What Christians Should Know
Religion & Spirituality
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Intelligent faith provides clarity and meaningful answers about God, the Bible and your Christian life. Visit wcsk.org.
Episodes
- Jacob Wrestles With God (The Long Way Home Part Two; Genesis 32)
Because of grace-infused repentance, Jacob had to reconcile with his brother, Esau, before he settled back into the Promised Land. Yet, before the brothers meet, Jacob meets and wrestles with God. Was it a mere physical wrestling match or…
- Jacob's Long Way Back Home, Part One (Genesis 30:25-31:55)
Decades prior, Jacob had to run from home to escape the consequences of his sin. In Genesis 31:3, God commands Jacob to leave exile and return home. Subsequently, even if Jacob at one point felt as if he has “screwed it all up,” the realit…
- Responses to Seven Objections That Religous Skeptics Raise
Non-believers have many objections to organized religion like, "It's all basically the same" or "I'm a good person" or "If God, why evil?" In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal takes seriously seven common objections to religion and develops a bib…
- More On The Providence of God: Jacob, Laban, Leah & Rachel (Genesis 29:1-30:24)
Providence refers to God’s invisible hand and provision leading, guiding, and directing people and events to manage all things according to His will. Jacob had to escape where he grew up because he sinned against God, his father, mother, a…
- The Real Stairway To Heaven (Genesis 28)
In Genesis 28 Jacob flees the results of his sin, and receives an unexpected, undeserved gift of grace: a vision of a stairway (ladder) to heaven. The symbolism, meaning and theological significance of the ladder will be the main focus of…
- Thoughts On Infant Baptism
In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal explains how God's Word transformed his thinking. Specifically, he will explain how his study on the nature and immutability of God persuaded him that there is a sound, biblical case for infant baptism. After…
- One Messed Up Biblical Family (Genesis 27)
Is your family perfect? Of course not. Is there someone in your family that rubs you the wrong way? Probably. Everyone can relate to the standout characters in their household, so when reading about a dysfunctional Old Testament family (wh…
- Jacob and Esau (Genesis 25:19-26)
There are many doctrines in the Bible, and there are many concepts and ideas that remain difficult to understand. Yet what is never confusing or hard to comprehend is a good old-fashioned story about two brothers. And so, in this episode,…
- Going Back To Square One (Genesis 13:1)
Abram went off course and fled away from the place God told him to go. He ended up failing the test in Egypt but was able to go back and pick up where he left off. Going back to square one means going back the only valid object of faith: G…
- What Does "Turn The Other Cheek" Actually Mean? (Matthew 5:39)
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus famously tells His disciples to "turn the other cheek." What did the Lord mean by that? Is this an invitation for all Christians to remain passive victims of abuse? Is this teaching permanent non-resistanc…
- The Providence of God (Genesis 24)
The great hope that the doctrine of providence gives you is that right now and every moment from now on, the Lord isn’t far away and disinterested. Instead, He is actively weaving His fingers through the fabric of reality to bring all thin…
- Abraham's Secret (Hebrews 11:17-19)
In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal exposits the Scriptures and shares what he calls Abraham’s secret or the knowledge of God’s future plans that nudged him forward at Mount Moriah, where Isaac was to be sacrificed.
- Consider Lot (Genesis 19:1-29)
In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal invites you to consider Lot, Abraham’s nephew. Lot lived with his daughters in the ancient city of Sodom, a place well known for its godlessness and immorality. Lot was not immune to his environment; the pagan…
- Answering Listener Questions
In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal will answer two listener questions. First, Philomena asks, “Why are human beings not satisfied?” Second, Thomas asks, “These days I am talking to an atheist about God. How can I convince him about the existenc…
- All Israel Will Be Saved? (Romans 11:26)
The question Dr. Sadaphal will answer in this episode is, "What does the apostle Paul mean when he writes that 'all Israel will be saved'?” Is he implying that all ethnic descendants of Abraham (past, present, and future) will become bor…
- Faith Never Has All The Answers (Genesis 12:1-5)
In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal will use the story of Abram in Genesis 12 to provide biblical support for the claim that faith never has all the answers. Truly, what is not meant by that statement is that faith is blind, uninformed, or unrea…
- Without God There Is No Progress (Genesis 11:1-9)
With all the crises happening in our time, I believe it is becoming more and more apparent to many in the secular world that a godless worldview is progressively revealing itself as bankrupt. What I mean by that is, I think individuals all…
- The Patience of God (Nahum 1:3)
God's patience flows outward from His mercy. Thus, because is merciful, He tempers His wrath with restraint so that many will come to repentance. The Lord is patient because He is powerful; it is only the weak who cannot control themselves…
- Is It Biblical For a Christian To Own And Use Firearms? (Luke 22:36)
What is a firearm? It is a type of weapon, like a pistol or a rifle, from which a bullet is fired by means of gunpowder. Is it biblical for a Christian to own or use firearms? In this episode, Dr. Sadaphal will answer this question.
