In Romans 14-15, Paul appeals to his christological convictions to help believers learn how to navigate for themselves life within a church full of different opinions. But he does this by way of appealing to Scripture, particular to Psalm 68 (LXX) in Romans 15. Matt argues that Paul's use of Scripture here -- like the many times before in Romans -- occurs within the context of a story so important to Paul, namely, the story of God's plan to use Israel to bless the nations (Genesis 12). This episode takes listeners through Romans 15:1-13 while revisiting the concept of a "storied approach" to Scripture. In doing so, one betters sees how the story Paul tells was envisioned by him to impact life within the community of God. + + + Pre-order Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexham Press⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠

In the early Roman church, it appears there might have been some serious disagreements about whether (and how) to follow certain dietary restrictions. While Jewish Christians, for instance, would have wanted to follow the dietary regulations outlined in Torah, Gentiles Christians likely had different opinions on the matter. In Romans 14, Paul offers his readers some helpful guidelines for how to navigate these sorts of disagreements. When it comes to opinions over matters adiaphora, the Apostle thinks there's a lot of freedom to enjoy. In other words, Christians have the right (and responsibility) to follow the dictates of their individual conscience. That being said, what ultimately mattered to him at the end of the day was that Christians show charity toward one another. And this idea of charity, for Paul, flowed directly downstream of his christological convictions. + + + Pre-order Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexham Press⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠

Questions about the relationship between earthly empires and the heavenly Kingdom is one that garners a lot of discussion and debate these days. But as we read through Romans 13 (and, at the same time, taking into account the witness of other relevant New Testament texts) the message is clear: Christians are to pass their days in exile by exhibiting the cruciform love of Christ. This type of ethic is powerful, for it testifies to the world that Christians have a different sort of politics than the world does. By imitating Christ, believers show themselves to be part of a Kingdom that is much different than the kingdoms of this world. + + + Pre-order Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexham Press⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠

During this Advent season, we prepare our hearts for Christmas. This involves, quite naturally, reflecting on Jesus' coming to the earth 2,000 years ago. (And it also involves anticipation -- awaiting the day when he returns again.) But as we reflect upon the coming of Jesus, we have to ask ourselves, What did Jesus reveal to us by his coming? One place to find the answer is at the back of the book, in Revelation -- originally known as The Apocalypse, which means the revealing. In Revelation, Jesus reveals a lot of things. But Jesus is also himself the revelation. So, what exactly does he reveal? Specifically, what does he reveal about the nature and character of God? To answer these questions, we take a dive this week into Revelation 4-5. + + + Pre-order Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexham Press⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠

So what hath Darwin to do with Scripture? That's the question Dr. Dru Johnson seeks to answer in his latest book. In this episode, I chat with Dru about all things evolution -- well, not all the things. Due to time constraints I, quite naturally, had to select only a few of the important ones (did you see what I did there?). At any rate, the question of evolution is one that causes many Christians (particularly North American evangelicals) a bit of angst, to say the least. Why is that? And what is the relationship between nature and the supernatural realm? How does the story of Scripture (particularly Genesis 1-11) compare to the picture Darwinian evolution paints? And how does the problem of evil come into the discussion? Listen to find out! Pre-order Dru Johnson's book: ⁠https://a.co/d/4wi0fvW⁠ Check out Dru's Website: https://drujohnson.com + + + Pre-order Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexham Press⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠

In a few days I will be interviewing Dr. Dru Johnson about his new book, What Hath Darwin to Do with Scripture? Comparing Conceptual Worlds of the Bible and Evolution. If you have questions you would like to ask Dr. Johnson about evolution and how it might relate to the scriptural creation stories, send them my way. You can do so by submitting the contact form on my website (link below). Pre-order Dru Johnson's book: https://a.co/d/4wi0fvW Send me your questions here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.matthewhalsted.com⁠⁠ + + + Pre-order Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Lexham Press⁠⁠⁠.⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Has the practice of extended and uninterrupted attention become a lost art -- not least with respect to meditating on Scripture? In the first chapter of the Psalter, we learn that the godly person lives a life of meditation on Torah. In this episode, Matt takes listeners through this text and discusses ways in which the righteous life is contrasted with the unrighteous life. Matt also discusses how Psalm 1 accords with Paul's discussions about Torah in Romans. Pre-order Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It here: ⁠⁠⁠Lexham Press⁠⁠⁠. Check out Eternity College - www.eternity.edu + + + Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.matthewhalsted.com⁠

In this episode, we take a look at Romans 12:9-21, where Paul encourages Christians to live out genuine, unhypocritical love toward others. The apostle gives readers a strategy for facing the trials and tribulations of life -- namely, exhorting them to a life of hope, endurance, and prayer. As Matt comments, prayer entails communication with God, but it is also, at the same time, deeper than that. It is, most fundamentally, communion with God. Matt also connects the discussion back to Genesis 1, outlining the way Paul conceives the Christian life as one that embodies God's original creation plan by conquering darkness with light. Pre-order Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It at ⁠⁠Lexham Press⁠⁠. + + + Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.matthewhalsted.com⁠

In this episode, Matt dives into Romans 12:1-8, where Paul encourages the church to be a living sacrifice. What does this mean? What is the significance of that word "sacrifice," and how does Paul use this concept to shape his readers' ecclesiology? And what does it have to do with spiritual gifts? Listen to find out! Pre-order Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It. You can purchase through (1) ⁠Amazon⁠⁠ or (2) ⁠Lexham Press⁠ (as well as other outlets). + + + Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.matthewhalsted.com⁠

If you read Romans 9, you need to read Romans 11. The points Paul makes in Romans 11 are so significant such that, if you were to miss them (or ignore them), you'll misunderstand how he reads key parts of the Jewish story. In this episode, we dive into Romans 11 and see how Paul continues, and builds upon, his previous discussions about "foreknowledge," "election," and "hardening." We also look at Genesis 12 -- what does that passage have to do with Paul's argument in Romans 11? The answer is: everything. Listen to find out how Paul understands the promise of Genesis 12:1-3 in light of his christological convictions. Pre-order Matt's newest book, The End of the World As You Know It. You can purchase through (1) Amazon⁠ or (2) Lexham Press (as well as other outlets). + + + Don't forget to subscribe to The Bible (Unmuted)! Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TheBibleUnmuted⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.matthewhalsted.com⁠