In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot explore a profoundly shocking command from Jesus in Matthew 5:48 in the Sermon on the Mount, where He emphatically states, “You must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.” This sounds like an impossible standard Jesus has placed before us and raises many questions. How can we be perfect as God is perfect? Isn’t perfection, humanly speaking, unattainable given our sin and sinfulness? What hope do we have in achieving such a perfection of a perfectly righteous and holy God? What did Jesus truly mean by these words? Join us today to hear Dr. Caldwell provide a biblically balanced answer to what it means to be “perfect” according to Christ’s command.

Dr. Caldwell understands the text to serve a two-fold purpose depending on who is hearing. For those who are lost and not yet saved, it points them to the standard that God requires, which is His own perfections, His own holiness. Individuals must realize they cannot live up to the perfections, the holiness of God. They must see their complete inability to meet God’s standard of perfection in their life and works and be aware of their sinfulness and need for forgiveness and grace. It reveals to them their need for the grace of God in salvation, which we know as believers comes only through Jesus Christ.

For believers, those who have heard and believed in Christ, that standard hasn’t changed. Believers have been gifted and clothed with the righteousness of Christ and have been forgiven all our sins. Yet, while we are the recipients of the merits of God’s own Son and have had His perfect righteousness imputed to us, God’s standard remains the same. We are to be continually pursuing growth in holiness and righteousness. We are to always strive along the road of sanctification for something beyond what we have known. As Dr. Caldwell emphasizes, this pursuit is not an effort to earn our salvation. Instead, it’s in response to the grace we have already received. We strive for this holiness from the secure foundation of our total acceptance in Christ. And while all believers are positionally perfect in Christ, our sanctification is not yet complete. Our ultimate hope is in the promise of glorification in God’s presence when we will finally be free from sin and made completely perfect in every way. But now, we are being shaped, formed, and molded into the character and likeness of Christ. This pursuit of growth in holiness is a lifelong process we refer to as progressive sanctification. None of us still living has arrived at God’s standard of perfection; it is unattainable in this life. That means there is room for growth in every one of us. Every area of life presents an opportunity for growth and becoming more like Christ.

Dr. Philpot brings up 1 Peter 1:15, where Peter seems to be saying the same thing in calling believers to be holy in their conduct because God is holy and calls us to be holy as He is holy. This reinforces all that Dr. Caldwell has been saying. Holiness is not optional for the believer it is part of the Christian calling and should be reflected in our daily living. We must recognize that we are not yet what we are going to be, continue to acknowledge our need for growth, and humbly depend on the Lord for His ongoing work in our lives, through His Spirit, His Word, and His grace to conform us more and more into the image of Christ.

Related sermons:

Loving By God’s Standard

Hope & Holiness

The Believer’s Privilege, Hope & Power

Christ, The Word of God, & True Righteousness – Part 1

Christ, The Word of God, & True Righteousness – Part 2

The post You Must Be Perfect! | Understanding Jesus’ Command in the Sermon on the Mount appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

There are many specific and complicated situations and scenarios that result in people getting divorced and remarried. There are also many questions around the topic of divorce and remarriage. Those questions don’t typically end with one’s decision to divorce or remarry. Many of those questions are difficult, and the answers are not always easy and clear-cut. Therefore, each situation needs to be dealt with individually based on the situation and circumstances of the individuals involved. However, one truth of the matter is sin is always involved in the case of divorce and, more often than not, in the case of remarriage. Biblical wisdom is required in answering and applying truth to these challenging, painful, and sinful circumstances. Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as Dr. Josh Philpot presents Dr. Richard Caldwell with a couple of these difficult questions from a listener who seeks to right a wrong with God after a divorce and remarriage.

The listener asks, if they have already divorced and remarried, how do they repent from what they’ve done? They also ask what they should do to make it right in God’s sight. Not knowing the circumstances, Dr. Caldwell says that you just acknowledge that. Not knowing where the sin happened, whether on the divorce side, the remarriage side, or both sides of the issue, repentance must exist where the sin was committed. What you do is ask the Lord to forgive you.

What you should not do is never look back and justify your sin or argue that you weren’t wrong to do it. You don’t reflect on it as if it were a good thing based on where you are now in your walk with the Lord. We are never better off for having sinned. Dr. Caldwell says we want to look back on these sins with remorse just as we would any other sin. Even where there have been horrible marriages and great difficulty in marriages that end in divorce, we should never look back and think we are better off. The message we need to give and make clear is that God’s grace is greater than all our failures. As Scripture says, where sin abounds, grace superabounds, and in that way, we have something to be grateful for. We can say that God was gracious to us despite that divorce; look at what He has done in our life and give Him thanks and praise for that. By doing this, we honor Him in our acknowledgment of sin and our acknowledgment of His grace, and that honors Christ.

