Unanswered Questions: Recent Episodes
Pastor Tim Cole
Pastor Tim answers tough theological and Christian-living questions from a canonical approach to God’s Word.
How can you have good character and God’s blessing in your career and public life, and yet have private weaknesses and failures. Does one cancel out the other?
Who is qualified to lead, to be a shepherd of people? Why did God choose David? He evaluated him based on his heart. In a world of social comparison, focus on character, not achievement.
Genesis 26:1-11. God provided for Isaac because of his faith. He protected him despite his major failure because of His mercy.
Both Joseph and Jesus, beloved sons, suffered unjustly. Lessons and hope from Genesis 37:1-11.
Isaac and Rebekah started well, trusting God to give them children. But as parents they developed very different values. It caused division in the family and heartbreak. Genesis 25:27-34
Listen to Tim’s sermon from Genesis 37:11; 42: 18-24; Luke 2:41-51Both Joseph and Jesus experienced unjust suffering that God used to refine and prepare them to lead people effectively. Have you been disappointed or confused because of suffering in your life or the life of someone you love? This lesson from Joseph and Jesus can help you make sense of it.
When a foolish man, Balaam, decided to disobey God, his donkey spoke to him with God’s message.
Three stories of three donkeys, three people, and three stories of death and resurrection, pointing us to Jesus.
Donkeys left the presence of an unfit leader, King Saul. They were safer lost than under his care.
Jesus knew ahead of time that his entire leadership team would desert him in his time of crisis when he needed them the most. He still chose them, loved them, and committed to lead them and use them. Jesus still chooses you, even tho he knew ahead of time all the sins and failures in your life. He still has a future for you.
The term predestination is a Lightning rod - it attracts arguments and misunderstandings. In this podcast, Tim looks at Ephesians 1 and Romans 8 to examine what Paul meant when he used the term.
predestination
The best kept secret for living free may be your spouse, a person who cares and loves you & knows you better than anyone.
Why does God reject our halfhearted worship? Cain’s faith was fake. His offering was just his leftovers, reflecting his entitled attitude toward God. His failure at worship then led to failure in family. War in his family was the bitter fruit of Cain’s war with God.
What does it mean to be blessed by God? What does the term God bless you mean?
Tim traces the context and meaning when the blessing of God is pronounced throughout scripture in the Old Testament and New, conferring God’s protection, potency, and power, or enablement. How does this practice apply today in our churches and family?
Genesis3:1-7
Satan, Gods shrewd adversary, exploited a women's imprecise knowledge of Gods word, causing her to doubt His integrity and goodness and to weaken her trust in His word.
Our salvation does not depend on our own faithfulness or lack of sin. We have assurance of our salvation although we continue to sin. God’s declaration of our righteous standing before Him at the beginning of our Christian experience is the final word on our case.
How did Old Testament people of faith understand the afterlife? Where did they think they would go after death? Did they believe those outside the faith or people without faith in Yahweh (God) would have a different fate?
Dr. Zachary J. Cole, Associate Professor of NT at Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando, FL joins us today with his message at our local church. He tackles a historically tough and debated passage on apostasy within the church. Today maybe more than ever, apostasy is alive and well in the church. Zach introduces the topic for us as with a 3 foundation reasons why we need to discuss this topic: “We need to talk about this for three reasons: • First, the Bible talks about it a lot. • Second, the Bible talks about it with dire seriousness. • Third, it is happening all around us.”
Join Tim in Galatians 6:1-5 as he tackles the mandate from Paul to come alongside a brother or sister in order to restore them. Our goal is to be a person who is capable of restoring another believer, bringing them back to a functioning, thriving, abundant life—capable of worship and capable of service for the kingdom.
It’s easy, with our eyes and ears and senses inundated by a 360 degree world of media, to be impressed by all the wrong people and things. It’s daily, and it’s fast and normal, so much so that we might find ourselves asking, “What, or who exactly, SHOULD I be impressed with?” Join Tim as he tackles this very pertinent topic. May God give you ears to hear as you listen.
