The Whole Counsel

There are treasures that are placed in safety-deposit boxes, rarely seen and more rarely used. Then there are things we treasure that are used every day, and the more worn and scarred they become, the more precious they are to us. Wisdom should be seen in the second category. It is a thing to be truly treasured by the Christian, but if it is left on the shelf and collects dust, it is worthless. We...

See more podcasts, small group studies, and theological studies for children at www.mediagratiae.org . Last week, we introduced our new series examining the metaphors Proverbs 2:1-5 gives us for responding to the call of wisdom. The first metaphor the writer of Proverbs gives us is to receive, or take, wisdom. This is not a passive reception; it requires intentionality, purpose, and effort. Dr. Jo...

See Media Gratiae resources including, Behold Your God: Seeking Him Early, Behold Your God: Rethinking God Biblically, Christ Our Treasure, and more: https://shop.mediagratiae.org Proverbs 1 tells us that “Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice.” Religious systems throughout history have taught wisdom as something often hidden and difficult to find. But Proverbs clea...

This week, we conclude our series on the union between Jesus Christ and the Christian. We’ve explored several aspects of this union and now reach its apex—the culmination of everything. However, to fully grasp it, we must first correct some common misunderstandings. Many Christians believe that once we die, we enter into our glorified state. Dr. John Snyder and Acey Floyd held similar views until...

Our current series has focused on our union with Christ, with the last few episodes emphasizing our adoption. In the last episode, Dr. John Snyder and Acey Floyd explored the biblical foundation for our adoption in Christ. This week, they examine the privileges available to every Christian because of our adoption. For this, they refer to John Owen's small work “Communion with God.” While the entir...

A few times a year we want to visit a classic work of Christendom. Rather than spending a long series walking through the work, we try to discuss it all in one long-form discussion. For this episode of Navigating the Classics, Dr. John Snyder is joined by Chris Green and Steve Crampton to take a look at Anselm’s Cur Deus Homo, which translates to “Why God Human.” Anselm, who was a church leader el...

A few weeks ago, Teddy James visited Granbury, Texas, to meet with Dr. Stephen Yuille. Dr. Yuille is Professor of Church History and Spiritual Formation in the School of Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and pastor of Fairview Covenant Church. The Media Gratiae team was introduced to Dr. Yuille through several of his books including The Blessed and Boundless God and The Inner S...

This week, Dr. John Snyder is joined by Acey Floyd again to continue discussing the Christian’s union with Jesus Christ. If Jesus were only our kinsman redeemer, high priest, and propitiation, that would be more than anything we could dream of. But Scripture goes further and tells us He is also our elder brother. We are joint heirs with Him. This is a reality that, if we were told it by a preacher...

We are back in the studio this week with Dr. John Snyder and Acey Floyd. Continuing our discussion on the believer’s union with Christ, the duo this time focuses on the doctrine of sanctification. Salvation is a massive reality. It takes a person who was once spiritually dead and makes them alive. It takes a person who was once an enemy of God and brings him or her to adoption. We hate what we onc...

A few weeks ago, Dr. John Snyder was in Nova Scotia, Canada, to teach a theological intensive for local pastors. The theme of the seminar was Union with Christ, a familiar topic if you’ve been following the podcast. During a short break in the teaching, John sat down with Dave Story and Hugh Morrison. These two men have been faithful pastors in their areas for years. They have also been instrument...

aul writes in Ephesians commanding us to address one another with “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart (Ephesians 5:19). The Christian faith is a singing faith. We worship, learn, and fellowship in song. We praise, worship, and mourn to timeless melodies. But not all hymns are created equal. And not all hymns are equally timeless. Even some of...

The topic of justification, the objective reality of being united to Christ, is so vast that we couldn't cover it in a single episode. To be honest, we could spend several weeks focusing solely on this topic and still only scratch the surface of what could be said. Last week Dr. John Snyder and Acey Floyd talked about justification from our side: How can we be made right with God. This week we loo...

