Predestination for the elect, not unbelievers!
In this episode we touch on “Christians” in NY praying over and endorsing Zohran Mamdani, and then how the spirit of God continues to be working in our nation’s midst.
We spend the majority of the episode discussing the importance of the exclusivity of Scripture as our rule and Authority. Then we dive into the topic of predestined and how biblically it is only used to talk about the elect, not unbelievers.
We explain Romans 8:28-30, and Ephesians 1:4-5; 11.
The Inquisition: How can I best pray for missionaries I have never personally met?
Today we talk a bit more about what God is doing in our nation in this brief moment of grace; we will spend most of our time on questions as they have been piling up.
First we share some recent testimonies of how God’s word is working in people’s hearts.
Then we turn to some of our listeners questions.
1. How can I strike a balance between sharing the actual gospel with unbelievers and talking about issues like abortion and transgenderism? (Should I only talk about the gospel and try to ignore the rest?)
2. If my parents believe differently than I do about cultural engagement, how should I interact with them?
3. What can, or should, I do to be better prepared to defend biblical truth in our culture?
4. How can I best prepare my children for cultural engagement?
5. Pastor, you mentioned that your own views on cultural engagement have changed over time. I was wondering if you have had views on other topics change and why they have changed?
6. How can I better cultivate the ability to speak the truth in love?
7. Is there a way for me to pursue wisdom?
In this episode we discuss what some have noted as the death of third-wayism. We listen to an interesting discussion by some mega church pastors and their thoughts on it.
Then we show an example of one of the latest attempts of this from a TGC pastor about “sensitivity” after Charlie’s martyrdom.
Then we play is a clip of JD Greer trying to back off of third-wayism.
How should Christians think about all of this? What is our part to play in the battle for right and wrong in the culture?
In this episode we talk about 1) the importance of what pastors say and don’t say in the pulpit, 2) the end of Paul’s life and ministry and finally, 3) the test all Christian leaders have been given over the past 5 years.
The cold open is from pastor Mike Kelsey from McLean Bible Church, a week after Charlie Kirk’s murder. And as you remember McLean Bible Church is where David Platt is a pastor.
We then discuss how Big Evangelicalism has bent the knee to the culture and is now trying to throw sand into the practice and proclamation of Charlie Kirk. Charlie was taking the truth into the darkness, so why would they be so distant from the proclamation of truth? Why have modern pastors become weak and soft, when the sheep need leaders of principle and strength?
The end of Paul’s life is such a powerful example of strength and courage to proclaim truth. Which path will you use choose?
Speaking of choosing, the past five years have been a test for all Christian leaders. What was the test and what kind of grade did your pastor get?
Inquisition: In light of Charlie Kirk’s life, should I get involved in local politics or just national politics?
What should we make of all these recent deaths of spiritual Giants?
In this episode we talk about: 1. how brother Voddie Baucham was such a huge loss to the church and culture; 2. fall-out from Charlie Kirk’s murder continues, and 3. The anti-semitism that seems to be at an all time high in the American church. As always the word of God guides us through all of this.
Inquisition: Is it ok for me to feel depressed about the recent deaths of godly leaders like MacArthur, Kirk, and Baucham?
In his death, Charlie Kirk has shared the gospel with over 100 million people at one time!
What should we think regarding the Kirk memorial and the clear proclamations of the Gospel?
This event was unlike any in known history—what will be the impact of this on society? (In attendance was President Trump, Vice President Vance, Sec of State Rubio, Sec of War Hegseth, Sec of Health Kennedy, DNI Gabbard, and Tucker Carlson among many more!)
What can we as Christians learn from Charlie Kirk’s life?
Was everyone who spoke at the memorial born again? Is it bad if some of them are not born again?
What would things be like in a Kamala Harris administration? Why do some Christians still want to stay out of politics?
How does God use the evil acts of man to glorify himself? Example: Paul in prison, and the crucification of Jesus. What men think will silence truth, actually reverses on them.
In pretense or truth, Christ is preached! Phil 1:12-18
What should be on our to-do list on this side of things?
We talk about why the assassination of Charlie Kirk is such a huge deal in our nation.
Why did you feel compelled to preach a sermon including this incident?
Is the violence really on both sides like some are saying?
