This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot brings a couple of texts to Dr. Richard Caldwell’s attention that indicates that believers will also have to stand before the judgment seat or throne of God and give an account. These texts come from 2 Corinthians 5 and Romans 14. If we’re forgiven in Christ, and we’ve been washed, sanctified, and justified in God’s sight, having been clothed with the righteousness of Christ, what is this accounting? Weren’t all of our sins: past, present, and future, laid upon Christ at the cross as He bore our judgment in His body? Do we still have to account for our sins even if we’re forgiven? Will believers and unbelievers both have to stand together before the Lord?

Dr. Caldwell says that there are two judgments we read about in the New Testament. There is a judgment of unbelievers at the Great White Throne spoken of in Revelation and another of believers at the Bema Seat of Christ, to which 2 Corinthians 5 and Romans 14 refer. Unbelievers will be judged regarding their sins. Their sin debt is still there before God, and without Christ, it will result in their damnation. Believers will not be judged for their sins. Our sins were judged on the tree, in Christ’s own body, and paid for in full. But we will be judged regarding our works in every realm of life. We will be judged by what passes the test of Christ’s gaze. The nature of the judgment is positive. It isn’t so much about what we lose but what we gain, what will be rewardable on that day.

 Judgment connotes something harsh or something which we will experience sorrow for. And Paul does speak of the believer’s day of judgment as a fearful thing, even though it’s not a judgment of our sins. Dr. Caldwell says that he thinks there is a gravity, a weightiness of sobriety produced by the knowledge of that judgment which he believes indicates that there will be sorrow over wasted opportunities and unfulfilled responsibilities. But not in a way that is permanent and not in a way that diminishes heaven. When it comes to these things, the Bible gives us limited information about them. But from the Bible, we know that heaven will be full of joy, wonder, fulfillment, and satisfaction. What we also know is that what we do here as Christians, how we handle the responsibilities God gives us, how we use our time and resources, and how we live out our lives really does matter, and, one day, we will have to give an accounting for it. Yet that accounting will be before a gracious Lord who loves us. Dr. Caldwell reminds us of Peter and how the Lord Jesus dealt with him. Christ praised, corrected, and even sternly reproved Peter, but never in a way that threw Peter away and never in a way that he didn’t find restoration and encouragement. So the judgment we will face as believers is serious. It’s something that ought to change the way we live right now. But it’s not something where we should be filled with dread about our eternal future. We can look forward to that day with joy, knowing we will meet with the One who saved us by His own blood.

Other questions answered in the podcast today deal with degrees of rewards and punishments in our respective judgments. If you would like to learn more about the things discussed in this episode, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Caldwell delivered to the congregation at Founders Baptist Church:

Letting Judgement Guide Our Love

The Last Judgment

The Seriousness of Easter

The Great Day of Judgment

The Believer’s Relationship to Time

A Mature View of the Ministry

Pressing Gospel Claims Upon Men

No Fear of Judgment

The post Two Judgments: The Fate of Believers and Unbelievers Before God appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

During June in the United States, there is an ongoing month-long celebration known as Pride Month. This means that wherever you turn, it’s highly likely that you’ll be inundated with LGBTQ+ pride flags, in-your-face advertisements, pride paraphernalia, special events, and even pride parades. As Christians watch these things going on, we see more and more businesses and organizations endorsing and supporting these ideologies that are contradictory to our beliefs. The Bible gives us clear instructions on how to respond to the wrong thinking, understanding, and living choices of those who are caught up and believe these things. But where do we draw the line on things we engage with, like places we go, stores where we shop, programs and shows we watch, etc.? What is the best way to navigate our way through them? Join Dr. Richard Caldwell and host Dr. Josh Philpott on this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast as they delve into some of the complexities believers face in this rapidly morally declining society. They seek to provide biblical insight into how to balance our convictions over choices we make as we seek to stand firm in our faith while also seeking to remain as salt and light to those in need of God’s saving grace.

Dr. Caldwell reminds us that when the Apostle Paul, through the Holy Spirit, exhorts believers not to have anything to do with those people who are participating in the sinful behaviors he lists in 1 Corinthians 5, he makes it clear that he is speaking about those who are professing believers. Paul is talking about so-called believers, those who say they are believers yet go on living their lives in unrepentant sin. He doesn’t mean that we are to separate from just anyone who is living in these kinds of ways. If that were the case, we would have to go out of the world because the world is full of sinful behaviors, ideas, philosophies, choices, and decisions. The world will always be full of these kinds of things that grieve the hearts of believers.

