Doctrine 4 Doxology (formerly "Bear Christianity")

Summary Roman Catholics will use verses in the Bible which include the word "Tradition" as a defense for their own position. That is, that the full truth of God is found through the Roman Catholic Church through the written Scriptures and the Oral Apostolic Traditions which were passed down in the Church. Is it an accurate interpretation of Scripture to assume "Tradition" in the Bi...

Summary The Biblical "Canon" refers to the list of books that are Scripture. Roman Catholics say Protestants wouldn't even know what books are Scripture without the "Tradition" of the Roman Catholic Church. How do Protestants know which books are Scripture? Does "Sola Scriptura" allow the Protestant to know the canon. I argue that if Scripture is from God, then He will...

Summary I discuss 2 Timothy 3:14-17 as a defense that Scripture is sufficient for the Christian in everything necessary for faith and obedience to the LORD. Resources Catechism of the Catholic Church (Section on Sacred Scripture) Vatican II: Dei Verbum 8 (Development of Doctrine quote) 1689 London Baptist Confession (Chapter 1: The Holy Scriptures) The Roman Catholic Controversy by Dr. James White...

Summary I contrast the ultimate authority for Protestants (Scripture Alone) and Roman Catholics (Scripture + Tradition + Magisterium). I then explain why I believe Roman Catholics' ultimate authority is "Sola Ecclesia" meaning "Church Alone". Next I lay out some of the basics for Sola Scripture. What Sola Scripture is not, and what Sola Scripture is. Resources 1689 London Bapti...

Summary The Apocrypha, also called Deuterocanonical books by Catholics, are extra books included in the Roman Catholic Old Testament, but not part of the Protestant Old Testament. In this episode, I discuss the reasons I do not believe the Deuterocanonical books are Sacred Scripture. These writings give us historical information and are generally useful, but they are not to be used as Holy Scriptu...

Summary I believe justification is by faith alone. It is the gift of God, where the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to sinners by faith. Nothing we can do, even in a state of grace, can earn any aspect of our salvation. Ephesians 2:8 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God," But what about James 2:24? "You se...

Summary I briefly overview the Roman Catholic idea of justification. Then I share some history of Martin Luther, leading up to his discovery of the Bible's true meaning of the "righteousness of God". Our righteousness is imputed to us because of the perfect work on Jesus Christ. Our eternal punishment for sin was paid by Jesus on the cross, but His life of perfect obedience is positive...

Summary This begins our long series on Roman Catholicism vs Protestantism. It all starts with justification. How is sinful man made right with God? For Roman Catholics, it is faith plus works. For Protestants, it is by faith alone. I discuss the Roman Catholic methods for attaining justification. This includes baptism to wash away Original Sin, but also includes Penance or Confession for the forgi...

Summary I conclude the mini series on Calvinism and Arminianism by giving some encouragement for all Christians, warnings for each side, and walkthrough the basics of salvation as presented in Titus 3. My Friend’s Podcasts “ Andrew’s Daily Five ” - Music countdowns. A great way to discover music, both new and old! “ Walk With the Word ” - Learn to deepen your Bible study as you walk through the Bi...

Summary I take the role of an Arminian and defend the beliefs of Arminianism. Because the previous episodes explain Calvinism, I use the common Calvinist acronym, "TULIP", to organize today's arguments. Resources "Against Calvinism" by Roger Olsen "For Calvinism" by Michael Horton "Grace, Faith, and Free Will" by Robert Picirilli "The Reformed Doctrine of Pr...

Summary This is the 2nd part of my recording where I discuss the TULIP acronym commonly associated with Calvinism. Next week, I will assume the viewpoint of the Arminian and compare / contrast the Calvinist and Arminian positions. My goal in these episodes is to accurately explain both sides, promote unity among Christians on both sides of this argument, and encourage Christians to search out answ...

Summary I explain the 5 Points of Calvinism commonly known from the acronym "TULIP". This episode is the first half a recording in which I walk through an explanation of the 5 Points of Calvinism. I am assuming a Pro-Calvinist viewpoint and simply explaining what Calvinists believe. Later in this series, I will take a Pro-Arminian viewpoint and explain what Arminians believe. Resources 168...

