Restitutio

Brian and Rochelle Allen of Vermont share their journey of faith, including how they became discontent with the traditional evangelical doctrines they grew up believing.  In this interview they discuss how recontextualizing the bible in its Hebrew thought-world opened their eyes to understand Jesus so much better.  He is the Jewish Messiah sent to redeem Israel, not an eternally generated, second-person of a metaphysical Trinity.  In addition, they discuss how they studied their way out of the rapture ideology, popularized by the Left Behind book series.  I think you’ll find their story intriguing and heartfelt, but even more compelling is their intellectual humility.  This husband and wife team is a true example of what it means to be a Berean in the 21st century.

Apologetics 1: Introduction Have you ever heard of apologetics? This is the field where Christians seek to provide the reasons for why they believe what they believe. In a post-Christian society, it is increasingly important to understand the reasons for your faith. For example, why do you believe in God&#8217;s existence? Why do you think the bible is true? How do you know God raised Jesus from the dead? What about pain and suffering, modern science, or Christianity&#8217;s sexual ethics? In the next fifteen lectures, you&#8217;ll get answers to these important questions so you can build your own faith as well as get better at sharing it with others. If you would like to take this class for credit, please contact the Atlanta Bible College so you can register and do the necessary work for a grade. Here now is lecture one: Introduction. Notes: The Biblical Mandate for Apologetics 1 Peter 3.14-16 apologetics has nothing to do with apologizing, it is simply giving a reasoned defense of the faith two key guidelines: (1) gentleness, (2) respect ἀπολογία: a speech of defense, the act of making a defense as a speech: Acts 22.1 as written: 1 Corinthians 9.3 in court: 2 Timothy 4.16; Acts 25.16 defending the gospel: Philippians 1.7 “The task of apologetics is to show that the evidence that the New Testament calls people to commit their lives to is compelling evidence and worthy of our full commitment. That often involves a lot of work for the apologist. Sometimes we would rather duck the responsibility of doing our homework, of wrestling with the problems and answering the objections, and simply say to people, ‘Oh, you just have to take it all in faith.’ That’s the ultimate cop-out. That doesn’t honor Christ. We honor Christ by setting forth for people the cogency of the truth claims of Scripture, even as God himself does.[1]” Objections: Faith by definition excludes the possibility of certainty “Sadly, in our day many Christians argue that we ought not to be engaged in attempts to ‘prove’ the truth claims of Christianity, that faith and proof are incompatible. ”[2] blind faith vs. informed faith what did Jesus do? did he ask people to just believe that he was the Messiah without offering any reasons for that belief? John 5.36; John 10.24-25, 37-38; 14.10-11 Later on Jesus’ resurrection became the single most important proof of his claim to be Messiah. Acts 17.30-31; Romans 1.1-4 In the book of Acts, Jesus’ resurrection was mainly argued for on the basis of eye-witness testimony. Acts 1.22; 2.32; 3.15; 10.39-42; 13.31 this is not to say we can have complete certainty, faith is still required, but it’s not a leap of blind faith “The Bible never tells us to take a leap of faith into darkness and hope that there’s somebody out there. The Bible calls us to jump out of the darkness and into the light. That is not a blind leap.[3]” only the holy spirit can illuminate someone’s heart to believe much of apologetics is clearing out of the way barriers to belief Bible is full of contradictions Christians are all hypocrites How can there be a God if there is so much pain and suffering? Doesn’t God command genocide? Hasn’t science disproved miracles? What about evolution? What about the Big Bang? think of it like picking up rocks from the field before planting the seeds besides, God has chosen to work with the spoken word. foolishness of preaching (1 Cor 1.21) <l

Some say faith-healing is a charade, concocted by charlatans to build their empires on the backs of the afflicted and suffering. Others think that Christians who reject healing contradict what Jesus said and did, preferring the comfort of tradition instead of unleashing God&#8217;s mighty power. What do you believe about supernatural healing? Listen in to this interview with Bill and Ann DeNenno to hear what they&#8217;ve learned in four decades of pursuing and practicing healing. In this interview they discuss the benefits of keeping an open mind so that you can learn from others outside your own tradition. They go on to talk about deliverance (casting out demons), including both some of the excesses they witnessed as well as the genuine results they&#8217;ve encountered. Next they explain inner healing and how God can set us free from emotional wounds that happened long ago, but still push us around today. Lastly, they share about Christ-centered healing, where they look to Christ as both the example and the active agent in healing today. You can contact the DeNennos directly via email at [email protected].

How much time do you spend with God alone? Do you have a quiet time each day for scripture reading and prayer and meditation? Drawing on the image of the vine in John 15, Keith Daniel passionately advocates for a daily devotional time to abide in him. He argues that this time is the key to holy living. If we commune with God consistently, then we can draw on the strength we receive then to walk with God the rest of the day. Daniel believes this time is always under attack so you have to fight for it each and every day.