One last thing Dr. Philpot brings up is how to apply passages like Matthew 5:21-25 and Matthew 18:15. These passages deal with sinning and being angry against/with your brother or sister and what believers are to do to be reconciled with one another. He asks if there are different parameters as they relate to divorce and asks, no matter our contribution to the dissolution of the marriage, should we do everything we can to reach out to our former spouse and children, if any? Should we explain to them where we are now in Christ and that we have a better understanding of the Scriptures, and of marriage, divorce, and remarriage, that we sinned against God and them, and that we would like their forgiveness? Dr. Caldwell says yes, that is exactly what we should do. If we have the opportunity to make it right with our former spouse, we should. Sadly, however, this is sometimes not possible for many reasons. But even when it’s not, you make it right with the Lord, and in your heart. Then, you have to be content with what God knows. We should desire to make it right with everyone we’ve sinned against when the Lord makes us aware of it where we weren’t. To the extent that we are able to make things right with others, we should always strive to do that.

Related sermons:

The Exception Clause

Marriage or Divorce: Where is Your Emphasis

Genuine Repentance

Murder Diagnosed by God’s Standard

The Correction of God’s Children

The post Divorce and Remarriage | Repentance After Divorce and Remarriage appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

Was the thief on the cross next to Jesus saved? Some say yes, while others say no. If he was saved, how was he saved? Was he saved under the provisions of the Old Covenant, or was he saved under the New Covenant? Is his salvation the same sort of salvation that we receive today under the New Covenant, or is it something different? Some years after Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection, the Apostle Paul writes in Romans 10:9, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Did the thief confess these things and confess his sin? He was literally on his bed of death, so in addition to all this, there’s the question of baptism. The thief wasn’t baptized. How can what happened between Jesus and the two thieves be explained so we might better understand what took place? Join us on the Straight Truth Podcast this week as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot discuss the biblical account of the thief on the cross from Luke 23. Dr. Caldwell and Dr. Philpot seek to help us see how this story illustrates key aspects of faith, salvation, and even evangelism.

From Luke 23:32-33, we learn that two thieves (also called criminals/robbers elsewhere) are led away with and will be put to death on crosses along with Jesus, one on His right and one on His left. Dr. Philpot shares the account of Luke 23 from verses 39-43, where these two criminals have both been reviling Jesus (See Matthew 27:44, Mark 15:32) when almost suddenly one criminal profoundly rebukes the other and then goes on to appeal to Jesus to remember him when He comes into His Kingdom. Jesus answers that man by saying, Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise. Dr. Caldwell tells us Jesus answered that man’s request, and he was saved. But how did that happen, we ask? He was saved the same way that salvation has been throughout history. Salvation has always been by grace alone, faith alone, in God’s provision for our sin problem. That provision is Christ Jesus. That man’s heart was changed over the time he hung there alive beside the Lord Jesus. His attitude actually changed as the day went on. As his mind was being informed about certain things, he became convinced of his own sinfulness and the justness of what he was suffering but also of the absolute innocence of Christ. Through the work of the Spirit of God, he believed that Jesus is a King with a real kingdom and that there was a future beyond their deaths. As those truths took root in his heart, and he believed in Christ, he was saved by faith in Christ. He certainly wasn’t saved by work or works as he could do no work hanging on a cross. He also was not saved by baptism because there had been no Christian baptism at that time. He was saved by faith in the Son of God in the same way that every sinner has always been saved.

That man’s simple words, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom,” are words that are spoken based on what he knows and understands in his heart at that time. He envisions Christ being alive and ushering in His kingdom. He desires to be with Christ and be taken into Christ’s kingdom. This is what he is asking for, and that’s faith. It’s an encouragement to think about this a bit more. We aren’t saved by a certain prayer we recite or a formulaic form of words of confession and repentance. We aren’t saved by words repeated. We are saved by the understanding and belief that God grants to the heart. So while the words may be as few as ‘remember me’, they may be pregnant with an understanding that is on display in the other things we see. Things that we understand this criminal to have seen were Christ’s innocence, his own sinfulness, Christ is King, Christ alive, and Christ one day ruling over His kingdom. He saw those things, and they all got wrapped up in his simple request for Jesus to remember me, and Jesus did. So we’re saved by faith, not the choice of our words in that moment.

It should be encouraging in one sense that the words don’t matter as much as what’s taking place in the heart and the exercise of that faith; this man had a deathbed transformation and conversion because of that faith. Therefore, we should recognize the need to go on pleading with our loved ones and those we know who are nearing the end of their lives and don’t know Christ, that it’s never too late to turn to Christ. However, it should also serve as a warning. While one thief turned to Jesus in faith, the other who heard and witnessed all the same things hardened his heart and rejected Christ. This is why the Bible exhorts us, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” There is no guarantee that you’ll be affected the same way by what you hear tomorrow if you reject what you hear today. These two men serve as examples. One meets with the mercy and grace of God and salvation; the other meets with just reward for his hardness of heart and rejection of Christ, and he perishes in his sins.

