesty/transparency)

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) "This is the general rule: any evidence that a woman is not eligible to bring, [usurers, dice-players, pigeon-flyers, traffickers Sabbath year produce, and slaves] are not eligible to bring" (m. Ros HaSh. 1:8). Further: "Sooner let the words of the Law be burned than delivered to women" (b. Sot. 19a); "Happy is he whose children are male, but alas for him whose children are female" (b. Qid. 82b). Especially indicative is the morning prayer of Jewish men, who blessed God for not making them heathens, slaves, or women!
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Some two centuries after the Gospels were written, the pagan Celsus could still needle Origen on "the gossip of women about the empty tomb" (Origen, Contra Celsum 2, 55).
1 Corinthians 1:27-29 (NLT) Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

Who will roll the stone away? We know from Matthew’s gospel that there was an earthquake and the angel is the one who rolled the stone away and then sat on it. We also know from Matthew’s gospel that the Roman guards who had been assigned to guard the tomb shook with fear and passed out at the sight of the angel.

Mark 16:5-7 When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, 6 but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth,[b] who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. 7 Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.”

He is risen. Resurrection vs. resuscitation. Jesus is the first to be resurrected. There were resuscitations in the Bible prior to Jesus - Elijah raised the son of the widow from Zarephath back from the dead, Elisha raised the Shunammite’s son, Jairus’ daughter, Lazareth - but all these would die again. Jesus didn’t resuscitate, he resurrected. He came back to life never to die again. Jesus was the first to do this. This had never before been seen in history.

Look The angel challenged the women to see for themselves that the body was not there - “Look, this is where they laid his body.” God is always willing to prove himself to anyone who’s willing to seek. But he won’t force you to go looking. You’re listening today; are you willing to really look into Jesus?

Including Peter. The women are specifically told to communicate the news to Peter. Had he withdrawn because of his shame at denying Jesus three times? Had the other disciples ostracized him because he had failed in the moment after being so adamant that he would die with Jesus? He was supposed to be the rock, but had crumbled like a cookie. The last interaction Peter had with Jesus was looking into his eyes after he had denied him three times. How miserable these past days have been. He probably no longer considered himself a disciple because of his denial. He was too ashamed to be counted among his followers. This is why the personal invitation is so important. Jesus extends that same personal invitation to you today.

You will see him in Galilee. The women are commanded to go and tell the Good News that Jesus is risen. The women went to the tomb looking for closure; they got anything but closure! Now they would be on mission again with Jesus, meeting him in Galilee - the place where he first called his disciples. The place that represented the whole world, not just the Jews!

Mark 16:8 the women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened.

What a way to end Mark’s gospel! Five admissions of the women’s weakness:

Fled
Trembling
Bewildered
Speechless
Frightened

Not surprising. After all, we’ve learned throughout this gospel two simple truths over and over: people are broken; Jesus can fix us.

So the women fled, broken but convinced. How could they not be? They just heard that Jesus performed his ultimate miracle: he was raised from the dead. Their lives would never be the same.

Back to the question for today:

Q: What would it take to convince you that Jesus is the Son of God?

Mark’s gospel lays out all the proof we need. The testimonies. The teachings. The miracles. And now this: the resurrection.

What we think about Jesus and how we respond to that is the most important thing about us. It is what determines where we spend eternity.

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A Roman officer had a front-row seat to the most consequential death in human history: the crucifixion of Jesus. What he saw that day changed his life forever, and the lessons learned still apply 2000 years later.

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The climax of the book of Mark, the answer to 1:1. But who speaks these words? A Roman officer?! Where are the disciples?

Takeaway: this message, this mystery, is for everyone who would call on the name of Jesus. It takes three things, as we take a closer look at that passage:

Mark 15:39 (NLT) When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

“Stood facing him”

Freedom in Christ takes the courage to face Jesus.
Today, that might mean investigating his claims.
Courage to look into Christianity, willingness to submit - that dirty “s” word
John 7:16-17 My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.
If you’re unwilling to submit to God’s will, your pursuit is over before it has even started. But if you are willing to come to God on his terms and take him at his word, then Jesus promises that you’ll discover the truth… and the freedom that comes with it!

Back to the text:

Mark 15:39 (NLT) When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

brutal, yet resolved to suffer.
Mark 15:23 (NLT) They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it.
He kept his vow at the Last Supper: Mark 14:25 (NLT) I tell you the truth, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”
Mocked, yet did not open his mouth
Who? The people passing, The leading priests and teachers of religious law, Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.
This was truly a fulfillment of Psalms 22:7-8 (NLT) Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, “Is this the one who relies on the LORD? Then let the LORD save him! If the LORD loves him so much, let the LORD rescue him!”
Q. Have YOU ever mocked Jesus?
Between two thieves (yet he was not a sinner)
Isaiah 53:12 (NLT) I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

One more thing:

Mark 15:39 (NLT) When the Roman officer who stood facing him saw how he had died, he exclaimed, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

The climax of the book of Mark, the answer to Mark 1:1 (NLT) This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. It was the third time someone made the declaration:
Mark 1:11 (NLT) And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”
Mark 3:11 (NLT) And whenever those possessed by evil spirits caught sight of him, the spirits would throw them to the ground in front of him shrieking, “You are the Son of God!”
(Mark 8, Mt 16:16)
(Martha also made this confession in John 11:27)
And now a Roman officer! (The disciples are nowhere to be seen.)

Close: this message, this mystery, is for everyone who would call on the name of Jesus.

Romans 10:9 (NLT) If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

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In this episode, Bryan and Bo discuss the concept of priesthood in Mormonism. They explore the Mormon belief in the restoration of the church and the priesthood through Joseph Smith. They discuss the biblical perspective on priesthood, emphasizing Jesus as the ultimate high priest and mediator. They explore the idea of a royal priesthood, and the role of leadership and authority in the church. They highlight the toxicity of priesthood authority in Mormonism and contrast it with the biblical concept of authority. The conversation also dives into the two orders of the priesthood, the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods, and the significance of Jesus as the ultimate high priest.

Takeaways:

The Mormon belief in the restoration of the priesthood through Joseph Smith is a central aspect of their faith.
The biblical perspective on priesthood emphasizes Jesus as the ultimate high priest and mediator between God and humanity.
New Testament Christianity did not have priests or temples, as Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial system and became the final mediator.
Leadership and authority exist in the church, but Mormonism takes the concept of authority to a toxic level, elevating it to a priesthood authority that only certain individuals possess.
The Aaronic priesthood originated with Aaron, the brother of Moses, and the Levites. The Melchizedek priesthood is a more obscure reference in Genesis, but the book of Hebrews explains that Jesus is the ultimate high priest in the order of Melchizedek.
The worthiness aspect of priesthood in Mormonism can lead to guilt, shame, and public humiliation for those who are deemed unworthy. However, the Bible teaches that salvation is not based on good works or priesthood authority, but on God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Today we look at the interaction between Jesus and Pilate, as Jesus continues his march toward the cross. Pilate asks six different questions in the Mark text, and we’re going to look at each one of them to see what we can learn about Pilate’s search for truth. Before we get to the six questions in Mark, we’ll start with a question that Pilate asks in John’s gospel.

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John 18:38 (NLT) “What is truth?” Pilate asked.

What is truth? Such a profound question for a politician to ask!
Today’s fluid concept of truth in the postmodern world
ChatGPT: Postmodernism challenges traditional notions of truth by suggesting that truth is not objective and universal, but rather subjective and context-dependent. In this view, truth is not a fixed reality waiting to be discovered, but rather a product of social, historical, and cultural influences. Postmodernists argue that different groups or individuals may have their own truths that are valid within their own frameworks or perspectives, and that these truths are not necessarily in conflict with each other.

Here’s today’s key question:

Q. How will you handle the truth about Jesus?

A Few Good Men: “You can’t handle the truth!” Colonel Nathan R. Jessup, played by Jack Nicholson

Now we’re ready to turn to the text. Mark chapter 15…

Mark 15:1 (NLT) Very early in the morning the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law—the entire high council—met to discuss their next step. They bound Jesus, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor.

Let’s talk about Pilate.

(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) Early in the morning, because that is when Pilate held trials, Jesus was led to Herod's palace. This explains why the Sanhedrin held their session late at night and very early in the morning.

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The Gospel of Mark was probably written in the middle 60s during Nero's reign. The Roman Empire, in contrast to the earlier Republic, was a totalitarian state, and at no time more so than under Nero. Discretion, if not loyalty, dictated that Rome be portrayed in the best possible light in Mark's Gospel. Mark desired to encourage Christians in Rome, who were themselves victims of persecution, by Jesus' faithful example before Pilate. At the same time, he wanted to avoid making claims that could be regarded treasonous, lest his Gospel become cause of further trouble for Christians in the Empire. The delicate task before Mark in chap. 15 is how to report the crucifixion without causing unnecessary offense to the Romans who crucified him. Mark needed to exercise sensitivity in the crucifixion narrative because the tyranny of Pilate paled in comparison to the tyranny of Nero, under whom the recipients of the Gospel were living.

The Jewish historian Josephus and the Jewish philosopher Philo both provide some insights into the character of Pontius Pilate, although their accounts differ in some details.

In his work Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus mentions Pilate in the context of several incidents during his governorship of Judea. Josephus describes Pilate as a harsh and inflexible ruler, known for his corruption and cruelty. One notable incident Josephus mentions is Pilate's use of temple funds to finance the construction of an aqueduct, which sparked outrage among the Jewish population.
Philo, in his work Embassy to Gaius, portrays Pilate as a brutal and insensitive ruler. He describes an incident where Pilate displayed Roman military standards in Jerusalem, which were seen as idolatrous by the Jews and caused widespread protests. Philo also criticizes Pilate for his lack of respect for Jewish customs and his heavy-handed approach to governance.
Luke 13:1 (NLT) About this time Jesus was informed that Pilate had murdered some people from Galilee as they were offering sacrifices at the Temple.

Trans: Here’s Pilate’s first question in the Mark passage:

Mark 15:2 (NLT) Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Jesus replied, “You have said it.”

A couple of notes:

1. Where’s Waldo? - Look for this phrase “king of the Jews” 5 more times in ch 15 (vv. 2, 9, 12, 18, 26, 32).

2. Pilate didn’t care if Jesus was called “Messiah”. This was a Jewish term, what did it matter to him? But he did care about someone claiming to be “King”. That was a threat to Caesar’s rule.

3. (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Pilate, the Roman prefect, asks Jesus, "'Are you the king of the Jews?'" The wording of the question in Gk., is exactly the same as was the high priest's question in 14:61, i.e., it is a statement with a question implied (lit., "'You are the king of the Jews?'"). As in the case of the high priest, Mark's wording makes Pilate an unknowing confessor. Again, even the mouths of Jesus' enemies unwittingly confess him.

Philippians 2:10-11 (NLT) … at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Application: What you believe about Jesus is the most important thing about you, because it is the one thing that will determine your eternal destiny.

Expand

Let’s read on:

Mark 15:3-5 (NLT) Then the leading priests kept accusing him of many crimes, and Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer them? What about all these charges they are bringing against you?” But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate’s surprise.

Pilate’s second and third questions in the Mark text.

Leading priests “kept accusing him of many crimes” - a continuation of the sham trial from earlier
Most people would defend themselves against false accusations. What kind of person just sits there
Ex: I remember years ago when I was being wrongfully accused of some things. How frustrated I felt. I spoke up, defended myself, did so with intensity
Afterward a friend said to me, “Don’t worry about defending yourself so much. The truth will come out.”
My insecurity led to this? Desire for “justice”?
The point = Jesus is not insecure. He is not defined by what the leading priests think about him. He knows who he is.

Back to the text:

Mark 15:6-8 (NLT) Now it was the governor’s custom each year during the Passover celebration to release one prisoner—anyone the people requested. One of the prisoners at that time was Barabbas, a revolutionary who had committed murder in an uprising. The crowd went to Pilate and asked him to release a prisoner as usual.

Mark 15:9-12 (NLT) “Would you like me to release to you this ‘King of the Jews’?” Pilate asked. (For he realized by now that the leading priests had arrested Jesus out of envy.) But at this point the leading priests stirred up the crowd to demand the release of Barabbas instead of Jesus. Pilate asked them, “Then what should I do with this man you call the king of the Jews?”

Q4 and Q5 are directed to the crowd, not to Jesus.

Q4 “Should I release this ‘King of the Jews’?”

There it is again. Is Pilate mocking now?
Or maybe he’s testing them to see what the crowd thinks of him?
Maybe he’s using the term over and over to justify the eventual crucifixion

Q5 “Then what should I do with this man you call the king of the Jews?”

Notice: Pilate is trying to avoid personal responsibility
Trying to keep his hands clean
Trying to avoid the “Who is Jesus?” question

The crowd takes the bait:

Mark 15:13-14 (NLT) They shouted back, “Crucify him!”

“Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”

But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

That brings us to Pilate’s final question in the Mark text:

“Why? What crime has he committed?”

This makes me look favorably on Pilate for at least a moment
Was he a good guy, trying to give Jesus a chance?
Pilate is symbolic of a spiritual seeker, caught in the middle of two choices. It’s hard to hear the real Jesus when the world is so loud in its hatred against him.
Back to the question: What crime has he committed? Answer: none.
Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life.
These charges were all trumped up by the religious elite.
Jesus would go to the cross for our sins, not his.
But note: the crowd didn’t care about the answer.

And now the crowd has turned into a mob.

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The description of the vehemence of the protest at the building of the aqueduct is particularly similar to the description of the crowd in vv. 13-14.

"Tens of thousands of men assembled and cried out against him. . . . Some too even hurled insults and abuse of the sort that a throng will commonly engage in. . . . the Jews were in full torrent of abuse" (Antiquities of the Jews 18.60-61).

Mark 15:15 (NLT) So to pacify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified.

Close:

Back to the question at the top, which we’ll now call the seventh question of Pilate (adding it to the 6 from Mark’s gospel):

John 18:38 “What is truth?” Pilate asked.

Here’s the context for Pilate’s question; Jesus’ bold statement:

John 18:37 (NLT) “I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

Jesus: There is truth, and I was born to tell you about it
Truth is not about ideas or theories; truth is about a person. The pathway to life starts with trusting the truth about Jesus.

John 14:6 (NLT) Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

Here’s today’s key question:

Q. How will you handle the truth about Jesus?

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How should a Christian view the debate on immigration?

The PursueGOD Men's podcast helps guys apply God's Word to their lives to become full circle followers of Jesus. Join us for a new men's episode every other Thursday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/men.

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In today's episode, John and Pastor Rene discuss various aspects of immigration and how to show compassion to those in need. They touch on topics such as controlled immigration, meeting needs at the source, false promises and misinformation, and showing compassion regardless of legal status. The conversation explores the decision between enabling and helping, the importance of meeting both physical and spiritual needs, being generous with resources, addressing poverty at the source, the impact of international outreach, and taking action to make a difference.

Takeaways

Meeting needs at the source is crucial for long-term sustainability.
False promises and misinformation contribute to the immigration crisis.
It is possible to be frustrated with government policies while still showing compassion to those in need.
Compassion should be shown to individuals regardless of their legal status. It is important to be wise in how we care for people in need, enabling them to become self-supportive.
Meeting physical needs is important, but the biggest need people have is Jesus.

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Todd shares his personal history with Mormonism and his journey of questioning and seeking to understand Jesus. He discusses the differences between the Mormon Jesus and the biblical Jesus, as well as the challenges he faced in leaving Mormonism. Todd emphasizes the importance of seeking truth and experiencing the transformation that comes from knowing the real Jesus. He offers advice for those still entangled in Mormonism and encourages them to take off their Mormon backpack and embrace the grace and truth found in biblical Christianity.

Takeaways:

Questioning and seeking to understand Jesus is a natural part of the spiritual journey.
There is a stark contrast between the Mormon Jesus and the Biblical Jesus.
Leaving Mormonism can be challenging, but seeking truth and experiencing the transformation that comes from knowing the real Jesus is worth it.
It is important to give grace to others and embrace the grace and truth found in biblical Christianity.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Jesus is the most controversial figure in human history. Everyone has an opinion about him, for better or worse. Today we look at the sham trial of Jesus, and all of the irony it contains. The trial of Jesus shows us how people in every generation can get Jesus wrong. Both the religious and irreligious can misjudge the Judge of all.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Q. How has the world misjudged Jesus?

Famous atheists (irreligious) who did it:
Bertrand Russell (Philosopher and Mathematician): "Historically, it is quite doubtful whether Christ ever existed at all, and if He did, we do not know anything about Him."
Christopher Hitchens (Author and Journalist): "The teachings of Jesus are not the Sermon on the Mount, where he behaves in an exalted and wise manner. It's the idea of the prodigal son, where he says that if you're really, really sorry, if you're genuinely sorry, if you really ask for forgiveness, you can be forgiven. It's a horrible idea."
Richard Dawkins (Biologist and Author): "The alternative to the God hypothesis is not the hypothesis that Jesus was God incarnate. It is the hypothesis that Jesus was a zealot, executed for sedition, whose followers perpetuated his cult by deifying him."
from Dawkins' book "The God Delusion," in which he argues against the existence of a personal god and criticizes religious beliefs, including those related to Jesus.
The God Hypothesis: the idea that there exists a supernatural creator who is responsible for the universe and everything in it. Dawkins argues that this hypothesis is not supported by evidence and should be rejected.

Irony: Jesus is the Judge!

John 5:22-23 (NLT) …the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him.

Today we’ll see Jesus on trial. Can you imagine it? The Judge of all, the Creator, in court being judged by his creations!? We’ll see that misjudging Jesus is nothing new. But when it happened 2000 years ago for the first time, it was not a group of atheists making such offensive statements. It was the religious elite themselves. Let’s get to the text…

Mark 14:53-54 (NLT) They took Jesus to the high priest’s home where the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law had gathered. Meanwhile, Peter followed him at a distance and went right into the high priest’s courtyard. There he sat with the guards, warming himself by the fire.

the leading priests, the elders, and the teachers of religious law

This was the Sanhedrin, the “influencers” in Jesus’ day
The Sanhedrin was a Jewish council that existed during the time of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. It was made up of 71 members and served as the highest religious and legal authority among the Jews in ancient Israel. The Sanhedrin was responsible for interpreting Jewish law, settling disputes, and making decisions on religious and legal matters. It played a significant role in the governance of the Jewish people and the preservation of Jewish traditions and customs.

Peter followed him at a distance

The disciples were supposed to be testifying FOR Jesus: Mark 13:9 (NLT) “When these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the local councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me.”
But Peter is following at a distance. (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Peter has forsaken a discipleship of costly following (8:34) for one of safe observation.
Peter had even more reason to hide on the fringe. He had cut off the servant to the high priest’s ear. Now, as they came to the home of the high priest, the risk of the servant reporting what Peter had done to him was real. Jesus’ healing of the servant’s ear was not only merciful to the servant, it was merciful to Peter as now there would be no evidence against him.
As much as we’re disappointed in Peter’s cowardice to deny Jesus, it took courage for him to even be here. We set ourselves up for failure when we follow him at a distance. We need to be in close, intimate relationship with him to experience his power in our lives. Are you following Jesus at a distance? Do people know you’re a follower? Is there evidence in your life?

Mark 14:55-59 (NLT) Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find evidence against Jesus, so they could put him to death. But they couldn’t find any. Many false witnesses spoke against him, but they contradicted each other. Finally, some men stood up and gave this false testimony: “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and in three days I will build another, made without human hands.’” But even then they didn’t get their stories straight!

The Trial

The religious leaders had constantly accused Jesus of breaking the law. The irony is that they broke the law in nearly every detail of their sham trial. Mark 14:55-59
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) According to the Mishnah,
twenty-three members of the Sanhedrin were necessary to judge capital cases, with reasons for acquittal preceding reasons for conviction.
In capital cases, a verdict of guilty required a second sitting the following day.
Both sittings had to take place during daytime, and neither on the eve of Sabbath or a festival (m. Sanh. 4.1).
Witnesses were to be warned against rumor and hearsay (m. Sanh. 4.5).
A charge of blasphemy could not be sustained unless the accused cursed God's name itself, in which case the punishment prescribed was death by stoning, with the corpse then hung from a tree (m. Sanh. 7.5).
Compare this to the dirt that is dug up on political leaders running for office. It’s so easy to find foolish decisions, double talk, and even illegal activity for most, if not all, of our political leaders.

False accusation: ‘I will destroy this Temple made with human hands, and in three days I will build another, made without human hands.’”

Jesus had said he would destroy “this temple”. He didn’t say, ”this temple made with human hands”. He was talking about his body.
Morgan on their accusation: “This is the most diabolical form of untruth, because it is an untruth in which there is an element of truth. We remember Tennyson’s words: ‘A lie that is all a lie, may be met and fought outright; But a lie that is partly the truth, is a harder matter to fight.’”
Have you ever been accused of something that wasn’t true? Did you have anybody stick by your side and say, “That’s a lie!” or “That’s inaccurate!” None of the disciples defend Jesus. They’ve all abandoned him. We know that Peter and another “unnamed” disciple enter the courtyard of the high priest, but there is no indication that either of them gave testimony to support Jesus, and at least in the case of Peter, completely denied they even knew him.
Prophecy to David fulfilled: 2 Samuel 7:12-14 (NLT) For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son….
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) According to 2 Sam 7:12-14, David's son would build a temple to God's name. This son receives God's promise, "'I will be his father, and he will be my son.'" The builder of God's house, in other words, will be God's Son. In a way truer than his accusers could have imagined, Jesus fulfills 2 Sam 7, for he will presently confess himself before the high priest as God's Son, and his resurrected body will replace the earthly temple.

But for all of their desire to catch Jesus in sin and find real claims against him…

But they couldn’t find any.

The perfection of Jesus is essential to the gospel. Without perfection, his sacrifice isn’t enough.
The truth about Jesus is simple: he lived a perfect, sinless life.
Hebrews 7:26-28 He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven.

Mark 14:60-61 (NLT) Then the high priest stood up before the others and asked Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” But Jesus was silent and made no reply. Then the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

But Jesus was silent and made no reply.

Jesus remaining silent is a fulfillment of Messianic prophecy.
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
Jesus could have mounted an impressive defense - all of the miracles he had performed, the many people he had healed, lives changed. Even demons had testified to his deity and he could have forced them to do it again. Jesus knew what needed to happen. He had settled it in his mind earlier this night in the garden when he prayed, “Not my will, but thy will be done.”

“Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) In the original Gk. the wording is put in the form of a statement with a question implied ("'You are the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?'"). The "you" is emphatic, and "the Blessed One," a Jewish circumlocution for God's name, means none other than "God's Son." The effect is to put a full Christological confession into the mouth of the high priest! In vv. 56 and 59 Mark noted that false witnesses could not agree against Jesus; now, in the question of the high priest, his arch-prosecutor confesses his name! How ironic that in the Gospel of Mark the two most complete Christological confessions from humans occur in the mouths of those responsible for Jesus' death: the high priest in 14:61, and the centurion at the cross in 15:39!
“It was a tacit confession that Christ had been proved innocent up till then. The high priest would not have needed to draw something out of the accused one if there had been sufficient material against him elsewhere. The trial had been a dead failure up to that point, and he knew it, and was red with rage. Now he attempts to bully the prisoner that he may extract some declaration from him which may save all further trouble of witnesses, and end the matter.” (Spurgeon)

Mark 14:62 (NLT) Jesus said, “I AM. And you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Jesus said, “I AM.” (someone finally makes the right judgment!)

Jesus himself finally makes the right judgment about his identity. He’s not just the Messiah, he’s the Son of God.
Pillar: The testimony that the Sanhedrin seeks against Jesus is in the end not provided by the false witnesses but by Jesus himself in the claim to be God's Son.
One of the common themes in Mark’s gospel up to this point has been Jesus’ attempt to veil that he is the Messiah. Not only would his claim of being the Messiah escalate the tensions with the religious leaders, as we see it so clearly does here, people had so many misconceptions about what the Messiah was supposed to do. Would they have listened to his teachings about who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven, forgiving their enemies, etc. if he had proclaimed directly, “I am the Messiah.”?
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) In order truly to understand the meaning of his person something has been missing. The missing element has been the necessity of his suffering. Only in the light of suffering can Jesus openly divulge his identity as God's Son. At the trial the veil is finally removed.
The High Priest must have thought he hit the jackpot. Failed accusation after failed accusation hadn’t produced evidence to be able to condemn Jesus. Now, with one simple straightforward question, the High Priest has all he needs to accuse Jesus of blasphemy. It wasn’t blasphemy of course, because Jesus is the Messiah. He is the Son of Man.
This claim that Jesus would be seated in the place of power at God’s right hand also represented a place of judgment. The religious leaders thought they were judging Jesus, but this statement speaks of the time when Jesus will be judging them at the right hand of the father.

How the trial ends:

Mark 14:63-64 (NLT) Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. What is your verdict?”

“Guilty!” they all cried. “He deserves to die!”

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) It was the claim to be God's Son (v. 62), not Messiah, that sealed Jesus' fate before the Sanhedrin. The charge of blasphemy is powerful, if indirect, proof of Jesus' claim to be the Son of God.

Above all, it is the high priest, not Jesus, who blasphemes, because Jesus is God's Son.

The section ends with mockery and abuse – both signs of judgment:

Mark 14:65 (NLT) Then some of them began to spit at him, and they blindfolded him and beat him with their fists. “Prophesy to us,” they jeered. And the guards slapped him as they took him away.

“Prophesy to us,” they jeered.

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Interestingly, the one specific mockery reported is the taunt for Jesus to "'Prophesy!'" Since the high priestly clan were Sadducees who denied the existence of angels and spirits (Acts 23:6), it is easy to imagine their desire to discredit anyone like Jesus who was believed to possess the spirit of prophecy.

And the guards slapped him

We talked about how Jesus bore our shame a couple of weeks ago. How shameful to be spit upon. He took the brutal beating - the beating we deserved. The torture he endured culminated on the cross, but it began before it.

Mockery and abuse – both signs of judgment. Can you imagine it? The Judge of all, the Creator, in court being judged by his creations!?

Close:

Back to the question we started with:

Q. How has the world misjudged Jesus?

There are countless ways to do it, whether you’re coming from a religious lens or an irreligious lens.
Jesus is who he says he is: fully God, perfectly good, and savior of the world. This is what the Bible affirms, and he will judge those who deny it.
John 5:22-23 (NLT) …the Father judges no one. Instead, he has given the Son absolute authority to judge, so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him.
Acts 10:42 (NLT) And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead.

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How should a Christian view the debate on immigration?

The PursueGOD Men's podcast helps guys apply God's Word to their lives to become full circle followers of Jesus. Join us for a new men's episode every other Thursday.

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In this episode, Pastor John interviews Pastor Rene about the immigration crisis and the topic of amnesty. They discuss the current situation at the border, the process of filing for asylum, and the temporary amnesty available to immigrants. They also address the propaganda and false promises being spread through social media, particularly targeting immigrants from Venezuela. The conversation explores the biblical perspective on amnesty and the government's role in addressing immigration issues. They emphasize the importance of showing compassion and love to all individuals, regardless of their legal status.

Takeaways

Understanding the process of filing for asylum and the temporary amnesty available to immigrants
Recognizing the propaganda and false promises being spread through social media
Considering the biblical perspective on amnesty and the government's role in addressing immigration issues
Showing compassion and love to all individuals, regardless of their legal status

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Paul, a former Mormon, shares his journey as a Jack Mormon and his eventual encounter with the Jesus of the Bible. He discusses his struggles with doubts, questions about Mormon teachings, and the challenges of being a non-believer in a devout Mormon family. Paul also explores the concept of sealing and eternal families in Mormonism and how it affected his own family dynamics. Ultimately, he shares how his encounter with Jesus transformed his life and brought him a deeper understanding of grace and love.

Takeaways:

Questioning and seeking answers is a natural part of faith journeys.
The concept of sealing and eternal families can be a source of confusion and conflict for Mormons.
Encountering the Jesus of the Bible can bring a deeper understanding of grace and love.
Leaving a religious community can be challenging, but finding a supportive community and focusing on the teachings of Jesus can bring transformation and peace.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Today we cover the famous story of Jesus’ betrayal, and it’ll cause us to reflect on a personal question: are you giving God lip service?

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Q. Are you giving God lip service? Do your actions today reflect your relationship with Jesus?

Even when we are close to Jesus, sometimes our actions do not reflect it. Actions not consistent with our position in Christ
If you are married you have experienced this. Yes? Our actions don’t always line up with our vows to honor and cherish. Momentary lapses for sure.

Mark 7:5-6 (NLT) So the Pharisees and teachers of religious law asked him, “Why don’t your disciples follow our age-old tradition? They eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony.” Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.’”

We studied this last year. Jesus was calling out Pharisees and teachers of religious law - basically the same group we see in today’s text in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Expand on hypocrites: The word "hypocrite" originates from the Greek term "hypokritēs," which referred to an actor or stage player. It is derived from the verb "hypokrinomai," meaning "to play a part, pretend." In ancient Greek theater, actors would wear masks and play various roles, portraying different characters. Over time, the term "hypocrite" evolved to describe someone who pretends to be something they're not, particularly in terms of morality or beliefs. This evolution reflects the idea of someone playing a role or putting on a false appearance, much like an actor on stage.
The Pharisees gave religious lip service – following rules and traditions but missing the point. Genuine faith changes people from the inside out.
Jesus is not being sold out to a ragtag group of ruffians, but to the religious elite. They had already proven that their religion was a farce. They had already been called out for giving nothing more than lip service to God.
Today we’ll see other types of lip service This one will sting more.

Mark 14:43-45 (NLT) And immediately, even as Jesus said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a crowd of men armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders. The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss. Then you can take him away under guard.” As soon as they arrived, Judas walked up to Jesus. “Rabbi!” he exclaimed, and gave him the kiss.

Talk about lip service!

Should we name this second kind of lip service? Judas’ lip service was outright betrayal, using a kiss – a gesture that typically signified love and loyalty. The manner of betrayal becomes the first example of the mockery of Jesus.
Mark says, “the traitor”. Notice his bold betrayal:
“As soon as they arrived…” He didn’t wait
“Rabbi!” Was he serious?
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The manner of betrayal becomes the first example of the mockery of Jesus, which will play a key role in the crucifixion narrative of chap. 15.
The kiss
Gives a “prearranged signal” a kiss. The significance of this act lies in its symbolic nature. A kiss is often a gesture of affection, friendship, or loyalty. Judas' use of a kiss to betray Jesus adds a layer of betrayal and deceit to the act. It symbolizes the depth of betrayal, as Judas betrays Jesus with a gesture that typically signifies love and loyalty.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) When Judas approaches Jesus he kisses him not with modesty and reserve, but lavishly, even passionately, according to the Gk. kataphilein.
What was Judas’ reward for his betrayal?
30 pieces of silver
Respect of religious leaders
Have you betrayed Jesus? What are you getting for it? Worth it?

Mark 14:46-47 (NLT) Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) A comparison of the account of the arrest in the Gospels shows how some details were heightened in the retelling. Mark, the earliest evangelist, says simply that "one of those standing near" drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest's servant (14:47). Somewhat later Matt 26:51 sharpens the designation to "one of Jesus' companions." Later still, Luke 22;50 identifies the servant's wound as "the right ear"; and near the close of the first century John 18:10 identifies the swordsman as Peter and gives the servant's name as Malchus!

Mark 14:48-49 (NLT) Jesus asked them, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there among you teaching every day. But these things are happening to fulfill what the Scriptures say about me.”

Isaiah 53:12 (NLT) I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,

because he exposed himself to death.

He was counted among the rebels.

He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.

Should we name this third kind of lip service? Peter’s lip service was misplaced zeal – he pulled out a sword when Jesus promoted peace. History is full of these kinds of zealots.

Taking revolutionary action in the name of Jesus when he is not behind it. Not supporting. Distorting Christianity to justify hatred, violence, and oppression.
Abortion clinic bombing
Those ready to take up arms if political party does not win and their candidate that says they stand for righteousness, morals, Christian ethics
Immigration Policy may be a great example. Maybe share Pastor Rene’s heart. Loving people regardless of policies may or may not support.
Look back at Jesus’ words: “Am I some dangerous revolutionary?”

Mark 14:50 (NLT) Then all his disciples deserted him and ran away.

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) All drank the cup (14:23), all pledged to die with him (14:31) . . . and all desert! The "all" in v. 50 is made emphatic in Gk. by placing it at the end of the sentence: the betrayal of Judas is thus multiplied by the wholesale failure of the disciples; they all abandon Jesus and flee.

Lip service litmus test: they all deserted him!

Walk away when things get tough in our lives
Walk away when Jesus doesn’t save us from situation
Walk away when it no longer is comfortable and we could be labeled or arrested.

Mark 14:51-52 (NLT) One young man following behind was clothed only in a long linen shirt. When the mob tried to grab him, he slipped out of his shirt and ran away naked.

Our passage ends with a mysterious young man whose actions were a little different. Unclear as to how close he knew Jesus. Could have been Mark.
Amos 2:16 (NLT) “On that day the most courageous of your fighting men will drop their weapons and run for their lives,” says the LORD.
All his disciples deserted Jesus and ran away, even after pledging to die for him. It’s embarrassing, yet it’s the story of all of us. Mark 14:50-52, Romans 3:10-12

Romans 3:10-12 (NLT) As the Scriptures say,

“No one is righteous—

not even one.

No one is truly wise;

no one is seeking God.

All have turned away;

all have become useless.

No one does good,

not a single one.”

Close:

Q. Are you giving God lip service?

What do our actions, not our words, but our actions, reflect about our relationship with Jesus today.
Your lip service does not have to be the end of the story. For the disciples it was a momentary lapse; they ended up learning about forgiveness first hand. Romans 3:22-23 What about you?

Romans 3:22-23 (NLT) We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

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The PursueGOD Men's podcast helps guys apply God's Word to their lives to become full circle followers of Jesus. Join us for a new men's episode every other Thursday.

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Learn more about "full circle" Christianity through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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In this episode, Bryan and John introduce a series on immigration and how to think about it biblically. They discuss the importance of approaching the topic with a biblical perspective rather than being influenced solely by political leanings. Pastor Rene shares his personal immigration story, highlighting the challenges and sacrifices involved. The conversation explores the biblical principles of protection and compassion, drawing from passages in Proverbs, Nehemiah, and Numbers. The conversation explores the challenges and complexities of immigration, particularly focusing on the perspective of illegal immigrants. It highlights the difficulties faced by individuals who want to immigrate legally but lack the necessary assets and resources. The speaker shares personal experiences of being smuggled into the country as a child and emphasizes the desire of most illegal immigrants to abide by the law and obtain legal status. The conversation concludes by previewing upcoming topics related to immigration and the Christian perspective.

Takeaways

Legal immigration can be challenging due to the requirement of having assets and resources in the home country.
Many individuals are unaware of the legal options available to them for immigration.
Most illegal immigrants want to abide by the law and obtain legal status.
Upcoming topics will cover amnesty for illegal immigrants and caring for the marginalized.

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James and Jolene share their personal history with Mormonism and their journey of questioning and doubting their faith. They discuss the challenges they faced as they discovered historical discrepancies and began to explore alternative beliefs. James shares his experience of seeking truth in the Bible and having a mountaintop experience where he surrendered his life to Jesus. Jolene talks about the pain and struggle she went through as her husband chose Jesus over their previous beliefs. Ultimately, both James and Jolene found their faith in Jesus and became Bible-believing Christians. Click on this link to check out Jolene’s book with their whole story:

Into God's Arms

Takeaways:

Questioning and seeking evidence is essential in the search for truth.
Mormonism and biblical Christianity have significant doctrinal differences.
The Bible is a reliable and trustworthy source of truth.
Transformation and joy can be found in embracing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Into God's Arms: A Woman and Her Family Come Out of Mormonism and Find Jesus!

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Today we’re looking at the famous story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. It’ll give us some insight into our question for the day: How should you pray in your hour of need?

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Today we’re looking at the famous story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He’s moments away from his betrayal and death, and he knows it. His actions – and by contrast his disciples’ actions – give us some insight into our question for the day:

Q. How should you pray in your hour of need?

Maybe this is exactly what some of you need to hear today. You’re in an hour of need…
With your emotions: fighting anxiety, depression
In your marriage
Looking for a spouse
With your finances

Personal example:

Let’s go to the text…

Mark 14:32-34 (NLT) They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, “Sit here while I go and pray.” He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

“Stay here and keep watch with me”

Jesus brought the three disciples with him for a reason: “Stay here and keep watch with me” in view of his distress and grief. He didn’t want them to pray WITH him (to have a prayer meeting): “Sit here while I go pray.” He wanted them to pray FOR him and be available to him (“keep watch with me”) while he was going through his anguished conversation with the Father.
Jesus just wanted a wing man. Can you relate?
Personal story:

But here’s the most interesting part:

“he became deeply troubled and distressed” and “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death”

“The two verbs translated ‘deeply distressed and troubled’ together ‘describe an extremely acute emotion, a compound of bewilderment, fear, uncertainty and anxiety, nowhere else portrayed in such vivid terms as here.’ (EBC)
Why so much angst? It goes against what we’ve come to expect from Jesus: measured, confident, at peace.
Personal story: my angst re: panic attack, felt so weak. Jesus experienced this?

Here’s what was happening: the picture of Jesus at Gethsemane shows us the human side of Christ.

“Gethsemane reveals the humanity of Jesus with astonishing fidelity. He is shown to be ‘anything but above temptation. So far from sailing serenely through his trials like some superior being unconcerned with this world, he is almost dead with distress.’” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary)
Remember hypostatic union?
The Council of Chalcedon, held in 451 AD, affirmed the doctrine of the hypostatic union, declaring that Jesus Christ is "perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable [rational] soul and body." This formulation reconciled the seemingly paradoxical aspects of Jesus being both fully divine and fully human.
The council also condemned several heresies, including Nestorianism, which emphasized the distinction between the divine and human natures of Christ to the point of suggesting they were two separate persons. The Chalcedonian Definition, the statement of faith produced by the council, rejected this view and affirmed the unity of Christ's person.
Hebrews 4:15-16 (NLT) 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

And here’s why it was crushing: not because Jesus was afraid to die, but because he would have to absorb the wrath of God for our sake.

God wouldn’t cancel his wrath against humanity, he would spend it on Jesus.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Not his own mortality, but the specter of identifying with sinners so fully as to become the object of God's wrath against sin – it is this that overwhelms Jesus' soul "'to the point of death'" (v. 34).

Let’s read on to hear his actual prayer:

Mark 14:35-36 (NLT) He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

“If it were possible” – maybe there’s another way, an “out”, a pathway that avoids suffering

Have you ever prayed this way? Are you praying this way now?
With your anxiety, depression
In your marriage
Looking for a spouse
With your finances
Abraham and Isaac - he had the knife raised… and then God provided an “out”
Genesis 22:9-14 (NLT) When they arrived at the place where God had told him to go, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. Then he tied his son, Isaac, and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. And Abraham picked up the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. At that moment the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes,” Abraham replied. “Here I am!” “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!” the angel said. “Do not hurt him in any way, for now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.” Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the LORD will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) That is a prayer for God not to strike the shepherd (14:27). Is it possible for Jesus to fulfill God's will in all ways but this one, or in some other way? Perhaps like Isaac the sacrifice can be averted even though the arm of Abraham is raised for the dagger's plunge. The plea of Jesus suggests that he is genuinely tempted to forsake the role of the suffering servant.
So is that a promise? Will God provide for me? Will he answer my prayer?
Or consider a second example:
The famine in Egypt - God used Joseph to deliver the Israelites to Goshen
Genesis 47:2-6 (NLT) Joseph took five of his brothers with him and presented them to Pharaoh. And Pharaoh asked the brothers, “What is your occupation?” They replied, “We, your servants, are shepherds, just like our ancestors. We have come to live here in Egypt for a while, for there is no pasture for our flocks in Canaan. The famine is very severe there. So please, we request permission to live in the region of Goshen.” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Now that your father and brothers have joined you here, choose any place in the entire land of Egypt for them to live. Give them the best land of Egypt. Let them live in the region of Goshen. And if any of them have special skills, put them in charge of my livestock, too.”
Pharaoh granted their request, and they avoided suffering.
Was there another way God could forgive the sins of human beings? Apparently not. A price had to be paid. God could not simply wipe the slate clean by an act of his choice, because that would violate his justice and holiness.

“Everything is possible for you…Please take this cup of suffering away from me.”

With one exception: it is not possible for God to act in a way contrary to his nature. It is not possible for God to NOT be holy or just. Thus, in a real sense, it was not possible for God to take the cup of suffering from Jesus, if he was to accomplish redemption.
Sometimes our wants don’t line up with God’s will, and it’s not always a sin thing.
Not always sin to want something else, but always a sin to consciously reject God’s will.
Jesus never sinned, yet he’s expressing a real desire here that doesn’t line up with the Father’s will.

In the most human moment in Jesus’ life – in the Garden of Gethsemane – he says the thing that’s hardest for a human to say: “not my will, but yours be done.”

This is the essence of godly prayer. Express your heart to a personal God. Then submit to his will no matter what.
That’s a dirty word these days: “submission”.
“The cup is the same one Jesus referred to in 10:38-39 - the cup of the wrath of God. In the OT it is regularly used as a metaphor of punishment and judgment. Here it obviously refers to Jesus’ death. Jesus’ desire was for the removal of the cup. But he willingly placed his will in submission to his Father’s will.” (EBC)
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Gethsemane… presents us with a uniquely human interplay between the heart of the Son and the will of the Father. Jesus' prayer is not the result of calm absorption into an all-encompassing divine presence, but an intense struggle with the frightful reality of God's will and what it means fully to submit to it.

“Abba, Father” - look at the personal language. “Daddy”

Do you pray this way? Informal, pleading
Story: Kenzie’s first stitches, looking at me with pleading eyes: “Daddy, how could you let this happen?”
Romans 8:15 (NLT) So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
We can be raw with God! Honest
Consider the Psalms…
But watch how Paul finishes the thought:
Romans 8:17 (NLT) And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
“Everything is possible” for God, but that doesn’t mean he’ll always lead us down a pathway that avoids suffering.

But look at how hard that is for us:

Mark 14:37-38 (NLT) Then he returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Couldn’t you watch with me even one hour? Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”

Observations: This all occurs at a very late hour. Sleep is understandable given the hour, the stress of the day, etc. Yet they had an assignment, which they could have fulfilled.

“The verbs ‘watch’ and ‘pray’ are both imperatives…. The conquest of temptation can only come through these two actions. The spirit (a reference to the human spirit) might be willing to do what is right, but the human body is weak.” (EBC)

Mark 14:39-40 (NLT) Then Jesus left them again and prayed the same prayer as before. When he returned to them again, he found them sleeping, for they couldn’t keep their eyes open. And they didn’t know what to say.

