This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, Dr. Philpot informs us that a listener has written in with a thought-provoking question desiring to have a heart that is rightly motivated before God. As Christians, we know that we are to live rightly before God because one day we will stand before Him. We know that the thoughts and intentions of our hearts are not hidden from Him, yet because our hearts are deceitful we often fool ourselves. As Proverbs says, “All a person’s ways seems pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord”. So then, when we examine ourselves we may find the motives behind many of the things we do to be self-focused and self-driven. How can we be honest in our motives before God, when we so often have hidden desires and intentions behind the things we go about doing?

Dr. Caldwell tells us we begin by asking God to help us to that end. We ask Him to purify our hearts and to show us any wicked ways that are in us. This is scriptural, prayers like this come right out of the Old Testament, we can find many like this in the Psalms. He also says that we need to recognize that this is a battle that every Christian faces. There is no one genuinely saved that isn’t aware of this same struggle. It’s in our salvation that we are introduced to this new battle. As saved people, with a new nature, there’s a consciousness of the dividedness within us. 

This is the fight between the flesh and that of the Spirit. It continues because a sin principle remains at work until our glorification.  Dr. Caldwell gives us a brief understanding of this battle that rages on within us. He explains the difference between being in the flesh and being in the Spirit, and our responsibilities to mortify, by putting to death whatever is earthly in us. He reminds us that we are at war day after day, one decision after another until Christ returns and we are glorified.

However, Dr. Caldwell also says, we need to be careful to not pay too much attention to ourselves in a self-focused manner. He tells us that self-examination is good, but it never needs to descend to the place of morbidity where we are constantly dissecting ourselves. That would be paralyzing in nature. What we need to do is set our minds on Christ, on truth and not pay too much attention to ourselves. While we are responsible to discipline our thoughts and deal with sin in the realm of our thought lives, we aren’t responsible in the sense that every thought that runs through our minds makes us guilty. Just because a thought flashed through our mind doesn’t mean that we took hold of it, agreed with it, cherished it, entertained it or acted on it.

It’s what we do with those thoughts that enter, flash through, and pop into our minds that matters. How do we handle them, what do we do with them? Christians are to be constantly renewing our minds, being transformed by the Word of God, setting our minds on the things above, on Christ, abiding in Him and being sanctified by the truth. It doesn’t matter where the thought came from, whether it’s demonic, flesh driven or a combination of both, it makes no difference. If it’s sinful, we need to identify it as sin, refuse it and treat it as sin. We are to take the Word of God in hand, the Sword of the Spirit, and we are to mortify these sinful thoughts; we are to put them to death. 

Perhaps you haven’t refused or rejected sinful thoughts. Maybe you’ve taken them and cherished them for a time, maybe you’ve lived in light of them, or selfishly acted upon them. What should you do? You are to confess this sin, you need to repent of it with true sorrow and turn from it. If there is another person or other persons involved you need to make it right with them as well. For the Christian this is not a “one and done” event, this is the ongoing battle with sin that has to be fought every day until Christ returns or calls us home.

If you’d like to learn more about having Honest Motives Before God, dealing with the thought life, mortifying your sins, putting to death those things that are earthly in you, consider listening to the following sermons by Dr. Richard Caldwell:

Godly Wisdom and the Guarded Heart

Putting What is Earthly to Death

Instruction and Insight

Don’t Trust Your Heart

Heavenly Minded People

The post Honest Motives Before God appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

This week on the Straight Truth podcast we listen in as Dr. Richard Caldwell and host, Dr. Josh Philpot talk about the Christian’s responsibility in choosing, settling in and remaining in fellowship with a local body of Christ. Dr. Caldwell begins by saying that the question exhibits a mindfulness by the questioner that every church is not the same, and this encourages him. He says it is good for us to understand and know that just because a building or congregation have “church” in its name or on its sign, doesn’t make it a New Testament church.

The church is a community of redeemed people, who have identified themselves with Christ, through baptism and have covenanted together to carry out the great commission (the local church is representative of the universal church). So the only way to answer this question is with Scripture. We want to go to the Word of God and ask, what should a church look like, what should a church be characterized by? What makes for a good church, what marks it as healthy and faithful?

Dr. Caldwell says that in reading through the New Testament what we won’t find is a pristine church, there is no such thing. Every church is going to have struggles and problems because where the truth is, the enemy is also at work. Within every church eventually, there is going to be tares intermixed with the wheat. You are going to find people on the role of the local church who are not on the role of heaven, so there will be problems.

