Episode Synopsis:

The next time you pass a Roman Catholic hospital, school, or church named for Catholic “saints,” you ought to remind yourself that you, too, are a “saint.”  Only your sainthood is something far greater than an honor bestowed upon you by the Roman church because of your notable piety or service.  You are a saint because you are clothed in the faultless righteousness of Jesus Christ, have been called to faith through the gospel, and have been set apart by God for his purposes.  Your saintliness is grounded in nothing that you did or accomplished. Rather, the righteousness that reckons you a “saint” was earned for you—through the obedience of Jesus, his death upon the cross, and his triumphant resurrection from the dead.

Like those in Rome receiving Paul’s letter, you too will hear from Paul that you are called to belong to Jesus and are now a saint.  If you are a Gentile believer in Jesus, you are, in part, one of the multitude mentioned in Isaiah 49 who has seen the light for the nations—the salvation promised to reach the ends of the earth, granted to you by the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel.  Like those in Rome—members of a Christian church in the capital of a pagan empire—you too are serving the God of Israel, who is supremely revealed in Jesus Christ, in whatever locale you may currently find yourself.  You are a “saint” living in the midst of pagan darkness—now seeing the world around you through the lens of God’s word, as one called and set apart by God for God, who is your only source of true light and true life.

And since you are in Christ, you are both reckoned a “saint” and are also now to strive to live as the saint that you are.  Once called to faith, Paul explains, you will acknowledge who you are in Christ (holy) and then strive to put to death the old self (who you were in Adam). You begin to live as what you are—a saint—now alive in Christ.  And to those who are now such “saints”—justified by grace through faith and set apart for God’s purposes—Paul extends to you God’s shalom: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here:  https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

Episode Synopsis:

In the opening words of the Book of Romans, Paul introduces himself to a church he has never visited and to a group of fellow believers, most of whom he has never met in person.  Therefore, it is important for Paul to explain his apostolic office as well his role in undertaking the Gentile mission.  Paul is making travel plans which include a future visit to the city of Rome.  Since the church in Rome was predominantly Gentile (with a Jewish Minority), it is important that both groups understand that all of Paul’s missionary efforts are grounded in the preaching of the Gospel of God–the death and resurrection of Jesus on behalf of sinners.

To the Jewish Christians in Rome, Paul must explain that the gospel he preaches was revealed to him by Jesus Christ who was himself a descendant of David (Israel’s greatest king), while at the same time the eternal Son of God who ushers in a new age in redemptive history.  This gospel is not a message invented by Paul–a charge he’s heard previously from opponents in Galatia and Corinth.  The gospel which he is about to proclaim in the balance of the letter to follow, is the same message proclaimed throughout the Old Testament–though hidden in types and shadows, and a mystery which Paul is about to explain.  Furthermore, the gospel is true because its central figure (Jesus) has not only the proper Davidic genealogy, but he was raised bodily from the dead in power in accordance with the work of the Holy Spirit.  By virtue of his resurrection, Jesus is the Lord–an important bit of information to those living in Rome during the days of Caesar Nero, who thinks of himself as a sort of demi-God.  Nero is not Lord, Jesus is.

Since Rome is such an important place–the capital of a huge pagan empire–Paul will make the point that this gospel “promised before hand,” is a gospel for all the nations, as foretold by Israel’s prophets.  This gospel summons all those called to belong to Jesus to the obedience of faith.  Is faith an act of obedience in our part.  Is it a work?  Is it the one thing which we must do to be saved?  Is there any merit in faith–something God sees and rewards.  And what is so-called, “evangelical obedience?” 

