Theology For the Rest of Us | Quick Answers to the Questions About God and the Bible

Can you imagine if the world's biggest terrorist, all of a sudden, based upon an experience he claims to have had, changed his mind about his ideology? What if the biggest enemy of a particular group of people, all of a sudden, became their biggest advocate? Well, this is exactly what happened in the first century with a man named Saul of Tarsus. In this episode, Kenny examines the conversion of a man named Saul and his transformation into becoming the Apostle Paul. Saul was the biggest enemy of the church; he was zealous and passionate about stopping the spread of Christianity. But he would later become the biggest proponent of the church and did more to spread Christianity than anyone else in human history. Why did he transform? Because he saw the resurrected Jesus!

Some skeptics and opponents of Christianity will concede that the early Christians did in fact believe that they had seen the resurrected Jesus Christ, but that those early Christians were actually hallucinating. Some critical scholars will claim that the early Christians, led by the disciples, were so passionate about their movement that they began to see visions of Jesus after His death, and therefore they began to proclaim that Jesus had risen from the dead. In this episode, Kenny examines this claim. When we rationally consider the facts surrounding the claims of the early Christians about the resurrection of Jesus, as well as what we know about how hallucinations take place, we begin to quickly see that this skeptical claim cannot be true. Recommend Resources: The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus (by Gary R. Habermas and Michael Licona) Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church (by N. T. Wright)  

This episode is a part of the mini-series on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Herein Kenny examines the historical nature and historical evolution of the holiday that we now called Easter Sunday. There are many contemporary revisionist historians and liberal theologians that would seek to discredit the Christian faith by making claims that the early church did not celebrate the same things we celebrate today, and more importantly, that the early Christians supposedly did not believe the same things we believe today. However, there is substantial historical evidences that show that the early Christians did indeed believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus and that they celebrated the resurrection each year as an official holiday. In this episode, Kenny covers the history of the lustful, warring goddess known as Eostre, tracing back to the days of Nimrod in ancient cities such as Babel and Ninevah, and the influence that specific goddess had in ancient Germanic and Old Saxon tribes as well. Kenny does concede that the word Easter may have pagan roots tied to this ancient goddess, but that the framework and reason for the holiday is clearly and distinctly Christian in nature. Kenny also covers important people related to the conversation such as Polycarp, Victor the Bishop (also known as Pope Victor), Irenaeus, and the Venerable Bede. Kenny also covers topics related to Easter such as the Council of Nicaea and its impact on Easter, the development of how we calculate the Easter holiday date, the tradition of dying eggs, and even the Easter bunny. Recommended Resources: - In Three Days-The History & Traditions of Lent and Easter (EG Lewis) - Christian History Made Easy (Timothy Paul Jones) - Historical Theology: An Introduction to the History of Christian Thought (Alister E. McGrath) - Saint Paul's Epistle to the Galatians (Joseph Barber Lightfoot)

There are many skeptics that claim the resurrection never happened, but rather it was a fabrication by the early Christians, led by the Apostles. But this does not make sense. When we consider the persecution they faced, it is both illogical and irrational to believe that they would have conspired to fabricate it. In this episode, Kenny examines several elements surrounding the resurrection narrative. As we study this, we see that it is more likely than not that the early Christians did indeed see the resurrected Jesus. Recommend Resources: The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus (by Gary R. Habermas and Michael Licona) Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church (by N. T. Wright)

The central and foundational truth upon which Christianity is built is the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the lynch-pin of our faith. If Jesus did not raise from the dead, then Christianity is false. The question has been asked many times: What are the evidences for the resurrection? In addition, many people have asked: Are there any historical documents or reliable ancient sources that mention the death and resurrection of Jesus? In this episode, Kenny interviews lawyer and evangelist Dr. John Morris about the historical extra-biblical evidences that do indeed point to the life, death, and physical resurrection of Jesus. Recommended Resources: - Check out Dr. John Morris' new book: Resurrected! - Check out Dr. John Morris' Website: http://yourgreatgrace.net  

