The Carson Center Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The God Who Legislates (Exodus 20) Jan 08, 2025

Show notes

In this lecture, Don Carson discusses God’s role as both Creator and Legislator, challenging listeners to consider the Bible's laws and their relevance in today's society amidst objections to Christian morality. He explores the importance of boundaries in truth and freedom, drawing connections between God's laws, the Mosaic Covenant, and the story of the Israelites. Carson concludes by pointing to Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice that fulfills the law and reconciles humanity to God.

He teaches the following:

All communities have boundaries, and no community can be completely inclusive
Truth is inevitable and cannot be escaped, even in a post-modern context
Why freedom must have discipline, and how this truth is biblically based
The historical significance of each commandment in Exodus 20, and their relevance for Christians today
How the Ten Commandments are related to God's self-disclosure in a redemptive act
How the sacrificial system fits into the broader storyline of God’s relationship with his people

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The God Who Writes His Own Agreements (Genesis 12) Jan 01, 2025

Show notes

In this lecture, Don Carson discusses God's sovereignty and covenant promises as he unpacks Abraham's story in Genesis 12. Carson critiques common misconceptions about God's relationship with humanity, demonstrating how God's covenant with Abraham points to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus. The lecture stresses the importance of understanding God's grace, as seen in Abraham's obedience and trust in God's promises.

He teaches the following:

The three common misconceptions of God’s relationship with humanity
Why God does not need humanity’s worship or obedience
Why it's important to understand God’s sovereignty and grace
God unconditionally fulfills his promises, even when humans fail
The cultural significance of Abraham’s obedience to God
The story of Abraham and Isaac is a prefiguration of God's ultimate act of grace in sending his Son to die for humanity

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Top Theology Stories of 2024 Dec 27, 2024

Show notes

Join Collin Hansen and Melissa Kruger for their annual discussion as they look back on the top theology stories of 2024. They also share their favorite books from 2024, updates on personal projects, and what they're each looking forward to in life and ministry in 2025.

They discuss:

The rise in Bible sales in 2024
Declining fertility rates worldwide
Big changes for the United Methodist Church and the role of the Global South
The advance of assisted suicide in the UK
The Cass Report and the truth about transgender treatments
Encouraging signs among Gen Z
Trump’s election victory and a GOP shift
Anticipating the 2025 Gospelbound season
Book highlights from 2024
Personal projects and updates
Don Carson’s legacy and an important update about his life and ministry

Mentioned on this episode:

"My Top 10 Theology Stories of 2024" by Collin Hansen (article)

Help The Gospel Coalition build up a renewed church for tomorrow. Let's Build Together: Donate Today at tgc.org/together

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The God Who Does Not Wipe Out Rebels (Genesis 3) Dec 25, 2024

Show notes

In this lecture, Don Carson examines Genesis 3, focusing on the Serpent's deceit and humanity's rebellion, which leads to shame, guilt, and broken fellowship with God. He discusses the curses placed on Satan, Adam, and Eve, highlighting the introduction of sin and the long-term effects on creation. Carson emphasizes the need for reconciliation with God, pointing to the promise of redemption through Jesus.

He teaches the following:

How Satan openly contradicted God’s Word in his temptation
The immediate and long-term consequences of sin
The foretelling of enmity between the Serpent's offspring and the woman's offspring points to future atonement
Humanity’s ultimate problem is alienation from God due to our willful rebellion
How the promise in Genesis 3 points to ultimate redemption through Jesus

Help The Gospel Coalition build up a renewed church for tomorrow. Let's Build Together: Donate Today at tgc.org/together

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The God Who Made Everything (Genesis 1–2) Dec 18, 2024

Show notes

In this lecture, Don Carson introduces a new series, “The God Who Is There.” He explores the creation account in Genesis, highlighting key attributes of God and humanity. Carson also emphasizes the importance of Genesis 1–2 for understanding the fall in Genesis 3, the concept of a new creation through Jesus, and the foundational differences between the biblical worldview and other religious or philosophical systems.

He teaches the following:

Why it’s important to understand the Bible’s organization and structure
How God reveals himself supremely through his Word
The significance of the creation narrative
How creation’s intelligent, complex design points to a Designer
The attributes of God as revealed in Genesis 1–2
How humanity bears God's image
How the context of Genesis 1–2 helps us understand the fall in Genesis 3
The connections between human responsibility and God’s

Help The Gospel Coalition build up a renewed church for tomorrow. Let's Build Together: Donate Today at tgc.org/together

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No Fidelity Without Remembering (Ezekiel 16 & 23) Dec 11, 2024

Show notes

In this lecture, Don Carson teaches mainly from Ezekiel 16, which describes Jerusalem’s spiritual adultery and compares the city to an ungrateful prostitute who turns to infidelity. Carson also points to Israel’s rebellion in forming a political alliance with Egypt. He explains that, despite the severe punishment described, God promised eventual restoration through an everlasting covenant when Jerusalem would repent and experience God's faithfulness.

