This season on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and host Dr. Josh Philpot are before a live audience. They aim to answer questions that are on the hearts and minds of those in attendance. The question asked for this episode pertains to a statement made by Dr. Caldwell in a recent sermon. The questioner tells us that in that sermon, Dr. Caldwell stated that unbelievers are unable to pray. The questioner asks, does that mean that God doesn’t hear their prayers. If that is the case, what then changes that for a Christian?

Dr. Caldwell says that what he means by that is an inability unbelievers have for prayer that only comes through salvation; it isn’t something any of us have by nature. But for a believer, someone who stands reconciled with God, they’ve been given and have a new nature they now have a relationship with God whose face they seek. Dr. Caldwell reminds us that God is all-knowing and always present. He is aware of the prayers of the lost and has no problem hearing them or understanding them. The issue is reception.

A different question to ask that will be helpful is, does God deal with unbelievers in the same way that He deals with believers; the answer is no. The unbeliever remains estranged from God based on sin. They are not a child of God, they do not have the Spirit of God, and they do not have Jesus as their Great High Priest in heaven. They do not have the access that believers have because of the blood of Jesus. Hebrews 10 speaks to this, revealing a standing that believers have in God’s grace that unbelievers do not. So then it is in this sense that God has no regard for their prayers. God is not going to deal with them as He does with His children.

Dr. Caldwell shares a couple of examples, one from 1 Peter 3:12 and a second from Proverbs 28:9. He reads and walks us through these passages, explaining what each one is saying in its context and how they relate to God receiving and accepting us. He carefully explains we must come to God through the blood of Jesus, trusting in the finished work of Christ on the cross. If this is not how we are approaching God, then it is all just religious activity, prayer included. God doesn’t have regard for that. He doesn’t accept that. Every kind of religious act that a lost person offers to God is stained with sin; it’s unacceptable. The sinner needs to know that acceptance with God will not and cannot be found in religious acts offered in their own merit and own strength.

This acceptance is found only in and through the blood of God’s Son. To approach God, we must come by way of His Son, which means looking to Jesus as Lord and Savior. Until we have done that, our prayers are not acceptable to God. But, if a lost man or woman cries out to God, in faith, for the forgiveness of sins that comes through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that is a prayer that will be received and answered with eternal life.

What about the believer who comes to worship having sinned, possibly feeling guilty, weak, far from God, and maybe even lacking the desire to pray? Dr. Caldwell reminds us that all of the Christian life has to be lived out fully in the knowledge of the full, free, complete, finished work of God’s Son. No one, none of us can stand before God, at any time, based on our own merit and righteousness. We have to go before the Lord in the confidence of Hebrews 10. However, says Dr. Caldwell, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be times where we feel these ways. If we are not dealing with sin as God calls us to, there may be times where our prayer life becomes hindered.

We might feel distant from God and experience a leanness in our spiritual walk. Dr. Caldwell points out that God loves us too much to let us go on in that which dishonors Him and destroys us. He disciplines and scourges every son He receives. He will bring pressures to bear on our lives to turn us out of the way of sin and on to the path which pleases Him. Dr. Caldwell also points out that we can often misunderstand this leanness.

There are times that we can feel these ways, and yet there be nothing wrong. That is why it’s important not to measure these things by our feelings but by the Scriptures. Our feelings may have to do with our physical constitution; it could be the Lord calling us to draw near and come to Him; it could be many things. But ultimately, we need to measure it all by the Word of God.

Measuring and examining ourselves by the Scriptures is a vital part of growth as Christians. It is here that we find the words of life. Without the Word of God, we lack a correct understanding of who Christ is, why He came, lived, died, and why He rose alive, bodily from the grave.

We might be considered a good person by the standard of the world. We might be spiritual or even super religious. But if we have not been washed and sanctified by the blood of Christ, reconciled to God, there is nothing we do that will please God. His Word tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please Him. Therefore, if we desire to approach Him, it must be through faith in Christ. We are to come in humble recognition of who God is, who we are, believing what He has done for us through the precious blood of His Son. It is this kind of prayer that God hears, receives, acknowledges, and accepts.

Does God Hear The Prayers Of An Unbeliever?

To learn more about the things shared in today’s podcast, consider listening to or watching the following sermons exposited by Dr. Caldwell:

Teach Us To Pray – The Disciples Request

The Humility Of Saving Faith

A Divine Argument For Drawing Near

Throne Of Grace

Who Wants Life (Part 1)

Faith In The Face Of Frustration

Joy Comes In The Morning

The Wise Response To A Troubled Heart

The Only Hope For A Guilty Soul

The post Does God Hear The Prayers Of An Unbeliever? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

This season on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and host Dr. Josh Philpot are before a live audience seeking to answer questions that are on the hearts and minds of those in attendance. Today we have Brianna, who states that she sees voting for a Democrat as inappropriate for a Christian due to differing beliefs on abortion, sexuality, and gender issues. Brianna wants to know how to help people that she sees heading in the wrong direction with the choices that they are making when it comes to these things and more. She would like to know what Scriptures she can appeal to that she might be able to help those with whom she speaks?

