We often get the questions, “What does it mean to be Reformed?” and “What is Reformed theology? In today’s episode, Jon and Justin answer these questions by discussing five historical tenets of Reformed theology: covenant theology, Calvinism, confessionalism, ordinary means of grace, and the law/...

Pietism is something we have discussed many times over the years on Theocast. Four years into recording together, Jon and Justin pointedly revisit the topic in today’s episode. What is pietism? How would the guys explain it to someone visiting their respective churches? How does pietism affect th...

What is the armor of God? It is hard to put something on if you don’t first know what it is. Jon and Justin first help identify what Paul was using as the armor of God and then explain how the believers use the armor for their protection in their daily lives. The most important part of the armor ...

If you want to make Christians feel badly about themselves, one question to ask is, “How is evangelism going?” Many Christians think the way to do evangelism is through things like street preaching, handing out tracts, or sharing the gospel with someone on an airplane. Those things are fine and g...

Christians struggle. We are often weak. We often feel cold and apathetic--even toward the things of God. We battle discouragement. Many believers are afraid to admit these things are true, but most of us live here. Jon and Justin talk openly about all of this on today’s episode. Take heart, there...

In today’s episode, Jon and Justin talk about the accusations of Satan that often go undetected. We are conditioned to think that the evil one’s accusations look a certain way, but he is subtle and deceitful. Just by virtue of the fact that we live in the world (which is influenced by Satan), the...

Does too much grace lead to sin? Quite the opposite, actually. It is the preaching of Christ that leads to repentance. The right division of the law and the gospel--and the heralding of the mercy and grace of God--produces repentance in the saints. These things build a culture in a local church w...

What is the gospel? Sadly, the answer many church-going people would give has a lot to do with us. This has left some self-righteous and proud. This has left many anxious and fearful. The gospel, however, is the message about what Jesus alone has secured for sinners: the forgiveness of sins, impu...

Jon and Justin revisit the first episode they ever recorded together, “The Dark Side of Christianity.” If we are going to live honest and helpful lives in the church, we have to acknowledge that things often feel dark. Where does this darkness come from? It comes from the corruption of our flesh,...

In the church, we are to preach the gospel indiscriminately to all mankind. God is in the business of saving very sinful people, and if we’re honest, this can be hard for us. Alongside this, once we are saved into the church, we lock arms with other believers in order to live lives of faithfulnes...

If you listen to many in the church today, you would think that the purpose of the Christian life is abstinence from sin. Is that really it? Jon and Justin talk about what we are called to in the Christian life. Because of what Jesus has done, because we have rest, because we have been filled, we...

In today’s episode, Jon and Justin consider why it is that we can’t stop sinning. There has been debate about Romans 7 throughout the history of the church--as to whether Paul is writing as a Christian or not. (Disclaimer: It is our position that he is writing as a Christian.) The guys spend some...

In today’s episode, Jon and Justin have another conversation related to end-times theology. This time, the guys consider the perspective that the church is to be ushering in a golden age prior to Christ’s return--that through the faithfulness of the church, things will continue to get better and ...

At multiple points, Paul writes that he is not ashamed of the gospel. Why did he need to write that? What is it about the gospel that could bring shame on someone who preaches it--or believes it? The gospel offends us in our self-righteousness. That’s clear. It also offends us in our licentiousne...

In today’s episode, Jon and Justin consider how our own righteousness only leads to death. In Romans 5:12-21, Paul makes it clear that we have all been counted with Adam’s guilt–and that the only hope we have is that we would be counted with Christ’s righteousness. By faith, Jesus becomes our rep...

In today’s episode, Jon and Justin continue a lengthy conversation about men and women--and how we relate to one another in the home and in the church. There has been a lot of cultural baggage that has influenced the church through history on these matters. There has been a lot of pain caused and...

In today’s episode, Jon and Justin begin a lengthy conversation about men and women--and how we relate to one another in the home and in the church. There has been a lot of cultural baggage that has influenced the church through history on these matters. There has been a lot of pain caused and da...

In today’s episode, Jon and Justin talk about the fact that it is God who saves sinners--meaning, he does it all. From the beginning to the very end, salvation is a work of God. He brings us all the way home. To have this conversation, the guys consider Ezekiel 36 and 37. The Lord says some stron...

For today’s episode, Jon and Justin are joined by Ken Jones (pastor of Glendale Baptist Church and host of Saints and Sinners Unplugged). The guys talk about the fact that Christians will sin--perhaps very badly for a really long time. What is the normal Christian experience? If we have been unit...

For today’s episode, Jon and Justin are joined by Ken Jones (pastor of Glendale Baptist Church and host of Saints and Sinners Unplugged). The guys talk about revivalism. There are two distinct traditions within American Protestantism: one is the confessional/ordinary means of grace tradition; the...

For today’s episode, Jon and Justin are joined by Ken Jones (pastor of Glendale Baptist Church and host of Saints and Sinners Unplugged). The guys talk about what it is to preach Christ from all of Scripture--and how there are many approaches to preaching that claim the label “Christ-centered” bu...