Vine Abiders Podcast

There is a line in Hebrews that Christians quote often, but I am not sure we have always stopped long enough to ask what it actually means. Hebrews says that Jesus became flesh and blood so that through death he might destroy the devil. Hebrews 2:14-15 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destro...

If you have ever sat through an Easter sermon and walked away faintly dissatisfied with the explanation of why the resurrection matters, you are not alone. Preachers rightly treat it as the hinge of the Christian faith. Paul says that if it did not happen, we are still in our sins, so it clearly has something to do with the atonement. And yet the reasons usually given for it always struck me as th...

In this personal podcast, I talk about the death of my wife, Connie, after her battle with a rare and aggressive form of ovarian cancer. I share memories of Connie’s extraordinary life, our marriage, her faith, and the many lessons I learned through suffering, caregiving, cancer, prayer, and grief. I also discuss the realities of the cancer industry, the spiritual nature of trials, and the peace t...

This was a impromptu podcast in response to a question I received. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vineabiders.substack.com

There are two words that sit right at the center of everything Christians talk about. Two words you’ve heard a thousand times. Gospel. And faith. Every pastor assumes that everybody knows what these words mean. But what I want to suggest to you today is that most of us don’t really know what either of them means. And I don’t mean we’re fuzzy on the details. I mean we’ve gotten the definitions of t...

There’s a kind of honesty that sounds cruel at first but turns out to be exactly what people need to hear. In 1914, Ernest Shackleton reportedly placed an advertisement in a London newspaper for his Antarctic expedition. The ad read something like this: Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger. Safe return doubtful. Honour and reco...

A deep dive into the gospel, allegiance, and why understanding one Greek word resolves some of the New Testament’s most perplexing tensions. Most of us think we know what faith is. You believe something. Maybe you trust it. It happens in your head, it’s invisible, and according to a lot of modern Christianity, that’s basically the whole thing — have the right belief in the right moment, and you’re...

In Part 3 of the Lord’s Prayer series, we focus on the line: “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” This portion of the prayer is often misunderstood, but it turns out to be one of the most practical and powerful parts of Jesus’ teaching on prayer—especially when understood as a daily prayer for strength, protection, and faithfulness . Strength for Today, Not Tomorrow One...

In Part Two of our study of the Lord’s Prayer, we turn our attention to one of Jesus’ most challenging and weighty petitions: “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) These words force us to wrestle with forgiveness—not only God’s forgiveness toward us, but our responsibility to forgive others. This teaching explores what Jesus truly meant, how the early Church...

In this episode of Vine Abiders , we return to a verse-by-verse study of the Sermon on the Mount, focusing on Matthew 6:9–13 and the first half of the Lord’s Prayer. While Jesus gives many examples of prayer throughout the Gospels, this is the only place where He explicitly commands His disciples, “Pray in this way.” That alone signals that the Lord’s Prayer holds a unique and formative place in t...

My new book The Deformation is out: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G5HXNS82 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vineabiders.substack.com

This chapter ended up being much longer than normal. It also made sense as a standalone book. So I published it as a Kindle and Paperback book on Amazon called Reading Romans 9 from a Non-Calvinist Perspective by Chris White Romans chapter 9 stands at the center of a significant theological debate—the question of divine sovereignty and human freedom. For many within the Reformed or Calvinist tradi...

The orphanage we support: https://joyfulheartshome.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vineabiders.substack.com

We’ve been going through the Sermon on the Mount , and in this post, we’re looking at Matthew 5:43–48: **“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven;for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good,and sends rain on the righ...

Introduction Welcome back to Vine Abiders , where we study the words of Jesus verse by verse and learn what it really means to live as His disciples. In this study, we’ve come to one of the most misunderstood teachings in all of Scripture — “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” For many of us, that phrase immediately brings to mind vengeance or retribution — the idea of getting even. But as...

TL;DR The Reformers taught that God legally credits Christ’s perfect obedience to believers—an unchangeable courtroom verdict called imputed righteousness .But Scripture’s emphasis is not on a legal transfer; it’s on union with Christ —a living participation in His life. Our righteousness isn’t Christ’s moral record applied to us, but God’s righteousness shared with us through being in Him . In th...

Matthew 5:33–37 NASB “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord.’ But I say to you, make no oath at all , either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot m...

Divorce, Remarriage, and the Teaching of Jesus Welcome back to Vine Abiders . In our study through the Sermon on the Mount, we’ve come to Matthew 5:31–32—the words of Jesus on divorce and remarriage. It’s not an easy passage. In fact, this subject has followed me in a unique way. Last year I wrote a book on it— Remarriage After Divorce: A Biblical Defense of the Traditional Christian View. I didn’...

Lust, Adultery, and the Fear of the Lord: Taking Jesus at His Word We’ve reached Matthew 5:27–30 in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus confronts lust head-on: “You have heard that it was said you shall not commit adultery, but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out an...

The Consequences of Anger: A Study of Matthew 5:23–26 Welcome back to the Vine Abiders study. We are continuing our walk through the Sermon on the Mount. Last week, we began looking at Jesus’ “new commandments” in Matthew 5:21–22, where He equates anger with murder. This week, we move into verses 23–26, which are still about anger, but focus more on its consequences. Recap: Jesus on Anger (Matthew...

Join me for the first Vine Abiders episode 1, a livestream with Chris White, the producer of the documentary “Once Saved Always Saved?” Summary: In Matthew 5, Jesus makes it clear that anger is no small matter. He equates it with murder in the same way He equates lust with adultery. The early church understood […] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with o...

This is part 4 of a series that will later be turned into a video on this channel This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vineabiders.substack.com

This is part 3 of a series which will later be turned into a video series on this channel This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vineabiders.substack.com

This is part 2 of a series that will later be turned into a video series and book. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vineabiders.substack.com

This is the first installment of a multi part series. More notes to come soon. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit vineabiders.substack.com