In this bonus episode of the Take Up the Sword Podcast, Ryan and Matt have a "raw" discussion on the idea that the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross could be considered "cosmic child abuse." Though this opinion of Christ's death is not new, the idea has gained a lot of traction among more liberal theologians in the past couple of decades. Ryan and Matt take a look at the idea of "penal substitution" and some of the arguments for and against this explanation of the sacrifice Christ made on the cross.

In this episode of the Take Up The Sword Podcast, Ryan and Matt get together to discuss a topic that makes some Christians uncomfortable - the wrath of God. They look at some of the arguments posed by both Christians and non-Christians alike that, "if God is Love, how can he have wrath?" They also discuss how wrath is one of God's attributes and how it relates to the other attributes of God (ie his Love, Holiness, Omniscience, etc.)

In this episode of the Take Up the Sword Podcast, Ryan gets to the passage that some scholars consider the most theologically dense portions in all of Scripture. After covering Paul's description of the unrighteousness of man, he now shows the righteousness of God in what Christ did for us on the cross. Ryan takes time to describe the propitiatory work of Christ on the cross and the differences in how various translations of the Bible communicate the message of Romans 3:25.

Resources used for this show include:

Bible translations - KJV, NIV, CSB, NASB, ESV, NLT

Douglas Moo - Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans

Robert Mounce - Commentary on Romans

Martyn Lloyd-Jones - Commentary on Romans 3:21-4:25

H.A. Ironside - Lectures on the Epistle to the Romans

Adam Clarke - Commentary on the Bible

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown - Commentary on the Whole Bible

Steven Runge - High Definition Commentary on Romans

In this episode of the Take Up The Sword Podcast, Ryan works through the Old Testament passages Paul quotes from the Psalms and Isaiah to show that not one person is righteous before God, comparing them to Paul's assessment of the Gentiles and Jews from Romans 1 & 2. Ryan also discusses how the law was not meant to make us right before God, but instead is a tool to show just how unrighteous we truly are.

Resources used for this show include:

Bible translations - KJV, NIV, CSB, NASB, ESV, NLT

Douglas Moo - Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans

Robert Mounce - Commentary on Romans

Martyn Lloyd-Jones - Commentary on Romans 2:1 - 3:20

H.A. Ironside - Lectures on the Epistle to the Romans

Adam Clarke - Commentary on the Bible

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown - Commentary on the Whole Bible

Steven Runge - High Definition Commentary on Romans

In this episode of the Take Up The Sword Podcast, Ryan starts on Romans chapter 3. He discusses some of the objections and questions that the Apostle Paul has anticipated would come from his Jewish readers after Paul dismantled both the rite of circumcision and being born of Jewish descent as means of being justified before God.

Resources used for this show include:

Bible translations - KJV, NIV, CSB, NASB, ESV, NLT

Douglas Moo - Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans

Robert Mounce - Commentary on Romans

Martyn Lloyd-Jones - Commentary on Romans 2:1 - 3:20

H.A. Ironside - Lectures on the Epistle to the Romans

Adam Clarke - Commentary on the Bible

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown - Commentary on the Whole Bible

Steven Runge - High Definition Commentary on Romans

In this episode of the Take Up the Sword Podcast, Ryan is joined again by his friend Matt DeSmidt to discuss how legalistic practices in the church have given people a false sense of security when it comes to their salvation. Paul tells the Jews in the Roman church that neither having the law nor circumcision nor even being Jewish was enough to guarantee a right standing with God. Ryan and Matt discuss specific topics and issues in the church today (i.e. baptism, worship style, denominational allegiance, etc.) that people in the church have thought were important for their salvation, instead of the faith in Christ.

In this episode of the Take Up The Sword Podcast, Ryan finishes up Romans chapter 2 by dissecting Paul's exhortation of his Jewish readers in the Roman church. Knowing they would have objections, Paul informs the Jews that having the rite of circumcision did not make them holy or righteous before God and that uncircumcised Gentiles could be seen as more righteous than the Jews.

Resources used for this show include:

Bible translations - KJV, NIV, CSB, NASB, ESV, NLT

Douglas Moo - Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans

Robert Mounce - Commentary on Romans

Martyn Lloyd-Jones - Commentary on Romans 2:1 - 3:20

H.A. Ironside - Lectures on the Epistle to the Romans

Adam Clarke - Commentary on the Bible

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown - Commentary on the Whole Bible

Steven Runge - High Definition Commentary on Romans

In this episode of the Take Up The Sword Podcast, Ryan continues through Romans chapter 2 as the Apostle Paul confronts his Jewish readers in the Roman church of their hypocrisy. Ryan brings some context to today's church and how we can apply Paul's exhortation to ourselves today.

Resources used for this show include:

Bible translations - KJV, NIV, CSB, NASB, ESV, NLT

Douglas Moo - Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans

Robert Mounce - Commentary on Romans

Martyn Lloyd-Jones - Commentary on Romans 2:1 - 3:20

H.A. Ironside - Lectures on the Epistle to the Romans

Adam Clarke - Commentary on the Bible

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown - Commentary on the Whole Bible

Steven Runge - High Definition Commentary on Romans

In this episode of the Take Up The Sword Podcast, Ryan continues through Romans chapter 2 and the Apostle Paul's argument that there is no difference between the Jews and the Gentiles when it comes to being justified by God.

Resources used for this show include:

Bible translations - KJV, NIV, CSB, NASB, ESV, NLT

Douglas Moo - Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans

Robert Mounce - Commentary on Romans

Martyn Lloyd-Jones - Commentary on Romans 2:1 - 3:20

H.A. Ironside - Lectures on the Epistle to the Romans

Adam Clarke - Commentary on the Bible

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown - Commentary on the Whole Bible

Steven Runge - High Definition Commentary on Romans

In this episode of the Take Up The Sword Podcast, Ryan starts into the second chapter of Romans where the Apostle Paul turns his attention away from the world of the Gentiles and points his argument to his fellow Jews. We see how Paul begins to systematically point out the hypocrisy of the Jews who believed they were better off than the Gentiles, though they judged the Gentiles for committing the same sins they committed themselves. A strong reminder for the church today as well!

Resources used for this show include:

H.A. Ironside - Lectures on the Epistle to the Romans

Adam Clarke - Commentary on the Bible

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown - Commentary on the Whole Bible

Steven Runge - High Definition Commentary on Romans