Beards & Bible Podcast

Can Salvation be Lost? Eternal Security vs. Conditional Security

In American Christianity especially, there is much confusion on the doctrine of eternal security (sometimes referred to as “once saved, always saved“).
Some circles of Christianity, for example, might teach that one can lose his/her  salvation and fall into the error of trying to keep his salvation by personal effort. According to scripture, this is a serious error (Gal. 3:1-3).
On the other hand, some circles teach that one can never lose his/her salvation, and therefore fall into the error of sinning willfully because he/she believes salvation can't be lost no matter how much an individual sins. This is also a serious doctrinal error (Heb. 10:26).
It would seem that some Scriptures suggests that God preserves those who are truly His (John 10:27-28; Heb. 13:5; Matt. 7:21-23; 1 John 2:19; Rom. 8:38-39), yet there is also an indication in scripture that in the journey of pursuing Christ, many will fall away from the faith (2 Pet. 2:1; Gal. 5:4; Heb. 10:26; 6:4-6; Ps. 69:28).  
So which is it? Are we eternally secure? Or is our salvation conditional on our own ability to walk in obedience? How do we understand apostasy, or those who once professed faith in Christ but now don’t? 
 

The Divine Council, Elohim, and the gods of the Nations.

John 10:34
“Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law, ‘I said you are gods’? If he called those to whom the word of God came ‘gods’- and the Scripture cannot be broken- do you say, You are blaspheming to the one the Father set apart and sent into the world because I said: I am the Son of God?”
 
Jesus’ point is this: you charge me with blasphemy based on my use of the title “Son of God”; yet our own Scriptures apply the same term (“gods”, elohim) to others besides God. If others can be considered “gods”, how much more can the One whom God has chosen and sent?
The big question- who were those the that scriptures referred to as “gods”?
Several biblical passages (Psalm 82:1, Job 1:6, 1 Kings 22) speak of what some theologians call a “divine council,” an assembly of heavenly beings or “gods.” For Israel’s neighbors in the ancient Near East, such councils reflected polytheistic worldviews, where rival gods vied for power and supremacy.
For Israel, however, the members of the divine council, though heavenly and supernatural, remained subject to the providence and decrees of the one Creator God. Furthermore, God disarmed all these malevolent spiritual powers at the cross of Christ, and one day he will strip them of all authority entirely.
So wait…does the Bible embrace polytheism? How does this idea of the “divine council” correspond to the Bible’s teaching about God being distinct, omnipotent, and sovereign?
 

Purity Culture, Married Sex, and Navigating Intimacy (w/ Jenni Brooker)

Purity culture was/is a movement that started in the 1990s primarily within Evangelical American Christianity which emphasized individual "purity," generally associated with female chastity.  Purity culture places a strong emphasis on abstinence before marriage. In some circles, dating was discouraged entirely to avoid pre-marital sex (the book, “I Kissed Dating Goodbye” by Josh Harris promoted abstinence and popularized the concept of “courtship” as an alternative to dating. This book sold over a million copies).
It’s pretty obvious from the Scriptures that God wants Christians to live lives of sexual purity. But did purity culture promote a Biblical vision of sexuality? Or did it use shame and fear?
Or even worse…did it promote soft prosperity gospel- in that a certain methodology of relationships would deliver a happily-ever-after ending—a great marriage, a great sex life—even though this isn’t necessarily promised by Scripture?

From the Mailbag, Vol. 3 (The Age of the Earth, the Muslim Jesus, salvation for AI systems, etc.)

In today's episode, we want to take time to answer some of YOUR QUESTIONS on topics like the age of the earth, the difference between the Christian and Muslim Jesus (or, Isa in Islam), if AI systems that resembled humans could be "saved", and as many more as we have time to get to in one episode!
 
 

Deconstructing Deconstruction pt. 4- Where Do We Go from Here? Deconstruction vs. Disentanglement

We’ve examined deconstruction and its current influence in the church at large. We’ve explored some of the possible reasons for why someone would deconstruct. And we’ve heard a few personal stories of folks who have taken that journey.
So what if we actually do need to reexamine the faith we grew up in or have held to for a long time? What if the traditions and teachings of religion have become so interwoven and entangled with the truth of God’s Word that we don’t know one from the other? Is deconstruction the only answer? Or is there another path we can take?
Where do we go from here? What’s the best way to look at this topic and how can we reasonably approach it in a helpful, loving, Christ-like, humble, and God-honoring way?