Today Hugh Knowlton joins Restitutio to talk about how to handle important doctrinal differences with other Christians. So often such intra-Christian discussions generate more heat than light. Does that mean we should all just ignore our differences, forcing smiles and hoping that no one peers beneath our thin veneer of unity? Or should we charge headlong like a bull at the matador, eager to present our case and defeat all objections whatever the cost? This interview will help you strike the balance between empathy and courage as Knowlton shows how he stood up for his monotheistic beliefs in a gracious way that refused to forsake kindness while disagreeing on a core issue. In the course of the interview, Knowlton addresses five main questions from a biblical unitarian point of view: Based on John 1.1, do you believe that Jesus is eternal? Do you believe that Jesus is the creator? Does Isaiah 9.6 refer to Jesus when it calls him &#8220;God&#8221; and &#8220;eternal?&#8221; Why does Jesus receive worship if He is not God? If you do not believe that Jesus is God, who is he? Here is the text of the letter he sent: Dear Ben, As I have mentioned I don’t come from a traditional Trinitarian background and as a result, I have a different paradigm or way of thinking in regards to the relationship of God and His son, Jesus. Even though there is a difference I sincerely pray that what I believe will not bring offense or cause you to think that I am diminishing the Son if I believe, as I do, that he is not exactly the same (identical) as the Father. You will surely agree that Christology is a massive subject! I don’t consider myself a theologian or a master on this subject but do enjoy studying it occasionally; more so during the last several years when I have been attending an orthodox church where the Trinity is not questioned and alternative beliefs as to who Christ is are not generally welcomed. I am not out to change the Christian world to my beliefs but do like to do “a check up from the neck up” to see if what I hold true still makes sense or whether I need to consider changes. By fellowshipping with men like you, Larry and many others at PBC I have grown in my respect and understanding of your mindset and beliefs. It is good to gain understanding even if it does not end up with agreement on all points. Before I address your questions I want to say that my answers are, in my estimation, more of a summary of what I believe; they are certainly incomplete and are not as full an explanation with all the reasoning, historical evidence and scriptural support that I would like to include. I think that would take writing a book, which I want to avoid! I am sure more questions will be raised and if we want to continue a dialog, either in person or by email, we can both share more. In your email below you express a concern about &#8216;agreeing on His nature&#8217;. I don&#8217;t see a similar concern shared by Jesus, Paul, John or the other writers in the New Testament. I am not saying the concern does not exist but I don&#8217;t recall scriptures that place an abundant emphasis on it other than what I read in Math 16:13-17 where Jesus asks his disciples &#8216;Who do you say that I am?&#8217; and Peter&#8217;s reply &#8216;You are the Christ (the Messiah), the son of the living God&#8217;. I think this is a great start for having common ground. And this is where I would like to start by addressing your last question as who I think Jesus is. I believe him to be the son of God, the Christ, the Messiah, the promised seed, my redeemer and savior, the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation, the resurrection, the way, the truth and the life, the bread of life, the living Word of God, He declared the Father and reveals

Have you heard about Esther&#8217;s courage? She had the audacity to stand for God in an incredibly dark time. Though the Persian Empire had decreed the genocide of her people, she could have easily remained in the closet about her ethnicity and enjoyed the comforts of the palace. Nonetheless, she would not stand idly by, but courageously trusted in God and risked her life to petition the king for the lives of her people. Even if you already know the story of Queen Esther, it&#8217;s worth your time to consider how her example can encourage you to stand up for God in your own context. &nbsp; Notes: Act 1: Queen Vashti disobeys Ahasuerus Esther 1.15-20 Act 2: The Search for a New Queen Esther 2.17 Act 3: Haman’ Plot Esther 3.8-14 Act 4: Esther Takes a Stand Esther 4.11, 13-14, 16; 5.13-14 Act 5: Mordecai Exalted Esther 6.3-11 Act 6: Haman’s Demise Esther 7.2-6, 8-9 Act 7: The Jews Delivered Esther 8.15-17 What is one area in your life where fear is holding you back? What is one change you would make in your life if you had the courage of Esther? Do you think God would back you up if you made this change?

What does the bible teach about forgiveness? Is it optional or mandatory? Are Christians allowed to hold grudges? Do we only have to forgive if someone apologizes? Join us as we discuss four reasons why you should forgive: (1) if we don&#8217;t forgive others, God won&#8217;t forgive us; (2) forgiving others makes sense in light of how much God forgave us; (3) forgiveness offers an opportunity to testify; (4) forgiving is better for your health. Forgiving others is simple but far from easy. Even so, it&#8217;s something we need to become good at doing.

Richard Hays, Professor of New Testament at Duke Divinity School, explains the incredible effect Jesus&#8217; resurrection has on theology and practice. His lecture divides into two parts: (1) a proper New Testament understanding of the resurrection requires a robust affirmation of the resurrection of the body and (2) resurrection of the body is a sign of God&#8217;s power invading creation and therefore preaching resurrection requires embodying resurrection ethics as well.

This is now our third and last episode in our series on work. We&#8217;ve talked about the Christian work ethic and honorable work (i.e., what sorts of jobs Christians should shoot for as well as avoid) and now today we are talking about work&#8217;s opposite: rest. This is a really important topic to consider. Listen in to the discussion with Sean Finnegan, Rose Rider, and Sean Kelly as we talk about the crazy pace of American life today as well as why we need to take breaks each day, each week, and each year. What is the Sabbath? Should Christians keep the Sabbath? How can we lead balanced lives? &nbsp;

What do you believe about hospitality? The scriptures lay out three major kinds: (1) hospitality to the saints; (2) hospitality to the needy; (3) hospitality to the unbeliever. As it turns out showing hospitality is an important Christian practice, even if it takes courage to invite others into our houses. In our present age, hospitality just might be the secret the church has been looking for to reach out to others with God&#8217;s grace and love. For example, when a pastor invited over Rosaria Butterfield, a lesbian, feminist, vegetarian, English professor, she was able to begin seeing through the negative hype about bible-believing Christians and started on a journey that ultimately led to her conversion.

