Theocast

Jon and Justin seek to answer the question, "What must I do to be saved?" This is a question that was posed to Jesus at numerous points. The apostles also addressed this question repeatedly. The guys consider two parables from the Lord Jesus: the Good Samaritan and the Rich Young Man; and also a passage from the apostle Paul: Romans 2:6-13. Reformed categories of law and gospel are essential if we are going to rightly understand these passages. Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin consider how obedience is talked about in a context where law and gospel are confused. The guys talk about so much of what is preached is effectively easy-listening legalism and prosperity theology. Resources:Our episode on What Is-and Is Not-the Gospel?Our episode on Law/Gospel DistinctionOur episode on Why the Gospel Terrifies Christians

Do John Piper and Doug Wilson Obscure Faith Alone? Here is how we approach this question in today's episode. Every generation has to come to grips with the gospel. The imputation of the righteousness of Christ to sinners--as our whole and only righteousness--has often been under assault in the history of the church. It is in our day in the form of the Federal Vision and the teaching of final justification. Jon and Justin engage with both of these errors today in an effort to clarify and defend the heart of the gospel, which is the righteousness of Christ counted to sinners. Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin go into more depth on the Federal Vision and then contend for the importance of confessions of faith, as well as the safety provided by a sound theological framework. Resources:Podcasts from Mid-America Reformed Seminary on Federal VisionR. Scott Clark on Federal VisionOur episode on final justification (live from CA)Our episode on how the gospel terrifies Christians

Repentance is a threatening word for many in the church. It shouldn't be. Repentance is often taught and discussed in a way that is unhelpful. In this episode, Jon and Justin consider repentance from a biblical and Reformed perspective. God is the one who repents us. Repentance, at its heart, is an agreement with God and a siding with God against our sin. The turning we do in repentance is always a turning to Christ. And, it is possible to be repentant even in the midst of ongoing sin. Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin continue to talk about repentance and ways in which discussion of the topic typically goes off the rails. Rather than weaponizing repentance and sanctification, there is a better way. Resources:Our episodes on Lordship SalvationA Critique of Lordship SalvationWhy I left Lordship SalvationOur episodes on CalvinismOur episode on how pietism ruins good works

Building off of last week's episode, when we find no joy or rest in our religion, we tend to seek it elsewhere. Christians are prone to clutter their lives will all kinds of things that might be good--but they end up keeping us from the things that will truly bring us joy. On top of this, we naturally think that we need to do things to find rest, when, in reality, we rest in order to do. Jon and Justin talk about all of this on today's episode. Semper Reformanda: Jon and Justin talk personally about leaving pietism and about the spiritual abuse that even occurs in some environments. The guys close by considering how Jesus, himself, is the gospel. Resources:Our episodes on the quest for religious experienceOur episode on leaving pietismOur episode on how pietism ruins good works

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"

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 us

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 forgiven FREE EBOOK

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 Disciplines

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 Theology

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/gospel