Theology for the Rest of Us

Latest Episodes:

28: What is Justification? Feb 26, 2016

Show notes

Justification is the central doctrine at the heart of the Gospel message. Justification is the act of God whereby God chooses to completely remove the guilt sin.

Justification was the central doctrine by which the entire Protestant Reformation was ignited, and brought massive change and revival across Europe in the 16th century. Justification is much greater than merely a pardon. A pardon is declaring that a guilty person does not have to suffer the consequences of his guilt, but justification is something different and greater. Justification says that the guilt itself has been removed, declaring the person innocent and therefore not deserving of any penalty whatsoever.

In this episode, Kenny clearly explains what justification actually is, and makes the point that justification is not progressive. Kenny also outlines how we can receive justification (by faith alone, not by works we do), and he explains how justification tangibly impacts our lives.

Highlighted Passages:

Romans 4:20-5:1

Romans 5:10

Galatians 2:16

Recommended Books:

Redefined (by Kenneth Ortiz)

27: What is Legalism? Why is it Dangerous? Feb 25, 2016

Show notes

If you’ve been around Christian circles for a while, at some point you’ve probably heard someone talk about legalism, or at minimum you’ve probably heard someone mention something they found to be legalistic.

Legalism is relying upon your own effort to get God to like you more or make yourself feel more spiritual. Legalism can take several different forms. Regardless of the form, legalism can be devastating to our emotional and spiritual health.

In this episode, Kenny defines “legalism” and unpacks the different forms of legalism we face. By highlighted the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians and by examining some contemporary Christian trends, Kenny clearly explains how legalism impacts our lives in a negative manner. Kenny also talks about how we often fall into legalism and he gives us some insights as to how we can avoid it.

Recommended Books:

Scandalous Freedom (Steve Brown)

What’s So Amazing About Grace (Philip Yancey)

26: Should Christians Judge? Feb 24, 2016

Show notes

We’ve all heard someone say, “Don’t judge me!” Should we follow that request? Or we’ve heard someone say, “Only God can judge me!” But is this true? What does the Bible say?

In this episode, Kenny defines the word “judge” and points out how the words of Jesus have often been manipulated. Some people claim that we should never judge, but the truth is judging is both appropriate and expected, as long as we judge righteously. There is an RIGHTEOUS form of judgment and there is an UNRIGHTEOUS form of judgment. It is essential that we know the difference.

Highlighted Passages:

Matthew 7:1-5

John 7:24

25: Why Do We Say “Amen” After We Pray? Feb 23, 2016

Show notes

In this short episode, Kenny answers a few simple questions about the word “Amen”? Kenny also makes several jokes, talks about his love for Chick-fil-a sauce, and there’s even an appearance from the Beetles.

For centuries, it has been the tradition of Christians to say “Amen” quite often. Many times we say it after a prayer, and sometimes we say it when we agree with the pastor’s “good preaching” in church. But what does this word mean? And why do we say it? This episode answers those questions.

24: The Importance of Embracing Grace with Blaise Foret Feb 22, 2016

Show notes

In this episode, Kenny continues his interview with author and speaker Blaise Foret, talking about the power and importance of discovering and embracing grace. When we truly see grace, it greatly impacts our lives.

In this interview, Blaise talks about fear-based church ministry cultures, his journey away from the mainstream Charasmatic church, and his discovery of grace-filled ministry. Blaise challenges listeners to always remain “open minded” and objective when evaluating doctrines, and reminds us that focusing on Christ is always greater than focusing on our specific doctrines.

Connect with Blaise Foret at www.blaiseforet.com

23: Seeing People Through the Eyes of Jesus with Blaise Foret Feb 19, 2016

Show notes

In this episode, Kenny talks with author and speaker Blaise Foret about seeing people the same way Jesus saw people.

Blaise has often been accused of being a “hyper-grace” preacher, but Blaise feels that he’s simply trying to get Christians to view all people through the lens of love and grace. In this interview, Blaise makes the point that many Christians have fallen into the trap of seeing people as “projects” that need to be fixed instead of humans that long to be loved.

Connect with Blaise Foret at www.blaiseforet.com

22: Does Genesis 38 Condemn Masturbation and Birth Control? Feb 17, 2016

Show notes

This episode is a response to a comment that was left on our website. The comment challenged Kenny’s thoughts on masturbation, outlined in episode 14: Is Masturbation Really Sin?

In the previous episode, Kenny outlined his opinion that masturbation is not necessarily sinful, but that it could be very harmful, therefore it ought to be avoided. Kenny also covered this in his blog article about masturbation.

However, the comment/charge (to which we are responding) sought to make the case that Genesis 38 does indeed condemn both masturbation and birth control. So, does Genesis 38 actually condemn masturbation & birth control? Or not?

In Genesis 38, God labels Onan wicked and eventually puts him to death. What was Onan’s sin? Why did God kill him? Some commentators and preachers might say it appears that God is angry with Onan for “wasting his semen” on the ground, so this has caused some people to condemn masturbation. Onan was also having sex in a way to avoid pregnancy, which has led some Christians to say that birth control is sinful.

But is that what the passage is actually talking about? In this episode of the podcast, Kenny addresses these thoughts and concerns, and he points out that Genesis 38 is actually pointing to something much larger and grander; and that is the importance of men fulfilling their responsibilities and duties as men.

Additional Resource

Is Masturbation a Sin? Is It Bad For Me? What Does the Bible Say? (by Kenny Ortiz)

21: Is the Holy Spirit Fully God? Feb 15, 2016

Show notes

Many people would verbally claim to believe that the Holy Spirit is fully God, but yet there is still a lot of confusion about the nature of the Holy Spirit. Some people seem to believe the Holy Spirit is some sort of “cosmic force” like we see in the Star Wars movies. But Christian orthodoxy tells us that the Holy Spirit is far greater than that.

God exists in three co-equal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each member of the Godhead is distinct and unique from each other, but they are each fully God.

In this episode, Kenny specifically focuses on the divinity of the Holy Spirit, clearly making the case that the Holy Spirit is God.

Highlighted Passages:

Acts 5:3-4

Psalm 139:7-8

1 Corinthians 2:11-12

1 John 2:27

John 14:26

John 14 & 15

Job 33:4

Psalm 104:30

20: Regret vs. Repentance with Mary Butler Feb 12, 2016

Show notes

Many people walk around in life with regret, carrying the wait of their past sins and mistakes. Often times there are people who even allow the potential fear of regret to govern how they make choices in their every day lives.

In this episode, our guest Mary Butler tackles the importance of having a “big view” of God because that is the only thing that leads to genuine repentance and joy, but having a “small view” of God leads to regret and sucks the life right out of us.

19: If God is Good, Why is There Evil in the World? Feb 10, 2016

Show notes

Some times people challenge God on the sole basis that there is evil in the world. The question has been asked, “If God is so good, then why is there so much evil in the world? Why does He allow evil to still exist in the world? Why doesn’t He intervene?”

This is a great question, worthy of a thoughtful Biblical answer.

In this episode Kenny gives five responses to this important question:

1- Sometimes evil is the consequence of our own actions.

2- Maybe God is restraining some evil, but we just don’t realize it.

3- How much should God intervene, because eliminating all evil could mean eliminating all people on the planet.

4- God has a purpose in allowing some evil to continue.

5- God actually has already responded to evil in the best manner possible: By sending Jesus!

Highlighted Passages:

Genesis 1:28

Romans 5:12

Ephesians 2:3

Genesis 3:17-18