Dr. Caldwell says that these are important issues. He tells us that he doesn’t know how everyone in the church he shepherds votes, nor does he spend his time trying to dictate how they do. What he wants and desires for his local congregation to do is to learn the Word of God in its fullness. He wants every person there to be saturated with the Scriptures then apply that worldview to everything that they do in life. This of course includes our role as citizens in this country (the U.S.A.) and the ability to vote.

Voting gives us an opportunity to think carefully about the persons, policies, and platforms. It allows us the opportunity to choose wisely, based on the information we have and understand. With this in mind, Dr. Caldwell says that what he would say, along with others who have spoken about this topic, is that he does not believe that you can serve Christ, be true to the Scriptures, and affirm the Democratic platform. He says, “You can’t vote for that.”

Dr. Caldwell says that what has been brought up and asked actually introduced some of those things, that as Christians, we cannot agree with and remain true to the Scriptures. He discusses several of these helping us to look at them as God looks at them. Dr. Caldwell goes on to say it isn’t just the legitimizing of these things, as we have done in our culture, but it is also the promoting of them, the glorying in it. He states that these really are monumental issues. He just doesn’t know how a believer, one that is biblically well-informed, could affirm the things that God says are abominations.

Dr. Caldwell wants to be clear that he would not say that anyone who voted for a Democrat is lost; that is not what he is saying. What he is saying is that the Democratic platform is out of step with the Word of God. However, he also says the Republican party and their platform have and are increasingly moving away from the things that we believe as well. Our concern should not be about being identified as a Republican or a Democrat but instead as Christians.

In every election, we are not only given the opportunity, but we also have a responsibility to examine the people, the policies, and the platforms. We want to be looking for those that line up the closest to a Judeo-Christian worldview versus an agnostic or atheistic worldview. Dr. Caldwell encourages all Christians to think carefully about how they can best influence the culture as citizens of their countries. He wants Christians to examine the issues carefully and biblically and then vote that way.

But how do you tell someone that you think they are headed in the wrong direction with their thinking and choices? How do you present the errors you see kindly while not appear to be attacking those with whom you speak? Dr. Caldwell says it must be done with dependent effort. You don’t make it about yourself, nor about the person with whom you are speaking; you make it about the Bible. You go to the Word of God and evaluate the platforms by the light of Scripture. You take the truths of Scripture and let it address and answer. You compare what is written in those platforms with the Word of God and ask, “does this line up”. There will be problems on both sides, but having done this, you can then go and ask which one best reflects a Christian worldview.

Dr. Caldwell believes that we are living in a day of high confidence but low competence. He sees people as very impressed with themselves and their opinions. He tells us that even when you can show people the weakness of their viewpoints, they will often hold to them with great tenacity. So what he says we need to be able to do at the end of the day is say with Joshua – “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” We can only be responsible for our own choices in the ultimate sense. We can pray that the Lord will use us to help someone else think and choose rightly, but we can’t dictate that as pastors nor as believers. We can seek to influence others, but we have to leave them in the hands of God.

Dr. Caldwell reflects on the days of his youth. He remembers times when he was young and foolish in his thinking. Many times thinking he was right, when in-fact later found out he was wrong. He tells us this is the reason he can pray with patience and compassion for the younger generation. In doing this, he has hope that they will have the humility and wisdom to learn from the generation ahead of them. One of the greatest challenges he sees against this is a lack of respect for older seasoned believers who have biblical wisdom and experience with God. He tells us that we all need to have the kind of humility that is willing to learn at every age. Dr. Caldwell further informs us that we are on very dangerous ground when we think we know everything.

Voting for one party or the other does not make us morally virtuous or superior in any way. Yet, as Christians, each of us has the responsibility to be biblically well-informed and always prepared to make the best choices possible. We will only be able to do this if we are immersed, saturated, thoroughly informed, and directed by the Scriptures. We are to take them and apply them, living them out daily, with our full dependence on the grace of God and His Spirit.

Should A Christian Vote For A Democrat?

To learn more about living out the Christian life, rightly dividing the Word of God, and how to apply it to every aspect of life, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell:

A Christian Vision For Engaging The World – Pts. 1 & 2

The Deadliness Of Zealous Ignorance

The Love That Makes Enemies

Children Of God In This World

Whatever Happened To Holiness?

Discernment For The Ages

The Lives We Are Urged To Live

The Aim Of Christian Exhortation

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This season on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and host, Dr. Josh Philpot are before a live audience seeking to answer questions that are on the hearts and minds of those in attendance. Today our questioner asks about Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:22-23. He would like to know what Jesus means when He says, “The eye is the lamp of the body.”