For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here:  https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

Episode Synopsis:

When Paul writes his letter to the church in Rome, he is still in Corinth, having made a difficult visit there to deal with the ongoing problems in the Corinthian church, which we addressed in Season Four (when we covered 2 Corinthians).  But things have improved in Corinth to the point that Paul is making plans to continue his Gentile mission.  Before that can happen, Paul must make the journey to Jerusalem to deliver the offering collected from the churches in Greece.  Having done that, Paul hopes to go on to Spain (at the opposite end of the Mediterranean Sea).  The midpoint between Jerusalem and Spain is the Italian peninsula and the city of Rome.  So Paul writes a letter of introduction to the church there, a letter which we now know as Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. 

Paul is unquestionably the author of Romans.  His epistle was sent by messenger – a woman named Phoebe – from Corinth to Rome early in 57 CE.  In this letter, the apostle addresses a number of matters which we will discuss in great detail in future episodes.  But if we are to boil down the contents of Romans to a single word, that word would be “gospel.”  Paul does not say much about the church to which he is writing–he’s never been there.  But we do know from the contents of this letter that like other churches of the Gentile mission, the Roman church was predominantly Gentile, though a number of Jews in Rome had come to faith in Jesus Christ.  And so Paul must explain how these two groups fit in God’s larger plan and how they are to get along with each other despite their cultural and religious differences.  Paul does this by stressing that both Jews and Gentiles are reckoned righteous, reconciled to the same God through the work of the same Savior in the power of the Holy Spirit, and this through the preaching of the one gospel. 

Many Christians are familiar with the Book of Romans, but are likely far less familiar with the city, the situation there, and the recipients of this letter.  What was Rome like in the days of Paul?  What was it like to be an inhabitant of the city?  How did you live, and under what circumstances?  Where did you eat or work?  What was it like to live under the reign of Nero?  Life was brutal and cruel for many of the city’s inhabitants, but luxurious by first-century standards for others.  Why were the Jews expelled twice from the city?  And how did the gospel first arrive in the capital of this powerful pagan empire?  It is an interesting story and I’ll do my best to tell it.

For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here:  https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

Episode Synopsis:

Season Five of the Blessed Hope Podcast is underway.  I know that for many of you, the Book of Romans is your favorite letter in all the New Testament.  When we wrapped up our time in 2 Corinthians a couple of months ago, the clock started on launching Season Five.  I love Romans, I’ve preached through it twice using the lectio continua style of exposition, and I have lectured on parts of Romans on a number of other occasions.  So I am very excited about season five, and I’ve worked very hard to get this verse by verse deep dive Bible study ready to go.

There can be little doubt that Paul’s letter to the church in Rome is one of the most important letters ever written.  As we will discuss in this episode, the Epistle to the Romans has had a tremendous impact upon the course and history of Western Civilization, as well as a huge impact upon the people of God ever since it was written.  For reasons we will address momentarily, the Book of Romans has a clarity and power about it which brings Reformation and renewal to Christ’s church whenever it is proclaimed from the pulpit and studied by the people of God. 

We open Season Five with two episodes devoted to the importance and historical background of the epistle.  In this first episode we’ll take a look at the ways in which this letter has impacted the world in which we live, and we’ll consider some of the key figures in church history and their testimonies about the influence which Romans has had upon them and their ministries.  The influence of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome is truly remarkable.

That done, we’ll briefly look at some of the main themes of the letter.  What ground does Paul seek to cover in this letter to a church in the very capital of a pagan empire?  Why did the renewed interest in Romans some 500 years ago generate many of the controversies which led to the Protestant Reformation and the split from the Roman Catholic church?  Why does Romans still generate controversies, such as those associated with the New Perspective on Paul?  What about those doctrines long associated with confessional Reformed theology?  Can we find them in Romans?  So, in addition to the themes laid out by Paul in this letter, I’ll identify some of the main controversies we will address when we get into the meat of the letter.  I’ll also explain my operating assumptions as we open a new season–why am I approaching this letter from an exegetical, theological, historical, and confessional perspective?