Interesting: the same prayer as before. Let’s spell it out: ““Everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Mark 14:41-42 (NLT) When he returned to them the third time, he said, “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest. But no—the time has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”

NIV: “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come.”

The words “Go ahead and sleep. Have your rest.” are either ironic (Sleep then, if that’s what is so important to you) or a question (Are you still sleeping and resting?). The latter seems better in view of the situation. (EBC)
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The third time Jesus finds the disciples sleeping he retorts, "'Enough!'" (v. 41). This translation is simply a guess at the meaning of the original apechei, which seems to be an utterance of exasperation, perhaps "'What's the use?'"

Look at the incredible contrast: Jesus is in anguish; his disciples are snoring! And then the climax: “The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.”

“Up, let’s be going”

This is the resolve that flows out of godly prayer - let’s do this. God, I’m submitted to you no matter what happens. Your will, not mine.
“‘Let’s be going’ cannot be intended to suggest flight, for the Lord had always reserved himself for this ‘hour’ and had now finally embraced the Divine Will concerning it. Jesus did not go to flee from Judas but to meet him.” (EBC)

Close:

Q. How should you pray in your hour of need?

Be honest, vulnerable - share you heart w a personal God
Be willing to submit to his will, even if it means suffering
Then move forward, trusting his will to be done.

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In this conversation, Bryan, Ross, Bo and KD discuss the misinterpretation of Mormon doctrine into the Bible. They explore passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:39-42, 1 Peter 3:19, and James 2:17-18, which Mormons use to justify their beliefs. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding the language, context, and author's intent when interpreting biblical passages. They debunk the Mormon interpretations and emphasize the biblical teachings of salvation by grace through faith, while exploring the role of works in Mormonism and comparing it to the Christian perspective. The episode dives into the interpretation of James 2:14-26 and the relationship between faith and works. It concludes with a personal testimony of experiencing newness in Christ.

Takeaways:

Misreading Mormon doctrine into the Bible can lead to a distorted understanding of biblical passages.
Understanding the language, context, and author's intent is crucial for accurate interpretation of the Bible.
Mormon interpretations of passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:39-42, 1 Peter 3:19, and James 2:17-18 are not supported by the larger context of the New Testament.
The biblical teachings emphasize salvation by grace through faith, not by works or ordinances. Mormonism places a strong emphasis on works as evidence of faith and as a means of salvation.
In contrast, Christianity teaches that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, and good works are the result of genuine faith.
James 2:14-26 is often misunderstood, but it emphasizes that true faith will produce good works as evidence of its genuineness.
Accepting Jesus and experiencing newness in Him brings a transformation in motivation and a reliance on the Holy Spirit.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

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Today we look at the story of Peter’s betrayal of Jesus, a classic example of “mission drift” in the Bible. Jesus had called Peter to make disciples, but now his commitment was in question. Peter, as with the other disciples, is brimming with confidence that his faith will not fail. But then it does, in shocking fashion. So that’s the famous story, but today we’re putting the story in the context of a broader question: Have you ever experienced mission drift?

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Q. Have you ever experienced mission drift?

Examples in marriage, in the workforce
Marriage vows: Chris, do you take Brandi to be your wedded wife, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor her and keep her, and forsaking all others remain loyal to her as long as you both shall live? If so, say “I do”.
Kodak: Founded in the late 19th century, Kodak was a pioneer in the photography industry with the mission of making photography accessible to the masses ("You press the button, we do the rest.") However, as digital photography began to emerge in the late 20th century, Kodak struggled to adapt and continued to prioritize its traditional film business. In 2012, Kodak filed for bankruptcy, a stark reminder of the consequences of mission drift and the failure to adapt to changing market dynamics.
What it looks like in Christianity: (Go make disciples…)
Matthew 28:19 (NLT) Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
So many churches just miss this. So many Christians never get it.

Before we get to our text today in ch 14, we need to set the stage by going all the way back to chapter 1, when Jesus first called his disciples. Pay attention to where this all happens, because it’s going to come up again in ch 14:

Mark 1:16-18 (NLT) One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.

Talk about mission of Jesus, they left their nets, spent 3 years with Jesus

Amazing faith! What sacrifice!
Their expectation - this is going to be good. We’ll be famous! Rich!?

Now let’s get to our text today from Mark 14.

Last week we covered the Last Supper, and Jesus’ identification of the one who would betray him. Luke adds context in his account: Luke 22:24 (NLT) Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them.

Can you imagine? Hilarious!
In the Luke account Jesus goes on to define greatness: (NLT) Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.

So let’s stitch this together the timeline:

Jesus said “one of you will desert me”
They all wondered, “Am I the one?” (last week’s episode)
Somehow that turned into an argument about who would be the greatest among them!?
And the very next “scene” in Mark’s gospel says this

Mark 14:27-28 (NLT) On the way, Jesus told them, “All of you will desert me. For the Scriptures say,

‘God will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised from the dead, I will go ahead of you to Galilee and meet you there.”

A couple of things here:

First, notice that Jesus says “All of you will desert me.” - Right after “all” of them drank the cup!? Right after they argued about who would be the greatest.

He knew they would fail to stay on mission (it was prophesied!)
Yet he believed in them, he knew their journey wasn’t over
He would meet them where it all started, where he first called them.

This was Galilee - Mission Central

It’s where Jesus first called his disciples
Remember the verse we started with today?
It’s where Jesus will meet them after his resurrection to restore them
not in Jerusalem - because this message was for the whole world, not just Jews
Fulfilled prophecy (Isaiah 9:1-3) about “enlarging Israel” - and eventually including Gentiles (see the unfolding of this in Acts).

So let’s sum up: Jesus says they will ALL desert him. But he’s not phased by that fact - it was prophesied! He’ll stay on mission, and he knows eventually they will, too.

So Jesus doesn’t panic when our faith falters. (Say it again.)
But here’s the thing: Peter didn’t think his faith would fail! Back to the text:

Mark 14:29,31 (NLT) Peter said to him, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.”

… And all the others vowed the same.

Peter throws everyone else under the bus! Yet he is confident in his faith. Peter’s not the only one with confidence. They all vowed to stay faithful. (Note: Judas wasn’t there at this point? See John 12.)

Mark 14:30-31 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.” “No!” Peter declared emphatically. “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!”

Peter learned what most believers have experienced: It’s one thing to be bold when you’re surrounded by believers. It’s another thing to stay on mission when the world is against you.

Story of spiritual retreat or worship night or Sunday morning, then Monday comes

That’s what we see as we FF in the chapter to see how the story ended:

Mark 14:66-68 (NLT) Meanwhile, Peter was in the courtyard below. One of the servant girls who worked for the high priest came by and noticed Peter warming himself at the fire. She looked at him closely and said, “You were one of those with Jesus of Nazareth.”

But Peter denied it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, and he went out into the entryway. Just then, a rooster crowed.

Bryan’s idea about starting the sermon with Mark 1 in Galilee to provide context for the tumultuous situation in our passage, pointing out verse 28 where Jesus says he will meet them in Galilee again after the Resurrection. Love how it can tie in with Galilee as a symbolic place of their origin and their mission to reach the Gentiles.

Mark 14:69-70 (NLT) When the servant girl saw him standing there, she began telling the others, “This man is definitely one of them!” But Peter denied it again.

A little later some of the other bystanders confronted Peter and said, “You must be one of them, because you are a Galilean.”

There it is again. What a reminder for Peter - that’s where he first met Jesus. That’s where he left his net to “fish for people” and join Jesus on his mission, just 3 short years earlier. And now, probably not 3 hours after he vowed to never betray Jesus, he denies him for the third time:

Mark 14:71-72 (NLT) Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know this man you’re talking about!” And immediately the rooster crowed the second time.

Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he broke down and wept.

Nugget: Peter doesn’t even say his name! Just “this guy”. Shameful!

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The third accusation is the boldest, and so is Peter's denial. The Gk. is coarse and explicit, "He began to curse and swear, 'I do not know this man you speak of'" (v. 71).

Back to the question:

Q. Have you ever experienced mission drift?

Close:

More context from Luke’s version of this account (Mark leaves this part out):

Luke 22:31-32 (NLT) “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.”

Jesus’ reunion with the disciples in Galilee was just as assured as their denial after Gethsemane. Staying on mission is less about the quality of our faith and more about the power of God’s grace.

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In this conversation, Bryan, Bo, KD, and Ross discuss the misinterpretation of certain Bible passages by Mormons. They focus on three specific passages: Ezekiel 37, Isaiah 29, and John 10. The hosts explain how Mormons often read their own beliefs into these passages, claiming that they prophesy the coming of the Book of Mormon and the restoration of the gospel. However, they demonstrate that these interpretations fail to consider the language, context, and author's intent of the original texts. By examining these passages more closely, they debunk the Mormon misinterpretations and provide a more accurate understanding of the biblical message.

Takeaways:

Mormons often misinterpret certain Bible passages to support their beliefs, particularly regarding the Book of Mormon and the restoration of the gospel.
These misinterpretations fail to consider the language, context, and author's intent of the original texts.
By examining the passages more closely, it becomes clear that they do not prophesy the coming of the Book of Mormon or the restoration of the gospel.
It is important to read the Bible in context and be aware of proof texting, which can lead to misinterpretations. Focus on the broader story and Jesus when studying the Bible.
Beware of proof texting and misreading Mormonism into the Bible.
Mormon cultural folklore can perpetuate misinterpretations.
Understanding language, context, and author intent is crucial for Bible study.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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Here’s the question we’ll be exploring today: How do you know if your faith is authentic? We’re going to look at two kinds of spiritual seekers: Judas and Peter

Both followed Jesus for 3 years
Both claimed to believe in him
Both made terrible mistakes
One of them was a fake

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Jesus himself predicted this kind of thing:

Matthew 7:21 (NLT) Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

So the question for us today: How can I know if I’m a Judas or a Peter?

We’ll get to that. But first let’s get to the text. There are some really cool nuggets on the way to answering our personal question for the day.

Mark 14:12 (NLT) On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go to prepare the Passover meal for you?”

We talked about this meal last week…

They had no clue that Jesus was going to redefine history with this meal

They had no idea we would be talking about this moment 2000 years later!

Mark 14:13-16 (NLT) So Jesus sent two of them into Jerusalem with these instructions: “As you go into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him. At the house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ He will take you upstairs to a large room that is already set up. That is where you should prepare our meal.” So the two disciples went into the city and found everything just as Jesus had said, and they prepared the Passover meal there.

Strange instructions. Sounds like a CIA mission. Notice the simple obedience.

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) A male water carrier would have caught their eye, for carrying water was normally the labor of women or slaves.

Nugget: (Pillar New Testament Commentary) The hall so described resembles the meeting place of the early church described in Acts 1:13 (Upper Room) and 12:12 (after Peter’s prison escape, “...he went to the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, where many were gathered for prayer.”). If it is the same dwelling, then it belonged to Mary, the mother of John Mark, the probable author of the Second Gospel. The suggestion that John Mark was the carrier of the water jar is possible, but without evidence.

Now I want to jump down to v22, the meal itself. We’ll come back to v17-21 at the end. But while we’re talking about the Passover meal, we need to connect some dots here. Four cups of wine were traditionally consumed during the Passover meal, each with a specific significance. The cups represented different aspects of the Exodus story and God's promises. The four cups are typically labeled as follows:

Cup of Sanctification (Kiddush Cup): This is the first cup, and it is associated with the sanctification of the holiday. The leader of the Seder, often the head of the household, recites a blessing over the wine, marking the beginning of the festive meal and the special nature of the occasion.

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Passover was a family celebration, which means that women and children were a normal and necessary part of the meal. In the course of the meal the youngest boy present asked prescribed questions that the householder answered by retelling the story of the Exodus and by explaining its meaning as symbolized in the Passover meal.

Nugget: (Pillar New Testament Commentary) In 15:41 we are told that "many women" accompanied Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem. It is hard to imagine that women who had followed Jesus thus far would be excluded from a ceremony at which they were a constituent part. Again, a "large room" (14:15) would not have been necessary if only thirteen people were present for Passover. Finally, the clarification that the betrayer was "one of the Twelve" (14:20) would be unnecessary if only the Twelve were gathered for Passover.

Cup of Plagues (Makot or Dam - Blood): After the initial ritual handwashing and the breaking of the middle matzah (Afikoman), the second cup is filled. Before drinking this cup, participants recite or sing the ten plagues that afflicted the Egyptians during the time of Moses. Some traditions involve dipping a finger into the wine and removing a drop for each plague to express a symbolic diminishing of joy due to the suffering of the Egyptians.

Mark doesn’t mention these two cups, but Jesus and his disciples certainly drank them together. Then Mark picks up the story:

Mark 14:22 (NLT) As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it, for this is my body.”

Two types of ceremonial bread for the Jewish people:

Matzo (unleavened bread of the Passover meal) symbolizes haste, humility, redemption, and the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt.

During the Passover Seder, Matzo is often symbolically referred to as the "bread of affliction" to evoke the hardships endured by the Israelites during their enslavement in Egypt and their rapid departure, which left no time for their bread to rise. The Matzo serves as a tangible reminder of their suffering and the miraculous deliverance by God.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to his disciples." The words of institution occur after the Passover meal is in progress, probably between the drinking of the second and third cups of wine. If Jesus followed the normal Passover rite, the blessing or thanksgiving as he broke the bread (v. 22) and distributed the wine (v. 23) would have been, "Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, king of the world, who brings forth bread from the earth." According to Torah, the bread of presentation that was placed on the golden table in the tabernacle Sabbath by Sabbath was called "bread of remembrance" (Lev 24:7).

Showbread or "bread of the presence" was a sacred offering presented before the presence of God. It was replaced every Sabbath, and the old loaves were eaten by the priests.

Lev 24:8 (NLT) “it is an ongoing expression of the eternal covenant.”
The term "bread of the presence" comes from the idea that the Showbread was placed "before the presence" of God in the Tabernacle or Temple. It symbolized the ongoing fellowship between God and the Israelites.
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The bread represented his body, i.e., his abiding presence, promised to the disciples on the eve of his crucifixion; and the words become a pledge of the real presence of Jesus wherever and whenever his followers celebrate the Supper.

Jesus fulfills both of these! “This is my body” - not the word for flesh (sarx) but the word for being (soma). Jesus was giving himself, his whole being, his abiding presence.

Then we get to the third and fourth cups.

Mark 14:23-25 (NLT) And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many. I tell you the truth, I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”

Cup of Redemption (Zehut or Hagula - Redemption): This cup is associated with the theme of redemption. Before drinking this cup, a special blessing is recited over the wine, thanking God for redeeming the Jewish people. The story of the Exodus is often recounted at this point, emphasizing the idea of liberation and freedom.
"Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who creates the fruit of the vine."
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Taking the third cup, Jesus gives it to the disciples. Between the offerings of the bread (v. 22) and cup (v. 23) lay an interval of time required to eat the meal.

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Verse 25 falls at the drinking of the final cup of the Passover. This saying shifts the focus of the celebration from the origin of the blood covenant in Exodus 24 to its fulfillment "anew in the kingdom of God."

Cup of Acceptance or Restoration (Birkat HaMazon - Blessing of the Meal): This cup is consumed after the meal, particularly after the recitation of the Birkat HaMazon (Grace After Meals). It signifies the acceptance of God's covenant with the Jewish people and the hope for the complete restoration of Jerusalem.

So that’s the Last Supper, the final Passover meal shared between Jesus and his disciples where Jesus redefines the most meaningful story in Jewish history in light of his mission on earth. He is the fulfillment.

It wasn’t just about slavery, it was about sin.
It wasn’t just about ceremonial bread, it was about his body.
It wasn’t just about a lamb’s blood, it was about his blood.

All of this would play out in real time the very next day. This meal was eaten on a Thursday; the events to follow would happen on Good Friday.

Notice: “they all drank from it” - including Judas. Including Peter. Note the other times “all” shows up in the chapter - to their shame! (Pillar New Testament Commentary) Mark is the only Gospel writer who adds, "and they all drank from it." The "all" echoes throughout the remainder of the chapter, recalling both the grace of Jesus and the failure of the disciples: they "all drank" (v. 23), they "all [swear allegiance to Jesus]" (v. 31); but they "all fall away" (v. 27), and they "all fled" (v. 50). The original Last Supper is attended by traitors (v. 18) and cowards (v. 50); it is a table not of merit but of grace!

This brings us back to our question for the day: How do you know if your faith is authentic? It’s one thing to ACT all in; it’s another thing to BE all in.

Let’s read the passage we saved for the end. Here’s what happened right before Jesus broke the bread and drank the cup - along with ALL of his disciples.

Mark 14:17-21 (NLT) In the evening Jesus arrived with the Twelve. As they were at the table eating, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, one of you eating with me here will betray me.” Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one?” He replied, “It is one of you twelve who is eating from this bowl with me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”

Theological Note: This is a powerful example of “concurrence” (see Sys Theo Lesson 3): God cooperates with created things in every action, directing his creatures to bring about his purposes through their choices and actions. Prov 16:9 “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.”

Peter’s future sermon would shed light on this revelation: Acts 3:17-18 (NLT) “Friends, I realize that what you and your leaders did to Jesus was done in ignorance. But God was fulfilling what all the prophets had foretold about the Messiah—that he must suffer these things.” – But not what the Jews were expecting!

Each one asked in turn: “Am I the one?”

Nobody knew… maybe not even Judas? Each one asked. That means
Thomas - was he already doubting?
Peter - he would later deny him 3x

So, Q. How do you know if your faith is authentic?

Judas was a fake, and we know how his story ended.
Peter was a sinner, and he went on to die for his faith.
How do you properly evaluate the state of your faith? We’re all a mixed bag, right?
How do you know if your faith will go the distance?
How do you know if you’re a true believer?
Stories of altar calls every Wednesday night at youth group
Some of those kids seemed so genuine; now they’re godless

To answer that, you need to answer two simple questions:

++Have you trusted Jesus for salvation? It’s not about what you’ve done. (Not Lord, Lord look what I’ve done…) It’s not about your ability to keep the rules. It’s about Jesus’ finished work on the cross. That’s what the Last Supper was all about. His body. His blood. His work. Not yours. Have you trusted Jesus for salvation? That’s the first question, and if you miss it you’re done. But if you’ve answered “yes” then you can move on…
++Are you honoring God with your life? Notice the question is not, “Are you perfect? Are you sinless?” Judas and Peter made mistakes. You will too. John, the beloved disciple who was at the table that day with Jesus, said it so clearly: 1 John 2:3 (NLT) And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.

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The New Testament tells us the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the spread of Christianity. This overview of its message will help you understand the New Testament.

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Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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The New Testament tells us the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. It then describes the spread of Christianity. It ends looking forward to Jesus’ return and his future reign. In order to help you understand the New Testament, we've put together this overview of its message, and how the message relates to the books of the New Testament.

Jesus came to earth to fulfill God’s promises.As we learned in the last episode, in the Old Testament, God had made a promise to a man named Abraham: the promise that God would save the entire world from sin and its bitter effects. Sin alienates people from God and calls for his just condemnation. Sin brings death and trouble into the world. Yet when the Old Testament ended, God had not finished this part of the promise. He hadn’t yet rescued and redeemed the world. That’s what Jesus’ coming was all about. He came as the fulfillment of the promise to Abraham, as well as many other promises in the Old Testament.

The very first verse in the New Testament is rooted in the fact that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise.

Matthew 1:1 (NLT) This is the record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham.

The coming of Jesus fulfills the story of the Old Testament. That’s why, as Christians, it is so important to read the Old Testament, because it tells us everything God was doing until the coming of Jesus. It also provides a context to understand the death of Jesus and his resurrection.

Jesus died and rose again to save people from their sins.Jesus came to this earth to die on the cross for our sins. He did a lot of other important things, but Jesus’ most important action was to die in our place, on the cross, for our sins, so that we could be rescued.

This is the emphasis of the Gospels, the four books that appear first in the New Testament. The Gospels are accounts of Jesus’ life. The first, Matthew, was written to tell Jewish people how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah. Matthew presents Jesus as an authoritative teacher, including five large blocks of Jesus’ messages. The second, Mark, provides a vivid, dramatic overview of Jesus’ life. He emphasizes what Jesus did more than what he said, pointing to his identity as the suffering Son of God who offers himself as a sacrifice for sins. Luke traveled with the apostle Paul. His gospel stresses that Jesus is the Savior for all people, including the lowly and marginalized. Jesus brings the promise of rescue to all ethnic groups. Like Matthew, John was an eyewitness of Jesus’ ministry. His is the most theological of the four Gospels. He points to Jesus as the eternal Son of God, the self-revelation of God the Father in human flesh. While each of the gospels reveals aspects of who Jesus is, they all reach a climax by giving extended attention to his death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead.

This focus on Jesus’ death and resurrection is maintained throughout the New Testament. It contains many letters written by apostles like James, John, Peter and Paul to individuals and churches, in part to explain how Jesus is our Savior, and reinforcing his death and resurrection.

Paul wrote many of these books with this same message. For example, the book of Romans gives us perhaps the most basic explanation of Jesus’ role in God’s plan of salvation, including an understanding of sin, justification, and new life. For example:

Romans 5:1 (NLT) Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

This verse explains how Jesus’ death on a cross connects to our lives. When we believe (put our faith in) him, we receive forgiveness for our sins. The connection with God that humanity lost in the Garden of Eden was restored through Jesus Christ. We’re forgiven of our sins and we receive eternal life. That’s a really important theme, not just in the New Testament, but through the whole Bible.

For example, Paul also wrote Galatians, in response to threats by false teachers, stressing that we are made right with God by faith in Jesus alone, not by obedience to religious laws or by religious rituals. His letter to the Ephesians covers many topics, but centers on God’s eternal purpose and grace. He explains how Christ has reconciled all creation with God, and how Christ has united people from all ethnic groups with himself and into his church. In 1 Corinthians, Paul strongly reprimands the church for problems in their conduct, and includes a strong section about the resurrection of Jesus and what it means to believers.

No one knows who wrote the book of Hebrews, but it helps to make the connection very clear between the Old Testament and the saving work of Jesus. Jesus is the substance of all Old Testament laws and rituals, so he is the one who fully reveals and mediates God’s grace.

Jesus commissioned his followers to make disciples. Before Jesus returned to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father (where he is right now) he gave us an important command. After he saved us and rescued us, he then commissioned us and sent us out. These words apply to us as much as the first hearers.

Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The rest of the New Testament explains how Christians did this, how they went out into the world and told their friends - and strangers even - about the good news of Jesus Christ and his salvation for them.

Much of this is recorded in the Book of Acts. It was written by the same Luke who wrote one of the Gospels. Acts captures the story of how Jesus worked in his church through the Holy Spirit, leading his people to fulfill his commission. It describes how the church grew numerically and expanded across the Roman world. The first half focuses on Peter’s role, while the second half follows the work of Paul. Acts helps us understand how you and I can go out into the world and tell people about Jesus.

Earlier, we saw how the letters of the apostles reinforce the saving work of Jesus on the cross and his wonderful resurrection. They also help those who become his disciples to live as followers of Jesus in ways that honor God.

Paul wrote many New Testament letters, which are called the “Pauline Epistles.” He wrote several to churches. 2 Corinthians is his second letter to the Christians in Corinth. He recounts the troubles he has faced in his ministry and expresses his joy in their response to his first letter. He then defends his authority as an apostle of Jesus and confirms the disciples in their faith. Paul wrote Philippians to thank the church for a gift they had sent him. He urges them to stand firm in the face of persecution, to rejoice in every situation, and to live as citizens of the heavenly kingdom. Paul wrote to the Colossians to refute false teachings about Jesus. Jesus, he says, is the very fullness of God, the Creator, and the head of the church. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in him. Paul also wants them to know who they are in Christ, and how they should accordingly live.

Paul wrote four individual letters, including two to his long-time coworker Timothy. 1 Timothy gives him instructions about how to lead the church with sound teaching and godly example. In 2 Timothy, Paul again offers guidance in ministry, knowing that his life will soon be over. He focuses on Timothy’s own life and character, and encourages him to be steadfast and to prepare others for ministry. Paul wrote Titus to another coworker. He had left Titus on Crete to help the new believers there, so he sent him advice for how to organize the churches and help the believers pursue godliness. He wrote Philemon to a friend, about one of his slaves who had run away. This slave met Paul in Rome and came to faith in Jesus. Paul interceded for him with his master.

The central theme of following Jesus as a disciple is also central in the “General Epistles” - those written by other apostles apart from Paul.

The letter of James, written by the brother of Jesus, tells Christians that genuine faith will result in a life of good works, including faithfulness in trials, listening to God’s word, and avoiding favoritism and prejudice.

The apostle Peter wrote two New Testament letters. In 1 Peter, he seeks to encourage believers who are persecuted or suffering, instructing them to look to Jesus for hope, and to remain faithful and to live a God-honoring life. In 2 Peter, he warns about trouble that will arise within the church, such as false teachers.

The apostle John wrote three letters. 1 John is the longest. It addresses a false teaching that claimed God would never become flesh, because flesh is bad. John offers us assurance of salvation based on Jesus’ work. It also warns how Christians who stray from the truth can also easily stray from their obedience to God. 2 John and 3 John are very short letters dealing with specific people and issues that John was familiar with.

The last General Epistle is Jude, the brother of Jesus. He writes to encourage believers to stand up for the faith, and to warn them about false teachers who sought to undermine their obedience.

In these New Testament books, we see that through the empowering of the Holy Spirit, as God’s people, we can be changed. We can be mature disciples of Jesus. And we learn that together with God’s people, we can change the world. We can make disciples for Jesus. The New Testament shows us that God’s church is not perfect. Christians are not perfect by any means. But under the lordship of Jesus Christ, fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit, we can transform the world and bring glory to the name of Jesus Christ.

Now let’s look at the final part of the story of the New Testament…

The end of history is already written, and God wins. After explaining what happened with Christians in the first century, and giving us a lot of ideas about how to live lives of faith, of honoring God and helping others, the Bible looks to the future. It tells us how Jesus will return one day. And when he returns, God will deal with sin and death forever, to eternally restore his relationship with his people. This theme appears frequently in the New Testament. For example, in 1 Thessalonians, Paul expands on the future coming of Jesus. In 2 Thessalonians, he exhorts believers to stand firm in their faith until Jesus comes back.

But God’s future for his creation is most vividly expressed in the Book of Revelation. This book is mainly a record of the apostle John’s visions of events that are to happen in the future, surrounding the return of Jesus. Using “apocalyptic” language, full of symbols and images, it warns of the final showdown between God and Satan, which is ultimately won by Jesus when he comes. His appearance will usher in an eternity of blessedness. Revelation explains that God and Jesus are on the throne, and it describes what God’s future plans for his people look like.

Revelation 21:3-4 (NLT) “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

God’s future for us is depicted as paradise. For those who believe in Jesus, it says that we will be connected to God - and to God’s people - for all eternity. We will live lives of deep meaning and purpose as we worship God. This future God is calling us toward is the hope-filled end of the New Testament. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, it’s not just some fairy-tale future. It is your assurance.

The TakeawayI hope you will read the New Testament. As you read it, I hope that you will get to know Jesus Christ, and get to know God’s great plan for you, for the whole universe, and for his church.

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Today we cover the “scandalous” incident of Jesus’ anointing just before his final Passover meal. The story ends with Judas’ reaction to a few hard sayings of Jesus.

Mary anoints Jesus with an extravagant gesture. This hints at our first hard saying: “You can’t serve God and money.” Mark 14:1-3
The response of some of the disciples exposes their ignorance – or unwillingness to accept – the true identity of Jesus. This uncovers a second hard saying of Jesus: “I am God.” Mark 14:4-7
Jesus responds by revealing the true meaning of this double anointing. It was about his burial, and ultimately about his third hard saying: “I am the only way to heaven.” Mark 14:8-9
This is the turning point for Judas. The hard teachings of Jesus had finally pushed him over the edge. Mark 14:10-11

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Back to our study of Mark! Open up your Bibles to Mark 14:1-11. Today we cover the “scandalous” incident of Jesus’ anointing just before his final Passover meal. Spoiler alert: The story ends with Judas’ reaction to a few hard sayings of Jesus.

But first… Last year we covered the first 13 chapters. This year we’re finishing the book (16 chapters in all) as we head toward Easter. Let’s review:

(1) The Gospel of Mark is the shortest gospel, probably written around 55 AD. It’s an “action” gospel, with vivid descriptions and fewer teachings than the other gospels.

(2) Mark wrote this account to show the world who Jesus is and what he has done. The central theme of Mark is outlined in the first verse of the book. Mark 1:1 (NLT) This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.

(3) We’ve seen Jesus perform miracles, reveal mysteries, and go toe-to-toe with the religious establishment. We left off in Mark 13, where Jesus finished his Olivet discourse and his discussion of the End Times. Here’s the last verse we covered: Mark 13:37 (NLT) “I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!” He never gave an answer to the timing of the End, but he did give insight into how we should live in light of it.

Q. Are you ready for Jesus to come back? (See Biblical Eschatology series for more on this)

This isn’t unrelated to what we’ll be talking about today…

Trans: Today we turn to chapter 14. We’ll cover the first 11 verses. And here’s the question we’ll be exploring along the way:

Q. How do you handle the hard sayings of Jesus?

“You can’t serve God and money.” - Jesus view on finances (practical)
“I am God.” - Jesus’ view on his divinity (theological)
“I am the only way to heaven.” - Jesus’ view on salvation (practical and theological)

Let’s get to the text:

Mark 14:1-2 (NLT) It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread. The leading priests and the teachers of religious law were still looking for an opportunity to capture Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the Passover celebration,” they agreed, “or the people may riot.”

Explaining the Passover: In Jesus' day, the Passover festival was a significant and sacred event for the Jewish people, commemorating their liberation from slavery in Egypt. The Passover festival is rooted in the biblical account of the Exodus, where God spared the Israelites from the tenth plague by passing over the houses marked with the blood of a lamb. Key elements of the Passover celebration in Jesus' time included:

A. Sacrificial Lamb: The centerpiece of the Passover celebration was the sacrificial lamb. Families would select a lamb without blemish, sacrifice it, and then roast it. The blood of the lamb was applied to the doorposts of their homes, symbolizing God's protection.

B. Unleavened Bread: During Passover, Jews were required to eat unleavened bread, known as matzah or the "bread of affliction." This tradition symbolized the haste with which the Israelites left Egypt, as there was no time for their bread to rise.

C. Wine: Four cups of wine were traditionally consumed during the Passover meal, each with a specific significance. The cups represented different aspects of the Exodus story and God's promises. (We’ll get into this next week.)

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Jerusalem was the only place where Passover could be celebrated and the festival drew huge crowds, greatly increasing not only the population of the city but also the threat of a Jewish uprising.

Back to the text:

Mark 14:3 (NLT) Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head.

Characters: John’s version of this story (John 12) identifies the woman: Mary, Lazarus’ sister. It’s likely, then, that Simon is their father. He was a leper! (Did Jesus heal him earlier?)

Interruption: (Pillar New Testament Commentary) As a rule, it was a breach of etiquette for Jewish male fellowship to be interrupted by women unless they were serving food. Mark has often reminded us, however, that societal and even Jewish values are not necessarily to be equated with Jesus' values. In this instance, the woman's intrusion is commended as a demonstration of faith.

Extravagance: The perfume jar was likely a family heirloom. She smashed it – spending it all on the head of Jesus. Unbelievable sign of extravagance, even possibly wastefulness.

This hints at our first hard saying: “You can’t serve God and money.”

Q. How extravagant are you toward Jesus?

Back to the text:

Mark 14:4-5 (NLT) Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked. “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.

First, a note on the text: Once again, Mark spares us the names. John doesn’t:

John 12:4-6 (NLT) But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, “That perfume was worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.
But Mark says “some at the table” were indignant. Who else? Other disciples?

Mark 14:6-7 (NLT) But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me? You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me.”

This hints at our second hard saying of Jesus: “I am God.”

If they knew Jesus’ true identity, they would never say such a thing
These disciples have been on a journey with Jesus; he’s been revealing himself through teachings, miracles, even showing authority over nature itself
Have you been on that journey?

Back to the text:

Mark 14:8-9 (NLT) “She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time. I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”

Let me show you how this hints at our third hard saying of Jesus: “I am the only way to heaven.”

Double Anointing: Two major precedents for anointing: coronation and burial. This accomplishes both, though the woman surely didn’t know it! Maybe the biggest shock: a woman anointed him!? Also note: there would be no other anointed of the buried Jesus, because he arose! (See Mark 16:1)

(New Bible Commentary) Every king in Judah was anointed before his coronation, and this was to be his anointing, not by a prophet but by a woman. But it was more, for it was a symbolic preparation of his body for burial….

Close:

One last section for today:

Mark 14:10-11 (NLT) Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests to arrange to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted when they heard why he had come, and they promised to give him money. So he began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

This is the turning point for Judas. The hard teachings of Jesus had finally pushed him over the edge.

“You can’t serve God and money.”
Maybe the extravagance – and Jesus’ response. Legalistic? Justified his betrayal?
Maybe Judas was offended by Jesus calling him out?
“I am God.”
Judas still didn’t understand his true identity
“I am the only way to heaven.”
What? By dying? Not Judas’ picture of Messiah. Not what Judas signed up for
Judas thought he understood things better than Jesus!?

Back to Chapter 1

Mark 1:15 (NLT) “The time promised by God has come at last!” Jesus announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”

Repent = Turn from your way, your opinion. Stop pushing back. Submit to Jesus. Even when it’s hard to accept what he’s saying.

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The Old Testament tells us the story of the creation of the earth, the history of God's people, and God's plan to rescue the world.

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God Created the Universe Out of NothingGod is eternal, but everything else is created. So at some point, God decided to create. We read about this in the very first verse of the Bible.

Genesis 1:1 (NLT) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

At one moment, there was nothing. Then immediately, something existed. God began to shape and form creation, as we find in the rest of Genesis 1. The universe wasn’t an accident. God put it here, and he created it for a purpose. Creation teaches us about the glory of God and the majesty of God. It also tells us that we’re not here by accident. That’s the next point in the story of the Old Testament.

God’s Plan for Relationship with Humanity Was Ruined by SinGod made us to be connected to him and connected to each other. This is a fundamental aspect of what it means to be human. The Bible also says that humans are created in the image of God - something that is unique to humanity.

Genesis 1:27-28 (NLT) So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

God put us on this earth to take care of his creation and reflect his image.

But sadly, sin ruined everything. It didn’t take very long before the first humans - Adam and Eve - sinned. They went their own way. They didn’t listen to God. The result was a terrible problem for humanity, and in fact, for all of creation. In fact, the connection we experience with God, and even with other people, was wrecked because of sin.

But thankfully, God wasn’t done with the human race! God had a plan to rescue the world, a plan he had decided upon before the creation of the world. That plan began to reveal itself in the Old Testament through a man named Abraham.

All of this is introduced in the Book of Genesis, which opens the Old Testament. Genesis describes the beginning of everything. It describes not only the creation of the world and of human beings; but also the fall of humanity into sin and the effects of sin in human experience. Genesis leads up to and includes the story of Abraham, his family and his descendants.

The Book of Job also comes from this timeframe. It is not about Israel or Abraham, but reflects on the power and compassion of God.

God Gave Abraham Three Important PromisesIn Genesis 12, we find one of the most important passages in the entire Bible. This passage, in fact, sets up everything that comes after it in the rest of the Bible. In these verses, God begins to explain how he is going to rescue the world from sin. Around 2000 BC, he tells Abraham (then known as Abram), about his great rescue plan.

Genesis 12:1-2 (NLT) “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation…. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

God was going to save the world through a descendant of Abraham. As the Old Testament unfolds, we see how God fulfills his promises. He does give Abraham a lot of descendants, and from this lineage, God does create a great nation, called Israel. God does give Abraham’s descendants, the Israelites, their own homeland. Finally, God fulfilled the promise that from Abraham’s lineage, all of humanity would be blessed.

The last chapters of Genesis show how Abraham’s descendants arrived in Egypt.

The Book of Exodus tells how that one family became a populous nation, and how they were enslaved by the Egyptians. It describes how, many years later, God raised up Moses (around 1500 BC) to free them from slavery and to take them to the homeland God had promised them. In fact, God identified himself to Moses as the “God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob”. Exodus also describes how God entered into a special covenant with Israel and gave them his law to govern the nature of that relationship.

The Book of Numbers describes how God led the people toward the promised homeland.

Leviticus tells us about the system of sacrifices that God instituted to cover the people’s sins.

Deuteronomy records the words Moses told the Israelites just before they entered into the land, recapping the terms of their covenant with God and the blessings they would experience if they were faithful to him.

The Book of Joshua tells how the people entered and conquered the land God had given them.

Unfortunately, not everything was great from that time on in the Old Testament. God’s people made a lot of bad choices.

Israel Began a Long Pattern of Sinful ChoicesSadly, Israel did not follow God’s law and honor him. Instead, Israel went into spiritual decline. They were stuck in a cycle of sin that was repeated generation after generation. So you read different summaries about the spiritual life of God’s people in the Old Testament.

Judges 2:12 (NLT) They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the Lord.

It was pretty clear that Israel, even as Abraham’s lineage, wasn’t going to be able to save the world. Sin is too big of a problem in the human heart. What we really need is to be rescued, not just from the evil in the world, but from the evil within ourselves.

The Book of Judges gives plenty of examples of how, instead of obeying God, everyone in Israel did what was right in their own eyes. This was in spite of courageous leaders called “judges” who repeatedly rescued Israel from invaders.

The Books of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel describe the transition of Israel to a monarchy, and the reign of King David (around 1000 BC). Like the people, David sinned against God, but he also sought to obey and worship God.

David and others wrote the Book of Psalms, which reflects his trust and worship toward God.

1 Kings begins with the reign of David’s son, King Solomon. Along with 2 Kings, it tells the long story of Israel’s decline from God, punctuated by an occasional righteous king who led Israel to repent and return to God from their typical idolatry.

Solomon wrote the Book of Proverbs, which expresses the wisdom God gave him, and the Book of Ecclesiastes, which is a reflection on the meaninglessness of an approach to life that leaves God out. His book Song of Songs is a celebration of marital love.

During this period of Israel’s spiritual decline. God sent prophets to warn them of his judgment for their unfaithfulness. The prophets also promised that after judgment, God would restore them to a better future. The major prophets writing in this period were Isaiah and Jeremiah. Jeremiah also wrote the Book of Lamentations to grieve the devastation that fell on the nation because of their idolatry.

Several smaller books by prophets also came from this period. All of them call Israel to turn back to their covenant relationship with God. After King Solomon, the ten northern tribes of Israel split from the two southern tribes to create a second kingdom. The prophets Joel, Amos and Hosea wrote mainly for the northern kingdom (called Israel), while Micah, Zephaniah and Habakkuk wrote for the southern kingdom (called Judah).

Three prophetic books show God dealing with other nations surrounding Israel. Obadiah announced God’s judgment on the nation of Edom. Jonah tells the story of his mission to Assyria. Later, Nahum spoke God’s warning to Assyria as well.

The long pattern of Israel’s sinful choices underscores their (and our) needs for a Savior. Thankfully, that was part of God’s plan from the very beginning. As we continue to read the Old Testament, we learn more about God’s plan to rescue us from our sins.

God Promised to Send His Eternal King and SaviorUnfortunately, Israel continued to sin and walk away from God. As a result, God allowed other nations to come in and take over the land, and to take the Israelites, the Jewish people, out of their homeland. The northern kingdom fell to the Assyrian empire in 722 BC. The southern king fell to the Babylonian empire in 587 BC. Some years later, the people of Judah returned to their home. And when they did, God reminded them that they didn’t need to be worried that God had forgotten them or abandoned them.

1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles (like 1-2 Kings) recount the failure of Israel to follow God, but from the perspective of the people returning from exile.

The Book of Ezra describes how God brought his people back to their homeland from their time of captivity.

The Book of Nehemiah talks about how Israel fared back in the land, and how they rebuilt the walls of its capital city, Jerusalem.

Prophets who wrote during the exile and the post-exile periods include Ezekiel, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

All along the way, God told his people that he would send his Messiah (his King, his Chosen One), to rescue Israel. This Savior would be a descendant of Abraham, and would fulfill God’s promise to Abraham to bless the entire world. This is because he came to rescue not just Israel, but all humanity. Anybody who would believe in him would be saved. That was God’s promise to Israel.

That promise of a coming Savior pervades the whole Old Testament, but it particularly takes shape in certain books.

2 Samuel reveals that King David is a prototype of the future King, who will be a descendant of David. The books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings include other rulers in David’s lineage who embody aspects that point toward the Messiah. The Book of Ruth tells the story of God’s faithfulness to King David’s great-grandparents, The Book of Isaiah says a great deal about the identity and mission of Israel’s future Savior and King. Other glimpses of the Messiah are found in Micah and Zechariah.

The TakeawayThe Old Testament can be confusing if you don’t grasp the overall story. But don’t hesitate to read it. Though it reveals the sad reality that people are really messed up, it also points to God’s plan to send his Savior and King. Even though that didn’t happen during Old Testament times, the Old Testament ends looking forward to the assurance that the great, powerful, glorious God we serve would stop at nothing to save us. He would send his Savior, his Messiah, to make things right.

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Grief was not a part of Eden and it won’t be a part of Heaven. It is a result of the fall, but there is a good side. That’s what we’ll talk about today as we cover three types of grief.

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In this conversation, Bryan and Ross discuss how to read the Bible effectively. They emphasize the importance of having a plan and choosing a starting point that is accessible for new believers. They introduce the SOAP method (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) and the CHARA method (Context, History, Author, Research, Apply) as helpful tools for Bible study. They also discuss the use of Bible commentaries and caution against pitfalls such as innovation, relying solely on information, and anachronism. Overall, they encourage listeners to approach Bible reading with a disciplined and open heart, seeking to understand and apply God's Word in their lives.

Takeaways:

Having a plan and structure for Bible reading is important for consistency and understanding.
The SOAP method (Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer) and the CARA method (Context, History, Author, Research, Apply) are helpful tools for Bible study.
Bible commentaries can provide valuable insights and context for understanding Scripture.
Avoid pitfalls such as innovation, relying solely on information, and anachronism when studying the Bible.
Approach Bible reading with a disciplined and open heart, seeking to understand and apply God's Word in your life. Be aware of anachronisms in historical texts and consider their reliability.
Understand the genre of biblical passages and interpret them accordingly.
Avoid isolating verses and proof-texting to prevent misinterpretation.
Recognize the role of the Holy Spirit in illuminating the meaning of Scripture.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction: How to Read the Bible

03:00 The Importance of Having a Plan

08:11 Choosing a Starting Point

14:21 Using the SOAP Method

19:08 Understanding Context and History

25:17 Using Bible Commentaries

30:18 The CARA Method of Interpretation

39:55 Pitfall #1: Innovation

41:56 Pitfall #2: Information Alone

43:24 Pitfall #3: Anachronism

46:00 Anachronisms in Historical Texts

46:55 Ignoring the Genre

50:01 Isolating Verses

53:57 The Role of the Holy Spirit

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Full Outline:

Joshua 1:8 (NLT) Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

When you read the Bible, the starting point is to approach it thoughtfully and prayerfully - regardless of what methods or tools you use. Meditate on it. Saturate yourself with it, as Joshua says: “day and night.” Then put what you read into practice to “obey everything written in it.” With that attitude in place, let’s look at four pieces of advice to get started reading your Bible.

