Theology Project | The Podcast

Most people think they know the central message of Romans: justification by faith. It’s beautiful, and it’s true. But what if it’s not actually the main goal of the letter?

In this video, we take a closer look at the often-overlooked theme that frames the entire book of Romans from beginning to end—the obedience of faith. Paul opens with it. Paul closes with it. And he structures the whole letter around it.

Could it be that justification isn’t the destination of salvation, but the doorway into a transformed life under the reign of Jesus?

And could our narrow focus on justification have kept us from seeing the bigger purpose Paul had in mind?

In this deep-dive, you’ll learn:

🔹 Why Paul bookends Romans with “the obedience of faith”

🔹 How obedience and faith work together—not in competition

🔹 Why “works” language makes us nervous, and why Paul isn’t nervous

🔹 How justification functions as the means toward a greater end

🔹 What Romans reveals about Christian formation and discipleship

If you want to understand the message of Romans in a fresh, compelling way—and see how Paul’s vision speaks directly into Christian life today—this episode is for you.

👉 Read the full article on Theology Project:

https://www.theologyproject.online/post/the-message-of-romans-you-re-not-likely-to-hear

📬 Subscribe to Theology Project for more:

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👍 If this helped you see Romans differently, hit LIKE

🕊️ Share it with someone who loves Scripture

🔔 And subscribe for more biblical theology, preaching insights, and New Testament scholarship

MATT'S BRAND NEW BOOKS

Free to Be Holy: A Biblical Theology of Sanctification

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Reconstructing Methodism: Crucial Issues Facing the Global Methodist Church https://amzn.to/3TnkYKS

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Paul and the Resurrected Body: Social Identity and Ethical Practice https://amzn.to/2xOJmyj

The Letters to the Thessalonians (w/ videos) https://amzn.to/3B0m6su

Bless the Nations https://amzn.to/3eEpiiF

#Romans #Paul #BibleStudy #JustificationByFaith #ObedienceOfFaith #NewTestament #TheologyProject #ChristianDiscipleship #BiblicalTheology

Music used with permission - "Steps" by Anno Domini Beats

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Is 1 Thessalonians 4 teaching the rapture—or something else entirely? In this Theology Project video, we explore the historical and theological context of Paul’s words and argue that the passage describes the ascension of resurrected believers to welcome Christ as he returns in glory, not a secret rapture or escape from earth.

We examine 1 Thessalonians 4 in light of Daniel 7 and New Testament ascension theology to show why this passage points to union with Christ in his ascension—not removal from the world.

Check out Patrick Schreiner's book on the ascension: https://amzn.to/4e6SXQC

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MATT'S BRAND NEW BOOKS
Free to Be Holy: A Biblical Theology of Sanctification https://amzn.to/4gOn4gN (print)

https://amzn.to/47pttuz (Kindle)

Reconstructing Methodism: Crucial Issues Facing the Global Methodist Church https://amzn.to/3TnkYKS

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Music: Steps by Anno Domini Beats used with permission.

What did John Wesley really believe about baptism? In this episode, Dr. Matt O’Reilly sits down with Dr. Jonathan Powers of Asbury Theological Seminary to explore Wesley’s "Treatise on Baptism" and his deeply sacramental understanding of this sacred act.

Together, they unpack why Wesley believed baptism is a means of grace—not merely a symbol—and how it relates to new birth and discipleship in as a member of the new covenant. Along the way, they charitably contrast the Wesleyan/Methodist view with believer’s baptism (credobaptism) and discuss why Wesley still baptized infants as an expression of God’s prevenient grace.

If you’ve ever wondered how baptism fits into salvation, or what it means to say it’s a means of grace, this conversation will help you think more deeply about water, Spirit, and faith in the Wesleyan tradition.

BUY Jonathan's new book: New Life in the Risen Christ: A Wesleyan Theology of Baptism https://amzn.to/46Xr6R7

READ Wesley's Treatise on Baptism: https://www.whdl.org/sites/default/files/resource/7387091/pp.%20188-201%20%28A%20treatise%20on%20baptism%29.pdf?language=en

WATCH my conversation with Ryan Danker on Wesley's view of the Lord's Supper: https://youtu.be/Ob4FEPsKpMw?si=MHGghZriNQjKf974

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Reconstructing Methodism: Crucial Issues Facing the Global Methodist Church https://amzn.to/3TnkYKS

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Paul and the Resurrected Body: Social Identity and Ethical Practice https://amzn.to/2xOJmyj

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Bless the Nations https://amzn.to/3eEpiiF

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Music: "Steps" by Anno Domini Beats - Used with permission.

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It's common in the baptism debate to hear that the Greek word for "baptize" means "to immerse." In this video, we take a look at John Wesley's somewhat snarky rebuttal of that very dubious claim.

The full interview with Dr. Jonathan Powers posts on Monday. We work through John Wesley's "Treatise on Baptism" -- SUBSCRIBE NOW so you don't miss it!