If we look at 1 Timothy 3:14-15 we can see an example from Scripture where we can look for guidance on how one ought to behave in the household of God. This passage clarifies for us that we don’t have a right to make the church what we want it to be, but that we have a responsibility to live out church life in the way that God has defined it in the Scriptures. God’s Word, The Truth, is what the church is to be about, it must be preeminent and have the place of priority. How a church handles the Word of God will be displayed in all the life of that church. This will show up in its preaching and teaching, but also in areas like church discipline; which shows goals towards holiness and biblical faithfulness.

Dr. Philpot asks what role then, should personal preferences take on when choosing a church. Dr. Caldwell responds by affirming that we all have them and that they aren’t all bad. But what often happens is they cause us difficulties when we place them as priorities over the place of the Word of God. Our preferences might be in denominations, styles of worship, in music, songs, and teaching and preaching, in fellowship, the size of the church, etc.

But what should have first place, above and before all of these, is the Word of God. Is it handled faithfully, is it preeminent, is it given the place of and accepted as the Authority for the church, for God’s people? This will determine the health of the church in all the other areas. Dr. Caldwell then gives us some examples of how we apply this approach as we consider our preferences when visiting a church or churches as is often the case.

This leads the discussion to consider what “church shopping” or “church dating” in our culture looks like. Dr. Philpot asks, how many times should one visit a church or churches to find the one that fits us. Dr. Caldwell replies that it is okay and appropriate to search until you find a church that is healthy and faithful to God’s Word. However, he also says that we can’t let the other things (preferences) get in the way of committing ourselves to the life of a local fellowship.

When we continue to visit endlessly we become disconnected. When we find a healthy church, we want to plant ourselves and get connected to being a part of and growing with that congregation. He reminds us again that we will not find a perfect church where we face no challenges, no disappointments or where there are things that we won’t have to endure through.

Having said all this, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t times when we need to leave or should leave a church. A move to a different city, state or country even, will facilitate a leaving. We might find that a church is becoming consistently unfaithful to the Word of God, and it becomes clear that they aren’t going to be faithful to honor the Scriptures; that would be a good reason for leaving. Other issues that might come up are major sin issues and scandalous issues that the church just refuses to address. But, we don’t want to be quick to leave a church, we need to be prayerful, consulting with the elders and pastors when we have concerns and see issues that we think are unbiblical.

We are to love the church because Christ loves the church and we are to see the church through the eyes of Christ. It is not yet what it is going to be; it will not be perfected on this side of heaven. Remembering this will help us to be faithful and faithful church members. We need to have biblical perspectives, biblical expectations, and biblical faithfulness, while at times patiently enduring.

The Church – Pt. 1 & Pt. 2

A Healthy Church

The Behavior of A Healthy Church

The Heart of A Healthy Church – Parts 1-4

The Marks of a Healthy Church – Parts 1-4

The post How To Find The Right Church appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

In this episode of the Straight Truth Podcast, a questioner wants to know what their financial priorities should be when they have so many to be concerned with. They give a list of some, such as, feeding and supporting their family, saving for the future and retirement, paying down debt, helping care for aging parents, and supporting the church. Dr. Philpot asks Dr. Caldwell what is the biblical perspective on this, how should a Christian think in terms of priority when it comes to financial matters.

Dr. Caldwell admits that these are difficult questions, we don’t always know what is best and that we need wisdom when it comes to answering these questions. He reminds us that in Matthew 6:33 our Lord tells us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. So Christ and His kingdom should be preeminent in everything. Our Lord said this in the context of those worrying about having food, clothing and a place to live, things we need, the very things that often cause us concern. Dr. Caldwell also reminds us of Colossians 3 where we are reminded not to set our minds on earthly things, but on heaven, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

So he tells us we want to start with having the right priority. This would be making sure that God’s priorities are our priorities and that we are trusting Him. Dr. Caldwell says that we do this by beginning with our giving to the Lord. When we begin with our giving to the Lord we acknowledge Him as the owner of everything, provider of all that we have, acknowledging that our desires are for the advancement of God’s Word and the gospel and that we desire to honor Him with what He has given us.

This is not to say that these other things aren’t important, many of them are. For example, we do need to pay down debt, but we also should avoid debt; one of the wisest things we can do is avoid debt. Sometimes, bad or wrong choices that we have made in the past will hinder our desires in the present. If this is the case, one of the best things we can do is acknowledge this, these things are forgivable and we can go before the Lord confessing and repenting of our wrong, asking for guidance and wisdom for our future choices. We can then begin to structure our lives looking to the future in a better way so that we can then do many of these things that are good and right.

So, as Dr. Caldwell says, beginning with the right set of priorities is important. Yet, he also explains that we need to have contentment in God’s perfect provision; contentment is a huge part of the equation. We need to find our satisfaction in God, not in things because the things of this world are temporal and are passing away. We won’t be able to handle any of our financial choices rightly if we aren’t first content with what God has given us and thinking of it in terms of eternity.