Dr. Caldwell says how he views this teaching, is he sees the Lord giving us a comparison or an analogy that means to teach us a spiritual truth. He shares that God has designed our bodies in a way that our eyes serve the whole person. So, there is a sense that when our eyes are healthy, the whole life, the whole body, the whole person is enlightened. But when the eye or eyes are bad, you either have difficulty seeing or cannot see at all. The entire body is in jeopardy when this is the case. Dr. Caldwell says we can think about this from the perspective of someone who has their physical eyesight and from one who is blind.

He asks us to stop and think about how the eyes serve the rest of the body and then gives us an example. He helps us see how Jesus uses the physical to point to the spiritual truth. The healthy eye is the eye that sees, the eye that has spiritual perception. This eye, therefore, benefits the whole body to be full of light. But if the eye is bad it cannot see, it lacks spiritual understanding, and the entire body (the person) will be in darkness.

In the second half of verse 23, Dr. Caldwell understands the Lord as making application of what He teaches in these verses. Dr. Caldwell confirms this by explaining that we can have our physical eyesight and still be spiritually blind. He shares that this is the great darkness of which Jesus speaks. For us to live in this state of darkness is far greater than physical blindness alone.

Dr. Caldwell reminds us that in the larger context of these two verses, the Lord Jesus has been speaking about what and where our treasures are. Dr. Caldwell explains that the kind of things Jesus speaks about in the surrounding verses, cannot be done without spiritual vision. He further states that evidence of being darkened in our spiritual perceptions is that we go about our living focused on the things of this world. Instead of focusing our lives on what is really valuable and lasting forever, we stay focused on the temporal. Our focus should be on serving God Himself, not that what God gives. If we cannot see this, we are in great darkness.

Dr. Philpot shares that Matthew and the other gospel writers pick up on this idea of light. They speak of our lives being like lights that shouldn’t be hidden but put up high that we might shine our light to all that is around. He asks Dr. Caldwell if there is a correlation between this passage and that application. Dr. Caldwell says he thinks that the correlation would have to do with the image of light. Once we are brought into the light, there is light in us.

It is then, through us, that God gives light to the world- at least as a testimony to light. God is the giver of the spiritual ability to perceive that light. We are only witnesses of the light. It’s God who saves us, and in doing so He gives us eyes to see and ears to hear, spiritually speaking.

We are not born with this ability. God regenerates us. He gives us new birth that enables us to receive the light that was already there. Paul shares this with us in the second letter to the Corinthians. He speaks of how God, who said let light shine out of the darkness, has made His light shine in our hearts. It is this that enables us to perceive the glory of God in the face of His Son. Before being regenerated, Jesus may be presented to me many times.

However, I can never truly recognize Him until God says, let there be light. When He does, it’s at this very moment that we are given spiritual eyes and are really able to see who Jesus is. So then, all this light that is in us is to be a reflection of who Jesus is. And we need to distinguish like John the Baptist did between being a witness to the Light and the Light, Himself. We bear witness to the One who is the light. It’s the knowledge of Him that makes us lamps in this world.

Having eyes to see, being given spiritual sight is a precious gift. We have a great responsibility to act and live as children of God, those who belong to His kingdom. We have been given light, brought into the light, and entrusted with the message of that light. Therefore as sons and daughters of light, we should never behave in such a way as if we are still in darkness. Acting and behaving in ways of darkness would be to diminish, dim, and even hide that light.

The Dangers of Spiritual Darkness

To learn more about these sayings of Jesus and gain a deeper understanding of the things spoken about in this podcast, consider listening to or watching the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell:

Beware Of Deception

The Sunrise Of God’s Tender Mercy

Be Careful How You Listen

God’s Word Received – Pts. 1 & 2

Appreciating Salvation

Living In Light Of The Incarnation – Pts. 1-4

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This season on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and host, Dr. Josh Philpot are before a live audience seeking to answer questions that are on the hearts and minds of those in attendance. Today, the questioner asks about reading the Bible and paying attention to the details while also remembering the big picture of the Bible. She wants to know how to do this and what it should look like in her daily life.

Dr. Caldwell shares that every statement we have in the Scriptures has a context, and that is where we start. We will always be working from the larger picture to the details. So when we come to a detailed statement that we are trying to understand, we want to look first at the immediate context. He explains how each context setting is important to gain a proper understanding and meaning of Scripture. Dr. Caldwell says we do this sort of thing in our conversations with each other all the time. He then gives us an example of how we do this very thing using the word “key”.

Dr. Caldwell tells us that we have to take the biblical statements and ask, what did this mean to those who first received it. The question is never what does this mean to me, but what does it mean. We need to know the author’s intended meaning when he gave it to the original audience.