Picking up where we left off last week, we continue discussing the Christian work ethic and, in particular, delve into Max Weber&#8217;s &#8220;Protestant work ethic&#8221; hypothesis. Next Rose shares about her own career path, including graduating with a 4.0 in graphic design and her two year struggle to find a career job. After that, we looked at three criteria for honorable work: Does your job require you to sin? Are you contributing to something that causes harm? Is it dishonest work? If you can say, &#8220;No,&#8221; to each of these, then you&#8217;re in good shape. However, considering that the most common jobs in America are retail salespersons, cashiers, food preparers, and office clerks, all of which pay well under the mean wage, how should a Christian feel about such work? We talk about how we have to be careful to find our identity in Christ rather than in our job, no matter how well or poorly it pays. Drawing on the work of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi we talked about ideal jobs that produce enjoyment, enable a team mindset, and better our world. Last of all, we addressed how we as Christians should think about unemployment.

This is now the third in a series of messages related to monotheism. Having established that the Father of Jesus is the only true God (John 17.3), we must be careful not denigrate or demote Jesus in any way. He is the perfect one who lived without sin and courageously faced death on behalf of all of us. In this message, John Cortright shares what the scriptures say about talking with Jesus. His full notes are available online here.

What is the Christian work ethic? What does the bible say about work? Join Rose Rider, Sean Finnegan, and Daniel Fitzsimmons for an honest conversation about how the biblical understanding of work challenges us. Leaning on Ecclesiastes and Proverbs, as well as the epistles of Paul, they share how work is God&#8217;s gift to us, that we should take pleasure in it, and that we should work hard regardless of who&#8217;s watching.

by Sean Finnegan The Shema has been the core creed of Judaism from the time of Moses to today. It stands as an immovable witness to God&#8217;s identity as well as our proper relation to him. Even though Jesus confessed the Shema, most Christians today aren&#8217;t familiar with it. This is because after the New Testament age, under the influence of Greek philosophy Christian thinking metastasized into Trinitarian dogma, scorning its native Hebrew context in the process. Eventually, &#8220;Yahweh&#8221; became &#8220;Lord&#8221; and &#8220;one&#8221; became &#8220;three in one&#8221; and the church became estranged from the bible&#8217;s legacy of unitarianism. This led to persecuting Jews and Christian monotheists. Listen in to this message about the Shema to find out how to stay true to the bible&#8217;s teaching about God&#8217;s identity. Notes: &nbsp; Deuteronomy 6:4 This verse begins the passage known as “the Shema.” Shema Yisrael, Yahweh eloheinu, Yahweh echad Hear, O Israel: Yahweh [is] our God, Yahweh [is] one Deuteronomy 6:5 Not only is God one, but we are to love Him with everything we have, including all our heart, all our soul, and all our might. These are more than just words on a page for Jews. It’s what they die for, what they live for. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 Jews say the Shema each morning and night in obedience to this command. The Shema is not a silent belief but something spoken aloud daily. Deuteronomy 6:8 For prayer, Jews wear tefillin, small black leather boxes with scrolls in them. Deuteronomy 6:9 On Jewish homes all around the world you can find mezuzah, small decorative cases hung on their door posts containing scrolls. Deuteronomy 6:10-15 Sadly, Israel did forget God’s commands, and they did worship other gods, which resulted in their exile from the Promised Land. However, after they returned, they remembered. How do we process this as Christians? We must look to Christ and see what he said about this idea. Did he accept it, reject it, or change it? Mark 12:28-34 Jesus and the scribe completely agree on who God is. “He is one, and there is no one else besides him.” Jesus knows the Shema and endorses it. What about you?

Who determines truth? Is there such a thing as objective truth or are all claims subjective in nature? Join Rose Rider, Daniel Fitzsimmons, and Sean Finnegan as they discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly about relativism before bringing in a biblical perspective to help you think through this critical issue.

