Questions regarding women’s ministries abound. They arise from both in the church and from outside the church. Many of them are definitively answered in the Word of God. Yet it appears that many aren’t. It seems like the questions are increasingly unending, even from people who understand the roles of men and women in the home and the church. We are often asked whether women should be writing books and blogging about issues of theology. Other questions we’re asked are about whether women should host podcasts and have YouTube channels. How can we answer these questions if the Bible isn’t definitive about them and doesn’t speak to them directly? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast to hear Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot speak about some of these lingering questions regarding women in ministry and what they can and cannot do, biblically speaking.

Dr. Caldwell first expresses his concern that much of local church ministry is often unnecessarily busy in general. This can be witnessed on church campuses where all sorts of ministries are operating nearly every day. People leave their homes, drive to the church, and spend numerous amounts of time together daily. But, if we’re constantly gathering at the church, how much time is left for being at home and living out the Christian life? Is it possible we might think spiritual health will be achieved by ramping up our activity? Dr. Caldwell is concerned this reveals a lost sense of contentment that allows us to recognize the variety of assignments God has given us. While God has assigned us to gather together regularly, He’s also given us assignments in the home, at work, and in the public realm regarding citizenship and those sorts of things. Dr. Caldwell is concerned that all this activity wears the people of God out and introduces influences that are counterproductive spiritually, just by virtue of constant activity. He suggests that all these extracurricular activities may not be the most edifying thing to do.

Looking at the book of Titus, the teaching that’s to take place between the older men/younger men and the older women/younger women is about living life. It’s about gathering for the purpose of learning how to love our husbands/wives and our children, not to converse about the hypostatic union. God has given elders in the church to teach theology. This isn’t to deny that God has given gifts for teaching throughout the body and that they’re not to be made use of. However, the primary teachers in the life of the church are the elders. In the home, you have mothers and fathers teaching and instructing. Of course, women can read and study robust theology, and they can teach and should be teaching other women and children. This is the primary way women are meant to teach. But as far as women teaching men, 1 Timothy 2 is clear, women are not to teach or exercise authority over men; doing so violates God’s design. The context there is for the church’s gatherings. But this doesn’t mean women can’t influence men at all. In Acts, we read of Priscilla and Aquila having conversations with Apollos. Scripture would not be violated for a woman to have theological discussions with a man. However, says Dr. Caldwell, if you embrace the whole of Scriptures instruction, godly women want to embrace godly womanhood. So even if they’re having theological discussions with a man, they’ll want to do so in ways that reflect God’s design for the sexes.

When it comes to women desiring to do other things, like writing books and blogs, hosting podcasts, or having a YouTube channel, it isn’t necessarily a violation of Scripture. But, if you take all the things discussed in this podcast and consider all the instructions we’ve been given for our lives and then consider these other things, you’ll get answers from the Lord and His Word. You’ll have an informed mind that will drive you back to the most basic things, and you’ll want to make sure you’re being faithful in those things before you think about these extra things. Dr. Caldwell explains that we’ve already been assigned so much in the basic areas of life, and they require our life’s investment to do them well.

We might want to ask ourselves questions such as, why are we doing this or that? What purpose are we serving? Do we believe there is a void in the information already available, and the Lord needs us to fill it? Or could it be that it’s all about us? We need to get ourselves out of the center of the picture and say, “God, what have you made me to invest my life in?” and then say, “I want to do that to the very best of my ability.” Having done that, Dr. Caldwell believes we’ll see some of the desire for these extra things shrink. He shares that the way he has learned to live the Christian life is, to begin with the big picture and then move to the particulars. He would counsel and encourage women and men as well to think about the big picture first because we often go astray in the particulars. So we start by focusing on the basics and being as sure as we are able that we’re doing them faithfully and well and in a way that honors Christ before we even consider some of these other things. Dr. Caldwell suggests that when we do this, we’ll probably find that we have less time and less desire for these extra things. He fears that we are suffering loss because we’re struggling with contentment, even though there’s godliness and true Christian life. He believes the answer for our hearts is to learn contentment in Christ, for, as Scripture tells us, godliness with contentment is great gain.

Related sermons:

What God Would Have Women to Be

The True Gain of Godliness

The Excellent Wife – Parts 1 & 2

The post Exploring Women’s Roles in Christian Ministry appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

What makes a man a good father? Is it taking his family to church every week? Is it being a hard worker and providing well for his wife and children? Is it sending his children to the best schools, ensuring they get the best education, and helping prepare them for their future vocation? What if a man hasn’t been doing these things? What if a man, as a husband and father, has been living his life, just going through the motions, and hasn’t really been an exemplary father? What if he realizes this now and truly desires to be a godly father as he moves forward; how can he do that? What can he do? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell what advice he would give to a man who wants to be a godly father and if he would share some guiding principles from the Scriptures to assist him in this endeavor.

