The Berean Call Podcast

March 2025 Newsletter

Originally published January 1, 1994

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

—Acts 17:10-11

As we approach the end of our second year as a ministry, we think it worthwhile to review two basic questions people often ask regarding the work of The Berean Call: “What exactly is a Berean?” and “What does TBC do?”

Although we’ve covered many aspects of those questions in various issues of our newsletter (and, in general, The Berean Call is an ongoing reflection of our work), we thought it might be helpful to our readers if we addressed “what we’re about” in some depth.

Luke writes in Acts 17:10-11 that the Apostle Paul, having left Thessalonica and recently arrived in the city of Berea, preached in the synagogue of the Berean Jews. Paul’s encouraging experience with the Bereans caused Luke to commend them. He wrote that they were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica because they received the Word of God from Paul “with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily” to know whether or not what he had to say was true.

The purpose of this ministry is to call believers in Jesus Christ to be like the Bereans. They not only had a heart to hear the things of God but, more importantly, were able to discern what was truly of Him because they regarded the Scriptures as the authority in ascertaining the truth of what they were hearing. The Bereans practiced what Isaiah preached: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

TBC’s chief concern is the spiritual welfare of the body of Christ, and in particular, the encouragement of biblical discernment. We believe the times reflect the necessity of our calling. Even a cursory review of what has taken place in the church during the last 25 years will reveal a fierce undermining of “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). You might even say that the Bereans of Paul’s day “had it easy” compared to this generation. In those days the opposition to truth was in the secular world around them—it had not yet infiltrated the church under the guise of a more enlightened or advanced Christianity. While there were pressing pagan influences as well as some heretical teachings and practices here and there, they weren’t subjected to anything like the flood of false beliefs, teachings, and practices surging in on the tidal wave of today’s Christian media.

Chris, before we get into what the emerging church is and the spiritual damage that it’s doing to the body of Christ, I’d like to get your perspective as a pastor, as a shepherd of the sheep, regarding how you deal with protecting your congregation from the flood of false teachings and other corruptions of the Scripture that seem to be coming from every form of Christian media. 

You know, Chris, most pastors - it’s my guess, but I would say on the average, spend less than a couple hours a week teaching their congregation, especially…it happens especially among evangelicals that most of their members get spiritual input from Christian media, maybe more so than from their church. So given what’s being promoted today on Christian radio and TV, that can lead to confusion at least, and deception at worst. So, Chris, how do you handle that sort of thing?

Join Dave and Tom as they engage in an in-depth, verse-by-verse examination of the Gospel of John. We hope you will be challenged and convicted as you listen to these insightful, exegetical discussions compiled from nearly four years of Search the Scriptures Daily radio programs. Open your Bible and get ready for an edifying pilgrimage into God's Word.

Join Dave and Tom as they engage in an in-depth, verse-by-verse examination of the Gospel of John. We hope you will be challenged and convicted as you listen to these insightful, exegetical discussions compiled from nearly four years of Search the Scriptures Daily radio programs. Open your Bible and get ready for an edifying pilgrimage into God's Word.

Question: Can you help me with this question: “If Jesus died for all and has legally purchased all through substitutionary atonement, then how can those people go to hell? That would be a ‘Double Jeopardy’ of the sins of those people being paid for twice.” This is my husband’s main question and I would really appreciate help with it based on Calvinism.

Response: The Bible says that God wants all to be saved: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet 3:9). But the Bible also says that not all will be saved (Matt 7:21-23; Lk 13:22-27, etc). Nevertheless, the Bible also tells us that God is all powerful (Ps 147:5; Jer 32:17; Matt 19:26, etc).

Calvinism has its own explanation. They strive to make things add up. “If God is all powerful,” the reasoning goes, “and God wants all people to be saved, then all people will be saved. Since not all people will be saved, Christ must have died only for some; God must not want all to be saved.”

This is unbiblical according to the much-explained John 3:16 (what “world” means), and the blunt statement of 1 John 2:1-2: “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” But to some, it makes nice, theological sense. This is, however, putting one’s reason above God’s Word; believing what makes sense rather than believing all of what God has said. 