BUY Jonathan's new book: New Life in the Risen Christ: A Wesleyan Theology of Baptism https://amzn.to/46Xr6R7

READ Wesley's Treatise on Baptism: https://www.whdl.org/sites/default/files/resource/7387091/pp.%20188-201%20%28A%20treatise%20on%20baptism%29.pdf?language=en

WATCH my conversation with Ryan Danker on Wesley's view of the Lord's Supper: https://youtu.be/Ob4FEPsKpMw?si=MHGghZriNQjKf974

GET UPDATES FROM THEOLOGY PROJECT https://www.theologyproject.online/subscribe

MATT'S BRAND NEW BOOKS Free to Be Holy: A Biblical Theology of Sanctification https://amzn.to/4gOn4gN (print)

https://amzn.to/47pttuz (Kindle)

GET THE VIDEOS https://my.seedbed.com/product/free-to-be-holy/

Reconstructing Methodism: Crucial Issues Facing the Global Methodist Church https://amzn.to/3TnkYKS

MATT'S OTHER BOOKS

Paul and the Resurrected Body: Social Identity and Ethical Practice https://amzn.to/2xOJmyj

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Bless the Nations https://amzn.to/3eEpiiF

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How often should Christians take Holy Communion? In this video, we look at how John Wesley would answer that question. In his sermon “The Duty of Constant Communion,” Wesley insisted that the Lord’s Supper isn’t optional. It’s a command of Christ and a means of grace.

In this episode, Dr. Matt O’Reilly sits down with Dr. Ryan Danker, Director of the John Wesley Institute in Washington, D.C., to explore why Wesley believed constant communion was essential for Christian life and growth. Together they discuss the theology, history, and practical implications of Wesley’s commitment to attending the Lord's Supper as often as possible.

READ THE SERMON: The Duty of Constant Communion https://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872-edition/sermon-101-the-duty-of-constant-communion/

BOOKS BY DR. RYAN DANKER: Wesley and the Anglicans: Political Division in Early Evangelicalism https://amzn.to/48udLB7

Exploring a Wesleyan Political Theology https://amzn.to/4q5HCpB

The Next Methodism: Theological, Social, and Missional Foundations for Global Methodism https://amzn.to/43eKOp4

The Faith Once Delivered https://amzn.to/3ISGaGw

VISIT THE JOHN WESLEY INSTITUTE https://nextmethodism.org

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MATT'S BRAND NEW BOOKS Free to Be Holy: A Biblical Theology of Sanctification https://amzn.to/4gOn4gN (print)

https://amzn.to/47pttuz (Kindle)

GET THE VIDEOS https://my.seedbed.com/product/free-to-be-holy/

Reconstructing Methodism: Crucial Issues Facing the Global Methodist Church https://amzn.to/3TnkYKS

MATT'S OTHER BOOKS

Paul and the Resurrected Body: Social Identity and Ethical Practice https://amzn.to/2xOJmyj

The Letters to the Thessalonians (w/ videos) https://amzn.to/3B0m6su

Bless the Nations https://amzn.to/3eEpiiF

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Music: "Steps" by Anno Domini Beats - Used with permission.

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What do we mean when we talk about grace? In this episode, Dr. Matt O'Reilly explains some common misconceptions about the biblical concept of grace. You'll learn why we shouldn't talk about KINDS of grace, and that grace isn't a thing outside of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Get UPDATES from Theology Project: https://www.theologyproject.online/subscribe

MATT'S BRAND NEW BOOKS

Free to Be Holy: A Biblical Theology of Sanctification

https://amzn.to/4gOn4gN (print)

https://amzn.to/47pttuz (Kindle)

Reconstructing Methodism: Crucial Issues Facing the Global Methodist Church https://amzn.to/3TnkYKS

MATT'S OTHER BOOKS

Paul and the Resurrected Body: Social Identity and Ethical Practice https://amzn.to/2xOJmyj

The Letters to the Thessalonians (w/ videos) https://amzn.to/3B0m6su

Bless the Nations https://amzn.to/3eEpiiF

This page contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Music: Steps by Anno Domini Beats

What’s the difference between common grace and prevenient grace? Are these concepts compatible or contradictory? In this video, we explore how God’s grace works in Wesleyan and Reformed theology, unpacking the meaning of prevenient grace and its relationship to common grace. Discover how grace shapes salvation and human response!

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MATT'S BRAND NEW BOOKS

Free to Be Holy: A Biblical Theology of Sanctification

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https://my.seedbed.com/product/free-to-be-holy/

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Dr. Matt O'Reilly is Lead Pastor of Christ Church in Birmingham, Alabama, Director of Research at Wesley Biblical Seminary, and a senior fellow of the Center for Pastor Theologians. 

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How much did John Wesley shape C. S. Lewis’s vision of Narnia? In this interview clip, Dr. Jerome Van Kuiken and Dr. Matt O'Reilly explore the surprising ways Lewis may have drawn on Wesley’s theology of creation and animal life. Lewis cites Wesley’s sermon The General Deliverance" in The Problem of Pain when wrestling with the suffering of animals—a full decade before writing The Chronicles of Narnia. We discuss how Wesley’s eschatological hope for the renewal of creation echoes in Lewis’ portrayal of talking beasts, the dignity of Aslan’s creatures, and the deep moral order of Narnia.