Related sermons:

God’s Grace on Death Row

Preaching the Gospel to Christians

The Final Words of John & Jesus

The post How the Thief On The Cross Found Paradise with Christ appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

What is Apologetics? We hear this word a lot within the Christian community, but do we really understand what it means and where it comes from? Is it important? In short, apologetics is being able to give a defense of the Christian faith. It is being able to explain what you believe and why you believe it; being able to give a reason for the hope that is in you. The primary text used for apologetics is found in the Bible, in the New Testament, in 1 Peter 3. So yes, it is important. But is apologetics something for only those Christians in academia to take up as a vocation or ministry? Or is there value and benefit for all the saints to have a proper understanding of apologetics and be apologists themselves? These questions are considered and answered in this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast. Join us and listen in as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot converse about this important topic today.

Dr. Caldwell says the value of apologetics is the opportunity for evangelism. It is also valuable in the sense that it encourages the people of God with the knowledge that the truth is the truth. But if apologetics is separated from a pastoral purpose, it can easily become distorted. Dr. Caldwell believes this is often what we see in the landscape of Christendom, where people are practicing apologetics but with no real pastoral purpose. It’s really just a field for arguments and argumentation instead of having a godly purpose standing behind what they are doing.

Dr. Caldwell brings up the text of 1 Peter 3:13-17 where Peter tells his readers (believers) to always be prepared/ready to make a defense for the hope that is in them, yet it is to be done in gentleness and with respect. We get the word apologetics from the word translated “defense”. Dr. Caldwell sees Peter as envisioning the believer as under attack, those who are suffering for the sake of righteousness. Yet even as they are being attacked, they are called to make a defense, an apology, for what they believe. Doing this with gentleness and respect and not with a pugilistic argumentative sort of mindset on display. Dr. Caldwell says we can see this same thing in 2 Timothy 2:24, where Paul writes to Timothy that the Lord’s servant is not to be quarrelsome but kind and able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting opponents with gentleness. Giving this defense is not about having the high ground for intellectual entertainment or displaying our own wisdom, it’s not to be combative or argumentative. It is giving good reasons for the things we believe from the truth of God’s Word, but always with gentleness and with a hope wrapped up in it to make a difference in someone’s life spiritually, to see them come to Christ. That’s what should characterize our efforts in the realm of apologetics.

So, to answer the question about all believers being an apologist, the answer is yes. Every Christian is tasked with a growing knowledge of the things we believe, so that we are able to give an explanation for what we believe, with an attitude that pleases the Lord. This is not just pastors who are being called to be gentle and careful; all of God’s people are called to embrace the attitude of Christ as we give the truth of Christ. Apologetics is not just an academic exercise. It is not to be done only by people of great learning like Greg Bahnsen, R.C. Sproul, or others. Peter is telling this to all believers. But within the field of apologetics, we must remember that there is a reason beyond the knowledge found in it, there’s an application, and there’s a pastoral use associated with these truths. So, like all disciplines of Christian study and theology, whatever it is that we are engaged in, we need to embrace its purpose as God has defined it. Then we need to embrace its purpose, not just the information present in it, but its pastoral purpose at the same time.

Some dangers or pitfalls with the pursuit of apologetics may be that it often leads some to think it is helpful to study other religions or even other modes or forms of belief. But Dr. Caldwell says the best thing we will ever do for the cause of truth is to be immersed in the truth, saturated with the truth, and know the truth. That answers any iteration of error, not just one kind of error but any kind of error. If we know the truth and are prepared to give a reason for our hope, that’s enough. We don’t need to study all the errors in religion to tell others why they’re wrong. Part of the reason people go about apologetics the way they do possibly has to do with having a right view of conversion, a right view of how people become saved; a right view of how people become convinced. People are never ultimately convinced through intellectual power; they are convinced by the work of the Spirit of God. Philosophical arguments will never be the ultimate expression of why someone is converted. We are to know the truth, believe the truth, hold to the truth, and give people the truth, versus trying to win people largely through arguments external to the Scriptures.

Related sermons:

The Believer’s Mindset for Suffering – Part 1

The Believer’s Mindset for Suffering – Part 2

The Believer’s Mindset – Part 3

The Mindset & Manner of God’s Servant

The post Why Every Christian Should Be Ready to Defend Their Faith appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

Some people are so heavenly-minded that they’re no earthly good. Have you ever heard this statement or something like it? It’s a catchy quote attributed to Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. in the late 1800s, and many years later, in 1977, was embodied in a popular Johnny Cash song titled “No Earthly Good”. A listener to the podcast has heard this phrase over the years and has written to us seeking to better understand what it really means. Aren’t Christians called to be heavenly-minded?  Is it actually possible to be so heavenly-minded that they do no earthly good? Can Christians even be too heavenly-minded? That is the topic for this week’s Straight Truth Podcast with Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot. Join us and listen to the conversation as they seek to help us gain insight and understanding into what might be meant when someone uses this now widely familiar turn of phrase.