Have a Plan.A lot of Christians struggle with reading the Bible because they don’t have a plan. They open it up and randomly pick a passage to read. Then they do that again another day. So whatever they read is always out of context. They’re not really sure what they’re reading. Of course, God can work through that, but most readers will find that approach frustrating over time.

A better plan is to pick a book of the Bible to read. If you haven’t read the Bible ever, or in a long time, a good place to start is the book of John, in the New Testament. This is one of the gospels. It tells us about the life of Jesus. You will see his teaching and his miracles, and you will understand his mission. That makes John a great place to start. If you’ve read John recently, you could go to one of the epistles, which are written for Christians. Or in the Old Testament, you could begin with Genesis.

You don’t have to read the Bible from beginning to end. That’s not the most important approach. In fact, it can be a struggle for many people to read the Bible from cover to cover. So try picking one book, reading it, then picking another book, to eventually work your way through the Bible.

Part of your plan will be to decide how much you intend to read in a day, or in a week. One chapter a day, ten chapters a week, whatever you decide. Whatever you choose to do, hold onto your plan loosely. As you experience reading the Bible, you might need to adjust your plan to read more or to read less every day. It’s not a failure to scale back a plan that is too much for you. The point is just to keep reading at whatever level you can. But if you don’t have a plan, you probably won’t ever get around to really reading the Bible.

Many great Bible reading plans can be found on the YouVersion app (Bible.com), which you can read along with others. But when you use a reading plan, don’t just read to check off a box or complete the assignment. Don’t rush through so that you get nothing out of it. Don’t feel guilty or ashamed if you fall behind. Having a plan should be an encouragement and guide. The goal is to grow in your relationship with God, not to complete some specific plan.

Go SlowlyYou’re not trying to speed through the Bible, like a novel, to find out how things work out in the end. It’s not like reading a newspaper or magazine just to catch up on the facts. Instead, the point in reading is to listen to God and follow what he has to say, and to interact with the Holy Spirit as he speaks to you in your reading. So go slowly. Take your time. If you don’t finish the chapter in the time allotted, that’s okay. Just pick up next time where you left off. Because you want to be thoughtful and prayerful. Remember Joshua 1:8. It said to meditate on God’s words. But it’s hard to meditate if you're in too much of a hurry, trying to count how many pages you read. It’s better to reflect on what you’re reading.

This relates to another aspect of making a plan. Pick a time and place that will help you listen, meditate, and not get distracted or be in a hurry. What time in your day is most likely to allow you to slow down? What space can you go to that will allow you to think and pray?

If you don’t understand something you read, stop, go back, and read it again. Spend time thinking about what you’re reading, and asking God for help. It’s okay to use Bible study tools to help you figure out what you’re reading, and to answer some of those questions. But reading about the Bible is never a substitute for reading the Bible itself. Go to other sources when you need to, but most of your time should be spent in the text of the Bible itself, because that’s where God speaks.

Be InteractiveMany Christians struggle with reading the Bible because they’re not sure how to apply it to their lives. It doesn’t jump off the page to them. This is why, when you read the Bible, ask questions about what you’re reading. You probably won’t understand everything you’re reading. You will have questions: “Why did God say that? Why did God allow this to happen to his people? What was God’s point in these verses?” Write those questions down. You’ll probably find many of the answers emerge as you read more of the Bible.

One way to be interactive with the Bible is to take notes while you read. If you have insights or comments, write them down. If you don’t write those insights down, you will likely forget them. That will be frustrating! You might have prayer requests that come to mind as you read the Bible. That’s great! Again, write them down.

Then, when you get to the end of the chapter or complete your reading for the day, ask yourself this: “How do I apply this to my life?” We don’t want you to have just a lot of trivia in your head. Just learning some Bible facts is not enough. What brings transformation is to apply God’s word to your life. Along those lines, ask: “Is there a command here I need to obey? Is there a promise here that I need to grab hold of? Is there something I need to grapple with that will change my thinking or my behavior?” The point is: apply the Bible to your life. As you do that, you’re going to see the Bible come alive.

Many Christians have come up with methods that help you ask questions, write down insights, and apply what you read. Some use a form that they fill out every day. Others use a format that guides them through the process. One simple example is the pattern S-O-A-P. This is very popular because it provides a plan for how to read the section you have decided to read for that day.

Scripture. This is simple. Just read the passage you’ve chosen.
Observation. Ask questions about what the passage is saying. What do you actually observe in the text? List your observations. This step helps you draw out the meaning of the passage, and avoid fanciful conclusions.
Application. Make it personal and put it into practice. How does this apply to my life today?
Prayer. Talk to God about what you’ve been reading and observing.

Dig A Little DeeperAs you develop some experience in Bible reading, you might want to learn how to go a bit deeper into understanding what the Bible is saying. Start with the steps above. But at some point, try your hand at a more serious process of interpretation. Here is a pattern of study suggested by the Chara Project:

Context: How does what I’m reading fit with the rest of the Bible, starting with the larger chapter, the whole book, the totality of what this particular author has written, and finally, with the entire Bible?
History: What was the message to the original audience? How would they have heard it? What is the particular setting (both local conditions and larger historical events) that would help you determine that?
Author: Who wrote the book? What do you know about him? What is the author’s overall purpose in this book, and how does this verse or passage fit in that?
Research: What trustworthy study notes or commentaries can I turn to in order to dig into the original meaning? Do they bring a bias into their work that you should recognize? Only consult others after you have done the first three steps to the best of your ability.
Apply: As I now understand what the Bible means, how can I put its principles into practice? This is where every Bible reading session should end, whether you are simply reading or are studying in greater depth.

Five Pitfalls to AvoidAs you seek to interpret what the Bible is saying, here are some ways Bible study can go wrong. A few pitfalls to avoid…

Innovation. The goal of sound Bible study is not to come up with ideas no one has ever thought of before. This is how cults get started. You want to discover the eternal truths of the Bible, then ask how they uniquely apply to your life.
Information Alone. The reason we read the Bible is not just to know more facts. You can study the Bible, and master the most obscure ideas in it, but never put anything into practice in your life.
Anachronism. This happens when we read modern ideas into the ancient text. For example, you can read modern legal concepts into biblical laws, or find contemporary political ideals long before anyone ever thought of them.
Romans 16:16 (NLT) Greet each other with a sacred kiss.
It would be a mistake to read the modern meaning of kissing back into the first century, where the sacred kiss reflects the warmth and welcome of the faith community.
Ignoring Genre. Many people misinterpret the Bible because they don’t recognize how a given genre is meant to be read. For example, Proverbs give general principles of life, but are not universally true in every situation. Jesus used parables to explore his kingdom, but the details of parables should not determine our doctrine.
Isolating Verses. It’s easy to cherry-pick isolated verses, and make conclusions about what you read, while disregarding the surrounding passages or the overall message of the book.
Philippians 4:13 (NLT) I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Paul is talking about contentment in a variety of life situations, when he has plenty and when he doesn’t have much. Isolated, this verse might be misused to justify any personal desire or goal.

The TakeawayYour Bible reading doesn’t have to be dry. It can be life-changing. So go get started! The most important step you can take is not listening to us talk about this topic. What matters is to read God’s word for yourself. Do it with a friend, with your spouse, with your children, with a mentor or a small group. But make a plan and put it into practice. Adjust the plan as you get more experienced. Add more elements as you get more comfortable. But always be sure to apply what you are discovering to your life! Then see what God will do in and through you.

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Today we’ll talk about how to overcome your shameful past to experience the freedom we can have in Christ. We’ll look at David’s example in the story of Bathsheba and Uriah. 2 Samuel 11:1-4

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Intro: We’re talking about resilience:

Resilience is harnessing difficult emotions to build your faith.
Today’s difficult emotion: Shame (guilt, condemnation)

Defining Shame

I know what you’re thinking: shame is always bad, never good
But not so fast! Think of shamelessness: “The world delights in bold sinners who flout God's Word and expect no punishment whatsoever. Our culture celebrates the skillful cold-blooded assassin, bold thief, self-righteous vigilante, foul-mouthed recording artist, creative rebel, blasphemous stand-up comedian, naked actress, fornicating "glamour couple," self-worshiping athlete, occultic mystic, and the like. Perhaps the clearest example in our day has been the movement of homosexuality from something almost universally seen as shameful to something that ought to be delighted in. The gay rights movement is seeking not merely tolerance of what God calls sinful, but society-wide celebration.” - Ligonier “Our Shameless World”
Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT ”It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret.“ ‭‭‬‬
Romans 1:24 (NLT) So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies.
Romans 1:27 (NLT) And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.
Romans 1:32 (NLT) They know God’s justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too.
So we see the progression: sinning with a sense of shame → sinning without a sense of shame → encouraging others to do it
Does this not describe today’s culture!?
Shame (Oxford): a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.
Can you see how this can be bad… or good?
Bad: Shamelessness, one end of the spectrum
This is where the enemy wants you; what sin?
Google doesn’t even know the word! (dictating sermons)
Also bad: Shamefulness is on the other end, stuck in it
This is just as helpful for the enemy
Self-loathing, depression, anxiety, etc.
Can’t handle the guilt, so eventually you stop pursuing
This is NOT resilient
For many, eventually leads to shamelessness
Or you try to deal with the burden on our own:
So you try to “work off” your shame by being a better person. You try to take by force what you can only obtain by grace.
Or you medicate your shame
Wow! How could shame ever be GOOD? Answer: When shame leads us to Christ (the answer is not on the shame spectrum; it’s a whole new level, dimension)
Romans 7:24-25 (NLT) Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 8:1 (NLT) So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
Difference between conviction and condemnation
We’ll get to this at the end, but first an example

How David handled shame

2 Samuel 11:1 (NLT) In the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. They destroyed the Ammonite army and laid siege to the city of Rabbah. However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem.

Tell the rest of the story:
He sends for her, finds out she is Uriah’s wife, sleeps with her
She gets pregnant
How shameful: he was supposed to be at war with his men!
Now he gets one of their wives pregnant
But it gets worse:
He sends for Uriah, tries to get him to sleep with her
He’s trying to cover up his sin; never works
Uriah is too honorable, won’t enjoy his wife while his homies are fighting it out on the battlefield (ouch)
So David gets even deeper into shame: sends Uriah to his death on the frontlines
STOP: Is there any hope for this guy?
Goes from bad to worse
Some of you might be thinking that; Paul was there: “what a miserable person I am”

But God sent a gift in the form of a truth-teller. This is so powerful, it’s worth reading the whole text:

2 Samuel 12:1-7 (NLT) So the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”

David was furious. “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”

Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man!

STOP: How would YOU handle this?
This might be you right now, feeling conviction for your sin
Condemnation is different, would give you no chance
But God wants to give second chances
The key is how you respond to a truth-teller

2 Samuel 12:13-14 (NLT) Then David confessed to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan replied, “Yes, but the LORD has forgiven you, and you won’t die for this sin. Nevertheless, because you have shown utter contempt for the word of the LORD by doing this, your child will die.”

Can’t always escape consequences of sin
Can escape lifelong feelings of shamefulness. David’s example:
He fasts and prays all week
The baby dies, and he lets it go
2 Samuel 12:20 (NLT) Then David got up from the ground, washed himself, put on lotions, and changed his clothes. He went to the Tabernacle and worshiped the LORD. After that, he returned to the palace and was served food and ate.
God blesses him with another son, Solomon
Name means “God is his peace”
This is the lesson David learned in the Tabernacle
Shameless
Psalms 51:1-4 (NLT) 1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. 2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. 3 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. 4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.
Psalms 51:9-10 (NLT) Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT) let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame.
Jesus was shamed at the cross, though he did nothing wrong
Romans 10:11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
Romans 8:1 (NLT) So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
Difference between conviction and condemnation
Condemnation: Satan leverages your shame to push you away from God
Conviction: Holy Spirit harnesses your shame to point you to the cross

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Today we’re joined again by Josh and Katie Walters, authors of the new book New Marriage, Same Couple. In today’s episode we talk through chapters 11-13 in the book as we wrap up our series and cover the “Y” in the STAY acronym: yield to vision.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

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The Bible is composed of 66 books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. It's not organized by date, but rather by genre - like a library.

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Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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How is the Bible laid out? What’s in the table of contents? This one book has a lot of smaller books in it, so it can seem confusing - until you understand the structure of the Bible.

The Bible Is Divided into the Old Testament and New Testament.The Old Testament is called “old” not because it is obsolete, but because it came first, over the span of around 1,000 years. Another way to refer to it is the Hebrew Bible. It’s what the Jews had. This is the Bible that Jesus and his first followers used. There’s much we can learn from the Old Testament. We hope you will make that part of the Bible a part of your regular reading.

We also have the New Testament. The New Testament was written over the span of about a generation. It started being written shortly after the death and resurrection of Jesus. It’s a collection of books written to churches and to individual Christians. Over time these writings began to be collected together by the churches, to create what we call the New Testament. By the 300’s, the New Testament was affirmed by the Christian church as a whole. A large majority of the Bible’s books were recognized far before that. These two parts of the Bible come together to tell us God’s story for today.

Think about the relationship between the Old Testament and New Testament.

The New Testament builds on and elaborates the themes of the Old Testament.

The New Testament builds on Old Testament themes like creation, sin, salvation, the Day of the Lord. It gives further insight on these matters, but doesn’t negate the Old Testament meaning.

The New Testament authors are familiar with and well-versed in Old Testament text.

For example, Matthew’s gospel makes many references to Old Testament practices and quotes many Old Testament prophecies. Paul, in Romans 4, assumes that his readers understand the story of Abraham and his relationship with God. He uses this story to underscore that a right relationship with God is based on faith, not on performance.

The Old Testament does not stand alone, because the themes it introduces are fulfilled in the person of Jesus.

The New Testament connects the dots between the Old Testament and the person of Jesus. For example, Hebrews explains how Jesus fulfills the Old Covenant and its sacrificial system.

Matthew 5:17-19 (NLT) “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. 18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. 19 So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

What about other writings that don’t fit into the Old Testament and New Testament, like the Apocrypha? Or the so-called “lost gospels”? The question of which books belong in the Bible is the question of “canonicity”. The word “canon” means a rule or standard. Which books meet the standard to be included as Scripture? Several criteria were developed in the early church.

Apostleship. Books written by the apostles were quickly recognized as authoritative. But Luke and Mark were not apostles. Those authors who were not apostles were eventually recognized as authoritative because they were part of the apostolic circle. Luke was a traveling companion of Paul. Mark was a protege of Peter.
Universality. The writings in question reflect the unified view of the whole body of Christians, not just some fringe groups.
Orthodoxy. The doctrines and values expressed are consistent with the rest of Scripture.
Antiquity. The book originates in biblical times, and was not composed long afterward.
Divine effect. The message of the book has life-changing power in people’s experience.

The so-called “lost gospels” fail to meet the tests of canonical authority, mainly the test of apostolic authorship. But they also fail the tests of antiquity, universality and orthodoxy.

The test of “divine effect” can be subjective. Latter-day Saints would argue that the Book of Mormon has life-changing power in people’s experience. But it fails all of the other tests of canonicity.

We bring this up to underscore that Scripture is composed of the Old Testament and the New Testament.

The Bible Is Organized by Genre“Genre” refers to the type of literature that is contained in each book of the Bible. The idea of genre is not limited to the Bible, but relates to literature in every language. English language genres include fiction, biography, essay, poetry, drama, and many more sub-genres. The point is that you don’t read an essay the same way you read a poem - or a personal letter, or an anime story.

As you open the table of contents of your Bible, you can see how it is organized by genre. For example, consider the Old Testament first:

Law: Genesis – Deuteronomy. These five books reflect the genre we call the Law. These aren’t only books of law. But they contained the way God wanted his people to live: the commands he gave them, how they were to worship, how they were to live their lives, how they were to interact with the surrounding nations. (Any given book of the Bible may reflect more than one genre, but usually one particular genre is prominent.)
History: Joshua – Esther. Twelve books that tell us the history of Israel. How they entered into the Promised Land, set up their kingdom, how that kingdom became divided, how the people were taken off into exile, and eventually brought back to their homeland. This isn’t just dry history, but history interpreted through the eyes of God. Shows God’s activity in human affairs, so it is history applicable to us today.
Poetry: Job – Song of Solomon (Song of Songs). Five books that are poems, by and large. Hebrew poetry is different from our English language poetry. Characterized, not by rhyming, but by parallelism. As poetry, they need to be read differently than history or law. Use smaller amounts of words to convey deep meaning and powerful ideas.
Major Prophets: Isaiah – Daniel. Five books. Major prophets these books tend to be longer. These prophets were alive during the times described in the books of history. They were telling the people what God was doing in their day, and what God was going to do in the future.
Minor Prophets: Hosea – Malachi. Twelve books. Called “minor” not because they are unimportant, but because they are smaller. With the same purpose and intent of the major prophets. Tell God’s people how to understand the events of the day, and what God was going to do in the future.

Moving to the New Testament, we have some different genres.

Gospels: Matthew – John. Four books. Four different accounts about the life of Jesus. Followers of Jesus, or people close to the apostles, who did a lot of research, talked to eyewitnesses, to describe Jesus’ words and actions.
History of the Church: Acts. Sort of a book of history, but very focused. Deals with the spread of the Christian church, starting with just a few Christians in Jerusalem, but tracking the spread of Christianity throughout the entire Roman Empire.
Epistles: Romans – Jude. Eight books. An “epistle” is a letter. These are letters written to Christians or to churches, usually from the apostles. They talk about the struggles Christians face. There are commands for today. A lot of material for us to think about and apply to our lives, in these books.
Apocalypse: Revelation. Revelation has its own genre (apocalyptic literature). It’s a mix of prophecy and eschatology, full of symbols. Talking about the return of Jesus, the end of the world, and how God wants us to live until that time comes. A powerful picture of God’s vision for the end of the world and for the beginning of the rest of eternity.

Those are the genres of the Bible. It’s important to understand something about these genres. You don’t have to be an expert. But it does help to have a basic sense of what genres are about.

A Book’s Genre Guides the Way You Read It.It’s helpful to know a book’s genre as you read it, in order to make sense of what you read. We will apply any book of the Bible differently based on its genre.

For example, you should understand something about the poetry of Psalms before you can apply it to your life. Think through: what are the images and metaphors? What are they trying to teach me?

Psalm 1:3 – [Speaking of the righteous]: They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.

As poetry, Psalm 1 talks about what a life pursuing God is like. Yet it doesn’t talk about specific aspects of that life, but uses a rich, familiar image to paint that picture.

When you read the book of Proverbs, genre helps you understand that Proverbs are simple sayings or aphorisms that are generally true, but they aren’t universal or guaranteed promises from God.

Proverbs 12:21 – No harm comes to the godly. But the wicked have their fill of trouble.

Godly people don’t live a trouble-free life. We all know Christians who have lost loved ones, been laid off, and more. But generally, it is true that people who don’t follow God create trouble for themselves by their life choices. So this contrast between the godly and wicked plays out more often than not.

Yet when you read the epistles, you’ll discover that these are written to Christians much like us. Many of the commands written in those books apply directly to us and need very little alteration.

Romans 12:10-11 – Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.

These instructions are true for all Christ-followers, whether living in the 1st or 21st century, whether living in Rome or the United States.

The TakeawaySo it’s helpful to read the books of the Bible by understanding their genre. There is plenty more to learn about this. But we want to give you an overview of the structure and genres of the Bible, so that as you read God’s word, you can have a better sense of what you’re reading, as you apply it to your life.

You don’t have to be an expert in genre or literature. As you read your Bible with this topic in mind, you will quickly discern how the genres you encounter are different, and you will develop a greater level of understanding. The point is: get reading!

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Resilience is harnessing difficult emotions to build your faith. Today we talk about how to harness fear and anxiety, and we'll look at the incredible story of King Jehoshaphat. Here was a guy who turned to God in his darkest moment and ended up experiencing his biggest blessing.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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Intro: We’re talking about resilience:

Resilience is harnessing difficult emotions to build your faith.
Today’s difficult emotion: fear (anxiety)
Example: My panic attack in Dallas
See Anxious series. A few insights:
Control is just an illusion.
Let your worries trigger prayer. (Phil 4:6-7)
Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Win the battle in your mind. (Phil 4:8)
Philippians 4:8 (NLT) And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Types of Fear

Fear is a complex emotion that can manifest in various forms and be triggered by different stimuli. Here are seven common types of fear. Q: Which type of fear are you experiencing right now?

Fear of Failure: Fear of not meeting expectations or failing in a task.
Fear of the Unknown: Anxiety about unpredictable future events or outcomes.
Fear of Change: Apprehension about what the future holds.
Fear of Pain: Anxiety about experiencing pain or injury.
Fear of Loss: Anxiety about the potential loss of close relationships or material possessions.
Social Fear: Fear of Rejection, Fear of Judgment, Fear of Public Speaking
Existential Fear: Fear of Death, Fear of Meaninglessness
This is the ultimate fear, the mother of all fears
We’ll talk about what the Bible says about this at the end

Today’s Bible text:

2 Chronicles 20:1 (NLT) After this, the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites declared war on Jehoshaphat.

This represented so many types of fear for Jehoshaphat
Didn’t want to fail Judah (he was king)
2 Chronicles 17:6 (NLT) He was deeply committed to the ways of the LORD. He removed the pagan shrines and Asherah poles from Judah.
One of the few good kings in Judah’s history
The outcome of war is unknown and unpredictable
How would this change things for the nation?
He was leading well, bringing religious and judicial reform
2 Chronicles 17:7-9 (NLT) In the third year of his reign Jehoshaphat sent his officials to teach in all the towns of Judah. …. They took copies of the Book of the Law of the LORD and traveled around through all the towns of Judah, teaching the people.
Note: sometimes this happens. Life is good, then fear/anxiety comes. Spiritual attack?
War brings pain and loss
He narrowly escaped death in ch 18
Israel’s King Ahab wasn’t so lucky
Ultimately, this was an existential threat to Judah

TRANS: we’ll pick up this story again, but first let’s set the table…

Defining Fear (Anxiety)

Let’s back up and define fear so we can put it on the operating table

Remember, that’s what we’re doing with our emotions
Not stuffing them or demonizing them
But evaluating them, harnessing them

Fear is an emotion caused by the brain’s reaction to situations, not the situations themselves. (From Anxiety series, lesson 3)

Fear can be good because it can protect us from real dangers.
Example: Chad encountering a Bear in Alaska
Example: Kenzie and the hot stove
Fear can also serve evil. Fear can keep us from trusting God.
Example
Q: Is your fear building or destroying your faith?

Back to Jehoshaphat

Remember, the enemy armies were advancing
2 Chronicles 20:3-4 (NLT) Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the LORD for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the LORD’s help.
Jeho’s 3-part plan for overcoming fear:
Admit you’re afraid.
This is big. Put fear on the table. Examine it, don’t be afraid of it. Dissect it.
Turn to God.
Simple, right? But be honest about what you typically turn to.
Start a fast.
This seems weirdly specific, maybe out of place for today. But have you ever tried it?
2 Chronicles 20:12 (NLT) “O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”
Contrast w/ two recent examples for him at harnessing fear:
King Ahab: 2 Chronicles 18:29 (NLT) The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “As we go into battle, I will disguise myself so no one will recognize me, but you wear your royal robes.”
Ahab trusted his own scheme
It backfired - God protected Jehoshaphat, a random arrow killed Ahab.
Jeho’s father: 2 Chronicles 16:12-13 (NLT) In the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa developed a serious foot disease. Yet even with the severity of his disease, he did not seek the LORD’s help but turned only to his physicians. So he died in the forty-first year of his reign.
See the contrast? “He did not seek the Lord’s help…”
See how it ended?
Here’s how it ended for Jeho:
2 Chronicles 20:15 (NLT) He said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
2 Chronicles 20:16-17 (NLT) 16 Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the LORD’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you!”
2 Chronicles 20:22 (NLT) At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the LORD caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.
2 Chronicles 20:26 (NLT) On the fourth day they gathered in the Valley of Blessing, which got its name that day because the people praised and thanked the LORD there. It is still called the Valley of Blessing today.

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Today we’re joined again by Josh and Katie Walters, authors of the new book New Marriage, Same Couple. In today’s episode we talk through chapters 8, 9, and 10 in the book as we cover the “A” in the STAY acronym: allow others to be a part of your story.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/family.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.

Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

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The Bible has been around for thousands of years, carefully translated and maintained for the benefit of people today. But where did we get it, and how do we know it's trustworthy?

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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The Bible doesn’t have to be intimidating. We encourage you to read the Bible for yourself and put it into practice. That’s why we’re doing this series. The first question that arises is: where did the Bible come from?

The Bible Is Inspired by the Holy SpiritThe Bible is not just a book some religious or philosophical-type humans put together. It comes from God himself.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NLT) All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

“Inspired by God” means “God-breathed.” So when you read the Bible, you are reading the Word of God. God is there with you when you read. You will encounter God in the Bible. For example, 2 Timothy tells us some of the ways God speaks to us in the Bible: he teaches us what is true; he opens our eyes to what is wrong in our lives; he corrects us when we are wrong; and he teaches us to not simply know the truth, but to do what is right.

Jesus himself attested that the Bible is inspired by God.

Mark 12:36 (NLT) “For David himself, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said…”

Jesus then quoted Psalm 110. He believed that when David wrote that Psalm, he spoke under the Spirit’s inspiration. Note what Jesus told Satan:

Matthew 4:4 (NLT) “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

His actions explain what he meant, because that very statement was a quote from Deuteronomy 8:3, and he quoted the Bible two more times to resist Satan’s temptations.

These passages lead us to hold a view called “verbal plenary inspiration”, which means that divine inspiration extends to the very words themselves, and to all parts of the Bible and all subject matters on which the Bible speaks. Thus the Bible (when interpreted according to the intended sense of the author) speaks truly and reliably in all that it affirms. It never leads us astray.

Not only did the Holy Spirit inspire the Bible, the Holy Spirit also illuminates the Bible. He enlightens our hearts and minds as we read it.

The Bible Was Written by Numerous Human AuthorsWhile it is the Word of God, it is also the words of human authors. The two are not mutually exclusive. God spoke through human authors, through their unique personalities, experiences, language, culture and time.

The Bible is a product of divine authorship AND human authorship. Inspiration does not equal some kind of dictation. Authors were not like copyists or transcribers, writing down the words of someone dictating a letter. The Bible authors spoke in their own language and style, using their own words and thoughts, in response to specific situations they were dealing with. Inspiration means that the Holy Spirit superintended the process so that the very words written were exactly what the Spirit intended. They are both the words of the human author AND the words of God himself.

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NLT) Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

This is why we can trust the Bible. It is not just the thoughts of humans, but God speaking to us, through the human authors.

1 Corinthians 2:13 (NLT) When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.

Consider that the Bible was written by over 40 authors, over a period of 2000 years. They lived in different cultures, in different time periods, and spoke different languages. Yet in spite of this diversity, the Bible tells one unified story: about God, humanity, God’s people, our sin, redemption. How did they write with so much unity over so long a time? Because the Bible comes from God himself. That’s why we can trust it. It’s not just thoughts of humans, but God speaking to us.

The Bible Is Translated into Our LanguageThe Bible comes to us through translation. It was not originally written in English, but in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. The Bible has been translated into many languages throughout the world, and continues to be. Many translations are available today that are clear, readable, understandable, and true to the original.

Since we don’t have the original writings of any Bible author, are our Bibles today reliable? It’s important to understand that the transmission of the Bible to us is trustworthy. Scribes who copied the Bible were scrupulous to follow careful disciplines. We have thousands of copies of the New Testament to compare. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in the 1940’s showed that over hundreds of years, coping of the Bible was remarkably reliable.

So this large collection of existing manuscripts shows us what the original must have been. When translators draw on the witness of these existing manuscripts, it creates confidence that the Bible translations we have, have not been tampered with.

English language translations follow two approaches: formal equivalence (word for word) and dynamic equivalence (thought for thought). Word for word translations often fail to capture the meaning of idioms. If you translate an idiom word for word it completely loses its meaning. For example, Matthew 9:15 (NLT) says, “Do wedding guests mourn while celebrating with the groom?” The phrase “wedding guests” is literally: “sons of the wedding hall”. If this was translated word for word, the meaning of the original text would be obscured. Yet thought for thought translations can introduce more of the translator’s interpretation into the text. Interpretation is always a factor in the process of translation from one language to another, no matter which approach is preferred, because no two languages have exact correspondence of vocabulary or grammar. But the translator’s goal is to minimize the interpretations added in the process.

The TakeawayGod has gone to a great effort to get the Bible in your hands. Copyists and translators worked hard to attain accuracy. People have even given up their lives to give us our Bibles today. The Bible you have came at a heavy price. God thought that price was worth it, because the words of the Bible are so powerful. So where did the Bible come from? Came from God. When you read the Bible, you are encountering God himself.

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The key to resilience isn’t stuffing your emotions, it’s harnessing them. Feelings aren’t sinful. They are signposts to draw us toward greater dependence on God. Our heart determines the outcome of our lives. That means mind, will, and emotions. We’re exploring some specific emotions and learning how to harness them for good.

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Today we’re joined again by Josh and Katie Walters, authors of the new book New Marriage, Same Couple. In today’s episode we talk through chapters 5-7 in the book as we cover the “T” in the STAY acronym: take quitting off the table.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

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This conversation explores the Israel-Hamas conflict and how Christians can think about and respond to it. The discussion covers the theological framework, the specific conflict between Israel and Hamas, the history of the conflict, and the objectives of Hamas. The revised charter of Hamas in 2017 is examined, highlighting their anti-Israel stance. The conversation emphasizes the spiritual battle behind the conflict and the importance of prayer. The conclusion encourages listeners to pray for peace and understanding, and to approach the topic with biblical wisdom and love.

Takeaways:

Understand the theological framework for thinking about the Israel-Hamas conflict as a Christian.
Recognize the specific conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Be aware of the historical context of the conflict and the objectives of Hamas.
Engage in prayer for peace, understanding, and the salvation of all involved.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:49 Choosing Sides in the Conflict

04:10 Israel as the Good Guy

09:09 Hamas' Objectives

13:36 Revised Charter of Hamas in 2017

16:30 Historical Context of the Conflict

23:29 Partition Plans and Oslo Accords

27:19 Continued Conflict and Attacks

30:56 Spiritual Battle and Prayer

38:07 Response as Christians

43:03 Conclusion and Call to Prayer

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Today’s episode introduces the series, Bible Basics for LDS Investigators. Learn about how Mormons view the Bible, the difference between an open and closed canon, and the importance of studying the Bible. Bo and KD share their personal experiences of transitioning from Mormonism to biblical Christianity and the challenges they faced in understanding the Bible. The episode concludes with a preview of the topics that will be covered in the upcoming episodes, including the structure of the Bible and common misinterpretations of scripture in Mormonism.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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The key to resilience isn’t stuffing your emotions, it’s harnessing them. Feelings aren’t sinful. They are signposts to draw us toward greater dependence on God.

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Today we're talking with Josh and Katie Walters about their recently released book, "New Marriage, Same Couple". In this episode, we explore aspects of forgiveness, the power of worship, blame shifting, and more!

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

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Summary

In this conversation, Josh and Katie Walters share their personal story of overcoming infidelity and rebuilding their marriage. They discuss the importance of starting with oneself and taking responsibility for one's actions and emotions. They emphasize the role of forgiveness in the healing process and the transformative power of worship. The conversation provides practical tips for finding worship music that can help in the journey of rebuilding a marriage. In this conversation, Katie and Josh Walters discuss their journey of rebuilding their marriage after infidelity. They emphasize the importance of choosing a posture of love and humility, feeding their souls with things that honor God, and seeing their situation with different eyes. They also share their experience with confession therapy, where they brought their hidden thoughts, desires, and emotions to the light, leading to intimacy and healing. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the importance of using resources like workbooks and processing with others, as well as the significance of taking quitting off the table in a marriage.

Takeaways

Choose a posture of love and humility in your marriage, focusing on the good in your spouse rather than dwelling on their faults.

Practice confession therapy by bringing your hidden thoughts, desires, and emotions to the light, fostering intimacy and healing in your relationship.

Utilize resources like workbooks and process the content with your spouse or a trusted couple to personalize and deepen your understanding.

Commit to taking quitting off the table in your marriage, vowing to work through challenges and believing that your best days are ahead.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the book and the couple's story

03:00 The devastating season and the confession

06:27 The hope for struggling couples

08:09 The four principles of rebuilding a marriage

09:29 Principle 1: Start with me

17:39 The importance of forgiveness

23:18 The role of worship in transformation

34:07 Practical tips for finding worship music

43:04 Choosing a Posture of Love and Humility

45:20 Confession Therapy: Starting with Me

51:43 Using the Workbook and Processing with Others

52:22 Taking Quitting Off the Table

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In this episode, Bryan and John discuss the Israel-Hamas conflict from a theological perspective. They explore the concepts of dispensationalism and covenant theology and how they shape the understanding of the conflict. They dive into the promises made to Israel in Genesis 12 and the conditions attached to those promises. They emphasize the importance of praying for both Israel and the Palestinians, and the need for all people, including Jews, to accept Jesus as their Savior. The episode sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the conflict's history and current situation in the next episode.

Takeaways:

Understanding the Israel-Hamas conflict requires a theological perspective.
Dispensationalism emphasizes a unique plan for Israel and sees the promises made to Israel in the Bible as literal and still applicable.
Covenant theology views God's relationship with humanity through covenants and emphasizes the continuity between the Old and New Testaments.
Believing in Jesus is essential for salvation, and Christians should pray for the salvation of all people involved in the conflict.
Praying for peace and the spread of the gospel in the region is crucial for Christians.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Purpose

01:01 Understanding the Israel-Hamas Conflict Theologically

04:24 Dispensationalism: A Unique Plan for Israel

06:23 Genesis 12: The Promised Land and Dispensationalism

19:53 Covenant Theology: God's Relationship with Humanity

27:37 The Importance of Believing in Jesus for Salvation

29:44 Praying for Israel and the Palestinians

41:23 Conclusion and Preview of Next Episode

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The dispensational view is a theological framework that divides history into distinct periods, or "dispensations," during which God interacts with humanity in different ways. In the context of Israel, dispensationalism often emphasizes a unique plan for the nation of Israel separate from the Church. It suggests that God has distinct purposes for Israel and the Church and that these purposes unfold in different dispensations.

According to dispensationalism, God made specific promises to Israel in the Old Testament, such as land promises, which are yet to be fulfilled. Proponents believe in a future period (often associated with a literal interpretation of certain biblical prophecies) where God will fulfill these promises to Israel. This perspective contrasts with covenant theology, which sees a more unified and spiritual continuity between Israel and the Church.

Dispensationalists often highlight key biblical passages to support their views. Some foundational elements include:

Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3): Dispensationalists emphasize God's promises to Abraham, particularly the land promise, suggesting a future fulfillment for Israel.
Davidic Covenant (2 Samuel 7:12-16): The covenant with David is seen as a promise of an eternal kingdom, often interpreted as a future millennial reign of Christ on Earth.
New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34): While associated with the Church in most theological perspectives, dispensationalists may distinguish between the New Covenant's application to Israel and the Church, emphasizing a distinct future role for Israel.
Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24-25): Jesus' teachings on the end times, including signs and events, are frequently referenced to support dispensational views about a future tribulation period and Christ's return.
Revelation (especially chapters 4-22): Dispensationalists often interpret the events described in the book of Revelation, including the tribulation and millennial kingdom, as literal future events.

These scriptures, among others, are central to the dispensationalist understanding of God's plan for Israel and the Church, with a focus on a future restoration and fulfillment of God's promises to the nation of Israel. It's important to note that interpretations can vary, and not all Christians agree on the specifics of dispensationalism.

Key Figures in DispensationalismThe dispensational view has its roots in the teachings of John Nelson Darby (1800–1882), an Irish Anglican clergyman who later became a prominent figure among the Plymouth Brethren, a Christian movement emphasizing the authority of the Bible and the imminent return of Christ. Darby developed and popularized dispensationalism during the 19th century.

Key features of Darby's dispensationalism include the division of history into distinct dispensations, each characterized by specific divine principles and responsibilities. Darby's ideas gained momentum in the United States through the influence of the Scofield Reference Bible, first published in 1909 by Cyrus I. Scofield. The Scofield Bible included notes and commentary aligning with dispensationalist theology, making these ideas accessible to a broader audience.

Another influential figure in the development of dispensationalism was Lewis Sperry Chafer (1871–1952), who founded Dallas Theological Seminary in 1924. The seminary became a major hub for dispensational teaching and contributed to the spread of this theological framework.

J. Dwight Pentecost (1915–2014) and Charles C. Ryrie (1925–2016) were notable dispensationalist scholars who also taught at Dallas Theological Seminary and furthered the development of dispensational theology through their writings and teachings.

Dispensationalism gained significant popularity in certain evangelical circles in the 20th century, particularly in the United States, where it became associated with certain strains of fundamentalism. However, it's essential to note that dispensationalism has evolved, and there are variations within this theological framework.

While Darby and Scofield were pivotal in shaping dispensationalism, its ideas have continued to develop and be refined by various scholars over the years. Today, there are different forms of dispensationalism, ranging from classical dispensationalism to progressive dispensationalism, each with its nuanced perspectives on the end times and the role of Israel in God's plan.

Covenant TheologyCovenant theology is a theological framework that views God's relationship with humanity through covenants, emphasizing continuity between the Old and New Testaments. Unlike dispensationalism, covenant theology sees a unified plan of redemption for both Israel and the Church. Here are key points and associated scripture references:

Covenant of Works: Covenant theologians often point to the idea of a covenant made with Adam in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15-17). This covenant represents God's expectations for obedience and the consequences of disobedience.
Covenant of Grace: This central covenant, according to covenant theology, is established after the fall, promising salvation through faith in Christ. Key passages include Genesis 3:15 (the promise of a seed), Jeremiah 31:31-34 (the promise of a new covenant), and Galatians 3:16 (linking the covenant to Christ).
Abrahamic Covenant: While dispensationalists focus on the land promise, covenant theologians emphasize the spiritual aspects of the Abrahamic Covenant. Galatians 3:7-9 and Romans 4:13 highlight the idea that Abraham is the father of all who have faith.
Davidic Covenant: Covenant theologians view the Davidic Covenant as finding its fulfillment in Christ, the ultimate King of David's lineage. This is referenced in passages like Acts 2:29-36 and Revelation 22:16.
New Covenant: Unlike the dispensationalist view, covenant theologians see the New Covenant as applying to both Jews and Gentiles within the unified body of Christ, the Church. Key passages include Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Hebrews 8:6-13.

In covenant theology, the emphasis is on the overarching theme of God's redemptive plan woven throughout history, with Christ as the focal point. The covenants are seen as different administrations of the one covenant of grace, leading to the salvation of God's people.

Key contributors to covenant theologyCovenant theology has been shaped by the insights and contributions of various theologians throughout history. Here are some key contributors:

John Calvin (1509–1564): Theologians often credit Calvin with laying the groundwork for covenant theology. While he did not develop a comprehensive covenant theology system, his theological ideas, especially those related to the covenant of grace, influenced later covenant theologians.
Herman Witsius (1636–1708): A Dutch Reformed theologian, Witsius made significant contributions to the development of covenant theology. His work "The Economy of the Covenants Between God and Man" is a notable systematic treatment of covenant theology.
Johannes Cocceius (1603–1669): Cocceius, a Dutch theologian, played a crucial role in advancing covenant theology. He emphasized a historical-redemptive understanding of the Bible, viewing Scripture as presenting a series of covenants that progressively unfold God's plan of redemption.
Francis Turretin (1623–1687): A Swiss-Italian Reformed theologian, Turretin contributed to the articulation of covenant theology in his systematic theology work "Institutes of Elenctic Theology." He explored various aspects of covenantal relationships between God and humanity.
Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758): Edwards, an American theologian and preacher, integrated covenant theology into his writings and sermons. His emphasis on God's covenantal faithfulness and the centrality of Christ in the covenant aligns with covenant theology principles.
Geerhardus Vos (1862–1949): A Dutch Reformed theologian who later became a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, Vos contributed significantly to biblical theology and covenant theology. His writings, including "Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments," explored the unfolding of God's redemptive plan through covenants.
Meredith G. Kline (1922–2007): An influential Reformed theologian and Old Testament scholar, Kline made notable contributions to covenant theology. His work, particularly on the structure and significance of biblical covenants, has had a lasting impact on covenant theology discussions.

These theologians, among others, have played crucial roles in shaping and advancing covenant theology, providing insights into the biblical understanding of God's covenants and their significance in the overall redemptive plan.

What’s the difference?Theological views that often stand in contrast to dispensationalism include various forms of covenant theology. Covenant theology provides an alternative framework for understanding the relationship between God and humanity, emphasizing a unified plan of redemption throughout history. While there are variations within covenant theology, it generally differs from dispensationalism in the following ways:

Unified Covenant of Grace: Covenant theology typically emphasizes a single, overarching covenant of grace that unfolds throughout both the Old and New Testaments. This perspective sees the various biblical covenants as different administrations of the same covenant rather than as separate dispensations.
Continuity between Israel and the Church: Covenant theology often emphasizes the spiritual continuity between Israel and the Church. It sees the Church as the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel rather than positing a future fulfillment for national Israel distinct from the Church.
Less Emphasis on Future Events: While both dispensationalism and covenant theology are concerned with eschatology (the study of end times), covenant theology may place less emphasis on a specific future period such as a seven-year tribulation or a literal millennial kingdom.
Different Interpretation of Prophecy: Covenant theology tends to interpret Old Testament prophecies, especially those concerning Israel, more spiritually or allegorically. It may see the fulfillment of these prophecies in the Church rather than in a future, distinct period for national Israel.
Christ as the Center: Covenant theology often places a strong emphasis on Christ as the central figure in God's plan of redemption. The covenants are seen as finding their fulfillment in Christ, the mediator of the covenant of grace.

It's important to note that within covenant theology, there are various perspectives and nuances. Additionally, some theological traditions, such as New Covenant Theology, offer alternative perspectives that share common ground with aspects of both dispensationalism and covenant theology. The diversity of views reflects the richness and complexity of theological discussions within Christianity.

