The word is complicated, but the idea is simple: sanctification is the process of growing more and more like Jesus Christ. In other words, growing in holiness. In this episode, Mark and Cameron unpack the basics — what sanctification is, what it isn’t, and (perhaps most importantly) who does the work.
With the holidays approaching, Cameron and Mark discuss the theology of eating and drinking in anticipation of a season of, well, eating and drinking. The Bible’s teachings about food and drink are complex, but by thinking in terms of how creation, fall, and redemption impact our dependence on food, we can appreciate how to eat and drink to the glory of God.
This is the 40th episode of The Commentary, and we are returning to a topic we tackled back in Episode 16 — politics! What happens when the Bible challenges your deeply-held political convictions? What are the signs that you’re letting your politics override your faith? Cameron and Mark dig into these questions and try to understand the right place of politics in the larger conception of the true, good, and beautiful.
In this episode, Mark and Cameron share their love of the Reformation-era theologian John Calvin, one of the unsung shapers of the modern world. Specifically, they discuss the pleasures of reading Calvin, and the insights to be gained not only from his systematic theology but from his expositions of Scripture.
How does the design of a printed Bible influence the way it’s used? That’s the question Mark and Cameron pick up on in this episode. Traditionally, Bibles have been been designed to make it easier to look things up — like a dictionary! — with the unintended consequence of making them harder to read. The good news is, that's beginning to change.
The more information bombarding us, the more our capacity to pay attention seems to shrink. Could the process of regaining your ability to tune out distractions be as simple as reading a poem? In this episode, Cameron lays out the case for reading poetry now more than ever, while Mark asks how the same approach can be applied to Scripture.
Is there more to presbyterian church government than just having elders? In this episode, Mark and Cameron discuss another key factor: the checks and balances provided by the church’s “higher courts.” In addition, they talk about why Grace’s adult Sunday School class is tackling the Westminster Confession line by line.
Mentioned in this episode:
A Good Confession: Sunday School Recordings
In this week’s episode, Mark and Cameron take a look at the Gospel According to Matthew — the subject of Grace’s new sermon series — from a 30,000 foot perspective. They talk about how this book relates to the other Synoptic Gospels, and how its unique structure informs our reading. There are also a few tips as we get started in this inaugural New Testament text.
Cameron returns after a two-episode break with questions on Mark’s two most recent sermons. First comes the suggestion that Joseph, husband of Mary, despite his relatively brief time on stage in the gospel narrative, may offer an excellent model for biblical manhood. Then the conversation turns to the “mark of the beast.” Is it a literal marking of the flesh, or should we interpret the mark differently? What context does the rest of Scripture give us for thinking about the significance of marked foreheads?
Grace’s new sermon series on the Gospel According to Matthew just began last Sunday, and Mark is already issuing retractions and clarifications. In this episode, his wife Laurie — a woman with plenty of experience pointing out his errors — asks a series a questions about the genealogy at the beginning of Matthew 1. Then, Mark and Laurie discuss the upcoming women’s discipleship book group on Tim Keller’s The Prodigal God.
Mark’s special guest in this episode is Rev. Ethan Sayler, a fellow PCA pastor who recently explained the denomination to the YouTube channel “Ten Minute Bible Hour.” Ethan shares some behind-the-scenes details of the experience, and then engages with Mark over the question of whether our sense of history and our commitment to the Westminster Confession is a “pressure,” an anchor, or both!
The pandemic has introduced a new term to the church lexicon: in-person worship. While we’re grateful for the technology to livestream services when necessary, no change comes without a trade-off. In this episode, Mark and Cameron discuss the beauty of in-person worship and the benefits that a lifestream simply cannot replicate.
If music in Christian worship serves as “sung prayer,” then it makes sense that we should pay close attention to the lyrics we sing. In this episode, Cameron and Mark unpack the theological layers of a hymn sung recently at Grace, and try to explain how lyrical theology can strengthen us just as much as the systematic kind.
Is a literal reading of Scripture always best? In this episode, Mark and Cameron discuss the challenges of accurate interpretation, especially when it comes to poetry and prophetic literature. As we approach the end of our study of Zechariah, it’s a good time to reflect on the importance of interpreting spiritual things spiritually.
Cameron has been reading a new book about apologetics that sparks our conversation in this episode. Instead of seeing the task as “sanctified argumentation,” perhaps there’s a bigger way to conceive what defending the faith is all about — a way that brings imagination to the forefront. Mark shares his thoughts, as always, and has a book to recommend, too.
Some Christians give the impression that the only true believers are the ones who belong to their particular church — or perhaps their denomination. At Grace, we have a more optimistic view of God’s work in the broader body of Christ. In this episode, Mark and Cameron discuss that optimism, and the confidence from which it flows.
In this follow-up to last week’s episode on the crisis of masculinity, Mark and Cameron look at the growing epidemic of “friendlessness.” Inspired by an essay by David French, they discuss the decline of deep friendship, its causes, and possible solutions — with a special emphasis on building friendships in the body of Christ.
Cameron and Mark tackle a topic in this episode that they’ve been kicking around behind the scenes for some time: the so-called “crisis of masculinity.” How should we think about what it means to be a man? Is there a larger crisis this question shines light on — and could biology settle the matter once and for all? Mark also talks with Dan about the official re-launch of Grace’s small groups this Sunday, and what this means for our quest for “more community.”
