DTLC Radio

Paul is unique among the apostles - unique in his calling and unique in his experience - but he is no less an Apostle.

What Is An Apostle?

To be called an "apostle" in its Scriptural context, means that a man met certain criteria. Criteria that no man (or woman) can possibly meet today. As a verb, the term simply means "to send, as on a mission." Our modern missionaries might be referred to in this light. They are sent on a mission to deliver a message.

As a noun - apostolos - refers specifically to those specially qualified and uniquely appointed to the highest human office in the church. They are "the Twelve," "the Disciples," the apostles of Christ. They all met certain and specific requirements in order to carry this title. Not the least of which was being called by Jesus personally and face-to-face to preach the good news. In this episode, we clarify these requirements.

The Gospel of God

The gospel comes directly to us from God Himself. The gospel that Paul preached was given him by Jesus Himself. God is the Author, the Initiator, and the One who gives approval and validation to its content. The message delivered is given by God...and it is Good News!

In this episode, we discuss Paul's unique calling and his understanding of his responsibility. We talk a bit about Paul's special call to take the gospel to the Gentiles.

This continues our study of Romans 1:1.

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Previous Episodes

#69 - Introduction to Romans

#70 - Paul

#71 - Slave of Christ

The Slave of Christ

Slave is a term that is hideous to our modern sensibilities, and rightly so. It is a term that has come to represent the absolute worst in human depravity and treatment. Historically, the term wrenches our national soul to think of that era pre-Civil War. Not our finest hour to say the least. And yet, it is this term - doulos - that Paul uses to represent his position and relationship to our Lord.

In fact, confessing "Jesus as Lord" means to place ourselves in the position of slave and He as our owner. This should not be new news. Our relationship to God - as creatures - places us necessarily in the role of possession. God owns us and it is His right to own us since He created us. We are His workmanship. Sadly, the vast majority fail to understand this Creater/creature, Owner/possession relationship. When we confess Jesus as our Lord we are confessing that He is our Master. Meaning, we are likewise His slaves. And this voluntarily...of our own free will.

An Apostle

Paul is not only a slave of Christ Jesus but also His apostle. Paul declares that he has been singled out and called for specific duty by Jesus Himself. There are certain requirements and prerequisites that biblical apostles have to meet.

First they are called directly and personally by Jesus Himself - face-to-face.

Second, they are eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ.

Third, they are chosen by and uniquely filled with the Holy Spirit.

They are given ruling and teaching authority over the entire church

Finally, they were given special "powers" of the Holy Spirit - signs and wonders - to authenticate their message and instructions were from God Almighty.

This means - necessarily so - that no one today can or does qualify as an "apostle" as it is defined by Scripture. These personal testimonies and statements have relevance to our lives today.

Have you ever considered yourself a "slave" to Jesus? Does the idea offend you?

These and other points are discussed in this episode, as we begin our journey through the letter to the Roman church. Our progress may be slow but our understanding will be deeply rooted.

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Related Podcasts

Paul - Romans 1:1

Intro To Romans

Romans 1:1: "Paul..."

And with that single word introduction there is a wealth of information and perspective. Understanding who the apostle Paul was is a huge benefit in understanding his writings. Not only is it profitable as background information but is more so for gaining necessary insight into the text. The Scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit but He uses the experiences of the "human pen" to dictate the doctrine of grace.

The Passion of Paul

In this episode we discuss - in some detail - who Paul was. Who was he before his conversion, when he was known as Saul? With what zeal and passion did he attack his faith before coming to Christ? Is knowing this relevant to our understanding of Romans?

These and other questions are addressed in this first podcast to dig into the text of Romans. Although we only discuss a single word - one person's name - we can begin to understand Paul's sense of urgency and passion for the Lord. Who he was and who he has been called to be are foundational to a complete acceptance of the truths in Romans.

Zeal

Saul of Tarsus had a zeal for Judaism and law-keeping that was second to none (Galatians 1:11-24; Philippians 3:3-11). His conversion experience and exposure to Christ and the gospel (Acts 9 & 26) changed him completely. Now known as Paul, he preached the gospel of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:1-10) to Gentiles. That's you and me. The message and blessings of the gospel had been offered to the whole world. And Paul would be the main voice of proclamation.