Having shared this, Dr. Caldwell believes that the best way he can be helpful to believers in navigating the choices and decisions they will need to make regarding these things is to share how he walks through them on his own. He shares that first, for his own conscience’s sake, he thinks about where he can go and what he can do and participate in, not what others should or shouldn’t. He doesn’t believe that we should sit in judgment of one another about what we boycott and what we do not. It’s all over the place, being culture-wide and worldwide, so we won’t be able to boycott or avoid every place and thing. But for him and his conscience, when a business begins to do these things in a way that is in your face with no concerns for the beliefs of others and blatantly pushing their celebration of sin to the extremes, he decides to no longer frequent that establishment. Target, he shares, is an example of one of those extremes. Yet he also realizes that just because he chooses to no longer frequent Target, it doesn’t mean that down the road at other businesses and organizations that he might go to, like Exxon, McDonald’s, and so forth, there won’t be these same connections with the LGBTQ+. He sees the whole culture headed this way unless the Lord has mercy and some great awakening occurs. So there’s no way we will be able to boycott it all. The way he thinks through each choice is he considers what convicts his conscience, what goes too far, and what things and places exhibit blatant expressions of offense towards the things he believes in. And that’s how he chooses to work through these tough decisions.

Dr. Philpot says that he sees that avoiding and boycotting certain places isn’t necessarily a black-and-white issue. This, he shares, gets to Ephesians 5, where Paul exhorts Christians to walk as children of light, the fruit of light being found in all that is good, right, and true, and that we’re to be about discerning what is pleasing to the Lord. So there’s a sense of discernment needing to take place as we seek to do what is most pleasing to the Lord as our consciences allow, being based on good biblical principles as we make our decisions about these things.

Dr. Caldwell explains that pleasing the Lord is the motivation that informs our consciences. It’s not about us. It’s about Him. So we want to think about how to conduct our lives in a way that is most pleasing to Him. This includes being conscious of how we live our lives in a way that doesn’t confuse others about what we believe. We also want to think about how we conduct our lives that would be helpful to others in terms of setting an example or being a model they could follow. We don’t want to be confusing or present a bad testimony since these things fall under the umbrella of pleasing the Lord. Pleasing the Lord is the ultimate expression of what ought to drive all our decision-making. Which even gets down to streaming services and channels we subscribe to and watch. Many of them are not only shoving this gross immorality in our faces, but they’re even pushing it upon our young people and little children through the programming lineup and storylines of shows. Some of them, like the Disney Channel, are blatant about it in their stated goals, in their belief systems, and even in statements they make about it. Therefore we will need to grapple with all kinds of things like this as we try to learn what will be most pleasing to the Lord.

Another text from the same passage of Ephesians 5 they discuss relates to what Paul says about believers taking no part in the unfruitful works of darkness and our responsibility to expose them. Questions answered related to this are: Does this statement pertain to believers or unbelievers? In what sense do we expose the works of darkness? 

If you’d like to learn more about what the Bible has to say about the things discussed in this episode, consider listening to the following sermons, exposited by Dr. Caldwell:

Children of the Light – Part 2

Children of the Light – Part 3

One Ambition: To Please Christ

Walking in Wisdom – Parts 1 & 2

Discernment for Chaotic Times – Parts 1 & 2

The post Should Christians Boycott Businesses and Organizations That Promote Pride Month? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

In Titus 1, Paul writes to Titus directing Titus to appoint elders in every town. In Titus 1:6, some of the qualifications appear confusing. We find similar instructions in 1 Timothy 3, yet, there seem to be some differences in the wording. In Titus 1:6, Paul writes that the qualifications for an elder include that the man must be the husband of one wife and that his children are believers or are believing. If this is the case, should a pastor/elder continue in ministry if one of his children proves to be an unbeliever? How can this be? Are parents actually responsible for the salvation of their children? Is this what Proverbs 22:6 teaches when it tells us to train up a child in the way he should go, and even when he is old, he will not depart from it? Does proper parenting guarantee godly children? These questions and more will be answered on this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast this week as Dr. Josh Philpot and Dr. Richard Caldwell sit down to discuss and provide clarity and insight on these texts.

Dr. Caldwell tells us that he understands Titus 1:6 not to refer to the idea that the children of the man are to be saved but to be faithful children. In fact, it can be and has been translated that way in other translations, including the Legacy Standard Bible from which he reads. So faithful, not in the sense of being saved, but in the sense that the man manages his household well, not having children who are unruly, rebellious, wild, and disobedient. Having a disordered home where a child or children who cause their parents trouble this way inhibits the man from being qualified/fit for the ministry because their ability to minister would be severely hindered.