God doesn’t choose to use a man, woman, boy, or girl based on the same standards we often use to pick someone. It’s not the playground kickball team selection with God. God has His own standard and it’s far better and just than ours—and thanks be to God it is, right? Listen in and be encouraged in the way of our God.
Whether you are aware or not, there exits in the OT a messianic chain of suffering shepherds. Their lives foreshadow Jesus, and when we get to our Savior, we see not only the true and better Adam, but also the true and better Shepherd—the one who is able to lead His people to safety within the fold. Join us and we hope you are blessing by your listening.
Thanks for listening! This second, short part II of epistemology, deals with one of the most important concepts for our daily lives: Do we believe in absolute truth, and if so, what is the source of that truth? Is it reliable? Can we bank on it during the storms of life? The episode will be split into two segments of 4 main points. This first segment deals with a foundational description of epistemology, then we dive into Eden and discuss the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and its role in developing our epistemology. Dig in and enjoy, and we hope your faith grows as you listen.
Thanks for listening in to Tim Cole. This episode deals with one of the most important concepts for our daily lives: Do we believe in absolute truth, and if so, what is the source of that truth? Is it reliable? Can we bank on it during the storms of life? The episode will be split into two segments of 4 main points. This first segment deals with a foundational description of epistemology, then we dive into Eden and discuss the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and its role in developing our epistemology. Dig in and enjoy, and we hope your faith grows as you listen.
It seems like we would always be thankful to God, right? He’s saved us, redeemed us, He’s renewing us, and one day will fully glorify us. Unfortunately, our sinful hearts are big fans of gratitude—instead, we focus on our own desires, what we think we deserve, we complain, and we shun suffering; but God has made us to be creatures of gratitude. Join in and ask God to help you rethink how you start and love out your day, and why not adopt a lifestyle of gratitude!
Take a deep dive into Genesis 1:1 and the use of the Hebrew word “Bereshit” throughout the Torah. Follow Tim as he dissects Genesis 1:1, 1:27, 49:3, Psalms 78:51, and Psalms 105:36. In these passages he unravels the real meaning of Genesis 1:1, giving credibility to the NT authors that attribute all creation to Jesus Christ. May God give you ears to heart and an open heart as you listen.
We know from Genesis 1 that God has an image and that male and female were made in His image. So logically we ask, what is an image, and what exactly is God’s image? Listen in and gain clarity, Hope, and confidence in God’s word! God bless you as you learn.
Come back with us into the text and see the correct way to view the woman, the way God made her and equipped her. She’s a sustainer, a warrior, and a life-giver! Dig into some examples with Tim and we hope this helps you break down any incorrect views you’ve picked up and reorient your view of the women God has placed in your life!
Dig into the original text with Tim and see exactly, from a canonical lens, what Moses intended when he chose these words to describe the creation of the woman. We hope this episode and others give you hope and encourage your faith—giving you a correctly placed confidence in the text. God bless you as you listen!
Join us as Tim discusses how the text uses a merism, a figure of speech, to describe Jesus. God bless you as you learn more about the savior.
Do you have deep wounds from perhaps family members, friends, coworkers, or bosses? Wounds that, left unchecked, grow roots of bitterness and resentment. It is difficult to forgive and to properly heal from those wounds, but it is where freedom is found. If this is you or you want to help others achieve this in their lives, listen in and we hope you are blessed by this episode!
How do we evaluated the former sins and failures of our forefathers, our family, and even ourselves? Do we say, “Well, the past is the past and we can’t change it, so let’s just move on!” Do we just ignore, dismiss, whitewash, or downplay them? Let’s take a look at what God’s word has to say on this topic and orient our mind and actions based on the text—not our emotions, our logic, or the party we link ourselves to.
Join Tim as he digs into the familiar story of Zacchaeus while showing us the canonical connections that are in the text.
What do we do or where do we turn when we feel like God is afar off. We’ve lost the feeling of nearness to God that we once had. Dig into two chapters in the Psalter with Tim and gain hope and energy for your tomorrow.
It’s a legitimate question we all have to struggle with, when God redeems us, what happens to all our past sin—the dirty and horrible crimes against God? Is it just gone? And if they’re gone, what should our response be?