Dr. Caldwell says the most important issue for being a good father is to be a believing father. The most important legacy a man will ever leave his children is for them to have a father who really believes in Christ, really believes the Bible, and strives to live his life consistently in submission to that truth. Dr. Caldwell often tells young people he’s counseling for marriage that the most important thing they can do for their marriage is to live the Christian life at home. That is the exact same advice he would give a man who wants to be a good and godly father. No matter what mom or anyone else around you is doing, if you want to be a godly father, you have to be applying the Scriptures in your own life, living them out in your thinking, attitudes, words, and choices.

The next step in being a good dad, says Dr. Caldwell, is with your spouse. You want to love their mom, and you want to love her well. This requires you to love her as Christ loves the church. Honor your wife and let your children know how blessed you are. Let them know how thankful you are to God for what He has given you and them in the gift of their mother.

Another aspect of being a good dad is being present. When you come home from work, you need to be present and available to your family. No matter how tired you are when you come home, you need to remember that your wife is most likely tired as well. She needs you, and your children need you. No matter how tired you are when you arrive home, don’t isolate yourself and seek to be alone somewhere to unwind. Be present and active with your children, and seek to spend time with them in conversations. You want to lead them with love from the moment they get up in the morning until they’re tucked in bed in the evening. The book of Deuteronomy sets this forth as the model for family life, where the entire day and world become the schoolhouse.  But you can’t do that without conversations. To lead with love means you’re putting others before your needs. You can unwind and all the rest when your children have gone to bed.

So you want to be a believing man, which means an obedient man, that begins with your own life. You want to be submissive to the Word of God, growing in the fruit of the Spirit -love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. You must seek the Lord and ask Him, by His grace and the presence of His Spirit as He works in your life, to help you exemplify these things. Live the Christian life at home, love your wife and children, and prioritize their souls. You want to be clear with your children what the most important thing in life is, that what matters most to you is their souls. That’s being a good father.

Another aspect of being a good father is good management of your home. With dignity, you want to keep your home in order. That starts when your children are young, with discipline, rewards for obedience, and punishments for disobedience. This is part of training your children to respect the order of the home with love, mercy, patience, and wisdom. However, no matter how well you do this, even as a believing parent, it does not guarantee believing children; that is not promised. Only God saves, so we pray, evangelize, and model salvation, asking the Lord to regenerate our children in His perfect timing. A godly father will have a massive impact in the home. There’s a living, breathing gospel testimony on display where the children come face to face with godly influence. Dads who try to portray to their children that they’re faultless turn out to be exasperating influences. Our children see us, and they watch and observe us as they’re growing up. They’ll know we are sinners just as they are, so even confession of our sin plays a huge role in being a good father. They need to hear us tell their mother we were wrong and ask for her forgiveness. The same is true in our interactions with them. They need to see and experience in us that which reflects humbleness, yet not as their peer, but as their parent. We want to love them well, and if we’re humble with them, they will love us for it.

Related sermons:

The Beautiful Life & Marriage – Part 3

Foundations for a Godly Family – Pts 1 & 2

The Context for Christian Parenting

Christian Parenting

The Wrong Answer for Your Child’s Greatest Needs

A Well Managed Home

The post Becoming a Godly Father: Essential Tips for Christian Dads appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

Confession plays an important role in the Christian life. It’s how we begin our life in Christ, but it’s also part of our daily progression in sanctification. Obviously, it begins with us recognizing and admitting that we’re sinners in need of a Savior, but also the recognition that our sinning is not eradicated at the moment of salvation. As believers, we go on sinning and must deal with our sin by confessing it to our Heavenly Father daily. But how much of the Christian life should involve confessing our sins to others and being held accountable by them or to them? Proverbs 28:13 says, “He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.” James 5:16 tells us to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another so that we may be healed. So, we can see that the Scriptures teach us that confession and accountability are pretty important. But does this mean we need accountability partners or groups that hold each other accountable for dealing with our sins and growing in our sanctification? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast to hear the answers to these questions as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot discuss the subject of confession and accountability before God and others.