Live Out The Christian Life

Once we know and understand this, we can take the verse and principlize it. We do this in a way that takes the true meaning, and then we ask: what is the principle, how do I bring it into the present, and how do I plug it into my walk with God. We want to take that truth and be faithful to its original meaning, making this a constant practice as we live out the Christian life.

Dr. Philpot shares a few verses from Proverbs 3 and asks Dr. Caldwell if he can help us understand how these verses may or may not relate to what he has shared. What we have in the book of Proverbs, says Dr. Caldwell, is not the same as what we find in other books of the Bible. He shares that there are other important factors that we also must pay attention to when seeking to determine the meaning. He tells us that Proverbs is a wisdom book.

There are some chapters of Proverbs that tend to hang together. But often, many of the wisdom sayings found here stand on their own. Something else that Dr. Caldwell points out is that Proverbs is among the books of the Old Testament. This is yet another consideration we must think about when seeking to determine understanding and meaning. The Old Testament was given in the context of a theocracy, so some of their laws won’t necessarily travel over into our day.

The Big Picture Of The Bible

Dr. Caldwell tells us that keeping the big picture of the Bible in mind while we do this will not always be easy. First, because not even the big picture of the Bible is going to be answered the same by all. He believes the big picture of the Bible is the glory of God. It is the self-revelation of God. It is God making Himself known, and He is chiefly and preeminently known in His Son. Dr. Caldwell shares that this how he reads the Bible, always with this in mind. Further sharing with us that when he comes to a passage he asks, what do I see about God in this passage, what do I see about His character. He asks, is there something in this passage that informs me directly or indirectly about Your Son?

How we go about doing this in a regular ongoing way while not being hurried, will help us to grow and not become paralyzed. Dr. Caldwell explains that we live in light of what we know, and we are going to be learning for the rest of our lives. So we don’t need to live in a sort of paralyzed way, not knowing what to do until we have studied everything there is to know on a given issue. We need to live according to what we understand at any given time. What we know and understand right now is what we are to obey. God has given us relationships and put us in places where we have the ability to learn and grow, in our families, in the church, through godly friendships, etc.

Grow In Greater Understanding

So we need not worry about being stuck or stymied, we have means that the Lord has provided for us to grow in greater understanding. However, we must be mindful that we will never know everything on this side of heaven. Knowing, understanding, and obeying are not the same things. What we do with what we know is key. What we do know is that what God has revealed is trustworthy and true, and we can walk in what we know. This is our aim, we walk in the light that we have, and we strive to be obedient to what we know.

Understanding The Details And The Big Picture Of The Bible

To learn more about things discussed in this podcast consider listening to sermons exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Richard Caldwell:

God’s Glorious Son

A Doer Of God’s Word

The Outcome Of Our Approach To God’s Word

God’s Word And God’s People

Be Careful How You Listen – Pts. 1 & 2

How To Persevere – The Big Picture

Straight Paths

The post Understanding The Details And The Big Picture Of The Bible appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

This season on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and host, Dr. Josh Philpot are before a live audience seeking to answer questions that are on the hearts and minds of those in attendance. The questioner begins by sharing that Matthew 5:27-30 tells us what we ought to do concerning our sin and how we should deal with it. But, they ask, what does Jesus mean when He tells us to rip out our eye?

Dr. Caldwell reads Matthew 5: 27-30 to give the context for the saying “rip out your eye.” He tells us first that this passage teaches that sin is not just an external issue. A careful reading of the text reveals that our sin is a heart issue before it’s a physical issue. Jesus is teaching that sin must be battled on an internal level. Sin is about what goes on in the mind, as well as with the body. It’s about what takes place in the realm of our thoughts, our intentions, ambitions, and motives.

Our Lord speaks here of the seriousness of sin. So serious in-fact that He tells us it would be preferable to lose a member of our body than to lose our very soul. The passage should remind us that our lives do not end with our physical death. There are consequences for the lives that we live and it does not all end at the grave. So Jesus tells us that it would be better for us to lose a member of our body now than to spend an eternity in hell.

Dr. Caldwell explains that these sayings teach us that we must be willing to deal with our sin radically. He believes these sayings to be metaphorical, meant to be understood figuratively and not taken literally. They mean to teach us whatever it takes to deal with the sin in our lives, that we need to be willing to do it. Sin is a very serious issue with eternal consequences. It’s hateful to God therefore, it must be hateful to us. All sin is worthy of not only physical death but, it’s worthy of everlasting death. So we must recognize the seriousness of what’s at stake and be willing to do the battle. Dr. Caldwell gives some advice on how we practically battle against sin. He also points out and explains some of the means we are given as Christians to do this.

