Heart of Flesh

In this episode, I (Jackson Hankey) address the debate surrounding the topic of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. As we have moved to the Holy Spirit in our discussion of the Doctrine of God, it seems fitting to address some of the current controversies surrounding the work of the Holy Spirit, especially those that have arisen out of the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement. With this in mind, we've decided the first thing to address should be the Biblical concept of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Below is a summary of the Charismatic view, as well as the more common Evangelical view that I will be defending.Charismatic View: The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is experienced by some (not all) Christians. It is a special work of the Spirit that is distinct from regeneration and happens after regeneration, meaning that someone can be a born-again believer but not "Baptized in the Spirit." This work of the Spirit is marked by speaking in tongues.Non-Charismatic Evangelical View: The Baptism of the Holy Spirit refers to the experience of all (not some) Christians at the moment of regeneration and conversion when they are "baptized" (immersed) in/with/by the Holy Spirit. It is a distinctive blessing of the New Covenant (fulfilling New Covenant prophecies such as Ezekiel 36:26-27 and Joel 2:28-29) that was not experienced by believers under the Old Covenant. It was sometimes (not always) accompanied with the gift of tongues in the New Testament, but that gift ceased to exist in the church after the closing of the Apostolic age. Listen to the episode to hear how each group arrives at their views and for a defense of the second view listed in this description. Enjoy!

In this episode, James Kaczor and I continue our series on the Doctrine of God and now progress to a discussion of the Holy Spirit. This episode has a feeling of unique relevance given the degree of confusion that fills the church today in regard to the person and work of the Holy Spirit. For many, there is a strong tendency to overemphasize or overrealize the person and work of the Holy Spirit in unbiblical ways. However, perhaps just as common, is a tendency to underemphasize and underrealize the Holy Spirit in similarly unbiblical ways. With this in mind, we hope in this episode (and more to follow) to give a biblically accurate picture of the person and work of the Holy Spirit.In this episode we look at two main things.The Identity of the Holy SpiritAs a unique person of the TrinityAs being truly and fully God 2. The Ministry or Role of the Holy Spirit in the ChurchWhat does the Holy Spirit actually do for people?What are the marks of the Spirit in a person's life?

Throughout history there have been many people and groups who have sought to challenge and subvert the Orthodox beliefs of the church about the Deity of Christ. Oftentimes, these people will point to specific verses in the Bible that they believe prove that Jesus is not truly God. In this episode, I examine a number of those arguments and seek to show how a proper understanding of the Hypostatic Union can answer all of the objections. Below I have listed the arguments that I address in this episode. 1. Christians say that Jesus and the Father are equal, but in John 14:28, Jesus says "the Father is greater than I."  How can this be?2. God is omniscient but in Matthew 24:36 Jesus said he didn’t know the day or hour he would come back. How can this be?3. James 1:13 says that God cannot be tempted with evil, but Hebrews 4:13 says that "in every respect, (Jesus) has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." How can this be?4. The last thing I discuss in this episode is not necessarily an objection but a question. Was it possible for Jesus to sin?

In this episode, James Kaczor and I continue discussing the Doctrine of God and the Person of Christ. Here we aim not only to show that the Bible teaches the true humanity of Jesus (that he is "Like us in all respects, apart from sin") but we also aim to draw out some of the theological and practical significance of this reality. Jeremiah 9:23-2423 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

In this episode, James Kaczor and I continue our discussion of the Doctrine of God by focusing on the Divine nature of Jesus. The New Testament presents Jesus as not just a man but as God incarnate. And it does this in a great variety of ways. Some of these ways are simple and obvious and some of these ways are more subtle. Our goal in this episode is to present these many different ways and especially to focus on those that are more subtle. Our hope for those who listen to this is two-fold:That you would be overwhelmed by the tidal wave of evidence that Jesus is God and that you would worship him as such.That you would grow in your ability to read the New Testament, and especially the Gospels, in a way that uncovers the glorious identity of Jesus Christ more clearly. We aim to show the powerful truths that the gospel writers are teaching about Jesus when we approach the gospels with what we call an "Old Testament Mind." Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV) 23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

In this episode, James Kaczor and I build on the previous one, where we discussed some of the Trinitarian hints of the Old Testament. Our goal is to show beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the New Testament undeniably teaches the Doctrine of the Trinity, and brings further clarity to what is hinted throughout the Old Testament. We believe this is a foundational doctrine of the Christian faith, and that one cannot deny it and yet remain a Christian. As such, it is extremely important for Christians to have a basic understanding of the Trinity and be able to defend this doctrine from the Scriptures. Our hope is that this episode will help you to do so. Enjoy!Jeremiah 9:23-2423 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

In this episode, James Kaczor and I continue our discussion on the Doctrine of God and specifically the Doctrine of the Trinity. We firmly believe (along with all of historic and orthodox Christianity) that the one God is and has always existed as a Trinity of Persons, each person being truly God.And even though we don't get a fully revealed doctrine of the Trinity until the New Testament and the coming of the God-Man, Jesus Christ, we can see that there are still many passages throughout the Old Testament that are hinting at this reality. In this episode, our goal is to unfold some of those passages and bring to light these Trinitarian "hints." Jeremiah 9:23-3423 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

In this episode, Joshua Molden and I give an introduction to the Doctrine of the Trinity. After establishing our need of the Scriptures for a sufficient knowledge of God (previous episode), we now begin to examine what the Scriptures reveal to us about God, and we begin with this glorious doctrine of the Trinity. Our goal in the episode is to lay out and defend three statements that the Bible teaches about God, and endeavor to show how they fit together. Our goal is not to remove all the mystery of the Doctrine of the Trinity, but only to bring some helpful clarity.There is only one true and living GodThe one God exists eternally as a Trinity of Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)Each person is fully GodIf you'd like to study this issue more, a great resource to look at is the Athanasian Creed

Is it possible for humans to know God apart from the Bible? If it is, what can we learn about God? Is it possible to know God through the use of human reason? Or what about observing God's creation? Are these things enough for a person to be saved?In this episode, we discuss the necessity of Special Revelation (i.e. the Bible) for a saving knowledge of God. This means that in order for us to know enough about God to experience true salvation, we need God to reveal himself to us in a special way. We argue that although there is much we can understand about God through General Revelation and human reason, these things apart from the Bible are insufficient to teach us all that we need to know about God.

