Biblical Literacy with Mark Lanier

Old Testament scholar Dr. Carmen Imes shares her journey from an eight-year-old missions call to teaching at Biola University, where she helps students fall in love with the Hebrew Scriptures. Along the way, she unpacks what it really means to bear God's name, her Torah Tuesday YouTube series, and the surprising role of women throughout the biblical story. The post Special Event – Conversati...

Mark Lanier unpacks Romans 9–10 using the ancient Isthmus Games of Corinth to explain why Gentiles attained righteousness by faith while Israel's zeal fell short. The message explores the stumbling stone of Christ, the danger of zeal without knowledge, and Christ as the finish line of the law. The post Session 43 – Romans; Romans 9-10: Mark Lanier, 10/04/26 appeared first on Biblical Literac...

Old Testament scholar Dr. Carmen Imes shares her journey from an eight-year-old missions call to teaching at Biola University, where she helps students fall in love with the Hebrew Scriptures. Along the way, she unpacks what it really means to bear God's name, her Torah Tuesday YouTube series, and the surprising role of women throughout the biblical story. The post Special Event – Conversati...

This lesson explores Romans 9:25–29 through the cultural lens of first-century Roman freedom ceremonies, where slaves were freed, renamed, and adopted as citizens — illuminating how God doesn't just free us but renames and adopts us as His children. Through the stories of Hosea's children (named "Not My People" and "No Mercy") and Isaiah's remnant prophecy, we see God's power to transform outsider...

In the Greco-Roman world, a mortal who talked back to a god got obliterated—turned into a spider, a weeping stone, or skinned alive. But when Paul's audience expects a thunderbolt, God gives them a potter at his wheel—because God interrogates, He doesn't incinerate. The post Session 41 – Romans; Romans 9:19-24; Mark Lanier, 09/20/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy .

This teaching on Romans 9 traces Paul's retelling of Israel's story — from the patriarchs through the Exodus and prophets — to show that God's Word has never failed. Using the metaphor of the potter and the clay, it demonstrates that God's shaping of history, including hardship, is proof of His reliability, not a philosophical argument about predestination. The post Session 40 – Romans; Roma...

This message explores the Ten Commandments through the lenses of Moses, Jesus, and Paul to reveal that God's law was never meant to save us through rule-keeping, but to show us our need for a Savior. By tracing examples from Genesis through the New Testament, we see how the law acts as a tutor that drives us toward abundant life found only in a relationship with Jesus Christ. The post Special Even...

God's word came through a real first century teacher, Paul, teaching the way the best teachers of his century taught. Mercy is never owed — it doesn't depend on human will or exertion, but on God who has mercy. The post Session 39 – Romans; Romans 9:14-18: Mark Lanier, 08/30/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy .

In this teaching on Romans 9, Mark Lanier uses his background as a biblical languages scholar and trial lawyer to show that God's promises have never failed, tracing Israel's story through Isaac and Jacob to demonstrate that membership in God's family has always been by grace, not race. The lesson ends with a teaser for next week: whether the election of Jacob over Esau refers to their historical...

This lesson explores Romans 9:1-5, where Paul expresses deep prophetic grief over Israel's rejection of the Messiah, catalogs the irreplaceable gifts God gave Israel, and breaks into a doxology declaring Christ as "God over all, blessed forever." It sets the stage for Romans 9–11 by addressing the critical question: if God's promises to Israel appear to have failed, can we trust His promises to us...

In this final lesson of the Familiar Ground, New Light summer series, the speaker traces the evolution of the Ten Commandments through Moses, Jesus, and Paul — showing how what began as a relational covenant became increasingly demanding under Jesus' teaching. Ultimately, Paul reveals that the law was never meant to save us, but to serve as a guardian pointing us toward faith in Jesus Christ. The...

Jesus didn't say, 'I do resurrections' — He said, 'I am the resurrection.' The moment you are born again, you're not waiting for resurrection power; you're already living in it. The post Special Event – Summer Series; John 11:23-27: Pastor Scott Riling, 08/02/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy .

John's Gospel is woven with deep echoes of Genesis and Exodus, showing that Jesus — the eternal Word made flesh — entered history to take the place of cursed Adam and reverse the curse of sin and death. Through his crucifixion and resurrection, he launches a new creation and commissions his followers to carry the message of forgiveness into the world. The post Special Event – Summer Series;...

Rev. Alex Graham explores the biblical concept of taking life one day at a time, tracing it through Scripture and sharing how his own battle with Stage 4 cancer deepened his trust in God's daily provision. He closes with practical encouragement to embrace finitude, be still before God, and stay fully present in each moment, as illustrated through the story of Mary and Martha. The post Special Even...

Using Michelangelo's David and Psalm 139 as a backdrop, Fleming challenges the false choice between being "wonderfully made" and a "work in progress," showing that both truths coexist in the Christian life. He calls listeners to rest in God's unconditional acceptance while intentionally pressing on toward Christlikeness. The post Special Event – Summer Series; Psalm 139:13-14: Dr. David Flem...

"Be still and know that I am God" isn't a call to quiet self-care — it's a command to release control in the middle of chaos, spoken to people watching their world fall apart. This message unpacks Psalm 46's true meaning through the Hebrew word raphah, personal stories, and an original song written for the occasion. The post Special Event – Summer Series; Psalm 46:10: Dr. David Capes, 07/05/...

Guest lecturer Todd Still explores Paul's short letter to Philemon, unpacking the story of Onesimus and Paul's appeal for reconciliation between a slave owner and his slave-turned-brother in Christ. The lesson examines the historical context, key Greek word meanings, and the letter's timeless call to human dignity, hospitality, and grace. The post Special Event – Summer Series; More Than a S...

This is a Romans Bible study podcast (the final class on Romans chapters 1–8) in which the speaker uses Sullivan Ballou's famous Civil War letter as a launching point to explore Paul's declaration in Romans 8 that nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. The lecture walks through key Greek words andliterary devices — including the concept of chorizo (separation...

Drawing on Romans 8:33-34, Lanier uses a courtroom metaphor to show that no charge can be brought against God's people- because God himself is both judge and justifier. Christ's death, resurrection, and ongoing intercession mean the case is permanently closed, and no voice -not Satan's, not your own inner critic's -has the authority to condemn you. The post Session 35 – Romans; Romans:33-34:...

This message unpacks the doctrine of salvation — what it means to be saved from sin, and why Jesus Christ alone is the foundation of that salvation. You'll walk away equipped to answer common questions about assurance, eternal security, and what it truly means to receive the free gift of God. The post Special Event – Doctrine of Salvation: Dr. David Fleming, 06/07/26 appeared first on Biblic...

Romans 8:31-32 shows that God is not a distant God who merely tolerates us — He is actively invested in, committed to, and acting on our behalf. The cross is the ultimate proof. The post Session 34 – Romans; Romans 8:31-32: Mark Lanier, 05/31/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy .

God knew you intimately before time began and predestined you to be conformed to the image of His Son. Sin was never your destination — Christlikeness is. The post Session 33 – Romans; Romans 8:29-30: Mark Lanier, 05/24/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy .

The Spirit doesn't just pray for you — He prays with you, facing you, gripping the same burden, lifting together. That's what Paul means by sunantilambano: you're never carrying it alone. The post Session 32 – Romans; Romans 8:28: Mark Lanier, 05/17/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy .

When words fail and you don't know what to pray, you're not praying alone — the Holy Spirit is lifting the other side of the load. God hears the groanings of the Spirit interceding on your behalf, answering prayers you didn't even know you were praying. The post Session 31 – Romans; Romans 8:26-27: Mark Lanier, 05/10/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy .

This Bible class traces the Passover from its origins in Egypt through to the Last Supper, showing how Jesus intentionally used 1,500 years of Passover symbolism to establish the new covenant. The post Special Event – Don’t Pass Over the Passover: Pastor Brent Johnson, 05/03/26 appeared first on Biblical Literacy .