Dr. Philpot points out that this text appears to be speaking to men on the subject matter and the particular sin presented. He asks does this make the teaching applicable only to males then? Dr. Caldwell responds that while the example used by Jesus is that of men and the sin of adultery, by understanding it in the figurative sense, we can see how it applies to everyone. What our Lord teaches with this example is where the battle of sin begins. The battle of sin is in the heart and mind. So while Jesus here only uses this one example it applies to all sin and all kinds of sin issues for all people.

Dr. Caldwell says if we go back to Genesis and look at how Satan tempted Eve, we will see three avenues in which she was tempted. He explains these and tells us that coming to the New Testament, we can see, that these three avenues of temptation have never really changed. These are the same manners of temptation that human beings are still dealing with today. The emphasis in these temptations is on the elevation of man, exalting our physical satisfaction over the wellbeing of our souls.

Giving in to these temptations results in the exalting of self and the diminishing of God. As Christians, we want to humble ourselves before God that He would be exalted and honored. Hence, what is most important is not what would physically satisfy me but what is good for my soul and most satisfying to God. We want to hear the Word of God, submit ourselves to what it teaches, and obey it. We want to put to death the deeds of the body and mortify our sin. We want to do this, willing even to lose a member of our body over having our soul perish in hell.

Should I Really Rip Out My Eye To Resist Sin?

Sin is an ongoing battle for the Believer and is one of lifelong difficulty. It is a matter of such seriousness that there may be times of dealing with it that calls us to take extreme measures; this is the teaching of Matthew 5:27-30. To learn more about this teaching, and the ways and means to deal with sin, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell:

The Children Of God In This World

The Believer’s Obligations Regarding Sin

Salvation’s Obligation

How To Heed The Warnings

A Love The Christian Must Reject

Our Helper In Prayer

Teach Us To Pray – Pts. 6 & 7 Forgiveness of Sins and Dealing with Temptation

The post Should I Really Rip Out My Eye To Resist Sin? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

This season on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and host, Dr. Josh Philpot are before a live audience seeking to answer questions on their hearts and minds. This week our questioner shares that Matthew 6:25-34 warns us not to be concerned with what comes next. They ask does this mean as Christians that we do not have to put forth any form of effort, such as working hard at things and doing our best? Should we simply sit back and trust God to do everything for us, no matter what our circumstances?

Dr. Caldwell tells us that the passage referenced teaches us not to be anxious about what we are going to put on and how we’re going to make it in life. In this passage from Matthew, our Lord shares examples of the care given to the birds of the air and the grass and flowers of the fields. He uses these to show us how our Heavenly Father cares for them yet how much more He cares for us.

The exhortation that He gives in this passage is for believers to trust God. The question then, is should the exhortation lead us to a life that is without effort or ambition, living life sort of passively, waiting for God to take care of us? Dr. Caldwell says he believes the obvious answer is that it does not mean that, and it should not lead us to live that kind of life. This passage is to teach to trust God and not to live lives full of worry and anxiety. We are to know and be convinced that our Father loves us. We are to know that He cares, that He knows what we need, and that He will meet the needs of His people.

Trusting God To Provide

So then says Dr. Caldwell, we need to ask ourselves, what does this look like practically? He starts by giving us some examples. He explains how the role we take in trusting God to provide the things we need is not one of passivity. He explains that effort and trust must be actively working together. Ours is a life of dependent effort, as is revealed throughout the rest of the New Testament.

Praying, waiting, and watching will go along with our active efforts for that which we are aiming to accomplish or achieve. Dr. Caldwell says that he believes that 1 Corinthian 9:24-27 offers a balanced picture of this kind of life, effort on our part along with complete dependence upon the Lord. Everything we have and are is from the Lord. Whether it’s our strength, our abilities, our energy, the opportunities we receive, and so forth, it all comes from Him, and without Him, we can do nothing.

How and what then should we think about what the Lord says in verse 34 of Matthew 6? Jesus tells us that we are not even to be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. What is mean by this? How are we to understand it?

Dr. Caldwell says that it doesn’t teach us is to give no thought to tomorrow as if tomorrow might not exist. Instead, it teaches us not to worry about tomorrow as if God isn’t sovereign and it’s all up to us. This is important for us to grasp. One of the keys to overcoming worry and anxiety is humility, remembering that God is sovereign and we are not. We can walk and make plans for the future, but not as though it all depends on us.

Our Heavenly Father Cares For Us

All the plans we make for tomorrow might prove to be totally mistaken, on our part. God might bring about a completely different set of circumstances than we planned for and expected. Yet, we are to go about planning and aiming, all while trusting the Lord in a way that rests in the Lord and His sovereignty. We need to know our heavenly Father cares for us, and this is the point of this passage from Matthew 6. We don’t need to worry. We can rest in the sovereign love and care of the living God.

Is The Christian Life A Life Of Little To No Effort?