Dr. Caldwell says that at the very outset of our walk with Christ, we’re turning from a life of sin to embrace a new life in Jesus Christ. Our faith in Christ is a penitent faith. It has practical effects even at the beginning of our Christian lives, where we are turning away from a life of sin, putting away our sins. But, there are also things we are turning from. Dr. Caldwell shares an example from Acts 18, where those who believed kept coming forward and confessing and disclosing their previous practices, some bringing things with them that needed to be removed and destroyed from their lives. These people publicly displayed the abandonment of their past lives with transparency and humility through their words and actions. Why? Because the Lord had changed their hearts, they desired a new life in Christ and were putting away their sin. James tells us that we are to confess our sins to each other and pray for each other. Our proper understanding of these texts will help us to see the ongoing nature and importance of confessing our sins to one another in the Christian life. Which, in turn, is part of the larger emphasis in the New Testament on forgiving each other. As Jesus says, if your brother comes to you seven times a day asking for forgiveness, we are to forgive him. This involves us having an attitude that’s necessary to everything in the Christian life, and that is humility. The number one reason we struggle to confess our sins to one another is pride. We don’t want to admit we are wrong. We’ll confess our sins to God. We’ll privately tell God we have sinned against another, asking Him to forgive us. But are we then willing to go to that person and tell them we’ve sinned against them, being specific, saying what we’ve done wrong, and asking for their forgiveness? When it comes to the issue of confession, we need to forsake our pride and confess our sins in a way that reflects true humility. But there also needs to be that same kind of humility on the other side, where the person whom we have sinned against is really willing to forgive and release us from our debt. We must be willing to sacrifice pride by putting it on the altar, putting it to death in both our confession of sin to others and in forgiving others when they sin against us. Confession and accountability are vitally important to the Christian life. They begin at the moment of conversion and will continue throughout the Christian life.

Dr. Caldwell says that one of our temptations as believers is to make artificial, formal, or structured, in some cases, what God designed to be organic, natural, or familial. He doesn’t believe we need an accountability group. Instead, we need a life of accountability. Our connection to Christ, being in His body, the church, means we’re organically connected to other Christians. And many New Testament Scriptures teach us about the responsibility and accountability we have to one another. Therefore, we want to live our lives daily with an openness, transparency, and humility that allows a brother or sister to come to us when they see us living in a way that dishonors God and in ways that would destroy us. We want them to love us enough to do this when they see wrong things in our lives, and we also want that kind of openness with them. This is the kind of life that reflects biblical accountability. So, we don’t need an accountability group, says Dr. Caldwell. We need an accountability life.

Related sermons:

The Power of Authentic Ministry

Ministry in the Body of Christ

The Seriousness of Forgiveness

The Forgiveness of the Forgiven

Teach Us to Pray – Forgive Us Our Sins

Putting Off and Putting On

The post Confession and Accountability appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell to talk to us about Christians experiencing apathy, weariness, and just sort of feelings of despondency at times regarding the Christian walk and life. But why does this happen? What causes us to enter these periods of spiritual dryness? Sometimes, it might be of our own doing. Other times, it is that something has happened to us, yet other times, it’s just part of living in a fallen world. If, as Christians, we find ourselves experiencing these kinds of feelings, where things seem dark and lonely, where discouragement seems to be raining down on us, how do we climb out of it? Where do we go, and what do we do? How do we fix our troubled hearts? Join us to hear what Dr. Caldwell and Dr. Philpot share as they guide us to think and act biblically in all these ways when we experience perplexity in our souls.

Dr. Caldwell shares that we have all faced these things, and if we haven’t we will. What makes some of these times especially difficult is we have no rhyme or reason for them. When a believer experiences spiritual dryness and can point to sin they’re allowing in their life, the answer is they need to repent. The Bible says to repent and turn from sin, that times of refreshing will come from the Lord. But what if you’re unaware of any sin on your part, any sin you’re not confessing, and yet a dryness has settled in?

Dr. Caldwell reminds us that we’re not encouraged to deal with what we can’t see and don’t know. We’re called to deal with what we can see and what we do know. Too often, we can get caught up in spending too much time trying to figure out why there’s this apathy instead of just dealing with the fact that it exists. Christians live by faith, not by sight or feelings. Feelings are fickle and totally untrustworthy. Our responsibility is to obey the Lord, step by step, moment by moment, day by day, no matter how we feel. Sometimes, our physical condition can weigh in on the dryness and weariness. Our physical issues can influence our minds and our attitudes. This is something we have to fight against. We need to seek the Lord, asking Him for help with our spiritual health and vibrancy, to not remain spiritually dry, and to help us take hold of all the means He has ordained for us to have that health and vibrancy. Therefore, we need to consider some things that might be contributing to our dry wilderness walk. What are we doing during this dry spell? Are we in the Word of God every day? Are we praying as we ought to be? Are we spending time with the Lord’s people? Are we being faithful to the Lord’s church? Are we isolating ourselves? Are we dealing with relational issues? Are we dealing with known sin in our lives? These are the primary means God has ordained for our spiritual well-being. God has not left us alone in the world. He has given us His Spirit, and He has granted us everything we need that pertains to life and godliness. To abandon or neglect our time in His Word, prayer, local church attendance/involvement, and confession of sin will not help us in our dryness; it is more likely that we will remain in this state for a long time.