As we understand salvation, no parent is responsible for the regeneration of their child. God saves, not parents. However, God uses parents as a means as He brings about a believing generation. This gets to the Proverbs 22:6 text which has been understood by many that if you are a dutiful and faithful parent to raise your child/children up and teach them the ways of the Lord, this guarantees that they will not walk away from the way of truth. But that isn’t what this text teaches. It doesn’t promise or guarantee anything of the sort. This is only a truism, something that is generally true. Good parenting does not equal saved children. That is not what Proverbs is teaching. And it is not what we find in the whole of Scripture. There is no effort on the part of parents that can make that happen. We need to give them the gospel and explain these things to them, being faithful evangelists and disciplers in that way, but in the end, we have to leave it to the Lord.

Dr. Caldwell shares a farming analogy to help illustrate these truths. He explains that the ministry is the Lord’s field, and we are the workers; some are sowing, some watering, but the Lord is the one who gives the increase. We get to be part of God’s work in salvation, He uses our means of ministering, but He does the work. It’s the same in the raising of our children. We take the responsibilities that God has given us and strive to be faithful to them. We pray for our children, teach them the word of God, have them in church with us as faithful members, and model the word of God in how we live, not being hypocrites. Hypocrisy is wearing a mask, pretending to be one thing when you’re something else. Parents are not perfect; there are no perfect parents. There’s a difference between being imperfect and stumbling in many ways and hypocrisy. Parents are to live the truth with sincerity, being faithful with all that God calls them to, knowing that they get to be a part of what God is doing, and remembering that their child’s/children’s salvation is God’s work and that it’s a matter of grace and mercy.

Because we are speaking about a text where Paul gives qualifications for elders in ministry, it is also important to point out that just because a man’s child or children are out of control does not necessarily mean that it’s a result of bad parenting. It just means that the man is not qualified; he is not in a position to serve in the church in this role. Typically though, if a home is well managed, you will have children that are faithful. Children who are faithful in the sense of being under the leadership of their parents, walking according to family rules, and not unruly or in constant disobedience. Every child is going to have his-or-her challenging moments. But good parenting as a norm keeps a home in order and under control. But it isn’t true to say that every challenge to that parenting reflects poor parenting.

Would you like to hear more about the things discussed today? Consider listening to the following sermons exposited from God’s Word by Dr. Caldwell: 

The Elder’s Home – Part 2

A Well Managed Home

The Wrong Answer for Your Child’s Greatest Need

Christian Parenting

The post Does Proper Parenting Guarantee Godly Children? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

As people who live in a fallen world and fallen bodies, even if we are saved, we can find ourselves facing discouragement, feeling despondent, and even depressed from time to time. When we think of Romans 8:28, which often gets thrown around when a challenging difficulty comes to our lives, how can we understand how it applies to us? Doesn’t God want us to be happy and to thrive? How can Christians think biblically through these things as part of God’s overall plan? What can we do when these feelings and emotions run amuck in us? Is there a way to deal with them that honors and glorifies God while we struggle through them? Join us on the Straight Truth Podcast this week as Dr. Josh Philpot presents Dr. Richard Caldwell with these questions, seeking biblical answers to help us understand these sometimes intense and challenging feelings and emotions. But they also seek to encourage us about how to live our lives when burdened with these kinds of sufferings.

Dr. Caldwell says if we understand happiness as a feeling, we will be confused about what the Bible commands us to do. We are commanded to rejoice and to rejoice regardless of our circumstances. But that rejoicing will not be fulfilled in the realm of our emotions. Joy is a choice we must make, where we agree with God, believe God, submit to Him, and rest in Him amid our circumstances. This is what enables us to know joy, even in sadness. Dr. Caldwell shares about the passing of his father and the emotions and feelings he dealt with in those moments, hours, and days. He explains that while he experienced profoundly sad things, even so, there was a supernatural, almost unrepeatable joy.

Dr. Caldwell says God’s goal for us is not happiness but holiness. We have been destined for conformity to the image of Christ. It’s through everything we experience in life that we are being conformed to His image. This is how Romans 8:28 figures into God’s plan. Everything we go through is being used to shape, mold, and form us into the very likeness of Christ. The Lord uses sickness, health, new life, loss of life, discouragement, despondency, depression, and many other difficulties in our lives, to bring about our transformation. And yes, some of these things might be life-long burdens to carry. Whatever it is that we face, whenever we are called to face it, we are called to glorify God right there. Every realm of life presents us with the opportunity to glorify God.