He teaches the following:

Why Israel is compared to a “useless vine” and how it connects to the Bible’s larger metanarrative
Absolutizing any one form of God’s love results in absurd theology
How political alliances contributed to Israel’s downfall
God remembered Jerusalem and established an everlasting covenant with her
The new covenant would bring atonement for Jerusalem’s sin
How the metaphor of marriage and apostasy is used to illustrate the severity of Israel's rebellion
The importance of fidelity and the consequences of betrayal in both human and divine relationships
The imagery of marriage and atonement conveys God’s enduring love for his people

Help The Gospel Coalition build up a renewed church for tomorrow. Let's Build Together: Donate Today at tgc.org/together

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Genuine or False Prophets? (Ezekiel 13-14) Dec 04, 2024

Show notes

In this lecture, Don Carson contrasts false prophets, who lead others astray, with genuine prophets who speak truth grounded in God's revelation and call people to repentance. He emphasizes the importance of discernment in times of cultural decay and highlights the vitality of remaining faithfully rooted in the Scripture and committed to moral uprightness despite the pressures of a confused world.

He teaches the following:

Genuine prophets speak from God, while false prophets speak from imagination
False prophets will face divine judgment for their deception
Genuine prophets call people to repentance and biblical knowledge
What’s spoken by genuine prophets aligns with revealed redemptive history
God’s sovereignty embraces both good and evil
False prophets are accepted by many, while genuine prophets are accepted by few
Faithfulness and discernment are necessary in a world that promotes moral relativism

Help The Gospel Coalition build up a renewed church for tomorrow. Let's Build Together: Donate Today at tgc.org/together

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Does God Ever Give Up On People? (Ezekiel 10-11) Nov 27, 2024

Show notes

In this lecture, Don Carson focuses on Ezekiel's vision of God's glory and the departure of the divine presence from the temple in Ezekiel 10–11. He explores the prophetic denunciation of Israel’s leaders, the promise of a new covenant, and the spiritual transformation of the people. Carson highlights the ultimate fulfillment of God’s purposes as seen in Revelation, where his people dwell with him in the new heaven and earth.

He teaches the following:

How the departure of God’s glory is a mark of judgment
God's promise to gather the exiles and give them an undivided heart
The new covenant's removal of the need for mediating teachers
How John’s vision in Revelation 5 reflects the fulfillment of God’s promises to Ezekiel
God is always in control, and his way will triumph
The final consummation of God’s promises is seen in the new heaven and earth

Help The Gospel Coalition build up a renewed church for tomorrow. Let's Build Together: Donate Today at tgc.org/together

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True Worship vs. Corrupt Worship (Ezekiel 8-9) Nov 20, 2024

Show notes

In this lecture, Don Carson discusses Ezekiel’s visions from God in Ezekiel 8–9, which convey Jerusalem’s widespread idolatry and sinfulness. He contrasts the corruptibility of false worship with the necessity of true worship, and he connects the importance of authentic worship to historical awakenings. Carson underscores that without a clear moral vision, society risks decay.

He teaches the following:

Ezekiel's denunciation of corrupt worship that relativized God
How corrupt worship dulls moral vision and invites divine judgment
The Western world's interest in worship and search for spirituality
The idol of jealousy in Ezekiel’s vision as an example of syncretism
God’s judgment of participants of corrupt worship and his mercy on those who grieve over their sin
How Ezekiel’s vision shows the moral impetus behind the Great Awakening

Help The Gospel Coalition build up a renewed church for tomorrow. Let's Build Together: Donate Today at tgc.org/together

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When the Lord Brings Judgment (Ezekiel 4-5) Nov 13, 2024

Show notes

In this lecture, Don Carson examines Ezekiel's prophetic vision from God as recorded in Ezekiel 4–5. The prophet's actions symbolize Jerusalem's impending judgment because of their sin, and Carson highlights the inevitability of God's wrath and the need for repentance. He points to the seriousness of God's judgment in the Old Testament and the ultimate display of God's justice and mercy in the New Testament, particularly through the cross.

He teaches the following:

Ezekiel’s prophetic actions convey the severity of God’s coming judgment
God’s wrath is a necessary consequence of the people's wickedness
Why we must understand repentance
How Ezekiel 4–5 fits into the context of the Bible’s metanarrative
The problem of humanity’s sin requires a divine solution
The cross is the ultimate expression of God’s justice and mercy

Help The Gospel Coalition build up a renewed church for tomorrow. Let's Build Together: Donate Today at tgc.org/together

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