If you’re interested in the connections between theology, literature, and the imagination, this conversation will give you a fresh lens on Lewis, Wesley, and the hope of a redeemed creation.

This is a clip from a longer conversation. Listen to the whole thing here: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-xu9pu-194517a

Or watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uLWdjlWMCek

Read "The General Deliverance by John Wesley: https://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872-edition/sermon-60-the-general-deliverance/

Read The Problem of Pain by C. S. Lewis: https://amzn.to/4pjCY7g

Dr. Jerome Van Kuiken is a member of the faculty at Oklahoma Wesleyan University.

Dr. Matt O'Reilly is Lead Pastor of Christ Church Birmingham in Alabama. 

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In this episode, Dr. Matt O’Reilly talks with Dr. Brian Yeich about John Wesley’s sermon The General Spread of the Gospel. Wesley envisions a future of global gospel advance grounded in the holiness of God’s people. While often overlooked today, Wesley’s optimistic eschatology—sometimes described as postmillennial—offers a powerful reminder: holiness is essential to the mission of the church.

Read "The General Spread of the Gospel" NOW: 

https://wesley.nnu.edu/john-wesley/the-sermons-of-john-wesley-1872-edition/sermon-63-the-general-spread-of-the-gospel/

Wesley called holiness the “grand depositum” God entrusted to Methodists. He also warned that the lack of holiness in the church is the “grand stumbling block” to the conversion of the nations. What can Wesley teach us about the hope of gospel expansion, the urgency of sanctification, and the mission of the church in our own time?

More about Dr. Brian Yeich

Brian’s passion is helping people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ whether it is in the context of the community, the local church, or the academy. He is an ordained elder in the Global Methodist Church, Trinity Conference, and has pastored 11 years in both large and small congregations as well as a church re-start. Including his previous role at Asbury Theological Seminary as Assistant Provost, Brian has over eight years in theological education leadership. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at Asbury Theological Seminary and Wesley Biblical Seminary teaching in the areas of Church History, Wesley Studies, and Pastoral Formation. Brian is currently appointed as Missional Discipleship Coordinator with World Methodist Evangelism in partnership with the Inspire Movement, a missional discipleship network based in the United Kingdom. Along with his wife, Misty, Brian works with congregations and church leaders to mentor and train them in developing cultures of missional discipleship in their contexts through Inspire Bands and House Fellowships. He completed his PhD under the supervision of Dr. Philip R. Meadows with the University of Manchester/Cliff College (England) in the spring of 2015. Brian’s PhD research focused on the doctrine of Christian perfection and its implications for the theology and practice of evangelism under the title, The Doctrine of Christian Perfection as a Vision for Evangelism. He is a contributor to The Faith Once Delivered produced by the Next Methodism summit. Brian holds a B.S. in Management and a M.B.A from Louisiana Tech University. He also holds a M.Div. and D.Min. from Asbury Theological Seminary.  He enjoys tinkering on cars, technology, and spending time with his family.

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MATT'S BRAND NEW BOOKS

Free to Be Holy: A Biblical Theology of Sanctification

https://amzn.to/4gOn4gN (print)

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Reconstructing Methodism: Crucial Issues Facing the Global Methodist Church https://amzn.to/3TnkYKS

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Paul and the Resurrected Body: Social Identity and Ethical Practice https://amzn.to/2xOJmyj

The Letters to the Thessalonians (w/ videos) https://amzn.to/3B0m6su

Bless the Nations https://amzn.to/3eEpiiF

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Who are the four horsemen of the apocalypse? The question is hotly debated. In this episode of Theology Project, Dr. Matt O'Reilly answers the question based on clues in the text of Revelation 6. It turns out...one of the riders may not be who you thought. 

My FAVORITE BOOKS on Revelation

1. Revelation by Robert Mulholland https://amzn.to/42c2SAz

2. Reading Revelation Responsibly by Michael Gorman https://amzn.to/40ccHM7

3. Revelation for Everyone by N.T. Wright https://amzn.to/42riQHp

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MATT'S BRAND NEW BOOKS

Free to Be Holy: A Biblical Theology of Sanctification

https://amzn.to/4gOn4gN (print)

https://amzn.to/47pttuz (Kindle)

GET THE VIDEOS https://my.seedbed.com/product/free-to-be-holy/

Reconstructing Methodism: Crucial Issues Facing the Global Methodist Church https://amzn.to/3TnkYKS

MATT'S OTHER BOOKS

Paul and the Resurrected Body: Social Identity and Ethical Practice https://amzn.to/2xOJmyj

The Letters to the Thessalonians (w/ videos) https://amzn.to/3B0m6su

Bless the Nations https://amzn.to/3eEpiiF

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