What’s with all the growing anti - semitism, especially around Charlies murder? And then the cartoon uses of Scripture by politicians to deceive unsuspecting Christians?
There are quite a few who are suggesting that any pastor that did not preach on this incident Sunday, displayed a dereliction of duty. Do you agree or disagree with that statement?
What do we make of Christianity today and some others on what they did or didn’t say regarding the issue?
So what is your advice to believers in terms of cultural engagement in light of this assassination?
What is the connection between Charlie Kirk and John MacArthur‘s preaching ministry?
This Episode (the Pastor as Scholar, was recorded before the assassination of Charlie Kirk) What level of biblical knowledge must a pastor have?
Is it true that “the heart of a shepherd is more important than the mind of a scholar” when it comes to ministry?
What is the difference between the spiritual gift of Pastor/teacher and the office of an elder?
How proficient must an elder be at teaching?
What is the importance of an elder leading his home?
Too much is happening in the world for us not to touch on some of the current issues at hand. So we dive into the mass shooting perpetrated by a transgender individual and how the media is all over the place on this topic. Then we hit some of the new developments with COVID and the “vax.”
Then we transition to the topic of expository preaching.
What is not expository preaching?
Are there different types of expository sermons?
Is there a reason to prefer verse by verse, and book by book exposition?
Does the Bible give us any specific way to preach?
How does expository preaching help the hearers?
What are the benefits of expository preaching for the preacher himself?
Is it mandatory that every sermon be an expository sermon?
Inquisition: Do you think it was a poor decision to have Alistair Begg pray at John MacArthur‘s memorial service?
In this episode we discuss the friendship John Piper and John MacArthur had despite some of their theological differences.
How does that happen and why is it a good thing? We also talk about the fact that Alister Begg prayed at John’s memorial service. Why is that a big deal?
We talk about the shared dispensational heritage both John’s share and why that is important, espically in light of the growing opposition to that theology.
Lastly, we turn to 9 marks, Mark Dever and John MacArthur. Jonathan Leeman and Mark did a podcast recently about things they could celebrate about MacArthur and areas they differed. We play some clips and discuss.
This sets us up for our upcoming series on expository preaching.
We start off with a cold open about the importance of the local church. Then with great caution we talk about the events in Alaska last week, especially on Friday. Our very own Pastor Mike was on assignment in America’s last frontier.
The Alaska trip made a stop in Dallas, which leads us to the Lamar Jackson retweet of Charlie Kirk saying it’s all about Jesus. We then go through a segment of Charlie Kirk and discuss the growing trend among gen z males toward Jesus and Christianity.
What will give this revival staying power? The local church! How can these young men strengthen their faith and continue to be a light for Christ in the dark world?
Tune in and find out.
From the Ted Cruz and Tucker Carlson interview to the current calls to occupy Gaza, dispensationalism has been taking a beating.
Is the beating warranted? What is the real issue being debated? Why is their growing anti-semitism among Christians within the MAGA movement?
Is dispensationalism really the evil behind the post-war consensus? Is the alliance with Israel the driving factor in the endless war machine?
This issue has become such a problem that Doug Wilson has had to write a new book to address it. Can you be against needless and endless wars and still be dispensational? Or is postmillennialism the only theological system that allows you to take a stand against the endless war mentality?
Difficult people affect all of us and can have a unique effect on pastors in the ministry. What are the positive and negative effects of negative people?
1. Why does God allow difficult people into our lives and specifically into the life of a pastor?
2. What are the different tiers or levels of difficult people?
3. Who are the most harmful among difficult people (that is harmful to the ministry or to a church)?
4. Who are the most hurtful among difficult people (that is hurtful to the pastor or leaders)?
5. Is there a way that members of a congregation can support the pastor when it comes to dealing with difficult people?
In today’s episode we talk about MacArthur as an exegete and the importance of the Bible.
We talk about MacArthurs courage, conviction and clarity as he preached and appeared on Larry King’s show. What made him this way and why are so many not like him?
Then we dive into the origin of Platonism in the study of the Bible and its negative impact on modern theology.
This episode is a tribute to one of the greats, John MacArthur. It is not a praise of the man, rather a praise of the God this man served. God has used him to leave an indelible imprint on so many. He will be missed.