Dr. Caldwell gives an example from Psalm 63 of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. David was tired, weary, and was experiencing great dryness. Yet his words reflect what he knew he needed and who alone could provide for those needs. Dr. Caldwell also went through a period of spiritual dryness for which there seemed to be no explanation for where several life circumstances may have been contributing factors. He explains that, like David, he knew he had nowhere to go. So Dr. Caldwell just took it to the Lord and spent time talking with God about it daily. He reminds us that only the Lord God can sustain our strength, and God promises He will do that. Our responsibility is to combat these things with our faith. We want to be aware of the environment in which we live, aware of our smallness and our own proneness to all sorts of factors that can affect us spiritually, in addition to not paying too much attention to our feelings. Instead, with sincere faith, we take hold of all the means God has ordained and provided for spiritual health and vibrancy. We must attack all the factors that make for spiritual dryness and do them faithfully. Dr. Caldwell says we don’t fake it; we faith it. We are to get up every day and be determined to live according to what the Scripture teaches, believing no matter how we feel. The Lord will sustain us internally, regulate our feelings, and strengthen us each day we walk in these spiritually dry times. The answer for the troubled heart is faith.

Related sermons:

The Test of Hard Teaching – Parts 1 & 2

Instruction for Troubled Hearts

Really Loving Christ – Parts 1 & 2

The Joy of Salvation

 A Plea, A Promise, and A Prayer

A Divine Argument for Drawing Near

Exhorted to Persevere

The post Overcoming Spiritual Dryness: Practical Steps for Christians appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

North of the United States lies Canada, the second largest country in the world. In 2016, Canada passed a legal euthanasia law called Medical Assistance in Dying or MAiD, along with assisted suicide for those whose death was “foreseeable”. Canadians who wish to die with medical assistance must have a serious and incurable illness or disability that’s in an advanced state of irreversible decline. However, the law in its current form excludes eligibility for those persons suffering solely from mental illness. That exclusion was set to expire this year but has been postponed until 2027. In the first year of the law’s enactment, approximately 1,018 Canadians died with medical assistance, according to Health Canada. Irrespective of the mental illness exclusion, nearly 45,000 Canadians have died with the help of medical assistance since 2016. But this isn’t only happening in Canada. We see and hear of euthanasia and assisted suicide taking place in other parts of the world as well, and this seems to be becoming more and more prevalent. How should Christians think about euthanasia and assisted suicide laws? What does the Bible say about pain, suffering, aging, and dying? How can the church best help people in these stages of their lives? How can we teach people about the value and dignity of human life even amid their great difficulties and struggles, whether they result from aging, illnesses, diseases, or disabilities? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot discuss these “dying with dignity” laws and what is ultimately at the root of them, as well as how Christians can help those in the church and those outside the church better understand the life that God gives us and what He intends for us as we live in this world.

Dr. Caldwell explains that these issues of death and dying come back to the very core of who man is and why he exists. A biblical worldview teaches us that God made us all and that we exist for His glory. It also teaches us that somewhere near the beginning of man’s existence, there was a fall, where sin against God resulted in death, dying, and the curse. Those of us who live with this worldview are not in the dark regarding what’s happening in our lives. As believers who have been saved, redeemed, and reconciled to God, we are now able to recognize these things and understand that even though we were born into the world as sinners, we exist for God’s glory, and in that purpose is found joy, meaning and purpose for our lives, even if difficulty permeates those lives. It doesn’t matter what we face, whatever we want to envision, whatever we encounter; we encounter that with God’s glory as our goal and God’s good pleasure as our chief ambition. Even if we are bedridden until our very last breath, it’s an opportunity to glorify God in the midst of our circumstances.

So then, when it comes to an individual choosing to end their life, as we’re speaking about euthanasia or assisted suicide, this exhibits a godless worldview that comes from the standpoint of despondency and despair. This worldview sees one’s purpose for existing as for their own good pleasure and own self-happiness. It reflects on the self, irrespective of others, not considering that they’ve been made in the image of God, nor that their life is meant to be lived for God’s glory and honor. The taking/ending of one’s own life is self-murder. That’s what suicide is. God is the giver of life. He numbered all our days before there was even one. To take one’s own life is to take hold of an authority that doesn’t belong to you; that belongs to God.