In this episode, Kenny records on-location, from Guatemala City, while on a mission trip. He talks about the importance of loving people from all over the world, not just your own backyard. Kenny makes the point that God loves all peoples, and if we are going to be His followers and His ambassadors, then we need to love the same things that He loves, mainly all the peoples of the Earth. Recommended Resources: - Radical (by David Platt)

Our special guest in this episode Alexis Muscarella covers the topic of suffering and the importance of viewing suffering as an opportunity to know God better. As she has faced a myriad of health issues in her life, including many weeks spent in a hospital, she has found herself in multiple "bad circumstances" where she was faced with grappling through her own understanding of suffering. Alexis says that she has come to learn and discover many different ways to face suffering, many different attitudes, but embracing suffering as an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of God's character and nature is the only attitude that leads to a stronger relationship with God. Alexis says that pretty much every other possible attitude typically leads to bitterness. Suffering can be negative or positive. It can be an opportunity to fracture our relationship with God in a very bad way or it can be the opportunity to strengthen our faith; the result typically depends on our posture towards God in the face of tough times. Alexis closes the interview by reminding us that our story doesn't end in suffering, and that even if our suffering leads to death, our story isn't over. God is bigger than anything we face, and He is writing our story! Connect with Alexis Muscarella: Twitter: @lexis_elise Facebook: facebook.com/AlexisMuscarella Blog: Alexiselise.blogspot.com Recommended Resources: - Hinds Feet on High Places (by Hannah Hurnard) - The Insanity of God: A True Story of Faith Resurrected Paperback (by Nik Ripken and Gregg Lewis)

There are a variety of theories surrounding Judas, the disciple whom betrayed Jesus. Sometimes the question arises: Is Judas in heaven or hell? Most Christians assume that Judas is in hell, but the Bible doesn't clearly state that. In this episode, Kenny addresses why we cannot know for sure where Judas went. Some say that Satan entered Judas, so that is evidence that he's in hell. Others say that he's definitely in hell because he betrayed Jesus, but in this episode Kenny highlights the fact that Peter betrayed Jesus by his denial, and many of us betray Jesus everyday of our lives with our actions. Some people say Judas repented, so he must be in heaven, but we're not so sure that he really repented. It does appear that he felt guilty for what he did, but was it only regret? Or was it true repentance? We're not sure. Feeling bad for your mistakes doesn't automatically equate to true Biblical repentance. Others say that Judas is in hell because he committed suicide, but no where in the Bible are we told that suicide automatically means that you go to hell. Kenny highlights the fact that it is likely Judas did indeed go to hell, but regardless of whatever point anyone mentions, we simply cannot know for sure whether or not Judas went to heaven or to hell because the Bible does not give us clarity.  

Ever wonder what God thinks of you? Or what type of potential He sees in you? The answer is simple: God sees greatness in you, and it's because He put it there. In this short episode, Kenny explains what we learn about ourselves from the simple name changing of an inconsistent fisherman named Simon, whom Jesus renamed "Peter" which can be translated "rock" or "big boulder." Many times in the Bible, God changed someone's name because He was calling them to live out a new mission or identify with a new identity that God was giving them. This is exactly what Jesus was doing with Simon, seeing in him some great potential that no one else saw. Everyone else saw Simon, Jesus saw Peter.