God reveals Himself to be perfectly just, perfectly holy, and perfectly wise. So how could this perfect Being unite His perfect Son to fallen humanity? How can man, who has rebelled against God's sovereignty since our first parents, ever have a right standing before this Supreme Judge? Therein lies the sweet doctrine of justification. That is the focus of this week’s conversation between Dr. John...

So far in our series, we've discussed how we are united with Christ in life. His perfect and obedient life is credited to our sinful and rebellious lives. However, Scripture goes further, stating that we are also united with Him in His obedient, yet horrific death because Jesus is our sacrificial Lamb. This week, Acey Floyd leads the discussion with Dr. John Snyder, exploring Old Testament descrip...

Union with Christ doesn’t begin after we have reached a certain point of spiritual maturity. Jesus doesn’t wait until we know Him “well enough” to unite Himself with us. Our union with Him was decreed by the Father in eternity past and is experienced by every Christian from the moment of conversion, through every scene of life, upon death, and into our eternal rest. Focusing on Ephesians 1:3-4, Dr...

The Scriptures are filled with metaphors and descriptions of the Christian’s union with Christ. Each of them expresses a different reality of that union. But even with all the words dedicated to explaining and describing that union, it still holds a mystery that escapes even the best theologians. But the existence of the mystery should not stop us from taking our time to study, examine, and medita...

Dr. John Snyder is joined this week by Acey Floyd, co-elder of Christ Church New Albany and Media Gratiae’s Office Manager, to start a new series discussing the Christian’s union with Christ. This doctrine is central to the letters of Paul in the New Testament and should therefore be central in our lives. Union with Christ can be seen as the central hub of the wheel that is the Christian life. If...

Jeremy Walker, pastor of Maidenbower Baptist Church in Crawley, England (a town just south of London) is a long-time friend of Media Gratiae. We turn to him when we have difficult questions and value his wisdom and godliness. Several months ago, while Jeremy was preaching in Lusaka, Zambia, he was approached by a man who was burdened for the orphans on the streets of Lusaka. This man had been seek...

This week, Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James will wrap up our series on a talk given by Hudson Taylor to several missionaries in the late 19th century. His main emphasis throughout the talk was the significance of the missionaries living a life that aligns with their teaching. While we are focused on living consistent lives, we also have to be aware of the contradictory nature of the Christian life....

This week we continue discussing a talk Hudson Taylor gave to a group of missionaries in the late 1800s. His talk was grounded in 2 Corinthians 4:1-2 and focused on the importance of leading a life consistent with the teachings of Christ. There is so much to highlight, Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James couldn’t fit it all into one episode (or even two). So today they take a deep look at what it mean...

Hudson Taylor is no stranger to anyone who has been through a Media Gratiae study. He was a pioneer missionary to inland China and founded the Inland China Mission. There is a great deal we could say about his life and ministry, but Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James wanted to spend the next two weeks walking through a particular talk Taylor gave to his missionaries in the 1880s. The talk is recorded...

his is the final episode of our series focusing on Christians fulfilling our responsibility to speak God’s words carefully, accurately, and timely. We started last week looking at our ultimate example in our Lord Jesus Christ. He perfectly spoke the words the Father gave Him to speak. He spoke comforting words to the hurting, convicting words to the lost, and glorifying words to the Father. We are...

In what was supposed to be our final episode of the current series, John and Teddy are in the studio again discussing the type of person who can be trusted with God’s words. The conversation begins by asking how we should view conversations on the Internet. Are we commanded as Christians to answer every question we see on social media? Are we to respond to every criticism of Christianity? Or are w...

See the new study here: https://shop.mediagratiae.org/collections/christ-our-treasure   We have spent the last four episodes dealing with the types of people God will and will not entrust with His words. But how can we, a fallen, weak, and sinful people know that we are capable of accomplishing the tasks or delivering the messages God has entrusted to us? God leads His children to difficult, and e...

We have been discussing the type of person God has and will entrust His Word and His messages to. These are those who do not turn a blind ear to the truths of God, those who find application to HIs Word in their lives, those who repent when truth shines light on sins. We have also discussed those who God will not trust with His words. Those who harbor idols, those who have the form of religion wit...