We are all wired differently, and some will have a burden to carry because of how they are wired that others don’t. Some people are more outgoing, and others are more introspective. Some people are more upbeat, and others are more downcast or melancholy. In these and other ways, there are going to be challenges that must be dealt with according to the Word of God. Our flesh, our bodies, and our minds remain affected by sin. Some of our natural tendencies can be sinful, and they need to be overcome by mortifying them and walking according to truth. The emotional realm is another area where we will battle with these tendencies. Some may struggle their entire lives with depression and discouragement, much like Charles Spurgeon and William Cowper. But, what we do is take how we’ve been affected by the fall, and we glorify God by not allowing these sorts of natural wirings under sin to be what determines how we live. We must take what we are going through and compare it with the Word of God. We need to see the truth, grasp an eternal perspective and bow to Scripture. So we have to be intentionally and consistently bowing our minds and hearts to truth as it has been revealed in God’s Holy Word and as it’s found in Jesus Christ. We turn our focus away from us and away from our emotions to the Lord, and we find our delight and our joy in Him. None of this can be measured by our emotions. Emotions are fickle things. It’s in the realm of our choices, our decisions, and our devotions where delight and joy are really manifested. God has made us emotional creatures, so our emotions will affect our feelings. But joy is not determined by how we feel. Joy is determined by decision.

If you are interested in learning more about how to apply God’s truths to the challenging and difficult circumstances of your life to live a more joy-filled life despite them, consider listening to the following sermons delivered by Dr. Caldwell:

The Joy of Salvation

Joy in Our Sufferings

Truths for Christian Joy

The Life of Abounding Hope

Trials Are the Way to Joy

Facing Our Fear With Faith

When It Seems God Isn’t Listening

The Lord is My Shepherd – Part 3

The Lord is My Shepherd – Part 4

The post Choosing Joy – A Biblical Perspective on Happiness and Suffering appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, we have someone who asks what can an adult child do when their parents are going through marital difficulties and are possibly pursuing a divorce. How can adult children of professing Christian parents speak into their lives as they see these things taking place? Can children go to their parents and bring the Scriptures to bear upon their quarrels and troubles, imploring them to hear and obey? Can we involve others in our desire to see our parents remain married? What can we say and do as we seek to honor and respect our parents in their roles while yet pointing out the error of their ways? Join us to hear this conversation as Dr. Josh Philpot and Dr. Richard Caldwell aim to give biblical advice for how adult children can respectfully speak and appeal to their parents when they see that relationship breaking apart, along with suggesting other possible avenues of calling them to reconcile.

The Lord hates divorce. This is factually clear from Malachi 2:16, when God says, ‘For I hate divorce.’. In Matthew 19, we read of the Pharisees coming to Jesus with questions about divorce. Instead of answering their question about divorce, He first reminds them of the permanence of marriage that God has intended from the beginning. So, Dr. Caldwell says if the parents claim to be believers, you can appeal to them with Scriptures, showing them that their pursuit of divorce is sinful. The Bible is also clear that there are limited grounds for divorce. There’s debate in the church about what those grounds actually are. But one thing that’s undebatable is, apart from those reasons, divorce is sinful. So if there’s been no sexual immorality and no abandonment taking place in the marriage, then whatever it is that’s dividing these two people, it needs to be confessed as sin, forgiven, and their marriage needs to be maintained. You can go to your parents with this. You can have conversations with them about marriage, reminding them of the overall teaching in the Scriptures about marriage, and talk with them about the sinfulness of what they are pursuing.

If you have siblings, reach out to them, and get them involved, especially if they are believers. Ask them to come alongside you on the issue, to help you to talk with them, and appeal to your parents to do what is right, that which will bring honor and glory to God regarding their circumstances. If they still won’t listen to you, and your parents are part of a healthy church, reach out to the leadership of that church. If they aren’t already aware of these things, make sure they know what is going on with your parents and what steps you’ve taken to appeal to them. Ask them to engage with your family.

You may very well have some hesitancy and experience anxiety about confronting your parents about sin issues. This is to be expected, as they are your parents, and you are commanded to honor and respect them. But the beauty and wonder of the Christian life is that when the Lord saves us, we become part of His family; we are His children. So even though your parents are your parents, if they are saved, and you are saved, you are brothers and sisters in the Lord. And the Scriptures tell us that if we see a brother in sin, hurting himself or others, we are to go to them and confront them. This is true whether it’s your parents or even one of your immediate siblings in sin. We can’t let family relationships get in the way of our God-given responsibilities.

Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Caldwell about how adult children can help navigate those parents who are widows and widowers that want to get married again. Would it be a similar approach? Should those children and their siblings, if any, just appeal to the Scriptures and call their parents to be faithful? Should they consult with that parent’s church if they aren’t part of theirs?

Dr. Caldwell shares that you want to recognize and empathize with your parent’s loneliness. Additionally, you need to recognize they are not sinning if they decide to get married. The Scriptures make it clear that when a spouse dies, whether it’s the husband or the wife that remains living, they are free to marry. Yet, this is conditional for the widow or widower who is saved and belongs to Christ, they may marry whomever they wish, but only in the Lord (1 Cor. 7:39). However, it’s worth having a conversation about how this is going to affect the family dynamics. Your parent needs to be wise enough to hear you out and understand what concerns you might have. But in all these situations, it’s about conversations. It requires sitting down in honesty and sincerity, not sort of talking around the issues and hoping that they get the message. Straightforward, clear communication is always best. But also, make clear your love for them and your desire to help, sharing that these are the motivations for your conversations.

Consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Scriptures that will help to further inform and guide you in your conversations on these issues:

The First Attack On God’s Design

The Anchor for the Christian Family

Generational Instruction

Foundational Matters for Healthy Marriages

The Love that Endures – Parts 1 & 2

The Correction of God’s Children – Pts. 1, 2, & 3

The post Navigating Parental Divorce: Guidance for Adult Children appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

In Genesis 1:28, God commands Adam and Eve to “Be fruitful and multiply”, and we see this commandment repeated after the flood to Noah and his sons. So first, Christians need to see that God intends for children to be produced from the union of a husband and wife. Second, Scripture makes it clear that children are a heritage from the Lord and that the fruit of the womb is a reward (Psalm 127:3–4). Throughout the Bible, God is clear about the value of children, so children should be highly valued and seen as gifts. But when it comes to when we should have children, how many, and how far apart they should be, the Bible is silent. How should a young married couple think about these things? Can a married couple plan and act according to their desires regarding procreation? Is God opposed to Christians making plans for their family, even those that might limit the number of children they have? What principles can husbands and wives draw from the Scriptures that will help them navigate the issues of family planning? Join us on the Straight Truth Podcast this week as Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell to share some biblical advice and wisdom for Christians planning a family.

Dr. Caldwell believes that any time we walk into an area that the Bible doesn’t give us a lot of specific information about, then we have to recognize that it is a matter of judgment, but; it’s a matter of judgment that is Scripture informed. It should always be a matter of judgment that desires to honor and glorify God above all. With this in mind, Dr. Caldwell says that when we think about family planning, our attitude needs to match that of Scripture. Do we see children as God sees them; do we understand them as a treasure and a privilege? Where God gives children, there is an imparted responsibility with respect to training those children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Several Scriptures could be quoted that speak about these responsibilities. Deuteronomy 6 alone reveals the entire world to be the schoolhouse, and from the time the children get up until the time they go to sleep, parents are to be teaching, teaching, teaching them. The psalmist in Psalm 127 tells us the man that fills his quiver with them is blessed, so we should see every child from the Lord as a blessing. Do we see these things? Do we have this attitude? Do we understand the weighty responsibility we are given when gifted with children? Do we truly understand that every child is a blessing? Through much prayer and Scripture-informed conversations, a husband and wife may wisely plan their future and the future of any children God blesses them with as they seek His guidance in making these decisions.

Dr. Caldwell also speaks about the role of our parents, our siblings, and even elders in the local church that can help assist young married couples as they seek to navigate the decisions regarding family planning. Sometimes our families can have very strong opinions and want us to do it their way. But ultimately, God has granted husbands and wives (parents yet-to-be) the responsibility for family planning. The books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes call us to be wise in making decisions, which includes our growing and raising a family. So as husband and wife, a new family unit, you must decide what responsible family decision-making looks like for your family. But of course, this does not mean that we should reject or not even seek the wisdom of those who have gone before us. Dr. Caldwell says to do this is foolish. Those older and wiser than us can counsel us, offer guidance, and help us think through the questions we have about when we should have children, how many, and how far apart they should be, in addition to helping us with other questions we have about raising children.

Additional questions Dr. Caldwell answers regarding Christians and family planning are: What if one spouse or the other wants to have more children? Does financial stability have anything to do with having children? And what if we, as a Christian married couple, disagree with our parents regarding family life and how to go about it?

Dr. Caldwell has delivered many sermons on marriage, parenting, raising children, and the importance of the Godly instruction we need for each area of our lives. Following are a few of those sermons that can assist in helping you think biblically about these things:

The First Attack on God’s Design

The Anchor for the Christian Family

Generational Instruction

Foundational Matters for Healthy Marriages

The Simplicity of Saving Faith

Joyful Parenting

The Love that Endures – Parts 1 & 2

The post Biblical Family Planning appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:15, the Apostle Paul, writing to the church in Thessalonica, tells the brothers to stand firm and hold to the traditions they were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us (us, being Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy). What exactly are these traditions that Paul speaks of here? How can we know these traditions the Thessalonians were taught since Paul doesn’t speak of them here? Do these traditions pertain to teachings and practices outside the Bible? Join us and listen to the Straight Truth Podcast this week as Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell to explain what these traditions are that the Apostle Paul refers to.