But as Christians holding to a biblical worldview, we think differently about life, the aging process, crippling diseases, disabilities, dying, and death. Every person is made in the image of God, and life has value just from the standpoint that God has made them. The Scriptures have assigned us roles related to every stage of life, whether we are parents, children, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, friends, or neighbors. As believers, we age as everyone else, but as we grow older, we grow in wisdom and life experiences. And, with the aged, there are deposits of inestimable treasure in terms of wisdom and life experience that they possess, no matter what their physical condition is, that the next generation is meant to tap into. That is why the book of Titus teaches that older men are to teach younger men and older women younger women. In the Scriptures, you don’t just see honor for the natural family. You also see honor for age in the religious community, in the family of God (e.g., Leviticus 19:32, Proverbs 20:29, 1 Timothy 5).

So, what we are talking about when we discuss what is happening in Canada and elsewhere is a clash of worldviews. The world’s worldview is godless. It’s pagan and doesn’t accept or respect God’s authority over humanity. This clash is going to exist until Jesus returns. As believers, it’s a simple thing for us to reject the worldview that doesn’t value human existence in the womb; that’s where it all begins. But if you don’t value life in the womb, you’re not going to value life out of the womb. It’s not at all surprising to us that a culture that would abort babies in the womb thinks little of killing older people and those who are disabled and dying of irreversible illnesses and diseases. That makes perfect sense. That’s their worldview. But as Christians, we reject all that. As believers, we value life in the womb and to the grave. We’re going to believe God and His commands about all the stages of human life and how we’re to relate to each of those stages. God has given us purpose and hope. We can live believing Him all the days He has numbered for us, even when the outer tents of our bodies are failing and our breaths are fleeting. We are going to live our lives knowing that life does not end here when we die. Our hope is in Christ and the resurrection to come when we will receive new bodies that are no longer subject to pain, aging, deterioration, sin, and death.

Related sermons:

Qualities of Love – Not Selfish

Gray Hair & the Fear of God

The Fear of God

The Wonder of a Believer’s Life

The Two Answers for Discouragement

Faith in the Face of Frustration

Facing Our Fear with Faith

The Gospel and Family Relationships

Piety and Family

The post Assisted Suicide: A Christian Take on Assisted Suicide appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot have a conversation that revolves around anthropology and ethical and moral concerns in the context of Christianity. They touch on current cultural issues related to human identity, gender distinctions, surrogacy, and artificial insemination or IVF. Other concerns raised include technological advancements in genetic manipulation, such as the increasing trend of requesting specific traits for babies, like eye and hair color, and the ethical implications of cloning and other technological advancements. As we think about Genesis 1, where God tells us we are made in His image, male and female, He has made us, how does this relate to all these things that deal with anthropology? How should Christians respond to these advancements? Should we be concerned?

Dr. Caldwell responds by acknowledging the complexity and importance of these issues. He emphasizes that Christians cannot ignore these developments and must grapple with them. Dr. Caldwell thinks through these things in the light of the Word of God and what he knows from the Word of God. He highlights that just because something is possible, we have the capacity and can do something, doesn’t mean we should. There are ethical and moral questions about all technological advancements, especially regarding the field of medicine as it relates to humans. Dr. Caldwell helps us to consider this by drawing a parallel to sin. He reminds us that every act of sin represents an ability that man has, but he is doing something he shouldn’t. Human beings have the ability to think things they shouldn’t and commit actions that they shouldn’t take. So just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.

As believers, we must be concerned with God’s role versus our role as human beings. Dr. Caldwell underscores the importance of aligning our actions with God’s design and intentions. We need to think about modern reproductive technologies, such as IVF, surrogacy, and genetic manipulation, and whether they align with God’s natural design for family life. We should be concerned about the practice of creating “designer babies”. We do not have the right to make such choices. God assigns these. The same can be said as it relates to homosexual “couples” paying for babies. This is not something that can happen according to nature. One hundred percent of the time, it is a woman who delivers a baby. One hundred percent of the time, it takes a male and a female to provide what is necessary for a baby to be conceived. Just because we have the capacity and ability to do something doesn’t make it right ethically or morally. We commit acts of sin when we overstep our bounds. And sin is transgression; it’s stepping over a line, doing something God has not assigned to us or allowed for us.

Also discussed are the broader implications of technological advancements and the ethical questions they raise. Dr. Caldwell points out that technology can lead to perceived gains that actually result in significant losses. A couple of ways we can see this is in the breakdown of family communication due to excessive screen time, and in the fracturing of families and the loss of lifelong connectivity due to increased mobility.

In conclusion, Dr. Caldwell advises that any action, particularly those involving the creation of life, should be examined to ensure it aligns with God’s design and role for family life. He believes that some of these decisions will come down to issues of conscience, provided they do not involve playing God or making choices that belong to God. He urges believers to remain submissive to God’s sovereignty and glory in all decisions, recognizing the pitfalls of human pride and the temptation to elevate oneself to God’s level.