Dr. Caldwell says if we begin by defining the phrase- heavenly-minded, according to the Scriptures, then the answer is no, a Christian cannot be too heavenly-minded. But, if we try to define what some people mean by describing someone as so heavenly-minded that they are no earthly good, it’s possible that what they mean is the person has an over-realized eschatology. This would be someone who responds to time and eternity in a manner that God never intended.  This is a circumstance where a believer knows they are headed to eternity, knowing that Jesus could come any day, and that is all they care about and are focused on. That would be an unbiblical response to the truths that God has given us about the return of Christ and about eternity. An example of this kind of living would be someone who sort of lives their life with their head in the clouds, so to speak, where they are not taking care of the things here on the earth that God has also assigned to His people. We find a most likely example of this in 2 Thessalonians 3, where Paul writes about some believers who had stopped working.

 But, in terms of being heavenly-minded and living in obedience to God’s Word right now where we are on earth, and in light of eternity (with it always in view), that’s absolutely biblical. That is what Christians are called to do; it’s a matter of Christian obedience. Paul also writes about this in Colossians chapter 3, telling the Colossians that if they have been raised with Christ, they are to seek the things that are above, where Christ is, they are to set their minds on the things that are above, not on things that are earthly. We, ourselves, were once earthly and did earthly things. But now, as believers in Christ Jesus, we are new men and women and are to live according to our new life. Dr. Caldwell takes time to walk us through this passage and explain what Paul means. Ultimately, it means we are putting away our sins and pursuing righteousness, and doing this with the promised future of Christ’s return and our eternal life in Christ in view. It means our hearts and minds are fixed on the truth that God has given us regarding time and eternity, and we go about living our lives in this moment in light of the forever age.

Dr. Philpot mentions that 1 Peter 1 seems to teach the exact same thing. Peter tells his readers to prepare their minds for action, to be sober-minded, and to set their hope fully on the grace that is to be brought to them at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Dr. Caldwell agrees, telling us it is exactly the same thing. Knowing what we now know as believers, we choose to live in light of what can be known by faith. God has given us the knowledge of the end, which isn’t just for our peace, comfort, and joy but also for our preparation for today and tomorrow. So then we live in light of what’s coming. But that information should not make us neglectful regarding today. Rather, it informs us to be obedient with what God has given us for today because the day is coming when Christ will examine our works and reward them. Our efforts and investments today will be rewarded one day, and it ought to motivate us in faithfulness, not wanting to disappoint our Lord. But we don’t need to be fearful about that coming day. It’s not a day of judgment, condemnation, and exposure. It’s a day for reward. We need to think about it in terms of reverential family dynamics. We want to please our Heavenly Father and honor our Savior. We want to be someone whose life and opportunities have not been wasted versus watching much of our life’s work burn up like hay, wood, and stubble. We want to hear on that day well done, good and faithful servant.

Related sermons:

Heavenly-Minded People

A Warning Against Worldliness

Commanded to Hope

Hope & Holiness

The Call to Endurance

A Mature View of the Ministry

Are You Prepared?

The post Biblical Perspectives on Health and Fitness appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

Every four years in the United States, we enter an election year where we are provided the opportunity, having been given the right, as citizens to vote for the President of the US. We are in the thick of that season as we prepare to vote this November, just three months away. It seems that we hear the news media increasingly telling us that this is the most significant election of our lifetimes, where the constant refrain is that if so and so is not elected or if this party is not elected, it will lead to the destruction of democracy or the loss of certain liberties we have as Americans. Dr. Josh Philpot shares that this year feels as though it’s more consequential than previous years. He asks Dr. Richard Caldwell if he would talk briefly to the listeners of the Straight Truth Podcast about some of these things. He also asks Dr. Calwell to share how consequential an election like this might be within a biblical worldview.

Dr. Caldwell believes this year’s election is going to be very consequential. During his nearly 61 years of life, he has seen a significant change in this country, especially concerning its moral atmosphere. This is witnessed in a nation or a society where God removes His restraining grace from them and gives people over to their sinfulness. There’s this downward plunge into darkness and destruction where insanity sets in. Dr. Caldwell believes we’ve reached that place in our culture, and he shares examples of the kinds of moral insanity we are experiencing. Therefore, our country is different, and as we’ve descended into this moral insanity, we’ve lost touch with what made this nation what it once was. Our Founders were in touch with the idea that our Creator afforded certain freedoms and rights to people just by virtue of their existence. But we’re heading dangerously towards socialism, communism, or even Marxism, very dangerous ideologies, systems of governments that have had disastrous results where they have taken root in the history of the world. Dr. Caldwell says when we see our country headed in this direction, he believes that elections really matter.