When we don’t have this understanding, it can lead to anxiety, even great anxiety, and stress in our lives. This is because we are acting as if we are our own supplier as if it all depends on “me”, and as if God isn’t God. Therefore, as Proverbs 3:5 & 6 direct us, we are to trust in the Lord with all our heart, not lean on our own understanding, and we are to acknowledge Him in all our ways, and He will direct our paths.

True Financial Freedom

Biblical Giving

Four Fruits of Biblical Giving

How Giving Tests Us – Pt.1 & Pt.2

True Financial Freedom

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How do I pursue someone of the opposite sex I’m interested in? What’s the most important thing I should consider in my pursuit? Is it wrong to marry someone who doesn’t share my faith, has a different religion or no religion at all? What about singleness, is it wrong to be or stay single?

These questions and more are discussed on this week’s compiled episode of the Straight Truth Podcast. Dr. Richard Caldwell and host Dr. Josh Philpot wade into some deep water when it comes to Christian singles and the issues they face in being single, in their pursuit of love and marriage, whether to remain single or get married and how to remain faithful to the Lord as they go about navigating their lives.

First and foremost Dr. Caldwell says that we need to be clear in our hearts and minds, we need to be right with God. We need to have a clear conception and conviction of what being a Christian is, because if we are a Christian, it means that Christ is our life. The Apostle Paul says, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” So when we begin to think of sharing our life with another person, we need to be thinking about the standards that God has outlined in His Word, the Christians’ guide for a life of godliness.

Beginning with 1 Corinthians 7, Dr. Caldwell shows us that God’s standard for a Christian who wants to pursue marriage and get married is that they can, but only in the Lord. This is the standard, someone of the opposite sex who knows and loves Jesus Christ. He tells us that a believer’s standard should be that they would not even date someone who doesn’t know Jesus and that they would never compromise what they believe to have a relationship with another person. When we don’t do this and we pursue relationships and marriage outside the family of God, we set ourselves up for some very difficult problems.

We need to be thinking about what is primary in a marriage, not all the secondary stuff. It’s not that the secondary stuff doesn’t matter, as you think about attractive physical qualities and things you have in common, but these things will change over time. The primary thing is, do they genuinely love God; a person who genuinely loves God will have the capacity to love you, as you love them out of your love for God. Our pickiness when it comes to pursuing someone ought to be more on the spiritual and internal qualities that emanate from someone who truly loves the Lord.

Staying single for a long time and maybe even remaining single for life isn’t wrong, but it isn’t meant for all people and not all people have this ability that’s given by the Lord. The test is sexual immorality. With singleness comes sexual temptation. This is because, the only place where God has sanctioned and will bless a sexual relationship and sexual fulfillment, is in marriage, in the marriage bed. Our culture at large does not approach sex with this understanding. However, God’s Word is clear on this, any kind of sexual activity that happens outside of a marriage between one man and one woman, constitutes fornication and it’s sin.

Once you’re married, any sexual act or sexual relationship outside that marriage is adultery and it’s sin. Dr. Caldwell tells us this is a very serious matter and that we need to understand it is a gospel issue. He takes us to 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and explains how the Apostle Paul teaches us that if these sins listed here describe a person’s habitual lifestyle, they are giving evidence that they are not part of God’s family, and they will not enter the kingdom of God. Thank God though, there’s forgiveness where there’s been failure; this then is a matter that relates to one’s sanctification.

Dr. Caldwell says because we live in a materialistic culture it tempts us and tries to teach us what the ideal situation for our life is. There’s this idea that we should not get married until we have everything lined up just so. It goes something like this: we want to make sure we finish college, become securely established in our profession, have all our finances in good order, and then, after these other things, we can consider adding someone to our lives. But, Dr. Caldwell wants to encourage young Christians to think differently about these things.

Dr. Caldwell wants young people to consider getting married younger, to consider having shorter engagement periods to eliminate sexual temptation and succumbing to sin, and also to consider growing up together and sharing life. He tells us that growing up together can be a very sweet thing, something he can attest to having been married now for 35 years.

Dr. Caldwell also gives us a quick word for those who may have already married and find themselves in a marriage where one is a believer and the other is not. He reminds us that 1 Corinthians 7 also speaks to this situation. If you are the believer and you love your spouse who is the unbeliever, and they are willing to stay, clearly understanding the circumstances, then you are to remain as you are. Do not seek to depart from your marriage, you are to love them and maintain the marriage being faithful to your commitment.

To sum up these episodes Dr. Caldwell reminds us as Christians (those who profess to be in Christ) that we need to be asking questions differently. We need to think clearly and we need to think biblically. We need to ask, does this positively glorify God? Is this what God has designed? Is this what would most please Him? Am I striving for that which I know would please God or am I wanting to live as close to the edge of something that doesn’t please God? We need to ask ourselves, what’s my attitude in this matter.