- If God Isn't In Charge Of Your Salvation, Then Who Is? (Jonah 2:9; Psalm 37:39)
If God isn’t in charge of your salvation, then who is? That is to say, if someone were to believe that God is not sovereign in salvation, then that means God is not God. By implication that means you are in charge of your salvation, since…
- What Does The Bible Say About Aliens? (Colossians 1:15-16)
When I say “alien,” what most people tend conjure up in their heads are images of Martians, little green men or odd-looking, super-intelligent beings from another planet. Yes, aliens are far more of a cultural phenomenon than a major bibli…
- Can The Devil Prevent You From Being Saved? (Luke 8:4-15)
This episode was prompted by a listener question. Stephen actually asked three interrelated questions. The first was, “In Luke 8:12, Jesus describes a type of person who hears the Word and then the devil snatches it away so that they do no…
- How To Fight In The Present Spiritual War (II Corinthians 10:3-6)
This present spiritual war isn't new in that the struggle began in the Garden of Eden by means of a weaponized lie. Satan’s plan, of course, was to persuade Adam and Eve to believe his lie so that they would stop trusting God. His plan wor…
- The Bible, Conspiracies & Conspiracy Theories (Isaiah 8:9-15)
We live in an age of increasing anxiety, uncertainty and doubt. This means people are more receptive to believing in conspiracy theories because—at least superficially—said explanation provides the comfort of some mental security in an unc…
- When Faith Becomes Unbelief (Romans 5:1)
Faith becomes unbelief whenever a disastrous theological error occurs: when the doctrine of justification (how a person is saved) is confused with the doctrine of sanctification (how an already saved person matures). We are not justified b…
- Do All Unborn Children Go To Heaven? (II Samuel 12:16-23)
The question of the eternal destiny of unborn children presents us with a profound theological challenge: Do all unborn children go to heaven? In this episode Dr. Sadaphal will guide you through the Scriptures to demonstrate one way of arr…
- Unbelief, The Root of Anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34)
Christ, understanding the myriad challenges and concerns we might face—be it health, finances, or our general safety and security—offers guidance for combating anxiety in the Sermon on the Mount. What Jesus makes clear is that the root of…
- Special Episode: On the Crisis in Israel & Gaza (I Chronicles 12:32)
In this special episode, Dr. Sadaphal shares three biblical observations on the current crisis in the Middle East.
- The Loving Father (Luke 15:11-32)
In Luke 15, Jesus tells a famous parable. Said parable tends to be best known by the name, “The Prodigal Son.” Yet, what is evident is that the central character of the story is the not the son who returns, but rather the father who loving…
- We See God With Our Ears (Exodus 33:18-19)
In Exodus, Moses understood that in order to be a shepherd to the Hebrews and stand before a holy God, he would need a special outpouring of grace. Moses will then go on to ask the Lord, “Please, show me Your glory!” (Exodus 33:18). What h…
- The Power of Thanks (Revelation 4:9)
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…
- Lessons My Father-in-Law Taught Me (Ecclesiastes 7:1-2)
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…
- What's Right About Right and Wrong? (TruthFinder Crossover Episode)
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 q…
- God's Disposition (John 3:16)
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. R…
- The Christian, Technology and AI (Genesis 2:7)
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 li…
- Replay: What is the Point of Everything? (Romans 5:6-11)
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…
- God is of First Importance (Judges 6:1-27)
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 s…
- Good News of Great Joy (Luke 2:10-11)
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 Unforgiveable Sin (Matthew 12:22-32)
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…
- Political Revolution in the Reformed Tradition, Part II (Romans 13:1-7; 14:1-3, 10-12)
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 Refo…
- Political Revolution in the Reformed Tradition, Part I (Romans 13:1-7)
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 Refo…
- Live By Faith, Not By Sight (II Corinthians 5:7)
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 h…
- Joy's Crucial Ingredients (Colossians 1:9-12)
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 G…
- The Power of the Promises (II Peter 1:1-4)
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…
- Ahab and Jezebel (I Kings 21:1-17)
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 unbecomi…
- The Beautiful Love of God, Part Two (Genesis 3:1-5)
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…
- The Beautiful Love of God, Part One (Jeremiah 31:3)
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 H…
- Good Medicine Follows God's Prescriptions (Leviticus 13:1-6)
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 a…
- Scripture Interprets Scripture (II Peter 1:20)
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…
- God Never Wastes Pain (James 1:2-4)
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…