Deconstructing Deconstruction: Pt. 3- Moral Licensing & the Desire for Street Cred

Deconstruction is trending. And many are simply struggling to make sense of it all. 
But what if we deconstructed a person’s reasons for deconstructing? In other words, what if weren’t so quick to assume that someone who is deconstructing Christianity is doing so because they’re genuinely interesting in finding truth? What if perhaps they’re looking for something else?
In psychology, moral licensing is the process of fooling ourselves to justify bad behavior using other good behavior. If we borrowed that term and used it in the context of Christian deconstructionism…is there a way someone could morally justify their behavior by deconstructing, amending, or changing their understanding of that behavior in order to excuse a lifestyle they want to live?
What if there are other people who simply don’t want to be unliked? Many people in our culture see Christians who hold to the teachings of the Bible as narrowminded, uneducated, unintellectual, prejudiced, unread or just flat out ignorant. What if you’re in a particular subculture (like music, theater, or the arts) and you holding to those Christian views makes you the odd man out or gets you shunned or ridiculed?
Well…you can deconstruct, amend, change, or completely throw out your understanding of the Christian faith in order to fit in.
What if beneath the trend of deconstruction there are deeper forces at work? Things like pride. Fear. Rebellion. Or the just the general desire to be liked and seen as cool by the culture at large?
 

BONUS EPISODE- Deconstructing Deconstruction, Jesse’s Story

In this episode, Josh sits down with his friend Jesse and talks through Jesse's journey of deconstructing and deconverting from the Christian faith. 

Deconstructing Deconstruction: Pt. 2- Bad Teaching & Church Hurt

Deconstruction is trending. And many are simply struggling to make sense of it all.
But what if the existing structures and culture of the American Church at large share some of the blame for this rise in deconstruction amongst the younger generation?
Many young people have come up through churches that were swept up in the “seeker sensitive/Church growth” movement in the 90s/early 2000s. For the sake of attracting unbelievers and the unchurched, the teaching in some of these churches was very shallow, pragmatic, unintelligent, and never addressed the hard topics of scripture.
When the young people from these churches went off to college and encountered people who started poking holes in their faith, they had no answers because they’d never been equipped. They were woefully unprepared to deal with the big and difficult issues surrounding their faith. Shallow teaching produces shallow, unequipped, and ill prepared Christians that don’t know how to properly wrestle with their doubts because they don’t know the Bible.
It's not just that the Word of God has not been faithfully taught- poor leadership, sin, abuse, financial embezzlement, misaligned priorities, and sexual scandals have created untold levels of emotional and spiritual harm on an entire generation of Americans. Many are now wondering, “if I can’t trust the church, can I trust any message the church proclaims?”
Could it be that the American church needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror? Is the rampant deconstruction we’re not seeing a symptom of the decades of dysfunction, disobedience, and unfaithfulness of the American Church?

BONUS EPISODE- Deconstructing Deconstruction, Josh’s Story

On today's episode, Josh shares his story on deconstructing the Christian faith in his early 20's. 

Deconstructing Deconstruction: Pt. 1- What is deconstruction and Why it’s Trending

Deconstruction is trending. And many are simply struggling to make sense of it all.
In July 2019, popular Christian writer, speaker, and pastor Joshua Harris announced that he and his wife were separating due to "significant changes that have taken place in both of us". Subsequently, Harris revealed that he no longer considered himself to be a Christian. Harris cited primarily personal and relational factors in his own walk away from the faith. As public pressures and private crises in his life and ministry intensified, he found his Christian identity unravelling in slow motion- until he finally found there was nothing left and walked away.
In 2020, comedic duo Rhett & Link announced on their podcast Ear Biscuits that they both are no longer Christians, describing themselves instead as “hopeful agnostics”. This was a surprising announcement to many, as Rhett & Link were both raised as Christians and previously worked as full-time missionaries while attending college.
That same year, Jon Steingard, the lead singer of the Christian band Hawk Nelson, announced on his instagram that he no longer believes in God. Steingard compared the unraveling of his faith to the unraveling of a sweater. It didn’t happen all at once, but was a process that took years and occurred one thread at a time. Eventually, however, he discovered that the sweater was gone.
These stories are becoming more and more common, not just among well-known Christian artists, writers, speakers, and pastors- but among everyday people who once claimed a vibrant, real, meaningful Christian faith. What in the world is going on?
Deconstruction has been described as a crisis of Christian faith that leads to either a person’s reevaluation of Christianity or sometimes a total abandonment of Christianity. Deconstruction is not necessarily the same thing as deconversion, but most of the people who “deconvert” deconstruct first.
What is happening? Why is it happening? And what might lead a person into this process?
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