The Cold open is from the great S. Lewis Johnson talking about the New Covenant (NC).
Let’s consider what Jeremiah says about the NC:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
Jeremiah 31:31-34 (Read chapters 30-37 for more context.)
What are the differing views of its fulfillment:
1. The New Covenant will be fulfilled in the future with national Israel; the church has no relationship to the New Covenant
2. There are two New Covenants—one with Israel and another for the church
3. The New Covenant is completely fulfilled with the church; there is no future fulfillment with national Israel.
[though the time of fulfillment differs among views]
4. The New Covenant will be fulfilled with Israel but the spiritual blessings of the covenant areapplied to the church today.
5. The New Covenant will be fulfilled with Israel but the church is an added referent to the New Covenant promises so there is a sense in which the New Covenant is being fulfilled with the church. The New Covenant has two referents—Israel and the church.
6. Since the New Covenant was given to Israel for the purpose of also blessing Gentiles there is literal fulfillment of the spiritual blessings of the New Covenant to all believing Jews and Gentiles in this present age, while the physical/national promises await fulfillment with Jesus’ second coming when national Israel is incorporated into the New Covenant.
What I think:
What is Pastors Mike’s view?
-Isaiah 42
-Isaiah 49:6,
he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
-2 Corinthians 3:6 Paul says, “who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant,. . .”
-Paul in 1 Cor. 11
We experience NC blessings today and more is to come in the future with the Rom. 11 conversion of many Israelites
The inquisition: Is it ok for another believer to baptize a new believer? Or should the elders of the church perform the baptism?
A lot has happened since the last podcast: bombs in Iran, leaked report, and now a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. We start the cold open with Trump’s report from the NATO summit.
We play an AI clip of Trump and then discuss the need for Christians to be diligent in how they gain and assess information from the internet. Following that, we turn to how Christians should process what is happening geopolitically with Israel and Iran. How does Genesis 12 impact our thinking? How is that verse being abused in the current climate? Theologically, why are Christians so divided on this topic?
Is the church the new Israel? What is the relationship between Israel and the church? If we correctly understand what the Bible teaches, will we be able to understand how to live in the world around us?
How do the two schools of hermeneutics—Abraham’s and Satan’s—impact the way we read and understand the Bible?
Inquisition: Did Saint Augustine not believe in a literal 6 day creation?
Part 1
The world is on a knives edge, what is going on with Israel and Iran? How should Christians think about this? Is long term war a good option for America?
Part 2
We dive into the sheep & goats judgement at the end of the Olivet Discourse. What principles should we take from this and how has it been misunderstood?
What about annihilationism? Is hell eternal? Why is that doctrine so emotionally difficult for many believers to accept?
Part 3
We talk about the upcoming sermon and the two hermeneutical approaches that will be discussed. The Seminary of Satan or the Seminary of Abraham!
Inquisition: Can you be saved and believe in theistic evolution?
N.T. Wright strikes again! What is the problem with his lack of clarity on the murder of our children (abortion)? How does this lack of clarity seep into other areas of life? Why does it happen?
What is the problem with the lack of clarity in scholarship and in the pulpit? What is the effect it can has on the sheep and particularly our children?
Article https://christoverall.com/article/concise/in-praise-of-clarity-martin-luther-against-studied-ambiguity/
Turning to the Olivet Discourse, how has the lack of clarity impacted our understanding here, specifically in Matthew 25:31,“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.”
Is the glorious throne different from God’s throne? Jesus is said to be seated at the right hand of the Father currently—is that the glorious throne?
Inquisition: Is it wrong for someone to follow Instagram and/or TikTok pastors?
Tune in today!
In this episode we discuss the cultural swing happening in Christianity from “soy boys” to Andrew Tate. Why has the biblical view of true masculinity been abandoned on both sides? What does true masculinity look like and how do we cultivate that in our young men?
How does the doctrine of Christ’s Imminent return impact our view of Matthew 24 and 25? What impact does it have on eschatology? Why even preach eschatology? What about the pre-tribulational rapture? What is Paul talking about in 1 Corinthians 15 and then 2 Timothy 4.
Lastly we talk about the drama unfolding around Josh Buice and G3 and then things with Bryan Chapell. How should believers think about this?
Tune in today.
