On the Journey

During Matt Swaim's time as an Evangelical Christian, and Ken Hensley's time as a Baptist pastor, both of them observed the Lord's Supper as a memorial event, often using crackers and juice, that remembered Christ's sacrifice. It was a solemn event, but not essential to Christian worship. Matt and Ken share what they began to discover as they looked at the practice of the earliest Christians regarding their commemoration of the Lord's Supper, and how the sources they found seemed to speak of Holy Communion as something much deeper and more mysterious than anything they had encountered in their various Protestant experiences. For more episodes, visit chnetwork.org/onthejourney

Can you lose your salvation? Christians are divided on a number of issues, but the question of "once saved, always saved," is not only one that divides Catholics and some Protestants, but also divides certain groups of Protestants from one another. Ken Hensley, a former Baptist pastor who used to believe in "once saved, always saved," and Matt Swaim, a Wesleyan-tradition Evangelical who definitely did not, look at what the Bible has to say about the possibility of losing one's salvation. For more episodes, visit www.chnetwork.org/onthejourney

Matt Swaim and Ken Hensley conclude their series on the Catholic view of justification and the Reformation doctrine of "faith alone" by looking at one of the most controversial and misunderstood parts of the debate: the concept of merit. Do Catholics believe they need to earn their salvation? At the end of time, does God merely ook at a list of our good deeds and bad deeds, and judge us according to the balance? Matt and Ken look at what the Catholic Church actually teaches about the idea of "merit," an idea that is often misunderstood even by Catholics. For more episodes, visit chnetwork.org.

Matt Swaim and Ken Hensley continue their series on Catholic and Protestant views of justification with a look at the concept of divine sonship. In some ways, the Catholic understanding of justification is like a person who owes a large amount of money being forgiven a debt; in other ways, it is like a criminal being absolved in a courtroom. But ultimately, it is most like a wayward child being welcomed back into a family. This concept of divine filiation, held not only by Catholics but also many other Christians, is distinct from the Reformed notion of imputed righteousness; and, as Ken explains, was a key realization that began to lead him closer to the Catholic Church while he was still serving as a Baptist pastor.   For more episodes, visit www.chnetwork.org.

Dive into the intriguing discussion on justification as both an event and a process. Matt and Ken draw compelling parallels between the Israelite journey and modern believers' paths to salvation. They unpack the lifeboat analogy, critiquing the certainties of salvation proposed by some reformers. The conversation navigates the balance between faith and works, urging genuine engagement with one's faith. The dynamics of grace and human intent are explored, challenging the concept of works righteousness while emphasizing God's transformative grace.

Dive into the intriguing debate about justification in Christianity as two hosts unpack whether it's an event or a process. They explore the Council of Trent's teachings on grace and free will, revealing the dynamic interplay between divine influence and human choice. The transformative power of baptism is highlighted as essential for spiritual rebirth. With light-hearted anecdotes, they examine the complexities of faith, grace, and justification, all while teasing future discussions on these profound themes.

What is salvation? Is it something that comes from completely outside of us, or is it something we need to cooperate with? Or is it ultimately both? Scripture offers many commands in regard to salvation: "believe," "repent and be baptized," "follow," "abide," "obey," and "love." Matt Swaim and Ken Hensley look at the totality of these statements and share what kind of picture begins to come together when these passages are taken as a whole. For more episodes, visit http://www.chnetwork.org/onthejourney.

If the Reformation doctrine of justification by "faith alone" was, as Protestant scholar Alistair McGrath describes it, a "theological novum," then what did Christians believe about salvation and justification prior to Martin Luther's revolution of 1517? Matt Swaim and Ken Hensley continue their discussion of what led them to see that sola fide was an inadequate and incomplete description of how God saves His people, and share what picture began to form for them as they began to dive into the Old and New Testaments with a fresh set of eyes. For more episodes, visit chnetwork.org/onthejourney

The hosts dive deep into the doctrine of justification by faith alone, revealing its complexities. Ken shares his transformation from a Baptist pastor to embracing a more nuanced understanding of salvation. They explore the biblical relationship between faith, works, and grace, illustrating this with stories from figures like Abraham. The discussion challenges traditional views on obedience, emphasizing it as a response to grace. Additionally, they address the dynamics of grace in spiritual growth and compare Catholic and Reformed perspectives on justification.

Matt Swaim and Ken Hensley continue to look at evidence for justification being by the legal imputation of Christ's righteousness in the Bible, this time diving into the New Testament. The theology of the Reformation, crafted and put forth by leaders like Martin Luther and John Calvin, argues that when God saves someone, He credits His righteousness to their account. Catholics, Orthodox, Wesleyans and a number of other groups of Christians believe that when God saves someone, He actually forgives them and empowers them by grace to truly *become* righteous. So what does the New Testament teach about how God saves someone? Matt and Ken explore the evidence in the latest episode of On the Journey...