What Christians Should Know

Giving thanks or thanksgiving has power because it is a self-denying grace; it sets the mind and heart of the creature on the kindness of the Creator. Consequently, for the one whose lips are dripping with thanks, his heart will be filled with blessings. Accordingly, in this episode, Dr. Sadaphal seeks to stir your soul to thankfulness by bringing three observations from Scripture to your attention. These observations testify to the power of thanks.

In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal recalls the events leading up to the conversion of his father-in-law, who was born again in the last few weeks of his life. Dr. Sadaphal subsequently mines wisdom from the experience of the death of a loved in order to provide five penetrating life lessons. Truly, the living take death to heart for the end of all people increases our receptivity to God while muting all those other things that don't ultimately matter. Our Scripture focus will be Ecclesiastes 7:1-2.

One of the basic foundations of human behavior is the ability to discern between right and wrong, between good and evil. Without this fundamental distinction, society would degenerate into chaos. So, in this episode, we will answer a few questions: What is morality? What must be true for morality to be meaningful now? What is the origin of morality: is it transcendent, or the product of human culture? And finally, do right and wrong tell us anything about either the existence or non-existence of God?Website: http://truthfinder.org/Subscribe: https://blubrry.com/truthfinder/

John 3:16 is important because it communicates God’s disposition toward the world. Having a true biblical understanding of God’s heart towards sinners is not just a therapeutic exercise that soothes guilty feelings or imparts false hope. Rather, a true biblical understanding of God’s disposition toward sinners is the Christian’s only hope in the midst of their spiritual weariness and burdens.

In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal challenges Christians to think about their relationship to modern technology because in his view, the technologies that we use are quickly becoming an ecosystem that we can’t escape. Consequently, he equips listeners with the biblical foundation necessary to answer the following question: Can I find a life of faith within a world of amplified human possibility?In addition, Dr. Sadaphal will also help you to construct a basic biblical worldview of AI so that whatever path the future takes, you will be equipped with guiding principles. Finally, he explains the secular worldview behind transhumanism and the implications of this ideology for the person who seeks to think and act biblically.

This is a replay (November 2018) of one of the most downloaded episodes in the 8-year history of the WCSK podcast. This "short" answers a specific question based on a brief Bible passage. In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal asks, "If the gospel tells the story of the 'good news' then how does the story end?" What is the ultimate conclusion of our Christian experience? What is the point of everything? Our Scripture focus will come from Romans 5:6-11.

Likely, right now there are a few things consume your attention. There are likely a few things that you are concerned about, that cause you to worry or that burden your soul. These things—or thing—may reign over you to the point where it seems really, really big and everything else in your life relatively seems really, really small. Let me then ask you a question: is the thing that holds the deed to your heart God? Because what the Word of God tells us is that God is of first importance.In this episode, be illuminated by the biblical reality that God is of first importance. Gain insight into the pleasure and contentment of holiness. Learn that when God is of secondary importance, all that results for the Christian is a lack of joy and a fruitless, miserable life.

Two thousand years ago, an angel preached a sermon of "good news of great joy" to unsuspecting shepherds. In that sermon, he communicated who the Prince of Peace is, why He was born, what He came to do, and why the birth of the Messiah was the day when true heavenly joy was born. The good news of great joy that our Deliverer has arrived and shall live forever. Once God became a Man, the Lord will forever be united with him.

 Is there a sin that is so heinous and egregious that the one who commits it is not and shall never be forgiven? The Bible speaks of only one such sin, called the unforgiveable sin. The matter is clearly an important one for the Lord saw it necessary to mention it three times in the New Testament: in Matthew 12:22-32, Mark 3:28-30, and Luke 12:8-10. In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal will explain what the unforgiveable sin is and what it is not. The great hope for any Christian is that if you are worried if you have committed it, you can be certain you are not guilty of it. Our Scripture focus will be Matthew 12:22–32.

In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal equips Christians to think and act biblically when it comes to living amidst the tension of two kingdoms: of God and of the world. Specifically, he uses Dr. Sam Waldron's book, Political Revolution in the Reformed Tradition, as a foundation and guide to develop answers to five more critical questions:(1)  What is the specific sphere of the State’s authority?(2) How does the Christian respond when the State exceeds its lawful jurisdiction?(3) How should the Christian think about the State: positively, negatively or neutral?(4) How should the Church engage the State?(5) In the United States, does Romans 13 guide us on how to vote?Gain crucial perspectives for both the Church and the individual Christian as they navigate through the perplexing ethical and societal questions that have recently emerged that have put Christ and compliance in opposition. Get Political Revolution: https://amzn.to/3T94J1Z

In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal equips Christians to think and act biblically when is comes to living amidst the tension of two kingdoms: of God and of the world. Specifically, he uses Dr. Sam Waldron's book, Political Revolution in the Reformed Tradition, as a foundation and guide to develop answers to five critical questions:(1) Where does the government come from?(2) What is a civil authority called to do?(3) Does the Bible support or prohibit political revolution?(4) What is the relationship between subordination to civil magistrates and obedience to the same authorities?(5) Does Romans 13 call us to obey the government blindly in all situations?Gain crucial perspectives for both the Church and the individual Christian as they navigate through the perplexing ethical and societal questions that have recently emerged that have put Christ and compliance in opposition. Get Political Revolution: https://amzn.to/3T94J1Z

The Christian is saved by faith and then lives by faith, which is distinguished from the life of sight. Of course, the life of “sight” is not limited to literal eyesight but refers to what is natural and earthly. Sight is a gift the Lord has provided to all human beings regardless of their election. Sight is not therefore to be rejected, but a man of faith understands that his decisive trust is not in an earthly gift. By contrast, natural men are content to live a life of sight without God. They live like practical atheists and ultimately trust what they think, experience, sense or feel. Indeed, they may have faith, but that faith is in something natural: their sight. In contrast, the Christian lives by his faith in Christ.In this episode, learn three practical applications of what it means to live by faith in distinction to living by sight.