Understanding Paul's zeal for law-keeping and how it transferred to his gospel preaching helps us to see the miracle of re-birth. Paul's zeal brings the urgency of the message into focus. His dedication and commitment reveal the awesomeness of the good news!

Moving On

Although we likely won't spend equal time on every word or phrase, when it is important, we will. Paul's introduction - Romans 1:1-7 - is very telling and as we move forward will provide a basis for our understanding. I hope you're looking forward to our future study.

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Related Podcasts

Intro to Romans

The Book of Romans has been called "the greatest Christian work ever written." That's pretty high praise but is one of numerous accolades and honors paid to this letter. Written by the Apostle Paul (circa A.D. 56-58), Romans is considered the quintessential work on Christian doctrine and specifically the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Influence of the Book of Romans

The influence and impact of Romans on the history of the Church cannot be overstated. In fact, it is directly connected to the conversions of Augustine, Martin Luther, John Wesley, and many others. The content of the letter is responsible for The Reformation, Protestantism,  and most revivals experienced in Europe and North America. Without a doubt, it is the deepest and most profound of the New Testament writings.

Why Study the Book of  Romans?

The content of Romans is second to none. As a result, studying it develops deeper understanding and maturity of faith. In my experience, many Christians don't comprehend what it means to "live by faith." Faith in what, exactly, and what does living by faith look like on a daily basis? How do I deal with my failures? What is my struggles lead to doubt and lack of assurance of my salvation?

Coaching is about results. That being the case, Christian coaching is about consistent awareness of the results that have already been accomplished. Specifically, the accomplishments of Christ through His cross on our behalf. That is to say, do you know the meaning of Christ's death "for our sins."

It is my belief that Romans offers the greatest insights for understanding faith. Also, if successfully living the Christian life is your goal, a study of Romans is mandatory. Therefore, realized potential and the ongoing potential to transform your life is ultimately rooted in grasping fully the truths found in Romans.

In this episode, we begin the long journey of studying Romans by offering a brief introduction to the Book. Who is the author? Who is the audience? What is his intent and purpose? How is it pertinent to my life? What questions are answered in this letter? These questions and others are addressed in this episode.

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Previous Related Podcasts

Faith Is Believing God

Your Theology Matters

What is faith? Is faith simply believing? If so, believing in what? In Who? What does it mean to live "by faith?"

Perspective Gained

Over the past month of being away from the podcast mic, I've come to a couple of key conclusions . First, I believe I  may have made a mistake in trying to "straddle the fence" between being too preachy and focusing on Scripture and trying to appeal to those who don't believe. The truth is, nearly all of my clients have been and are believers. They are Christians. I make the assumption that a fair percentage of my podcast listeners are unbelievers. This may or may not be true. I have concluded however, that the result of my fence straddling has only resulted in a sore backside. This is something I've written about and discussed on previous occasions.  I need to follow my own advice.

The second thing I've concluded is that too many "Christians" don't know what their faith is in. We are taught to "walk by faith" and to "live in faith" but do we really know what that means? Faith is more than simply believing. There is an object of that faith. There is something - Someone - specific in whom we are to have faith. Simply "believing" won't get it done! Based on these two conclusions I've decided to focus attention on Scripture specifically. At least over the next little while.

Faith Explained

Romans is a book of the New Testament that lays out myriad truth about key elements of the faith. In this episode I address the primary object of our faith. Romans 4:3 tells us that Abraham's faith was in God...He believed God, and it was credited to Him as righteousness (NASB - emphasis added). He didn't just believe - he believed God - specifically! There is something significant about that. This is where we start, actually it's the second part of where we start. The first is a presupposition - a base from which to build - that the Bible is the Word of God. If we want to know God, hear from Him, and determine His will, we need go further than to read His Word.

We get more into this later but this episode lays out a bit of the basis from which we build over the next several podcasts. We will be going through the book of Romans, verse by verse. So, get your Bible out, your notebooks ready, and your pencils sharpened. I think you're going to learn a lot.

GLYP,

Dave

Don't Go Changing

Singer-songwriter Billy Joel once wrote, "Don't go changing, to try and please me..." (1977). But that is exactly what the modern, 21st Century church is trying to do. There are those Christians and Christian leaders who promote the idea that the church needs to change, evolve, and emerge. We need to do this, they say, so we can better reach the culture. The result is an impotent and irrelevant church that looks more like the culture than She does like Christ. This is a serious problem!