For some help in thinking through these complex issues of modern technologies as they relate to anthropology, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Caldwell:

Made in God’s Image

Two Kinds of Wisdom Part 1

Two Kinds of Wisdom – Part 2

Powerful or Permissible

If The Lord Wills

The post Surrogacy, Designer Babies, and God’s Design for Family appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

A recent commencement address at a Catholic university, given by Harrison Butker, a field goal kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, who is a Catholic himself, has stirred up quite a bit of controversy and discussion, apparently even amongst Catholics themselves. Much of what he said and shared was good and even right, and we can be thankful for his courage. But as Protestant Christians, who are Baptist by conviction, we wouldn’t, in our services, encourage or endorse any kind of interfaith dialogue with Catholics. That’s because an eternal gap exists between our viewpoints regarding the Christian faith. But are there other spheres where Baptists and Catholics can come together and work towards common goals? Can we join forces to take a stand against the direction of the culture and politics? If we can, what principles should guide us? Are there things we need to be aware of that could appear as us compromising on our biblical beliefs? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philot converse about interfaith dialogue and discuss whether we can work together as those with common beliefs towards common goals, even though our religions and faiths differ.

Dr. Caldwell starts by reminding us that we have responsibilities as Christians in this life and how we relate to the culture. We are in this world and yet not of it. As we live in this world, we are to model and be examples of what the Bible teaches about being good and responsible citizens. We need to remember that we live in a world of unbelievers. Some of those unbelievers are religious. Some of that unbelieving religion will have a likeness to believing religion in certain tenets and concepts. Yet, it doesn’t mean that their religion is right. Because even when they’re right on something or some things, it’s still eternally misguided. So when it comes to joining arms with Roman Catholics or other religions to fight against the downward spiral of our culture and society, we need to be clear and not confuse people about our gospel distinctions. We cannot leave people with the impression that Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, etc., believe what we believe as evangelicals about the gospel; to do so is to do damage to the gospel.

Therefore, so that we are clear about the gospel and not possibly seen to be compromising it, we will eventually have to get down to the specifics and what we are being asked to do or not asked to do. And this will need to be at the forefront of our minds. As Christians, our number one reason for existing in this world supersedes politics and cultural issues. We exist here as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, and as gospel ambassadors. Our preeminent issue is to glorify God with our lives. Sin issues will always be present in this world until Jesus returns, so to attack something that’s culturally relevant at this time isn’t preeminent. It is the gospel that matters the most. So, in the name of addressing cultural and political issues, we don’t ever want to cloud or make our position on the gospel confusing.

It doesn’t mean there can’t be partnerships. As Dr. Caldwell already reminded us, we have responsibilities to be upstanding citizens. Coming up in November, our country will be voting. We’ll be participating in that along with fellow citizens who are Christians, non-Christians, and others with various religious positions. But we participate in the political process as Christian citizens. In the same sort of way, you can have cultural issues where there’s similar participation, but never in a way that clouds the gospel.

If you are interested in learning more about our role and responsibilities as Christians towards the culture, society, government, and authority, consider listening to these sermons by Pastor Richard Caldwell:

The Believer’s Influence in the World

Congregational Commendation

A Christian Vision for Engaging the World – Parts 1 & 2

The Christian’s Relationship to Governing Authorities

The Beautiful Life & Civil Authority

The post Balancing Faith and Truth in Interfaith Dialogue: A Christian Guide appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot and Dr. Richard Caldwell tackle the sensitive topic of divorce in Christian marriages. Dr. Philpot begins by acknowledging that all marriages experience difficulties. Couples argue over seemingly insignificant things and grapple with feelings of drifting apart. They might even question if they married the wrong person altogether. Dr. Caldwell responds by emphasizing that the Bible never condones such thinking. Instead, Scripture calls Christians to live out their faith at home and rely on God’s word during challenging times.

Dr. Philpot then shifts the conversation to the concept of love in marriage. He observes that the initial feelings of intense love may fade over time. However, Dr. Caldwell clarifies that true biblical love is a commitment, not a fleeting emotion. Rooted in sacrifice and devotion, this love is a command from God, not something dependent on our ever-changing feelings.

Next, Dr. Caldwell dives deeper into the concept of marriage, highlighting its significance as a covenant relationship between a husband and wife, witnessed by God himself. This covenant represents a lifelong commitment, obligating spouses to remain together through both joys and hardships. He challenges listeners to examine their own understanding of love, questioning if it aligns more with cultural trends or with the biblical perspective.