Earthquakes, flash-floods, unstoppable fires, weather changes, political unrest and assassinations, viruses, terrorism—it’s scary and seems like the world is in chaos right now. Is God really in control over all of these circumstances, and if so, what is our response? Dig into Psalm 46 with us and gain hope for your today and tomorrow.
Are confessions of faith as a child valid and stand the test of time? Many of us made these confessions at a very young age, and many of us have struggled with this very same question. Was my conversion real and enough when I was a child, I knew so little! Join in and gain hope and confidence as you listen.
Have you ever prayed consistently for something or someone and it seems like the prayer isn’t heard, or maybe it just wasn’t done right? And what does God want our response to be in these situations? How do we gain motivation to push on and continue praying? Join Tim and listen as He develops this topic from scripture. May God bless you as you listen!
Does God have something to say about polygamy, or is He silent on the reoccurring issue in the Old Testament? Mary takes us through the Genesis narrative and the life of Abraham and shows us that the author does have something to say about polygamy, and God is not absent from the narratives. God has a created order and Mary has unlocked the connections and shows us the reoccurring patterns that God creates to show the reader His view of the sin of polygamy. Join us and gain confidence as you see the unending depth of God’s word. To follow along check out the link: https://bit.ly/3hJ2u4Z
Is the gospel totally free, or can we attribute something to obtain salivation? This is one of the more foundational and important topics in the NT. It may sound like a simple truth to the “veteran Christian”, but it’s a truth that we often betray with the way we live our lives. May God develop your gratitude and humility as you listen.
Track Paul’s argument with us as Tim takes you through the logical connections that Paul uses to persuade the reader to stick with Jesus’s gospel alone! May God bless you as you listen!
Continue on our journey through Paul’s argument in Galatians and bolster your faith in the gospel that is from God, not constructed or fabricated by humans!
Paul’s argument in Galatians is centered around one key verse that he uses as the foundation of his argument to the listener. Paul is gassed up and ready for counterarguments and naysayers—the gospel is dependable and trustworthy! Listen in and found out exactly why you can base your future on it!
What will we be doing for eternity? Will we have jobs? Responsibilities? Friends? Join us as we take a look at What Jesus says and we get a small glimpse into what Heaven will be like. May God bless you as you listen and grow!
What will be doing in Heaven? Should we all be getting our harp lessons now for preparation? Will we be board? I joke, but the reality is that most of us give little thought to what Heaven will actually look like for the believer. Join us for a 2 part series as Tim tackles this question from the gospel of Luke. Thanks for listening!
This is a loaded question. The term repentance is nothing foreign to a believer—we have heard the word and the concept thrown around from the moment we first heard the gospel; but do we truly have a strong grasp on what the Bible teaches about the doctrine of repentance? Listen in and may God give you ears to hear and a heart that is eager to receive His truth!
As a destitute people (Rom 3:23), continually sinning, how can the glory of God be restored to his people? The restoration and answer us found in our Savior. Join us for another episode and may God bless you and give you growth as you listen.
Take a look into the gospel of Luke with Pastor Cole, and see the many lessons on parenting that can be gleaned from the father of the prodigal son!
Luke 14:26 says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” What is Jesus actually saying here? Does He really want us to hate our family?
This episode gives us principles for a healthier, happier, more fruitful marriage. Weeding & Seeding, Pulling & Planting, Cultivating our Conversations. A marriage based on mutual respect and gratitude takes hard work and a method. Listen in and may God bless you as you try!
Join us in the text of 1 Samuel as we take a canonical journey to see the patterns in the text of Scripture that bring us to the anointing of King David.
Join us for part II of this canonical journey into 1 Samuel and the life of Abigail and Nabal. I hope this episode is an encouragement to your faith, and it helps bolster your view of God’s word and the credibility of its content.
The Bible is a seamless story and we can track these storylines as we work our way through the text. Come with us as we take a canonical look into a couple familiar stories to see examples of how they’re not just static, but full of connections and themes placed in the text to point us to truths. Join us and may God bless you as you listen!