For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here:  https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

Episode Synopsis:

Paul has written a long letter dealing with on-going controversies in Corinth–his fourth letter to this congregation.  We know this letter as 2 Corinthians.  Among other things, Paul’s first Corinthian letter dealt with factions, lawsuits, idolatry, gifts of the Spirit, proper worship, and the nature of our Lord’s bodily resurrection in anticipation of our own.  After Paul made a difficult visit to Corinth and sent the so-called painful letter to the Corinthians, word came to him in Ephesus that existing troubles continued and new ones had erupted.

Paul will need to go back to Corinth to deal with these matters, so he began making his way through Macedonia (where he encountered a number of unspecified trials) and began composing 2 Corinthians on his way to Corinth.  One pressing matter is that an individual did great harm to Paul’s reputation and to the church, and while the Corinthians dealt with him, substantial damage was done among church members.  Another even more pressing matter was that false teachers and boastful braggarts were doing their best to undermine Paul’s apostolic authority in the church.  Paul addresses these matters head-on and prescribes a series of actions the Corinthians need to take.

While in Macedonia, Paul learned that the Corinthians had not followed through on their promise to collect an offering for the suffering saints in Jerusalem who were living through the effects of a severe famine in Palestine.  Paul hoped that this offering would do two things.  One is to provide badly needed relief to those suffering in the region.  A second is that a generous offering from Gentile churches to the Jewish church in Jerusalem would do much to end any hostilities between Christian Jews and Gentile converts.  The Macedonian churches were poor, but they gave above and beyond what they could to contribute to these offerings.  But Paul has learned that the Corinthians, who were wealthy, had been working on this for a year, but still, their offering was not ready.  So Paul challenges the Corinthians to make good on their promise.

About the time Paul and his companions were getting ready to make their way south from Macedonia to Corinth, Paul got news from Titus that a group of false teachers–whom Paul describes as false teachers and false apostles, and agents of Satan himself–were teaching a false gospel, a false Jesus, and a false Holy Spirit.  Paul responds with a fair bit of righteous anger by adding four additional chapters to his letter–chapters 10-13 of 2 Corinthians.  Paul has had enough of the Corinthian apathy toward the Christian life and doctrine, especially among those who continue in sexual sin and idolatrous practices, and who have been won over by these men who are doing everything in the power to undermine Paul and who seek to replace him.

This prompted Paul’s “Fool’s Speech” (2 Corinthians 11:21b-12:14)–a masterpiece of apostolic rhetoric.  In the closing verses of this letter–our text for this episode–Paul informs them he is coming to Corinth for the third time.  He does so in a manner which has the tone of an exasperated mother telling her disobedient children, “wait till your father gets home.”  Well, Paul is an exasperated father returning to a church he founded, and ready to settle things once and for all.  He hopes for the best, but is fully prepared to deal with an apathetic church which has tolerated agents of Satan for far too long in their midst.  The Corinthians have been warned.  “Your apostle is coming home.”  Time to put a stop to their bad behavior!

For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here:  https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

Lord willing, Season Five of the Blessed Hope Podcast will launch later this spring.  

I am hard at work preparing new episodes.  In this brief introductory podcast episode, I hope to whet your whistle as I speak to the importance of this epistle, reveal some of the issues I will be addressing in the upcoming season, and give future listeners a homework assignment.

I am really looking forward to getting underway and I hope you are too.

For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here:  https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

Episode Synopsis:

Paul’s “Fool’s Speech” is a masterpiece in ancient rhetoric.  Under constant criticism from false teachers and apostles who thought of themselves wiser and superior to Paul, the apostle responds to their accusations by taking on the role of a fool.  These men are braggarts who regard Paul as weak and ineffective.  They see themselves as vastly superior to the apostle.  

Rather than respond in kind, Paul offers a bit of bragging of his own.  But instead of boasting about his own accomplishments (which are far greater than anything the false teachers claim)–he will play the fool and exalt in his weaknesses.  This is how he has been portrayed by those seeking to undermine his role in the Corinthian church.  Okay, so he will take on the role they’ve assigned to him.  Paul will boast, but not in his strength.  Instead, He will boast in  his weakness.  In doing so he will expose the false apostles for what they are–men who think the gospel is about power, success, and overcoming all the difficulties of life.  And in playing the fool, Paul will also remind the Corinthians of their own foolishness in listening to such men with their false gospel, false Jesus, and false Holy Spirit.

