Category Archives: Doctrine

The Perspicuity of Scripture & Meme Theology

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Episode 448: I’ve seen a certain meme floating around social media and felt compelled to respond to it. Actually, Francis Turretin responded to it centuries ago. We dive into Turretin’s Institutes of Elenctic Theology (2.17) to evaluate the meme, bolster our understanding of the clarity and plainness of Scripture, and rightly think about the parts of Scripture which may be “obscure.” Then, just a brief word about translation and interpretation of difficult phrases.

My article on the meme (with the meme included)

Evaluating Brents on Ephesians 1.3ff

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Episode 447: I continue to work my way through Bro. T. W. Brents book The Gospel Plan of Salvation, which would be better named Polemics Against Calvinism. In this episode, I look at Brents explanation (eisegesis!) of Ephesians 1.3ff and his pained attempt to force the personal pronouns “us” and “we” mean other than the immediate requires. It is a display of opposition “exegesis,” i.e., when you interpret Scripture in any other way than your opponent does.

Operation of the Holy Spirit, pt.2

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Episode 446: I continue my take down of the late brother Cotham’s article “The New Birth #3” from this month’s issue of “Seeking the Old Paths.” We also show how Cotham revives an illustration used by Alexander Campbell in his debate with Nathan Rice and how Rice improved and answered the illustration with his own. Finally, an answer to the objection that ought implies can.

Deconstruction with Brian Zahnd & Joe Smith

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Episode 445: Deconstruction aims to question fundamental assumptions about truth (and other things). A couple examples popped up this week of deconstruction. First, Brian Zahnd took to Twitter/X to have an imaginary conversation about sin which I breakdown. Then, worked through a TikTok clip from a pastor of a church in Florida, Joe Smith, and exposed his assault on the inerrancy of Scripture. Finally, a call to repentance in overtime.

Progressive Christianity and Repentance

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Episode 434: Gay theologian, progressive Christian, & heretic Brandan Robertson has once more provided us with a shockingly bad example of exegesis. His latest example is to say that the Greek word for “repent” in the New Testament is actually a compound word meaning “expand your mind.” I breakdown the several and various ways that Robertson’s argument fails linguistically, exegetically, and biblically.

Cross-Purposes: How Distorting the Cross Distorts the Gospel

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Episode 431: Liberal/Progressive theologians reinterpret the cross of Christ in a variety of ways. On this episode of the podcast, I tackle two primary ways liberal theologians distort the meaning of the cross of Christ: claiming the cross is “cosmic child abuse” and claiming “there is nothing divine in the blood of the cross.” Then, utilizing John R. W. Stott’s work, I explain the centrality of the cross to the life and message of Christ and why it was necessary for the Son of God to go to the cross.

Causes of Unbelief, part 3

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Episode 426: The conclusion of the study where we explore the causes, both anthropological & theological, of unbelief. After a quick run through the final reason given by Wilbur Smith in chapter 3 of Therefore Stand, I turn to review & advance the reasons Jesus gives for people’s unbelief. I offer critique of a couple popular commentaries within the churches of Christ before wrapping everything up. A lot of ground covered in 30 minutes!

Causes of Unbelief, part 2

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Episode 425: Why is it that some people believe but others do not? I pick up Wilbur Smith’s chapter “Some Reasons for the Unbelief of Men and Their Antagonism Toward God” from Therefore Stand, a prescient chapter which could have been written yesterday though it was written 80 years ago. Then, we discuss the theological reasons people do not believe based on Jesus’ words in John 10, esp. vs. 25-26.

Causes of Unbelief, part 1

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Episode 423: Why is it that some people believe but others do not? I take a look at Wilbur M. Smith’s chapter “Some Reasons for the Unbelief of Men and Their Antagonism to God” from Therefore Stand which, while written nearly 80 years ago may as well have been written yesterday, outlines several causes of unbelief. Of his fifteen causes I look at six before, during the back half of the program, launching into Jesus’ explanation of unbelief from John 8.31-47, especially verse 46-47.