by Vince Finnegan From Exodus and Deuteronomy, God makes clear who he is and how he wants his chosen people to worship him. He is Yahweh, the one God of Israel, the only one. His identity does not change. Sadly, later on God became the victim of identity theft, as Christians developed the dogma of the Trinity and substituted three for one. Now is the time to repent of this egregious act of hubris and return to how God defines himself. He is the only one who is truly God who reigns supreme over all, even Jesus. Join Vince Finnegan (my dad) as he teaches with boldness and conviction in a message that is sure to fire you up! Notes: Exodus 6:1-8 The revealing of YAHWEH as Almighty God. YAHWEH is the proper name of the one true God. The manner in which God led Israel out of the bondage of Egypt showed them that YAHWEH is God. Exodus 7:4 and 5, 14-17; 8:10, 22 This incredible event also showed the Egyptians and the entire world that YAHWEH is God. God&#8217;s salvation for Israel and His judgment on Egypt is how He revealed His Identity. Exodus 16:1-14 The manna from heaven revealed that He was YAHWEH their God. Exodus 20:1-7 After making clear His identity as YAHWEH their God, He gave commandment that there were to be no other gods before Him. Deuteronomy is a recapitulation of what was communicated in Exodus to their fathers. Moses therefore repeated, and also more largely explained; to which are likewise added several particular laws, instructions, and directions. The time frame addressed is the fortieth year, eleventh month when Israel was in the wilderness. Deuteronomy 1:6-8, 10, 30-40 The people Moses addressed in the book of Deuteronomy are the children of those who went into the wilderness. Only two of the millions went into the Promised Land. All the rest died in the wilderness, primarily because they refused to believe that YAHWEH was the one true God. They held onto the false gods of Egypt. During the years they lived in Egypt (about 210), everyone believed in the many gods of Egypt. The reason God selected the ten plagues was it directly challenged the gods of Egypt. Everyone they (Israel) knew believed in these gods. For them to believe in YAHWEH, a monotheistic God, would have made them outcasts or weird. Everyone believed in polytheistic gods. Moses is declaring YAHWEH as Almighty God to a people who have experienced His supernatural intervention all their lives fire by night, cloud by day, manna, Mount Horeb, angel leading them, etc. Deuteronomy 2:29, 31, 33, and 36; 3:2, 3, 18, 21-26 &#8220;YAHWEH&#8221; is used 439 times in Deuteronomy; &#8220;YAHWEH YOUR GOD,&#8221; 239; and &#8220;YAHWEH OUR GOD,&#8221; 21 times. &#8220;YAHWEH&#8221; is used 1,555 times in the books of Genesis to Deuteronomy. Christians who witness tell new people to read the gospel of John to learn about God. It is no wonder that so many people think Jesus is God because the emphasis is placed on Jesus with the exclusion of God. Thus, many followers of Christ are ignorant of the information YAHWEH provided about Himself. It is absolutely impossible to understand the Son without first knowing the Father. Deuteronomy 4:23 and 24, 35-39; 5:6-10; 6:4 and 5; 7:9-11; 10:17-21 YAHWEH wants to be identified and worshiped. Malachi 3:5-7 YAHWEH does not change. He is Who He is and has always been. His identity did not change with the birth of His Son. 5,789 times, YAHWEH is used in the Old Testament, and not once is there the slightest indication that He is three in one. Contrariwise is the powerfully empathic communication that YAHWEH IS ONE. Yet, the commonly accepted belief of most Christians is the Trinity dogma of the unity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as three persons in one Godhead. Ezekiel 25:17; 36:22-32; 39:7-10, 22 In Exodus, God&#8217;s wrath against Egypt and His salvation for Israel showed the world that He was YAHWEH. So it will

Have you ever struggled to interpret the bible? Although many today think only professionals who are trained in seminaries can understand the bible, the truth is that every reader is a theologian to some degree. The moment you pick up the book and begin reading, you also begin interpreting what you read. The only question is: are you going to be a good theologian or a bad one? Join Jerry Wierwille as he explains some of the key strategies you can use to understand scripture accurately. He also covers some of the common pitfalls to avoid. For more information about Wierwille, visit his website at jerrywierwille.com.

Last week I attended a youth camp in Indiana called FUEL. They assigned me the text on the Prodigal Son (Luke 15). As I pondered and prayed how I should approach this powerful parable, I sensed God wanted me to interweave my own story in with the prodigal. As a result, I decided to share my testimony in an honest and raw way. The next day, John Guthrie wrote this summary, which I felt well-encapsulated my message: Pastor Sean Finnegan used the Parable of the Prodigal Son as a jumping off point to tell his personal “prodigal son story.” Sean, the son of a pastor, seriously strayed from God when he first attended college. Sean spoke of his several serious addictive behaviors that led to situations that could have very well killed him. His addiction to video games was primarily the cause of his academic dismissal after only 2 semesters of college. His dad was furious at this news and told Sean he was a loser (which he acknowledged he was). He sank even further into trouble when he renewed his connections with former high school friends. His mom insisted he go to a community college, but he continued his destructive behavior which led to poor academic performance again. Like the prodigal son of Luke 15, Sean finally “came to himself.” He finally realized how out of control he was. And so, one night, he cried out to the God of his youth, “save me,” and if he would, Sean would live for Him. In spite of what may have been the wrong attitude, God did save him and Sean literally woke up a new man. He found new friends, went back to community college, learned how to study, and his grades were almost all A’s. He eventually had his way paid to attend RPI where he graduated with a 3.9 GPA in engineering. He asked us to access where we were in our spiritual journey. He hoped some could learn from his story and not follow the wrong path that he had taken. He shared Romans 10.9 and asked that those who had not yet decided to follow Christ might consider that. He asked, “Why not tonight?”

Drawing on the work of Peter Scazzero, Jerry Wierwille discusses how we can avoid some of the common unhealthy emotional pitfalls. No matter if you are new to the faith or someone who has persevered for decades, this subject will make you examine yourself to see if there are issues you need to overcome. Access more of Wierwille&#8217;s thoughts, including his blog and sermons, at jerrywierwille.com.

by Tim Keller What drives you? What is that one person or thing or dream that you couldn&#8217;t live without? What thing if you lost it, could mean that almost all significance and value would be drained out of your life? Whatever that thing is, the bible calls it an idol, a counterfeit god. Tim Keller expertly explains how any idol, no matter how good or wonderful, will ultimately break your heart. Taking his cue from Augustine of Hippo, Keller argues that idolatry results from disordered love. Thus, when we put our family or career or cause or goals first, we end up suffering rather than getting what we want. God must be first and when he is, everything else falls into place.