Is this the same thing as reformed theology?No, while there are connections between them, Reformed theology and covenant theology are not identical, and one does not necessarily imply the other. Let's clarify their relationship:

Reformed Theology:
Overview: Reformed theology is a broader theological tradition rooted in the principles of the Protestant Reformation, particularly associated with the teachings of John Calvin. It encompasses a comprehensive system of Christian doctrine that extends beyond specific views on covenants.
Doctrinal Emphases: Reformed theology emphasizes doctrines such as the sovereignty of God, the authority of Scripture, the depravity of humanity, salvation by grace through faith, and the glory of God in all things.
Covenant Theology:
Overview: Covenant theology, on the other hand, is a specific theological framework for understanding the biblical narrative. It emphasizes the idea of covenants as central to God's relationship with humanity.
Doctrinal Emphases: Covenant theology sees a unified plan of redemption through covenants, often highlighting a covenant of works with Adam, a covenant of grace throughout history, and specific biblical covenants as administrations of this overarching covenant.

While many Reformed theologians adhere to covenant theology, not all Reformed Christians necessarily embrace it. Reformed theology is a broader umbrella that encompasses a diversity of perspectives on various theological issues, including different views on covenants. Some Reformed theologians may align more closely with a dispensational understanding of covenants or other theological frameworks.

In summary, covenant theology is a specific approach to understanding God's relationship with humanity, and it has connections to Reformed theology, but the two terms are not synonymous. Reformed theology encompasses a broader set of doctrinal emphases beyond the specific framework of covenant theology.

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Will a Christian, once saved, stay saved? Or do people have the capacity to reject the salvation they once chose? Can they turn from Jesus after having embraced Jesus? Calvinists do not believe so. If a person has truly been regenerated by an act of God, then they will continue in salvation to the very end of their lives. This is called “perseverance of the saints.” Arminians believe that Christians can persevere, but don’t believe they are guaranteed to never fall away.

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The Real QuestionWe’ve talked about the Calvinist T-U-L-I-P, an acronym that summarizes the main points of Calvinist theology. Calvinists like to joke that the Arminian flower is not a tulip, but a daisy. They imagine someone picking the petals off a daisy, saying, “He loves me. He loves me not.” This uncertainty about salvation is a misrepresentation of Arminian thinking. If a Christian is to lose their salvation, it is not because God is fickle or withholds his love.

Like in so many other areas of this debate, at the heart of this issue is human choice. If a person initially chose to respond to God’s invitation, what would prevent that person from changing their mind and rejecting God’s invitation, at a later date?

The question is not: “Can Christians lose their salvation because they sin?” Some people wonder if they can fall out of God’s grace by living a worldly life, or by committing some kind of unpardonable sin. But generally, neither Calvinists nor Arminians believe that a genuine Christian will ever be disqualified by God from salvation based on how well he or she lived up to God’s law or lived a holy life.

The real question is whether a person, once saved, can choose to not be saved. Having embraced Jesus Christ by faith, can a person later choose to reject Jesus Christ and thus be eternally lost?

Absolute Security in ChristThe Calvinist view is that perseverance to the end is a promise of God. Because God is the author and finisher of our faith, we cannot fall away from salvation. Since God’s will cannot be changed or influenced, not a single one whom God has chosen, for whom Christ died, and who were drawn and transformed by God’s irresistible pull of grace, can ultimately be lost. All of them will be glorified when Christ returns. Based on the direct gift of grace from God in their lives, all those who are delivered by God’s grace in this way will show evidence of it by living a life of perseverance in faith and obedience to the Word. They may have ups and downs in their intimacy with and obedience to God. They may have times of wandering. But because believers are kept in faith by the power of God, the elect will ultimately persevere in righteousness and will never lose their salvation.

Calvinists argue this conclusion from the sovereign nature of God. If God is king of the universe, his will cannot be successfully opposed. What God chooses will come to pass. Thus those whom he has called to be saved will never fall away.( John 6:39; 10:28).

Some also argue for the perseverance of believers based on the essential nature of salvation. The New Testament describes salvation as much more than just a transaction between two parties. A mere transaction could become void if either party backs out. But salvation is based on a covenant, ratified by the blood of Jesus, which God will always keep even if we don’t (2 Timothy 2:13).

More to the point, salvation involves the transformation of a believer’s nature. Someone who was spiritually dead is made alive (Ephesians 2:5). Is that act of God to grant life reversible? Likewise, a Christian is someone who has died with Christ (Romans 7:4). Anyone in Christ is a new creation. “The old is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Christians have a new nature, created after the likeness of God as truly righteous and holy (Ephesians 4:22-24). Consider this illustration. A butterfly can never go back to being a caterpillar again. Why not? Because its fundamental nature has been changed. It is no longer what it once was. This kind of change seems irrevocable. A child, once born, cannot enter its mother’s womb again. Human beings, once born again of the Spirit, cannot revert to their previous existence, because their new condition is based on the transformative work of God.

Calvinists tend to emphasize Bible passages that focus on the power of God and the eternal nature of his work in a believer’s life:

Matthew 24:24 – For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.

It seems that it is not possible to deceive the elect in a way that nullifies their salvation.

Luke 15:11-32 – “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!’ I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and you…”’

The prodigal son falls away for a time, but not permanently. He never stops being a child of his father.

John 4:14 – “But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring with them, giving them eternal life.”

This is an unconditional promise. Those who drink the water of salvation will never be thirsty again.

John 6:39 – “And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.”

God’s will is that of all he gives Christ, none should perish. So perseverance is based on the success of Jesus to accomplish the Father’s will.

John 10:28 – “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me…”

Jesus gives believers eternal life and they shall never perish.

Romans 8:29-30 – For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that this Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

Those whom God calls he also justifies and glorifies. Glorification is a future event. Those called by God and justified will make it to that point.

1 Corinthians 1:8 – He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns.

The verse doesn’t say that in the future, when Christ returns, believers MAY still be free from all blame, but they WILL be.

Philippians 1:6 – I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Christians are assured that God will complete what he began in them.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 – Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.

The final verse gives the assurance that “God will make this happen”. So perseverance is based on God’s faithfulness, not ours.

1 John 2:19 – These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.

Apostasy reveals that a person “never really belonged with us.” When people leave the faith, it proves that they were never truly regenerated.

Conditional Security in ChristGenerally, Arminians hold that true believers can forsake faith in Christ and perish as unbelievers. Because people have free will, and in the process of salvation can choose for or against God, it must then be possible to fall away from this grace. God can never impose his will upon us in a way that we lose our free will. If salvation is conditional upon faith, it follows that an individual can recant their faith and reject God’s grace at any time. If someone goes from being an unbeliever to a believer, that person will be saved. If he or she goes from a believer to an unbeliever, that person will be lost.

Calvinists respond: if someone who once professed Christ no longer appears to have faith, one of two things must be true. Either that person is still a believer and has fallen away from following God for a time (though not from salvation). Or that individual was never saved in the first place. They are always weeds among the wheat (Matthew 13:24-230), which are not easily distinguished from the real thing. They may have even been convinced that their faith was real, when it was not. Arminians, in turn, bring up the many examples of people who have impressive track records of loving, trusting, and serving Christ, often for years, but who ultimately fall away from him. During those years of bearing fruit, their self-awareness was of fully being a follower of Jesus. Did they really never trust Jesus, or have the Holy Spirit?

Early Arminians left the question of absolute security in Christ open, as did Arminius himself. However, they expressed doubt about whether the doctrine of perseverance is taught in Scripture, and emphasized an individual’s personal responsibility. But the Wesleyan branch of Arminians would later conclude that it is indeed possible to be truly regenerated and yet fall away and ultimately perish. Arminians in general thus deny three of the five points of Calvinism (unconditional election, limited atonement, and irresistible grace), while Wesleyan Arminians deny four of the five (the three above, and perseverance of the saints).

The Arminian approach to perseverance is that God’s grace is absolutely all a Christian needs to be able to persevere. Upon conversion, a believer receives the life-giving Holy Spirit, and thus has every ability to win the spiritual battle against Satan, sin and the world. A person will persevere in salvation as long as he or she remains in Christ. This security is grounded in the ongoing work of Christ and in the promises of his word, rather than in some unknowable divine decree. A person who wants to persevere in faith can always do so because of God’s provision.

Arminians emphasize Bible texts that suggest believers can forsake their faith and forfeit salvation:

Matthew 5:13 – “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as useless.”

It is possible for salt to lose its flavor, in which case it will not be kept.

John 15:6 – “Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.”

Vines can be cut off and burned if they don’t bear fruit.

Romans 11:22 – Notice how God is both kind and severe. He is severe toward those who disobeyed, but kind to you if you continue to trust in his kindness. But if you stop trusting, you also will be cut off.

It is possible to be cut off “if you stop trusting.”

2 Corinthians 11:4 – You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.

The context of this verse is that people have fallen away, and Paul is trying to bring them back.

Galatians 5:4 – For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.

People in the Galatian church have fallen from grace and are cut off from Christ.

Hebrews 6:4-6 – For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened - those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come - and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance…

People who have experienced the Christian life can turn away irrevocably from God.

2 Peter 1:10 – So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away.

The implication is that those God called and chose can fall away, and there are actions to take to prevent it.

2 Peter 2:20-21 – And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. It would be better if they had never known the way of righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life.

People who know the way of righteousness can turn from it.

Revelation 2:5 – “Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.”

God threatens to remove the church’s lampstand if they do not repent.

Assurance of Being SavedThe question of perseverance raises a practical issue for Christians: how can we know with assurance that we are saved? What confidence do we have that we are, in fact, children of God, right with him, and forgiven of our sin?

Arminians often argue that if salvation is based on some unknowable decree of God, no one can know before the end of this life whether or not they are among the elect. They can never be sure that their faith will endure to the end until it actually does endure to the end. Only then will it be proven to have been genuine. So the security of salvation, they say, does not actually contribute to a person’s sense of confidence in their salvation.

Calvinists say that if one cannot be sure whether or not they will indeed persevere in the faith, then that person cannot possibly have any assurance of salvation along the way. Arminians reply that the Bible gives assurance of present salvation only, which is based on present faith in the work of Christ. Based on the promises of God, as long as one trusts in Christ, he or she can have assurance of salvation.

Both groups have much common ground when it comes to assurance of salvation. In practice, both experience assurance by the same means. This includes subjective experiences like a personal sense of belief (1 John 5:12-13), a changed life (1 John 3:9,14) and the inner witness of the Spirit (Romans 8:16). It also includes confidence in objective truths, including the promises, love, mercy of God, and in the merits of Christ’s blood.

Both Calvinists and Arminians appeal to the same verses to give believers confidence in their relationship with God:

Romans 8:16 - For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.
Galatians 4:6-7 - And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

Our heart’s approach to God as a father is evidence of the Spirit’s work. He confirms to our inner self that we are truly God's children.

1 John 3:9 - Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.

One proof that we are children of God is that we don’t keep on habitually sinning. Our motives and behavior change.

1 John 5:11-13 - And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life. I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life.

Objectively, if you have the Son, you have eternal life. John writes to give believers confidence about their eternal standing: “so that you may know….” Who are the ones who have the Son? The ones “who believe in the name of the Son of God.”

The TakeawayHow do our doctrines about perseverance affect our discipleship? Consider this illustration: we’re riding in the back of a pick-up truck. The tailgate may be open or it may not. If you don’t want to fall out, then you will stay as close to the cab as possible. In the same way, whether it is possible for Christians to lose their salvation or not, the lesson is to stay as close to Jesus as you can. Someone who is staying close to Jesus will not fall away.

In the end, both the ones who believe in perseverance and the ones who don’t will live the same way. They will seek to honor God. They will live for God’s purposes, adopting his mission in the world. They will bear the fruit of an obedient life.

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Today we’re joined by Josh and Katie Walters, authors of the new book New Marriage, Same Couple. In today’s episode we get a sneak peek into the book and their amazing story that led to its writing. "For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health." We say those words and mean them. Until we don't. This is a book about creating a different, better, new kind of marriage with the exact same person—no matter how dire the circumstances—with vision, commitment, and hope in the Lord.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

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Today is our last episode for 2023, and we’ll take a look at some of the topics coming up in 2024. Got a question you’d like us to cover in a future podcast? Want to share your story in 2024? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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Joy for many can be hard to find, especially around the holidays. In today’s lesson we’ll explore the concept of joy and how it's not a feeling but a decision we make.

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Luke 2:8-11 (NLT) That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”
Joy for many can be hard to find, especially around the holidays.
Overwhelmed with problems:
Financial burdens
Relationship problems
Depression, anxiety
In contrast, share a funny personal story through the eyes of a child’s joyful expectation of gifts, not necessarily Jesus. (Joy quickly evaporates when gifts don’t meet expectations and conversely explodes when gifts exceed them.)

Trans: so what, exactly, is JOY?

Most people think of joy as fundamentally a FEELING
Examples:
But here’s a more biblical definition: Joy is a decision.
Let’s break that down into two parts…

Promises over ProblemsJoy is a decision to elevate God’s promises over our problems. Trust what God says more than what we see. Enemy’s tactics: Gen 3, Peter on water

Otherwise, God wouldn’t command it. Joy is a clear mandate from scripture & fruit of the Spirit. (Supporting texts) To be a Christian, and to be a scrooge or a grinch, is to sin!
Explain from scripture the mandate and the example of Paul in spite of his circumstances!
James 1:2 (NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
He’s not saying it IS joyful, he’s telling us to make an unnatural decision
Throw the trump card over every situation in your life
Philippians 4:4-5 (NLT) Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
The enemy’s playbook is through our thoughts

You Last

Joy is a decision to put yourself last, not first. Doesn’t feel natural at all. JOY acronym

The source of our joy is a person and the promises he has secured for His people.
Time for a cheesy (but memorable) acronym
J - starts with Jesus
Joy is a decision to elevate God’s promises over our problems.
Do you know his promises? Let’s make a list:
O - then focus on others
Have you noticed that the most depressed people are self-absorbed?
Antidote to depression = find someone to serve
That’s a decision for sure; by nature you don’t want to serve someone
What’s God’s promise around this?
Ephesians 6:7-8 (NLT) Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do….
Y - you last

Joy is not fundamentally a feeling, but over time our decisions will drive our feelings. Feelings are the caboose, not the engine.

James 1:2 (NLT) Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.
It’s not joy yet… but the feelings with come down the road

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Calvinists and Arminians agree that humans are saved by God’s grace alone. But how does grace work? Does God apply grace in advance to allow people the capacity to follow him? Or does God apply grace to those who are chosen, in order to actually bring about their salvation?

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Because human beings are fallen and sinful, they are not able to think, will, nor do anything good in and of themselves, including believe the gospel of Christ. Unaided by God’s grace, no one can choose to please God or to believe the promise of salvation held out in the gospel. But how does grace work?

Does God give grace to allow sinners the ability to choose whether or not to accept or reject the message of salvation? Or does God apply grace to actually accomplish salvation for those sinners whom he has already chosen?

Irresistible GraceCalvinists believe that because God’s grace is only applied to the elect, that grace cannot be resisted. They explain that there are two ways God calls people to repentance. The first is the outer call, which is extended to anyone who hears the gospel. This can be and often is rejected. By contrast, the internal call is extended only to the elect and can never be rejected. This internal call always results in conversion. They argue that people are spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1). Physically dead persons are incapable of responding to any external message or stimulus. Likewise, spiritually dead people must be given spiritual life before they can respond to God’s call. The Holy Spirit, in cooperation with the will of the Father, gives the gift of salvation to the elect. God then bestows to them the faith which Christ secured for them at the cross. Finally, the Spirit leads these spiritually regenerated sinners to cooperate with God and repent, which leads to their conversion. The Spirit graciously causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, to come freely and willingly to Christ.

In this view, God’s grace never fails to result in the salvation of those to whom it is applied. As a result, God’s grace is never thwarted. Calvinists believe that if the Spirit’s regenerating work does not come before both faith and repentance, these responses become human works. But the Spirit, they say, is not limited in his work of salvation by human will, nor is he dependent on human cooperation. Thus salvation is entirely and only a work of God.

Followers of Calvinism focus on Bible texts that emphasize the impossibility of a human sinner’s response to God, the priority of God’s will over human will, and the effectiveness of God’s grace.

John 6:37-39 – “Those the Father has given to me will come to me, and I will never reject them. For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day.”

Jesus says that those given to him by the Father WILL come. He doesn’t say “maybe” of “if.” Based on God’s will, not one of them will be lost.

John 6:44 – “For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up.”

God doesn’t seem to draw everyone to Jesus, but only those who will actually come to him.

John 1:12-13 – But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn – not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

Spiritual birth does not come from human decision or action, but from God. As the NIV puts it: “Children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

Romans 8:8 – That is why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

Unbelievers are under the control of the sinful nature and thus can never do anything pleases God, including repentance and faith. This is true in spite of prevenient grace, which suggests that regeneration must precede faith and repentance.

Prevenient GraceArminians agree with Calvinists that salvation is entirely of grace. But they believe that the grace of God, which regenerates and saves sinners, is not an irresistible force.While both groups agree that people often do resist God’s grace, Arminians teach that this resistance is not conquered by God in any way that would violate any person’s unlimited free will.

Although the Holy Spirit is instrumental in salvation, he does not force anyone into repentance. The Spirit merely attracts and enlightens people. If any of them, in their free will, choose to believe in Christ, those people then begin to exercise repentance and saving faith. In response, the Holy Spirit then regenerates then. If the Calvinist order of salvation is regeneration, then faith and repentance, leading to conversion, the order for Arminians is faith and repentance, leading to regeneration and conversion. Faith is the cause, not the result, of regeneration. Faith is what allows the Holy Spirit to do His regenerating work in the new believer.

Considering the call of God to sinners, the Spirit calls inwardly all those who are also called outwardly by the gospel invitation. He does all that he can to bring every sinner to salvation. But as a free being, a human can successfully resist the Spirit’s call. Until the sinner responds, the Spirit cannot give life. God’s grace, therefore, is not invincible. It can be - and often is - thwarted by human beings.

Arminians often refer to the grace of God, which invites human beings to salvation, as “prevenient grace” (often called assisting grace, awakening grace, or cooperative grace.) Because fallen human beings are not capable, in their sinful condition, to respond to the gospel on their own, God’s prevenient grace comes before conversion and enables us to believe. Prevenient grace is said to restore man’s free will, which was impaired by the effects of original sin. This grace is extended to all human beings to make it possible for them to choose or refuse the salvation God offers in Jesus Christ. Those who resist God’s grace will be lost, but those who do not resist will be able to accept the gift of salvation. So because God dispenses his calling, drawing, and convicting grace in such a way that people may reject it, saving grace is resistible.

Arminians emphasize passages in the Bible that provide examples of people spurning God’s grace, and of belief coming before regeneration.

Matthew 23:37 – “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her sings, and you were not willing.”

Jesus’ desire to gather the people of Jerusalem was thwarted, because he allowed for people to determine their own relationship with him.

Luke 7:30 – But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.

It is possible for people to reject God’s purpose or what God wills.

John 12:32, 37 - “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”... Even after Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.

Jesus draws ALL people to himself, but many choose not to believe.

Titus 2:11 - For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people.

Grace brings salvation to ALL people. Arminians don’t mean universal salvation, but the universal offer of salvation.

The TakeawayTo summarize, for Calvinists, salvation is accomplished by the almighty power of God. The entire process is the work of God and is by grace alone. God, not man, determines who will be the recipients of the gift of salvation. For Arminians, salvation is accomplished through the combined efforts of God (who takes the initiative) and man (who must respond). Since a human response is the determining factor, God does not ultimately determine who will receive the gift of salvation.

For Calvinists, the sovereignty of God is at stake. Is God really in charge of the universe? Can the will of a truly sovereign God ever be thwarted? For Arminians, human free will is at stake. If the human will is not free, can people really be held accountable for their choices?

In spite of these two very different perspectives, ultimately, the experience of the Christian life is no different whether you believe in irresistible grace or prevenient grace. Regardless of the order of factors involved in salvation (whether faith precedes regeneration, or vice versa), once you have been born again, everything the Bible says about who you are in Christ, and how you live to honor God, is true whichever approach you take. This is why the best Calvinists and the best Arminians look very much alike when it comes to living the Christian life. Regardless of how we understand God’s saving grace, we all are still called to honor God with how we live, and to make disciples who will likewise honor him.

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In this episode we discuss Lesson Five of Preach My Gospel, which focuses on laws and ordinances in Mormonism. We explore the concept of salvation in Mormonism and how it differs from the Christian understanding of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. We also discuss the role of priesthood in Mormonism and the expectations and duties placed on priesthood holders. Finally, we touch on the significance of temples and family history in Mormonism. The conversation covers various topics related to Lesson 5 of the missionary manual.

Takeaways:

Mormonism teaches that salvation is earned through obedience to laws and ordinances, whereas Christianity teaches that salvation is a free gift received through faith in Jesus Christ.

The concept of priesthood in Mormonism includes specific roles and responsibilities for men and women, with an emphasis on worthiness and service.

Missionary work is a central focus in Mormonism, with the goal of sharing the Mormon faith and inviting others to join the Church.

Eternal marriage is a key doctrine in Mormonism, with the belief that marriages performed in Mormon temples can last beyond death and into the eternities.

Temples and family history play a significant role in Mormonism, with the belief that performing ordinances for deceased ancestors can bring blessings and ensure eternal family connections. The introduction of computers and the internet has made church records more accurate.

Service and callings are important aspects of Mormonism, with callings being seen as coming directly from God.

Enduring to the end in Mormonism involves staying on the covenant path and keeping commitments and covenants.

As a Christian, the focus is on Jesus and His work, rather than personal works.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Acknowledgment

00:36 Lesson Five: Laws and Ordinances

06:39 Understanding Salvation in Mormonism

12:56 The Concept of Priesthood in Mormonism

19:09 Worthiness and Duties of Priesthood Holders

23:12 Missionary Work in Mormonism

28:03 Eternal Marriage in Mormonism

40:21 Temples and Family History

44:01 Accuracy of Church Records

45:00 Updating Church Databases

46:41 Service and Callings

49:01 Enduring to the End

53:29 Closing the Lesson

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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Christmas brings to mind the theme of peace, but ironically it’s one of the most stressful times of year! In today’s lesson we’ll explore the concept of peace (“Shalom” in Hebrew) and where it comes from in the Bible.

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Christmas brings to mind the theme of peace, but ironically it’s one of the most stressful times of year!

We’re supposed to have peace at Christmas time… but then we have to hang out with the inlaws?!
Early days of marriage, flying home for christmas, kids, presents, families, etc

In today’s lesson we’ll explore the concept of peace (“Shalom” in Hebrew) and where it comes from in the Bible.

We ended last time with Isaiah 9:6-7 (NLT) For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
the first of Isaiah’s 25 references to peace!

Context for Judah in Isaiah’s day

O.T. Peace was always about war ceasing and enemies being defeated.
Enemies attacking from North
King Ahaz wanted to form an alliance with pagan nations; God said to trust him, he would give a sign
Original meaning of Shalom - is much bigger than absence of conflict, wars ceasing.
It means to make things whole, complete. To restore, heal what’s broken.
Life is complex and stressful; shalom is God’s antidote to that.

Peace is not just the absence of conflict. It’s the presence of wholeness.

Trans: Today I want to talk about three types of “Shalom”

Peace with GodPeace with God is the starting point for wholeness in every other area of our lives. This kind of “shalom” happens in the spiritual realm: God makes peace with us through the person and work of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Our natural state is NOT shalom
We are enemies with God
We are children of wrath
We are broken, incomplete
Back to Isaiah. We already looked at 9:6. Look at the next verse:
Isaiah 9:7 (NLT) His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
(Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)) This will all be accomplished by the zeal of the Lord Almighty. The coming of the millennial kingdom depends on God, not Israel. The Messiah will rule because God promised it and will zealously see that the kingdom comes. Without His sovereign intervention there would be no kingdom for Israel.
(Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)) Apparently Isaiah assumed that the messianic Child, Jesus Christ, would establish His reign in one Advent, that when the Child grew up He would rule in triumph. Like the other prophets, Isaiah was not aware of the great time gap between Messiah’s two Advents (cf. 1 Peter 1:10-12; and see comments on Isa. 61:1-2).
The prophets knew God was up to something, but they didn’t know the details.
Isaiah 53:2 (NLT) My servant grew up in the LORD’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.
Isaiah 53:5 (NLT) But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
1 Peter 1:10-11 (NLT) This salvation was something even the prophets wanted to know more about when they prophesied about this gracious salvation prepared for you. They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterward.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT) For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
THAT is shalom.
Gospel in terms of reconciliation
Marriage example

Trans: Peace with God opens the door to the second level of shalom

Peace inside YOUWhen God forgives you, you’d be foolish not to forgive yourself.

It starts with what Christ already did (peace w God)

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
Romans 8:1-2 (NLT) So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

But what’s our part now? Back to Isaiah

Isaiah 26:3 (NLT) You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

In Hebrew, “perfect peace” = shalom shalom (wholeness)
We’re all more familiar with imperfect peace
(Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)) The prophet wrote a song that will be sung by the redeemed when the Messiah will establish the millennial kingdom. Isaiah was picturing himself standing in the redeemed land with the remnant listening to the people express their thanks to and confidence in God.
What are your thoughts fixed on?
For me: mind running, ruminating all the time, hard time sleeping, quieting mind
For many: guilt, shame
Inner peace comes from fixing your thoughts on what God says instead of what guilt says.
Philippians 4:8-9 (NLT) And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

When God forgives you, you’d be foolish not to forgive yourself.

TRANS: When you get that right, you can move on to the third level of shalom:

Peace with othersLife is complex and stressful; “shalom” is the antidote that God offers through his people.

Why is it that Christians today are often seen as troublemakers?
Proverbs 16:7 (NLT) When people’s lives please the LORD, even their enemies are at peace with them.
2 Corinthians 5:19-20 (NLT) For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

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Today we cover Lesson 4 in the LDS Missionary Lessons based on “Preach My Gospel”. This is the lesson where they talk about the commandments, many of which will sound familiar to Christians. The main difference? For Mormons the commandments are part of their system of works-righteousness.

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The Messianic expectation in the Bible refers to the anticipation and hope for the arrival of a Messiah, a savior figure who is prophesied to bring redemption, salvation, and restoration to God's people. In the Old Testament, various prophecies and promises point to a future anointed one, a descendant of David, who will establish God's kingdom, rule with justice, and bring about a time of hope. In the New Testament the Messiah is revealed: Jesus Christ. Today we talk about three key Messianic prophecies of hope in the Old Testament.

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Genesis 3 Genesis 3:15 (NLT) And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

This is called the “protoevangelium”, the first mention of the gospel in Scripture
Hostility: There will be a conflict between the descendants of the woman and the serpent.
Spiritual warfare
Sinful nature. Battling flesh vs spirit
Offspring: A specific descendant of the woman will be instrumental in this conflict.
Gen 12 starts to answer who this might be
Genesis 12:3 (NLT) I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”
Gen 49 gives more clues (Jacob’s blessings on his sons)
Genesis 49:10 (NLT) The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor.
Rest of the Bible reveals his identity: Jesus
You will strike his heel: cross
He will strike your head: resurrection
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The point is that for the rest of his life, when the snake crawls on his belly, he will "eat dust," an expression of "total defeat" (cf. Isa 65:25; Mic 7:17).
Isaiah 65:25 (NLT) The wolf and the lamb will feed together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. But the snakes will eat dust….
Micah 7:17 (NLT) Like snakes crawling from their holes, they will come out to meet the LORD our God. They will fear him greatly, trembling in terror at his presence.
The imagery is carried into the NT
Romans 16:20 (NLT) The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
Revelation 12:7-9 (NLT) Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.

Isaiah 7 Isaiah 7:14 (NLT) All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

Consider the background for this verse:
The Syro-Ephraimite War: In the 8th century BC, the region was characterized by political instability. The Northern Kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) and Syria (Aram or Aram-Damascus) formed an alliance against the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The intent was to force Judah into an anti-Assyrian coalition. King Ahaz of Judah faced the threat of invasion.
Ahaz's Response: Ahaz, fearing the combined military might of Israel and Syria, sought assistance from the powerful Assyrian Empire. However, the prophet Isaiah counseled Ahaz to trust in God rather than relying on foreign alliances. Isaiah assured Ahaz that the threat from Israel and Syria would not succeed.
Isaiah's Sign to Ahaz: Isaiah offered Ahaz a sign from God to confirm the promise of protection. That’s what Isaiah 7:14 is about. The precise interpretation of the sign has been a matter of discussion. The Hebrew word used for "virgin" in this context is "almah," which can refer to a young woman of marriageable age. The Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, uses the word "parthenos," which specifically means "virgin."
Immediate Fulfillment: In the immediate historical context, the birth of a child named Immanuel served as a sign to Ahaz that, by the time the child reached a certain age, the threat from Israel and Syria would be nullified. This could have referred to the birth of a child during Isaiah's time.
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The best view seems to be that the mother is a royal contemporary of the prophet, whose child's name would symbolize the presence of God with his people and who would foreshadow the Messiah in whom God would be incarnate. An unmarried young woman within the royal house would shortly marry and conceive. Her son would be called Immanuel ("God is with us"), probably in ignorance of the prophecy (which may have been given in the presence only of Ahaz) and possibly even as a presumptuous gesture to give the support of a complacent piety to the king's pro-Assyrian policy. Before the child is old enough to eat the characteristic solid food of the Land of Promise (and so well before the age of moral discretion), the Assyrians would lay waste the lands of Aram and Israel, which they did in 733-732 B.C., only a year or two after the prophecy was given.
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The "sign" of the child, therefore, constitutes an indication that the all-sovereign and all-knowing God has the situation completely in hand, and it rebukes the king's lack of faith in him. It is true that the instrument of this devastation was to be Assyria, the very power Ahaz was courting instead of relying wholly on God. But in fact the events of 733-732 not only heralded the downfall in 722 of Samaria--the capital city of the northern kingdom that was a large part of the domain of the house of David in its earlier days--but within a generation led to the devastation of Judah itself (cf. 1:7).
Prophetic Fulfillment: While Isaiah 7:14 had immediate relevance to the situation facing Ahaz, Christians have also seen it as having a Messianic significance, particularly in connection with the birth of Jesus Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise.
Matthew 1:18-23 (NLT) This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: 23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”

Isaiah 9 Isaiah 9:1-2 (NLT) Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.

Hope!
Galilee of the Gentiles. Hope isn’t just for Judah, but for all people
Matthew 4:12-17 (NLT) 12 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he left Judea and returned to Galilee. 13 He went first to Nazareth, then left there and moved to Capernaum, beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. 14 This fulfilled what God said through the prophet Isaiah: 15 “In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live, 16 the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.” 17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Light
John 1:4-5 (NLT) The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.
John 1:12 (NLT) But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
This is why Israel was “chosen” - not to be the exclusive children of God, but to bring the Messiah into the world… to bless the whole world!

Isaiah 9:6 (NLT) For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The word "child" is in a position of emphasis. The first person plural "us" suggests a link with 7:14. Just as the theme of the Branch of the Lord (see comment on 4:2) becomes more and more explicitly messianic, so it is with the motif of the child. If the child of Isa 7:14-16 typifies the ultimate divine Christ, the child of these verses is that Christ.
Wonderful Counselor
The Heb word is “pele” - it’s actually a noun
It’s not just saying that Jesus is a “wonderful” counselor
But that Jesus is a “wonder”
The word means: extraordinary, astounding, hard to understand
2000 yrs ago, wonder broke into our world = they named him Jesus
Everything about Jesus was unique, distinctive, amazing
Everything about him evoked wonder
Mighty God
Hebrew → El Gibbor
Means: God is a mighty warrior
This word has a connotation of military strength / power
But this is not just about Jesus’ raw power
It is also about his identity: God with us! (Is 7:14)
Everlasting Father
Hebrew → Aviad or Avi Ad
Means: “Father of Eternity”.
Father in this use: Author / Originator / Founder / Possessor.
So what we are seeing here is Isaiah using the term "father" to imply that Jesus is the originator or pioneer of eternity.
John 1:4 (NLT) The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.
Prince of Peace

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We’re going to discuss 5 strategies to allow the Bible to transform us like Paul talks about in Romans 12:2. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. We’re going to discuss hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on God’s Word for breakthrough.

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We’re heading into our last breakthrough discipline today and it’s probably the discipline you expected us to lead off with - reading the Bible. Hopefully, in this series, you’ve discovered that it isn’t the discipline in and of itself that gives us the full and abundant life Jesus promises; it’s what the discipline does. In John 15:5, Jesus said “I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing.” What all of these disciplines do is help us stay connected to the vine. Prayer and fasting, solitude, slowing, and silence, and spending time in God’s Word - all help us stay connected to Jesus.

We’re going to discuss 5 strategies to allow the Bible to transform us like Paul talks about in Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

HearingHearing the Word is reading through someone else. What can you learn about a passage from a godly pastor or mentor?

Right now you’re hearing from us, but a lot of what you’ll be hearing is the Word of God. You’re hearing God’s Word through us. That’s a very biblical concept. Going to church, having a mentor, listening to a podcast or online sermon are all simple ways to let God’s Word get into your life. The question you should be asking when you’re doing this first thing is what can you learn about a passage from a godly pastor or godly mentor in your life.

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.

Faith comes from hearing. Think about this in the context of the early church. We don’t realize how blessed we are to have bibles as individuals or to have the bible on our phone. To think that each of us can have access to a personal copy of the inspired Word of God would have been mind blowing to Christians in the early church. In the early church, only the very wealthy had books. Very few people had scripture in their personal possession. It was mainly hearing in the synagogue, hearing when they would come together in house churches. They would listen as someone else read from the scroll. Someone would read from the Old Testament, someone would read one of Paul’s letters to the churches and the majority of the people received God’s Word by hearing.
The same is true even for sharing the gospel. The scarlet thread of the gospel winds itself through the bible from the very first book to the very last book. But the gospel is a great example of something most of us heard before we read it

ReadingReading the Word (devotionally) is reading for application. What does the passage mean for you today?

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

One of my favorite passages in the Bible. I think men like things that are useful and helpful. To know that the Bible is literally God-breathed makes it unlike any other book in history. It means that when we read the Bible, it’s like sitting at God’s feet and listening to his words, listening to him tell you how much he loves you, how he created the world, how he wants you to live, how he’s coming back again to make all things new! We have such a privilege to have access to the very words of the almighty God of the universe! It’s no wonder Christians in places like North Korea and China weep when they get their hands on a copy of the bible. It’s no wonder people risk their lives to get bibles into countries that are closed. It’s no wonder Christians who are in those persecuted countries would rather lose their life than lose God’s written word - because it is God breathed. And yet, in many of our homes, it sits on a shelf somewhere collecting dust.
When you read the Word devotionally you’re asking yourself, what does this passage mean for me today? How does it apply to the situation I am facing? How does it impact the way I love my spouse or parent my children? Does it address how I should spend my time today, or how I should spend my money today?
There are different ways to read devotionally. Maybe you’re reading a daily devotional book that incorporates thoughts from the author with scripture. Maybe you’re reading a chapter a day in your bible, or you’re trying to read through the entire bible in a year. Some people make it a goal to read through the bible chronologically. There’s no absolute way to do it. These are all good ways to read the bible devotionally. And when we read it, we’re asking, how does this impact me right here and right now.
When I read devotionally, I like to ask myself four questions about the passage I am reading.
1. The first question I like to ask is does this passage tell me anything about God’s character? Do I learn something about the nature of God as I’m reading this?
1. Second, I ask, “Do I learn something about my character as I read this passage?” I’ll never forget the first time I really paid attention to Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is above all else deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it? I’ve never looked at my feelings or their trustworthiness the same way because that verse tells me something about my heart- that without Jesus, it is desperately wicked. I can’t trust my feelings.
1. Is there a command I need to obey in this passage?
1. Is there a promise I can claim in this passage? There are so many wonderful promises we can hold onto in the bible. And there are a lot of promises that people will tell you are made to us in the bible, that aren’t. They only way you’ll know which is which is if you spend time reading the Word.

StudyingStudying the Word is reading for interpretation. What did the passage mean in its original context?

Acts 17:11 And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Paul’s message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.

If reading devotionally is for application, studying the Word is for interpretation. This may be new for some of you. When you’re studying the Word, you’re not just looking at how it applies to you, but you’re asking what did it mean in its original context. What was being said to the original audience? How does this passage fit into the greater context of the bible or into the gospel story? Is this a fulfillment of a prophecy from earlier in scripture. You can study God’s word individually or you can do it in a small group or as a family.
I would encourage you to invest in some good, solid bible commentaries for this kind of reading. There are great, Godly professors and experts on this who have spent more time studying God’s word. I won’t say they’re smarter than you, but they’re definitely smarter than me. They’re often experts in the original languages that were used by the authors and they’re more familiar with the culture in which the original audience lived. This is so helpful when we’re asking, “How would the original audience have received this?”
New Bible Commentary
Expositor’s Bible Commentary
Enduring Word Commentary
Pillar New Testament Commentary
Olive Tree Bible App
There are also great, free tools online where you can read the passage side by side in the original Greek or Hebrew language and the English translation. I mentioned John 15:5 earlier “I am the vine and you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing.” I remember looking at the Greek lexicon for that several years ago and seeing that the original word that’s translated “remain” can also mean “to tarry with.” All of a sudden that verse had an even deeper meaning to me. Did I want to tarry with Jesus? Did I want time to slow down when I was hanging out with Jesus? You remember when you were first dating your spouse and it always seemed like it took an hour to say goodnight? And I’m not talking about the goodnight kiss. I just mean how you wanted just five more minutes in their presence before you left. I started asking Jesus to give me that same kind of desire for my time with him, that time would slow down when I was having my quiet time with him. That deeper understanding of the verse wouldn’t have happened without slowing down and studying that passage.

Think of how radical Paul’s message would have been to them. He was saying some crazy stuff to them. He was saying, “Hey! I’ve got great news! Jesus came to save us. Jesus is the Messiah! We’re not saved by following the Old Testament Law. We’re saved because Jesus perfectly followed the law and we’re saved when we place our faith in him.” They didn’t just take Paul’s word for it. They dug into the scriptures. Which in this case would have been the Old Testament. Maybe they looked in Genesis, Isaiah, or other Old Testament prophets and they started putting 2 and 2 together. They started to confirm the message Paul was preaching to them. They believed it because they studied the scriptures.
Some of you may want to push back and say, but why is it important that I dig in? I’ve already put my faith in Jesus. I believe He is who He says he is. Well, Jesus answers this for us in John 8:32..

John 8:32 And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free

The truth matters, and that means you need to study God’s Word. I encourage you, be a student of God’s word. It will provide blessing and freedom.

Memorizing Memorizing the Word is reading for readiness. Will you be able to recall the passage in a moment of crisis?

One of the things you’ll find as you read devotionally and study is that, from time to time, a verse or passage is going to jump right off of the page at you. That’s a good thing. And sometimes, when that happens, you should say, “I’m going to memorize this one.” You’re going to see things in scripture that speak to an area where you need breakthrough. You’re going to find things that bring you encouragement. You want to memorize those verses so that you can recall that passage in a moment of crisis. You can use it when you need it.
Men, when you’re on your phone at night and that image comes across the screen that you know you shouldn’t click on - 1 Corinthians 6:18 “Flee sexual immorality” Flee it! Don’t fight it. Don’t see how close to the line you can get without going over, run away!. Put the phone down, go in the other room, use your phone to look up a passage of scripture, whatever it takes. But let that verse be your trigger to get out of the situation.
If you’re in a season of life where you seem to be struggling with a lot of worry or anxiety. Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything. But in every situation with prayer and Thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
If you’re going through a trial or a loss in your life, and you just don’t see why God would allow this to happen, Romans 8:28 “ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose” Being able to recall that verse, in the moment, has helped me many times through the years.
When you’re stuck behind that guy in the fast lane who obviously doesn’t understand the concept of keep right except to pass - Luke 23:34 “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

When I hide his Word in my heart, I have it with me at all times.
Full Disclosure - I have peaks and valleys when it comes to memorizing God’s Word. I’ll have a season where I’m putting a new verse or two to memory every week, and then I get lax and forget half the ones I memorized and have to start over.

Matthew 3:3-4 During that time, the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The scriptures say people do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

So immediately following his baptism, we read in scripture that the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness where he would fast for 40 days. The devil tempts Jesus to break his fast. Look at what Jesus does when he’s tempted. He uses scripture! If Jesus, God in the flesh, used scripture when faced with temptation, how much more should we have it available when we face the schemes of the enemy? In fact, if you read though the full story in Matthew chapter 4, you’ll see the devil would tempt Jesus three different times and in each case, Jesus uses scripture to refute him. I also want to point out that the third time Satan tempted Jesus he tried to use distorted scripture to tempt Jesus. That’s why the disciplines of studying and reading devotionally that we looked at earlier are so important because the devil will even try to use twisted scripture to tempt and trick you. Satan hates God’s Word. He’ll try to distort it.

MeditatingMeditating on the Word is reading for transformation. Will you allow the Author of the passage to do his work within you?

Psalm 1:1-3 Oh the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.

I love the imagery of that. He doesn’t say “Oh the drudgery of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked. He says, “Oh the Joy!” Do you want a life that is joyful? Then delight in the law of the Lord! As you delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on it, you’re like a tree planted along the riverbank. You will bear fruit. You’ll be a refuge and provide shade for others. You’ll have strong roots that grow deep.
Our wives, children, and communities need men with strong roots.

Hebrews 4:12 For the Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

That’s why it’s hard to read sometimes, isn’t it? We’ve got those thoughts and desires that we stuff down and we can kind of ignore them in the busyness of the day, but when we slow down and get in God’s Word, it exposes them. There they are, staring us in the face. When you meditate on God’s Word, He begins to do his work in you. It’s like a surgeon’s knife. There are many places in scripture where God’s Word is likened to a sword. That’s a good thing. Let him operate on you. Let him do the work that only He can do.

The goal isn’t to get through the scriptures; the goal is to get the scriptures through us

When we let God’s Word work through us, it will change the way we think. When we change the way we think, it doesn’t stop there. It will naturally lead to breakthroughs in the way we act and speak as well.

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God has acted to redeem fallen humanity. He sent his Son to make the ultimate sacrifice on the cross to give his life to pay the price for sins and to reconcile sinners to a holy God. But for whom did Jesus actually die? Did he die on the cross for every human being (universal atonement), or only for those who are specifically chosen to believe (limited atonement)?

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Notes

What Is the Atonement?The Bible's central message is atonement. From the first stories in Genesis to the last visions of Revelation it is everywhere apparent that God seeks to reconcile his people to himself and that he has provided a way to do so.

God’s act of atonement is necessary because all people are sinners. We are universally alienated from and hostile to God. We are dead in our sins. We are subject to God’s hostility toward evil, and to his righteous judgment.

The New Testament presents the person and work of Christ as God's ultimate provision for atonement. The atonement of Christ is the sacrificial work of Jesus for sinners. In his death on the cross, Christ atoned for the sins of humanity such that God is satisfied and reconciliation is accomplished for all who will be redeemed. The obedience and death of Christ on behalf of sinners is the ground of redemption.