We know that Christ has said that He will build His church and that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. No matter what takes place in this world or even our own nation, the marching orders for the church, the people of God, have not changed. As citizens, we want to be faithful in the opportunities the Lord has provided. We can plan to vote with joy and peace in our hearts, knowing that God is King over the world that He’s created and sustains and that He is sovereign over everything.

How do we deal with the fact that our voting really only comes down to the choice between two parties, Democrat or Republican? This becomes a real strain on some Christians’ consciences when they look at candidates and see really sinful people. That weighty conscience can cause some to say they can’t vote for either one and, as a result, choose not to vote at all. How should we think about this? Dr. Caldwell says our consciences are given to us by God like an alarm system. It’s an alert, an innate ability to be aware when we are on the wrong track, but they aren’t inerrant. Our consciences are meant to be informed by the truth of Scripture. We should never violate our consciences. Nor should we encourage or exhort a brother or sister in Christ to violate their conscience. However, if we believe that someone’s conscience is overly sensitive about something, we can try to inform them. Dr. Caldwell believes this to be the case when it comes to the matter of elections for many brothers and sisters in Christ.

We need to remember that we are not voting for a pastor. This is a secular government; it’s going to have secular leaders, people who do not know Christ. We have to look beyond the candidates themselves. We have to look at the parties they represent and the moral outlook that’s displayed in their platforms. We have to ask questions. Which of these two choices is more agreeable to the church’s function in the world? Which of these two platforms would represent more peaceable circumstances for our children and our children’s children? Which will be less invasive when it comes to trying to control what we do at the family level? Which is least egregious in its attack on the Word of God? We want to look at these two platforms and ask which one allows more freedom for the church, the family, and the raising of children in the admonition of the Lord. Dr. Caldwell says that is the direction his vote is going to go. We must realize and remember that candidates come and go. But there’s always a larger force standing behind those candidates, whichever direction we choose.

Should Christians and churches be concerned and prepared for persecution if this country persists in its downward moral spiral as witnessed in our electoral candidates and the culture? Dr. Caldwell says that should an administration like the Democratic Administration or Kamala Harris become President, there will obviously be a degree of trickle-down effect. But this is something that Christians should always be prepared for because, as Scripture says, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. That is part of living for Christ in a world that hates Christ, and we are always to be armed for suffering in our minds, knowing that we will not be exempt from it, as believers in the past have not. Even so, we are called to be respectful of our leaders, to honor them where honor is due, and to pray for them, no matter which political party is in charge. We are called to be faithful no matter what form of government we end up under. But what we will not do is disobey the Lord in the name of obeying government leaders. We are to obey God rather than men and accept the consequences, whatever they may be. We are to be submissive to those in authority over us as far as we are able to do so without disobeying Christ.

Related sermons:

The Beautiful Life & Civil Authority

The Wisdom of Christ

The Christian’s Relationship to Governing Authorities

Why the World Hates Christians

Blind Opposition

The post Biblical Perspectives on Health and Fitness appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

Every four years in the United States, we enter an election year where we are provided the opportunity, having been given the right, as citizens to vote for the President of the US. We are in the thick of that season as we prepare to vote this November, just three months away. It seems that we hear the news media increasingly telling us that this is the most significant election of our lifetimes, where the constant refrain is that if so and so is not elected or if this party is not elected, it will lead to the destruction of democracy or the loss of certain liberties we have as Americans. Dr. Josh Philpot shares that this year feels as though it’s more consequential than previous years. He asks Dr. Richard Caldwell if he would talk briefly to the listeners of the Straight Truth Podcast about some of these things. He also asks Dr. Calwell to share how consequential an election like this might be within a biblical worldview.

Dr. Caldwell believes this year’s election is going to be very consequential. During his nearly 61 years of life, he has seen a significant change in this country, especially concerning its moral atmosphere. This is witnessed in a nation or a society where God removes His restraining grace from them and gives people over to their sinfulness. There’s this downward plunge into darkness and destruction where insanity sets in. Dr. Caldwell believes we’ve reached that place in our culture, and he shares examples of the kinds of moral insanity we are experiencing. Therefore, our country is different, and as we’ve descended into this moral insanity, we’ve lost touch with what made this nation what it once was. Our Founders were in touch with the idea that our Creator afforded certain freedoms and rights to people just by virtue of their existence. But we’re heading dangerously towards socialism, communism, or even Marxism, very dangerous ideologies, systems of governments that have had disastrous results where they have taken root in the history of the world. Dr. Caldwell says when we see our country headed in this direction, he believes that elections really matter.