Should Christians be patriotic? How patriotic should we be? Join Daniel Fitzsimmons, Rose Rider, and Sean Finnegan as they discuss issues related to patriotism and stake out a Christian perspective based on the example of Jesus and his earliest followers.

Historical Jesus 16: Resurrection Traumatized by their rabbi&#8217;s crucifixion, Jesus&#8217; disciples endured maddening grief and cognitive dissonance as they tried to come to grips with what had happened. Into the midst of despair and helplessness, Jesus appeared. Although the first &#8220;Christians&#8221; were also the worst believers in his resurrection, eventually they came to see him, in the flesh, and their doubts were assuaged as rejoicing replaced their mourning. The power of death is broken! He really is the messiah! All is not lost! He is risen! Course notes are available here.

Is consumerism a force for good or ill in our society today? How should Christians think about the ubiquity of advertising, our innate desire for novelty, and the allure of finding a deal? For this episode Ruth Finnegan joins in with Daniel Fitzsimmons, Rose Rider, and Sean Finnegan to consider the pros and cons of consumerism as well as discuss what wisdom the bible has to share on this important subject. Read a detailed article on Consumerism here.

Historical Jesus 15: Crucifixion One of the most significant events in all of human history, Jesus&#8217; crucifixion was at once a supreme miscarriage of justice while, at the same time, the supreme illustration of God&#8217;s love to humanity. We&#8217;ll join Jesus from the Garden of Gethsemane, agonizing in prayer before his God, to his arrest, trials, and ultimately his torture and crucifixion. Course notes are available here.

Is scientific knowledge superior to all other forms of knowledge? How should Christians balance faith and reason? Join Rose Rider, Daniel Fitzsimmons, and Sean Finnegan as they discuss science and religion in an effort to describe and deconstruct the naive notion that science has all the answers. Read a detailed article on Scientism here.

Historical Jesus 14: Last Supper Why did Judas betray Jesus? What did Jesus teach his closest friends and followers at the last supper? Learn about the first &#8220;Lord&#8217;s Supper&#8221; or communion as well as what was on Jesus&#8217; mind in his last hours before his arrest. He taught them how to carry on after he was physically gone and showed them how to serve one another by washing their feet. This tender dinner is the calm before the storm. Course notes are available here.

Historical Jesus 13: Olivet Discourse Did Jesus predict the destruction of the Temple in a.d. 70? Did he predict the end of the world? Learn about Jesus&#8217; Olivet Discourse and discover what he said about false Christs, persecution, the abomination of desolation, and the coming of the son of man. Course notes are available here.

Is the world getting better and better over time or worse and worse? Listen in to Rose Rider, Daniel Fitzsimmons, and Sean Finnegan as they discuss how our culture thinks about progress in order to help you understand the hidden forces at work. After discussing and deconstructing the idea of progress, they offer a helpful and balanced Christian perspective. Read a detailed article on Progress here.

Historical Jesus 12: Intensified Conflict Once Jesus came into Jerusalem, his enemies threw &#8220;stumper questions&#8221; at him in an effort to discredit him before the populace. Jesus ably diffused these theological bombs and lobbed his own in return. He told parables about the religious leaders that infuriated them while delighting the crowds. Coupled with his earlier acts, Jesus&#8217; public defiance was sure to land him in serious trouble. Course notes are available here.

Join Sean Finnegan, Dan Fitzsimmons, and Rose Rider for some interesting cultural analysis. We begin by looking at how the ethic of tolerance works in our culture before deconstructing it and providing a Christian point of view. Though many times tolerance can be a force for good, sometimes people use it as a stick to beat others who hold a minority opinion. Furthermore, tolerance is shallow whereas the kind of love Jesus calls us to is deep. Tolerance often complies with the status quo but love gives of itself in risky and exciting ways. Tune in to here our full conversation. Read a detailed article on Tolerance here.

Historical Jesus 11: Entering Jerusalem When Jesus entered Jerusalem, it was not quietly, but triumphantly, riding a donkey while the crowds shout, &#8220;Hosanna!&#8221; This moment brings to and end his &#8220;messianic secret&#8221; and publicly declares to everyone that he was claiming to be the Jewish Messiah. His action in the temple further underlined this claim. The Sadducees took note and resolved to deal with him. Course notes are available here.

Daniel Fitzsimmons and I probe the culture by discussing one of the most influential hidden philosophies of life in our culture today&#8211;hyper-individualism. In a nut shell, hyper-individualism is a two step process: search within your heart to discover your deepest longings realize your dreams over against any external resistance This mindset has benefits and detriments for society, but in the end it fails to work as a philosophy of life. After analyzing this cultural narrative, we offer a Christian perspective that can competently replace hyper-individualism. Read a detailed article on Hyper-Individualism here.

