Under God, Over the People
We live in an era of growing governmental interference and intervention in the life of the local church. So what is the proper Biblical relationship between the civil magistrate and the church? Our hosts reach across the pond to discuss the topic with Oliver Allmand-Smith. He’s a trustee of the International Reformed Baptist Seminary, a pastor for more than 20 years, and the author of Under God, Over the People: The Calling and Accountability of Civil Government.
Allmand-Smith draws upon the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith as he defines both the calling and limitations of the civil magistrate’s authority over the local church. How should the church interact with the government? You’ll appreciate the clarity of both Scripture and the Confession on this timely topic.
A free copy of Oliver’s book could be yours, courtesy of Broken Wharfe resources. Register here to win.

Under God, Over the People Podcast

Theology on the Go is a brief conversation on eternal truths. It features Jonathan Master — seminary president and author — and James Dolezal — author and university professor.  Each bi-weekly discussion features a key biblical doctrine in both a thoughtful and accessible way, proving the relevance of theology for Christians every day!

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In today’s culture, it’s hard to find anyone who hasn’t been impacted by sexual sin, either personally or in their family or social circles. Issues of pornography, transgenderism, and homosexuality are pervasive, yet many in the evangelical church do not feel equipped to face the challenges of sexual brokenness. James and Jonathan are joined today by Mark Sanders, the executive director of Harvest USA. Harvest brings the truth and mercy of Jesus Christ by helping individuals and families affected by sexual struggles and by providing resources that address biblical sexuality to individuals and churches.
Over the years, as the rise of the internet, it’s become much more of a broad discipleship ministry addressing any way that sin has affected our sexuality and our gender, and we’re just seeing more and more the ways that the fall and denial of God as our creator is going in more and more directions with sin. So we want to continue to see how Scripture brings clarity on God’s design but also brings clarity on the hope that we have in Christ.       – Mark Sanders
Harvest USA has always been an important ministry, but it is becoming increasingly vital in today’s culture. Tune in to hear more, and check out their website to see what resources are available, including two new online courses, “Raising Sexually Faithful Kids” and “Parenting Boys and Girls in a Gender-Confused World.
For the opportunity to win a copy of Across the Kitchen Table, thanks to the generosity of Harvest USA, enter here. 
Show Notes:
For more information about Harvest USA and to access their new online courses: https://harvestusa.org/

Harvest USA

James and Jonathan welcome their bowtie-clad friend, T. David Gordon, to discuss his latest book, Choose Better: 5 Biblical Models for Making Ethical Decisions. How do we know if we’re making the best choices possible? T. David says that over the centuries, Christians in different traditions have distilled scriptural guidance into five models for ethical decision-making. These models give us clear questions to ask in every situation, helping us improve our choices and better understand the choices of fellow believers—especially when they differ from ours.
The creature made in God’s image has the capacity for reflection, for contemplation, for decision making, and so any choice we make about any aspect of our life is a reflection of the image of God in us, and therefore, it is subject to ethical inspection. – T. David Gordon
Tune in to discover how T. David’s five biblical models for making ethical decisions equip believers to think biblically and choose better. And also learn why one of these models has him regularly spending a night sleeping in the forest. You may be inspired to grab a hammock and follow suit!
For the opportunity to win a copy of Choose Better, thanks to the generosity of P&R Publishing, enter here. 
 
Show Notes:
Why Johnny Can’t Preach by T. David Gordon:
https://reformedresources.org/why-johnny-cant-preach-paperback/

Choose Better

It’s a trip down memory lane as Jonathan and James sit down with their former student, John Biegel, who is now serving as the lead pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Annandale, VA. John recently authored a book, Offering and Embracing Christ: The Marrow Theology of John Colquhoun of Leith. Less well known than the famous “marrow man,” Thomas Boston, Conquhoun was a faithful Scottish minister and Calvinist whose life and preaching reflected the thought of the Marrow men on offering and embracing Christ.
Colquhoun stands out as being especially indebted to Boston and Erskine and this whole stream of Marrow theology in a way that is unparalleled in the Church of Scotland at the time and really sets up what ends up being this evangelical revival in the Church of Scotland in the early 19th century. – John Biegel 
James and Jonathan are justifiably proud of their former student and commend his book to all, but in particular to anyone who feels the tension between the free offer of the gospel and particular atonement. 
For the opportunity to win a copy of John’s book, thanks to the generosity of our friends at Reformation Heritage Books, enter here. 
 
Show Notes:
John recommends the following books by John Colquhoun: 
The Covenant of Grace: https://heritagebooks.org/products/the-covenant-of-grace-colquhoun.html
A View of Saving Faith: https://a.co/d/4C2HKUl
A Treatise on the Law and the Gospel*: https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/a-treatise-on-the-law-and-the-gospel-colquhoun-hardcover.html
https://thelawandthegospel.com/Repentance: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/theology-books/repentance/

Offering and Embracing Christ

Jonathan and James sit down with Brandon Crowe, an author and professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary, to discuss his latest work, The Lord Jesus Christ: The Biblical Doctrine of the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. Brandon traces Christ’s person and work throughout the Old and New Testaments and church history through biblical, historical, and theological study and then presents systematic and practical implications. 
The book is something like a one-stop-shop where it’s not just the systematics or just biblical theology. It really brings those two between the same covers, and not just that, but also the practical applications of what this means for our salvation and for our worship of Christ. – James Dolezal
Written from a confessionally Reformed perspective in concert with the great creeds of the church, The Lord Jesus Christ provides a thorough and trustworthy guide to understanding Jesus and his salvific work.
For the opportunity to win a copy of Brandon’s book, thanks to the generosity of Lexham Press, enter here.

The Person and Work of Jesus Christ

James and Jonathan are excited to kick off the Theology on the Go book club today with their good friend Jeffrey Stivason, coming together to discuss The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. Jeff is pastor of Grace Reformed Presbyterian Church and a professor at Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary. 
In this episode, they will discuss the book's first section, from the City of Destruction to the Wicket Gate. So grab your copy of The Pilgrim's Progress (or order one here if you don't own one) and follow along with our knowledgeable and passionate hosts. Jeff believes this book has profoundly impacted his Christian experience, and he highly commends it to others.
[The Pilgrim's Progress] has the ability to take me by the heart…I just find myself thinking; this is so much like us – to not be able to see the best of things but to be able to see the worst of things so clearly. And here [Christian] is, arriving at the gate, and it's a little triumph and it's a lot of joy to see him move through this part of the path. It feels like life itself, doesn't it? – Jeff Stivason
Thanks to the generosity of our friends at Banner of Truth, we have a couple copies of  Bunyan’s classic work to offer for a giveaway. Click here to enter. 
Each episode over the next several months will discuss a few chapters of the classic work. Part 2 of the book club will air on April 29th, at which time we will cover "The Interpreter's House" (pp. 25-29 in the Banner Books edition). 
Show Notes:
To order your copy of The Pilgrim’s Progress:https://reformedresources.org/the-pilgrims-progress-clothbound/
The Strait Gate by John Bunyanhttps://a.co/d/abUTGaJ

Under God, Over the People Podcast

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