LIVE with Doug Goodin

The Law of Moses was given to rebuke and punish the Jewish people. And it was good at it. But it had a greater historical purpose in God's plan of redemption. In today's study, we discuss that purpose and how it relates to "the flesh."   To apply to New Covenant School of Theology (which I mentioned), go here: https://www.newcovenantschooloftheology.org

The battle between the flesh and the Spirit in Galatians is not about a Christian's struggle against a "sinful nature." This is the normal framing of Galatians 5, but it is driven from systematic theology, not exegesis and context. Today's study will show that.  If you are interested in taking an NCST course (as mentioned in the broadcast), apply here: https://www.newcovenantschooloftheology....

In many English translations of Romans 8:4, it sounds like Christians are now able to obey God's Law by the power of the Spirit. For many in Reformed Theology, this means that we can keep the 10 Commandments by the "spirit of the Law" rather than the "letter of the Law." But is that what the text means in its context? You can probably tell by the way I'm asking the question that I don't think so....

According to Romans 6:23, the wages of sin is death. But Romans 8:1 says that there is no condemnation for those in Christ. If Christians are not subject to condemnation for sin, why will we still receive the wages of sin? Doesn't that sound like condemnation? We consider these questions in today's study.

One day, Christians will reign and rule the earth in resurrected bodies. This gift is ours because of the grace of the Messiah, Jesus our Lord. This hope removes our fear of dying because we know that resurrection is the end game. Today, we study Paul's explanation of this glorious expectation.

If your idea of heaven includes harps, clouds, and endless singing, you may not be reading the Bible carefully. Romans 8 reveals something different, something much more "earthy" and alive. The condemnation of Romans 8:1 is not hell, it's death. And the hope is not heaven, it's new life on earth. That's the subject of today's study.

In this hotly debated chapter, the Apostle Paul is NOT teaching that Christians continue to battle their sinful nature. If you are in Christ, you are not "in Romans 7," nor is it describing your struggle against sin. This shouldn't be controversial; and it's not difficult to understand, if we stay with the Scripture and stay away from "soundbite theology." Let me show you what I mean...

The common understanding of Roman 7:14-25 is that Paul "the believer" is battling his sinful nature, a struggle he will have until he dies. But can that be his point? Will the context allow it? I don't think so. If that is true, then everything he said in Romans 6 about no longer being enslaved to sin is wrong. I'll show you what I mean in today's study.

The Apostle Paul said he was alive until God's commandment came, then he died. What did he mean by that? And did he believe that God's Law was to blame for his sin? We consider these questions and more in today's study.

Sin is not a thing, it's a concept. So why does the Apostle Paul talk about it as if it were a person: producing, deceiving, killing, waging war? And does sin do those things to Christians? We talk about it in today's study.

When studying Romans 7, something strange happens at verse 14. Or at least it did for me. Everything I had learned in chapter 6 about slavery to sin flew out the window, and I suddenly was okay with Paul describing himself as a slave to sin in chapter 7. That is how I used to read (and teach) this chapter. I was on the side of those who believe Paul is describing his ongoing fight against sin. I h...

In Romans 6, Paul asserted that Christians died to sin through faith in Christ; we are joined to Him, therefore His bodily death is our spiritual death, and His bodily resurrection is our spiritual resurrection. In Romans 7, Paul asserts the same kind of "death" about the Jews. They are joined to Christ; His bodily death is their death to the 10 Commandments, and His bodily resurrection is their r...

If you think the Apostle Paul means "sinful nature" when he speaks of "the flesh" in Romans 7, you haven't read the first 6 chapters carefully. It's much more specific and Jewish than that. We learn what he means in today's study.   If the thought of the Church fulfilling God's purposes for the Jews is new to you, Blake White's book, "God's Chosen People," provides a helpful introduction to t...

God's goal for history is not to "get people saved and take them to heaven." Those who are in Christ will live in the ages on earth. We will reign over it, just as death has reigned since Adam's sin. In this study, we look at the Apostle Paul's explanation of this in Romans 5.  In light of today, you may find my book, "Exalted: Putting Jesus in His Place," to be helpful: https://www.amazon.co...

Christians are "under grace," not "under law." This is great news, yet some have taken it to mean that we are free to sin. The Apostle Paul confronts that error head on in today's study.

The Apostle Paul declares that Christians are "dead to sin." This doesn't mean merely that we should stop doing bad things, the implications run deeper. In today's study we learn of the new status believers have and the freedom that comes with it.

Christians have an enemy who wants us to believe that when it comes to certain sins we can't help it. "You're going to struggle with this all of your life; you may as well just accept it," he claims. We live defeated and discouraged, giving into the same temptations over and over again. But we shouldn't because those are lies. Christians are not slaves to sin. We can overcome temptation, indeed, w...

You may have been told that "flesh" means sinful nature, and that Christians still have some relation to our old, depraved, Adamic nature. But is that what the Scripture teaches? Is that what the Apostle Paul means in Romans 7 and Galatians 5? We begin to answer that question in this first study of a new series on Flesh/Spirit.   To apply to New Covenant School of Theology, click this link: h...

"Jesus is Lord!" It's not just a confession, it's absolute truth. As Lord, King Jesus issues commands that are to be obeyed by every man, woman, and child. As we wrap up this series, we look at what the High King commands, beginning with the call to love.   Here is the book by A. Blake White I mentioned: https://www.amazon.com/Imitation-Jesus-Blake-White/dp/1928965601   Visit our website...

God gave Israel a Law appropriate for the Levitical Priesthood they were under, but when a priesthood changes, the Law must also change (Heb. 7:11-12). Jesus is the High Priest of the New Covenant, and His law is a perfect fit. The Old Covenant Law wouldn't work for the gospel era.   If you're interested in taking a class, here's the link to apply to the New Covenant School of Theology: https...

The Law of Moses was only given to Israel, and the New Testament doesn't expressly forbid bestiality and incest, so does that mean they are no longer considered sinful? In today's study, we consider these and other questions, such as: should Christians be against the death penalty.

God's Law is not written on the hearts of all men, only of Christians. It's a New Covenant promise. Yet all sinners are condemned before God and, in fact, all men know they are condemned. How can that be if they don't have God's Law either written down or on their heart. That is the question we discuss in today's study.   Here is a link to the book by A. Blake White I mentioned in the broadca...

God has a standard of righteousness by which all men will be judged. But what is it and how can men learn it? Some assume that it's the 10 Commandments, but that is theological presumption, contrary to what the Scriptures teach. So then, how do we know what please and displeases God? We talk about that in today's study.

Jesus said He didn't come to abolish the Law. The Apostle Paul said that Jesus did come to abolish the Law. Is this a contradiction? How do we make sense of Paul's assertion? We answer these questions in today's study.   If you want more information on New Covenant Theology, visit the Cross to Crown website: https://crosstocrown.org.   If you would like to take a course at the New Covena...

Yes and no. Today we look at the "no" part. Jesus didn't simply come to obey the Law of Moses (though He did obey it perfectly), He came to embody the righteousness revealed by the Law. That's what He meant in Matthew 5:17-20, which we look at in today's study.