Historical Jesus 10: Conflict From his birth to his untimely death, conflict dominated Jesus&#8217; life. During his ministry the Pharisees disagreed with Jesus about the Sabbath, purity, divorce, and his style of ministry. Jesus called them out on pride, greed, and hypocrisy. Looking at how Jesus handled conflict serves as an example to those of us today who seek to follow him. Course notes are available here.

In what ways is the culture putting a filter over your eyes? How is our world rewriting your script, adjusting your plausibility intuitions? For our first ever &#8220;Off Script&#8221; episode, I&#8217;m joined by two cohosts, Dan Fitzsimmons and Rose Rider, to discuss how our culture influences our lives as well as how to share the gospel with those who hold defeater beliefs. Right now I&#8217;m not sure how often we&#8217;ll be able to put this out, but you&#8217;re feedback will be key in evaluating if this idea is worthwhile. Please take the time to drop a comment on this episode or email me at [email protected] with your thoughts. Let us know how we did and how we can improve. Read an article called &#8220;Seeing the Filter&#8221; here.

Historical Jesus 9: Jewish Groups In order to understand Jesus, it helps to know what kinds of Jewish groups were around in his time. In particular, four massively influential Jewish groups vied for influence among the people of Christ&#8217;s time: the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and Zealots. Learn how Jesus compares and contrasts to these sects. In addition, we need to consider four other groups, mentioned in the Gospels: the chief priests, Sanhedrin, scribes, and Samaritans. Course notes are available here.

Historical Jesus 8: Paradoxical Submission Jesus enjoyed an intimate relationship with his Father. He often spent time with him in prayer, sometimes all night long. Throughout his ministry Jesus frequently spoke about how his words and deeds were not his own, but the Father&#8217;s who sent him. Paradoxically, by utterly submitting himself to God, he experienced the greatest exaltation in human history. Learn from Jesus the true path to greatness. Course notes are available here.

Historical Jesus 7: Disciples of Jesus What does Jesus expect of his followers? What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? What is the cost of discipleship? Join me as I work through what Jesus said about his expectations and requirements of his disciples as well as the rewards he promises. This is a topic you&#8217;ll want to take seriously, after all what would be worse than thinking you were Christ&#8217;s disciple when in fact, you are deceived. You can gather an army of theologians together and survey their opinions, but in the end, all that really matters is what Rabbi Jesus says he requires. Course notes are available here.

Historical Jesus 6: Rabbi Jesus Jesus was a Jewish rabbi who gathered disciples and taught them how to interpret the Torah&#8211;the sacred Scriptures of Moses. Learn how Jesus&#8217; compared to other famous Jewish rabbis like Hillel and Shamai. In this episode, we&#8217;ll look at Jesus&#8217; emphases and style in his teaching ministry. Anyone seeking to understand the historical Jesus, cannot hope to genuinely grasp him apart from his role as rabbi. Course notes are available here.

Historical Jesus 5: Kingdom Saturated Ministry How should you understand Jesus&#8217; miracles, healing ministry, and exorcisms? Surely, these are acts of compassion, but they are so much more. In this lecture, learn how Jesus&#8217; deeds and words coalesce around his primary ministry focus&#8211;the kingdom of God. By examining three ancient Hebrew prophecies, you&#8217;ll see how Jesus&#8217; own self-understanding helps make sense of his kingdom saturated ministry. Course notes available here.

Historical Jesus 4: Baptism and Temptations Before he began his ministry, Jesus first had to receive John&#8217;s baptism and then overcome Satan&#8217;s temptations. After briefly explaining his baptism, we&#8217;ll go into detail exploring why Satan&#8217;s temptations were so tempting as well as what we can learn from Jesus&#8217; example. How does Jesus defeat Satan where Eve failed? Course notes are available here.

Historical Jesus 3: Rulers in Christ&#8217;s World Life was very different in the world of Jesus, especially politics. In this lecture you will learn about the three main leaders that shaped Jesus&#8217; time: Herod the Great, Herod Antipas, and Pontius Pilate. Drawing on the Jewish historian, Josephus, you will discover the cut-throat way that Roman rulers managed provinces like Galilee and Judea in the first century. Understanding how leaders wielded power sets a glaring contrast to how Jesus carried himself. Course notes are available here.

Historical Jesus 2: Birth of the Messiah Drawing on the promises God gave Abraham and David, and the historical events prior to Jesus&#8217; life, we can get an idea of what messianic expectations were like when Jesus of Nazareth was born. In this lecture, learn how the birth of the messiah both fulfilled prophecy as well as set the stage for what Jesus&#8217; ministry would be like. After seeing all of the remarkable events surrounding the birth of this baby, we can&#8217;t help but ask the question: &#8220;Who will this child grow it to be?&#8221; Study notes available here.