Not That New

What is happening is not really that new. The specific movement in this direction came about back in the late '60s and '70s. It gained momentum in the 1990s with the "church growth movement" and several influential mega-church ministers. The idea was to look more like the culture in the way the church looked, sounded, and dressed. The contemporization of the church has resulted in a watered-down gospel, a disrespectful pulpit, and worse, false converts.

It is not uncommon to find preachers willing to curse and swear from the pulpit, claiming "we're no different than you" to attendees. Most church services resemble concerts and performances with all the focus on the "leaders" - complete with smoke machines, dark lighting, and chest rattling bass subs. Song leaders are performers, preachers are celebrities (not to mention millionaires), and most attendees are "moved" by the service. The problem is there is no real change - no transformation - no maturing in Christ.

Proof Text

To support these "approaches and methodologies," most leaders quickly jump to Acts 17. This is where the Apostle Paul preaches on Mars Hill at the Areopagus in Athens. The claim is made that Paul embraces the culture and uses it to "witness to" the Athenian unbelievers. Proponents say this is grounds for us doing the same. People no longer respond to the "traditional" gospel and we need to "unhitch" from the Bible. But is this really what Paul is doing and demonstrating in Acts 17?

I suggest NOT! This episode includes a message I brought from Acts 17 that shows that in fact, this not what Paul is doing, at all! In fact, he continues to preach the gospel, quote from the Bible, and calls people to repent. The gospel never changes...and neither should the message of the church...or Her people.

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Related

The Sufficiency of Scripture

The Secret to Success

Well, there isn't one! There is no secret to success. Some of it is what you know - knowledge. Sometimes it's who you know - network. Some (actually all) of it is Divine Providence - God's will - what He performs, prefers, or permits. More of it is skill and ability. The truth is, it is all of the above. In nearly any and every area of your life, success is determined by the combination of knowledge, skill, and ability. Just knowing "stuff" isn't going to get the job done. You have to do it!

Knowledge + Skill + Ability

Many, too many, believe that knowing and knowledge will be enough to get them through. Not true. Knowledge with no work ethic, no will or desire to apply yourself, and no skill or ability to accomplish the tasks will lead only to utter disappointment. There is a good kind of failure and in fact, we discuss it during this podcast.

The world no longer cares what you know. The world cares about what you can do with what you know. Do you have the skill, ability, and determination to rightly apply your knowledge? A lot of people are afraid of being tried and tested to see if they have the ability. Don't be. That fear is generally rooted is fear of failure. Failure should not be feared but embraced. Why?

Because failure means you're trying and moving forward. For most people, failure means falling down along the way and having - by necessity - to go back to the beginning and start over. Who does that? You don't do that when you're teaching your children to walk. They fall down - you pick them up right where they are - and help them continue forward. We need to learn to see failure as an iteration - an act to be repeated and built on - as part of a process toward a desired goal. You don't have to re-start from scratch. Move forward from the point at which you failed. Learn. Grow. Move ahead.

Failure As Foundation

Failure is foundational for the development of self-confidence, self-evaluation, and self-motivation. The knowledge and experience of recovery after a mistake or failure provides the fuel for moving ahead. Bettering yourself can only happen in the context of failures experienced, not ongoing successes. You learn for more from failing than you ever do from succeeding.

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Related

Keys to Successful Living

Sometimes, getting back on track after having fallen off is a struggle. Such is the case when it comes to training and nutrition. If you're like me, maybe you worked hard to get in shape for summer only to let your summer routine wane. You looked good in a swim suit in May and were comfortable taking off your shirt at the pool all summer but you stopped working out. It's easy to find yourself in this situation and forget there really is no "off season." At least there shouldn't be one.

Summer Came...and Went!

I put a lot of work into getting in shape for summer so I wouldn't feel so self-conscious around the "super fit" folks. Problem is, I let me routine lag, let me nutrition take a lot of time off, and just stopped working out. I gained a few pounds and noticed a couple pairs of pants not fitting like they did last May. I got too comfortable. I stopped paying attention and being intentional and now I'm paying for it.