The death of God’s Son is the only perfect sacrifice and satisfaction for sins. It is of infinite value, more than enough to cover the sins of the whole world. This death is of such great worth because the person who submitted to it is not only a true and perfectly holy man, but also the only-begotten Son of God. He is of the same eternal and infinite essence with the Father and the Holy Spirit. These qualifications were necessary for him to be our Savior.

The atonement is described in many ways in the New Testament. Here are a few aspects of Christ’s atonement:

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (NLT) All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.
1 John 4:10 (NLT) This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Matthew 20:28 (NLT) “...just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 26:28 (NLT) “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

With this in mind, the question remains: for whom did Jesus die on the cross to accomplish this atonement?

Universal AtonementArminians believe that when Christ died he took upon himself every sin for every human being throughout time. Since God’s predestined purpose is to save believers in Christ, he sent Christ to die for all, so that whoever believes in him might be saved. The work of Christ is not limited to some particular or predestined group; it is for the whole world.

Thus the atonement is seen as a universally effective payment for sins. But Christ’s sacrifice does not actually save individuals. It only provides the potential for every individual to be saved, and so provides the basis for a universal offer of salvation. But the benefits of Christ’s death are applied when a human being responds to the offer of salvation by faith. Humans are able to freely choose or reject the atonement Jesus made on the cross. While Jesus, by his death on the cross, obtained redemption and forgiveness of sins for all, no one actually enjoys this forgiveness of sins except the believer.

In Exodus 12, the Passover Lamb was slain and the blood was applied to the doorposts of people’s homes to deliver Israel from God’s judgment on Egypt. Likewise Arminians distinguish between Christ’s death and the application of his blood to believers. Christ’s death makes salvation possible for all, and God desires all to believe and be saved through His blood, but only those who apply the atonement to themselves, by faith, are actually cleansed by Christ’s blood.

Many passages say that Christ died for the world or for all people. While “world” has a broad range of meanings, that range does not include any definition that would deny the conclusion that Christ died for everyone.

Arminians emphasize Bible passages that describe the universal scope of Jesus’ saving work:

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 12:32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
1 Timothy 2:3-6 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.
Hebrews 2:9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
1 John 2:2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

Limited AtonementSo for Arminians, Christ’s redeeming work made it possible for everyone to be saved, but it did not actually secure the salvation of anyone. Christ’s redemption becomes effective only if a person chooses to accept it. Calvinists believe, however, that Jesus fulfilled his atoning work only for the elect. In order to accomplish the salvation of those God has previously chosen, God sent Jesus, his Son, to die specifically for the sins of his chosen, so that they can receive eternal life.

Calvinists celebrate the real efficacy of what Jesus accomplished. When he took the sins of the elect upon himself on the cross, he actually provided a full atonement for their sins, which definitely secured salvation for them. Christ’s atonement was not merely a potential saving work, but effectively accomplished everything necessary for their salvation, including the faith which they exercise. Faith is itself a gift of God, which the Spirit applies to the lives of the elect. Thus one Calvinist writer said: “Were Christ to sacrifice and die for someone and then that person did not choose to be saved, it would make Christ’s work a failure.”

The Puritan theologian John Owen argued that if, as Arminians believe, Christ died for all people’s sins, then why isn’t everyone free from God’s punishment? He imagines that Arminians will respond, “Because they did not believe.” Owen asks, “Isn’t unbelief a sin?” He argues that if it is, then on the cross, Christ suffered the punishment for that sin. Then why would unbelief prevent a person from being saved, if the sin of unbelief was paid for just as all their other sins were?

Calvinists tend to cite Bible passages that point to a more definite focus of Jesus’ saving work:

Matthew 1:21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Matthew 20:28 “…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
John 13:1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
Acts 20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.
Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

The TakeawayArminians and Calvinists both believe in God’s initiative in salvation, and that forgiveness of sin and eternal life is ours through Jesus Christ alone. Both sides emphasize the need for faith in the person and work of Jesus. So both should appreciate each other's emphasis on who Jesus is, his death on the cross, and his resurrection from the grave. All believers affirm the glory of Christ’s atonement whenever we partake of the Lord’s Supper, when we baptize new believers, and when we celebrate Christmas and Easter. Christ did certainly die for all of his true followers. We may debate whether he died for others as well, but those of us who belong to him are united in worship of our wonderful, gracious Savior.

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Welcome back to the Unveiling Mormonism podacst! Today, we hear from Cassie as she shares her incredible story of growing up in the LDS Church, facing judgment, and questioning her beliefs.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

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In Mark 13:28-37 Jesus finishes his Olivet discourse and his discussion of the End Times. He never gives an answer to the timing of the End, but he does give insight into how we should live in light of it.

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Fig TreeJesus says “this generation” will not pass away until “all these things take place” – referring to the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. Some critics misinterpret this passage and minimize the power of God’s word.

Mark 13:28-31 (NLT) “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that his return is very near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene before all these things take place. Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

Fig tree
New life, spring time. Hope is in the air.
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) In Palestine most trees remain green throughout the year, but the fig tree is an exception. In the fall it loses its leaves; and when in the spring the sap rises in its branches and the tree begins to leaf out, summer cannot be far off. This parable is essentially an antidote to despair. In contrast to the sufferings and persecutions promised in the previous verses, here the prospect of the coming of the Son of Man is offered.
This generation?
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The chief problem in this verse is the identification of "these things." Do they refer to the events surrounding the fall of the city of Jerusalem or to the events immediately preceding the end of the age? If (as seems likely) that phrase relates to "all these things" in v.30, then Jesus appears to be referring to the former; those listening to him would experience these signs in a special way when Jerusalem fell.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The "'generation [that will not] pass away until all these things have happened'" (v. 30) has stirred no little controversy in NT theology. According to our interpretation, the generation under discussion is not that of the Second Coming, but the generation contemporary to Jesus that lived to witness the destruction of the temple and fall of Jerusalem.
My words
Isaiah 40:8 (NLT) The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Here is an important key to the eschatological predictions of Mark 13, for if Jesus' words will outlive the cosmos, then the world to come is already present in them. The Word made flesh is thus inextricably related to the Son of Man who comes on the clouds of heaven. If in Mark 13 the events associated with the Incarnation are blended mysteriously with those of the Parousia – events which to our way of thinking are entirely separate – it may help to remember that in God's saving plan the Incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and Parousia are all facets of one Event.

Stay AlertJesus himself didn’t know when the End would come – proof that in his incarnation he gave up the full exercise of his divine attributes. And since we can’t know either, we need to be ready at any moment.

Mark 13:32-33 (NLT) “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!”

Not even the Son?!
(Expositor's Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) Jesus' ignorance of the day or hour of his return must be understood in terms of the NT teaching concerning the Incarnation. A genuine Incarnation involved such a lack of knowledge. Jesus purposely laid aside temporarily the exercise of his omniscience as part of what was involved in his becoming a human being.
Philippians 2:6-8 (NLT) Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Stay alert
Q. How would you live if you knew Jesus wouldn’t come back in your lifetime?
If we knew the day and time, we might get lazy and off mission.

Mark 13:34-37 (NLT) “The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. You, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know when the master of the household will return—in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. Don’t let him find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!”

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The Olivet discourse concludes on a note of mystery. When reviewing chap. 13 as a whole this may seem disappointing, for the discourse began with a request for a sign (v. 4), i.e., for special insight into the future. But we learn in conclusion that knowledge of the End exceeds knowability: not only human and angelic knowability, but even the knowability of the Son of God. Its sudden consummation is hidden solely in the mystery of God. All the signs that have been given add up to one conclusion: the End cannot be prepared for. That is because the End is ultimately not a "then," but a mysteriously present now. The sole preparation for the End is watchfulness and faithfulness in the present.

Still WaitingPeter gives us insight into why Jesus hasn’t come back yet. He’s being patient with us, giving everyone a chance to turn to God before the End comes.

2 Peter 3:9-10 (NLT) The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.
2 Peter 3:11, 14-15 (NLT) Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along…. And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. And remember, our Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved.

ClosePoint

Mark 1:1 (NLT) This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.
Mark 1:15 (NLT) “The time promised by God has come at last!” Jesus announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”

Are you ready for the End? Do you need to trust Jesus for salvation? Learn all about it in our Pursuit series. Find it at pursueGOD.org/go and go through it with a friend.

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The word “election” refers to the process of choosing. The Bible teaches that God chooses those who believe. But is God’s choice unconditional, based only on his own will? Or is God’s choice conditional, based on some quality or action of the person who is saved? Calvinists hold that God’s choice to save people has nothing to do with them. To Arminians, God chooses people because he knows in advance that they will have faith in Jesus.

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Notes

Unconditional ElectionBecause of our fallen human condition, we are completely dependent on God to initiate salvation for us. Calvinists believe that God did this in eternity past by choosing to save some, without any condition, work, or effort on their part. Those whom he has chosen (called “the elect”) will eventually be made alive spiritually by the power of the Holy Spirit. As a result they will come willingly to put their faith in Christ. Does God’s choice of some and not others make him arbitrary? No, because God chooses people for reasons we don’t know or understand.

The choice to save some and not others rests solely in God’s own sovereign plan and purpose. God is the absolute king over his entire creation, with complete and absolute rule over all things. So in the end, his choice of the sinner - not the sinner’s choice of Jesus - is the ultimate cause of that person’s salvation.

Related to this is the idea of “predestination” where God pre-determines a person’s final destiny. Some Calvinists believe in “double predestination” - meaning that God chooses certain individuals to save and chooses others to condemn. But all human beings are already under God’s condemnation, not because of his decision, but because of their sin. God doesn’t have to save anyone. He can righteously condemn all sinners for their sin. But thankfully God graciously does select some for eternal life.

Calvinists point out that unconditional election preserves the glory of God in salvation, assuring that salvation is 100% a work of God. God does not provide something essential while humans also provide something essential (faith). According to Ephesians 2:8-9: “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” If salvation is based on a person’s faith decision, that person has something to take credit for. If one person has something another person doesn’t have, which allows him or her to exercise faith, then salvation ultimately depends on something meritorious about them - not on the merits of Christ alone.

Calvinists have been criticized for not engaging in evangelism. But God’s plan is that the elect come to faith through the preaching of the gospel. In fact, election provides great encouragement when we tell others about Jesus, knowing that some will, in fact, accept the message we share. This gives us confidence to cast our lines in the water, knowing that some fish - God’s elect - will bite.

Calvinists tend to emphasize biblical texts that speak about God’s choice and God’s action in salvation:

Luke 10:21,22 (NLT) My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
John 5:21 (NLT) “For just as the Father gives life to those he raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone he wants.”
John 6:44 (NLT) “For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me…..”
Acts 13:48 (NLT) When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers.
Ephesians 1:4-5 (NLT) Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 (NLT) As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth.”

Conditional ElectionFor election to be conditional means that God’s choice of those he will save has something to do with them. While Arminians agree that election to salvation is not based on works or merit, it is conditional because it is based on God’s choice to have mercy on those people who believe the gospel. Election is conditional on faith in Christ.

This involves the foreknowledge of God. As an infinite being, God sees all events across all time. He can know in advance who would choose Christ, and in response to this act of human free will, God in turn chose them and called them the elect.

In the Five Articles of Remonstrance (1610), Arminian theologians suggested five corrections to Calvinism. Article 1 reflects Arminius’ belief that predestination is “the foundation of Christianity.” Arminians believe that predestination is God’s purpose, before the foundation of the world, to save believers in Christ and to condemn unbelievers outside of Christ. But because God desires all people to repent and be saved, and is not willing that any should perish, God does not limit salvation to just some. He wills all people to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, but the fulfillment of his will depends on each person’s choice.

It follows that God has equal and impartial love for all individuals. God does not have some sort of particular love that actually secures a person’s redemption in advance.

One Arminian view of election is known as corporate election. Mirroring the election of Israel in the Old Testament, this view holds that election to salvation is primarily of the Church as a group. Just as God’s people in the Old Covenant were chosen in Jacob/Israel, so God’s people in the New Covenant are chosen in Christ.

Arminians tend to bring up Bible passages that stress God’s desire to save all people, and faith as the human cause of salvation.

John 3:16-18 (NLT) or God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Romans 10:9-13 (NLT) If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.
Romans 8:29 (NLT) For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
1 Tim 2:3-4 (NLT) This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
2 Thessalonians 2:13 (NLT) But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
1 Peter 1:1,2 (NLT) To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
2 Peter 3:9 (NLT) The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

TakeawayBoth sides of the debate will underscore God’s gracious initiative in salvation towards sinful people who absolutely do not deserve it. This encourages humility before the amazing grace of God, and worship to him who sacrificed his own Son to provide for our salvation. All praise and glory to God alone for the great cost paid by Jesus, who died so that we could be chosen by God.

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Today we cover Lesson 3 in the LDS Missionary Lessons based on “Preach My Gospel”. When Mormon missionaries come to your door, they’re going to talk a lot about “the gospel”. But what it means to them is vastly different from what it means in the Bible. That’s what we’ll discuss in today’s episode.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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In Mark 13:14-27 Jesus talks about the Antichrist, the tribulation, and even the rapture. It begins to answer the ageless question: What will the End look like?

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There are several famous doomsday movies that explore apocalyptic scenarios, often depicting the end of the world or catastrophic events. Here are some well-known doomsday movies:

Climate change
Mad Max series (1979-2015): Set in a dystopian future where society has collapsed (oil shortage**)
The Day After Tomorrow (2004): Directed by Roland Emmerich, this film depicts the catastrophic effects of global climate change**, including superstorms and a new ice age.
Waterworld (1995):** In a future where Earth is mostly covered in water, this film follows a lone drifter with a mysterious map as he navigates a world where dry land is a precious commodity.
Virus
I Am Legend (2007): Starring Will Smith, this film is based on the novel of the same name and portrays a world where a man-made virus** has turned most of humanity into zombie-like creatures.
Asteroid/Comet
Armageddon (1998): In this action-packed film directed by Michael Bay, a group of oil drillers is sent to space to prevent an asteroid** from colliding with Earth.
Deep Impact (1998): Another film released in the same year as Armageddon, Deep Impact explores the global efforts to prevent an extinction-level comet** impact.
Extra terrestrials
War of the Worlds (2005): Steven Spielberg's adaptation of H.G. Wells' classic novel portrays an Earth invaded by powerful and destructive extraterrestrial** beings.

Related: https://www.pursuegod.org/what-is-eschatology/

AntichristJesus warns about an “abomination of desolation” – an idea taken from the book of Daniel. This prophecy had been partially fulfilled during the Maccabean Revolt, but the final fulfillment would happen later.

Mark 13:14-18 (NLT) “The day is coming when you will see the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing where he should not be.” (Reader, pay attention!) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. And pray that your flight will not be in winter.

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The "abomination that causes desolation" is a phrase taken from three cryptic references in Dan 9:27; 11:31; 12:11 to a scandal that would defile and profane the Jerusalem temple. The same phrase is used in 1 Macc 1:54 to describe Antiochus IV (Epiphanes), the Syrian general who outraged the Jews in 168 B.C. by erecting an altar to Zeus on the altar of burnt offering in the temple and sacrificing a sow on it. The sacrilege of Antiochus in the Jerusalem temple became the dramatic provocation for the Maccabean Revolt, which against all odds earned Jews their only century of political self-rule between the fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C. and the formation of the State of Israel in 1948.
The Maccabean Revolt was triggered by the oppressive policies of the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who attempted to force Hellenistic culture and religion on the Jewish population of Judea. In 167 or 168 BCE, Antiochus desecrated the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem by erecting a statue of Zeus and demanding that sacrifices be made to the Greek gods. These actions, along with other harsh measures, led to widespread resistance among the Jewish people.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) What event does Mark desire us to understand? There are three major possibilities. One was the ego-maniacal attempt of Caligula, Roman emperor from A.D. 37-41, who attempted to erect statues of himself in the temple of Jerusalem and have them worshiped as god (Josephus, War, 2.184-203).
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) A second possibility is to see v. 14 fulfilled in the destruction of the temple by Titus. This is the most common explanation of the passage…. The reference to "standing in the holy place" in Matt 24:15 could be a reference to Titus' entry of the temple in September of A.D. 70 (Josephus War 6.260); and Luke's references clearly describe the circumvallatio, the defense perimeter erected by the Roman Tenth Legion under Titus in the siege of Jerusalem
(Josephus) "While the holy house was on fire, everything was plundered that came to hand, and ten thousand of those that were caught were slain; nor was there a commiseration of any age, or any reverence of gravity, but children, and old men, and profane persons, and priests were all slain in the same manner."
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) A third possibility is that "the abomination that causes desolation" refers to "the man of lawlessness" as conceived in 2 Thess 2:3-4 who will exalt himself in the temple as God (or as "a Son of God" according to Did. 16:4).
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 (NLT) Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The "abomination that causes desolation" alludes to the destruction of the temple in A.D. 70, but it is not exhausted by it. The "abomination" is a mysterious (2 Thess 2:7!) double referent, a historical medium that anticipates an ultimate fulfillment in the advent of the Antichrist and the final tribulation before the return of the Son of Man.

TribulationJesus goes on to explain a time of great tribulation. It will be marked by deep anguish and false prophets, so watch out!

Mark 13:19-23 (NLT) For there will be greater anguish in those days than at any time since God created the world. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless the Lord shortens that time of calamity, not a single person will survive. But for the sake of his chosen ones he has shortened those days. “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones. Watch out! I have warned you about this ahead of time!

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) On his own authority ("'I have told you everything ahead of time'") Jesus warns his disciples and the church not to be distracted or diverted from obedience to the suffering Son of Man, neither by ingenious speculations nor by signs and wonders.
The idea of a seven-year tribulation period is often associated with a specific interpretation of biblical prophecy, particularly derived from the book of Daniel and the book of Revelation in the Bible. This concept is rooted in interpretations of certain passages, including Daniel 9:27, which speaks of a covenant made for one "week" (interpreted by some as a period of seven years). The idea is that this covenant is broken in the middle of the week, leading to a time of intensified tribulation.
In the Book of Revelation, there are references to a period of seven years or a week of years, which is sometimes associated with the tribulation. The events during this period are often divided into two halves, with particularly severe trials and tribulations occurring in the second half.
Will we be here for tribulation?
Related: www.pursuegod.org/the-tribulation-and-the-antichrist/

RaptureJesus then describes his second coming at the end of the tribulation. Bible scholars differ about whether Christians will go through the tribulation, based on how they understand the timing of the rapture.

Mark 13:24-27 (NLT) “At that time, after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.”

Daniel 7:13 (NLT) As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NLT) For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.
Related: https://www.pursuegod.org/what-is-the-rapture/
The Pretribulation rapture position holds that the Tribulation is a time of God’s wrath on sinful, rebellious humanity. Christians are not appointed to suffer wrath (1 Ths 5:9). (Rev 3:10). God’s means of deliverance from his judgment is to remove the church from the earth. Since the church will not be in the Tribulation, Christians will not experience persecution under the Antichrist. Those who suffer from persecution in Rev 13 are either Jews, or people who believed in Jesus after the Rapture, or both. (emphasizes that it can happen at any time)
The Prewrath rapture view believes that the Tribulation falls into two parts. The first involves the persecution of God’s people. The second is a time of God’s wrath on sinful, rebellious humanity. Since the Rapture occurs after the rise of Antichrist, but before the wrath of God is poured out in judgment, the church will be present for the first aspect but not the second. (emphasizes visible signs before it happens)
Midpoint: when man of lawlessness desecrates the temple
The Posttribulation rapture position holds that because the Rapture occurs when Jesus comes in public triumph over evil, the church will experience persecution under the Antichrist. It will be present on the earth during the time of God’s wrath on sinful humanity. Believers are forever exempt from God’s wrath (Rom 5:9; 1 Thess 1:10). But this promise does not require Christians to be physically absent. Consider how God spared Noah from his judgment on humanity during the flood. Isaiah 26:20-21 portrays a situation where people escape God’s judgment without being removed. Also, in Revelation, the expressions of God’s wrath are not applied to every person (see Rev 9:4; 16:2).

CloseAt first it’s frightening to think about what the End will look like. But once you see the full picture, Jesus wins!

“Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds with great power and glory. And he will send out his angels to gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.”

(Pillar New Testament Commentary) Something happens on a cosmic scale that happened between Jesus and the leper in 1:42: the "divine contagion" overcomes everything unclean and dark and evil.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) The grand finale of the gospel preached by Jesus is that there is a sure hope for the future. It is grounded not in history or logic or intuition, but in the word of Jesus…. There is a striking contrast between the vast cosmic array the particularity of the Son of Man: the elect are as widespread and diverse as all creation, but they converge at a single point: the Son of Man. Jesus is the focal point of divine redemption.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary) When Jesus returns "in clouds" it can only mean that God is no longer present in the temple, but in Jesus, the Son of Man.

Want to learn more about becoming a follower of Jesus? Check out our Pursuit Series and go through it with a Christian friend.

Next week: When will this all happen?

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Today we’re in week 4 of our breakthrough disciplines series where we’re looking to the ancient secret of spiritual disciplines to experience breakthrough in our everyday lives. We’ve covered some of the expected spiritual disciplines like prayer and fasting. Today’s topic may be the one that seems most counterintuitive. Let’s talk about “pacing”.

The PursueGOD Men's podcast helps guys apply God's Word to their lives to become full circle followers of Jesus. Join us for a new men's episode every other Thursday.

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Welcome back to the podcast. We’re in week 4 of our breakthrough disciplines series where we’re looking to the ancient secret of spiritual disciplines to experience breakthrough in our everyday lives. We’ve covered some of the expected spiritual disciplines - prayer and fasting.

For men, I think today’s topic may be the one that seems most counterintuitive. I think this is the one that’s going to cause more of us to say, “That’s just not possible. You don’t know what my life is like and my situation.” We’re talking about the spiritual discipline of pacing ourselves for breakthrough. I can already feel the tension, and as a husband, father of 4, a shepherd of a church with over 400 attendance each Sunday, content creator, outdoorsman, neighbor, friend - and on and on - I feel the tension as much as anyone. I want to say up front this is the discipline I am probably the worst at of the ones we’re going to cover in this series, so I’m not speaking to you as someone who has it all figured out. I will say, though, when my life has better pacing and a more sustainable rhythm, I am better in all the areas I mentioned above.

Essence of Survival Poster - When the sun comes up, you’d better be running. God doesn’t just want us to survive. He wants us to thrive. Jesus said he came that we might have a full and abundant life.

Matthew 6:31- 32 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles strive after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

This translation says “strive” after. Some translations say “run after” or “seek after”. Either way it wears you out.

SlowingA hurried life keeps us from being present enough to love God and people. “Slowing” is intentionally putting ourselves into situations that teach us to wait.

Who would intentionally put themselves in a situation that teaches us to wait? Most of us are calculating which drive through lane in McDonalds is going to get us our food 2 minutes faster, and when we make the wrong choice, it’s like our dog died.
Have you ever noticed when people are driving the speed limit, it seems like they’re taking forever? They’re driving as fast as they’re supposed to drive. We’re so used to hurrying that when we have to go the speed limit, it’s torture.

Matthew 17:4-5 Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials[a]—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”5 But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.”

Context of passage - Jesus has just been transfigured. Peter, James, and John are on the mountain with him. Peter seems to think the most pressing need is to get busy doing something.

Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

God can speak to us in any environment, but we’re much less likely to hear when we’re hurried.
Practical ways to implement this in your life: not driving in the fast lane, taking the long way to work, not getting in the shortest line at the store, not buying things on credit
Learning how to say “no” and learning to prioritize are critical if we’re going to learn how to slow down. Do you have buffers in your schedule? If something takes 10 or 20 minutes longer than you were expecting does it throw your whole day off?

SolitudeA crowded life gives the world permission to shape us into its mold. “Solitude” is withdrawing from the constant barrage of stimulation (highs and lows) to let God transform us.

Mark 6:30-31 Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

The disciples had just returned from their first missionary journey without Jesus. He had sent them out to heal and teach the gospel. They’ve come back and they’re debriefing with Jesus on how everything went. There were so many people seeking an audience with Jesus that they didn’t even have time to eat. Jesus knows their need for rest and to get away from the noise of the crowds.

Mark 6:45-46 Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and head across the lake to Bethsaida, while he sent the people home. 46 After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.

Spoiler alert - when they get to the place where they were hoping to be alone, the crowds had already beaten them there. Jesus teaches them and the miraculous feeding of the 5,000 takes place. Jesus sends the disciples across the lake and then seeks solitude.
If Jesus saw the need for solitude, how much more do we need it?
I mentioned this in our last podcast on fasting, but when I’m faced with a big decision and I’m really trying to hear from God, I will often go out for a night or two in the mountains and camp solo. I usually do it around New Year’s Eve each year as I ask God for a verse for the upcoming year.

Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Combining solitude with prayer and time in the word helps us to discern God’s will.
You don’t have to go to the wilderness for solitude. You can do it right in your home. Any place that is going to get you away from distractions, away from the voices of others for a period of time

SilenceA selfish life tempts us to use our words to control things. “Silence” is choosing not to speak so you can hear from God and learn to submit.

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 As you enter the house of God, keep your ears open and your mouth shut. It is evil to make mindless offerings to God. 2 [b]Don’t make rash promises, and don’t be hasty in bringing matters before God. After all, God is in heaven, and you are here on earth. So let your words be few.

This is a lot easier for some of us than others. Some of us are verbal processors. Some of us, especially if we’re dealing with insecurities, feel the need to be a part of every conversation.
Story about my best friend’s dad challenging me on that as a young teenager.
I think we do want to be careful not to use this as a crutch to not engage. We’re not talking about apathy here. We’re talking about choosing our words wisely.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak in Ecclesiastes 3 so we’re not talking about taking a vow of silence like you might envision in a monastery.

Isaiah 30:15 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:“Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it.

That seems so opposite of what culture would say. How many in our culture equate strength with quietness? I think of our political debates, and I’m not picking a side here, but how better off would we be if we just voted on the track record of the candidates instead of all the garbage that they spew out of their mouths that 90% of them have no intention of following through on.
James 3 has so much to say about controlling the tongue and the damage that our words can cause. We’re supposed to be slow to speak and slow to anger.

SabbathAlthough our Sabbath may look different than what was practiced in the Old Testament, the principle of Sabbath was intended to bless us. Having a rhythm of time set aside for God and for rest carries many benefits.

Genesis 2:2-3 On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested[a] from all his work. 3 And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.

God wasn’t tired. God doesn’t get tired. He set a pattern for us. We see this throughout the Bible that the Sabbath was to be a blessing for us.

Mark 2:27-28 Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”

The religious leaders had turned the Sabbath into a burden. The Sabbath was meant to be for our good. Having a day where we set aside a larger amount of time to focus on God, be with his people, get away from the normal grind of our work week is meant to bless us. God’s boundaries are for our good and this is no exception.

Romans 14:5 In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable.

As New Testament believers, our Sabbath isn’t necessarily from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday like it would have been in the Old Testament. For many, Sunday is a great day to be their Sabbath day. They likely attend church services. Many businesses are closed.
Sunday is definitely not a Sabbath for me. This is an area where I need to get better. I tend to not take one entire day off. I usually have one or two days where I have longer periods of rest, but it’s rare to not work the whole day. That’s something I’m working on.

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The two theological systems known as Calvinism and Arminianism disagree about many things. Their greatest agreement comes in their understanding of the human condition. In the Calvinist “TULIP”, T stands for Total Depravity. Both sides agree that sin impacts every aspect of life, and leaves human beings completely unable to contribute anything to their own salvation. The difference between the two approaches has to do with how God acts to remedy the human problem.

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Notes

In this series, we are introducing the basic differences between two theological systems known as Calvinism and Arminianism, generally following the five points of Calvinism defined by the word “TULIP”. The T stands for Total Depravity. This addresses the underlying question: what is the spiritual condition of human beings?

Total depravity is the idea that Adam’s fall left all human beings completely unable to do a single thing to contribute to their own salvation. On our own strength, we cannot repent and believe, or live a life pleasing to God. Total depravity doesn’t mean everyone is as evil as they can be, or that people are incapable of any kind of virtue apart from God. Yet without God’s action on our behalf, sin impacts every aspect of life and we cannot know God or please God.

Both Calvinists and Arminians believe that fallen human beings require God’s grace throughout the salvation process, from beginning to end. The difference between the two approaches has to do with how God acts to remedy the human problem.

How Bad Is It?Both sides of the debate agree that fallen human nature is so sinful and corrupt that on our own, we cannot seek God, believe the gospel, or do anything that pleases God.

One Calvinist author writes, “A proper understanding of Calvinism is fully dependent on understanding Calvin’s view of man’s depravity. He taught that man, who once enjoyed perfect fellowship and communion with God, had his very nature changed through the fall into sin. This not only destroyed the communion between God and man, but also removed the ability of man to have communion with God. Man’s nature became so wholly corrupt as to leave him unable to choose against his nature. A fallen man is able to choose to do what he wants, but is unable to want God. Because man does not want God, he can never choose Him. Only God, in His Sovereign free will, can change man’s nature and make him capable of repentance.”

But an Arminian source says something quite similar: “Humanity was created in the image of God, good and upright, but fell from its original sinless state through willful disobedience, leaving humanity in the state of total depravity, sinful, separated from God, and under the sentence of divine condemnation. Sin impacts every part of a person’s being and people now have a sinful nature with a natural inclination toward sin. Human beings are fundamentally corrupt at heart. As Scripture tells us, ‘The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick’ (Jer 17:9;). Indeed, human beings are spiritually dead in sins and are slaves to sin. The Apostle Paul even says, ‘I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh’ (Rom 7:18). Elsewhere he testifies, ‘as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” ’ (Rom 3:10-12). In their natural state, human beings are hostile toward God and cannot submit to his Law nor please him. Thus, human beings are not able to think, will, nor do anything good in and of themselves. We are unable to do anything that merits favor from God and we cannot do anything to save ourselves from the judgment and condemnation of God that we deserve for our sin. We cannot even believe the gospel on our own. If anyone is to be saved, God must take the initiative.”

In 1610, Arminius’ followers wrote the Five Articles of Remonstrance to contrast their understanding of salvation with Calvinism. Article Three affirms the total depravity of man, that man is unable to do the will of God, and cannot save himself. Arminius himself stated: "In this [fallen] state, the free will of man towards the true good is not only wounded, infirm, bent, and weakened; but it is also imprisoned, destroyed, and lost. And its powers are not only debilitated and useless unless they be assisted by grace, but it has no powers whatever except such as are excited by Divine grace."

(All Bible references are from NLT).
Gen 6:5 – God saw that everything humans thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil.
Gen 8:21 – everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood.
Rom 3:23 - for everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Rom 6:23 - for the wages of sin is death.
Eph 2:1-3 - Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil - the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
Rom 6:17-20 - once you were slaves to sin.
Eph 4:17-19 - the Gentiles’ minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
Rom 8:7-8 - the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
John 6:44 - For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me.

Little, then, separates the two camps on the plight of humanity. The real difference was hinted at in the previous quotes. Let’s explore the two sides.

Human Beings Can Pursue God Because God Assists the Human WillArminians believe that God graciously enables every sinner to repent and believe - if he or she chooses - but does not interfere with human freedom.

While Calvinists emphasize the sovereignty of God, Armininians emphasize the freedom of the human will. They believe that God has given humans free will in all areas. For a will to be truly free, they argue, there must be a real alternative to whatever the person will actually choose. A person who is presented with only one option does not truly have free will. While Calvin taught that man is free to choose, but only within the bounds of his nature, Arminius believed that this did not constitute true free will. For free will to exist, a person must be able to choose or reject God or his or her own accord.

One writer explains, “Arminius taught that man’s fall into sin has not completely removed his ability to make a choice for or against God. Rather, man’s will is in a neutral state and is not able to choose only evil. The will is free to make a choice for either good or evil. In salvation, then, the Spirit draws people sufficiently and enlightens them enough that they can, of their own free will, choose salvation. However, He does not draw or enlighten them enough to force them into a decision.”

As seriously as human nature was affected by the fall, Arminians do not believe that human beings are left in a state of total spiritual helplessness. God provides a kind of grace to all humanity which enables a sinner to choose to repent and believe - if he or she chooses. This kind of grace is called prevenient grace (we will talk more about it in episode five). Each sinner has the ability to either cooperate with God’s Spirit and be regenerated, or to resist God’s grace and perish.

As one writer says, “Sinners who hear the gospel have the free will to accept or reject God’s offer of saving grace so that nobody is excluded by God from the possibility of salvation except those who freely exclude themselves. But true, historical, classical Arminianism includes the belief that this free will [to repent and believe unto salvation] is itself a gift of God through prevenient grace."

Arminians believe the faith comes before regeneration. While lost sinners need the Spirit’s assistance, they do not have to be made spiritually alive first, by the Spirit, before they can believe. Once they do believe, then they are made spiritually alive.

Matt 23:37 – Jesus longs to gather the people to him but they would not let him.
Luke 15:11-32 – The prodigal son came to the realization of his depravity by himself.
John 3:16 – “everyone who believes in him” would seem to indicate we choose to believe in Jesus.
John 5:40 – You refuse to come to me to receive eternal life.
John 7:17 – Anyone who wants to do God’s will will know the truth.
Acts 2:38 – After their choice to repent, turn to God, and be baptized they would receive the Holy Spirit.
Acts 16:31 – Paul and Silas told the jailer that if he were to believe in Jesus, he would be saved, indicating that he was given the choice of repentance.
Rom 10:9 – A free choice is indicated when we are told that if we believe in Jesus and declare it, we will be saved.

Human Beings Can Pursue God Only If God Changes Their Very NatureCalvinists believe that human nature is so corrupt that the only way God can bring anyone to believe the gospel is to completely change his or her very nature. If humans are spiritually dead, they must first be made alive before they can respond to God.

As one writer says, “Man’s will is in complete bondage to his nature. Man is free to choose according to the way his nature dictates, but his nature is so wholly corrupt that he could never choose for good. He is free to choose, but he cannot contradict his nature. With a sinful nature it is impossible to take an action that would be anything other than sinful and rebellious. It is impossible to choose a righteous or pleasing work capable of pleasing a holy God. Similarly God is able to choose according to His free will, but cannot contradict his nature, which is perfect. Therefore God could never take an action that was anything but perfect and holy.”

There is a misconception that Calvinists do not believe in human free will, but this is not true. Calvinism teaches that free will exists, but is bound by a man’s nature. Man is a slave not to God, but to his own nature. Therefore human beings will not nor cannot choose good over evil in the spiritual realm.

Here’s an illustration: if you put a pile of grass and a slab of red meat in front of a lion, which will the lion choose to eat? The lion is free to choose either food. There is nothing placed between it and either of the two options. There is no external coercion. But the lion will never choose to eat the grass, because that would be contrary to its nature as a carnivore. Does the lion have free will? Yes. Can the lion make either of two choices? Theoretically, it can. But in reality it simply won’t.

Another writer concludes, “It takes much more than the Spirit’s assistance to bring a sinner to Christ. It takes regeneration, by which the Spirit makes the sinner alive and gives him a new nature. Faith is not something man contributes to salvation but is itself a part of God’s gift of salvation.”

In light of this, it makes sense to Calvinists that because human beings are spiritually dead, then regeneration must come before faith. No one can exercise faith unless they have first been “born of the Spirit” (John 3:6-8).

Eph 2:5-6 - Even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ.
Isaiah 64:6-7 – There is no one who calls on God’s name or pleads for God’s mercy.
John 3:19 – People loved darkness rather than light because their actions are evil.
Rom 3:10-18 – No one is righteous. No one seeks after God. They have all turned away.
2 Tim 2:25,26 – We have been taken captive by the devil to do whatever he wants. It takes God to change our hearts so that we come to our senses and can escape.

The TakeawayHuman depravity is real. People are lost apart from God’s grace. Everyone is corrupted by sin and will not pursue God on their own, apart from God’s provision.

How God provides for human depravity is seen in two ways. For Calvinists, God acts to make a spiritually dead sinner alive so that that person has the capacity to exercise faith in the gospel. For Arminians, God gives prevenient grace to every human being to free the human will and provide the ability to respond to the influence of the Spirit.

Both groups agree that lost people, far from God, need to hear the gospel. No one can be forgiven of their sins or made eternally alive without hearing about Jesus and what he has done.

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Today we cover Lesson 2 in the LDS Missionary Lessons based on “Preach My Gospel”. This one is about what Mormons call "The Plan of Salvation" - but it's really about a concept foreign to biblical teaching called "exaltation". It's where Mormon missionaries introduce the concepts of eternal progression and "Kingdoms of Glory". Spoiler alert: it's not biblical!

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

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Preach My Gospel: A [Mormon] Guide to Missionary Service

The Plan of Salvation

Premortal Life: God’s Purpose and Plan for Us
God is our Heavenly Father, and we are His children (see Acts 17:16–34; Hebrews 12:9).
God has a plan for our happiness. Jesus Christ is central to that plan.
God’s plan of happiness makes it possible to return to His presence (see Moses 1:39).
Our eternal progression depends on how we use our agency (see 2 Nephi 2:27–29).
The Creation
Under the Father’s direction, Jesus Christ created the earth (see Hebrews 1:1–3).
Agency and the Fall of Adam and Eve
Adam and Eve were created in God’s image (see Genesis 1:26–27).
In the Garden of Eden they were innocent and lived in God’s presence.
Because they partook of the forbidden fruit, they were cast out of the garden (see Moses 4:19–31). This is called the Fall.
They became mortal, were able to have children, and were also subject to sin and death (see 2 Nephi 2:22–25; Moses 5:11).
Our Life on Earth
Our purpose in life is to find lasting peace, joy, and happiness as families and to prepare to return to live with God.
We came to the earth to be tested (see Abraham 3:24–25).
We gain a body of flesh and bones, but we are subject to physical death.
God gives commandments. If we obey, we are blessed. If we disobey, we sin and receive the consequences.
All sin must be paid for, either by ourselves or by Christ (see Doctrine and Covenants 19:15–20).
We make choices, and we all commit sin (see Romans 3:23).
We have experiences that bring us happiness and also sorrow.
We cannot overcome either physical or spiritual death without Christ.
The Atonement of Jesus Christ
Because Jesus Christ overcame physical death, we will all be resurrected (see Alma 11:41–43).
Through Christ’s Atonement we can become clean from sin so that we can return to live in God’s presence (see 2 Nephi 9:8–9).
Christ will forgive our sins as we have faith in Him, repent, receive baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end.
The Spirit World
All people must die.
At death our spirits go to the spirit world.
We live in either a state of misery or a state of peace and rest, depending on how we lived in this life.
The Resurrection, Salvation, and Exaltation
Our spirits and bodies will be reunited in the Resurrection (see Alma 11:42–45; 40:23).
Eternal life and exaltation are gifts of God given to those who fully obey the gospel of Jesus Christ (see Doctrine and Covenants 14:7; 132:17).
Judgment and Kingdoms of Glory (see Doctrine and Covenants 76; 137; 1 Corinthians 15:40–42)
We will return to God’s presence to be judged according to our works and desires.
If we have repented, we will receive mercy.
We receive a kingdom of glory according to our works and desires (see Doctrine and Covenants 137:9).
Those who receive the gospel and live it valiantly throughout their lives will receive the celestial kingdom (see Doctrine and Covenants 76:50–70).
Honorable people who are “blinded by the craftiness of men” and who are “not valiant in the testimony of Jesus [Christ]” receive the terrestrial kingdom (see Doctrine and Covenants 76:75, 79).
Those who sin and do not repent will receive the telestial glory after they suffer for their sins.

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In Mark 13:1-13 Jesus talks about the end of the world. This passage has been studied and interpreted for generations, and it helps us to answer the question: are we living in the end times?

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Not One StoneJesus predicts the destruction of the temple – which had become the focal point of faith. Surprisingly he’s not sad about it, because he knows that the temple was always meant to be temporary.

Mark 13:1-2 (NLT) As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, “Teacher, look at these magnificent buildings! Look at the impressive stones in the walls.” Jesus replied, “Yes, look at these great buildings. But they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

This is a big claim. The temple is a huge part of their community and culture. So, not only is the claim of the temple being torn down a big claim, but Jesus specifically states the degree of the damage too.
ii) Expositors Bible Commentary: All the buildings on the temple platform, including the temple itself to which the prophecy refers, were utterly destroyed. So completely were they destroyed that no trace of them remains today. Even their exact location on the temple mount is disputed.
iii) The siege lasted nearly 5 months, and consisted of fires so hot that glass was melted. The Romans were worked into such a frenzy to destroy the Jews, and retrieve valuable temple artifacts that they pulverized any remnants of the structures. To this day, archaeological evidence shows incredible destruction from this event, to the point that it is difficult to discern where the buildings had been.
Euphemism pointing to Jesus, Himself. Ephesians 2:19-22 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
i) The temple had, inadvertently, become the focus, rather than Jesus. Jesus’ response doesn’t focus on the temple, but looks beyond the temple to Himself. It’s another reminder that pomp and circumstance, as we’ve seen throughout this study, is not what is important to God, but rather, our relationship with Him.
ii) Here, Jesus seems indifferent to the coming destruction of the physical building, meanwhile; In Luke 19:41-42, Jesus weeps over the people of Jerusalem failing to see Him for who/what He was.
Luke 19:41-44 (NLT) 41 But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. 43 Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. 44 They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.”
Ephesians 2:19-21 (NLT) So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord.

Signs of the TimesPeople have always sought answers to the timing of doomsday, but Jesus warns us to be on guard for false prophets and bad teaching. World chaos is to be expected; our job is to preach the gospel. Mark 13:3-8

Mark 13:3-6 (NLT) Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to be fulfilled?” Jesus replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many.

People have always sought answers to timing (Expositors Commentary: Thus they wanted a sign, some sure way by which they might know that the destruction of the temple was about to occur and that the end of the age was approaching. But Jesus refused to give them eschatological signs. Throughout his discourse he was more concerned to prepare them by exhortation and warning for the trials that lay ahead than to give them dates and signs.)
i) Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
ii) Believers should watch for signs, not for the sake of timing, but so as to remain effectively good stewards of His Church.
Be on guard for False prophets/Bad teaching
i) Jesus warns 3 times in Ch 13 to be wary (V 9, 23 & 33) of misleading/bad info.
ii) It is clear that Jesus was adamant about the need for believers to be alert to false teaching. Mark 13:6 Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many. “Many” suggests the Church will be under attack theologically, often.

Mark 13:7-8 (NLT) And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

World Chaos is to be expected; not cause for alarm (This is Jesus' mandate to his disciples and through them to his church).
This is not something that the Church should worry and fear over. Believers should see these things as proof of Jesus’ promise of eventual return.

