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Is the Christian life one where believers move from spiritual experience to spiritual experience? Or from triumph to triumph? Or is the Christian life one where we learn to trust Christ in the midst of weakness and the battle against sin? What does it mean to be satisfied in Christ? Jon and Justin seek to answer these questions and consider how the quest to find true religion in anything subjective leaves us unsettled and exhausted.Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin talk personally about what a subjective emphasis in religion tends to produce--and then the guys turn to consider how the gifts of God to us don't have anything to do with us.Resources:Our episodes on the implications of covenant theologyOur episode on law/gospelOur episode on theology of the crossOur episode on "More Than a Feeling"https://youtu.be/Z6qS-NjPzkU

Jon and Justin talk personally about what a subjective emphasis in religion tends to produce--and then the guys turn to consider how the gifts of God to us don't have anything to do with us.Resources:Our episodes on the implications of covenant theologyOur episode on law/gospelOur episode on theology of the crossOur episode on "More Than a Feeling"https://youtu.be/3jnugioE3-Q

Jon and Justin talk more about the clear emphasis of the New Testament that the saints love one another. The guys also touch on the confusion that exists around good works in the church today. Resources: Jon Moffitt's sermons in James Our episode on pietism ruining good works Our episode on the law, gospel, and sanctification Our episode on sanctification not being about ushttps://youtu.be/rk9iS_tk2Bs

In this episode, Jon and Justin consider James 2, and in particular, the apostles' assertion that faith without works is dead. How should we understand this in the context of the entire letter of James? How has our quest for personal religious experience clouded our understanding of a passage like James 2? What are the good works we should be concerned with? And how is it that the commands of God are not burdensome? The guys discuss all this and more.Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin talk more about the clear emphasis of the New Testament that the saints love one another. The guys also touch on the confusion that exists around good works in the church today.Resources:Jon Moffitt's sermons in JamesOur episode on pietism ruining good worksOur episode on the law, gospel, and sanctificationOur episode on sanctification not being about ushttps://youtu.be/wYwO94izSv0

As a Christian, do you ever feel like you are on probation or even on parole? As though you've been set free from prison, but now you need to do well enough to be finally free from fear and the threat of punishment? Many of us feel this way. Many in the church talk this way. Jon and Justin consider justification and the finished work of Christ--and what that means for the Christian life in today's episode.Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin talk about final justification and why it is harmful. Then, the guys move on to consider being a fruitful Christian, as well as the writing of John Owen. Enjoy!Resources:Our episode on the law, the gospel, and sanctificationOur episode on why the gospel terrifies ChristiansOur episode on more than forgivenhttps://youtu.be/zl_E-Wb_sOU

Jon and Justin talk about final justification and why it is harmful. Then, the guys move on to consider being a fruitful Christian, as well as the writing of John Owen. Enjoy!Resources:Our episode on the law, the gospel, and sanctificationOur episode on why the gospel terrifies ChristiansOur episode on more than forgivenhttps://youtu.be/t8ecuKOaxTU

Jon and Justin consider how pietism has made us less effective in doing biblical good works for the good of neighbor and honor of God. The guys also talk about how the contemporary church has much more in common with the medieval church than many would like to admit. Resources: Our book: Rest What is Peitism? Leaving pietism Our episode on spiritual disciplines Series on Spiritual Disciplineshttps://youtu.be/my0S7arnFTM

When we preach the gospel, there are often objections. One of the most common is, "Yeah, but what about good works?" In this episode, Jon and Justin talk about good works from a confessional perspective. What are good works? Who and what are they for? Why do we do them? How do we do them? The guys answer these questions and consider how pietism has damaged our thinking about good works.Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin consider how pietism has made us less effective in doing biblical good works for the good of neighbor and honor of God. The guys also talk about how the contemporary church has much more in common with the medieval church than many would like to admit.Resources:Our book: RestWhat is Peitism?Leaving pietismOur episode on spiritual disciplinesSeries on Spiritual Disciplineshttps://youtu.be/19OhlchARt0

Jon and Justin have a free and frank conversation about the law, the gospel, and sanctification. Oftentimes, the law and the gospel are confused. The law is relativized. The gospel is made to sound hard. And sanctification sounds terrible. This isn't how it should be. The guys consider the work of Christ in fulfilling the law as a covenant of works, the freedom that Christ has secured for us, and how God's law and work of sanctification are great things for the believer.Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin talk about good works. There are many good works emphasized in the church today that are nowhere to be found in the Scriptures. What are good works, biblically defined? What are some of the good works that are clear in Scripture that just aren't talked about in the church?Resources:Our episode: Your Sanctification is not for YouOur episode: Law/Gospel DistinctionOur teaching series on Covenant Theologyhttps://youtu.be/JklUcb1S0Rs