Last week I started working out again only to discover that it hurt! I am out of shape - at least out of the shape I was in a few months ago - and it's all my fault. I got lazy. I took most of the summer off from eating right and keeping to my exercise programs. I had too many hamburgers, brats, hotdogs, and summer foods. I had too many "island drinks" that pack serious calories and sugar. I lounged too much around the pool and just looked at my weight equipment on the back patio. Friends, it don't do you any good to just look at it...you gotta use it!

Back to the Grind

Getting back on track after a layoff can be tough...and it can be painful. I started running last week and got back into my workouts, starting with leg day. I hurt! My legs, my quads, my glutes, they're all sore. But here's the issue. I can focus on the pain now and stop or not work as hard...or, I can get back after it (slowly and smartly, of course). I have to get my mindset back on track and accept the reality that pain is going to be part of the process. Especially in the beginning. Once you can get past the first week or two, the pain will subside and the gains will come.

I should have been smarter. I should have kept up with my routine. But I didn't. Hopefully my confessions and challenges in this episode will serve you well and help you get back on track. We're in the last quarter of the year. Let's finish strong!

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Related Episodes

Get Your Body Right

Health and Fitness Coaching

Theology matters. Knowing what you believe and why you believe is foundational to being able to live a life pleasing before God. It is also a cornerstone principle to my work as a Christian life coach. I encounter people on a regular basis - Christians - who do not know the basic doctrines of the Bible. That means they don't know what the Bible teaches and therefore have little basis for their beliefs. In other words, they've built their lives on sand.

Theology Matters

Doctrine is a term that many Christians - and too many preachers - are steering away from. Doctrine simply means teaching. In this case, Christian teaching or biblical teaching. Under this general umbrella are two other branches: theology and ethics. Theology deals specifically with the study and knowledge of God and His Word. What He wants us to believe. Ethics addresses how we are to behave. If you want your living to be right, your beliefs and thinking have to be correct first.

Theology = What is true

Ethics = What is right

Right believing will lead to right living and both will be pleasing to and in keeping with God's will. Therefore, apart from doctrine, you cannot know who God is or how to please Him. Doesn't that seem fairly important, especially if you call yourself a Christian?!

College Words

Many people are reluctant to study theology because they fear the terminology. They are under the false impressions that learning doctrine and theology are exclusive to academics and bible scholars. Not true! In fact, Scripture makes is very clear that every Christian bears responsibility for knowing biblical doctrine and living in accordance with it. How can you live it if you don't know what is expected? And yet, millions of Christians are following the lead of churches and preachers who continually downplay and steer them away from God's Word.

This divorce and separation between theology and right living cannot be found in the Bible. As a matter of fact, Paul especially condemns such practice. Nearly all of the New Testament letters present doctrines followed by how to live them out. How can you live in obedience to unknown laws and expectations?

These and other issues relative to theology are discussed in this episode.

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Related Episodes

What You Believe About God Affects What You Believe About Yourself

What You Believe Matters

W.A.I.T. - Why Am I Talking?

Wait...wait for what? Wait to see if your talking is productive and edifying. Taking the time to evaluate your own desire to talk - to add input to a conversation - can go a long way in producing positive results. Resolving conflict has a lot to do with thinking about what you are saying and how you are saying it. This week's episode of DTLC Radio is an addendum to last week's podcast on Biblical Communication and Conflict Resolution.

Self-Evaluation

Too often we interject and interrupt what others are saying without evaluating what we want to say and why we want to say it. This exercise will help you to slow down, think through, and articulate what you want to say. If your goal is resolution, reconciliation, and productive communication then you have to take responsibility for your interactions. There are several key questions you can ask yourself that will lead your conversations to productive ends.

Do I have something important to share?

Is it on topic?

Does someone else "have the floor"?

Is what I want to say a fact or just my opinion?

Did someone else already make this point?

These and other questions will help you to evaluate your input and make sure it adds value to the conversation. There are other questions as well...

Is what I have to say true?

Do I have firsthand experience or documented evidence to support my statements?

Will what I have to say be kind and build up the other person or members of the group?

Is it necessary to say what I want to say?

Remember, your goal in any conversation is to be understood and to understand another's point of view. This shows respect and earns it as well. Take a listen to this episode and then take time to think through your most recent conversations and interactions. Where they productive? Can you make them more productive by walking yourself through these steps? Can you help others go through this exercise? The best question is most likely, Do I want to be heard or understood?