We continue to ask the difficult question, are you wasting your past suffering? Take a look at what God, who is our great Redeemer, has to say about His purposes for suffering. Is it time for you to lower the flag of control in your life, and lift the flag of surrender to God’s plan? He is the potter and we are His clay. Come listen and consider what God has been doing in your life and gain some hope for your future.
Have you considered that the suffering you’ve experienced in life was ordained by God? Have you considered that there might be a divine purpose for your pain? Or, if you have not, and you simply look back with bitterness—perhaps you are wasting your suffering. God has a purpose for our suffering. The suffering and wounds, once healed, can equip us to help others who, like you, have endured their own pain and suffering. God’s compassion and grace be with you as you listen.
What characterizes your speech and interactions with your family? Is it governed by love, respect, and a desire for one another’s good, or does bitterness, resentment, and anger rule in your home? Come listen to the words of Adam before sin entered, then listen to what the second and last Adam, Jesus Christ, has to say about the issue of the heart. God desires unity and love in your home and it’s obtainable, but it starts with the heart!
Was the serpent crafty and sneaky, placed into the garden to purposefully tempt humans? It seems like humans were destined to slip! Join us as we take a canonical look into this often confusing topic.
Have you ever been reading the Old Testament and said to yourself, “Why can’t we just get to Jesus? Do we really need to sit and read all of these wild stories that seemingly have no connections?” Join us as we venture into three OT stories and their canonical connect-the-dot counterparts in the NT. Listen in and hear for the deeper connections that point us to the Savior.
I’m not sure if you grew up around Christianity or if you’re a new believer, but if you did grow up in Christian circles, this was often a line of thinking that was encouraged. I won’t belabor the negative aspects, but it was not healthy. The healthiest method for developing our ideas is to go to text itself for the answers—join us and enjoy this episode!
What was the significance of Jospeh, the Step-father of Jesus? Traditionally, very little is attributed to Jospeh, but with a careful, canonical observation of the text, we can see there’s more to it than meets the eye! Our hope is that each of these podcast episodes offers you building hope in the inspired text of God’s Word.
Who is Psalms 1 referring to and why is this an important topic canonically? Listen in as Tim discusses a wide array of pertinent topics such as: Bible translations, the original languages of the text, and overarching canonical connections between the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. We hope that this episode and others like it help grow your confidence in God’s Word.
For many, this is a sensitive and tender topic—better kept behind closed doors. None of us take joy in our failures, especially as believers and regenerate children of God. Thankfully our God is a God who does not condemn us when we fail—failure is not final for His own. Listen and be refreshed with only the hope that our Savior can offer.
Pastor Tim takes us through Paul’s writings to examine how he deals with and treats women.
What exactly is a “canonical approach” to God’s Word, and is it something I can do—and if so, why should I? Listen in and consider how taking a potentially new (but old) approach to God’s Word can revolutionize your study, insight, and faith.
Is Isaiah confusing Jesus with the first person of the Trinity? We’re things fuzzy for Isaiah, or is Isaiah emphasizing something about Jesus? Listen and gain confidence in God’s word and our Saviour.
Join Tim as he takes a look at God’s Word to answer this very tough and somewhat taboo or off-limit issue. May God give you grace as you listen.
Listen along as Tim tackles a difficult topic concerning the relationship of the husband and the wife. Is the wife a “helpmate”? The word is not in the Bible, but let’s take a look canonically at the actual word used by Moses in Genesis.
The Advent story doesn’t end with a baby in a manger. The story of the Messiah, the Savior, is so much more than just His birth.
Have you ever wondered why there’s no story concerning the birth of Jesus in 2 of the 4 gospels? Join Tim as he dissects the gospels and shows the particular intent of the gospels.
Join us this Christmas season for an insightful, exciting, canonical dive into the topic of Christmas and the Ark of the Covenant!
No detail is wasted or insignificant in God’s Word. Come and see the canonical, connect-the-dot significance of the manager. We hope this series of casts gives you and yours a greater enjoyment of the Christmas season!
We tend to find many different people and things to praise within the Christmas story, but join us as we rethink the narrative and recognize the real hero of the season!