The topic of money is a controversial topic within Christians circles, but it is far too important to ignore. This topic demands a quality Biblical response and examination. In this episode, Kenny tackles the topic by making it clear that Christians should not ever tithe, but rather we should cheerfully and sacrificially give generously; giving to causes that spread the Gospel. Kenny dives into the actual meaning of the word "tithe" and the Hebrew words that we translate into English as "tenth" or "tithe" throughout the Old Testament. He then examines the Old Testament Law that required multiple types of tithes from the land, not general income; he also explains that those monies were generally earmarked for these three items: 1- One tithe for the Levites 2- One tithe for the use of the temple and the feasts 3- One tithe for the poor people The tithe laws only applied to those in the land of Israel, and they were a part of the Old Covenant, therefore they do not apply to Christians today. But the principles and lessons that we learn about giving certainly still do apply to all believers today. In fact, Kenny believes that Christians ought to be the biggest and most generous people around. In New Testament we are never told to tithe, but there are many times that we are expected to give. Many times in the book of Acts people brought money to the Apostles and we also see this alluded to multiple times in the epistles as well. In Acts 5 we see a story of a couple that sold their land and claimed to have given all the proceeds to the Apostle (they lied and God struck them dead); but it is important to note that it is clearly apparent that large extravagant gifts to the church were common in that time period. In Mark 12:41-44, we see Jesus being more impressed with a poor woman who gave a few pennies than those who gave big amounts, because Jesus is not impressed when we give from our abundance. The Apostle Paul spoke to the Corinthians about giving regularly and cheerfully (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7). He also wrote to both the Corinthians and to his protege Timothy about collecting and using monies to pay pastors and church leaders as needed (1 Timothy 5:18; 1 Corinthians 9:3-10). In this episode, Kenny also talks about how church leaders must be responsible with those funds, being above reproach, and how those funds are to be used for building the church and serving other churches and ministries. Kenny talks extensively about how we give, why we give, and how much we ought to give. He closes the episode with a great quote from one of his favorite authors Randy Alcorn: "When God blesses you financially, it is not to raise your standard of living, but to raise your standard of giving." Highlighted Passages: - Genesis 14:20 - Leviticus 27:30 - Numbers 18:26 - Deuteronomy 14:24 - 2 Chronicles 31:5 - Malachi 3:10 - Mark 12:41-44 - Matthew 6:21 - 1 Corinthians 16:2 - 2 Corinthians 9:7 - 1 Timothy 5:18 - 1 Corinthians 9:3-10 Recommended Resources: - The Treasure Principle (by Randy Alcorn)  

The Church is the group of people who are followers of Jesus, called to "live life" together. Christians are called to meet together on a regular basis for worship, prayer, fellowship, building relationships, hearing teachings, and for the sacraments (ie: baptism and communion). We as Christians are at our best when we have quality Christ-centered friendships in our regular everyday lives to challenge us and encourage us. Jesus and His Apostles established the Church to be for all people, from any ethnic group or nation, that wanted to be followers of Jesus. In this episode, our guest Tori Mayo talks about how the concept of the local church has been attacked in our contemporary culture, and he answers the question as to why being a part of a local church is so important. Tori is the Lead Pastor at The Well in Austin, TX. Tori tells us that the local church is God's preferred manner to grow us and build us up as believers. He talks about several key elements: the process of sanctification being cultivated within the bounds of the local church; the importance of using our gifts and talents for the edification of others within the local church; the significance of church discipline in the lives of believers; and the commands of Scripture for us to serve one another in a variety of ways (commanded 100 times in 94 verses throughout Scripture). Towards the end of the episode Tori also hits on the topic of spiritual abuse and hurt caused within the local church. There have been many people who have been hurt by Christians or feel as if they have been hurt by leaders of the church. Tori talks about how to deal with those sorts of very real issues that are more prevalent than we sometimes realize. Check out The Well Church in Austin: thewellaustin.com Connect with Tori Mayo on Facebook: Facebook.com/toriano.mayo Email Tori Mayo directly: tmayo@thewellaustin.com Highlighted Passages: - Hebrews 10:25-26; Hebrews 3:13; 1 Peter 4; 1 Corinthians 4; Ephesians 4 Recommended Resources: - Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus (by Jonathan Leeman) - What Is a Healthy Church Member? (by Thabiti M. Anyabwile) - Thabiti Anyabwile's Blog "PURE CHURCH": blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/thabitianyabwile

In this short episode, Kenny answers the question as to why we attend church services on Sundays opposed to any other day of the week. The Bible encourages us to meet with other believers on a regular basis for things such as prayer, worship, teaching, fellowship, and the sacraments (ie: baptism and communion). The early Church were mostly Jews, so they observed the Sabbath (Friday evening thru Saturday evening). They were already accustomed to doing these sorts of things. However, because Jesus Christ rose from the dead on a Sunday morning, it became tradition to meet together every Sunday morning for corporate worship and to hear preaching from one of the Apostles, in honor of the Resurrection of our Lord. Many of the Gentile churches began to follow that tradition. It is important to note that Christians are never commanded to worship on any particular day, it was the common practice and tradition of the early Church to do so. Because we value the heritage that we have inherited from the early believers, we have chosen to follow their example. However, we are not required to worship on Sundays together, we can choose to do so on any day we feel like getting together for worship. In addition, we should not only meet together for corporate worship, but we ought to be "living life" together, meeting regularly with other believers for fellowship, prayer, accountability, Bible study, and other things that can encourage our faith as well as deepen our friendships with other believers.