The Historical Jesus: What the Bible Says about the Life of Christ In this 16 lecture class I seek to answer the question: &#8220;Who is Jesus?&#8221; Join me as we journey through Gospels to see what the bible says about Jesus&#8217; life. It is my hope that this class will inspire you to love Jesus, teach you to follow Jesus, help you to understand Jesus, and empower you to navigate the Gospels on your own. Throughout I will seek to situate Jesus within his own historical context to enable you to see him as clearly as possible. Historical Jesus 1: Sources for Jesus&#8217; Life How do we know what we know about the life of Jesus of Nazareth? Join me as I cover the non-Christian sources that mention Jesus, including Josephus, Pliny, and Tacitus. Next discover the reasons why the four biblical Gospels are such good and credible sources. Download the course notes here.

by Victor Gluckin In this fantastic evangelism sermon, Victor Gluckin lays out a biblical case for why we should reach out and share our faith with others. His zeal is contagious, his reasoning cogent, and his passion inspiring. If you are anything like me, you need to be encouraged in this area of your Christian walk. All too easily I lose focus from the mission Jesus gave his followers&#8211;the Great Commission. In this sermon Gluckin focuses on the parable of the minas, showing that Jesus has put us in charge of the &#8220;family business&#8221; while he is gone. He urges us to take responsibility for our part of the Great Commission, rather than just burying what we&#8217;ve received in the ground.

by Sean Finnegan In Genesis 1.26, God says, &#8220;Let us make man in our image.&#8221; Since this is the creation of humanity, he couldn&#8217;t have been speaking to any humans. So whom was God speaking to? One common interpretation is to say he was speaking to another person within his being&#8211;God the Son. But, this is quite a strange idea. Honestly, it sounds like a multiple personality disorder. In any other literature, when we encounter the word &#8220;us&#8221; we know it means the speaker and whomever he or she is speaking to. Why do we suddenly, go into theology land when God says &#8220;us.&#8221; Who else was there? The angels. Join me as I present the case for why Genesis 1.26 (and the other &#8220;us texts&#8221;) should be taken as God speaking to his heavenly court. The word &#8220;person&#8221; has multiple meanings. In normal conversation, it means simply a human being. However, in theological terminology (thanks to the council of Nicaea in AD 325) &#8220;person&#8221; means a being that has a mind (an independent consciousness). According to this definition, God is a person because He (note the personal pronoun) thinks, acts, and feels demonstrating his unique personality. Even so, the Trinity states that there are three persons in one God. Thus, each person － the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit － are independent in mind but are thought to share the same substance ( i.e. they are all considered to be fully God). &#8220;The Hebrew Bible and the New Testament contain well over twenty thousand pronouns and verbs describing the One God.&#8221;*[1] In order to grasp this statement, perhaps a brief grammar lesson will clarify. Personal pronouns are those little words that are used to refer to a person rather than repeating his or her name. There are both singular and plural personal pronouns. Plural personal pronouns include: we, us, our, ours, they, them, their, and theirs. Singular personal pronouns include: I, me, my, he, him, his, she, her, and hers. Back to the Bible: God is referred to by the words &#8220;he,&#8221; &#8220;his,&#8221; and &#8220;him&#8221; thousands of times. For example, perhaps the most famous verse in the whole Bible is John 3:16: &#8220;For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son….&#8221; Notice the type of personal pronouns used for God － &#8220;he&#8221; and &#8220;his.&#8221; These pronouns are singular; thus, God is a singular person ( i.e. He is one). If God were a Trinity (three persons), then John 3:16 should read: &#8220;For God so loved the world that They gave Their only begotten Son….&#8221; Thus, the simple fact that God is always** referred to by singular personal pronouns is strong evidence that God is a single person! This is exactly what one would expect if the central creed of Jesus (the Shema) is taken seriously: &#8220;Hear O Israel, the LORD your God is one LORD&#8221; (Deut. 6:4; Mark 12:29). Yahweh is in a class by Himself (Deut. 4:35, 39; Is. 45:5 and 6). There is no one that even comes close to Him － He has no equals. He alone is the uncreated One, and He alone deserves all of our worship (Matthew 4:10; Luke 4:8; John 4:23 and 24). There are four “us” texts in the Bible (Genesis 1.26; 3.22; 11.7; Isaiah 6.8). These are verses in which God uses a plural pronoun when referring to something He will do. The most common example of this phenomenon is quoted below. “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness’…God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1.26-27) The traditional understanding is that these places prove that God is composed of multiple persons (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) who are conferring together to act.

by Blair Wingo Authentic Christianity requires both believing the biblical gospel as well as following Christ. Too often today we want to believe in Jesus as savior without following as lord. In this moving poem Blair Wingo sets the record straight. She appeals to the bible as the source for reintroducing the real Christ rather than what pop-culture teaches. Never has there been a man who is at once so universally loved and lauded while simultaneously ignored and marginalized as Jesus in America today. Listen in as Wingo courageously exposes the rampant hypocrisy in Christianity.