Dive a bit deeper into the glory of God as Tim answers this second question concerning God’s glory!
What does the Bible have to say about the Glory of God? Join us this thanksgiving as we take a look at our great God and His glory. May your day be filled with a focus on the many things we ought to give thanks to God for—may God bless you and keep you.
Find yourself having extra money or possessions—spend it on yourself, right? You deserve it, you earned it didn’t you? But as Christians we recognize all of our possessions as God’s possessions. Listen in and consider reorienting the way you think about the extra God has blessed you with.
Is there an unpardonable sin? And if so, what is it? Take a deeper, canonical look into what the Bible actually says about sin, and whether or not there is truly, one unpardonable sin.
With what seems like a zillion translations out there—and all claiming some benefit over one another, can we trust that the original languages are represented with integrity and that the message we read is in line with the original writings? Join us for a brief look into Bible translations!
This practical, yet hard question should be at the heart of every believer and be a central component of every local church. Join us for another episode and we hope your life is impacted for Christ as you listen.
Continue our canonical dive into giving as Tim tackles 2 Corinthians 9:7, which states, “Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.”
Today we’re diving into this classic, hot topic, that is traditionally either awkward or avoided altogether. We hope this episode sheds some light on giving during the church age.
Take a deeper, canonical journey into the Genesis creation narrative with Pastor Tim. Through a canonical approach to the scriptures, we can gain some long-lost clarity and see that the text is in fact trustworthy and consistent. We hope your faith is bolstered and you enjoy this study into Genesis 1.
God made us in a specific way, and the more we learn about the human body and the intricacies of the mind, we see that God does know what’s best for us—practicing gratitude is good for us. The passage referred to at the beginning was: “Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NET
Is the nature of God consistent when we consider the actions of God in the OT vs Jesus' actions in the NT? This is a seemingly challenging question to consider, and most people would rather just avoid it altogether; but instead, join us for a few minutes as Tim digs into a couple passages and shows that indeed, the nature of God does not shake or bend through the course of time. We hope this gives you hope and faith in your God.
Tim responds to the difficult and multi-layered question of how to recognize and respond to the homeless as Christians. We want to be obedient and faithful to God, but we also need to be wise and take care—is there a balance? Tune in and we hope this podcast episode is a blessing and a challenge for your life.
Join our guest, Dr. Bob Cole, as he dives into the Psalms and shows us that, though we’ve often seen these chapters as a collection of songs, they are in fact interwoven and connected to proclaim a united narrative within itself and the whole of the scriptures.
Join us for a relook at Ephesians 2:8-9. It’s easy to read these verses, maybe memorized since you were a child, and miss what exactly we were saved from, and the great depth and magnificence of the grace gift we’ve been given.
We often read a passage, naturally, in our own bubble. We live in a particular country and its often the lens we view God’s Word through—it’s a natural tendency, but it doesn’t always afford us the best understanding of the text or give us the most appropriate takeaways. Take another look at this promise with Tim, and we hope this episode is a blessing for your walk with Christ.
Join Tim and I for a fresh look into Matthew 18. We want to be Christians who are empowered by God’s Word, but we want to be empowered with a careful and correct understanding of passages. We hope this is a blessing to your walk and thanks for joining in!
Context, Context, Context. Again we return to another passage that is often used to bolster our faith when times are difficult, uncertain, or when we are enduring suffering. Take a quick look at the passage from a fresh perspective as Tim discusses its original intent. Thanks for listening!
1 John 1:9 seems to promise us that, if we confess our sins to God, He then is faithful & just to forgive our sins—no matter what! Is this a guarantee of forgiveness as long as we confess, no matter what we continue to do?
Philippians 4:13 is often times the go to passage when we feel like we are swimming upstream. It’s used as that extra push to get us through a seemingly unobtainable task. But are we seeing this verse the way it was originally intended to be read and understood? Join us for a fresh look!
How do we explain sin to our children, to our students, to co-workers, or to our friends and family? Tim canonically takes us through three, seemingly separate passages, and shows us a seamless picture of the nature and seriousness of sin. Don’t forget to email any of your questions to: questionsforpastortim@gmail.com
Tim digs into Romans 1:28 and it’s surrounding verses and explains the intent of Paul when he makes this potent statement about God’s judgment.