As Dave Hunt wrote in Calvin’s Dilemma: God’s Sovereignty vs. Man’s Free Will (pp 9-10), “William L. Pettingill wrote, ‘God insists upon His sovereignty and also upon man’s responsibility. Believe both and preach both, leaving the task of ‘harmonizing’ with Him.’ In a similar vein, A. T. Pierson, although a leading Presbyterian, declared that both ‘the sovereign will of God and the freedom of man’ are taught in Scripture and that ‘if we cannot reconcile these two, it is because the subject is so infinitely lifted up above us. Man is free.... Thus the last great invitation in God’s Book is an appeal to the will.’

“Unfortunately, neither John Calvin nor many of his followers today have been willing to accept both sides of this biblical teaching. The result has been devastating in its consequences for the gospel: that man can only reject Christ; he cannot accept and believe in Him unless he is sovereignly regenerated by God. Calvinism refuses to accept what so many great evangelists have recognized is vital. Edgar Mullins expresses very well the essential balance that is missing:

“‘Free will in man is as fundamental a truth as any other in the gospel and must never be canceled in our doctrinal statements. Man would not be man without it and God never robs us of our true moral manhood in saving us.... The decree of salvation must be looked at as a whole to understand it. Some have looked at God’s choice alone and ignored the means and the necessary choice on man’s part.’”

Well, this is our…part 2 of our program in which we’re addressing the Strange Fire Conference that was held at John MacArthur’s church, Grace Community Church in Sun Valley in Southern California, and my partner in addressing this is Anton Bosch.

As you’ll recognize from Anton’s accent, he’s originally from South Africa, which…you know, when I ever have somebody on here from New Zealand or these countries, you guys are so much more articulate (laughing) that it’s a thrill. You know, Paul Wilkinson from England as well. I go, “Oh brother, Tom. You’d better take some elocution lessons!”

Join Dave and Tom as they engage in an in-depth, verse-by-verse examination of the Gospel of John. We hope you will be challenged and convicted as you listen to these insightful, exegetical discussions compiled from nearly four years of Search the Scriptures Daily radio programs. Open your Bible and get ready for an edifying pilgrimage into God's Word.

Response: It is true that Isaiah 9:6 says that Jesus’ name will be called “Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father,” etc. What it does not say is that Jesus is the Everlasting Father. As God, He obviously has the characteristics of God. Simply put, Jesus being part of the godhead has the attributes of God. This includes everlasting or “eternal life.”

Micah 5:2 agrees with this: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”

It has been asked why if Jesus’ name is “Everlasting Father,” then why don’t we call Jesus “Everlasting Father”? Or why not call him “Wonderful Counselor” or “Mighty God” or “Prince of Peace”? Isaiah 9:6 speaks of a “name,” and there are four characteristics associated with that name. Again, this reveals it is the characteristics of the coming Messiah that is in view here. The fact that the Messiah is God is shown in Hebrews 1:3 when it says, “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high….” Why shouldn’t the Lord subsequently say, “…He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father” (Jn 14:9)? Jesus is the “express image” of God the Father as His prophesied name establishes.

The message of this treasured epistle is just as clear and convicting today as it was to the early churches of Galatia: We are justified by grace through faith alone - not by works of the law.

Join T. A. McMahon and radio guests (Greg Durel, Mike Gendron, and Jim McCarthy) as they discuss this powerful Pauline epistle and its relevance to your daily walk.

View the full series: https://www.thebereancall.org/galatians

More about the Bible: https://www.thebereancall.org/topic/bible

Our website: https://www.reachingcatholics.org

Our main website: www.thebereancall.org

Store: store.thebereancall.org

Download our app: www.thebereancall.org/app

Sign up for our email updates: https://www.thebereancall.org/subscribe

Join Dave and Tom as they engage in an in-depth, verse-by-verse examination of the Gospel of John. We hope you will be challenged and convicted as you listen to these insightful, exegetical discussions compiled from nearly four years of Search the Scriptures Daily radio programs. Open your Bible and get ready for an edifying pilgrimage into God's Word.