Episode Highlights
– The sanctity of human life based upon creation in God’s image leads to numerous injunctions to protect the weak from the wicked (Psa 82:3-4, Prov 24:11)
– While we are not under the OT law, it does provide a window to the character of God. On this issue, the law indicates that if a person’s life is in danger it is consistent with character of God to defend oneself. (Exo 22:2-3)
– Passages typically used to argue against self-defense pertain specifically to persecution or non-retaliation. We should apply passages to situations to which they actually pertain.
– Romans 13 gives the power of the sword to the government. Our government has specifically delegated that authority to the individual.

Episode Highlights:
– This is the broad experience of man (Prov 19:21)
– We should be thankful God’s plans are always fulfilled, even at the expense of our own, in light of His supreme wisdom and love (Rom 8:28-30)
– The key to overcoming depression and despair over unfulfilled plans is desiring Jesus above all (John 4:14; 6:35; 7:37-38; 17:3).

Highlights:
– Believers are called to love and stand for justice (Psalm 9:7-8; Mic 6:8)
– Believers are called to spread and live the gospel (1 Thess 1:8)
– Believers are called to obey authority, understanding it is established by God (Rom 13, 1 Peter 2)
– Christians can protest as long as their demeanor and message do not compromise the gospel.

Episode highlights:
– Eph 4:26-5:2 is a helpful guide.
– What is your disposition toward the person? If there is not actual anger, do you struggle with your thoughts–re-living the offense? Eph 4:26
– How do you talk about the person to others and in your own mind? Eph 4:29
– Do you have a disposition of kindness toward them? Tenderheartedness? Eagerness to forgive? Eph 4:32
– A great antidote to bitterness is to spend MUCH time meditating of Jesus’ interactions with sinners in the Gospels.
– Pray for the offender, seek opportunities to do them good, and leave justice to God. Matt 5:44-45; Rom 12:19-21

Episode Highlights:
– That an offender has not repented does not give a victim the right to hold a grudge, prolong their anger, or hold the person at arms-length.
– Eph 4:26 is a command to be poised to forgive very quickly after the offense.
– If we have obeyed Eph 4:26, our attitude toward the unrepentant will not be “I don’t have to forgive,” but “I don’t get to forgive.”

Episode Highlights
– We should not ask for forgiveness if we do not believe we have sinned.
– We should take ample time to consider both the message and manner in which we delivered it. If either were inappropriate, we should ask forgiveness.
– If after considering their hurt we still don’t believe we’ve sinned, we can prefer them by committing to be more mindful about how we speak to them in the future.

Episode Highlights:
– The Sabbath rest of the Christian is the new heaven and new earth earned by Christ, and theirs in Christ.
– Hebrews 4:9 comes in a section spanning from 3:1-4:11. This context is crucial for understanding the one verse.
– Hebrews 4:9 does not speak of a literal Sabbath rest for Christians, but indicates that the Canaan land was not the ultimate rest God intended for his people; rather, it was the new heaven and earth.
– While there is no command for believers to observe a literal Sabbath, it is wise to be good stewards of our bodies by adequately resting.

Episode Highlights
– Three questions help us decipher heresy from error: Does it compromise the gospel? Does it compromise Christology? Does it compromise the nature of God?
– We should be reasonably patient with new believers as they are corrected on matters of orthodoxy.
– On differences that do not rise to the level of heresy, we should be gracious and patient.

Episode Highlights:
– The Bible gives us clear instruction on how to discipline our children.
– The Bible prescribes loving corporal punishment as the norm for disciplining children (Pro 13:24; 22:15; 23:13-14; Heb 12:6-11)
– We should incorporate loving corporal punishment without provoking our children to anger (Eph 6:4).

– Again, the place to start is the context, which in this case is the letter to Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22.
– The context indicates that the letter is written to believers who need to be called back to meaningful fellowship with Christ; therefore, this is not an evangelistic text.
– There are plenty of evangelistic texts we could use to press people to obey the gospel (Acts 2, 17; 2 Cor 5-6)