In this episode, James and I introduce a new series we're beginning on the Doctrine of God. In doing so, our prayer for our listeners is much like that of the Apostle Peter for his readers - that you might "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18) and like that of the Apostle Paul to the Colossians - that you might be "bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10) We believe that the Doctrine of God is the most important doctrine in the Bible and in this episode we give a number of reasons why!"Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts, boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth." (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

In this episode, James and I discuss the Spiritual Discipline of Christian Fellowship. As creatures made in the image and likeness of a Triune God, we are made to be relational and exist in community. As redeemed Christians, we are commanded to partake in the fellowship of the saints. In this episode, we talk about all of the blessings that this brings, and we demonstrate from the Bible that this is an essential part of the spiritual life of every Christian! "Some Christians try to go to heaven alone, in solitude. But believers are not compared to bears or lions or other animals that wander alone. Those who belong to Christ are sheep in this respect, that they love to get together. Sheep go in flocks, and so do God's people" - Charles SpurgeonIf you'd like to give to support James in his ministry with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at NDSU - Click on this link below 👇🏻👇🏻https://my.fca.org/?form=jameskaczor

In this episode James and I discuss the great privilege of prayer. We rejoice in the fact that God has first spoken to us, and that he invites us to speak back to him. We talk about how constant and persistent prayer is necessary in the life of a Christian, and we give some practical advice from the Scriptures and our own lives about how we are to pray.

This episode is all about practical advice for Bible Intake! As such, our goal is to give you some helpful tips that will enable you to grow spiritually through hearing the word preached, reading the word for yourself, and committing yourself to deep, lifelong study of the word. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word which comes from the mouth of God" - Deuteronomy 8:3/Matthew 4:4"Nobody ever outgrows Scripture; the Book widens and deepens with our years" - Charles Spurgeon

In this episode, James and I discuss the importance of hearing, reading, and studying the Word of God. As Christians, we are called to build the foundation of our lives upon the solid rock of God's word. It is this same word that is the primary means that God uses to save and sanctify his people. As such it is imperative for the Christian to be immersed into God's word. Psalm 119:36-37 - Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.

The title of this episode is very self-explanatory. The point is to give some practical tips that have helped us to make our phones less of a distraction and more of a helpful tool. Our phones have many great capabilities, but they can also be very harmful. As Christians, we need to evaluate our phone usage and seek to maximize what is good (what glorifies God and promotes our spiritual health) and minimize what is harmful. We pray that these practical tips will help you as they have helped us!Here is a link that includes each tip and instructions for how to implement it in your phone settings 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wvG2rWxhpXt4uluSQ06jE32mkAHqS8sAmVrLxRlsA0g/edit?usp=sharing

In this episode, we talk about the most common things that keep us away from Spiritual Disciplines, how they can detract from our walk with Christ, and we give some practical advice for overcoming these obstacles. Enjoy!Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heartoffleshpodcast/Ask us Questions - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeibNhMvJzlnDeEQS304gYEeunTLwYsl5UWJ3iNNPP2glbhJA/viewform?usp=sf_link

We live in a day and age where the quick and convenient is much preferred to the slow and tedious. However, the Christian is called to a lifestyle of diligence and patience in seeking God and growing in godliness. One of the primary ways we we are called to do this is through the use of spiritual disciplines. In this episode, we discuss the definition of the spiritual disciplines and their purpose in the life of a Christian. Enjoy!Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heartoffleshpodcast/Have questions? Please feel free to ask them at the link below and we will try to answer them in a future episode!https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeibNhMvJzlnDeEQS304gYEeunTLwYsl5UWJ3iNNPP2glbhJA/viewform?usp=sf_link

In this episode, James and I defend Perseverance of the Saints by addressing a common "problem passage," and we give some final thoughts for the series on the Doctrines of Grace! Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heartoffleshpodcast/Have questions? Please feel free to ask them at the link below and we will try to answer them in a future episode!https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeibNhMvJzlnDeEQS304gYEeunTLwYsl5UWJ3iNNPP2glbhJA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Can a born again Christian lose their salvation? This is the question we discuss in this episode. The doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints states that all who have been truly born again will be persevered by the grace of God until their salvation is final and complete. A true Christian cannot lose their salvation. In the episode we define the doctrine, defend it from Scripture, and give some practical application for what this means in the life of a Christian.Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heartoffleshpodcast/Have questions that you would like to ask us? - Please feel free to enter them at this link and we will try to address them in a future episode!https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeibNhMvJzlnDeEQS304gYEeunTLwYsl5UWJ3iNNPP2glbhJA/viewform?usp=sf_link

In this episode, James and I continue our series on the doctrines of grace and we discuss what is commonly referred to as Irresistible Grace or Effectual Calling. This is a powerful work of God's grace whereby he calls the elect sinner to himself through the preaching of his word and the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heartoffleshpodcast/