We know that Christ has said that He will build His church and that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. No matter what takes place in this world or even our own nation, the marching orders for the church, the people of God, have not changed. As citizens, we want to be faithful in the opportunities the Lord has provided. We can plan to vote with joy and peace in our hearts, knowing that God is King over the world that He’s created and sustains and that He is sovereign over everything.

How do we deal with the fact that our voting really only comes down to the choice between two parties, Democrat or Republican? This becomes a real strain on some Christians’ consciences when they look at candidates and see really sinful people. That weighty conscience can cause some to say they can’t vote for either one and, as a result, choose not to vote at all. How should we think about this? Dr. Caldwell says our consciences are given to us by God like an alarm system. It’s an alert, an innate ability to be aware when we are on the wrong track, but they aren’t inerrant. Our consciences are meant to be informed by the truth of Scripture. We should never violate our consciences. Nor should we encourage or exhort a brother or sister in Christ to violate their conscience. However, if we believe that someone’s conscience is overly sensitive about something, we can try to inform them. Dr. Caldwell believes this to be the case when it comes to the matter of elections for many brothers and sisters in Christ.

We need to remember that we are not voting for a pastor. This is a secular government; it’s going to have secular leaders, people who do not know Christ. We have to look beyond the candidates themselves. We have to look at the parties they represent and the moral outlook that’s displayed in their platforms. We have to ask questions. Which of these two choices is more agreeable to the church’s function in the world? Which of these two platforms would represent more peaceable circumstances for our children and our children’s children? Which will be less invasive when it comes to trying to control what we do at the family level? Which is least egregious in its attack on the Word of God? We want to look at these two platforms and ask which one allows more freedom for the church, the family, and the raising of children in the admonition of the Lord. Dr. Caldwell says that is the direction his vote is going to go. We must realize and remember that candidates come and go. But there’s always a larger force standing behind those candidates, whichever direction we choose.

Should Christians and churches be concerned and prepared for persecution if this country persists in its downward moral spiral as witnessed in our electoral candidates and the culture? Dr. Caldwell says that should an administration like the Democratic Administration or Kamala Harris become President, there will obviously be a degree of trickle-down effect. But this is something that Christians should always be prepared for because, as Scripture says, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. That is part of living for Christ in a world that hates Christ, and we are always to be armed for suffering in our minds, knowing that we will not be exempt from it, as believers in the past have not. Even so, we are called to be respectful of our leaders, to honor them where honor is due, and to pray for them, no matter which political party is in charge. We are called to be faithful no matter what form of government we end up under. But what we will not do is disobey the Lord in the name of obeying government leaders. We are to obey God rather than men and accept the consequences, whatever they may be. We are to be submissive to those in authority over us as far as we are able to do so without disobeying Christ.

Related sermons:

The Beautiful Life & Civil Authority

The Wisdom of Christ

The Christian’s Relationship to Governing Authorities

Why the World Hates Christians

Blind Opposition

The post The Role of Faith in the 2024 Election appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

Today on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot introduces us to Isaiah 59, which provides some Old Testament background to what Paul says in Ephesians 6 regarding the armor of God. The spiritual armor given in Ephesians 6 is a means for Christians to be strengthened in our daily walk with Christ. It’s meant to help us guard against the schemes of the devil. The armor of God is what Dr. Philpot would like Dr. Richard Caldwell to speak about in this episode today. Join in on the conversation to learn about the Christian’s spiritual armor. You’ll hear about the pieces of armor we are to use and learn how we are to go about using them.

Dr. Caldwell tells us what the two passages have in common is the kindness of the Lord. In His kindness, He gives us imagery that helps us grasp what He has supplied for us, for what He’s called us to be and do. The Isaiah passage is obviously what the Lord Himself is doing. But, in Ephesians, it is what He supplies us with. The imagery in Ephesians is of very practical things that are filled with spiritual significance and power that enable us to walk in His ability and strength.

As we look at Ephesians 6, we are alerted to a world of activity that takes place all around us that we can’t see. Behind all this activity is the outworking of the devil, and we’re given this spiritual armor so that we can stand firm against his schemes. It is supplied for us to fight the spiritual battle we are engaged in that’s real and powerful, even though we can’t see it. So Paul tells us to be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. We can be confident that the imagery supplied speaks of practical steps we are to take that are infused with real spiritual power from the God who gave us these steps. Putting on the armor is faith in action, believing the Lord, and taking the steps He’s given us. And from the outset, determination is set before us. We do this by putting on the whole armor of God so that we are able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Dr. Caldwell walks through this passage and helps us understand these images and how each of them is meant to be worn or used:

 Fasten on the belt of truth – this imagery represents how we stand firm in the spiritual battle. We do this with truth, the Word of God. The example Dr. Caldwell gives is the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. We stand firm amid the battle by standing on the ground of truth.