Questions that Christian Singles Might Ask. To watch or listen to the individual full-length episodes along with sermons related to each specific topic you can access them by these links:

Christian Courtship and Dating

Christian Singles and Sexuality

Should I Marry Someone with a Different Religion?

Listen to Sermons related to this topic:

A Request For Marriage

Sexual Temptation & Marriage

Biblical Separation Part 1

The post Questions that Christian Singles Might Ask appeared first on Straight Truth Podcast.

This week on the Straight Truth Podcast we revisit, with Dr. Richard Caldwell and Dr. Josh Philpot, four of our most popular episodes. Questions related to having a healthy marriage, fixing a broken marriage, being a good Christian parent, and dealing with a rebellious teenager are discussed. What you find consistent with each topic addressed, is the importance of the relationship of the one calling themselves a Christian, with the God they confess to believe. As Christians, we have an accountability to model and live out our lives consistent with how the Bible presents “the new man”, the man who is in Christ.

So we need to be willing to examine ourselves and ask ourselves some hard, difficult, sometimes painful, but revealing questions. Do we live up to our profession, do we model Christ? Are we doing this on a consistent, ongoing basis, inside and outside of our homes in these relationships?

First up is having a healthy marriage. Having a healthy marriage requires that you have already been building your life (lives) on the truths of Scripture, building your life (lives) on Christ. If this is true of you, you will find as you choose the person you decide to marry (and you will both have this same understanding), you will only marry someone who is in Christ. You will both have the same goal in marriage; to build your marriage on Christ and the truths revealed in the Scriptures for marriage.

Yet, some might say, we come from families of troubled marriages, and haven’t had marriage modeled well for us, we don’t want ours to be this way. But, this should not be our focus. The focus of marriage needs to be conformed to what we are going to be, not on what we don’t want to be. The Word of God, with His Spirit leading and teaching us, needs to be our guide. We are to focus by faith, on what the Scriptures teach, and on building our lives around reverencing and honoring the Lord.

Second, marriages are not simple, they are not easy, and even within Christian marriages, there will be trials and difficulties that come. But how we react and respond to them should be different than the lost world around us. So, how can and should Christians go about restoring their marriages when sin has taken place, a violation of the marriage covenant, and brought about pain and brokenness? Dr. Caldwell tells us that practical steps to restoring a broken marriage begin with genuine repentance by the transgressor. Forgiveness on the part of the offended spouse must also be genuine because forgiving people forgive.

Other practical advice is that the offending spouse must be willing to take whatever steps necessary to minister to, love and serve their spouse that they’ve been unfaithful to. Both husband and wife will need to be looking to the Lord in every step they take towards reconciliation; being God-focused, God-reliant, and God-dependent as they relate to each other.

Third, they discuss dealing with a rebellious teen. Here we see how this relates and connects directly with the fourth issue of Christian parenting. Parenting is a lifelong endeavor that requires patience, diligence, endurance, and more. Raising and training children requires devotion on our parts to God. Parents need to be good students of the Bible, devoted to prayer, modeling and living out all aspects of the Christian life, to and before their children. We teach our children primarily by how we live, not by what we say. We need to be walking and talking examples of our relationship with God, with the authority He has over our lives, and within the authority positions He has positioned us in; e.g., our families, church, etc. Our marriages ought also to reflect this in how we love, honor, and respect each other and even how we prioritize our family and time together.

Living in these ways then enables us to faithfully examine ourselves as we approach handling and disciplining a rebellious teenager. We can ask, are we modeling these things that we want our teen to adhere to, are we consistent with what we say and what we do? We need to be living the truth before them so as not to be contributing to their rebellion. Then as we approach them in disciplinary action we will know we are prepared to handle it in a way that glorifies God, not ourselves. However, handling rebellion in a believing teenager versus an unbelieving teenager must be approached differently. A believing teenager must be approached by appealing to them with the truth found in the Word of God.

An unbelieving teenager must be evangelized, given the gospel; you keep conversing with them and presenting Christ. For all situations and circumstances with our children, we must continue to pray for them, love them well, and always be looking for opportunities, as the Lord opens doors, to pour into them. In this manner, we will be parenting not concerned for our reputation, but for the souls of our children and for God’s glory.

To watch and/or listen to these podcasts in full length and access the sermons for each topic discussed you can click on the following links:

Keys To a Successful Marriage

Restoring a Broken Marriage

Christian Parenting

How Do I Deal with My Rebellious Teen

Foundational Matters for a Healthy Marriage

Dealing with Disobedience in Marriage Part 1

A Generational Plan for Discipleship – Click Here

The Wrong Answer For Your Child’s Greatest Need

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