Jon and Justin have a free and frank conversation about the law, the gospel, and sanctification. Oftentimes, the law and the gospel are confused. The law is relativized. The gospel is made to sound hard. And sanctification sounds terrible. This isn't how it should be. The guys consider the work of Christ in fulfilling the law as a covenant of works, the freedom that Christ has secured for us, and how God's law and work of sanctification are great things for the believer. Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin talk about good works. There are many good works emphasized in the church today that are nowhere to be found in the Scriptures. What are good works, biblically defined? What are some of the good works that are clear in Scripture that just aren't talked about in the church? Resources: Our episode: Your Sanctification is not for You Our episode: Law/Gospel Distinction Our teaching series on Covenant Theology https://youtu.be/GuiDcCJYeMs

It sounds a little crazy to say that the gospel terrifies Christians. But it clearly does. Christians are prone to qualify the grace of God in Christ. Christians are prone to hedge on justification by faith alone. At times, Christians can even be unsettled by the preaching of Christ from all of Scripture. Why are these things so? Jon and Justin consider history, fear-based theology, pietism, law/gospel confusion, and Christ-centered preaching in today's episode.Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin continue the conversation on why the gospel is frightening for Christians. The guys answer some potential objections to a reformed understanding of the sufficiency of Christ.Resources:FREE EbookOur episodes on LordshipOur episodes on pietismOur episode on law/gospelhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rcgz6guBsug

Jon and Justin continue the conversation on why the gospel is frightening for Christians. The guys answer some potential objections to a reformed understanding of the sufficiency of Christ.Resources:FREE EbookOur episodes on LordshipOur episodes on pietismOur episode on law/gospelhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhzBNhU1XrM

Jon and Justin hone in on the Christian life--and how a confessional perspective is completely different than that of pietism.https://youtu.be/lBBVOyfexSo

Today's episode is a little different than normal. Jon and Justin talk personally and autobiographically about their pilgrimage into finding rest--from a confessional and covenantal perspective. If you have been listening to Theocast for some time, we hope this encourages you. If you are newer, this will be a good and personal introduction to a number of the things we regularly discuss. Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin hone in on the Christian life--and how a confessional perspective is completely different than that of pietism.https://youtu.be/Mvp4Wpfeezw

Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin talk more about how we tend to place our hope in things that cannot deliver. The guys also consider the theology of the cross and how we need to constantly remind one another of the hope we have in Christ.Resources:Our episode on the theology of the crossOur episode on Two Kingdom doctrineOur episode on the purpose of the churchOur episode on the cravings of the fleshhttps://youtu.be/YvT-XDUkJJI

We all tend to hope in things of this world that will ultimately disappoint us. Our anger and frustration and despair make this abundantly clear. Jon and Justin talk about some of these things we tend to hope in--and how the church, at points, has only encouraged us to do so. At the end of it all, peace, rest, and hope can only be found in Jesus Christ and the promises God has made to us in him. Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin talk more about how we tend to place our hope in things that cannot deliver. The guys also consider the theology of the cross and how we need to constantly remind one another of the hope we have in Christ. Resources: Our episode on the theology of the cross Our episode on Two Kingdom doctrine Our episode on the purpose of the church Our episode on the cravings of the flesh https://youtu.be/zHTzqBGYozA

In today’s episode, Jon and Justin have a conversation with friends from 1517 on the scandal of Christmas. We grow accustomed to talking about God becoming a man in order to suffer and die to save his people. But that is shocking news! Who would have ever planned salvation this way? We certainly would not have. But God did. The group discusses the humanity of Jesus, the purpose of the incarnation, the struggle of the disciples to understand the mission of Christ, as well as the point of Christmas.Podcast: 30 Minutes in the New Testament - Chad Bird & Daniel Emry Price40 Minutes in the Old Testament - Eric Sorensen & Daniel Emry Price

In today's episode, Jon and Justin consider two kinds of people: the people who are arrogant in their sin and do not think they need mercy; and the people who doubt and struggle wondering if there is in fact mercy for them. The guys talk about the law and the gospel, church discipline, and the posture of God toward the weak.Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin talk further about observations they have made in the church regarding those who doubt and those who are arrogant in their sin. The guys get into church discipline, as well as how pastors have failed to rightly divide the law and the gospel.Resources:Our episode on the cravings of the fleshOur episode on law/gospelOur episode on the dark side of ChristianityOur FREE ebook on "Rest"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht0j633QcPs

Jon and Justin talk further about observations they have made in the church regarding those who doubt and those who are arrogant in their sin. The guys get into church discipline, as well as how pastors have failed to rightly divide the law and the gospel.Resources:Our episode on the cravings of the fleshOur episode on law/gospelOur episode on the dark side of ChristianityOur FREE ebook on "Rest"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayA03I9i_yc

Jon and Justin answer some potential objections. They also consider how the grace that justifies is the grace that sanctifies, as well as the Christian's need for the church.Resources:Our video on habitual sinOur episode on the cravings of the fleshOur episode on pietismOur episode on biblicismOur episode on law/gospelOur book on assurance, "Safe" https://youtu.be/k0VUhYSbQ2A