PersecutionJesus promises that believers will be persecuted in Jesus’ name. In spite of this, our job is to preach the gospel to all the nations. Mark 13:9-12

Mark 13:9-10 (NLT) “When these things begin to happen, watch out! You will be handed over to the local councils and beaten in the synagogues. You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me. For the Good News must first be preached to all nations.”

Mark 13:11-12 (NLT) “But when you are arrested and stand trial, don’t worry in advance about what to say. Just say what God tells you at that time, for it is not you who will be speaking, but the Holy Spirit. “A brother will betray his brother to death, a father will betray his own child, and children will rebel against their parents and cause them to be killed.”

Believers will be persecuted in Jesus’ name. Persecution of the Church is an element of the age.
(Pillar New Testament Commentary (16 Vols.) — PNTC) Here too the persecution of believers (v. 9) provides the context for the proclamation of the gospel to all nations (v. 10). Once again, the sufferings and persecutions of believers are not signs of the end, but signs that attend authentic preaching of the gospel!

B) Power of the Holy Spirit 11 When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit.

i) Persecution is a blessed opportunity for witness

C) Betrayal/Persecution Mark 13:12 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and [h]have them put to death. 13 You will be hated by all because of My name

D) Falling away Mark 13: 12b but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

Matthew 24:12-13 Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. Gr: Hypomeno: to stay behind; to stand firm, endure, persevere

CloseWe might be living the end times, and we might not. Either way, true believers will endure to the end.

Mark 13:13 (NLT) And everyone will hate you because you are my followers. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Text

Jesus seems to be saying here, "Instead of looking for signs of the end, get busy and spread the `good news' ! All nations must hear before the End comes.

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Parents are called to create an environment of love for their kids – even when they’re teens! But how the heck do you pull it off? In this episode we share 8 helpful tips.

The PursueGOD Family podcast helps you think biblically about marriage and parenting. Join Bryan and Tracy Dwyer on Wednesday mornings for new topics every week or two.

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Parents are called to create an environment of love for their kids – even when they’re teens! But how the heck do you pull it off? Here are 8 tips:

Communicate openly: Encourage your teenagers to express their thoughts and feelings. Listen actively, without judgment, and create a safe and non-critical space for them to share.
Be empathetic: Try to understand their perspective, even if you don't agree with it. Empathizing with their emotions and experiences helps build trust and a strong emotional connection.
Respect their autonomy: Adolescents are seeking independence and control over their lives. Give them opportunities to make decisions, and let them learn from their choices, even if it means making mistakes. Related: The Fundamental Law of Parenting
Set clear boundaries: While respecting their autonomy, establish clear rules and expectations. Boundaries provide a sense of security and structure, helping teenagers understand limits and consequences. Related: Boundaries (Series)
Be a role model: Adolescents often learn by observing their parents or caregivers. Be the kind of person you want your teenagers to become, demonstrating values like kindness, responsibility, and respect.
Encourage their interests: Support your teens in pursuing their hobbies and passions. Show interest in their activities and provide resources or opportunities to help them develop their skills and talents.
Offer guidance, not lectures: Instead of lecturing or giving constant advice, ask open-ended questions to help them think critically about their choices. Encourage them to problem-solve and make informed decisions.
Show unconditional love: Let your teenagers know that you love them even when you disagree with their choices. When discipline is required, do it in love. Related: Discipline with Love

Remember that each teenager is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. Flexibility and adaptability in your approach are key. Keep Proverbs 22:6 in mind when it comes to Christian parenting: Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. Most importantly, point them to Jesus.

Discussion:

What's the most challenging thing about raising teenagers? Give an example.
Do you have any "house rules" that you think work well in keeping the peace and ensuring your teenagers stay on track?
Teenagers often make choices that make us scratch our heads. How do you deal with situations where you disagree with your teen's choices?
How do you navigate the whole tech and social media scene with your teenagers? What grade would you give yourself on it?
What's your go-to activity for bonding with your teenagers? What do you like to do to hang out and connect with them?
Read Proverbs 22:6. How does this make Christian parenting different from secular parenting?

Mentioned in this episode:

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Today we start a 6-week series on one of the most heated theological debates of the last 500 years: Calvinism vs. Arminianism. In this episode we’ll talk about the nature of salvation and the interplay between God’s sovereignty and human free will. We’ll give some background on the key players in the debate: John Calvin, Jacob Arminius, and even St. Augustine. And we’ll of course introduce TULIP - the acronym that will provide a framework for the rest of this series.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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TULIP https://www.pursuegod.org/what-is-calvinism/

Total Depravity. Humans without Christ are completely lost in their sins to the point that they can do no good. Sin affects every part of humanity: our will, emotions, actions, and attitudes. Romans 3:10-12 (NLT) As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”
Unconditional Election. God chose Christians based on nothing about them. Election is not based on any foreseen faith in humans and it certainly isn’t based on anything they do. It’s simply based on God’s will and choice. Romans 8:29-30 (NLT) For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. Ephesians 1:4-5 (NLT) Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.
Limited Atonement. Christ’s death only paid for the sins of the elect. In other words, the death of Christ paid for the sins of God’s true people who respond to Christ in faith and repentance, but not for the whole world. John 10:11 (NLT) “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.
Irresistible Grace. God effectively calls you because his call cannot be resisted, nor would you want to resist it. In the moment when God calls you he also regenerates you. This is the work of the Holy Spirit coming into your life and giving you a new heart. John 6:37 (NLT) However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them.
Perseverance of the Saints. If you are truly elected and regenerated by God then you will continue on in a life of faith until the end. You aren’t going to be perfect, but you will continue to pursue God until the end of your life. Ephesians 1:11-14 (NLT) Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own[d] by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

The following episodes in this series use the TULIP outline as a general framework for discussing the two perspectives.

Who was Calvin?"Calvin" typically refers to John Calvin, a significant figure in the history of Protestant Christianity and the founder of Calvinism, one of the major branches of Protestant theology. John Calvin was a French theologian and reformer who lived in the 16th century. Here is an overview of his life and influence:

Early Life: John Calvin was born in Noyon, France, on July 10, 1509. He studied law and classics at the University of Paris but later had a religious conversion experience that led him to embrace Protestantism.
Influence on the Reformation: Calvin became one of the key figures of the Protestant Reformation, along with Martin Luther. His most significant work is "Institutes of the Christian Religion," which provided a systematic and influential exposition of Protestant theology.
Establishment of Calvinism: Calvin's teachings, often referred to as "Reformed" theology, had a profound impact on the development of Protestantism. He emphasized the sovereignty of God, predestination, and a strong belief in the authority of the Bible.
Geneva: Calvin settled in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1536, where he played a central role in establishing a theocratic government that was guided by his religious principles. Geneva became a major center for the spread of Reformed theology.
Controversies and Opposition: Calvin's ideas and actions also generated opposition and controversy. His strict approach to church discipline, involvement in the execution of heretics, and his influence on the theocratic government in Geneva have been sources of criticism and debate. John Calvin died in Geneva on May 27, 1564

Who was Arminius?Jacobus Arminius (1560-1609) was a Dutch theologian and minister who is known for his role in the development of Arminianism, a theological system that represents an alternative to the Calvinist doctrines of predestination and election within Reformed Christianity. Arminius' ideas led to the Remonstrant movement in the Dutch Reformed Church and the Synod of Dort, where his teachings were debated and ultimately rejected by the majority of the Reformed Church. Here are some key points about Arminius and his theological contributions:

Early Life and Education: Jacobus Arminius was born in Oudewater, a city in the Netherlands. He studied theology at the University of Leiden and was deeply influenced by Reformed theology. However, as he studied the Bible and theology further, he began to develop theological views that differed from strict Calvinism.
Theological Development: Arminius' most notable theological departure from Calvinism was his view on predestination. While he accepted the idea of predestination, he argued for a more moderate form of predestination that incorporated human free will. He believed that God's election was conditional upon foreseen faith and that individuals had the ability to resist God's grace.
Controversy and the Remonstrants: Arminius' teachings led to controversy within the Dutch Reformed Church. His followers, known as the Remonstrants, presented a document called the Remonstrance (1610) outlining their theological views, which included five key points: Conditional Election, Unlimited Atonement, Total Depravity, Resistible Grace, and the Possibility of Apostasy. These points were a direct challenge to the dominant Calvinist views of predestination.
Synod of Dort: In response to the Remonstrants, the Synod of Dort (also known as the Dordrecht Synod) was convened in 1618-1619. This international assembly of Reformed theologians and leaders was held to address the Arminian controversy. The Synod resulted in the condemnation of the Remonstrants' views and the formulation of the Canons of Dort, which upheld strict Calvinist positions.
Arminius' Death: Arminius passed away in ?, before the Synod of Dort. He did not live to see the full extent of the controversy and the rejection of his theological ideas.
Impact: Despite the condemnation of Arminianism at the Synod of Dort, Arminius' theological views continued to be advocated by the Remonstrants, and they later influenced the development of Arminian denominations, such as the Remonstrant Brotherhood. Arminianism also had an impact on other branches of Protestantism, contributing to a diverse theological landscape.

Arminius' ideas, often referred to as Arminianism, continue to be a significant theological tradition within Christianity, particularly in various denominations that emphasize human free will, general atonement, and conditional election.

How does Augustine figure in?Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD), often referred to as Saint Augustine, is a significant figure in the debate between Calvinism and Arminianism, even though he lived many centuries before the emergence of these theological systems. Augustine's writings, particularly his views on predestination, original sin, and divine grace, have had a profound influence on both sides of the debate. Here's how Augustine figures into the discussion:

Calvinism:

Doctrine of Predestination: Augustine's teachings on predestination and election have been foundational for Calvinist theology. He emphasized the absolute sovereignty of God in the salvation of individuals, teaching that God unconditionally chooses those whom He will save, based solely on His divine will.
Total Depravity: Augustine's view of original sin, which he believed was inherited from Adam, contributed to the Calvinist concept of total depravity. Total depravity teaches that all humans are born in a state of sin and are incapable of choosing God or doing good on their own.
Divine Grace: Augustine emphasized the importance of divine grace in salvation. In Calvinism, this is manifested in the doctrine of irresistible grace, which asserts that God's grace is efficacious and cannot be resisted by the elect.
Influence on John Calvin: John Calvin, the founder of Calvinism, drew heavily from Augustine's writings. Calvin often referred to Augustine in his own theological works and saw him as a significant theological precursor.

Arminianism:

Compatibility with Free Will: While Augustine's views on predestination align more with Calvinism, some aspects of his writings also leave room for a more compatibilist view of free will, which is closer to Arminianism. For example, Augustine believed that God's grace was necessary for salvation but not necessarily irresistible.
Human Responsibility: Arminians draw from Augustine's more nuanced views on free will to argue that humans have a degree of moral responsibility and the ability to respond to God's offer of grace. Augustine's writings, particularly his debate with the Pelagians, highlighted the importance of grace in salvation but also acknowledged the human will's role in accepting or rejecting God.

In summary, Augustine's teachings have left a significant mark on both Calvinism and Arminianism. His views on predestination, original sin, and grace have provided theological foundations for the discussion of these doctrines, even though he lived in a different era and context. Both Calvinists and Arminians have drawn upon Augustine's works to support their respective theological positions and have interpreted his writings in ways that align with their own beliefs. Augustine's influence on the theological landscape remains a subject of ongoing debate and discussion.

Calvinists and Arminians TodayWhat denominations reflect these two theological approaches? Every church or denomination has a “family tree” of which it is a part, which explains their relationship to historical movements and to each other.

Calvinist Churches: These typically fall into three main groups. Reformed churches originated from Calvinistic groups in continental Europe, especially the Netherlands, such as the Reformed Church in America and the Christian Reformed Church. Presbyterian churches go back to John Knox, who studied under Calvin in the 1550s, then led the formation of the Protestant church in Scotland. Several Presbyterian denominations exist in the United States, including the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Congregational churches come from the Puritan movement originating in England in the 1600s. The Puritans were mainly Calvinistic in theology. Some Baptist groups are Calvinistic, which historically have been called “Particular Baptists.” Many non-denominational churches also embrace Calvinism.
Arminian Churches: Many of these churches are derived from the influence of John Wesley, who embraced most of Arminius’ teachings. This includes various Methodist churches and the Wesleyan Church. Out of Methodism grew what is known as the Holiness Movement, which includes denominations like Church of the Nazarene and the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Pentecostalism is a descendant of the Holiness Movement. Includes many denominations (such as Assemblies of God, Church of God in Christ, International Church of the Foursquare Gospel) and many non-denominational churches. Some Baptist groups also tend to be Arminian in their views of salvation, historically known as “General Baptists.” Churches in the Restoration Movement (Churches of Christ and Christian Churches) tend to be Arminian.
Mixed Churches: Some denominations include Arminians and Calvinists, including the Southern Baptist Convention and the Evangelical Free Church of America. In many non-denominational churches, people are free to be Calvinist or Arminian and still be in good standing in the church.

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Today we cover Lesson 1 in the LDS Missionary Lessons based on “Preach My Gospel”. Bo shares his personal insights from when he was a Mormon Missionary – and how he now understands the deception in which he unwittingly participated.

The Unveiling Mormonism podcast pulls back the curtain on Mormon history, culture and doctrine. Join us for new episodes every Monday.

Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.

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In Mark 12:38-44 Jesus raises negative and positive examples that illustrate the nature of genuine, life-transforming faith. It helps us answer a perennial question: how do you spot a fraud?

See Also:

Mormons drinking coffee
Breakthrough series
Jesus coming back

Shownotes:Opening / Hook

Big Idea: Religious systems want to authorize what religious practices (like fasting) are required, and how they are to be performed, believing that these practices prove who is worthy before God. This form of religion values doing the activities for their own sake. But Jesus reveals that since the Messiah has come, we can’t do religious activity the old way anymore. Thus he is more concerned about heart attitude and purpose than mere conformity. Jesus still endorses religious practices (like fasting). But he shows that religious practices are not about measuring up, but express a growing relationship with God from our inner heart.

The flow of the text:

Jesus criticized. Mark 2:18
His first response: there’s a time to fast and not fast. Mark 2:19-20
His second response: the approach of the Pharisees is not compatible with what the Messiah brings. Mark 2:21-22

The Religion Police Mark 2:18* Once when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t your disciples fast like John’s disciples and the Pharisees do?” * This question feels like a critique, not an honest inquiry * It’s an accusation = Why don’t you do what you’re supposed to? * Important note: this critique is not leveled against spiritual outsiders / heathens / unbelievers * Last week: saw attitude of religion toward irreligious people * Today: attitude of religion toward people who supposedly should know better → less zealous / righteous / serious followers of God * Explore fasting in the OT * The law of Moses does not command or regulate fasting for God’s covenant people * But it was widely practiced as a custom * By individuals and corporately as a nation * Note: Torah commands humbling oneself on Day of Atonement * This was clearly understood in later Judaism to include fasting * Although the Hebrews words for “fasting” are not present * Fasting reflects the recognition that something is wrong (in nation, my life, etc) * Coupled with a hope / longing for deliverance * So fasting becomes a sign of grief / mourning * Fasting reflects a drawing to the presence of God * Humbling oneself in the process * So fasting becomes a sign of repentance and seeking forgiveness * Compare fasting in 1st century Judaism * Don’t want to stereotype Jewish fasting as completely negative or hypocritical * But it could definitely trend that way * Over time fasting became more ritualized / more codified * In some circles → violation of fasting rules seen as actual sin * Elevated to an elitist function = to mark off who is spiritually elite / better * See Pharisee in Luke 18:12 condemned by Jesus for his elitist attitude toward fasting * If Jesus’ followers weren’t fasting → called into question their piety, sincerity and devotion to God * Contemporary issue → when religious people believe certain kinds of religious activity are necessary * In this case, the discussion is about fasting → but not limited to that one practice alone * Empty religion and true faith have this in common = spiritual practices involved * Prayer / giving to the poor / fasting / attending worship / etc. * But the religious mindset looks at certain practices as a test of one’s piety / rel’ship with God * These practices define the code you’re expected to live up to * Try hard to live up to the code themselves * That becomes a way to show your spiritual superiority * When they can’t / don’t → hide it & still preach it * Why religious-minded people often come off as hypocrites * But also: watching others → accuse them of not living up to the code * Contemptuous of people who don’t conform / don’t perform * Why aren’t YOU doing it? * The more religious, the more they feel like it’s their calling to police other people’s relationship with God * Use outward expression of faith / religion to do so * Give some examples * Why don’t you dress up for church? * Why aren’t your services more “reverent”? * Heard this week: Why don’t you do deep theological Bible studies? * How about daily quiet time? Never commanded in Bible * It’s a great idea to set aside time for daily communion with God * But it’s exactly the kind of activity people use to judge others & measure ‘self against others

Trans: Jesus has two responses to the critique → the first is in vv. 19-20

Wedding Guests * Mark 2:19-20 Jesus replied, “Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. They can’t fast while the groom is with them. But someday the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. * Jesus draws from common experience → a wedding celebration * In this illustration: the groom represents Jesus * The wedding guests represent his followers * Nobody fasts at a wedding! Fasting is not how you celebrate. * But after the wedding → the guests are separated from their friend * So they might mourn that separation * The Messiah has come / his presence changes things * Perhaps Jesus is foreshadowing his death here * Which was an occasion for fasting / mourning * Perhaps just acknowledging that he won’t be present like this forever * Implication: a time is coming when Jesus’ followers would fast * Like John and his disciples / like the Pharisees * As Xians, we do fast * To remind us of our dependence on God / need for his mercy * Apply this to spiritual practices / activities * Jesus draws our attention to the WHY * Asking his critics to consider the true meaning of fasting * Fasting, then, is not about checking off a box * Doing a religious practice just because you’re supposed to * In this illustration → fasting is a reflection of a person’s genuine heart * When you’re celebrating God’s goodness / mercy / salvation * That’s not a time to fast * Bc fasting is not the right activity to express that inner response of praise & gratitude * When you’re mourning → that’s the time to fast * Mourning loss / but also mourning sin * Bc fasting is the right activity to express sorrow / need / brokenness * The same principle applies to every spiritual practice / discipline / activity * Shouldn’t be done to look righteous * To keep score * To feel better than other people * Shouldn’t be a way we measure others or ourselves before God * Bc those kind of things are easy to fake * Easy to separate from the motives / attitudes within * SHOULD be done to express a genuine heart response to God * Examples: why attend worship? * Why read Bible every day? * Etc. → other examples

New Clothes and Wineskins * Jesus has two responses to the critique → the second is in vv. 21-22 * The first response was clearly addressing the idea of fasting * This one is a little more obscure * Harder to see the connection → but he is still answering the original question * I think Jesus is expanding the question beyond fasting * I think he is saying, “Speaking of the Pharisees and their practices…” * Mark 2:21-22 Besides, who would patch old clothing with new cloth? For the new patch would shrink and rip away from the old cloth, leaving an even bigger tear than before. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. For the wine would burst the wineskins, and the win and the skins would both be lost. New wine calls for new wineskins. * Jesus gives two similar illustrations to make his point * 1st: you don’t patch old clothing with new cloth * 2nd: you don’t put new wine into old wineskins * Similar idea in both * 1st illustration: talking about making a repair to a worn garment * It has a tear that needs to be patched * Don’t use brand new cloth to repair the tear * Old cloth of the clothing has already shrunk * New cloth will shrink when it is washed the first time * So it will pull away → the tear will be worst * 2nd illustration: talking about storing wine that is not yet fermented * Wineskins are made of leather = skin of goat or lamb * Old leather doesn’t have much “give” / elasticity anymore → won’t stretch * New wine is unfermented grape juice * But as it ferments into wine, it creates gasses as byproduct * So the wine expands → leather has to stretch * In old, rigid leather, the expanding wine will burst the wineskin * The wineskin is ruined * The wine is spilt and lost * But what do these illustrations have to do with fasting? * The central idea is common → incompatibility with old and new * But: old and new what? * Old and new spiritual practices / activities? * Is he saying that new practices have to replace the old ones? * That’s why his disciples don’t fast? * Bc fasting is now obsolete? * That doesn’t seem to be the case * 1st: Jesus says (20): the friends of the bridegroom will fast at some point * 2nd: other places, Jesus endorsed fasting * Matthew 6: “when you fast…” / not IF you fast or DON’T fast * So what is the old / new incompatibility Jesus is getting at? * What’s clear: something NEW has arrived * Most obvious NEW thing on the scene is the Messiah himself * With Jesus’ coming a new day is dawning * That raises the question: what is the OLD thing Jesus has in mind? * How is that thing related to the Pharisees? * The Pharisees were devoted to God, yes * But in practice → their true devotion was to fulfilling the rules * They were committed to the ceremonial law of Moses * Equally committed to their own traditions of interpreting the law of Moses * So their approach to religious activity was inflexible / brittle * What Jesus called “traditions of men” * Rules added to God’s law * But also: trying to fulfill God’s law outwardly w/o change of heart * That seems to be the old wineskins here = * The legalistic system of traditions erected by man-made religion * We could say: their approach was based on LAW * Jesus invites his followers to a vibrant, dynamic rel’ship with God * One based, not on LAW, but on GRACE * Yes, religious activities are certainly part of that * But it’s not about keeping the rules * A rel’ship with God that’s by grace alone (new wine) * Can’t be compatible with an approach that’s governed by merely keeping the law (old wineskin) * Fasting, etc are about cultivating a rel’ship with God from the heart * Not just skin deep * Not just practicing these things as an end in themself * Not just about fulfilling some outward formality

CONCLUSION

Application: why do you do the things you do as a Christian?
Why do you pray? Read your Bible? Come to church?
What do those things mean to you?
External ceremony and tradition?
Or a transformed heart?
YES to fasting; YES to other spiritual practices
They’re valuable to us
Not as an end in themselves
Not as a way to measure who’s elite or not
Not to pump up myself and criticism others
Not with such rigidity that there is no freedom to express one’s true heart toward God
But as expressions of our love for God / our desire for him / conviction of our sin against him / etc

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Excerpt: Religion assumes that God most loves people who live up to religious demands, but Jesus shows that God values those far from him who come to him with their deepest need.

Talking Points:

By calling the tax collector Levi to follow him, Jesus revealed a very different standard for leadership than we would expect from religion. Mark 2:13-14
By criticizing Jesus’ social engagement with Levi and his disreputable friends, religious people demonstrated their scorn for people who don’t measure up to the rules. Mark 2:15-16
In broadest spiritual terms there are only two kinds of people. Only the second group has any chance at a relationship with God.
Mark 2:17

Discussion:

Who comes to your mind when think about a “good person”? How about a “bad” person?
Read Mark 2:13-14. Who is Levi? Why isn’t he the type of person you would think Jesus would ask to come follow him?
What does it mean to follow Jesus?
Who do you know that is most like a Pharisee?
Read Mark 2:15-17. What kind of person did Jesus come to save?

See Also:

Humanity and Sin
Pharisees
Mormonism

Shownotes:The Tax Collector Jesus has different standards than religion Mark 2:13-14* Then Jesus went out to the lakeshore again and taught the crowds that were coming to him. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collector’s booth. “Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. So Levi got up and followed him. * Jesus is still in Capernaum / along the Sea of Galilee * Teaching the crowds out in the open along the lakeshore * That’s where he meets Levi - also known as Matthew - sitting at tax collector’s booth * Collecting commercial taxes for the Roman Empire * Based on the business taking place there that day * Jesus does some scandalous things in today’s passage * Here’s the first → he invites Levi to follow him / be his disciple * That’s the definition of a disciple → one who follows another * Like we saw in ch 1 when Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, John * Levi got up - on the spot - and followed Jesus * Here’s the scandal: Jesus didn’t select religious professionals to be his followers * Went outside the religious mainstream * He didn’t select his closest followers from rabbi school * Even more scandalous, he chose a tax-collector * This goes beyond his surprising choice of 4 fishermen in ch 1 * Fishermen were not a despised group * Tax-collectors were hated for a couple of reasons * First: they were in a business partnership with Roman Empire * Hated / resented conquerors * “Unclean” / impure Gentiles * This partnership pushed them to fringes of religious life * Tax collectors would not have been seen at synagogue * Though Jewish → very much outsiders in Jewish society * Second: they typically used shady / violent tactics to collect for Rome * If brought in more taxes → reaped more wealth * Often resorted to extortion / cheating to make a profit * In some ways, closest parallel today might be gang criminals * We don’t know much about Levi personally * Was he one of the worst / a more benign version of his class? * Doesn’t matter → he wasn’t respectable / wasn’t a religious elite * Jesus would not have met him at the synagogue * So what qualified Levi for his role as potential leader? * Basically: willing to follow Jesus fully * If we were tasked to find a few core disciples for Jesus * Who would eventually become his closest followers * Where would we look? Who would we pick? Would we pick Levi?

The PhariseesReligion is scornful of people who don’t measure up Mark 2:15-16 Later, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to his home as dinner guests, along with many tax collectors and other disreputable sinners. (There were many people of this kind among Jesus’ followers.) But when the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees saw him eating with tax collectors and other sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat with such scum?”* * Second scandalous thing Jesus did: Spent time socializing with disreputable & unworthy people * In this case, accepted dinner invitation from Matthew * Text takes note of who was there → an important detail * There were other tax collectors → Levi’s professional colleagues * There were also “other disreputable sinners” * Like who? Basically the rejects of society * Luke 7:37 = “a certain immoral woman from that city” * BTW this happens while Jesus was socializing with a religious leader * Eating at home of Simon the Pharisee * Luke 19:1-10 = Zacchaeus → another tax collector * Not only that, Mark notes: Jesus welcomed people like this as his followers * Look at the response of the religious leaders * Why is Jesus eating with scum like that? * Implied: if he legitimately spoke for God → he wouldn’t do that * He would know what kind of people these are * Wouldn’t go anywhere near them * Luke 7:39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw [that the woman was putting perfume on Jesus’ feet], he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!” * Summary: how religion / religious leaders see people * Disreputable / scum / sinful * Application: how do I see people who are far from God? Judgmental? Outraged? Think I’m better?

The DifferenceJesus came for people who don’t measure up Mark 2:17* When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor - sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” * How Jesus sees people * #1: he doesn’t present everyone as being OK * He never says, “I’m okay; you’re okay” * “You follow your truth” * “Just be true to yourself” * “People are basically good” * Points out → people are needy / we are broken / spiritually sick * But while Pharisees saw needy people and scorned them * Jesus saw needy people and loved them * #2: in this verse, identifies two kinds of people in the world * This covers everyone → there really are only 2 kinds of people * Religion would say, “Yes, there are two kinds of people in the world” * Good people / bad people * Righteous people / sinners * Of course, religious people tend to identify themselves as the first kind * But that’s not how Jesus sees it * First kind = those who think they are righteous * Second kind = those who know they are sinners * You are either one or the other * So there are those who are broken and don’t realize it * To use Jesus’ analogy * This is a huge problem with religious people * Don’t usually see → they are broken too * Their religious activity masks their spiritual need * Bc they are moral / religiously active → think of themselves as worthy before God / special to him * Often: as better than others * Have to say: this is not just limited to religious people * Lost of secular irreligious people who are broken and don’t admit it * It’s a person who is coughing up a lung / has a fever * Can’t walk up the stairs / puking guts out * Who says: “I’m not sick” * But it does seem to be a particular problem for religious folks * It’s a person who has stage 4 cancer * But hasn’t noticed anything really wrong * Headache / feel tired sometimes * But wouldn’t go to doctor → don’t realize their need * Then there are those who are broken and know it * They know they are sinners / can’t measure up * With the first group → next step is to become what Jesus called “poor in spirit” * With the second group → next step is to turn to the doctor to be healed * Application: Do I realize, even after I’m saved & sins forgiven, that I’m always deeply needy of what only Jesus can do for me? Or have I become self-righteous / confident in my own righteousness? * Let’s zero in on Jesus’ response to needy people * Jesus says to critics → let me help you understand WHY I came in first place * I came for this second kind of person * You might as well ask: why does that doctor spend so much time with so many sick people? * So he entered their world to call them to himself * To invite them to find healing for their brokenness * He wasn’t just hanging out / partying / buddying up * Wasn’t enjoying some light-hearted revelry * He wasn’t like he didn’t care about how they lived * Engaged them in their world to teach them God’s heart / God’s ways * Forgave them when they repented * Embraced them when they followed him * Application: Am I willing to engage lost people to invite them to Jesus? Get on their turf? Do I only hang around with “safe” Christians? * Application: On the other hand, do I hang around with lost people, but I mostly just follow their ways and never represent Jesus to them?

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Mark 2:1-12 Jesus is greater than religionFebruary 19

Title: Jesus is greater than religion (Mark 2:1-12)

Focus Keyphrase:

Excerpt: Religion wants to control people’s access to God and his blessings, but Jesus invites everyone to come directly to him, by faith, to meet their needs.

Big Idea: Religious systems want to control access to salvation, so only authorized religious leaders can mediate salvation for people. Religion likes to make itself necessary for people to find forgiveness of sins and a relationship with God. But Jesus is greater than religion. He speaks for God. He demonstrates that people who recognize their need can come directly to him, by faith, to find forgiveness and blessing, because he is the one necessary and adequate mediator between God and humanity.

Key Response:

Talking Points:

On one level “religion” is just the way we live out a relationship with God in real space. But the word has come to be used as shorthand for a negative approach to God. Religious systems tend to control people’s access to God and his blessings.
The four friends of the paralyzed man were willing to do whatever it took to get him to Jesus. It was their faith, not just the paralytic’s alone, that made the difference. Mark 2:1-5
Jesus proved that he is greater than human religious systems. He has God’s authority to forgive our sins and is the only mediator we need to bring us to the Father. Mark 2:6-12

Discussion:

Have you had any challenging experiences with religious people?
Read Mark 2:1-5. Why was Jesus so popular? Have you had any friends in your life that, through an act of their faith, brought you to Jesus?
Read Mark 2:1-6. Why do you think Jesus forgave his sins before he heals him?
What would have been the Old Testament way of having your sins forgiven?
What is the main point of Jesus’ miracles?

See Also:

Who Is Jesus and Why It Matters
Who Did Jesus Think He Was?
Spiritual Warfare

Shownotes:Opening / Hook

We’re looking at four episodes in Mark chapter 2 → Jesus challenging religious leaders
Known as “teachers of religious law” and as “Pharisees” (2 overlapping groups)
We’re calling this mini-series: Challenging Religion
The rise of the “nones” (not the nuns)
Increasing numbers dis-affiliating from religious systems
(Check “none” on the surveys)
Deconstructing faith
You might have more in common with Jesus than you think
Not deconstructing faith, but a toxic religiousity

Defining Religion* This is the first time Jesus comes up against the religious establishment * Whole chapter focuses on this * It becomes a theme throughout Mark * Let’s define what we mean by “religion” * The word “religion” itself is not bad * One level → it’s just the ways we live out rel’ship with God in real space * But word has come to be used as shorthand for a negative approach to God * The approach to God exemplified by these opponents of Jesus * What we’ll see about them in next 4 weeks: * Measure others by external behavior alone * Outward conformity to rules masking a hard heart toward God * Suspicion & criticism toward others not in their circle * Spiritual pride / arrogance * A need to be final authority about God * Judgmentalism / quick to condemn * Desire to control & have power over others spiritually & morally * These kinds of qualities seem to follow whenever merit / achievement creep into relationship with God * Vs. contrition / brokenness * I believe we can find “religion” within all of us * Need to keep vigilant to avoid becoming Pharisees ourselves * And to keep it out of our church culture * Three sections in today’s text * First: focuses on the action of a paralyzed man and his friends * Second: focuses on the interaction of Jesus with teachers of religious law * Third: focuses on response of the crowds → summarizes the main point

The Four Friends Focus of these verses: the action of a paralyzed man’s friends * Mark 2:1-4 When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. * News of Jesus is spreading so quickly → very hard to approach him through the crowds * Jesus is at a house when everybody shows up * Paint a picture → house is packed elbow to elbow * Crowd spills over to the outside * So what does Jesus do? Starts to preach God’s word to them * But there is a paralyzed man in town who needs to be healed * Saw in ch 1 how frequently Jesus was healing people * This man can’t walk → how is he going to come to Jesus / get his attention? * This is a picture of our spiritual condition (review from last week) * We are crippled by sin / unable to heal ourselves * We don’t know where to get help * There are many obstacles that keep us from approaching Jesus * Feel unworthy / don’t believe he can help / etc. * Four friends come to the rescue * They weren’t going to be turned away, in spite of crowd * So they found a creative, energetic approach * Dug a hole through the roof → lowered the man down right in front of Jesus * Explain how roofs worked then; how this is even possible * Maybe you’re here today because a friend overcame the obstacles to introduce you to Jesus * Who do you know who is desperate to meet Jesus? * These guys really cared about their friend * Willing to do whatever it took to bring him to Jesus * Bc they cared so much about his need * What allies do you have to help you meet that need? * Just one friend alone could not have done what the 4 friends did * What are some practical steps you could take to help? * Invite to church * Invite to small group * Invite to look together at meaningful materials on PG * Notice they’re not trying to bring their friend to religion → but to Jesus * It’s a great illustration bc generally, religion assumes that we can do something to contribute to our salvation * Keep commandments / perform ordinances * Live a good moral life * All that will make us worthy of God’s approval / blessing * But this man could not contribute a single thing to his healing * Had to be Jesus / only Jesus * Jesus met them at their point of need * He used the man’s more obvious physical need to point him to his greater need * Didn’t heal his paralyzed legs * Instead: “My child, your sins are forgiven.” * Not to minimize the reality of our needs → this is our greatest need * To be reconciled with God / have our record of sins expunged * Jesus did it! Jesus was enough * Notice what your faith can do to help someone else * Mark 2:5* Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” * (5): “Seeing THEIR faith…” / not just his alone * These four friends believed what Jesus could do for their friend * They trusted Jesus on his behalf * And as always → true faith takes shape in action * If they didn’t believe / trust what Jesus could do * Would never have bothered to do what it took to bring their friend * Think: how YOUR faith can make a difference for YOUR friends in their need

Jesus Is Greater That declaration of forgiveness of sins is the high point of the first verses * Concludes the action of first scene → what friends’ action was building toward * But then immediately those words of Jesus introduce a new scene * Focus: the reaction of the religious leaders & Jesus’ response to them * Mark 2:6-7 But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” * The religious leaders didn’t like what Jesus said * How could he declare anyone’s sins forgiven? * Important context: the normative way to receive forgiveness in that setting * The OT law set up the established way * Follow the steps, fulfill the rituals * The sacrificial system actually came from God * But over time came to be abused by human religious leaders * They saw themselves as holding the keys to the system * So NO, no one could declare sins forgiven without fulfilling that system * Which entailed coming to God through THEM * Their observation was also correct on a certain level * “Only God can forgive sins” = true * I can forgive your sins against me * But I don’t have authority to declare that you’re forgiven before God * While their observation may have been correct → 2 things were wrong * One: their interpretation of what was happening * Two: their attitude * Their interpretation of the event was wrong = this was not blasphemy * Bc they failed to reckon with the possibility that Jesus was God * That Jesus, as Messiah, spoke for God → said only what the Father told him to say * Jesus was the fulfillment of the old religious system - see Hebrews 3:3 * Jesus became the high priest and the sacrifice * So it was not blasphemy for him to speak for God on this matter * Jesus proved that he was authorized to forgive sins by doing a miraculous healing * Mark 2:8-11 Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” * Which is harder? To forgive sins, or heal paralyzed legs? * Only God can do either one * So Jesus used the miracle of healing * To underscore his larger spiritual authority from God * Presumably → the miracle would change the minds of his critics * They would realize Jesus did not commit blasphemy * Bc he was not like any other man * He really did speak & act for God * That doesn’t seem to have happened → esp as we read the rest of chapter * Their attitude toward what happened was wrong * Here’s a man coming to God through Jesus * Religious leaders didn’t care about his physical paralysis * Didn’t care about him being forgiven of his sins * Only cared that things were done the right way * Bigger picture → religious systems want to control people’s access to God * Only authorized religious leaders can open the door to God * Only they can mediate salvation / declare God’s blessings * Religion likes to make itself necessary * For people to find forgiveness of sins / find a relationship with God * “You can only be saved in our church” * “Your baptism isn’t valid unless some religious leader has the right priesthood” * Etc → more illustrations * Jesus is greater than religion * In his interaction with the paralyzed man… * Showed that anyone who recognizes their need can come directly to him * To find forgiveness and blessing * In this incident, he demonstrated what the apostle Paul later wrote about him * 1 Tim 2:5 (NLT)* For there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity - the man Christ Jesus. * There is only one mediator between God and humanity * It’s not a church * It’s not a religious system * It’s not a popular author * It’s not some religious leader or teacher of religious law * It’s Jesus * Application: we have to be careful about this * The world is full of religions * The details are different but the underlying approach is the same → * You can only come to God through us * Our institutional authority * Our priesthood * Our approval of your righteousness * If you want to come to Jesus → have to tune that out * Come directly to him * There’s no contradiction in me standing in a church saying that * Bc I don’t want to control your access to God & his blessings * I want you to come to Jesus * I’m not trying to get you to join this church * Of course you’re welcome to go on the journey with us * We don’t want to be an obstacle to your faith journey * We want to be one of the friends who helps you come to Jesus * But the priority is that you find, in JESUS, the answer to your need * If you are a church-goer → recognize how easily the religious spirit can slip in * We get loyal to the church that God used to help us come to Jesus * That helped us so much to grow in our faith * So start to think → this is the only way / we have some special doorway to God * We’re somehow necessary if people are going to find salvation

TRANS: The climax of the first section → Jesus declared the young man forgiven of his sins

The climax of the second section → Jesus commanded the man to stand up and walk
These two climactic moments are parallel
In each case → the story builds toward these 2 moments
In each case, Jesus meets the man’s need
In each, Jesus displays his unique authority from God

CONCLUSION

As soon as the healing occurs - and climax is reached - the scene quickly shifts again
The focus of the short, final section: the reaction of the crowds
Mark 2:12 And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”
The camera has been in pretty tight
Focused on Jesus and his critics going back and forth
Now it turns from Jesus to zoom in on this young man
As he leaps to his feet / grabs his mat
He came in through a hole in roof → now exits on his own two feet through the crowd
The final shot is a wider view of all the people in the house that day
They were all amazed / stunned → who wouldn’t be?
They had never seen anything like this before!
Mark points out → they were praising God
Everyone attributed the miracle to an act of God
So, you see, they got the point Jesus was trying to make
He is the doorway to God
His action was God’s action
He is the one we need in order to experience God’s presence & blessings in our lives
There’s no other road / no other way
Religion can’t do it → Jesus can
Maybe you’ve been trying to find God through religion
Elaborate on what this would look like
Trying to find the one correct church
Trying to do all the right religious rituals
Trying to keep what you were told are God’s commandments
Trying to live a moral, righteous life
Etc
You don’t need religion to open the door to God and his blessings
You need Jesus
Don’t confuse the two
Jesus invites you to come directly to him, by faith, to meet your needs
Starting with your need to be absolved of your sin before God

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Mark 1:40-45 Jesus the Great Physician

Title: The Great Physician and the Miracle Cure (Mark 1:40-45)

Focus Keyphrase: Healing, Great Physician

Excerpt: Jesus is willing to forgive and cleanse those who trust in him. The cure he offers is not just spiritual - it impacts every part of our lives.

Talking Points:

Leprosy is analogous to sin. It is an incurable infection that affects every part of our lives: physical, mental, emotional, relational, spiritual etc.. Mark 1:40
Only the Great Physician could heal this disease. Only Jesus can take away our sin. He’s not just powerful enough to heal, he’s also willing. Mark 1:41-42
Jesus doesn’t just want to heal people, he wants to restore them as well. This man is being prescribed the way back into his community to share his testimony. Mark 1:43-44, Mark 1:45

Discussion:

What sort of negative circumstances would a person with leprosy have in their life? How is leprosy analogous to sin?
Talk about a moment in your life when you felt hopeless and alone.
Read Mark 1:40-42. What do you think this man believes about Jesus based on his statement? What does this tell you about Jesus’ willingness to save people?
Scan Through Leviticus 13. What does this say about how to cleanse from leprosy? Why do you think Jesus touched the man to heal him?
Why does Jesus tell him not to tell anyone about what he has done for him?
Have you ever noticed certain churches being over the top? Explain.
What commands of Jesus do you struggle wanting to do?

See Also:

Addiction
The Pursuit
New Believers 101

Shownotes:Jesus is willing to forgive and cleanse those who come to him by faith. The right response for salvation is to be obedient to his commands.

Mark 1:40-45 (NLT) A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said. Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed. Then Jesus sent him on his way with a stern warning: “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.” But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn’t publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him.

The InfectionMark 1:40 (NLT) A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said.

(Teaching moment about leprosy.) Mainly affects the nerve endings in the body making it so that you can’t feel any pain. Pain is good because it causes you to protect and nurse wounds / injuries. When you can’t feel a burn, scrape, bruise it is left untreated. Start to lose fingers and toes. Skin infections happen from cuts and bruises. Nose deformity and loss of extremities.

Leprosy was an incurable disease. This man’s faith is proven by his statement that Jesus was able to heal him. There was no question of Jesus’s power but only his willingness. He kneels as a sign of respect and worship. This man knows who Jesus truly is. He knows of his power and authority. He comes by faith.

How did this man get to the point of desperation? In OT law he would have been an outcast. “Unclean’ is what he would have been labeled by his community.

Leviticus 13:45-46 (ESV) “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.

This man was self-loathing and alone. Hopeless. He wouldn’t have been able to have any close relationships. This disease ultimately kept him from being able to worship God.

(Illustration of this in modern day) My own sin and hopelessness from addiction.

Leprosy is analogous to sin. It is an incurable infection that affects every part of our lives: physical, mental, emotional, relational, spiritual etc. Sin causes so many harmful and unwanted circumstances. Disease and illness are ever present in us and people around us because of the Fall. Mental health issues are more common than not. We’ve been hurt by people we love and we continue to hurt those we love via not having control over our emotions. Most significantly, humanity’s connection with God is broken due to our own sin and the sinful nature we inherited.

What is the hope of mankind? We are all like lepers.

(Trans) There’s only one person who can cure this infection… Jesus!

The CureMark 1:41-42 (NLT) Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed.

Only the Great Physician could heal this disease. Only Jesus can take away our sin. He’s not just powerful enough to heal, he’s also willing. Jesus broke the religious barriers of some and risked touching this man. No one touched lepers, but Jesus did out of compassion, power and authority. The rituals that mere men would have to do to be clean, Jesus would not have to do because of who he is.

Restating the leper’s faith moment, he knew that Jesus was powerful enough to heal him. Not only did he state that he could heal him but also make him clean as well. In the OT, the only person that could declare a person clean was a priest, and that was after a ritual. Here we see his faith in Jesus being sovereign to do only what God can do which is instantaneously heal and cleanse him. This means he believed that Jesus was none other than the Messiah, the Son of God. This faith in who Jesus is and what he can and will do is his saving grace.