Dr. Caldwell says he understands Paul’s reference to traditions to be synonymous with teaching. It’s teaching the Word of God and applying the Word of God. Important to remember is that when Paul is teaching these New Testament churches, it’s a unique time in history. The New Testament has not been inscripturated; it’s not yet complete. It’s coming into being by way of apostolic instruction, apostolic teaching, so it’s apostolic tradition. We have the Apostles of the Lord orally teaching these believers and then writing letters to them as local church congregations. Those traditions that were given, handed down, and taught to the Lord’s people are what the Apostles taught them; it’s the Apostles Doctrine. They are not just traditions in the general sense. It’s the Word of God that they’re meeting with by word and by letter, teachings, that are meant to be taken and properly applied. Dr. Caldwell shares from 2 Thessalonians 3, verse 6, where he believes the authoritative nature of the Apostles teaching is demonstrated.

Dr. Caldwell understands Paul speaking of traditions to be synonymous with all the Apostles teachings, teaching both by word and by letter. It’s doctrine, teaching about the gospel, church structure, church order, and more. But that teaching also includes instruction on practical matters, as Dr. Caldwell shares from another section of 2 Thessalonians 3. He explains that wherever the Word of God is being taught and applied, the authority of that Word is to be respected by the church. We read Paul reminding his readers of this often throughout his letters. We also have Jude, who writes, exhorting believers to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all handed down to the saints.

Yet, there are places in the Bible where traditions are talked about negatively. Jesus teaches that wherever you have other kinds of traditions that are not authoritative, not taken directly from God’s Word, those traditions need to be tested and corrected by the Word of God. For example, He says, ‘You have heard it was said, but I say to you.’ What He is doing is reaffirming what the Word of God said. The Word of God trumps tradition. So then, where tradition doesn’t accord with Scripture, Scripture is what we hold to, not the tradition.

One of the greatest struggles over tradition today is between Protestants and Roman Catholicism. It’s the great debate about authority; what has authority in the life of the church and over the Lord’s people, etc.? For the Reformers, it was sola scriptura, the Bible being the final authority. This is what we believe and are convinced of. But the Roman Catholic church would point to more than just the Scriptures, claiming papal authority and holding to religious traditions they regard as authoritative. As Protestants, we would say the Bible tests all of that. Wherever any tradition does not agree with Scripture, the Scriptures are the final word.

If you would like to hear about these things from the Scriptures, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Caldwell:

A Powerful Church

A Final Word on the Ministry – Part 1

A Final Word on the Ministry – Part 3

Change of Plans

The Ministers of the Word in the Life of the Church

Spiritual Slave Traders

Traditions or Commandments?

Silencing Truth to Uphold Traditions

The post Deciphering Biblical Traditions: Apostle Paul’s Teachings, Church Authority, and the Role of Scripture appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot shares some of the intense wrangling and controversial debates he sees happening within Christian circles. These things being talked about and sometimes hotly argued about are highly magnified by social media, the comment sections, and all the rest. Understanding that all believers, even within a solid local church, will not agree about everything, he asks Dr. Richard Caldwell how can Christians find a way through some of this. Can Christians disagree so strenuously and not cause disunity that brings harm to the body of Christ? What might be the best approach to having some of these discussions that need to be had? Can some of this lead us to dis-fellowshipping with other believers?

Dr. Caldwell shares that these are great questions and honestly, they are difficult ones to navigate. He says it is sometimes difficult to know how to shepherd people on some of these things. However, something important to point out is that in Christianity, there is a unity that’s been created by God, in salvation that is fixed and unchangeable. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are one. Jesus prayed for this, and the Father answered that prayer. There is a unity that we have, that even when we are not living it out, it still exists, and Heaven will reflect that. However, there are some non-negotiable terms of fellowship that have to do with us being believers. Some issues will be deal breakers when it comes to whom we consider to be our brother or sister and with those whom we can walk with in the most general kind of Christian fellowship. Beyond that, you move to the realm of the local church. You can also have a group of like-minded churches who will be able to fellowship together because of their like-mindedness. But the idea that you’re going to have unanimity of opinion about everything in the world across Christendom is just an unrealistic expectation. So if we ask where can we find true unity, the answer would be in the Christian family and the Christian church, one local church at a time. It’s in each local church that we live and walk together according to the standards of the Bible, according to the big-picture items where we are like-minded and where we aim to be charitable about things that aren’t so clear, and always remembering the importance of peace. Dr. Caldwell shares the Apostle Paul’s appeal to the Philippian believers to work together to get along. He tells us that the way that Paul goes about this is what will help us get along; it is remembering our common work in the Lord and that our names are written in the book of life. He reminds us that we are members of the same family, we have the same Lord, the same truth, the same Holy Spirit, we are headed to the same home, and we have the same work assigned to us. Dr. Caldwell believes it is in these ways we have hope of walking together.