Putting off worry and anxiety, for a life of trust that excludes passivity, requires a life of dependent effort that must characterize the Christian life. To learn more about these things that Dr. Caldwell has shared in this podcast, consider listening to or watching the following sermons:

Words To Worriers – Pts. 1 & 2

The Fear Free Life

Running To Win

Teach Us To Pray – Our Daily Bread

If The Lord Wills

The Life of Peace – Trusting Prayer

An Increasing Savior – A Decreasing Servant

The Answer For Anxiety

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This season on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and host, Dr. Josh Philpot are before a live audience seeking to answer questions that are on their hearts and minds. The question asked in this episode reflects a desire to rightly understand how to apply Matthew 5:43-48. The questioner asks, what is the best way to love their enemies while attempting to surround themselves with truthful, godly influencers?

Dr. Caldwell shares the passage and then tells us that a couple of things stand out. One of those things is that something more is expected of us as believers, something that exceeds that which we will see in those who do not know the Lord. He explains that what Jesus points out is that there is a standard that believers are called to that is different than just loving those who love us.

In salvation, we are given the capacity to love in a way that exceeds what we knew before knowing Christ. Whatever love we are called to express pictures that of our heavenly Father. This point also is expressed in this passage. Jesus goes on to give examples of how God does this. God goes on loving His enemies, and He is our model for us to do likewise. We are to demonstrate His likeness in loving our enemies.

How To Go About Loving Our Enemies

But how are we to do this? How are we to go about loving our enemies while not surrounding ourselves with people who would discourage us or influence us wrongly in our walks? Dr. Caldwell says that he believes the key to this is understanding what it means to love our enemies. This means that there must be a difference between friendship with lost people that aims for the conversion of their souls, their salvation, versus friendship with lost people that would reflect fellowship. Dr. Caldwell goes on to explain what he means by this for a saved individual.

Our ambition as a saved person is to please God, and that is not a lost man’s ambition. Our aims and goals are no longer the same; our friendships and fellowship now belong with other believers. Yet this does not mean that we hate those that do not belong to Jesus and that we cut ourselves off from them. Our hearts ought to be that of compassion and desire towards them for their reconciliation to God.

We have the privilege and opportunity to share the gospel with those that are lost, that one day, we might have a friendship with them in a profoundly different way. We need to see those outside our fellowship through the eyes of the gospel, desiring for them to come to know and love God, that they would be reconciled to their Creator.

Be Perfect

Therefore, as verse 48 tells us to be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect, this is to be our aim. God loves His enemies and does good to them. We cannot do this perfectly, yet that is still our aim. We are to be loving and reflect our Father’s character. We are to go about living our lives in His image, desiring the salvation of our enemies, and doing good for them. Often this will go beyond our strength and ability, but never beyond what God calls us to and supplies us with.

How Do I Go About Loving My Enemies While Not Surrounding Myself With Them?

To learn more about loving enemies and doing good to and for them, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell:

Why The World Hates Christians

Hearing Jesus About Our Enemies – Pts. 1 & 2

The Logic For Love Of Enemies

Living For The Will Of God

Who Is My Neighbor?

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This season on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and host, Dr. Josh Philpot are before a live audience seeking to answer questions that are on their hearts and minds. The question asked in this episode comes from the reading of Matthew 7:21-23. A young lady asks, how can we know for sure that we are a Christian; how can we make sure we are true Christians and not like the hypocrites? She wonders, how does she know that she has eternal life?

Dr. Caldwell says this is a good question. He reads the passage and then shares that what’s envisioned here in these verses is a day that people will appear before the Lord Jesus in judgment and hear the words, I never knew you. These people have claimed to have a relationship with Jesus; they have claimed to have done quite a bit in His name. They’ve been this, and they’ve done that in His name, but Jesus says, “depart from Me, I never knew you.” So Dr. Caldwell says that there are a few things he’d like to point out.

He asks, is it possible for someone to say they know Jesus and yet don’t really know Him; is it possible for someone to engage in acts of ministry but not really know Jesus? He tells us these verses make clear that it is possible and that it is going to happen. Dr. Caldwell tells us this is a case where our Lord shows that are those who are deceived about their relationship to Him.

The Way That Someone Lives

Something else Dr. Caldwell points out from these verses is the evidence of the way that someone lives. Salvation is a matter of faith. However, there must be a distinction drawn between calling Jesus Lord without faith versus a confession of Jesus as Lord with genuine faith. Dr. Caldwell expands on this to help us understand what this means. Anyone can say they believe, but that belief must manifest itself in the life of the one making that confession. Dr. Caldwell reminds us that the Lord says in these very verses that the one who will enter the kingdom of heaven is not just the one who says, Lord, Lord, but the one who does the will of His Father. He takes this to refer to two things and proceeds with his explanation.

Dr. Caldwell next explains we don’t want to try measuring whether we have eternal life or not based on our performance. Our performance does not determine our outcome. Yet what is fair to evaluate is our life; we can ask ourselves questions. Does my life say that I really believe? How am I living my life? Is my life manifesting the truth of my belief and confession by the way that I am living daily?