In this remarkable speech Paul gives us a list of the incredible suffering which he has endured for the cause of Christ and the sake of the gospel.  He has faced all sorts of physical danger–from near drowning, to being stoned and beaten nearly to the point of death.  He’s been reviled by both Jews and Gentiles.  He has taken great risks in his 10,000 miles of travel and suffered all sorts of physical deprivation and danger as a result.  He’s borne the weight of worrying about the new churches–the fruit of his Gentile mission.  He’s spent many a sleepless night.  And all the while the false teachers seek a life of ease and luxury while exploiting the Corinthian’s foolishness in giving them free reign in the congregation.  In playing the fool, Paul exposes the false teachers for who and what they are, as well as rebuke the Corinthians for being foolish enough to listen to them.

We also find several important biographical gems in Paul’s speech.  The first is a catalogue of Paul’s trials and tribulations just mentioned.  But we also find Paul’s account of his vision of the third heaven–that which he sees cannot be put into words.  Paul is prevented from attempting to do so.  What he saw he cannot reveal.  But since such a vision carries with it the possibility of fostering pride, Paul was given an unidentified “thorn in the flesh” to remind him of his weakness, where his real power is to be found.  Paul repeatedly asked for this thorn to be taken away, and each time, the Lord’s answer was “no,” my grace is sufficient for you.  We learn much here about which otherwise we would not know.  And we are reminded yet again that weakness is Paul’s secret weapon.

For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here:  https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

Episode Synopsis:

After completing the first 9 chapters of the letter we know as 2 Corinthians, and even as he was preparing to leave Macedonia and head south to Corinth, Paul received word from Corinth that a group of men whom he describes as false teachers and false apostles were wreaking havoc in the church.  Not good news, and certainly a cause for immediate action.  In Paul’s estimation, these men were the agents of Satan who deceitfully disguises himself as an angel of light.  As his agents, these men were able to do their master’s bidding, disguising themselves as servants of righteousness, taking credit for the work done by Paul, and all the while undermining his efforts and seeking to divide Paul from the church he had founded through the proclamation of the apostolic gospel of Christ crucified.

Although criticizing Paul’s speaking abilities and less than imposing presence, their real crime was introducing a false gospel, another Jesus, and another Holy Spirit–a heretical departure from what Paul had proclaimed.  The true gospel (which had been revealed to Paul by the Lord himself), the true Jesus (who had appeared to Paul and commissioned him to his apostolic office as the apostle to the Gentiles), and the true Holy Spirit (who gave life to Paul’s preaching of Christ and him crucified) were replaced by counterfeits.  The goal of the false teachers was to undermine Paul’s office and authority so that they would have a free hand to teach their distorted gospel, false Jesus, and false Holy Spirit while displacing Paul’s role in Corinth.  These men and their names, as well as the specifics of their false gospel have been lost to history, but Paul’s warnings to the Corinthians and rebuke of these false teachers stands across time.

Satan never seems to weary of distorting the gospel and creating false doctrine just as he did in Corinth.  He was a liar from the beginning and remains so to this day.  In warning the Corinthians of his efforts, Paul is warning us.  By identifying a false gospel, a false Jesus, and a false Holy Spirit, Paul is warning Christians of the methods used by Satan and his minions to disguise his intentions and his agents.  No doubt these men were refined orators, addressed the issues of life in a way which appealed to Greco-Roman pagans, and they had been welcomed in the congregation.  But Paul exposes their master, their false teaching, and their methods.  How could the Corinthians allow themselves to be taken in by such men?