Beyond the local congregation setting, when we think about other churches and all the rest, there are going to be matters of differences where our fellowship together in ministry might prove to be limited. What those are will be measured differently by pastors and churches. We can acknowledge each other as brothers and sisters and love each other as fellow believers. But, if we are going to do ministry together, there needs to be enough like-mindedness that we are not pulling against one another as we’re seeking to do the work of Christ with the gospel.

Dr. Caldwell explains that what happens in these heated debates and arguments is that we forget the preeminence of love. He reminds us of 1 Corinthians 13 and our need to remember what Paul has to say here. We forget that with love comes the fruit of the Spirit. Where genuine love is being practiced, the Spirit of God is leading us. Where the Spirit of God is leading us, there is fruit. We will see the fruit of gentleness, patience, and kindness manifested in our behaviors and attitudes. We forget that these things matter, that the Lord is standing at the door and that we will have to give an account to Him for our words, attitudes, and behaviors.

As far as someone dis-fellowshipping in a local church, this will really be based on their understanding of doctrines and convictions that they hold. At Founders Baptist Church, we have core doctrine non-negotiables; these are things that make someone a believer. But then we have what we call characteristic doctrine, things that we believe with great conviction that you will hear a lot about as a member of this church. One of those is the belief in the sovereignty of God in salvation. So if you struggle with those doctrines, you will be uncomfortable here over the long haul. Then we have a third category we call charitable, things we just are not going to argue about, and we are going to love each other despite our differences. There may be a time and place where someone is genuinely a Christian, but when it comes to this area of characteristic doctrine, they just don’t agree. If this is the situation and they cannot live submissively in a particular family of believers without undermining its doctrine and sowing division with their conversations, it may be time for them to find another church. It would be better for them to find a church where their agreements line up. Having said this, if the conflict involves another Christian in the church, instead of just leaving and going to another church, and even if you decide to leave, humble yourself and seek to make it right with them, take every step you can to make those things right. Be at peace with all men as much as it depends upon you.

The following sermons will help us to think further through our approaches to the differences we have with other believers:

The Behavior of a Healthy Church

The Church in it’s Right Mind

Keys To Church Unity

Getting Along in the Family of God – Part 1

Getting Along in the Family of God – Part 2

Loving Those With Whom We Differ

The Worthy Walk – Part 2

Gentleness

The post Disagreeing with Other Christians appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell to explain what it means for believers to be salt and light in this world. Most people who read and hear this statement of Jesus in Matthew 5 think immediately of evangelism. But does this saying pertain to evangelism only, or are there broader applications of being salt and light in the world? 

Dr. Caldwell believes that being salt and light in this world applies to the whole of life, everything about the Christian’s life. He explains that salt and light are being used for comparison; this represents analogy. Salt is a preservative and a flavor enhancer. Light is being contrasted with darkness. Dr. Caldwell reads Matthew 5:13-16 that we might hear the rest of Jesus’ words on the matter, which will help us to better understand the analogy. In doing this, Dr. Caldwell says it’s not just about our message it’s about our manner of life, our way of living. Even as Jesus speaks of others seeing our good works, he speaks of them about our lives. Others see our lives being lived out according to the Scriptures. So that in every realm and walk of life, we go about loving the Lord, submitting to and obeying the Scriptures in such a way that we are a preservative in the culture. We live our lives in such a way that we are shining the light of God in a dark place.

But is there a broader application of this? Can it apply to things like Christians being influential in the workplace and sectors of society, as in government and politics? Dr. Caldwell says it can apply to these areas, but he is trying to emphasize what Jesus says. Jesus says, you are the salt of the earth, and you are the light of the world. We don’t need to strategize how to be salt and light. Jesus says we ARE these as believers. He believes the point Jesus makes here is that we are to live like who we are. We are to live like Christians in every realm of life, whatever roles we have been placed in and entrusted with. Believers are meant to live for the glory of God and for the good of others, with the gospel in hand, yes, but with the truth of God in hand, living it out in every realm and in every decision we make. That is what it means to be salt and light.

So if we can keep in mind that we already are salt and light, we won’t go around trying to figure out how to be them. We just need to live for Christ wherever we are planted and seek to be obedient in whatever opportunities He provides. This will include conversations with others as we seek to influence people’s thinking about cultural issues from a Christian worldview, how we understand political issues biblically and how we vote, how we conduct ourselves in the public arena, and more. The only thing we can do to get in the way of being this kind of influence is to not live like we are meant to. By not living as we should, we hide the light; and lose our savor. We become worthless with respect to what we are really meant to do and be in the world.

Dr. Philpot says some might think and say this is a kind of passivity approach to being salt and light in the world. He asks if there is any sort of exhortation that Dr. Caldwell would give to say this is who we are, therefore, go into the world in all these areas to be influential and effective?

