God is kind, gracious, compassionate, and forgiving but he still holds humans accountable for their sins. We can receive forgiveness, but sometimes earthly consequences remain. We should thank God for his goodness and forgiveness and learn from our mistakes so that we will be wiser and holier in the future.

Episode Resources:

Passages Referenced: Isaiah 59:1-2, Jeremiah 5:25, Numbers 32:23; Romans 3:23, 6:23; Micah 7:18-19; Isaiah 43:25; Psalm 103:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Romans 2:6-9; Psalm 51; 1 Corinthians 10:6, 10:11; 2 Corinthians 5:21, 8:9; Ezra 9:13

This episode seeks to help Christians develop skills to answer questions people ask about our faith. We may not know everything but we can know enough to point people to the Christ who truly has all of the answers.

Passages Referenced:
2 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Peter 3:15; Hosea 4:6; Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15; Acts 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 4:13; 1 Corinthians 10:1; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 2:24-26

I've been studying the Bible for a long time, why do I still have so many questions? The Bible is a book revealing the mind of God to us. There will always be questions, but thankfully there will always be answers too. We should enjoy the discovery of truth and allow ourselves to learn new things as we are changed into the kind of people God wants us to be through our encounter with the text.

Passages Referenced:
2 Timothy 2:15; Matthew 4:4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; John 8:31-32; Acts 17:11-12; Ephesians 3:3-5; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Psalm 1:2; Joshua 1:8; 1 Peter 1:10-12; 2 Peter 3:15-16; Daniel 12:5-9; Revelation 17:6-7

The Holy Spirit is sometimes referred to as the 3rd member of the Godhead, is this correct? It is fine to refer to the Holy Spirit using this description so long as we appreciate that He is equally God along with the Father and the Son. All three members of the Godhead are fully God and worthy of our everything and deserve to be treated as Divine!

Episode Resources:

Books referenced:

• Christopher Watkin, Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible's Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture (2022): https://amzn.to/4mZ70f2
• Rex A. Turner, Biblical Theology: Fundamentals of the Faith (2010): https://amzn.to/3VAXsKV
• Michael Reeves, Delighting in the Trinity: A Introduction to the Christian Faith (2012): https://amzn.to/429jTKU
• Fred Sanders, The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything (2017): https://amzn.to/4gbMqFi

Relevant Passages: Deuteronomy 6:4; Job 11:7; Ephesians 3:3-5; Romans 1:17; Genesis 1:1, 1:31; John 20:28; John 1:1-3; Hebrews 1:1-3; John 2:24-25; Matthew 28:20; Isaiah 46:10, Isaiah 40:13-14; Job 33:4; Matthew 3:16-17; Acts 1:1-3; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 4:4-6; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6;

Is the church of Christ a denomination? How do we respond to those who say we are members of a denomination based on the Restoration Movement? Jesus promised to build his church and prayed for unity among his followers. As long as we are seeking to practice Christianity based on the instructions he left us in the New Testament and uniting on the basis of his word we can give him what he desires. 

Episode Resources:

Passages Referenced: Matthew 16L16-18; John 17:17, 17:20-21; Acts 2:38-47; 1 Corinthians 1:10, 4:17; Romans 12:4-8; Galatians 1:6-9; Jude 3; 1 Timothy 4:1-5; Ephesians 1:20-23, 2:11-18, 3:5-8, 4:4, 5:23; Luke 8:11; Nehemiah 8:8; 2 Kings 22; 2 Chronicles 29-31

This episode seeks to define what the Bible means by sanctification and what it means for the Christian today. How do we know we are sanctified and what does it look like in our everyday lives?

Episode Resources:

Relevant Passages: Genesis 2:1-3, Leviticus 11:44-45, Exodus 19:5-6; Hebrews 2:11-15, Hebrews 10:14; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 5:19-21, 5:22-23; Ephesians 4:22-32; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Peter 1:15-16

This episode seeks to answer the question of what a Christian should do when their spouse or children don't believe or are no longer living faithfully.

Verses referenced: 1 Corinthians 7:12-15; 1 Peter 3:1-6; Proverbs 16:7; John 1:10-12; John 7:5; Ephesians 6:4; Hebrews 12:7-11; Proverbs 22:6; 2 Corinthians 3:2

This episode seek to answer whether or not God hears and answers the prayers of non-Christians. Will God hear the request or prayer of someone living in sin who is not his child?

Verses referenced: Proverbs 15:29, Proverbs 28:9; John 9:31; 1 Peter 3:12; 1 Peter 5:7; Acts 9:11; Acts 10:4; Ephesians 1:3; Proverbs 8:17

In this episode we answer the question of, "If a Christian is saved, why does the Bible also say we will be judged?"

Helpful verses for this question:

• John 5:28-29
• Luke 12:47-48
• Romans 14:12
• 2 Corinthians 5:10
• 1 John 1:7
• 1 John 1:9
• Acts 2:38
• 1 Corinthians 3:10-15
• James 3:1

Have a question for The Holy Brief? Email Hiram at [email protected].

We're excited to introduce a brand new podcast from Hiram Kemp coming soon to The Light Network: "The Holy Brief: Sacred Thoughts, Made Simple." Big questions. Short answers. Holy Brief is a quick dive into the deep end of life, belief, and everything in between. Explore life’s big questions—faith, meaning, purpose—in under 10 minutes. Sacred thoughts, made simple.