39th St Church of Christ Podcast

In this episode, we take a close look at the gift of tongues as described in Scripture. What exactly was the gift of tongues, why was it given, and when did it cease? We'll examine what the Bible teaches about this gift's purpose and its place in the early church, and how it compares to what is often practiced under that name today. "Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not" (1 Corinthians 14:22).

In this episode, we take a close look at the ways Scripture warns that men can sin against the Holy Spirit. What does it mean to resist, grieve, quench, blaspheme, or do despite unto the Spirit of grace? We'll examine each of these warnings in Scripture and what they teach us about our responsibility toward the Spirit's work. "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption" (Ephesians 4:30).

In this episode, we take a close look at what Scripture teaches about the unity of the Spirit and the believer's calling to keep it. What does it mean to endeavor to keep "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace"? We'll examine what the Bible teaches about the one body, one Spirit, and the standard of unity Christians are called to maintain. "Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling" (Ephesians 4:3-4).

In this episode, we take a close look at what Scripture means when it speaks of sanctification by the Holy Spirit. What does it mean for the believer to be set apart, made holy, through the Spirit's work? We'll examine what the Bible teaches about the Spirit's role in sanctification and how it relates to the believer's obedience to the truth. "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:2).

In this episode, we take a close look at what John meant when he told believers, "Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things." What is this "unction," and how does the believer receive it? We'll examine what Scripture actually teaches about this anointing and how it relates to the Christian's knowledge and discernment of the truth. "But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things" (1 John 2:20).

In this episode, we take a close look at what the Bible teaches about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Does the Spirit dwell in the Christian literally, personally, and directly — or through the word He inspired? We'll examine what Scripture actually says about how, when, and why the Spirit indwells the child of God. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16).

In this episode, we take a close look at what it means for the believer's body to be called a temple of the Holy Spirit. What does Scripture actually say about the Spirit dwelling within us, and how should that truth shape the way we live, think, and treat our bodies? We'll examine what the Bible teaches about this indwelling and its implications for holiness and everyday conduct. "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:19).

In this episode, we take a close look at the question of whether miraculous gifts and miracles continue in the church today. What does Scripture actually say about the purpose and duration of miraculous gifts? We'll examine passages often used to argue for their continuation, and compare them with what the Bible teaches about how and why these gifts were given in the first place. "But whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away" (1 Corinthians 13:8).

In this episode, we take a close look at Calvinism and its teaching on the work of the Holy Spirit. What does it really teach about the Holy Spirit's role in salvation and the church? We'll examine concepts like irresistible grace and predestination, testing them against what Scripture actually says about how the Spirit works in the life of a believer and in the body of Christ. "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling" (Ephesians 4:4). Whether you've encountered these ideas before or are hearing about them for the first time, this conversation will equip you to think clearly, biblically, and confidently about the Spirit's true role in the church today.

In this episode, we examine what Scripture teaches about the fruit of the Spirit, measured against the standard God Himself has laid down in His Word. When we open the Bible with honest and careful study, we find that Scripture presents a clear and consistent picture of what it means to walk in the Spirit — not a list of spiritual experiences, but a harvest of godly character produced in the life of every faithful Christian. The apostle Paul writes in Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV), "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." This straightforward declaration from God's Word reminds us that the evidence of the Spirit's work in a life is not a singular sign or sensation, but a full, consistent character transformation — love, joy, peace, and the rest — worked out over time. When we commit ourselves to what the Bible actually says about the fruit of the Spirit, we find that Scripture is sufficient to show every Christian what a Spirit-led life truly looks like — calling us to examine our own fruit, walk in the Spirit rather than fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16), and grow daily into the likeness of Christ — strengthening our confidence in God's Word as our reliable and authoritative guide.

In this episode, we examine what Scripture teaches about a father's role and position over his children, measured against the standards God Himself has laid down in His Word. When we open the Bible with honest and careful study, we find that Scripture presents a clear and consistent picture of the father as head of his household — responsible before God for the instruction, correction, and spiritual direction of his children. The apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 6:4 (KJV), "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." This straightforward declaration from God's Word reminds us that fatherhood is not merely a biological role but a God-ordained position of headship, carrying both the authority to train and correct and the responsibility to do so without harshness or discouragement. When we commit ourselves to what the Bible actually says about a father's position, we find that Scripture is sufficient to guide every man in rightly ruling his own house — calling fathers back to diligent teaching, loving correction, and godly example, strengthening our confidence in God's Word as our reliable and authoritative guide.

In this episode, we examine the teachings of United Pentecostalism concerning the Holy Spirit, measured against the Word of God. When we open God's Word with honest and careful study, we find that Scripture presents a clear and consistent picture of the Holy Spirit that cannot be reconciled with what United Pentecostalism teaches about His person, His work, and the evidence of His presence. The apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 4:4-5 (KJV), "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism." This straightforward declaration from God's Word reminds us that the one faith delivered to the saints leaves no room for the additions and alterations that United Pentecostalism has introduced — including its claims about speaking in tongues as the only evidence of the Holy Spirit's presence. When we commit ourselves to what the Bible actually says about the Holy Spirit, we find that Scripture is sufficient to expose where United Pentecostalism departs from the truth — calling us back to the one faith, the one Spirit, and the one baptism that God's Word has always proclaimed — strengthening our confidence in God's Word as our reliable and authoritative guide.

