The Waking up to Grace Podcast

We trace the vine from the prophets to the upper room and show why Jesus calls himself the true vine and how abiding is believing. Fear fades when we see that withered branches picture unbelief, while pruning affirms those loved by God.

• the problem of church rhetoric versus grace clarity
• abiding defined as believing, not performance
• addressing “taken away” and “fire” without legalism
• Israel as the vine ...

We trace John 15 through the lens of the cross and the Spirit to show that abiding in Christ means believing the gospel, not performing for worth. Prayer, love, and confidence before God flow from this union and are sustained by the Spirit’s indwelling.

• timing and covenant context for John 15
• belief as the work of God
• discipleship and freedom after the cross
• new command to love one another
• prayer ...

We test a hard question: did the apostles continue Jewish practice while preaching grace, and how does that reshape Acts 15, Acts 21, Galatians 2, and Romans 14? Do we see in the gospel distinction without discrimination—Jew and Gentile worshiping with one voice—while rejecting legalism’s return to boundary-making?

• Acts 15 as the table-fellowship framework for Gentiles via the apostolic decree
• Acts 21 and Paul’s pu...

The confrontation between Paul and Peter in Antioch reveals key insights about grace, fellowship, and the true meaning of the gospel.

• Paul rebuked Peter not for doctrinal error but for hypocrisy—his behavior contradicted the truth he proclaimed
• Early church fathers were so troubled by this apostolic disagreement that some suggested it was staged
• Peter's vision regarding Cornelius wasn't primarily ab...

The principle that "God shows no partiality" (Romans 2:11) shaped Paul's ministry approach as he navigated the complex relationship between Jewish and Gentile believers in the first-century church.

• Paul consistently went to Jewish synagogues first when entering new cities
• Early Christian Gentiles in Rome were deeply integrated with Jewish synagogue communities
• The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) es...

The destructive nature of futurism and its eschatological interpretations creates harmful consequences ranging from personal anxiety to political deception.

• Futurist prophetic predictions have a 100% failure rate despite being proclaimed throughout church history
• Scripture clearly states false prophets deserve death according to Deuteronomy 18
• End-times teaching creates unnecessary anxiety by telling people t...

We explore the concept of "glory and honor and immortality" and how most Christians unknowingly seek what they already possess through the finished work of Christ

• Understanding what the apostles were truly awaiting in the first century—their promised redemption
• Why Christ's return in AD 70 matters and how it fulfilled all promises to the early believers
• The spiritual gifts of the first century and why th...

The second coming of Christ must have already happened in AD 70, coinciding with Jerusalem's destruction, as evidenced by the Day of Yahweh prophecies in Scripture.

• The Day of the Lord brought tribulation "to the Jew first, and also the Greek" as prophesied in Romans 2:9-11
• Jesus directly connected His return to the destruction of Jerusalem in Matthew 24
• 2 Thessalonians 2 links Christ's re...

Paul's pronouncement that glory, honor, peace, tribulation and distress would come "to the Jew first" has profound implications for understanding biblical prophecy about the final judgment of national Israel.

• The concept of "to the Jew first" applies to both salvation and judgment, as Christ came first to Israel before the Gentiles
• Old Testament prophecies throughout Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Am...

Preterism offers a radical reinterpretation of biblical prophecy, suggesting that Jesus' second coming occurred spiritually during the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. This perspective challenges mainstream Christianity's futurist views and provides a framework for understanding Christ's words about returning within the generation of his first-century audience.

• Full preterism interprets all biblical prop...

Paul examines God's judgment in Romans 2, revealing how self-righteousness fails to save while faith in Christ's glory provides true salvation. His rhetorical style, influenced by Greek education, helps us understand difficult passages that might otherwise appear to teach works-based salvation.

• Romans 2:1 addresses mankind's hypocrisy when judging others
• Paul uses rhetoric—a Greek communication style...

As Christians we can walk by the Spirit rather than being consumed by sin and its destructive influence on our lives and communities.

• Sin is what happens when separated from God, leading to a lack of peace, love, and fulfillment
• Walking by the Spirit means being guided by God rather than turning to ourselves
• Sexual immorality receives particular emphasis in Paul's teachings as it involves sinning against...

Freedom in Christ allows us to enjoy unbreakable fellowship with God, but we must be careful not to get lost in that freedom and find ourselves in bondage to sin. This episode explores the tension between God's grace and our responsibility to follow His lead rather than our own desires.

• We are set free from sin by God's grace, but we need to see sin the way the Lord sees it
• The world is godless, but Chris...

Paul's examination of homosexuality in Romans 1 reveals critical truths about sin, grace, and our relationship with God that challenge both extremes in today's church debate. We expose the error in teaching that Christians can be "out of fellowship" with God based on their behavior while maintaining that homosexuality is clearly described as sinful in Scripture and it's effects are damaging even for the Chr...

The gospel message may be written in the stars themselves, revealing Paul's true meaning in Romans 1:19-20 about what can be "clearly perceived" about God since creation.

• Examining the concept of natural revelation versus the gospel revelation
• Understanding how the gospel functions as both salvation and judgment
• Connecting Paul's teachings to Psalm 19's celestial declarations
• Ex...

The widespread misinterpretation of 1 John 1:9 has created unnecessary confusion about our fellowship with God and led to religious practices that don't align with the finished work of Christ.

• 1 John 1:9 is not Christian instruction to repeatedly confess sins for forgiveness
• Fellowship with God is unbreakable when we're born again through Christ
• John was addressing sin denial and unbelief, not teach...

The modern "church" no longer resembles the participatory gatherings of the first century, having replaced communal sharing with passive entertainment and one-way communication. 

• Ancient synagogues were community centers where anyone could share insights after scripture readings
• First-century worship didn't center around sermons but allowed everyone to contribute
• The only detailed view of early...

The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, revealing the righteousness that comes from faith for faith as prophesied in scripture.

• Paul declared he was not ashamed of the gospel despite being treated as "scum of the earth"
• Christians worldwide face persecution while media remains silent about their suffering
• The gospel was given to the Jews first, then extended to the Gen...

Continuing last weeks study, we explore the biblical truth about fellowship with God, challenging the common teaching that Christians can be "in and out" of fellowship based on behavior and sin.

• Examining Paul's letters to the Corinthians reveals he affirmed their secure standing with God despite their sinful behavior
• Understanding fellowship with God is based on His faithfulness, not our performance...