Many times we see worship as something that is segmented from the rest of our lives. But everything in our lives is a form of worship. In this episode we are joined by pastor, author, blogger, podcaster, and book publisher Casey Cease. In our conversation, Casey beautifully highlights the importance of seeing temptation as an opportunity to worship God. Every time we are tempted to sin and disobey God, we have the opportunity to reject that sin, which in-turn honors God. It makes God look good and brings Him joy. Saying no to sin is a form of worship. Whenever we say no to sin, we are telling God that we value what He values. Anytime we say no to sin we are communicating to God, to ourselves, to other people, and to Satan that we see great worth in the words and commands of Scriptures. Casey reminds us that temptation in and of itself is not at all sinful. The struggle itself isn't wrong, but sometimes we see temptation as bad. Sometimes when we are tempted, we feel like we have failed. But temptation should bring a different attitude. Temptation isn't sin, temptation is an invitation to worship God. Temptation is the invitation, the opportunity, to shout to all peoples that we value God above all others. Casey Cease is the Lead Pastor at Christ Community Church just outside Houston, Texas (in the Magnolia/Woodlands region). He is also the CEO of Lucid Books, a unique Christian book publishing company that focuses on Partnership Publishing. Their unique Partnership Publishing model allows our authors to reap long term benefits while maintaining creative control over their own work. Listen to Casey's Podcast: C3Magnolia.org/Gospel-Matters Get a Copy of Casey's Book: Tragedy to Truth: A Story of Faith and Transformation Check out Lucid Books: Lucidbooks.net Check out Casey's Website: Caseycease.com Follow Casey on Twitter: @caseycease  

Orthodox Christianity holds to high Christology, meaning we believe that Christ is "higher" than other beings, not just a good human. We believe that Jesus was both fully human and fully God. Jesus was not half God and have man, but rather He was simultaneously 100% God and 100% human. His divinity and His humanity united together perfectly, this is what we call the "hypostatic union." In this episode, Kenny explains how the second member of the Trinity became fully human. Jesus, the second member of the Trinity, stepped into the bounds of time, took on human flesh, and lived among us; we call this the "incarnation" of Christ. Some critics claim that this isn't possible so Kenny uses an example from the world of physics, explaining that light exist simultaneously as both a wave and a particle. Physicists never challenge this, although it seems illogical and impossible, because it has become an indisputable fact of science. Just because we cannot explain something doesn't make it untrue. In the same manner, Jesus' hypostatic union, while seemingly illogical and impossible, is still indisputable Biblical fact. The hypostatic union of Christ should be embraced and defended by believers. Highlighted Passages: - John 8:58; John 5; John 10; Mark 14; Luke 5:20; John 1:1; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 13:8; Hebrews 1; John 20:28

We recognize that in life there are going to be things about the character and nature of God that we simply do not understand. God is complex and infinite, therefore He is beyond our comprehension. We can, however, observe lots of things about God and His attributes, and we ought to seek to understand Him as much as possible, even with the presupposition that we'll never fully comprehend Him. In this episode, Kenny highlights God's infinite nature and compares that with out finite nature, explaining that we are better-off when we relinquish our desire to fully understand God and simply worship Him in light of the attributes that we do already understand. Also, Kenny highlights that there are other things in our lives that we do not understand but we continually embrace. Not fully understanding something is not sufficient grounds to dismiss its existence. Highlighted Scriptures: - 2 Peter 1:3 Resources: Interview with John Lennox: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcoDM9U39GQ