In this episode, we examine the Holy Spirit and prayer as revealed through the Word of God. When we open God's Word with honest and careful study, we find that Scripture presents a connection between the Holy Spirit and prayer that deepens our understanding of what it truly means to approach God and commune with Him. The apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:26 (KJV), "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." This tender and powerful word from God's Word reminds us that in our weakness and uncertainty, the Holy Spirit steps in — carrying before God what we ourselves cannot fully express. When we commit ourselves to what the Bible actually says about the Holy Spirit and prayer, we find that Scripture is sufficient to guide us into a richer and more faithful prayer life — reminding us that we do not approach God alone but with the Spirit's intercession working on our behalf — strengthening our confidence in God's Word as our reliable and authoritative guide.

In this episode, we examine the Holy Spirit and conversion as revealed through the Word of God. When we open God's Word with honest and careful study, we find that Scripture speaks clearly about the role the Holy Spirit plays in bringing a lost soul to obedience — and that role is inseparable from the Word that the Spirit Himself inspired. The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:11 (KJV), "And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." This powerful reminder from God's Word declares that conversion is not the work of man but the work of God — accomplished through the Spirit and the obedience that His Word demands. When we commit ourselves to what the Bible actually says about the Holy Spirit and conversion, we find that Scripture is sufficient to cut through every false notion of how a person is saved — grounding us in the truth that the Spirit converts through the Word, and that the Word leaves nothing out that God requires of us — strengthening our confidence in God's Word as our reliable and authoritative guide.

In this episode, we examine the sword of the Spirit as revealed through the Word of God. When we open God's Word with honest and careful study, we find that Scripture does not leave us unarmed in a world filled with false teaching, temptation, and spiritual opposition — but places in our hands the most powerful weapon ever given to man. The apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 6:17 (KJV), "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." This declaration from God's Word makes plain that the sword of the Spirit is not a mystery — it is the Word of God itself, given by the Spirit, and placed in the hands of every believer who will take it up and use it. When we commit ourselves to what the Bible actually says about the sword of the Spirit, we find that Scripture is sufficient to meet every challenge, answer every false claim, and equip us for every spiritual battle we will ever face — reminding us that the Word God has given is not merely a book but a living and active sword — strengthening our confidence in God's Word as our reliable and authoritative guide.

In this episode, we examine what it means that by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body as revealed through the Word of God. When we open God's Word with honest and careful study, we find that Scripture presents a unity that is not of man's making but of the Spirit's — one that draws every obedient believer into the one body that Christ built and purchased with His own blood. The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:13 (KJV), "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." This powerful declaration from God's Word reminds us that the body of Christ is not divided by background, culture, or circumstance — but united by the one Spirit who has called us all into the same obedience and the same hope. When we commit ourselves to what the Bible actually says about the Spirit and the one body, we find that Scripture is sufficient to cut through every false notion of what the church is and who belongs to it — anchoring us firmly to the unity that God Himself has established — strengthening our confidence in God's Word as our reliable and authoritative guide.

In this lesson, That Which Is Perfect, we examine one of the most discussed passages concerning the work of the Holy Spirit: 1 Corinthians 13:8–13. What is “that which is perfect,” and what does it mean for the miraculous gifts of the Spirit? Does this passage teach that spiritual gifts continue today, or does it point to the completion of God’s revealed Word? As part of the God the Holy Spirit theme, this study carefully considers the biblical context, compares Scripture with Scripture, and explores how the Holy Spirit worked through miraculous gifts in the first century to reveal and confirm God's truth. Join us as we seek to understand this important passage and appreciate the complete and sufficient revelation God has provided through His inspired Word.

In this episode, we examine the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses concerning the Holy Spirit, measured against the Word of God. When we open God's Word with honest and careful study, we find that Scripture presents a clear and consistent picture of the Holy Spirit that stands in direct contrast to what Jehovah's Witnesses teach. The apostle John writes in 1 John 5:7 (KJV), "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." This declaration from God's Word affirms the Holy Spirit's place alongside the Father and the Son — a truth that Jehovah's Witnesses deny when they teach that the Holy Spirit is merely an impersonal force rather than a divine person. When we commit ourselves to what the Bible actually says about the Holy Spirit, we find that Scripture is sufficient to expose where this teaching departs from the truth — calling us back to the full and accurate picture of God that His Word has always revealed — strengthening our confidence in God's Word as our reliable and authoritative guide.

In this episode, we examine the Holy Spirit and inspiration as revealed through the Word of God. When we open God's Word with honest and careful study, we find that Scripture does not leave us to guess at how the Bible came to be — it tells us plainly that the Holy Spirit Himself is the source behind every word that God has given to man. The apostle Peter writes in 2 Peter 1:21 (KJV), "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." This clear declaration from God's Word establishes that the Scriptures we hold in our hands are not the product of human imagination or wisdom but the direct result of the Holy Spirit moving upon the men who wrote them. When we commit ourselves to what the Bible actually says about the Holy Spirit and inspiration, we find that Scripture is sufficient to settle every doubt about its own origin and authority — reminding us that the same Spirit who inspired the Word continues to speak through it today — strengthening our confidence in God's Word as our reliable and authoritative guide.

In this episode, we examine the relationship between the Holy Spirit and Jesus as revealed through the Word of God. When we open God's Word with honest and careful study, we find that Scripture presents a connection between the Holy Spirit and Jesus that is inseparable, purposeful, and woven throughout the entirety of God's plan for man's redemption. The apostle John records in John 15:26 (KJV), "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me." This powerful declaration from Jesus Himself reminds us that the Holy Spirit was sent with a purpose — to testify of Christ — establishing a relationship between the two that Scripture makes unmistakably clear. When we commit ourselves to what the Bible actually says about the Holy Spirit and Jesus, we find that Scripture is sufficient to deepen our understanding of how God has worked through both in bringing about our salvation — strengthening our confidence in God's Word as our reliable and authoritative guide.