Dr. Caldwell says, of course, most definitely the Lord Jesus gives the command to go into all the world with the gospel, and that’s the major influence we have if we believe that the only way for people to be transformed is through salvation. The most powerful influence we have in the world is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Beyond that, however, he says there is nothing passive about saying walk in the truth obeying the Word of God. The Christian life is not a life of passivity. It is a diligent, active, intentional kind of life, where in every realm and for every decision, we must ask, what does the Word of God require of me here? Living our lives actively directed and ordered by the Word of God through the power of the Holy Spirit is truly transformative. We see this in what was said about the Apostles as they preached the gospel and lived it out everywhere they went – ‘these men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.’ There were powerful things taking place, but none of it through some human strategy session. They were simply doing what and being who God had called them to be and do.

The following sermons exposited by Dr. Caldwell will help us with what it means that believers are salt and light and how remaining focused on Christ and being obedient to Him is how we will remain influential as salt and light in this world:

The Believer’s Influence in the World

The Light of the World

Children of the Light – Part 2

Living In Light of the Incarnation – Part 3

Beware of Deception

The post How Should We Understand the Jealousy of God? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Josh Philpot asks Dr. Richard Caldwell to explain what it means for believers to be salt and light in this world. Most people who read and hear this statement of Jesus in Matthew 5 think immediately of evangelism. But does this saying pertain to evangelism only, or are there broader applications of being salt and light in the world? 

Dr. Caldwell believes that being salt and light in this world applies to the whole of life, everything about the Christian’s life. He explains that salt and light are being used for comparison; this represents analogy. Salt is a preservative and a flavor enhancer. Light is being contrasted with darkness. Dr. Caldwell reads Matthew 5:13-16 that we might hear the rest of Jesus’ words on the matter, which will help us to better understand the analogy. In doing this, Dr. Caldwell says it’s not just about our message it’s about our manner of life, our way of living. Even as Jesus speaks of others seeing our good works, he speaks of them about our lives. Others see our lives being lived out according to the Scriptures. So that in every realm and walk of life, we go about loving the Lord, submitting to and obeying the Scriptures in such a way that we are a preservative in the culture. We live our lives in such a way that we are shining the light of God in a dark place.

But is there a broader application of this? Can it apply to things like Christians being influential in the workplace and sectors of society, as in government and politics? Dr. Caldwell says it can apply to these areas, but he is trying to emphasize what Jesus says. Jesus says, you are the salt of the earth, and you are the light of the world. We don’t need to strategize how to be salt and light. Jesus says we ARE these as believers. He believes the point Jesus makes here is that we are to live like who we are. We are to live like Christians in every realm of life, whatever roles we have been placed in and entrusted with. Believers are meant to live for the glory of God and for the good of others, with the gospel in hand, yes, but with the truth of God in hand, living it out in every realm and in every decision we make. That is what it means to be salt and light.

So if we can keep in mind that we already are salt and light, we won’t go around trying to figure out how to be them. We just need to live for Christ wherever we are planted and seek to be obedient in whatever opportunities He provides. This will include conversations with others as we seek to influence people’s thinking about cultural issues from a Christian worldview, how we understand political issues biblically and how we vote, how we conduct ourselves in the public arena, and more. The only thing we can do to get in the way of being this kind of influence is to not live like we are meant to. By not living as we should, we hide the light; and lose our savor. We become worthless with respect to what we are really meant to do and be in the world.

Dr. Philpot says some might think and say this is a kind of passivity approach to being salt and light in the world. He asks if there is any sort of exhortation that Dr. Caldwell would give to say this is who we are, therefore, go into the world in all these areas to be influential and effective?

Dr. Caldwell says, of course, most definitely the Lord Jesus gives the command to go into all the world with the gospel, and that’s the major influence we have if we believe that the only way for people to be transformed is through salvation. The most powerful influence we have in the world is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Beyond that, however, he says there is nothing passive about saying walk in the truth obeying the Word of God. The Christian life is not a life of passivity. It is a diligent, active, intentional kind of life, where in every realm and for every decision, we must ask, what does the Word of God require of me here? Living our lives actively directed and ordered by the Word of God through the power of the Holy Spirit is truly transformative. We see this in what was said about the Apostles as they preached the gospel and lived it out everywhere they went – ‘these men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.’ There were powerful things taking place, but none of it through some human strategy session. They were simply doing what and being who God had called them to be and do.

The following sermons exposited by Dr. Caldwell will help us with what it means that believers are salt and light and how remaining focused on Christ and being obedient to Him is how we will remain influential as salt and light in this world:

The Believer’s Influence in the World

The Light of the World

Children of the Light – Part 2

Living In Light of the Incarnation – Part 3

Beware of Deception

The post Being Salt and Light in the World: A Christian’s Role Beyond Evangelism appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.