This is how a person comes to faith and starts a relationship with God. Trusting Jesus for who he is and for the forgiveness of sins. Topics 4,5,6 in the Pursuit help us with this:

We understand our sin and need for forgiveness.
We realize what the bible says about who Jesus is, God in the flesh who came to save the lost.
We come to a place where we surrender to him, repent and believe.

The leper symbolizes starting a relationship with God. He’s openly declaring that “Jesus is Lord” (Romans 10:9). In a moment, this man is set free from the bondage of his infectious disease.

This is what Jesus came to do! May we see our need and have faith like this man. In a sense, even though this man had a rough go at life for a while he is more blessed than any of the religious leaders of his day. Why? Because the sickness revealed to him his need for the Savior. The rule following legalists of their day and ours are blind to the fact that their infection is internal. In Chapter 2 we’ll see Jesus challenge these guys and here’s something he says:

Mark 2:17 (ESV) When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Jesus will operate on those who know they have the need for a heart transplant. The hearts of the Pharisees were prideful and arrogant. They thought salvation was in themselves following the law not understanding that no one could measure up to the standards of God because the heart is deceitful and wicked (Jer 17:9).

Salvation is by grace through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

(Trans) So this man starts out right. Let’s see if he’ll be able to trust Jesus not only for salvation but for further instructions on what to do next with his life…

The PrescriptionMark 1:43-44 (NLT) Then Jesus sent him on his way with a stern warning: “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”

Trusting Jesus for salvation isn’t where our faith ends. Being obedient to his commands honors God and proves that our faith is genuine. Jesus cares about how we live after we come to faith. (Module 3 in the Pursuit)

(Illustration of following the doctors orders or following a prescribed diet or plan)

Submitting to the One who has the authority to heal seems wise doesn’t it? We listen to doctors, scientists, fitness gurus, dieticians and, sadly, even politicians. LOL. Why wouldn’t we listen to Jesus?

He doesn’t just want to heal him but he also wants to restore him as well, even to society in a way. This man is being prescribed the way back into his community. Back into relationships. Back into the social graces of Israel. There was an OT way through the law that a person would be considered clean. This was God’s way for restoration and healing to happen. Jesus' desire was to reach more people through this guy’s testimony in a way that they could relate to. He also knew that the time hadn’t come yet to change their way of worship.

Referring back to the first part of these verses, we see Jesus for the 2nd time in Mark chapter 1 say to not tell anyone about his power and authority cast out demons or to heal. This is called the “messianic secret”. (Vs. 34 is the 1st time)

“Jesus will define his messianic role as the Son of Man who will suffer and die as a ransom for sin (8:31; 9:31; 10:45). As to its timing, rumors surrounding Jesus’ identity risk inciting the crowds to messianic furor and so thwarting his plans to proclaim the kingdom of God throughout the towns and villages of Galilee (1:38). A premature and misinformed revelation of Jesus’ identity will create a hindrance to his essential mission.” Zondervan Exegetical Commentary Mark Strauss

Jesus was going to abide by the timing of his ministry plan and would reveal his identity when he saw fit. He does not need anyone to give him fame or come up with a better plan than what he’s already doing.

(Trans) That leads us to what happens next. What will this newly cleansed and excited man do?

The Relapse

Mark 1:45 (NLT) But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened. As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and he couldn’t publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to him.

Obedience is better than ambition and creativity. We hinder God’s work when we don’t do it his way. He doesn’t go back into leprosy but he shows that he is not fully surrendered to Christ. He wants to do it his way. Pride is a part of the old nature.

Story about a hasty decision or an idea in ministry / evangelism that was regretted. Calvin’s Cage.

My guess is that this man probably isn’t named because Peter was probably irritated with his decision to go against Jesus’ command. It says that it made their public ministry even harder than it already was. Imagine the guy at work who speaks up about something and creates more work for everyone! Don’t be that guy. LOL

I believe Mark wrote this part of the story down for us so that we can learn from the ex-leper’s mistake. We don’t need to over complicate the mission! So many churches these days are making the message of the Gospel so convoluted with hobby horses and sacred cows. If we want to know how to honor God and live out our Christian lives at church, then we need not look any further than in the bible. God’s Word gives us everything we need to figure out how to share truth.

(Illustration of church’s services that look like a circus or a broadway production)

Other ways we can hinder the work of Jesus around us is when we just blatantly live disobedient lives, even practicing and justifying sinful behaviors.

Going back to vs. 44,’This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.” We are a better witness to the outside world when we follow Jesus well after salvation. Genuine faith is more attractive than hypocrisy. I know we want to go tell it on the mountain and shout it on the rooftops and we should. Yet, we ought to learn how to, first, live out our changed and cleansed lives and secondly, be obedient to Jesus’ commands out of gratitude for all he has done for us.

We all want people to be saved. Let's just do the clear and prescribed work laid out for us in scripture and trust the Great Physician to do the work that only he can do!

Close:

Jesus is willing to heal and cleanse from sinfulness all that would come to him in faith. For many, you have already experienced his life changing, cleansing power. The challenge for the believer then is to pace yourself. Continue to learn to live to honor God. Find out what his commands are and then live them out. One of them is to be a witness to what he’s done in your life by sharing and living out your testimony. Don’t complicate it or water it down. Be faithful in doing your ministry his way.

For the unbeliever or seeker, can you see the infection of sin in your life? Can you see the evidence of a broken relationship with God? Believe in who the Jesus of the bible is and trust in his willingness to restore you and heal your brokenness.

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Mark 1:29-39 The Priority of Jesus

Title: A Day in the Busy Life of Jesus (Mark 1:29-39)

Focus Keyphrase: spiritual health

Excerpt: A busy day in the life of Jesus shows us his compassion for hurting and broken people. In the midst of busyness, Jesus takes time for prayer to get recharged and focused on the main priority.

Talking Points:

Jesus works day and night to show his compassion for people. Meeting the needs of a broken world can be draining. Mark 1:29-34
The next morning we see the source of Jesus’ selfless service. Expending yourself requires you to recharge through spiritual disciplines. Mark 1:35-37
The main priority of Jesus’ time on earth was to tell people the good news. The deepest need of the broken world around us is spiritual, not physical. Mark 1:38-39

Discussion:

Have you ever served in a soup line for the homeless or a church outreach event? Describe your experience.
Read Mark 1:29-34. Why do you think Jesus started his ministry with healing people and casting out demons? What does this say about his character?
Do you have a discipline of devotional time and prayer? Have you ever felt the need to get away to pray after becoming overwhelmed and busy?
Read Matthew 6:9-13. How does the Lord’s Prayer relate to this part of Jesus’ ministry?
Do you know how to share the gospel with someone? Is preaching only meant for Sundays?

See Also:

Healing
Spiritual Disciplines
Purpose

Shownotes:Excerpt: A busy day in the life of Jesus shows us his compassion for hurting and broken people. In the midst of busyness, Jesus takes time for prayer to get recharged and focused on the main priority.

Mark 1:29-39 (NLT) After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew’s home. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away. So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them.

That evening after sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. The whole town gathered at the door to watch. So Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons. But because the demons knew who he was, he did not allow them to speak.

Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Later Simon and the others went out to find him. When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.” So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons.

A Busy DayJesus works day and night to show his compassion for people.

Jesus’ acts of healing and deliverance are a foretaste of what his Kingdom will bring

Notice two things: his compassion and his busyness…

Out of compassion, Jesus pours himself out in ministry.

Mark 1:29-34 (NLT) After Jesus left the synagogue with James and John, they went to Simon and Andrew’s home. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with a high fever. They told Jesus about her right away. So he went to her bedside, took her by the hand, and helped her sit up. Then the fever left her, and she prepared a meal for them. // That evening after sunset, many sick and demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. The whole town gathered at the door to watch. So Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons. But because the demons knew who he was, he did not allow them to speak.

Jesus takes time out of the very important inauguration of his mission to heal Peter’s Mother-in-law. In fact, he’s making an important point that not only does he have the power and authority to heal but that his healing of many people and casting out demons is a foretaste of what happens when God establishes his rule on earth.

The devil had set up shop on earth but Jesus was coming to set up his Kingdom. He is starting the restoration process of the fallen world. Starting with Peter’s mom, we see that she is fully restored to the point of resuming normal duties. He’s doing that one person at a time. Imagine the people's desperation to bring their sick and oppressed family members to Jesus! Imagine how busy Jesus was!

Another interesting point is that he did not allow the demons to speak. This was his way of silencing the abusers. He would bring about the Kingdom on his terms as he saw fit. This alludes to his power and authority that we saw last week but with this newly added component of compassion. He does not misuse his power but uses it for good. The whole town senses his goodness and wants a taste of heaven for themselves, if even for a moment of temporary relief. It shows how heavy the weights of this world are on humanity. They had probably tried everything. Finally, Jesus has the solution to their burdens.

John 10:10 (NLT) The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

People are important enough to God to take time for personal touches of power and love.

Meeting the needs of a broken world can be draining

TRANS: But that’s just on the surface. Look at what lies beneath… (peel layer back)

Morning PrayerThe next morning we see the source of Jesus’ selfless service.

Even Jesus needs the discipline of devotional time and prayer.

Mark 1:35-37 (NLT) Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Later Simon and the others went out to find him. When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

Jesus just had one of the longest days of his life so far. This goes back to the theme of the gospel in action. Things are happening so fast once Jesus steps on the scene. It’s interesting that up until this point there isn’t even a mention of a break to eat, sleep or even sit down. We see here though that Jesus takes some intentional time to go pray. He knew he needed to get away for a moment to a place where there was silence. It says in the text that news of him had been spreading quickly so if he didn’t take a break now he may never get one. Yet this is more than a break. It is a time of spiritual renewal. Even Jesus needs the discipline of devotion time and prayer.

It seems obvious that we all need rest but yet we struggle with taking time to talk to God. We would rather keep grinding away than make ourselves take a moment to reflect and refocus. Sometimes we need to step out of the project we’re working on and take a look at the bigger picture.

Expending yourself requires you to recharge through spiritual disciplines.

Prayer can help us rely on God’s higher point of view.

Matthew 6:10 (ESV) Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Jesus could have been very easily distracted but he knew there was a greater purpose than people's immediate needs. The bigger picture is the advance of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth!

TRANS: Peel the layer back just a little more…

The Real PriorityThe main priority of Jesus’ time on earth was to tell people the good news.

Mark 1:38-39 (NLT) But Jesus replied, “We must go on to other towns as well, and I will preach to them, too. That is why I came.” So he traveled throughout the region of Galilee, preaching in the synagogues and casting out demons.

He could have stayed in one place and healed every affliction of those who would come to him. Yet, he leaves and makes sure to let the disciples know the primary reason he came. Healings and deliverance were secondary to the main goal, which is salvation. He came to give them eternal life. (Gospel)

Preaching about the Kingdom is not just a Sunday preacher's job but every Christian is called to preach.

This can be called discipleship, evangelism, mentoring etc. This is primary. Even though we are also called to show compassion and be the hands and feet of Jesus, our greatest way of spreading the Kingdom is through sharing truth.

Mark 16:15 (NLT) And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.

The deepest need of the broken world around us is spiritual, not physical.

Close: Jesus’ compassion for hurting and broken people keeps him busy. Yet, he still finds time to pray so that he doesn’t lose focus on the main priority which is to take care of sin once and for all.

What is our priority? Do we get busy without taking time to recharge and refocus? Do we use our hands and feet but never our mouth?

Let us not be like “the whole town” of Capernaum and only seek Jesus for temporal blessing or relief. Our needs are greater than our circumstances. We need a healing of our souls!

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Mark 1:21-28 The Authority of JesusTitle: The Only Real Authority in the Universe (Mark 1:21-28)

Focus Keyphrase: The authority of Jesus

Excerpt: Jesus spoke and acted in ways that demonstrated his absolute authority to dictate what we think and how we live.

Talking Points:

Jesus gets the final say on how we think. He cuts through endless debates by defining what is true or false and what is right and wrong. Mark 1:21-22
Jesus gets the final say on how we live. By casting out an evil spirit, he proved that his authority must be obeyed. Mark 1:23-28
For now, we choose who gets to influence our lives with authority. But the day will come when everyone will submit to the only real authority in the universe. Philippians 2:9-11

Discussion:

How many authority figures do you have in your life? List them from greatest to least importance.
Do you believe that people who influence you actually have some authority in your life?
Read Mark 1:21-22. What kind of teaching is authoritative to you? Why is Jesus worth listening to?
Read Mark 1:23-28. Why do you think this guy was possessed by a demon? Why would the evil spirit have to obey Jesus?
What are some consequences of not listening to and obeying Jesus’ commands?

See Also:

Who Is Jesus and Why It Matters
Who Did Jesus Think He Was?
Spiritual Warfare

Shownotes:Today we’re studying Mark 1:21-28, and it’s all about authority. Jesus spoke and acted in ways that demonstrated his absolute authority to dictate what we think and how we live.

Q. How do you respond to authority figures? Who has real authority in your life?

Story about getting along with authority = maybe a time I blew off authority and reaped consequences. Or humorous: dumb laws that someone in authority enacted.
Influencers: Young people don’t think of it in terms of “authority” figures with robes and gavels. But if you listen to them, you’re given them authority.
You choose who has authority in your life. (For now.)

Mark 1:21-28 (NLT) Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, he went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law.

Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, “Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” // But Jesus reprimanded him. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. At that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him.

Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!” The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee.

Mark 1:21 Jesus and his companions went to the town of Capernaum. When the Sabbath day came, he went into the synagogue and began to teach.
Describe / explain the setting. About Capernaum and Galilee. About the Sabbath day / synagogue. Why was Jesus teaching there?
Two things happened in the synagogue that morning that established the unique person and ministry of Jesus. In both cases, the key word is “authority”.
Greek: “exousia”
An important theme in Mark = people recognizing Jesus’ authority. You’ll see this again in chapter 2. More importantly, coming to grips with his authority (subjective response to it vs the objective fact of his authority - someday every knee will bow).
Jesus spoke and acted in ways that demonstrated his absolute authority to dictate what we think and how we live.

TRANS: Let’s look at two aspects / expressions of that authority.

How We Think Mark 1:22* The people were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real authority—quite unlike the teachers of religious law. * The first kind of authority Jesus possessed → he was absolutely right when others guessed. He told the truth when others waffled. * The people were amazed at his teaching. * Why: he taught with real authority. How this was different from the teachers of religious law: endless debate about obscure points. * To teach with authority → he’s not guessing * It’s not “maybe this, maybe that” * But: “this is the truth; this is the way it is” * Where Jesus’ authority comes from: (not just loudness or passion) * This authority is based on creation power. * Before he was born into humanity, Jesus made everything that exists. * If I want to know how something works, the most authoritative voice is the one who created it. If I want to know what an author means, no one can speak with greater authority on that subject than the author herself. * This authority is based on perfect knowledge. * The more you know about a subject, the more your perspective can be trusted. You gain authority. * This authority is based on moral perfection. * Dealing with questions not just of knowledge, but of right and wrong, the highest authority is one who best understands & embodies right and wrong. You don’t ask a thief if it’s right or wrong to steal. * Who influences YOU? * Self-proclaimed authority: The teachers of the law endlessly debated what was true / right * But many of them acted like their interpretations of God’s law were absolute * They created all kinds of rules & regulations to apply God’s law in daily life * Problem → elevated their own interpretations to the level of God’s word * Likewise today a lot of teachers today speak with great authority - but it’s authority they don’t have. * Don’t listen just because someone speaks boldly or loudly. * Listen because someone speaks in conformity with the Bible. * Jesus spoke with authority because he was the Messiah. * As in Matt 28: authority that he was given by God the Father * By contrast, any authority we have today to speak about anything is ultimately derived from God’s word, the Bible. * Jesus deserves to have the final say about what we think. * Jesus teaches with authority. He has the right to define what is true vs. false, right vs. wrong. * The question we all face personally is the same question people faced as they met him and heard him. “Will I accept his authority to define what is true and what is right? Or will I insist on maintaining that right for myself?” Will I surrender to his authority? * Will my opinions / perspectives change because of what Jesus says? * Illustrate this with a practical example: what you do with money; how you think about marriage; how you treat people; etc. etc. * Influencers: Young people don’t think of it in terms of “authority” figures with robes and gavels. But if you listen to them, you’re given them authority.

TRANS: Authority starts w ideas, but it ends w action. how you think leads to how you live. Jesus has the final word on that, too. Not just who you listen to; it’s what you act upon.

How We Live(Jesus gets the final say on how we live. By casting out an evil spirit, he proved that his authority must be obeyed.)

Mark 1:23-24 Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, “Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
(“I’m not demon possessed. I can tune out here.)
There is an unseen spiritual world.
Not always recognized in our culture today. For many, all that exists is what we can see and measure.
But popular culture understands (see the popularity of horror movies) there are things that can’t be understood / explained by science / technology.
I’ve traveled in other countries around the world: there’s no question in other societies that malevolent spiritual forces exist.
In the Bible, they are called: evil spirits; unclean spirits; demonic spirits; just demons.
Demons know who Jesus is = the Holy One of God
They know his mission is to defeat them.
Biblical perspective is that demonic spirits can take some measure of control of human beings.
In English, the most common way to talk about this is to say that this man “was possessed by an evil spirit.”
Verse 23 simply (literally) says: “there was a man in the synagogue WITH an unclean spirit.”
The English translation is an attempt to unpack what “with an unclean spirit” means.
You can see in verse 25: In some sense the demon was “in” the man.
In verse 26: the demon exerted a crude sort of power over the man’s voice and body.
That’s why the word “possessed” has become commonly used.
The Bible also uses the word “demonized” to describe the same thing.
Again, this may be very hard for modern, secular people to accept.
But these kind of phenomenon are not unknown in secular America
Certainly not uncommon in the two-thirds world
Plenty of documented examples from around the world of people demonized in this way
We don’t know how or why a person becomes possessed by an evil spirit.
The Bible doesn’t say. That’s an area where a lot of teachers speak with great authority (see point 1) but go way beyond what the Bible actually says.
When we look at how Bible describes demonic activity, it can resemble some expressions of mental illness
I don’t know the boundary between the two
I do think - just my opinion - that evil spiritual beings can take advantage of mental illness to increase human suffering
But I don’t think you can look at mental illness and simple assume it’s demonic and can be fixed by spiritual solutions
I think that’s an oversimplification
The brain / mind is complex → there’s so much we don’t understand
But demonization is a real thing just as mental illness is a real thing
Mark 1:25-26 But Jesus reprimanded him. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. At that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him.
The Point: Jesus gets the final say on how we live. By casting out an evil spirit, he proved that his authority must be obeyed.
Apparently the demon didn’t want to leave this man.
It fought against Jesus’ command. But I didn't have a choice.
The struggle was intense but brief. The spirit screamed (through the man’s voice / vocal cords). It threw the man into a convulsion.
But he wasn’t going to win this one.
If you’re worried about the power of evil spirits → they do have power
Based on what we see in NT
But you can see here that Jesus is more powerful
Time and time again in Mark’s gospel → Jesus proves his power over evil forces
Here’s what the Bible promises to followers of Jesus:
1 John 4:10 …the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
Application: Don’t live in fear!
Mark 1:27-28 Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!” The news about Jesus spread quickly throughout the entire region of Galilee.
Look how the people in the synagogue that day responded to what Jesus just did
Amazement gripped them! WOW!
Illustration: a big-time WOW moment for you
Perhaps this man had been coming to that synagogue for years, seeking help
No one could do anything to set him free
The teachers of the Jewish law couldn’t do anything to give him relief
The religious leaders and experts couldn’t release him from this terrible condition
But Jesus could! And did!
That got people talking! Not just there in the synagogue that day, but throughout the whole area.
Capernaum was the leading city of Galilee.
When something happened there, word of mouth took it outward to all the surrounding area.
The point: Jesus casts a demon out of a demonized man. Visibly demonstrated his authority over all spiritual forces and powers.
This is closely related to the first kind of authority: Jesus has authority to tell us what is true and what is right.
You can see: the people recognized the connection: “Jesus’ teaching has so much authority that even evil spirits obey his orders.”
This is authority to command. To be in charge.
It’s the power of a person whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed.

The Final WordSo who gets the final word in your life? (Not subjective ultimately.)

The evil spirit didn’t have a choice. Jesus spoke, it obeyed. Period.
What about us? What happens if you blow off what Jesus says?
1. You introduce chaos and loss into your life.
Ever use a product in a way it wasn’t designed to be used? (Example: pair of scissors for a hammer; etc.)
Didn’t really work very well, did it?
You might have actually done some harm.
Same in life. Jesus knows how the world is supposed to work because he created it. Disregard what he says: it’s just not going to work that well.
(Choose an example, such as: sexual revolution threw off God’s boundaries on sexual activity. How much hurt has been introduced into people’s lives as a result: young women used and rejected; fatherless homes; millions of unplanned pregnancies, abortions, single moms struggling; sexually transmitted diseases; heartache; etc.)
2. You put your eternal destiny in jeopardy.
You don’t become right with God by doing all the right things. But by trusting in what Jesus did to pay for your sins on the cross.
Yet a key part of accepting his provision for our sin = we turn from directing our own life to let him take charge.
Can’t really have a relationship with him without giving him that central place in your heart & life.
No one gets to say: I want what Jesus will do for me, but I don’t want what he says to me.

You choose who has authority in your life. For now. But the day will come when everyone will submit to the only real authority in the universe.

Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT) Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus deserves to have the final say about how we live.
Not just over demons. Matt 28: “all authority in heaven and on earth,”
Matthew 28:18 I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
This is why he is called “Lord”
The question we all face personally is the same question people faced as they met him and heard him.
“Will I accept his authority to define what I should do or not do? Or will I insist on maintaining that right for myself?”
Will I surrender to his authority and obey him? Or will I passively ignore or actively rebel against what Jesus commands?

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Shownotes:

After the preparation time of Jesus for ministry, we come to the beginning of the King starting his Kingdom reign. First, he must establish the mission of calling people to repent and believe. Then, the King chooses subjects and servants to fulfill his decrees. These guys aren’t who you would expect Jesus to use as the core team. That’s because his Kingdom is an upside down one. Let’s start with today’s text:

Mark 1:14-20 (NLT) Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News. “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”// One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him. // A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets. He called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.

The starting of a ministry necessitates establishing the mission and training up a team!

The King’s SpeechJesus begins his ministry with a call to repent and believe in the Gospel.

Repent and Believe. The Kingdom is near. Inauguration.

Mark 1:14-15 Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News. “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”

Why Galilee?
Jesus is from there.
It’s where he will call his 1st disciples.
He does his first miracle there. Water into wine.
Herod's base camp is there.
The Kingdom is coming with every step he takes on the earth. He's spreading seeds for it to grow as he walks around Israel.

Mark 4:26-27 Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens.

Unseen and invasive. Somewhat unpredictable but powerful.

Luke 17:21 You won’t be able to say, ‘here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you.”

The good news is that we are invited to join up with a loving but powerful King.

“Kingdom of God is near”
A brief definition = the rule of God on earth.
Because God is good, his rule is a blessing to his subjects.
Imagine: wouldn’t it be awesome if our government officials were all absolutely GOOD. None crooked. Power-hungry. Foolish. Etc.
The Kingdom is a system that replaces or is at war with the World system.
Because God is righteous, his rule is also a threat to his enemies.
This is good news because humanity is plagued / oppressed by evil and spiritual darkness. God’s kingdom will prevail over these powers.
Starts prevailing when Jesus appears on the scene. He heals people’s broken bodies. He frees people from demonic powers.
It continues to prevail as people follow him and he works liberation in their lives.
his kingdom rule will eventually prevail over all evil / all enemies when he returns.
The response Jesus calls for = repent and believe this good news
As in message #2: “Sins” are merely the expression - outward or inward - of a self-directed life. Repentance is turning from my self-directed life and turning to God.
The reason most people reject this good news is that they don’t want another king besides themselves: “the Kingdom of Me.”
Application: surrender the “kingdom of Me” to the Kingdom of God
“Believe” = accepting / trusting in / applying the good news of Jesus to your own life. Here in Mark 1, the reader doesn’t yet know about the cross or rez. This will all be filled out as we go. But the most foundational idea here: trust in God’s promise through Jesus.
The Gospel = the King takes our place and dies! This is Upside Down!
Only humble servants can be a part of this. You must have a relationship with the King!
Isn’t that backwards? No one has a personal relationship with earthly kings unless they are of some great importance.

The King's People Jesus enlists ordinary people to follow him. These guys aren’t who you would expect to be used as the core team.

1:16-17 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”

The King and his subjects are too ordinary. The core team. He's enlisting more people to plant seeds. He knows the call to faith isn’t just passive but can actually hook the intended catch.
Fishing illustration about how we just hope that our bait and hook and timing are right for the right fish. God’s more precise than that!

Jesus takes responsibility for shaping us “I will show you how to fish for men.” Lit. “I will make you fishers of men.” He doesn't just show us how, but he remakes us for the task. This is the greatest answer to the objection: “I can’t do this.” But Jesus can turn you from a 98-pound weakling into a Navy SEAL.

Simon, Andrew, James and John
A quick look at some of their stories in the gospel of Mark will tell you that they were in for a 3 year training program that would change them from prideful, arrogant, oblivious, rejects into confident, humble, servant, followers.
Jesus knows that these guys are going to fail, even desert Him, but It’s not based on their performance that Jesus picks them.

1:19 A little farther up the shore Jesus saw Zebedee’s sons, James and John, in a boat repairing their nets.

Notice Jesus said "Follow me .." not I will follow you.
Jesus calls ordinary people to follow him

Note that he did not call religious professionals, but ordinary people who were engaged in ordinary careers.

Sons of thunder
Nowadays, you would expect a great CEO leader to use the best of the best, packed resumes and generational pedigrees.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

Jesus is great enough to use a bunch of nobody’s. If we’re humble enough to see it, that’s us!
Their ordinary status proves that it is God who gets the glory and it is not self proclaimed brilliant leaders who make Kingdom work successful. The requirement to be a part of this Kingdom is repentance, faith, humility and sacrificial service.

(Trans) Following him involves engaging in his mission. The strategy is not to do it all by himself, but to enlist and commission ordinary human beings to represent him and the message we looked at last week.

Challenge: you can’t say you follow Jesus yet ignore the mission he gave us. The measure of a mature follower of Jesus is going full circle.

Leave Your NetsFollowing Jesus means surrendering to his rule in our lives. This involves “leaving your nets” and getting on board with his mission.

Immediately left their way of doing things and obediently followed The Way.

1:18 And they left their nets at once and followed him.

What the net represents - entanglement, caught, held captive
2 Timothy 2:4 (ESV) No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.
If a king calls you to action you should jump immediately to task.
Application: Jesus is a King worthy of trust. He is righteous and good.
The ultimate expression of trust is surrender. Illus: you trust the doctor enough to submit to going under anesthesia and letting him cut up your body. Illus: You trust your teenager enough to sit in the passenger seat while he/she drives.
Application: Trust Jesus enough to surrender to his rule in your life.
His rule in your life involves getting on board with his mission.

1:20 he called them at once, and they also followed him, leaving their father, Zebedee, in the boat with the hired men.

Your part is to follow. Hopefully, at once or immediately. This might mean you may have to make changes pretty quick.

Following Jesus means never being the same. Being gripped with a larger purpose than anything you’ve ever lived for.

Mark 8:34 Then, calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.

Maybe it involves leaving your nets, like these first disciples. Or maybe it involves following him in your current situation. We’ll see examples of that in Mark as well. But regardless of the circumstances God calls you into, the mission is the same.
Application: My way of life, thinking, career etc. worldly ways…

Following Jesus' example as the Servant King. Upside down from the world.

Mark 10:42–45 You know that those recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise dominion over them. But it is not so among you. Rather, whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant, and whoever wants to be first will be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Close:

Here we have the essence of Mark’s story. Though Jesus is indeed the mighty Messiah and Son of God, his role is not to conquer the Romans. It is to suffer and die as a ransom payment for sins. This is a far greater achievement than physical conquest. He will provide victory over humanity’s ultimate enemies: Satan, sin, and death. Those who would be his disciples must follow his path, taking up their own cross and following him in a life of self-sacrificial service—living for the kingdom and for others rather than for themselves.

Strauss, M. L. (2014). Mark. (C. E. Arnold, Ed.) (p. 19). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Application ideas

How purposeful / satisfying is your life? Are you bored with your routine / pursuits?
If you’re a Christian, are you bored with how you’re living out your faith?
Evaluate your highest purposes for living. Do they align with Jesus’ purpose?
Accept his invitation to a higher way of living.

Big Idea: Jesus’ plan to spread the good news of God’s Kingdom is to enlist and equip ordinary people to work with him.

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Key Response: You can turn to Jesus and trust him because he knows you and your needs.

Mark 1:9-15 One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him. Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News.“The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”

His Baptism* Mark 1:9-11 One day Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee, and John baptized him in the Jordan River. As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” * Last week → looked at John’s practice of baptism * Recap: what was it for? Repent and turn to God… * But what actually is baptism? Describe the practice of baptism. * So one day, among all the crowds coming out to receive John’s baptism → Jesus showed up * Did Jesus need to repent and turn to God? (4) * No, the Bible says he was without sin. (We’ll look at this below.)” * So why baptism? * Jesus was going public. * Note that this is his first public act, and note the heavenly signs that accompanied it to put God’s stamp of approval on Jesus. God agrees with and adds to John’s testimony of Jesus. * Always did / said what the Father led him to do / say. * John 8:29 “For I always do what pleases him. * By the way, Jesus’ baptism reveals the triune nature of God. * Even though he was fully human, he was still fully God → 2nd person of the Trinity * All of them seen here: Father, Son, Holy Spirit (dove) * Jesus was identifying with humanity. * Baptism reveals his real humanity. He didn’t just appear to be human. He entered fully into our reality. * Hebrews 2:14 Because God’s children are human beings - made of flesh and blood - the Son also became flesh and blood…. * To the point of being baptized, even though he had nothing to repent of. * Application: I hope you come away realizing how amazing Jesus is! Truly worthy of our attention: fully God, yet truly one of us. * Application: get baptized! * When you turn from self to follow Jesus… * Baptism doesn’t save us, but it is a way that we identify with him * Romans 6:3-4 Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. * He identified w/humanity by being baptized even when he didn’t need to * We now identify with Jesus by being baptized in his name

His Temptation Mark 1:12-13 The Spirit then compelled Jesus to go into the wilderness, where he was tempted by Satan for forty days. He was out among the wild animals, and angels took care of him. * Saw last week → significance of wilderness * People would have thought of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai * Jesus’ 40 days in wilderness reminds us of the 40 years Israel spent there. * What this points to = Jesus was identifying with fallen humanity * We saw = Israel failed their wilderness test * By contrast, Jesus passed his * Keep in mind Satan’s goal of temptation = to entice all people to sin. * To choose something that looks good / feels right vs. what God says * Started in very beginning with Adam and Eve. * If Jesus didn't pass this test, all of humanity would be lost in their sin. * The devil's scheme was to take Him out before the ministry even started. He does this to us too! * Jesus is greater than Israel and fulfills everything God desired from Israel * Where we fail before God, Jesus succeeds * Application: Where we get it wrong, Jesus gets it right. That’s why he is qualified to be our Savior. That’s why we can trust him to represent us before God. * Here’s where this gets practical. It’s a great comfort to know that Jesus has been tested / tempted in all the same ways we are, so he understands our weaknesses. * Hebrews 4:15-16 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we did, yet he did not sin. So let us boldly come to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. * Application: We can & should come to him for help when we face temptation. * Another thing is going on here: God was preparing Jesus for his work. * (12): The Spirit compelled him to go into the wilderness → it was God’s idea * Because Jesus was fully human, he veiled & limited the use of his divine attributes * Phil 2:6-7 (NLT) Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. * Illustration: kenosis* (Phil 2) = a Roman officer taking off his badge/insignia of rank before going into battle

TRANS: We can respond to a God who gets us.

Our Response* Mark 1:14-15 Later on, after John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee, where he preached God’s Good News. “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” * Jesus’ message was “God’s good news”. * We didn’t see it coming, but he can be our Savior now. He became one of us. * Who doesn’t need good news? * Hebrews 2:14 (ESV) Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. * “The time promised by God has come at last” * God had been preparing the way → that’s what John was about * And God keeps his promises * “Time” here is not chronological time * But refers to a season of opportunity that opens up * We might say: “This is your moment.” Or “Seize the moment” * IOW: people do not have to wait any longer for salvation * Now is the time to make a decision * The Good News is that God’s kingdom is near * We’ll talk about this more next week = what the kingdom is * For now look at the response * Repent * Believe / trust * Application: We have reason for hope! * Application: Don’t wait any longer to respond to Jesus. You don’t have to. Your season of opportunity is now.

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Mark 1:2-8 (NLT) It began just as the prophet Isaiah had written:

“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,

and he will prepare your way.

He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming!

Clear the road for him!’”

This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.

John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”

The WildernessMark 1:2-3 It began just as the prophet Isaiah had written: “Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. He is a voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming! Clear the road for him!’”

What is the wilderness?

Place where Israel was disobedient for 40 years.
Joshua 5:6 The Israelites had traveled in the wilderness for forty years until all the men who were old enough to fight in battle when they left Egypt had died. For they had disobeyed the Lord, and the Lord vowed he would not let them enter the land he had sworn to give us—a land flowing with milk and honey.
The ancestors of the ones who finally settled in the land would prove to still not understand God’s grace and plan for redemption.

Jesus’ coming was so important God sent a special messenger - John the Baptist - to prepare people for his arrival. (1:2-6)

God had been paving the way for Jesus for centuries (1:2-3). This kind of work tends to disrupt the soil of culture and comfort. They liked their wild lives. As much as they had rationalized that they were out of the wilderness and in the promised land, the wilderness was still in their hearts.
Good News was coming, but in a way they didn’t expect.
What was John shouting? Why won’t they listen?
See Isaiah 40:3-11.
Malachi 3:1 NLT “Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
Describe the condition of Judaism when John came on the scene.
Are we honest about our spiritual condition? Our wilderness journey?
Clearing the road of rocks so a dignitary can come through.
Forerunner - make straight paths
Illustration of When a president comes to town.
How can we prepare a path for the Lord Jesus to come into people’s lives today?
Jesus has come as God promised. This is good news. We should be telling people to come to Jesus and turn from self to God.

The MessengerJohn was a very unique messenger (1:4-6) - HUMBLE. He’s not for sale!

Mark 1:6-8 (NLT) His clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”

Not your hip preacher with leather jacket and zipper boots!
Unmarketable ministry
Type of guy who would call out false teaching and the sin of the world!
His boldness to speak truth wasn’t received well by the religious and even King Herod ended up having him arrested and beheaded.

Mark 6:17-18 For Herod had sent soldiers to arrest and imprison John as a favor to Herodias. She had been his brother Philip’s wife, but Herod had married her. John had been telling Herod, “It is against God’s law for you to marry your brother’s wife.”

He spoke out about sexual sin, even to the highest government!
They were still coming in droves even though he wasn't seeker sensitive!
Didn’t come to the synagogue. Didn’t come with sensitivity, but loud and challenging urgency. Didn’t preach religious cliches, but repentance and impending judgment. Wasn’t dressed respectably, although he was dressed in a way that suggested he was God’s prophet (see 2 Kings 1:8).
2 Kings 1:8 They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”
Didn’t fit in polite circles. Because he wasn’t about himself or his own image or reputation. He was all about bringing people to Jesus. Many people went out to see him, some because he was a freak and sideshow. But many were moved by his message.
John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a while about his message. John 5:35 NLT
His life was a protest to the prosperity and lies of the Pharisees! They loved places of honor af feasts and wore glorious robes and tassels.
How about us? Cars, jobs, comforts that get in the way.
They needed a bold preacher to get them out of their lethargy and complacency.
He was bold because he absolutely knew his God given task on earth. How about you? Are we afraid of being too bold even though God calls for it in us?
How would I have responded to John? Would I have received his teaching?

The Message* Coming back from a camping trip usually means getting a nice hot bath!

John prepared the way by calling people to look at themselves (1:4-6) Sin.

Mark 1:4-5 (NLT) This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. All of Judea, including all the people of Jerusalem, went out to see and hear John. And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River.

Our culture thinks it's not loving to point out sin and call people to repentance. In fact, it is the most loving thing you can do.
Illustration of cliff
To examine their lives & turn back toward God. Acknowledge their sins and seek God’s forgiveness. “Sins” are merely the expression - outward or inward - of a self-directed life. Define: Repentance is an attitude change - turning from my self-directed life and turning to God. People responded to this invitation and were baptized as a symbol of their change of heart.
Fruit of repentance
Confession
Forgiveness. Gospel
Expiation - goat in the wilderness
To go out in front of everyone in Jerusalem and Judea to get baptized meant you were radically drawing a line in the sand. This meant you were ready to follow truth rather than tradition. There will definitely be social consequences when you profess faith publicly!
We work together with the Holy Spirit

1:7-8 John announced: “Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!”

John prepared the way by calling people to look to Jesus (1:7-8)
Pointing out how great this Messiah about to appear would be. Far greater than John! Both in his person (7) and in his work (8).
Repentance first takes humility. John is modeling his own unworthiness.
What is the underlying orientation of your life? Toward sin & self, or toward God?
John’s baptism was symbolic but Jesus’ baptism was the real deal. Acts 19.
The Holy Spirit plays a major role in convicting the world of its sin.

John 16:8 And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment.

John was filled with the Spirit and that’s what we’ll need if we are to Repent and Believe the Good News.
What is Baptism? Of the Holy Spirit?
Acts 1:8
Acts 2:37 spirit-filled preaching caused repentance.
We must be forerunners!

Q: What is God doing in your life to prepare you or others to encounter Jesus?

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Join Ross Anderson and Bryan Dwyer, pastors with over 50 years of combined ministry experience in Utah, as they take a deep dive on everything Mormon – from theology to history to culture.

New episode every Monday morning! Learn more at pursueGOD.org/mormonism.

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The gospel of Mark is filled with action, and from the first verse Jesus is at the center of it all. If you wrote a book about what mattered most, what would be the first verse?

The Book* The NT begins with four “gospels” * These are biographies of Jesus from 1st century * Each one has a different audience / different purpose * Taken together → give us a thorough picture of Jesus * Who he was / why he came * The Gospel of Mark is the shortest gospel * Probably the earliest - around 55 AD or so * Mark writes with a sense of urgency = “immediately,” - 40x * “Immediately” urgency, gospel in action. * 1:16-17 (ESV) Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. * It’s an “action” gospel → least amount of Jesus’ teaching of all 4 * Its description are very vivid * Engage: it’s a great gospel for today’s reader because it moves quickly like scenes from a movie. * Engage: This is why when missionaries start to translate the Bible in different languages, they usually begin with Mark. It’s the simple basics: a great place to begin.

The AuthorEarly church unanimously believed this account was written by John Mark

Early Xians writers tell us → Mark gathered info about Jesus from Peter
From Peter’s preaching / memoirs
Organized it all into a coherent story
Engage: Imagine what it would be like to sit at Peter’s feet, hearing all these amazing stories about Jesus!
Illus: kind of like all the photos I have laying around of my life / family. Maybe someday someone will compile them all into albums that tell a story. That’s like what Mark did with Peter’s info.
Meet him in book of Acts
First mentioned in Acts 12:12
When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
Cousin of Barnabus Col 4:10
Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him),
Traveled with Paul and Barnabas as a young man
Helper on their first missionary journey (Acts 13:5) but then left them
Acts 13:13-14 (NLT) Paul and his companions then left Paphos by ship for Pamphylia, landing at the port town of Perga. There John Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem. But Paul and Barnabas traveled inland to Antioch of Pisidia.
Caused some conflict between P & B for second missionary journey
Acts 15:36-40 (NLT) After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit each city where we previously preached the word of the Lord, to see how the new believers are doing.” Barnabas agreed and wanted to take along John Mark. But Paul disagreed strongly, since John Mark had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in their work. Their disagreement was so sharp that they separated. Barnabas took John Mark with him and sailed for Cyprus. Paul chose Silas, and as he left, the believers entrusted him to the Lord’s gracious care.
But Mark later became Paul’s co-worker → encouragement to him
2 Timothy says Paul called for him as “useful” for the gospel!
2 Timothy 4:11 (NLT) Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark with you when you come, for he will be helpful to me in my ministry.

The AudienceThe original audience → probably Gentile Christians, perhaps in Rome

Mark explains Jewish customs
The Romans were practical, action-oriented people
Kind of like Americans are today
Possibly written during a time when persecutions threatened the church
That’s why Mark emphasizes what it means to live as a sold-out disciple of Jesus
Presents Jesus as Messiah / Savior / Son of God
If that’s who he is → that calls us to live a certain way
Even when the powers that be resist & oppose Jesus
Mark relates to us today bc we’re not Jewish either
We might be facing increasing opposition to Xianity in our generation
We all have to decide if Jesus is who he claims to be
If so, we all have to decide if we’re going to follow him fully

The AimMark wrote this account to show the world who Jesus is and what he has done.

The central theme of Mark is outlined from the very start → 1:1 says it all

Mark 1:1 This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.

Good News
The gospel
Jesus is the Savior
The name “Jesus” or Yeshua in Hebrew means: “Yahweh is salvation.”
Angel told Joseph, “You are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matt 1:21)
This is “Good News” because we need rescue from our sins → forgiveness, etc.
Jesus is the Messiah
The Messiah was the expected ruler / deliverer of Israel
Elaborate…
Throughout Mark → Jesus challenges / corrects what people, including his own most loyal followers, thought the Messiah would be
This is “Good News” because it shows God keeps his promises / takes care of his people
Jesus is the Son of God
Explain / elaborate… Makes Him God, 2nd person of the Trinity, Nicene Creed, John 1
This is “Good News” because…
Rest of the book, Mark does two things with this claim to Jesus’ identity
First: provides evidence for these claims.
Demonstrates his wisdom & authority in his teaching
His authority / power in healing & freeing people from spiritual darkness
Demonstrates his compassion
Second: shows us how people respond to these claims.
Some accept him as Messiah and follow him
Mark helps us understand what that looks like
Often → radically different from what people expected
Some are confused - at times that includes those who follow him!
Some oppose him outright
Showing us these responses → Mark invites us to think about our own response to him

Q. If you wrote a book about what mattered most, what would be the first verse?

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True joy is evident in a person who has been with Jesus. Today we’ll look at a story of how even the unborn Christ had the power to induce an overflow of joy and rejoicing in the hearts of those around Him. This Joy should result in praise and proclamation.

