What Christians Should Know

This is a replay (November 2018) of one of the most downloaded episodes in the 8-year history of the WCSK podcast. This "short" answers a specific question based on a brief Bible passage. In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal asks, "If the gospel tells the story of the 'good news' then how does the story end?" What is the ultimate conclusion of our Christian experience? What is the point of everything? Our Scripture focus will come from Romans 5:6-11.

Likely, right now there are a few things consume your attention. There are likely a few things that you are concerned about, that cause you to worry or that burden your soul. These things—or thing—may reign over you to the point where it seems really, really big and everything else in your life relatively seems really, really small. Let me then ask you a question: is the thing that holds the deed to your heart God? Because what the Word of God tells us is that God is of first importance.

In this episode, be illuminated by the biblical reality that God is of first importance. Gain insight into the pleasure and contentment of holiness. Learn that when God is of secondary importance, all that results for the Christian is a lack of joy and a fruitless, miserable life.

Two thousand years ago, an angel preached a sermon of "good news of great joy" to unsuspecting shepherds. In that sermon, he communicated who the Prince of Peace is, why He was born, what He came to do, and why the birth of the Messiah was the day when true heavenly joy was born. The good news of great joy that our Deliverer has arrived and shall live forever. Once God became a Man, the Lord will forever be united with him.

Is there a sin that is so heinous and egregious that the one who commits it is not and shall never be forgiven? The Bible speaks of only one such sin, called the unforgiveable sin. The matter is clearly an important one for the Lord saw it necessary to mention it three times in the New Testament: in Matthew 12:22-32, Mark 3:28-30, and Luke 12:8-10. In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal will explain what the unforgiveable sin is and what it is not. The great hope for any Christian is that if you are worried if you have committed it, you can be certain you are not guilty of it. Our Scripture focus will be Matthew 12:22–32.

In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal equips Christians to think and act biblically when it comes to living amidst the tension of two kingdoms: of God and of the world. Specifically, he uses Dr. Sam Waldron's book, Political Revolution in the Reformed Tradition, as a foundation and guide to develop answers to five more critical questions:

(1)  What is the specific sphere of the State’s authority?

(2) How does the Christian respond when the State exceeds its lawful jurisdiction?

(3) How should the Christian think about the State: positively, negatively or neutral?

(4) How should the Church engage the State?

(5) In the United States, does Romans 13 guide us on how to vote?

Gain crucial perspectives for both the Church and the individual Christian as they navigate through the perplexing ethical and societal questions that have recently emerged that have put Christ and compliance in opposition.

Get Political Revolution: https://amzn.to/3T94J1Z

In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal equips Christians to think and act biblically when it comes to living amidst the tension of two kingdoms: of God and of the world. Specifically, he uses Dr. Sam Waldron's book, Political Revolution in the Reformed Tradition, as a foundation and guide to develop answers to five critical questions:

(1) Where does the government come from?

(2) What is a civil authority called to do?

(3) Does the Bible support or prohibit political revolution?

(4) What is the relationship between subordination to civil magistrates and obedience to the same authorities?

(5) Does Romans 13 call us to obey the government blindly in all situations?

Gain crucial perspectives for both the Church and the individual Christian as they navigate through the perplexing ethical and societal questions that have recently emerged that have put Christ and compliance in opposition.

Get Political Revolution: https://amzn.to/3T94J1Z

The Christian is saved by faith and then lives by faith, which is distinguished from the life of sight. Of course, the life of “sight” is not limited to literal eyesight but refers to what is natural and earthly. Sight is a gift the Lord has provided to all human beings regardless of their election. Sight is not therefore to be rejected, but a man of faith understands that his decisive trust is not in an earthly gift. By contrast, natural men are content to live a life of sight without God. They live like practical atheists and ultimately trust what they think, experience, sense or feel. Indeed, they may have faith, but that faith is in something natural: their sight. In contrast, the Christian lives by his faith in Christ.

In this episode, learn three practical applications of what it means to live by faith in distinction to living by sight.

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and one of the many gifts that the Holy Spirit graces to us through sanctification. So how does a Christian improve their joy? Well, because joy is a fruit of the Spirit, the source of joy is God. No one can fake joy or produce it by themselves.

Still, Colossians 1:11–12 tells us something interesting: that joy has specific ingredients. Yes, joy is a fruit, but the tree that produces the fruit of joy takes root in particular soil. That soil has two crucial ingredients: perseverance and patience. So you can’t have joy without its crucial ingredients.

In this episode get a clear biblical understanding what joy is, how God cultivates it, and how faith is the instrument by which God strengthens us with joy.

John Owen once wrote, "Be killing sin or sin will be killing you." So, every true Christian will be killing sin. But how? How does a Christian kill sin according to the Scriptures? These are the questions Dr. Sadaphal will provide answers for in this episode.

The hope for any child of God is that after Yahweh saves a person, He does not leave them alone. He stays with them and perseveres them until the end. Some of the wonderful treasures the Lord has provided for your sanctification are the promises of God. The Holy Spirit works through the divine promises and cooperatively enables and empowers you to mortify sin. Hence, a crucial key to a believer’s sanctification are the promises of God. The power of the promises are made manifest when a Christian trusts the promise-Maker, God, who has sent the Holy Spirit who work in and on us to fulfill those promises, making us more like Jesus.

Our Scripture focus will be II Peter 1:4.

King Ahab and Queen Jezebel are two historical monarchs who appear in the narratives of the Old Testament. Ahab is best known for his failure to lead and his open endorsement of idolatry. Jezebel is best known for her bad behavior unbecoming of a queen, so much so that calling a woman a “Jezebel” is equivalent to using profanity in Christian circles.

Now, why is it important for us to study Bible characters who have been dead for thousands of years? Because the spirits of Ahab and Jezebel are alive and well today whenever we see power acting with an arrogant, presumptuous security in which it treads beneath its feet all divine and human rights.

In this episode gain a biblical understanding of these two spirits and how this wisdom applies to your everyday life in the family, in the world, and in the church.