 Put on the breastplate of righteousness – this is the knowledge of righteousness. The breastplate guards our hearts when we choose holiness. Our hearts are guarded by the knowledge that our holiness is found in Christ. It’s the knowledge that the Lord has forgiven all our sins and that He has gifted us the very righteousness of His Son.

 Shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel – this is a picture of the Roman soldier’s shoes being compared with the knowledge that we are at peace with God. Dr. Caldwell does not see this as being about evangelism. He sees this as the means that we have the ability to stand firm and stand our ground when Satan, the enemy of our soul, brings accusations against us. Knowing that we are at peace with God, that the righteousness of Christ is really ours, and that God has really forgiven our sins is so helpful when we’re in the conflict.

 Take up the shield of faith in all circumstances – this is for extinguishing all the flaming arrows of the evil one. A soldier’s shield was covered with pitch to extinguish those flaming arrows shot at them. How do we do this? The answer is we believe God. We have the truth. Are we going to believe it? Are we going to stand on it in the moment, in the hour of testing? That is how we will extinguish those flaming arrows.

 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit – the helmet is the knowledge of salvation; you protect your head with it. The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. The truth of God’s Word is interwoven throughout this entire thing. It’s standing on the truth, believing the truth, having our minds guarded with the truth of salvation, and taking up the sword, the Word of God; all of it’s about truth.

 Lastly, we are to sum it all up with prayer.

Dr. Caldwell tells us that these are practical things given to us that we can do every day as Christians. We can get up every morning and practically put it on. We can walk through each step and prepare ourselves with the spiritual armor that the God who has saved us has provided for us to believe and act upon, knowing that we are going out into a world engaged in a war we cannot see. What the Lord has provided is sufficient; we just need to do this and live it out. That’s how we are meant to live the Christian life.

Related sermons:

The Christian’s Battle – 4 Sermons on Ephesians 6

The Christian’s Armor – 6 Sermons on Ephesians 6

The Importance of Prayer

Perseverance in Prayer

The post The Armor of God Explained appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

We live in a chaotic culture obsessed with noise, clutter, and activity. We live very busy lives immersed in this cacophony all day, every day. The ability to think clearly without our minds and thoughts being constantly bombarded is highly impacted by it all. In several Psalms, we find exhortations to be still, to meditate, to rest, and even to wait on the Lord. Psalms 1, 4, 37, 46, and 119 represent just a few examples. In the New Testament, in Matthew 6, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about prayer. As He does this, He exhorts His disciples and followers to go into their room, shut the door, and pray to their Father in secret, and not be like the Pharisees who pray out in the open places, where they will be seen and heard. These texts seem to encourage a kind of silence and solitude in the Christian life. Does that require us to run off to an unpopulated area, live off the grid, and forsake televisions and telephones? Or could just small amounts of time, short periods of silence, and moments of being still help us in our spiritual life? Might they enhance it in one way or another? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot discuss what these exhortations mean, how to implement them, and how they will help us in our fellowship with our God.

Dr. Caldwell tells us that activity can be an avoidance of other things. It’s not always the case, but it does play into the busyness of our lives. We tend to think if we stay busy, we won’t have to deal with this or that, and we won’t have to think about them. But, one of the reasons that God has designed, as part of our lives of worship, moments dedicated to quietness, reflection, meditation on truth, prayer, and private times of worship is that we would come face to face with things that we would otherwise avoid. These times are times that God has ordained for our lives so that we would not miss something we would otherwise miss and times for receiving things we won’t receive any other way. These times of meditation and quietness are necessary for the kind of fellowship we need with the Lord every day. They’re part of our growth and maturity in our Christian walk. But these things take time. Where do we find the time to do them? Do we have to go away to secluded, unpopulated places to do these things? Is it possible to implement them throughout our regular busy days? How would we do that?

Dr. Caldwell says we have to choose it, schedule it, and be dedicated to devote time to doing it. He recommends several ways we can do that, which can be helpful. We can keep our Bibles on our nightstands, take them with us in the car, wherever we go, and take advantage of all the natural moments we have in a day to read the Scriptures. We can set aside time in the evenings to go to a quiet place in our homes. Anytime or anyplace that it’s quiet, without a lot of things happening around us, we can do this. But we have to be intentional, we have to choose it, and we have to be focused.

It’s all about focus. Dr. Caldwell tells us that multitasking is a myth. Some people will say they are a good multitasker, but he says no one is a good multitasker. Yes, some are better than others. But anytime you’re multitasking, you’re not giving your full attention to any of the things you’re trying to do all at once. When you multitask, you’re robbing your effectiveness in all those areas you’re attempting to do at the same time because effectiveness ramps up with focus. To help understand this, Dr. Caldwell talks about how we often pray while we’re on the move. People and things come to mind when we’re doing other things. We don’t typically stop and kneel down to pray. We just pray in the moment as we sort of move about and go about our day. So, one of the reasons why we have private times of prayer is because we need to focus in prayer. The Scriptures provide examples of both kinds for us. We see in the book of Acts where Paul utters prayer in the middle of a conversation and in other places in the gospels where Jesus, the Son of God, retires from His day, finds a place of solitude, and devotes Himself to prayer. If Jesus needed that in His relationship with His Father, do we think we don’t?