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and one of the many gifts that the Holy Spirit graces to us through sanctification. So how does a Christian improve their joy? Well, because joy is a fruit of the Spirit, the source of joy is God. No one can fake joy or produce it by themselves.  Still, Colossians 1:11–12 tells us something interesting: that joy has specific ingredients. Yes, joy is a fruit, but the tree that produces the fruit of joy takes root in particular soil. That soil has two crucial ingredients: perseverance and patience. So you can’t have joy without its crucial ingredients. In this episode get a clear biblical understanding what joy is, how God cultivates it, and how faith is the instrument by which God strengthens us with joy.

John Owen once wrote, "Be killing sin or sin will be killing you." So, every true Christian will be killing sin. But how? How does a Christian kill sin according to the Scriptures? These are the questions Dr. Sadaphal will provide answers for in this episode. The hope for any child of God is that after Yahweh saves a person, He does not leave them alone. He stays with them and perseveres them until the end. Some of the wonderful treasures the Lord has provided for your sanctification are the promises of God. The Holy Spirit works through the divine promises and cooperatively enables and empowers you to mortify sin. Hence, a crucial key to a believer’s sanctification are the promises of God. The power of the promises are made manifest when a Christian trusts the promise-Maker, God, who has sent the Holy Spirit who work in and on us to fulfill those promises, making us more like Jesus.Our Scripture focus will be II Peter 1:4.

King Ahab and Queen Jezebel are two historical monarchs who appear in the narratives of the Old Testament. Ahab is best known for his failure to lead and his open endorsement of idolatry. Jezebel is best known for her bad behavior unbecoming of a queen, so much so that calling a woman a “Jezebel” is equivalent to using profanity in Christian circles. Now, why is it important for us to study Bible characters who have been dead for thousands of years? Because the spirits of Ahab and Jezebel are alive and well today whenever we see power acting with an arrogant, presumptuous security in which in which it treads beneath its feet all divine and human rights. In this episode gain a biblical understanding of these two spirits and how this wisdom applies to your everyday life in the family, in the world, and in the church.

The serpent tempted our first parents (Adam and Eve) by nudging them to doubt the love of God. Satan overthrow all of humankind in Adam, and he continues to try and overthrow you one by one. What is one way to resist? Do not doubt the love of God. No one loves humanity like the Lord, and no one will care for His children like our Heavenly Father. God is good, gracious, tender, kind and loving to His children.

This episode offers encouragement for the weary Christian: always remember the beautiful, magnificent and eternal love of God. Allow your mind to be saturated with the memories of the kind, good works that God has continually wrought for His people. Allow your heart to be warmed by the hopeful truth that all human history will culminate in the triumph of the Lamb and that all those for whom He died will reign with Him in an unshakeable, eternal kingdom. In that kingdom, we won’t forget the tears we shed in the past. Instead, the elect will experience such a weight of glory that all our former troubles will feel like a feather in comparison (II Corinthians 4:17). Those who mourn will be comforted, because it is God Himself who will wipe away all the tears from our eyes (Revelation 21:4). Never forget the beautiful love of God, because all those whom loves, He will love forever and His love is unchanging forever. This heart-warming realization has three practical applications for our everyday lives.

Now, in the spring of 2022, the world is a very different place compared to where it was before the worldwide outbreak of a novel virus two years ago. For many individuals the way they think about public health, personal health, sickness and personal hygiene has radically changed. The question now becomes, is that change in thinking a good thing or a bad thing? Is that change in thinking closer in line with God’s truth or farther away from divine principles? Good medicine follows God’s prescriptions, so learn how to think and act biblically when it comes to taking responsibility for your health and the well-being of those whom you love.

The Reformation axiom, "Scripture interprets scripture" speaks to the idea that when interpreting the Bible, we allow God to speak for Himself by using His own words. This is a faithful approach that enables the Christian to rightly handle the Word of Truth. If Scripture does not interpret scripture, then something else will: for example, personal desire, a political ideology or ignorance. This is an unfaithful approach that emboldens the wicked to pervert the Word of the Truth.How then can a Bible student be faithful and discern what God is trying to say in His Word? By sticking close to three basic principles of Bible interpretation. In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal will discuss all three.

Scripture teaches us that God never wastes pain. Meaning, the Lord always uses the pain of trials and adversity to accomplish His purposes. And what are His purposes? His glory and our good. Yes, pain hurts, but only a gracious God who is in complete control of all things can bring out a transcendent good from pain, hurt and sorrow. We therefore do not rejoice because it hurts; instead we rejoice over what God is going to do with that hurt.Our Scripture focus will be James 1:2-4.