Does the overall trajectory of my life say that I really believe Jesus is the Son of God? One bit of evidence that our confession is really full of faith is that we actually follow the one whom we claim to be Lord. We need to stop and think about what this title – Lord – means. Does our life match what our lips say? Does our life give evidence that this is who Jesus really is to us?

The Same As Any Believer

What would this look like in the life of a young person versus that of an adult believer? Dr. Caldwell says that it will look the same as any believer. However, the expression of it at times will be in different ways. Primarily this is due to their age and the setting in which a young person lives their life. He expresses that one of the best places a believer can go to evaluate evidences of eternal life in their own life is the book of First John. Here we can assess doctrinal evidences, our understanding of sin, the need and responsibility for ongoing confession of sin, our desire to please God, our love for the church, and our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We can assess if we are discerning, able to recognize false teaching, and able to refute it with the truth. These things are true for all Christians, whether you are 14 or 45. Of course, how it gets manifested will be different because of age, but over time, with growth and maturity, these truths will be increasingly evident in the lives of all believers. Dr. Caldwell mentions that there is much more that can be said as we walk through the book of First John.

These are only a few of the evidences we can find there. No matter how old we are, we can go there and treat it as a mirror; we can examine ourselves in light of it. We need to ask our self, is the pattern of our life that of pursuing sin, or is the pattern a putting away of sin and pursuing Christ. Ask yourself if you see the signs of life in your life as you examine it by the light of the Word of God.

How Do I Know That I Am Really A Christian?

Having a right understanding of salvation is crucial. It means the difference between life and death, heaven and hell, where and how we will spend eternity. Scripture calls us to examine ourselves, to test ourselves, to see if we are in the faith. One of the best ways to do this is to take the Word of God and let it be our guide. Let it reflect the truth about God and about who He says we are. Are we reconciled to Him; do we really know Him? Do our lives reflect a proper understanding of the gospel? If you would like to examine and evaluate these things more closely, consider listening to/watching the following sermons by Dr. Caldwell:

God’s Workmanship

What It Means To Be For Christ – Pts. 1 & 2

From Dead Works To A Living Service

Applying The Gospel

The Lives We Are Urged To Live

Proving Our Profession: Love

Dull Of Hearing

Hypocrisy Exposed

The post How Do I Know That I Am Really A Christian? appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

This season on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and host Dr. Josh Philpot will be before a live audience seeking to answer questions that are on their hearts and minds. The question brought today relates to Matthew 5:31-32, where Jesus is speaking about divorce. This passage seems to imply that the only reason for divorce is sexual immorality. Our questioner would like to know if this is true, is sexual immorality the only grounds for divorce, or can physical abuse of a spouse and or children be grounds as well.

Dr. Caldwell appeals to 1 Corinthians 7:10, where he sees the verse as indicating that there might be multiple reasons why marriages end. But before going on to explain or expound on it, he reminds us that we want to affirm at all times that God’s will for marriage is one man, with one woman for life. No one should ever enter into marriage that isn’t committed to be faithful to the marriage covenant, expressed by the marriage vows, for the rest of their lives.

However, because of sin, we meet with situations in this world that often make the continuation of a marriage untenable. He goes on to explain some of the reasons he sees and understands that are contributors to marriages ending in divorce. Yet he also reminds us that even in these situations, the aim is to rescue the marriages, not bring them to an end. The goal of the church is to see marriages preserved; in a way that transforms, that honors Christ and God, where the two people involved in the marriage flourish spiritually and in every other way.

Dr. Philpot brings up 1 Corinthians 7:15 and asks if this verse might relate to what Dr. Caldwell has just said. He asks if the words “in such cases” written by Paul could mean – some of these other reasons (marriages end) that Dr. Caldwell has just mentioned.

Without a simple no, Dr. Caldwell explains why he shared 1 Corinthians 7:10 and then includes verse 11. He explains that verse 10 points to the permanence of marriage. However, as he goes on to explain, this same verse also reveals that due to the hardheartedness of sin, there will be circumstances that result in marriages not continuing. So then, verse 10 most likely includes a whole host of things that would bring about the kind of separation of which it speaks.

It is verse 11 that expresses the resulting implications of the separating or leaving that may occur, despite the instructions given in verse 10. After explaining verses 10 and 11, Dr. Caldwell gives a clear and precise answer regarding verse 15. This verse he tells us relates specifically to that of abandonment in marriage and then discusses it in light of what Paul says in this verse and those surrounding it in the chapter.

Another question that comes up in light of this discussion is: how long should a couple wait or go through these difficult and trying times before pursuing a divorce? Dr. Caldwell says he wished that it were as simple as God to have given us a play-by-play blueprint, but it is not. Each situation and circumstance requires a matter of wisdom and judgment. He shares the importance of real honesty before the Lord and a genuine desire to please Him by all involved.