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Talking Points:

It takes a divine messenger to help us understand the grace of God
A divine child requires a divine conception
A divine calling for ordinary people

Find more at pursuegod.org/expecting

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Talking Points:

The ancestry line of Jesus shows us the storyline of the Bible
God invites sinners to be a part of His-story
People get to join the family of God because He became a man

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The Problem of Too Little For those who have too little in the bank, the Bible brings good news: God knows our needs. When financial stress hits our lives, it’s natural to feel that God has left the throne. Is he even paying attention? Does he even care? It takes faith to believe that God knows our needs. Paul had that faith:

Philippians 4:19 (NLT) And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

If there was one person qualified to testify to the fact that God knows and meets our needs, it was Paul. Three times shipwrecked; frequent journeys in dangers from rivers, robbers, countrymen; dangers in the city, in the wilderness, on the sea; in labor and hardship through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure (2 Corinthians 11:25-30). And yet he testifies that God took care of his needs. Paul lived and experienced what Jesus taught in his Sermon on the Mount:

Matthew 6:31-34 (NLT) So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs…. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

The Problem of Too Much The second challenge is for those on the other end of the spectrum. Paul learned how to live with both nothing and everything, and he makes the inference that he had to learn how to be content with both. He realized that there are real dangers in having more than we need. Proverbs gives us a clear warning:

Proverbs 30:7-9 O God, I beg two favors from you; let me have them before I die. First, help me never to tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches! Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say, “Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.

Having too much can lead to denying our Lord; and that should make us anxious! Jesus tells us how this can become the case:

Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

The Generosity Paradox So what can you practically do to release the grip of money on your heart? The answer is the same for both ends of the spectrum, whether you have too little or too much: be generous.

When you’re generous in spite of your struggling bank account, you’re acting in faith that God knows your needs. That’s not to say you should recklessly give away all of your money! But if you are faithful with little, God will trust you to be faithful with a little more. That’s what happened with the church in Macedonia:

2 Corinthians 8:1-2 Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.

If we try to hang on to everything we have, we will be assured of great anxiety. When we practice the spiritual discipline of giving – depending on the one who knows our needs – we will suddenly find freedom from financial anxiety. Generosity releases the grip of money on your heart – whether you have too little or too much.

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Philippians 4 is the anxiety chapter of the Bible. The most famous verses are 6 and 7, where Paul reveals the secret of replacing the anxiety cycle with the peace cycle. Verse 8 explains how to overcome ruinous rumination by fixing your thoughts on better things. But all of this comes in the shadow of perhaps the most obscure verses in the entire book:

Philippians 4:2-3 (NLT) Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News.

Paul is referencing here another type of anxiety all too common in the church and in our homes: relational anxiety. Apparently these two women had a serious disagreement. To Paul, it was a big enough deal that he included it in scripture! It should be a big deal to us as well. So let’s talk about four practical steps to settling disagreements and overcoming relational anxiety.

Commit to being a peace-maker. Every family and organization has a set of core values, whether they are plastered on walls or simply embedded in the hearts and minds of the members. The early church was no different, and one of its values is summarized best here:

Romans 12:17 (NLT) Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Put yourself in their shoes. So how do you start? What’s the first step in biblical reconciliation? Try this: put yourself in their shoes. Resist the urge to get in your box and point fingers. Follow the example of Christ:

Philippians 2:4 (NLT) Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

This is hard and unnatural. Who does this? By nature we’re all trained to think about conflict from our own perspectives. We give ourselves the benefit of the doubt and we extend little grace to others. They do the same thing to us, and the disagreement only gets more unsettling.

So try this instead: think about it from their perspective. Play over the conversation in your head and try to articulate the problem in their words. How would you feel in their position? Stop fixating on what they’ve done wrong. Look in the mirror instead. Pray this prayer:

Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT) Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Talk to them, not about them. In conflict, it’s far easier to talk about someone than it is to talk directly to them. When you gossip, you seek out someone who will take your side. You triangulate and look for a “yes man” who will confirm that you’re right and the other person is wrong.

But as soon as you do this, you’re wrong. Even if you were right to start with.

It’s called the “Matthew 18 Protocol,” and it comes straight from the mouth of Jesus. It’s a principle for dealing with conflict that very few Christians apply to their relationships.

Matthew 18:15-16 If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again….

Be ready to absorb the offense. Sometimes the Matthew 18 Protocol opens the door to a miracle. Both people hear each other out. Apologies are offered and hugs are exchanged. The disagreement is settled! But sometimes it doesn’t work. The hardest part of reconciliation is when it doesn’t go as planned.

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Anyone who struggles with anxiety needs to get a grip on the concept of “rumination”. Here’s how Oxford defines the concept: “a deep or considered thought about something.” The alternative definition is more graphic: “the action of chewing the cud.” Rumination is when your mind chews on something over and over, like a cow constantly chewing the cud. And it’s a classic symptom of anxiety.

Maybe that’s what Paul is addressing in his famous “anxiety chapter” in the Bible:

Philippians 4:8 (NLT) And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

This is healthy, godly rumination – the kind that leads to peace. The opposite is worldly rumination, and that’s the kind that leads to anxiety. But before we drill down on the difference, let’s take a detour to learn how the mind works.

A Beautiful Mind The brain is a complex organ. God designed it, and scientists are still trying to figure out how it works. When it comes to its impact on anxiety, authors Catherine Pittman and Elizabeth Karle make an interesting observation:

Many people believe that certain situations are the cause of their anxiety, but anxiety always begins in the brain, not with the situation. Anxiety is a human emotion, produced by the human brain, and emotions are caused by the brain’s reaction to situations, not the situations themselves.

So how exactly does the brain react to fearful situations? There seem to be two pathways. The logical pathway involves the cortex. If your anxiety is connected to a conscious memory or thought, the cortex is where it starts. Once the information hits the amygdala, that’s when you actually feel anxious.

But for some types of anxiety there’s a shortcut. Amygdala-based anxiety skips the cortex altogether, traveling the pathway from the thalamus directly to the amygdala. This type of anxiety can be especially frustrating, because you’re not sure where it’s coming from or how it got triggered.

Redirect Your Thoughts Enter the biblical solution. Long before science understood the cortex and amygdala, Paul offered a solution to the rumination that can drive us all crazy. Let’s look at it again:

Paul is offering a solution that even modern psychologists would approve of: redirect your thoughts. Recognize the overreaction of the amygdala, and engage your cortex to activate the solution. Paul tells us to fix our thoughts on better things.

Practice, Practice, Practice Then what? What happens after your get your thoughts right? Paul gives a simple answer:

Philippians 4:9 (NLT) Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

This was more than a philosophy for Paul. He was actually living it, and he’s inviting you to live it too. When you win the battle in your mind, you can win it in your everyday life. God made your beautiful mind, and you can learn to bring it into submission to him. “Then the God of peace will be with you.”

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Anxiety has reached epidemic proportions in our culture, and it might have to do with the “illusion of control” that technology has given us. We can reach anyone, anytime at the touch of a button. (And worse yet, they can reach us.) We have instant access to movies and answers and doctors. Like Pharaohs of old, we live in private palaces. And like God, we need only to speak to turn on the lights.

But it’s all an illusion. The truth is, we have no more control than the cavemen did before us. And that’s why, more than ever, control freaks get so anxious.

Re-defining Anxiety Oxford defines anxiety as “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” It’s clarifying to add one more phrase to the end of that definition: “...that you can’t control”. The imminent event isn’t the problem. The reason we’re so scared is because we’re not in control.

For some people, this is a new insight. It’s the revelation, the new sense of out-of-controlness, that usually brings on the panic. The anxiety chapter in the Bible (Philippians 4) offers a surprising antidote to this problem, tailored just for control freaks:

Philippians 4:4-5 (NLT) Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

But we have a different problem today: we love our lives! We’ve created heaven on earth, and it’s uncomfortable (and unnecessary) to think about eternity. We hear “The Lord is coming soon…” and we think, “Am I ready? Will I make the cut?” For many of us today, the phrase causes dread!

Anxiety as a Thorn That’s the beautiful thing about anxiety. It’s a warning sign, a wake-up call. It brings us back down to earth, and it reminds us of the reality of our condition. We are not in control. We need to re-establish our reliance upon God.

Paul learned this lesson for himself and passed it on the the church in Corinth:

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NLT) So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Anxiety makes you feel “less than” and opens you up to vulnerability. It shows your weakness. And guess what? That’s a good thing! This thorn in the flesh opens the door to a work of God in and through you.

Who’s on the Throne? Because here’s the question we’ll all have to answer one day: who is on the throne of your life? Who’s in control, really?

The prophet Isaiah had that question on his mind when the great King Uzziah died after 52 years on the throne in Israel. His reign brought peace and prosperity like the nation hadn’t known since the times of King David (2 Chronicles 26). Life was good, and then Uzziah diedii. That’s when Isaiah had his spectacular vision:

Isaiah 6:1 (NLT) It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple.

Rejoice in the Lord So what’s the practical response to anxiety for a control freak? The answer is surprisingly simple, and it brings us back to the passage we started with:

Philippians 4:4 (NLT) Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!

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Everyone gets anxious at some point in life, and in today’s world anxiety attacks earlier than ever. According to the CDC, almost 10% of kids aged 3 to 17 were diagnosed with an anxiety disorder between 2016 and 2019 – almost 6 million young people! And this statistic only counts official diagnoses; the real number of kids struggling with anxiety is certainly far higher.

According to Oxford dictionaries, anxiety is “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” Students worry about friends and likes and the future. Adults worry about marriage and kids and finances. The pace of life is faster than ever, and humans were not designed to handle the speed. It’s no wonder that we’re all so stressed out.

Here’s how the anxiety cycle works: something triggers an anxious thought and you immediately stuff it. Avoidance works in the short term, giving you temporary relief from worry. But inevitably it leads to more anxiety in the long term, triggering the cycle all over again.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT) Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Overthrow Worry Paul writes, “Don’t worry about anything…” Step 1, then, is to overthrow worry. This does not mean to stuff it, but rather to take authority over it. Recognize anxiety for what it is and get ready to overcome it. Reject its control over your mind and life. Choose not to get stuck in the anxiety cycle.

Replace It with Prayer Paul continues, “...instead, pray about everything.” Step 2 is to replace anxiety with prayer. The enemy wants you to worry, so turn this tactic of his on its head. Here’s how: instead of letting your worries trigger the anxiety cycle, let them trigger prayer instead!

Verbalize Your Needs Next, Paul gets specific: “Tell God what you need…” Step 3 is to verbalize your needs. Getting specific with God about what you need can be a great way to calmly and objectively evaluate your anxiety.

Thank God for the Wins Finally, Paul says to “...thank him for all he has done.” Step 4 is to thank God for the wins in your life. Even in the midst of our scariest trials, there is still so much to be thankful for. When you are overcome with anxious thoughts and feel your worries are too much to bear, refocus on your blessings.

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When you think about the miracles in the book of Jonah, your mind may immediately go to the great fish and Jonah being kept alive in its belly for three days and three nights before being spit out on the beach. That is a powerful miracle, but we see several others that show up in the story prior to that.

It’s a Miracle that God spoke to Jonah It’s a miracle that God spoke to Jonah. That certainly can’t be explained by natural or scientific laws. It’s a miracle that God would want to speak to us and that he invites us to communicate with him. I think for those of us who grew up in the church and grew up reading our Bible, we can sometimes take for granted that God speaks to us. It is a miracle every time God speaks. God spoke the world into existence. When God says something, it happens.

Isaiah 55:11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

It’s a Miracle that God Controlled the Storm This storm that Jonah found himself in wasn’t just bad timing. It was no coincidence. We read in Jonah chapter 1 that God hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm. God’s control over the weather and over the sea is amazing to us, but it carried even more power and symbolism in Jonah’s day. In many pagan religions of the time, the sea was synonymous with chaos. There was this close connection between the sea being chaotic and untamable, but it’s not untamable to God.

Job 38:8-11 Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb, and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness? For I locked it behind barreled gates, limiting its shores. I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop.’

It’s a Miracle God provided the fish

Jonah 1:17 says, “ The Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah.” We also see God use the worm in chapter 4 to eat the gourd that had been providing shade to Jonah. We see the full spectrum of animals here; from a tiny worm to a huge fish. All of the animal kingdom, from the least to the greatest is subject to God’s authority.

We actually see God using animals throughout scripture. He caused a ram to be caught by its horns in a thicket so that Abraham could use it in place of Isaac. He used Baalam’s donkey to keep him from going and cursing the Israelites. He brought in flocks of quail to feed the people in the desert. In the New Testament, he used a fish with two coins in its mouth to pay the temple tax. These are just more examples of God’s sovereignty over all creation. God reminds us in the book of Job about his authority over the animal kingdom.

It’s a miracle that the fish couldn’t contain Jonah Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, but then at God’s command, the fish spit him out. If you’re skeptical and think, “There’s no way that could happen.”, you might be right under normal circumstances. But Jonah is a story about the God of miracles. And keeping Jonah alive in the belly of the fish, or resuscitating him, would be an easy feat for the God who spoke the world into existence, controlled the seas and storm, and controlled the animals.

The grave couldn’t contain Jesus

Matthew 12:39-40 39 But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.

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Today we're finishing our 12-week Systematic Theology series with hosts Bryan Dwyer and Ross Anderson. Our focus today is on the return of Christ.

All believers agree that Jesus will return to this earth. He taught this (Matt 24:27), and the writings of the New Testament expand on what Jesus said.

The New Testament uses several terms to describe Jesus’ return. The word “parousia” means “presence” or “coming” (1 Corinthians 15:22-23; 2 Thessalonians 2:1; James 5:7-8). “Apocalypsis” means “unveiling” or “disclosure” (1 Corinthians 1:7; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:7), as when Jesus will will be fully revealed to the world. “Epiphaneia” means “appearing,” focusing on the visibility of Christ’s return (1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:8). The return of Christ is also referred to as “the day of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 1:14), “the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:10), or simply as “the day” (Hebrews 10:25).

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God called Jonah to preach to the enemy nation of Israel, which he finally did in the previous chapter. But instead of destroying Ninevah like Jonah warned, God ended up sparing the city because of their repentance. That’s when Jonah lost it.

Jonah 4:1-3 (NLT) This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. So he complained to the LORD about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. Just kill me now, LORD! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”

Consider Jonah’s attitude change from chapter 2 to chapter 4. When he was desperate and in the dark, Jonah humbly vowed to go God’s way. Now that Ninevah’s in the hot seat instead of him, he’s furious that God isn’t meeting his expectations. It’s embarrassing when your attitude toward God gets exposed.

The truth is, we love it when God lets us off the hook… and we hate it when he does it for our enemies. This proves how little we really understand God’s mercy and grace. That’s embarrassing.

Jonah 4:4 (NLT) The LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”

God is patiently trying to help Jonah understand the extent of his mercy. Jesus did the same thing in his parable of the vineyard workers. The landowner invited additional laborers at different times during the work day, but at the end of the story he paid them all the same wage. When the early workers got angry, the landowner defended his actions:

Matthew 20:13 (NLT) He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’

There’s something in most of us that really hates this parable. It pushes against our idea of justice. It doesn’t seem right. That’s exactly how Jonah felt about the situation in Ninevah.

Jonah was a slow learner, so God used an object lesson to try to get his point across.

Jonah 4:5 (NLT) Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city.

Jonah is overlooking the city, waiting for the fireworks show. He hoped against hope that God would follow through on his threat after all. He knew about Sodom and Gomorrah, and he wanted an encore of the fire-and-brimstone God.

Jonah 4:6 (NLT) And the LORD God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.

Jonah waited, comfortable enough to camp out for the night under God’s protection (Psalm ‭121:5-6‬). The next day brought a rude awakening:

Jonah 4:7-8 But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed.

Finish the story by going to the topic at pursuegod.org/jonah.

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Today we're discussing part 11 in our 12-week Systematic Theology series with hosts Bryan Dwyer and Ross Anderson. Our focus today is on what happens after we die. Upon death, every human being is destined either to eternal glory in heaven or eternal torment in hell.

All organisms die. But human beings have the unique ability to be aware of their path toward death and to reflect upon it. While death is inescapable (Psalm 89:48), our personal existence does not end with death. In fact, the decisions people make in this life will govern their future condition eternally. This calls for care and diligence.

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If God has called you to do something and you’ve found yourself hesitating or even running like Jonah did, He not only wants to do something through you, he wants to do something in you. He wants to grow your faith. He wants to help you come to a greater understanding of his goodness and his great love for you. Maybe he’s trying to help you understand in a deeper way just how much you need him. Whatever it is, God is not giving up on you.

It really shouldn’t surprise us that God gave Jonah a second chance. It’s just part of his nature. He longs to forgive. He seeks to redeem and reconcile. It shouldn’t have surprised Jonah, either. Jonah knew how many second chances God had given the nation of Israel. Time after time we see God’s people rebel and worship idols. Disaster comes upon them and they cry out to God. God comes in and rescues them. Shortly after they start to drift away again. Disaster overtakes them, they cry out, God steps in. It’s like a bad record that just keeps repeating.

God’s Message is Simple and Powerful

Jonah 3:4 On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “Forty Days from now Nineveh will be destroyed.

That’s the message? All of this running away was over that? Seems like a whole lot of drama over a simple message. These words probably weren’t the only words Jonah spoke, but they were the central theme of the message. It wasn’t an eloquent message filled with persuasive words. Jonah simply passed on the very words God had directed him to deliver. The words of God are powerful! With his words, God spoke the universe into existence. The words of God have all the power they need.

Notice, too, that this was a message of judgment and destruction. This wasn’t a message about how much God loved the city of Nineveh. Yes, God is a God of love. Yes, he’s compassionate and merciful. Yes, his grace is amazing! But God is also just. He is holy. He hates sin and one day all of those who die without putting their faith in Jesus are going to face his judgment. And if we love those people, we need to let them know that.

1 Corinthians 1:18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.

The apostle Paul knew the power of God’s simple message. He said the cross is foolish to those headed for destruction, but for we who are being saved it is the very power of God. He worked to keep his message simple and centered around Jesus and the cross.

Jonah was emboldened by this simple yet powerful message. He shouted it to the crowds. He wasn’t hesitant this time around. He didn’t walk around whispering this message in the shadows or speak it in code. He spoke exactly what God had told him to speak and he made the most of his second chance. As unlikely is it may have seemed, the people of Nineveh responded.

Every Generation gets to make its own choice The Assyrians were the last people you would expect to repent. They were known for their brutality and violence. In a time where torture was commonplace, the Assyrians turned it up a notch. They would have mass executions by impalement. They were known to skin conquered people alive and then hang their skins up on the city wall as a reminder to anyone who might want to disobey. But in spite of all this, they repented at the preaching of Jonah. God’s Word penetrated their heart.

Jonah 3:5 (NLT) The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.

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Today we're discussing part 10 in our 12-week Systematic Theology series with hosts Bryan Dwyer and Ross Anderson. Our focus today is on the Church. The church is neither a building nor an organization. It is a people, the community of all those who stand in a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

The New Testament Greek word for “church” is ekklesia, which means “the assembly of those called out” - called out by the proclamation of the gospel to gather around Christ. This church exists in two aspects. The visible or local church takes shape in many forms in specific places and cultures (Acts 13:1; Acts 15:41; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Acts 9:31). Yet even in its vast diversity, Jesus’ church is one. The invisible or universal church is the body of all believers everywhere and through all time (Hebrews 12:22-23). No single visible expression of the church encompasses the universal whole.

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Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of that fish – a perfect metaphor for hitting rock bottom in life. It was there that Jonah was able to reflect on his choices. His prayer is recorded for us in Jonah chapter 2, and it’s an example of how we should pray when our choices leave us in a dark place. Let's break it down into three steps.

Step 1: Admit The first step is to admit the trouble you’re in. This might seem obvious, but it’s a classic move for troublemakers in every generation. Even the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous start with an admission: “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol — that our lives had become unmanageable.”

It’s not clear why Jonah suddenly got honest about his situation. Maybe it was the nagging sense of guilt that follows disobedience. Perhaps it was the panic that comes with a near-death experience. Or possibly Jonah was simply claustrophobic. Whatever the case, he prayed:

Jonah 2:2-6 He said, “I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble.... I called to you from the land of the dead... I sank beneath the waves.... I sank down to the very roots of the mountains...."

Jonah took an inventory, and he acknowledged that he was in a dark place. He got specific, and he even wrote it down. He was done with denial, and that was the beginning of his victor

Jonah 2:3- "You threw me into the ocean depths.... buried beneath your wild and stormy waves. Then I said, ‘O LORD, you have driven me from your presence.'"

Jonah knew that the storm was the catalyst for God’s hand of discipline. And instead of railing against God for it, he simply acknowledged it. He knew that God was treating him like a son, and he deserved what was coming to him.

Sometimes God has no choice but to discipline us. It’s never fun, but it's always for our good. For some people, rock bottom is the only place they’ll look up – and admit the trouble they’re in.

Step 2: Affirm The second step in our rock-bottom prayer is to affirm who God is – and that he’s able to save. The twelve steps say it like this: “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” For a Christian that “Power” has a name – the Lord. Jonah knew it too:

“I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and LORD, you heard me! ... I sank down to the very roots of the mountains. I was imprisoned in the earth, whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O LORD my God, snatched me from the jaws of death!"

Jonah affirms three things about God in his prayer: “he answered me,” “he heard me,” and he “snatched me from the jaws of death!” Jonah’s “great trouble” caused him to run toward God instead of running away from him.

Take a careful look at Jonah 2 and here’s what you’ll find: Jonah never mentions the fish in his prayer. Instead, he mentions “Sheol” – the Hebrew place of the dead. Surely Jonah expected to drown when he was thrown overboard into the raging sea. Down he sank, and then everything went black.

Here’s the point: we’re not always aware of God’s rescue plan, even when we’re right in the middle of it.

Step 3: Align The final step that Jonah models for us is to align ourselves with God’s plan. Remember: Jonah got into this mess because of his misalignment at the beginning of the story. He rejected God’s calling on his life and ran in the opposite direction. Now, at rock bottom, he finally makes the right choice:

Jonah 2:7-9 "As my life was slipping away, I remembered the LORD. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple. Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God’s mercies. But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the LORD alone.”

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Today we're discussing part 9 in our 12-week Systematic Theology series with hosts Bryan Dwyer and Ross Anderson. Our focus today is on the Christian life. God’s saving work in an individual does not end at conversion. Conversion is only the beginning of a life-long process of transformation as Jesus’ saving work is applied in a Christian’s practical daily behavior and character.

The ongoing process by which believers become increasingly free from sin and more like Christ is called sanctification. Also known as “holiness”, sanctification has a definite beginning at conversion. We contribute nothing to our salvation. This is entirely a work of God, received by faith. But God’s work to progressively transform a Christian’s life requires our cooperation with the Holy Spirit, using the means God provides, to live out the new life and new identity that are ours through conversion.

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The story of Jonah reveals so much about the character of God. We learn about the great extent of God’s mercy and forgiveness – not only toward Jonah, but also toward the Assyrian Empire. We see His justice and righteousness as he sends Jonah to a people to tell them to repent because their wickedness has come up before him. We see God’s authority and power as he creates the storm that eventually causes Jonah to get cast into the sea. And we see his sovereignty as he accomplishes his purposes, even if he has to use a reluctant prophet to do it.

The First Message God’s calling to Jonah to go and preach a message of repentance in Nineveh wasn’t his first mission. Jonah lived in a time when the nation of Israel had been split into two kingdoms; the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. Jonah lived in the north. The northern kingdom had been led by thirteen consecutive kings that did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, and as a result of their consistent disobedience, they were suffering. God had every right to punish them, but he saw their suffering and was merciful. This is where Jonah first appears in the Bible.

2 Kings 14:25-27 Jeroboam II recovered the territories of Israel between Lebo-hamath and the Dead Sea, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had promised through Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath-hepher. For the LORD saw the bitter suffering of everyone in Israel, and that there was no one in Israel, slave or free, to help them. And because the Lord had not said he would blot out the name of Israel completely, he used Jeroboam II, son of Jehoash, to save them.

Like Jonah, sometimes we love God’s messaging. After all, the Bible is good news, filled with great and precious promises! But a pursuit of God doesn’t always serve up the message we want to hear. Sometimes God calls us out of our comfort zones.

The Second Message Jonah’s next calling from God was a different matter altogether. This time God wasn’t calling him to give another message to the Israelites – but instead to a pagan, Gentile city.

Jonah 1:1-2 The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai, “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.

This time Jonah was called to be the bearer of bad news. Instead of responding in obedience, Jonah ran – in the exact opposite direction of God’s calling!

Like Jonah, sometimes we push against God’s messaging and we want to run. We want to accept the good news and reject the bad. We pursue God on our own terms, and when we don’t like what we hear, we run. And like Jonah, we can always find a boat going in the wrong direction.

Collateral Damage

Consider the scene from the sailors’ perspective. They didn’t invite Jonah onto their boat or into their story; he just showed up. Little did they know that this disobedient prophet would cause them great material and emotional loss, even to the point of risking their lives.

The Providence of God

The story of Jonah is a tale of incredible miracles, and here’s the most shocking one: a changed life. The sailors didn’t know God at the beginning of the story, and by the end they’re offering him a sacrifice of praise. Notice that they didn’t make a vow to God if he would deliver them; they did it because he had already done it.

Romans 8:28 (NLT) And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

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Today we're discussing part 8 in our 12-week Systematic Theology series with hosts Bryan Dwyer and Ross Anderson. Our focus today is on the the elements of salvation. Broadly speaking, salvation is the application of the work of Christ to the life of individual persons. At its core, the word means “deliverance” - whenever a serious need or peril arises, and a person is rescued from that peril. In our relationship with God, the primary peril is sin.

This suggests that salvation has past, present, and future aspects. Some aspects of salvation have already been applied to believers. Other elements relate to God’s ongoing, transforming work in our lives. Some have to do with the life to come after we die. So our salvation is both complete and incomplete. in one sense. We possess salvation, in Christ, and nothing can be added to it. Yet we have not yet experienced everything promised to us in our salvation.

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Spiritual warfare is a real thing, and the Bible teaches that Satan and demons intend to drive us away from God and his purposes for our lives. But God has given us resources to resist the devil and his schemes, and Paul calls it the armor of God:

Ephesians 6:12-13 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against ... evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil.

The Belt of Truth The soldier’s belt was the centerpiece of a Roman soldier's armor, securing the body armor and housing the sword's scabbard. For spiritual warfare, this centerpiece is truth. Remember - spiritual warfare takes place primarily in the mind, and Satan is the father of lies. Christians prepare for the fight by fixing the truth of God’s word firmly in our minds and hearts (Romans 12:2).

The Body Armor of Righteousness The soldier’s body armor protected him from the neck to the upper thighs. For a Christian, this represents a lifestyle of righteousness that gives Satan no targets to exploit.

The Shoes of Peace The soldier’s footwear – clearly the most boring item in this list – enabled him to get from one battlefield to the next. In scripture, feet were often connected to sharing a message, as Paul explained to the Romans:

Romans 10:15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

The Shield of Faith A Roman soldier was equipped with a large oblong shield that covered his body completely. When a row of soldiers lined up side by side, their shields created an impregnable wall. That’s how faith works for Christians: it’s more effective in community.

The Helmet of Salvation The soldier’s helmet obviously protected his head. If you’re a Christian, Satan will try to get “in your head” by lying to you about your worthiness before God. That’s what the helmet is for: the assurance of our salvation protects against the devil’s accusations.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

The Sword of the Spirit The soldier’s sword was his only purely offensive weapon. Paul connects this final piece of armor to the Word of God. The Holy Spirit uses the Bible, in our hands, to drive off the enemy. The particular word used here suggests some specific portion of the Bible particularly applied to a given situation. For example, when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus answered with specific quotes from the Bible. Learn where to find those key verses that combat the temptations Satan normally fires at you. Memorize them so that you always have your “sword” ready at hand (Hebrews 4:12).

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Today we're discussing part 7 in our 12-week Systematic Theology series with hosts Bryan Dwyer and Ross Anderson. Our focus today is on the Atonement. When humanity rebelled against God, God’s love compelled him to act on our behalf to restore the relationship broken by sin. He did this by sending his Son, Jesus Christ, to make atonement.

The word “atonement” originally meant “at-one-ment” - or being in harmony with someone. In Bible translations, the word captures a multi-faceted concept reflecting several key biblical words. At its heart is the idea that human beings can be reconciled to God through the sacrificial suffering and death of Jesus Christ.

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We know from scripture that the devil and demons are real, but compared to many other topics in the Bible we have little information about them. You’ll find much more in scripture about the nature of God, salvation, and Jesus’ life and ministry than you will about the demonic. Here’s what that tells us: our thoughts should be occupied with God and his goodness a thousand times more often than about the devil and his minions.

Demons are fallen angels. Demons weren’t created as demons, because God created everything good. Peter gives us the origin story about demons:

2 Peter 2:4 (NLT) For God did not spare even the angels who sinned. He threw them into hell, in gloomy pits of darkness, where they are being held until the day of judgment.

Some angels sinned, and God cast them into hell. That’s about all we know about how they got started on their destructive path, and it leads to our second thing:

Some demons are already bound; others are influencing the world. 2 Peter helps us to establish the first point. So does Jude 1:6. But clearly there are other demons who are not yet bound. They’re the ones wreaking havoc on the earth:

Ephesians 6:12 (NLT) For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

When we put these passages together, we’re left with one clear option: some demons are already in hell, others are free to influence the world. Jesus interacted with demons (Matthew 17). You and I might encounter them as well. But here’s the good news:

Demons have very limited power. Demons don’t have divine qualities. They’re not omnipotent, omniscient, or omnipresent. They can’t be more than one place at one time. They can’t read your mind. They can’t force you to do anything.

But demons can study and observe. They’re constantly looking for ways to get a believer off track. They know what presses your buttons. They know the trappings and sins you struggle with that you may have been able to hide from everyone around you. And they use that information to tempt you, to accuse you, to lie to you and tell you that God couldn’t love someone like you.

This isn’t to say that demons aren’t powerful or shouldn’t be respected. They just have no power when compared to the Spirit of God (1 John 4:4). And that leads to this truth:

Every Christian can fight demons. You don’t need a pastor or a priest to do spiritual warfare. Any person who has trusted Jesus for salvation has the authority – in Jesus’ name – to deal with demons. Jesus’ early followers learned this after they came back from their first mission trip into the world:

Luke 10:17 When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”

Notice that this was a larger group of Christ-followers, not just the original 12 disciples. That’s probably why they were so surprised at the demonic response to their commands. These were regular Christians, just like you and me. The authority comes from the name of Jesus, not from the person speaking.

Demons cannot possess a Christian. This last point about demons addresses a common question among believers: Can Christians be possessed? Here’s the simple answer: No. When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit takes residence in our heart (2 Corinthians 1:22). There isn’t an empty house any longer where a demon can reside.

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Today we're discussing part 6 in our 12-week Systematic Theology series with hosts Bryan Dwyer and Ross Anderson. Our focus today is on humanity. While humans possess the dignity of being made in God’s image, humankind is also hopelessly ruined by sin.

The Bible presents the human condition as a paradox between two factors. God created men and women with great capacity and potential. Yet humanity rejected God and fell into a condition of great moral and spiritual darkness. In this world, human beings are defined by both.

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What Is “The Flesh”?

When we identify “the flesh” as one of the contributors to spiritual warfare, we’re not talking about our physical bodies – although our bodies do suffer the consequences of sin. The flesh is a compulsive inner force within each individual which is in opposition and rebellion against God. Another way to say it is that humanity’s original nature is sinful and totally depraved. While men and women, boys and girls have the capacity to do good, the truth is that everything we do is tainted with our natural, evil will. We are spiritually “dead in our trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1).

It all started in the Garden of Eden when the first human beings were created. They had an unbroken fellowship with God until they were tempted by the devil and made the decision to go against God’s command.

After the Fall, all of humanity fell under a curse as a consequence of this first sin (Genesis 3:14-19). Now this sin nature has been inherited by everyone. Our natural bent is to go against God, and as a result we are His enemies.

Romans 8:7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.

The Battle Within

When we trust in Jesus for salvation and the forgiveness of sins, the Bible tells us that we receive a new nature. The Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us as Christians and we are “born again”. This is when the internal war becomes palpable.

Galatians 5:17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.

We have not one but now two natures battling inside of us for control. “The Flesh” remains a powerful opponent that will use footholds to develop strongholds in our lives. Satan knows our weaknesses and works his hardest to use them against us. Christians unwittingly open doors to spiritual attack by dabbling in sin and living in unrepentance. Paul gives us a list of examples:

Galatians‬ ‭5:19-21 ‬“When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.”

Winning the War

Even though the fight itself isn’t easy, the solution starts with simple faith. We need to consciously choose to believe the gospel – again and again and again. God has set the believer free from sins of the past, present, and future, but it’s easy to forget this during the battle with the flesh. The guilt and shame that the enemy uses has no power over those who belong to Jesus.

Romans 7:24 - 8:2 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord… So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

Galatians 5:24-25 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

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Today we're discussing part 5 in our 12-week Systematic Theology series with hosts Bryan Dwyer and Ross Anderson. Our focus today is on the Holy Spirit. As a divine person, the Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in fulfilling God’s salvation purposes in and among his people.

God’s immanence was expressed through the incarnation of Jesus, as God lived among humanity as a fully human being. His immanence is expressed through the Holy Spirit in a different way, as the Spirit takes us residence within the followers of Jesus and mediates God’s active presence in and among his people.

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Spiritual warfare is something we all experience – and it happens more often than we think. The battle can involve the world, the flesh, and even the devil himself (see Ephesians 2:1-3). But the struggle doesn’t always happen out in the mysterious spiritual realm, somewhere far away and hard to see. In fact, when it comes to battling with the world, spiritual warfare is more ordinary than you might have realized.

What Is “The World”? When we talk about “the world” in the context of warfare, we’re not talking about the earth or even the people who inhabit it. The world, aka “the world system,” is an organized system in opposition and rebellion against God. Ephesians 2 warns about “the course of this world.” Think of the world system as a current that carries you away from God’s will.

From the time Adam and Eve first sinned, the world has been working against God’s purposes for humanity. Satan himself is behind the world system, as Paul points out:

2 Corinthians 4:4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

Most people are oblivious to the spiritual side of this world and the dangers thereof. If you want to win at spiritual warfare, you need to be aware of the dangerous pull of the world in all of its varied forms.

Footholds and Strongholds The world establishes a foothold by putting ideas in your head that go against God’s Word. Over time, the more you buy into it, it becomes a stronghold – a place from which the enemy can set up a defensive position. Paul warns us to guard against this:

Colossians 2:8 (NLT) Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.

Worldly thinking dominates secular institutions and even infiltrates the church. Here are a few examples of bad ideas that are introduced to us through the world:

Social Media: Your value is directly proportional to your number of likes or followers.
Commercialism: You can only be happy if you buy this product we’re selling right now. (See 1 John 2:16)
News & Politics: Unborn children do not have a right to life.
False Religions: Follow our rules to earn yourself a place in heaven.
Progressivism in the church: The Bible is old-fashioned and talks too much about sin.
Relativism: Everyone gets to choose what’s right in their own eyes.

This list is just scratching the surface. Add to this list or create your own. There are countless examples of bad ideas planted in our head from the world around us. And this isn’t just high-sounding nonsense, it’s actually spiritual warfare! James gave this warning:

James 4:4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

Winning the War The Bible teaches that the battle against the world is already won in Christ (Colossians 2:14-15). But how do we appropriate the victory for our lives? How do we tap into the victory when the world comes at us hard? We win the war with the world by exercising spiritual discernment in our everyday lives. Paul said it this way:

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

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Today we're discussing part 4 in our 12-week Systematic Theology series with hosts Bryan Dwyer and Ross Anderson. Our focus today is on Jesus. As fully divine and fully human, Jesus’ identity uniquely qualifies him to be humanity’s Savior and Lord.

The New Testament attributes both divine and human properties to Jesus, but it never divides him into two persons. He is a single person with two natures: the divine nature that he shares equally and eternally with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and the human nature he took on in his incarnation. These two natures are united in his person without confusion, change or loss. Jesus is not part God and part human, but both are fully integrated in him..

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Have you ever engaged in spiritual warfare? If your answer is a hard “no,” you might need to think again. The truth is, spiritual warfare is something we all experience – and it happens more often than you think.

Spiritual warfare involves both everyday life and otherworldly battles. Theologians have historically described it in terms of three arenas: the world, the flesh, the devil. We’ll use this framework throughout this series, but for this first lesson we simply want to outline three principles that are true of all spiritual warfare.

Footholds and Strongholds

Spiritual warfare uses footholds to establish strongholds.According to the Oxford dictionary, a foothold is “a secure position from which further progress may be made.” Satan and his demons do everything they can to establish these footholds, and they’re more patient than you think. They know that small victories can lead to major destruction. Paul gives an example:

Ephesians 4:26-27 (NLT) And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

The devil knows that a foothold of anger can turn into a stronghold of bitterness and resentment. Oxford defines a stronghold as “a place that has been fortified so as to protect it against attack.” Footholds are about gaining ground, and they’re used when we're on the offensive. Strongholds are about protecting ground already taken - a defensive position. If you’re not alert to the footholds that the enemy wants to establish, you’ll be prone to allowing him to establish strongholds that are much harder to tear down.

[Related Series: Breakthrough Disciplines]

But what do these footholds look like? How can we stay on the lookout?

A Battle in the Mind

While the heavenly realm exists – a place with angels and demons and even Satan himself – it’s a mistake to think that spiritual battles are exclusively fought there. A close reading of the Bible tells a different story: that spiritual warfare is waged in the thought realm more than anywhere else. Paul explained it like this to the church in Corinth:

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NLT) We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.

“Human reasoning,” “false arguments,” and “rebellious thoughts” – these are all weapons that are used against our minds. Spiritual warfare is a battle for our beliefs, memories, insecurities, fears, and fantasies. Satan uses bad ideas to establish a foothold in our lives, and he’s been doing it since the beginning of time (Genesis 3:1-6).

The War Is Already Won

Now some of you are going to start looking for demons behind every bush. Don’t do it. Others are going to struggle falling asleep tonight. Have no fear. Though spiritual warfare is more common than you once thought, there’s good news for every Christian: the battle has already been won. Jesus dealt Satan the decisive blow at the cross:

Colossians 2:14-15 (NLT) He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

Satan has already lost, but he still has the ability to establish footholds in our lives. The question is not IF we have victory in Christ, it’s WHETHER we will access the victory that has already been won. Our task is to come under the authority of Jesus, who is more powerful than Satan and all of his demons combined.

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Today we're discussing part 3 in our 12-week Systematic Theology series with hosts Bryan Dwyer and Ross Anderson. Our focus today is on how God works in the world.

God is a purposeful personal being, not a passive observer of the universe. But what does he do? Precisely how is God involved in the world? Humans can best understand God’s work by considering his relationship with everything he has made.

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Today we're discussing part 10 in our 12-week Discipleship series with hosts Bryan Dwyer and Ross Anderson and special guest John Swan. Jesus wants YOU to make disciples. It’s not something reserved for the pastors, and it was never intended to be just for the extroverted Christians who love to talk about Jesus. It’s for everyone in the church. Jesus wants disciple-making to be the norm, not the exception. That means YOU should start making disciples.

In this lesson we’ll look at three reasons why we should be on mission with Jesus and help others pursue God!

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Today we're discussing part 2 in our 12-week Systematic Theology series with hosts Bryan Dwyer and Ross Anderson. Our focus today is on God's nature.

The Bible never tries to prove that God exists, but simply assumes it from the first verse (Genesis 1:1). In the Bible, God reveals himself to be a personal and relational being unique from any other. Let’s examine more fully what God is like.

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Today we start our 12-week Systematic Theology series with hosts Bryan Dwyer and Ross Anderson.

Theology - the study of God and his truth - is only possible because God has revealed himself. Otherwise we could know very little about God. Thus the topic of God’s revelation is a good starting point for theological reflection. God has made himself known to human beings in three primary ways: general revelation, special revelation (the Bible), and self-revelation (Jesus Christ).

So the study of theology begins with God’s revelation. The Bible is how we know who God is, because the Bible reveals God’s mind, heart and will. It also reveals the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the highest revelation of God. Sound theology is built on what the Bible says as the final word about what we believe and teach.

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Understanding Your Mormon Neighbor: A Quick Christian Guide for Relating to Latter-day Saints

Understanding the Book of Mormon: A Quick Christian Guide to the Mormon Holy Book

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Have you ever thought about the fact that Jesus was likely a very average looking guy physically? It wasn't his outward appearance that attracted people but rather his message of hope and forgiveness.

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In this series, we introduce some principles for establishing a healthy, life-long marriage. This takes love, trust, and communication skills.

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Marriage can feel like the changes in the seasons. Sometimes, life feels sunny and easy, and other days, bleak and cold.

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Oftentimes pastors see negative patterns cropping up in their congregations. Here, pastors Tom and Bryan let men know how they should be living as followers of Jesus.

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Your parents want you to be happy and healthy so they may have a hard time understanding your depression. Having an honest conversation with them is the best place to start.

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Husbands, don't forget that God says you should honor your wife and treat her as your most treasured possession.

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Nobody likes to be compared to someone else. The comparison game tends to highlight our weaknesses and how we don’t measure up to others. It leaves us feeling deflated and insecure. So, why do so many parents fall into this trap with their kids?

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Everyone who has accessed porn has gotten there by believing lies. Learn some of them here.

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While poverty in America isn’t as serious as elsewhere, many Americans live with decreasing resources and without basic necessities. Several factors contribute to this.

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Millionaires must be doing something right. Learn some valuable tips that can help you build your personal wealth while learning how to manage your budget.

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We are challenging our pursueGOD community to take on the Fasting Challenge the first Monday of every month!

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Dating can be a challenge. If you want to honor God in how you date, apply these principles in your next relationship.

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Latest episode of The PursueGOD Podcast

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A PG discussion with fighter pilots where we talk about doing something meaningful with your life... in light of eternity.

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Latest episode of The PursueGOD Podcast

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Latest episode of The PursueGOD Podcast

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Today's episode is Topic #1 in our brand new "Pursuit" discipleship track. Find it here: http://www.pursueGOD.org/pursuit/

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Talk about this topic with a group or mentor: http://www.pursuegod.org/if-god-is-good-why-is-there-evil/

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When exactly will believers be raptured? Before the tribulation, afterward, or somewhere in the middle? Today we'll look at three options from a premillennial view.

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Invite, invest, empower - that's all you need to do to start making disciples in your world. Find more at www.pursueGOD.org/train.

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Disciple-making is supposed to be normal. So why don't people do it? We'll talk about the philosophy of ministry behind the PG disciple-making system, and how to become the kind of follower Jesus envisioned.

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The PursueGOD Podcast: Recent Episodes

Bryan Dwyer

ChristianDating #BiblicalRelationships #Cohabitation #PurityCulture #MarriagePrep #FaithfulLiving #PursueGOD

1. You introduce chaos and loss into your life.

2. You put your eternal destiny in jeopardy.