If we can embrace what the Scriptures teach, we will see our need for all these things. When we don’t do them, we are actually neglecting things that the Scriptures explicitly set before us as a part of the Christian life. The Word of God provides the answers for all these questions. We have to get back to what the Scriptures set forth and do them. So then, how do we achieve it? We have to choose it and decide for it. We have to see the importance and choose to make it part of our lives. This gets down to making decisions. Deciding to do these things means not doing other things. It means that we have to say no to other things. We will have to turn things off and put things away from us. We don’t have to get away or move to a secluded area to implement these things. But we do have to be intentional, diligent, and disciplined for them to happen. It’s all about making choices.

Related sermons:

The Truly Blessed Person

The Lives We Are Urged to Live

A Holy Responsibility

The Call to Endurance

12 Sermons on the Life of Peace from Philippians 4

The Believing Life

God’s Word & God’s People

The post Silence & Solitude: How Prayer & Meditation Strengthens Your Relationship with God appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

In the United States, there are roughly 400,000 churches. This estimate includes Protestant and other Christian churches, plus Catholic and Orthodox churches. Within this number, some churches gather based on skin color, nationality, stylistic reasons, lifestyles, and even hobbies. Here in Texas, we have cowboy churches. How should we think about these kinds of church gatherings? Should churches be gathering and centering their identities around cultural identities? Does the Bible offer us any guidance? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast to hear Dr. Richard Caldwell share his thoughts with Dr. Philpot on this issue of culturally centered churches as he looks at the Word of God and what it says about the church.

Dr. Caldwell states that our identity needs to be taken from the Scriptures. We must ask ourselves if we really believe what the Bible says about everything. Do we believe what the Bible says about humanity? Do we believe what the Bible says about the church’s identity now in Christ Jesus, which is one new man in Christ? Do we really believe these things? Dr. Caldwell is convinced that we use biblical language and tip our hat to the Scriptures, but we do not believe what they teach.

Dr. Caldwell shares an example regarding the whole racial issue. He explains that the Bible does not deny the reality of nations, different languages, and cultures. Those are realities. But the Bible clearly teaches that man, all of humanity, emerged from one man and one woman. Adam and Eve are the father and mother of us all, meaning that the human race is one in Adam. The differences between us, like hair color, eye color, skin color, etc., are all explained naturally. But they do not mean different versions of humanity. And if we really believe this, it is how we will see people. We are not saying to be colorblind. We are saying we need to be biblically enlightened. We are to see the world through the eyes of truth that God has revealed in His Word. Doing so fundamentally transforms the way we see people.

Organizing and gathering churches together because of language barriers is one thing. But to organize and gather around the color of our skin, temporal likes and dislikes, hobbies, fads, and cultural lifestyles is to not believe what the Scriptures teach about our identity. This is to not believe what the Lord’s Word says about who we are and why we exist. We are to organize and gather around Christ, not around our culture. We are to be organized around the Word of God and all the instructions given to us regarding the church from the New Testament.

But what about people who are more comfortable in these culturally centered or focused churches? People often find themselves more comfortable in church environments surrounded by people who share the same skin color or where people dress the same way. Maybe people find themselves more comfortable for stylistic reasons or feel they can worship more freely in these environments. What can be said about this line of thinking?

Dr. Caldwell suggests that people must ask themselves why they are more comfortable. Does their answer pass the test of a biblical worldview? He says we really need to challenge ourselves in these things to see if we are seeing things biblically or not. Sometimes, our comfort level is felt because we are not seeing things biblically. Much of the time, our choices are driven by our preferences. But we need to see if our preferences are holding us back, keeping us from experiencing growth. If a church we are in is sound and strong in the Word of God and its body life, but the music style is not our preference, this presents an opportunity for us to grow. Why care about preference? If the church is biblically sound and strong, and they sing the truth in a manner that represents reverence and order, what does it matter? Often, this manifests a self-centered view where everything exists for me rather than a Christ-centered view where everything exists for the glory of God. These two perspectives are very different, and we need to challenge ourselves and ask what is driving our thinking and emotions here. The more it can be about Christ and the truth, that is where we need to be.

Related sermons:

What Adam’s Failure Meant to Mankind

One New Man

The Church in It’s Right Mind

The Model for the Believer’s Mindset

The Church – God’s Glory & A Multi Ethnic Assembly

Understanding the Ministry

The post The Problem with Culturally Focused Churches appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.