Dr. Philpot then steers the conversation towards the possibility of divorce within a Christian marriage. There’s a common misconception that the Bible forbids divorce entirely. Dr. Caldwell clarifies this point, explaining that while God’s ideal design for marriage is a lifelong union between one man and one woman, there are indeed biblical exceptions for divorce. However, he emphasizes that temporary feelings of unhappiness or disagreements with your spouse are not considered such exceptions. Dr. Caldwell sheds light on adultery and abandonment as reasons for divorce permitted by the Bible, but underscores the importance of pursuing forgiveness and reconciliation whenever possible.

The episode concludes with Dr. Caldwell offering guidance to those contemplating divorce due to serious marital issues. He urges them to seek wisdom from God’s word. Divorce is a weighty decision that should never be taken lightly, and reconciliation should always be the primary objective. Dr. Caldwell reminds listeners that the ultimate standard for marriage is not found in cultural trends, but in the unwavering commitment we make to God and to our spouse.

For Further Study

Dr. Caldwell encourages listeners to explore his sermon series on marriage, divorce, and remarriage available on the SermonAudio website. These resources provide in-depth exploration of these complex topics and offer a biblical perspective on building a strong and lasting marriage.

Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage – 2018 Series

The post When Facing Serious Marital Issues, is divorce an option? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

As Christians, we need to be saturated with the Scriptures, forming our worldview based on them. We must then apply that biblical worldview to everything we choose and do in life as citizens of earthly nations, countries, and states where we live. This includes, and shouldn’t have to be mentioned, how we think about ethics and morals. They impact how we vote, what we should consider that disqualifies a person from serving in public office, how we choose to react to perceived injustices, how we respond to those in authority over us and more. Join us and listen in this week to the Straight Truth Podcast. We’ve compiled a few episodes in which Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot will help us think through our responsibilities as heavenly citizens and yet earthly citizens awaiting the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Questions answered in the episode cover what we can do, what we can’t do, what we shouldn’t do, what we should do, how we should do it, and when we should do it.

Dr. Caldwell says as Christians, we are facing some monumental issues in the days in which we live. To identify ourselves with any particular party, institution, or group isn’t the ultimate issue for us. We want to look at all things and examine our choices through the lens of Scripture. We need to ask ourselves some questions. Like, what does God say about this in His Word? How should we respond? What can we do?

We aren’t revolutionaries, we don’t live in a theocracy, and we aren’t the Old Testament biblical nation of Israel. We are New Testament Christians, citizens of heaven, yet citizens of earthly countries or nations. As citizens of the countries or nations where we live, we want to use our influence on behalf of the culture to represent the best atmosphere for generations to come. We want to examine every issue and choice this way. Unfortunately, says Dr. Caldwell, we live in a time of high confidence and low competent people. People are impressed with themselves and their opinions. Even when we speak to their lack of understanding, and they refuse to hear the truth, we have to go on speaking it in love and walking faithfully according to the Word of God. There is a great lack of respect for biblical wisdom and experience with God. People mistakenly take us for grumpy old men who tell them to get off our lawns. That’s not who we are, and we certainly don’t know everything; we will need to pray for humility in ourselves and others we disagree with.

This leads to how we ought to think and respond to those who lead us. Here, we are primarily thinking about local, state, and national, including the President of the United States, where we live. Dr. Caldwell says it is good to have others who can help us think through some of the issues regarding how we vote, choosing those who will govern over us, and the laws they aim to pass. We all ought to have a local church that we are members of where we can go to the pastor and elders to help us do this. There are numerous categories and ways that we need to think through things. But at the end of the day, we need to remember that we do not live in a Christian nation. We need to pray for wisdom and discernment to make good and wise choices, trusting and leaving the outcome to our God.

What do we do when we don’t like the outcome and our nation is suffering the fruit of rejecting God and His good law? Dr. Caldwell says this never gives us the right to rebel with violence. While we are citizens of our countries and nations as Christians, we are first and foremost citizens of heaven. We need to be characterized by respect even when we don’t respect those holding specific offices over us. An excellent example for us is the Apostles and the world of the New Testament. We do not read of the Apostles marching, demonstrating, and protesting against their leaders and oppressive government. They didn’t use language full of venom, hatred, bitterness, cursing, and profanity, seeking to attack those in authority. Some seek to use Jesus’ cleansing of the temple as an example to make the case to rise in rebellion, to stir up strife and chaos, but this is entirely wrong-headed. Instead, we are to model heavenly citizenship as we live out our lives as citizens on the earth. Our one ambition, whether in life or death, is to be well pleasing to our Lord and Savior.