Summary Does God predestine who will be saved or is it the free will choice of every person? Over the last several centuries, this is one of the main debates within the Christian community. In this episode, I tell my story as I grew up in a Christian environment and encountered these different theological beliefs. Debates and Sermons Debate (Michael Brown vs James White) Twin Truths (Sermon by Joh...

Summary I share my morning routine and give you some tips to grow in your knowledge of the Bible in 2022. Resources YouVersion Bible App (This is what I use for my Bible reading plans) Below are several of my favorite Bible based podcasts. I did not include links because it will vary depending on the app you use to listen, but all of these should be available on any podcast platform. (They are in...

Summary I discuss some of the basic goals of Bible translations and offer advice on how to select a good translation for yourself. Resources BibleGateway.com Blue Letter Bible Logos Bible Software Music Music by MichaelKobrin from Pixabay (Intro/Outro)

Summary We have over 5500 Greek manuscripts of the New Testament. These manuscripts were written in various places and in different time periods. How do we know what the words in our Bible should be? This question is solved by the field of textual criticism. Outline What is textual criticism? What is a textual variant? Three textual variants every Christian should know about. Closing thoughts Reso...

Summary I discuss the authorship of the New Testament canon and address some of the common skeptical arguments regarding those authors. Resources Jesus and the Eyewitness by Richard Bauckham Richard Bauckham Lectures on Jesus and the Eyewitnesses Michael Kruger on the Titles of the Gospels For basic notes about New Testament authorship, most study Bibles will have information at the beginning of e...

Summary Why does the New Testament include certain books and not others? I discuss the Gnostic Gospels and historical evidence in the early church concerning the canon of the New Testament. Resources Michael Kruger's Website Ten Facts about the New Testament Canon Every Christian Should Memorize Ten Misconceptions about the New Testament Canon The Heresy of Orthodoxy Surviving Religion 101 Can...

Summary Lots of stuff regarding the New Testament. This episode lays some ground work for the next 3 to 4 episodes all about the New Testament. Resources Center for the Study of New Testament Manuscripts The above website provides free high quality photos of thousands of New Testament manuscripts. Check out Codex Siniaticus! YouVersion Bible App Use the above app to read and listen to many differe...

Summary I discuss basic questions regarding the Dead Sea Scrolls. Who? Where? When? What? Why? The Dead Sea Scrolls are one of the most important discoveries of all time. Many people have heard about them, but know very little details. I hope this episode provides an interesting overview. Resources The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Dead Sea Scrolls sections) The Table Podcast: The Dead Sea Scrolls illu...

Summary I discuss the basics of how the Old Testament was written, and discuss passages within the Old Testament which are evidence the text was revised and updated over time. I also explain why the Hebrew Bible is called the Tanakh and some differences between the Tanakh and the version of the Old Testament in my Protestant Bible. A basic historical timeline is also provided for the composition o...

Summary This is an introduction to a new series of episodes on the Bible. In this upcoming series I will discuss how we got the Bible, various translations, manuscript evidence for the Bible's reliability... Bubble Gum Prank Video I mentioned a video in a special segment of the show called, "A Bear in the Woods." Here is the link for the video. (Some podcasts apps may not allow me to h...

Summary I give a list of common objections to the Trinity and share a Christian based response to these objections. Why is the Trinity not mentioned in the Old Testament? Why is the doctrine of the Trinity not taught in the New Testament? Why did it take 300+ years to develop the doctrine of the Trinity? Did Jesus eat, sleep, and die? If so, then how can He be God? Why does Jesus pray to the Fathe...

Summary I explain the basics of the Hypostatic Union. This is the belief that the one Person of Jesus has two Natures (Divine and Human). Next, I give some reasons why the Hypostatic Union is important as we read the Bible, and I finish by examining two common objections to the Trinity. A Bear in the Woods “Bear, what’s the most overrated or overhyped experience or destination that you’ve visited?...

Summary I wrap up a few loose ends from the previous episode and then spend the majority of the time giving Bible verses which support the 3 Foundations of the Trinity from Dr. James White's book, The Forgotten Trinity. At the end, I honor my father in law, Michael Edwards, who passed away 10/8/21. Bear's Books The Forgotten Trinity by James White The Triune God by Fred Sanders Salvation B...