Episode Highlights
– The larger context is essential to understanding difficult passages.
– Context: The Pharisees had already rejected Jesus and were determined to lead others to do the same.
– Context: The Pharisees accused Jesus of casting demons out by the power of the devil…when He actually did it by the power of the Spirit.
– Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is slandering the Holy Spirit by attributing His work to the devil in an attempt to prevent belief in Christ.
Summer Break!
Truth & Circumstances will be taking a short hiatus for the month of July. Please take the time to revisit some older episodes. We’re always taking new questions, so feel free to keep them coming even during this break!
Episode 98: Are meds always bad for depression/anxiety?
Highlights:
– Psychology is based upon a different worldview than Biblical Christianity.
– Whether or not to use medication for depression/anxiety is a wisdom/conscience issue.
– Biblical counseling should be our automatic approach to depression/anxiety while seeing a medical doctor to rule out physiological issues.
– There may be legitimate physiological issues that can be addressed by medication.
Episode 97: Is it biblical to pursue wealth of any kind?
Highlights:
– It is wise to plan for the future. Prov 6:6-8
– Be careful to keep earthly and heavenly pursuits in their proper order. Matt 6:25-33
– Be as generous as possible. 2 Cor 8; Prov 3:9-10
100 Episodes…Let’s Celebrate with a Contest!
Our 100th episode of Truth & Circumstances is rapidly approaching. To mark the occasion, we are doing several things to celebrate.
- We’re holding a contest for the best question. Like last time, “best” means the question that makes the judges most quickly say, “I really want to hear an answer to that!” The contest has already begun—it started with the posting of Episode 96: “How Can I Help a High Maintenance Person?”
- We’re broadening the field, so to speak, when it comes to questions that qualify. Typically, we ask for circumstantial questions. For this contest, you can ask any biblical, theological, ethical, or circumstantial question. The sky is the limit. The only questions that cannot win are anonymous questions (for the obvious reason that we wouldn’t know who to award) and questions that have already been answered (you know who you are).
- The winning question will be awarded…a $50 gift certificate to missionalwear.com. Don’t know about missionalwear.com? Just click missionalwear.com! They carry all kinds of products for the enthusiastically reformed: apparel, mugs, journals, bible covers, busts of your favorite Reformers…even cutting boards! That’s right—you can get a cutting board laser-engraved with the five Solas.
- The winning question will be answered on…the 100th episode, which will be live-streamed on Facebook on Tuesday, March 12 at 7pm. The live-stream will allow for realtime interaction between the T&C crew and anyone watching.
- The winning question will be answered by…a special guest. Don’t get too excited; it’s not John Piper. But like many of the reformers featured on missionalwear.com, he is a bearded pastor/theologian whom I greatly admire. We can’t wait to hear from him on the winning question.
Tell your friends, tell your family, and ask those questions by submitting them on the Contact Us page at truthandcircumstances.com. Then tune in (log on) to the livestream on March 12 to see if you won!
Episode 96: How can I help a high maintenance person?
Highlights:
– Pray for patience, grace, and energy
– Bring in other more knowledgable Christians to help
– Offer some good apologetic and theological resources
– Pray that the Lord will use this to sharpen you
Episode 95: Does it really mean that? Does 1 Corinthians 14 Mean Women are to Keep Silent in Church?
Episode Highlights:
– Don’t violate your conscience. Rom 14:23
– Educate your conscience according to the Scriptures.
– Paul allows for women to pray and prophesy in 1 Cor 11.
– The prohibition against women speaking in 1 Cor 14:34-35 seems to refer to the judging prophecies (1 Cor 14:29-33).
– Judging prophecies would fall under the category of exercising authority over men, which is forbidden. 1 Tim 2:12