For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here:  https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

Episode Synopsis:

Paul is in Macedonia preparing to head south to Corinth.  So far, he has written to the Corinthians about his office and authority and he has encouraged them to wrap up their efforts to collect an offering to be sent to the struggling church in Jerusalem.  The Corinthians have been a difficult bunch for Paul, but when he wraps up the letter we know as in 2 Corinthians in chapter 9 he is both joyful and confident that the Corinthians understand his office and role in the apostolic churches.

But then Paul gets news which can only be described as infuriating.  A number of men–apparently Jews claiming to have the blessing of the Jerusalem church, yet who use Greek rhetorical gimmicks, and who brag about visions, revelations, and who claim to have performed miracles–have infiltrated the Corinthian church in his absence.  Paul is understandably upset and the apostolic gloves come off.  He describes these men as false teachers and apostles who preach a different gospel, a different Jesus, and a different Holy Spirit than he has taught the Corinthians.  He even identifies them as agents of Satan.  How can the Corinthians be so foolish and gullible?  We can only imagine Paul’s frustration with these people.  R. C. Sproul’s words come to mind here–”what is wrong with you people?!”

So before Paul returns to Corinth, he adds chapters 10-13 to what he thought was his completed letter.  He will send Titus and the others south, while he wraps up his remaining business in Macedonia.  Unlike the specious charges raised against him by the false teachers and gospel peddlers, Paul will demonstrate that he is every bit as tough in person as he is in his letters–a charge which has been leveled against him by the false apostles.  He will challenge these agents of Satan and their false gospel by reminding them that divine warfare is conducted in the power of the Holy Spirit (not grounded in the flesh as these men were doing) and that Paul’s gospel can destroy all lofty opinions and take every thought captive to the knowledge and Lordship of Christ.

For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here:  https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/

Episode Synopsis:

Paul expressed concern that the Corinthian church would not have their offering ready upon his upcoming visit to Corinth.  As we saw last time, this offering had two important purposes.  The first was that there was a genuine need in Jerusalem as a result of an extended famine.  Gentile churches in Macedonia and Achaia were spared from the famine and had the means to send a significant gift to the struggling church in Jerusalem.  The second reason this mattered was that once the debate over justification had been settled at the Jerusalem Council, Jewish Christians accepted Gentile believers as their brothers and sisters–but there was still tension between the two groups who had a long and mutual history of distrust.  An offering from Gentile Christians during a time of great need in the mother church would go a long way to alleviate these tensions.

But as we read in chapter 9–a continuation of the previous section of 2 Corinthians–it became clear that although the Corinthians planned to collect such an offering previously, they never followed through on their promise to contribute.  Paul was in Macedonia when word came from Corinth that the offering was not ready.  Apparently, Paul’s critics and opponents in Corinth raised questions about both Paul’s integrity and the true purpose of the offering.  Meanwhile, Paul had been telling the Macedonians (literally boasting) that the Corinthians promised to do likewise.  The Macedonians gave beyond their means assuming the Corinthians would do the same.  The Corinthians hadn’t yet given at all.  This was shameful and embarrassing to all concerned.

In chapter 9, Paul discusses the proper motives behind Christian charity.  He does away with the tithe and reminds his readers that Christians are to give as much as they can–if they can do so freely and joyfully.  He tells the Corinthians that Christians do not “give to get”–no prosperity gospel here.  Rather they are to give what they can when there is a genuine need.  The model for such giving is God’s grace as manifest in the cross of Jesus Christ, the proof that God loves us and cares for us.  Christian giving does not appease an angry god (as the pagans taught), it does not ensure that we’ll prosper financially or regain health (as the prosperity gospelers claim), and giving is always to be done simply because it is good to give–especially to those in need.  While there is a spiritual blessing for the cheerful giver, the Christian offering is but an act of gratitude in response to the inexpressible gift God has given to us in the person of his son. 

For show notes and other recommended materials located at the Riddleblog as mentioned during the Blessed Hope Podcast, click here:  https://www.kimriddlebarger.com/