There needs to be an honesty about the truth that God has given us regarding marriage, namely the recognition of permanence and the striving for it. Therefore, a real desire must be present in us to preserve our marriage. A part of this may include a willingness to even suffer in marriage for the cause of Christ. Dr, Caldwell does not mean by way of physical abuse and harm that could come to a spouse or any children in the home. He takes a moment to explain the differences he sees between verbal and physical abuse.

Dr. Caldwell encourages us about how we should think and process our thoughts if we find ourselves in a situation or circumstance where we are considering leaving our marriage. He suggests some questions we should ponder and truly contemplate: Do I really want to preserve this marriage?

Am I really wanting to please God more than I want to please myself? Have I factored in the calling to suffer for Christ, even in my marriage? Is it possible that Christ is calling me to suffer in my marriage? He tells us that this is the proper foundation for being able to weigh in on staying and leaving. He reminds us that hardheartedness is not the standard for the people of God and shares from the Bible how the concession for divorce came to be.

Is Abuse Biblical Grounds For Divorce?

To learn more about God’s design and purposes for marriage, along with gaining a more concise understanding of the concession for divorce and the implications that should follow when it does happen, consider listening to the following series on Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage as exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Caldwell:

Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage Series, 2018 – 14 Sermons

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This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Richard Caldwell and host Dr. Josh Philpot discuss the difficult, painful, and emotional topic of the death of babies, infants, and little children. Many wonder and ask what happens to those little ones who die before and after birth. What happens to little ones when they die? Where do they go? Do all children go to heaven when they die? Does the Bible teach that there is an age of accountability for children, or are they considered innocent when they die? Dr. Caldwell and Dr. Philpot seek to help us think biblically about to best answer these questions.

Dr. Caldwell states that he believes that all little ones who die either before or at some point after birth do go to heaven. He tells us that we will not find a verse of Scripture in the Bible that says that because the Bible does not tell us that. What we have to do is take everything that the Bible teaches about children and then reason through the Scriptures, from both the Old and New Testaments. Because there is no direct Scripture that confirms this, we have to think through this theologically. Dr. Caldwell believes a good place we can start is to ask ourselves what does the Bible have to say about children as a whole. Does the Bible speak positively or negatively about children? He says it’s positive.

Dr. Caldwell shares the situation and circumstances surrounding the death of King David’s son from 2 Samuel 12. From verse 23 of this same chapter, he shares the expectation David expresses of seeing this son again. He speaks of the many in Nineveh who could not tell their right hand from their left in Jonah 4. He shares the Lord’s attitude towards children that we read about in the gospels. While these are only a handful of examples, He reminds us that every attitude that we see from the Lord toward children in both the Old and New Testaments is positive.

Although he sees these little ones as safe in the presence of God, we need to be clear, this is still a matter of grace. Every person’s sin and guilt is tied to Adam’s sin, so Dr. Caldwell is not saying that children are innocent and guiltless. Romans teaches that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and there is none without excuse. There is much that can be said about this, but ultimately it is a matter of God’s compassion, mercy, and grace. Dr. Caldwell and Dr. Philpot discuss these things in a way that helps us to think about the character of God as revealed in the pages of the Bible and the responsibility that man has to seek Him out.

An infant, a little child, does not have that ability. An infant does not sin by personal choice. An infant cannot sin and reject God through the natural revelation of nature, and they are unable to reject Jesus as the Savior that God has sent. Infants and little children have not reached an age or level where they are able to process these kinds of things. They do not have this capacity and cannot make these kinds of informed choices. What that age or level may be, is determined by our sovereign Lord.

Dr. Philpot reminds us of a discussion that Abraham takes up with God over the coming destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen.18). Abraham says to God, “Will not the God of all the earth do what is right.?” Abraham here appeals to what he knows about the character of God. He knows that God is good and that He is just; this is God’s nature to be merciful and gracious. Dr. Caldwell affirms this, reminding us that God takes no pleasure in the death of men. He revealed Himself to Moses as, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.” He reveals who He is by emphasizing His mercy and His compassion. That is His character, and that is the nature of our God.

So, while the Bible isn’t specific and doesn’t give us a definitive answer on this subject, we can rely on the truthfulness of our God, as He reveals Himself there. We can trust His character and His nature. We can trust that the God of all the earth does what is right.

Do Infants That Die Go To Heaven?

For further considerations of the nature and character of God, of His love for children and that of mankind in general, consider listening to or watching the following sermons as exposited by Dr. Caldwell:

The Sunrise Of God’s Tender Mercy

Lessons From A Reluctant Prophet

The Simplicity Of Saving Faith

Like A Child

Your Child’s Greatest Need

The Only Hope For The Guilty Soul

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