Most Christians never give worshiping Jesus a second thought. However, as biblical unitarians&#8211;those who believe the Father is the only true God&#8211;we do need to wrestle with this question. Some have argued that worshiping Jesus is tantamount to idolatry since we should only worship God. Others have taken the view that we can worship Jesus on a different level than God and that doing so is not only permissible but encouraged by God. I go through some of the words translated worship and serve, list out worship acts, and handle objections and limitations in an effort to see what the bible actually says about this important practice. Listen to the message to find out more. This sermon has a corresponding prezi, available here. Introduction There is only one God; His name is Yahweh; Jesus is not God; Jesus is not Yahweh[1] Be a Berean (Acts 17:11) Neither accepted nor rejected the message Until they checked it against the Scriptures Whatever the Bible says is what I want to believe Worship Vocabulary Bowing: shacha (שָׁחָה) or proskyneo (προσκυνέω) Of gods (Judges 2:12) Of humans (1 Samuel 24:8; Revelation 3:9) Of Jesus As respectful greeting (Matthew 8:2; 9:18) As submission/honor (Matthew 18:26; Mark 15:19) Serving: avad (עָבַד) or latrevo (λατρεύω) Of God (Acts 24:14) Of a nation (Jeremiah 27:6) Often used together Deuteronomy 5:8-9; Matthew 4:10 Worship Acts Submission: bowing, kneeling, prostrating (Hebrews 1:6) Adoration: love, devotion, gratitude (1 John 5:1) Veneration: respect, reverence, fear (Ephesians 6:5) Praise: recounting attributes, deeds, tongues (2 Peter 1:16-18) Meditation: contemplating, communing, fellowshipping (1 John 1:3) Sacrifices: animal, cereal, wine, candy, hair, money (Luke 8:1-3) Sacred texts: reading, reciting, chanting, memorizing (~25 references to SOM in James) Serve: follow laws, seek to please, lifestyle (Colossians 3:23-24) Singing: to/about (Revelation 5:9-10) Objections[2] Isn’t worshipping anyone other than God idolatry? Two definitions of idolatry Worshipping a statue/representation of a god Devotion that “takes attention away, detracts from, or takes the place of the glory of the only true God”[3] God has exalted Christ to His right hand, above the angels (Ephesians 1:20-23; Colossians 2:10; 1 Peter 3:22) Worshipping Christ actually gives God glory as the indirect recipient Philippians 2:9-11 In light of Phil 2:9-11 and Hebrews 1:6, Patrick Navas writes, “In fact, it would be fair to say—in accord with Scripture—that the worship, honor, glory and respect attributed to Christ is something that God not only allows but commands, is pleasing to him, and God himself is glorified in this…Yet the honor and adoration given to Christ is, in the ultimate sense, an honor and adoration given through Christ to the Father, the ultimate source of every blessing in Christ.” [4] (1 Peter 4:11; Hebrews 13:15) Christ’s transparency Christ’s words were really God’s (John 12:49-50) Christ’s actions were really God’s (John 5:36) Christ did the Father’s will (John 6:38) Christ admitted he could do nothing on h

by Paul Washer In this convicting sermon Paul Washer exposes the unholiness that pervades much of Christian youth culture. Although I do not agree with much of what Washer stands for, this message of his significantly affected my life. It not only inspired me to live for God wholeheartedly, but also exposed the sneaky ways in which my culture subtly pulls me towards unholiness and sin. This sermon is a wake up call.

by Sean Finnegan What happens when people die? In this sermon I mention show the biblical &#8220;evidence&#8221; for heaven, hell, purgatory, ghosts, and reincarnation before revealing the overwhelming number of texts supporting the sleep of the dead. Focusing on John&#8217;s Gospel, I establish that (1) the dead are in their tombs asleep until they hear Christ&#8217;s voice to awaken in resurrection, (2) that resurrection will not occur until the last day, (3) that Jesus called Lazarus &#8220;asleep&#8221; when he was really talking about him being dead, and (4) that Mary was looking for Jesus not merely his body when she discovered the empty tomb. In the end we must ask ourselves, &#8220;Why should there be a resurrection of the dead if no one is really dead?&#8221; I used a prezi for this sermon, which you can access here. Acts 17:11 Bereans are not only noble-minded but courageous as well. They did not immediately accept Paul’s message about Jesus, nor did they reject it out of hand. They listened; then they checked it against the Scriptures to see if it was valid. What Happens at Death? Heaven (stare at God, become a star, become an angel, watch over relatives) Hell (tortured in a fire forever) Purgatory (tortured in a fire until sins are purged) Ghosts (live on earth among us without a body, possibly able to interact or possess) Reincarnation (at death, one’s memory is wiped, and they are reborn) Sleep (unconscious but able to be resurrected) Gone (their thoughts, feelings, experiences, etc. are gone forever) As Christians, we can test ideas to see which are correct by a standard − the Bible. John 5:26-29 The dead are in their tombs asleep. However, when they hear his voice, they will awaken. This is resurrection. John 6:38-44, 54 Four times over, Jesus clearly teaches that he will raise the dead on the last day, not the day of their death. John 11:11-27, 43-44 When Jesus spoke of Lazarus’ death, he said he was asleep and that he was going to awaken him, and yet he was really talking about death and resurrection. Did Jesus tear Lazarus away from bliss in heaven to return to this old earth? No, he brought him back to life—woke him up! John 20:11-18 Mary looked for Jesus, not merely his body. Jesus clearly says he had not gone to the Father in death. If Jesus did not go to heaven at death, then why should we think we will? Why should there be a resurrection of the dead if no one is really dead?

Steve Gregg vs. Tom Morris Once you become saved can you lose your salvation? Listen to this debate to hear both sides of this important question. Admittedly, the debate does seem to be a bit of a mismatch, since Gregg is extremely well prepared and Morris could not answer many of Gregg&#8217;s points. Even so, this debate showcases what scriptures those of us who believe in Conditional Salvation use to make our case as well as how to respond to at least some of the stereotypical texts that eternal security proponents employ to justify their position. Overall the debate is cordial and worth your time.