Is there a way to be free from the bond of sexual sin and move forward with God’s blessing in a marriage? This episode deals with the serious and sensitive topic of sexual sin prior to marriage. Is there any hope? Listen in and be encouraged.
Cohabitation has become a hot topic amongst Christians today. Tim provides some principles and truth from God’s Word concerning this difficult and sensitive issue. Thanks for taking the time to listen and engage your mind!
“God made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we would become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 NET
He was a chosen disciple and ministered with Jesus throughout His entire public ministry, but was he a genuine follower of Christ? Enjoy a canonical approach to this challenging question.
In this episode, Tim unravels the details that sparked the first murder ever recorded. Why did God find favor with one brother and not the other? Listen in and find out!
I’m not sure there’s been a more juggled question passed down through the ages, and yet we still ponder this question. Tim answers this question from a deeply canonical approach—listen and consider our purpose in this life.
Tim tackles this commandment’s meaning canonically, but listen carefully, it may not mean exactly what you’ve always thought!
Tim tackles a question that helps us properly study the book of Proverbs and then accurately and canonically apply its truth. Enjoy!
Listen in for an in-depth look at what the Bible has to say about fearing the Lord. We hope your walk is enhanced and your understanding of God’s Word grown.
Exodus 20:4 HCSB—“Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth.”
Was Melchizedek a theophany, or was he a real, living historical figure? And, if he is a real historical figure, how was he a high priest before the Levitical priesthood was established?
We welcome back Dr. Zach Cole. He’s joining us from Belfast, Northern Ireland to discuss a challenging topic: Is the Bible inerrant? In this episode Dr. Cole breaks down and unpacks some tangible, practical ways we can think about this topic. Along the way he refers to several resources you can pick up for further study on this topic. May your confidence in God’s Word grow as you listen!
Dr. Zach Cole joins us from Belfast, Northern Ireland to discuss two challenging issues concerning the Bible. In the first of two episodes we discuss the idea that the books of the Bible are just a bunch of random stories thrown together. Can a case be made for the accuracy and congruency of the text as a whole?
In our final episode (for now) in this parenting series, Tim submits a biblical model for helping your child(ren) internalize your core values and grow into mature adults.
When your child(ren) have those tough, sometimes confusing questions about life, culture, and God, what’s the best way to respond and cultivate growth for your child(ren)?
How does personal, purposeful parenting tactics, based on God’s gifting of your children, impact how you parent?
Parenting with Purpose: Part I — Tim tackles our first episodes in a series on parenting our children in a way that is personal and geared toward the way God designed them!
Is God’s Word silent on this issue? Tim takes us on a canonical trip through the Old and the New Testament to discover the Image of God. Come, join us!
Today Tim tackles a confusing question from a Canonical approach. Hope you enjoy and gain confidence in God’s Word!
Tim uses biblical principles to address a difficult and sensitive question, “When a spouse has broken your trust multiple times and they’ve asked for forgiveness and you have genuinely forgiven them, what is a sanctifying process of thought when you are tempted not to trust them going forward?”
Tim discusses this classic passage and unravels the text to discuss the real meaning of Romans 3:23.
Today we reconnect to answer a second aspect of this question, and a second reason why God sends storms into our lives.
Today we take a look at this question from a unique angle—one that shows us God is in the business of shaping and refining his own...and sometimes a storm is required.
Today we come back to tackle a second episode and an additional aspect of answering the question, What does it mean to live now in the Kingdom of God?
The Kingdom of God can be a confusing term to hear and understand. Tim breaks it down canonically and helps us gain some clarity on what exactly this means and the implications it has on our day to day lives.
When I read chapter one of Genesis it seems like the author is confused and the sequence seems contradicting. Is there any clarity on this issue?
Part II on Proverbs 22:6 speaks directly to the grief and despair parents feel when their kids have abandoned the faith.
An introduction to a canonical approach to God’s word and to the podcast: Unanswered Questions with Pastor Tim Cole.