So then, what do we do when the government and the culture around us are wrong? How do we lovingly push back against the things that are immoral and unjust? Dr. Caldwell reminds us that Scripture says to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. We are submitted to the authority of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We cannot be cowardly. We must stand firm and not deny what we have come to see and believe. We cannot and will not go along with the madness. We might be able to endure in our workplaces, etc., for a time, but what we cannot do is lie. We must represent Christ with conviction, the fruit of faith, and submission to the truth we know to be true. Christians can be involved in pushback against wrong thinking, wrong beliefs, wrong ideologies, etc., but there is a time and a place for doing this. We have spheres of authority, responsibilities, and influence. And in each of those various spheres, we want to be careful to be faithful according to the Scriptures. Lastly, we must never forget that when we speak out, it isn’t moral reformation that the culture and this world need but spiritual transformation, the transformation of their very nature.

The Believer & The World

The Christian’s Relationship to Governing Authorities

One Ambition: To Please Christ

Prepared for Persecution – Parts 1 & 2

The Test of Hard Teaching – Parts 1 & 2

God’s Controversy With His People

What God Delights In

The post How Should Christians Vote? | Trump-Stormy Scandal, Violent Protests, and Workplace Pressures appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

Suffering is a part of life in this fallen world; we will all be exposed to some kind of suffering during our lifetime. The difficulties and hardships will vary from person to person, but we all will suffer. But no matter what pains and sorrows come into our lives as Christians, how we respond and deal with them matters greatly. 1 Peter 4:19 says, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. No one wants to suffer, no one seeks after suffering, and we all avoid it as much as it’s up to us, but here in 1 Peter 4, it speaks of suffering for the will of God. How do we suffer in accord with God’s will as we struggle with pain, sorrow, anguish, grief, and all the rest? Is there a way to do this that is joyful and God-honoring, as we entrust ourselves to God for the outcome, seeking to remain faithful through it all? Join us this week on the Straight Truth Podcast as Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot discuss Christian suffering, pointing us to the One who made us and reminding us to look to Him so that we would know a kind of joy and peace through our sufferings that the world cannot know.

Dr. Caldwell begins by pointing us to what Peter says in this verse. First, we need to know that suffering and the will of God are not combatants. Suffering belongs, in many cases, to doing the will of God. So right there, wherever you are, whatever you’re facing is where God wants you to be. Knowing then that I can suffer in the will of God will involve trusting God in that suffering. Because, inevitably, there are escape hatches; there are ways out of that suffering. You can get out, but you won’t get out in the will of God. You’ll get out by violating His will, by choosing sin over suffering. We have to trust Him in the midst of it and go on entrusting ourselves to Him through it. The next part of the verse speaks of whom we are entrusting ourselves; a faithful Creator. God, whom we are trusting, is the Creator who made everything. He is the sustainer of everything and controls everything. We’ve no reason to fear in our suffering. We can trust Him every step of the way because He is Sovereign over all things. He is faithful and lacks no power when it comes to that faithfulness. There will not be a time or place where God wishes He could do something for us in our suffering but finds Himself unable to do so. He will supply all that we need in it and through it, to the outcome and end that He has for it. And this gets us to the next part of the verse, where Peter says while doing good. How on earth do we do that? Often in the difficulties of our sufferings, we feel as if we are helpless and can’t do anything. But the answer is you can; you can do good right in the midst of that hardship. You can choose the things God has set forth in His word that honor Him. In every situation, no matter the indirect means used that the suffering comes into our lives, the believer has the power of obedient living, the power and ability to do good.

Dr. Caldwell reminds us that suffering is a part of the Christian life, it’s part of walking in the will of God. We are to endure it in the realm of trust. That trust extends to the very character of our God, His sovereignty, nature, attributes, and power. He will make use of our simple obedience to accomplish His ends. And the ultimate end for all that God has made, and all that God does is His glory. We can glorify Him in our suffering by a trusting believing life of faith works. In this way, we will find our hearts satisfied and God glorified. 

Dr. Philpot mentions that even in this same chapter, Peter tells believers not to be surprised when these fiery trials come as though something strange were happening to them. Rather, he exhorts them to rejoice insofar as they share in Christ’s sufferings and be glad when His glory is revealed. So then there is a sense of joy in the fact that you are partaking in this sharing and can look forward to a time when His glory is revealed. Dr. Caldwell affirms that God’s work is displayed in us as a sustaining force for our joy, even as we undergo sorrowful circumstances. But even here, we need to know that there will be well-meaning people all around us who try to point us to the way out, even offering ways to exit our hardships. But we need to have a perspective that is larger than that. We have to hold firm to the Scriptures and remember passages like 1 Peter 4, knowing what the Bible teaches about these things, and embrace the suffering, even when there is a way out. We have to pray like our Savior did in the garden, not as I will, but as You will. And remember that we are right where God has planned for us to be, and we can trust Him in that.

For further thought on this, consider listening to the following sermons:

Armed for Suffering

Joy in the Midst of Suffering

Our Hope in Suffering

Christ’s Suffering & Ours

Joy in Our Sufferings

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