“If my God preserves you, and preserve you he must, or else you are not his; if he will keep you, and keep you he will if you have committed your souls to his faithful guardianship, that an honor awaits you!” These words by Charles Spurgeon perfectly summarize the objective promise for every believer in Christ.
God has promised that every Christian will finish this life clinging to Christ. He has done all the work necessary to fulfill this promise and will see it to completion. Yet this doesn’t mean we are without responsibility. We must press on, fight, and run forward. We must run the race set before us. We can do so confidently, knowing He will make our efforts effective.
This week Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James continue our discussion from last week about how our union with Jesus Christ should quicken our spiritual pace in 2025 and beyond. We pray this becomes a watershed year for you—one where you can look back and see that you made greater use of God’s means of grace than in 2024, continuing this pattern in the years ahead.
Show Notes:
John 10:28
John 6:35-40
Matthew 10:22
Matthew 14:10-14
Romans 11:22
Colossians 1:21-23
Revelation 2:7
Revelation 2:11
Revelation 2:17
Revelation 2:26
Revelation 3:5
Revelation 3:12
Revelation 3:21
1 John 5:4
Philippians 1:6 and 2:12-13
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

Nothing is hidden from the mind of God—past, present, or future—so nothing can surprise or confuse Him. Today, Barry Cooper introduces us to God’s attribute of omniscience. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/simply-put/omniscience/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:13 – 04:54)Special Edition of The Briefing: Former President Jimmy Carter Dies at 100Happy birthday, Mr. President: Jimmy Carter celebrates his 100th birthday by WORLD Opinions (R. Albert Mohler, Jr.)Part II (04:54 – 21:57)A Life on the World Stage: The Political Career of Former President Jimmy CarterPart III (21:57 – 29:20)Jimmy Carter’s Understanding of Biblical Authority, the Southern Baptist Convention, and Evangelical IdentityThe Bible Meets the Modern Age: A Conversation with Former President Jimmy Carter by Thinking in Public (R. Albert Mohler, Jr. and Former President Jimmy Carter)Part IV (29:20 – 32:15)The Evangelical Opposition to Jimmy Carter: The Progressivist Views Held by the Former President Set Him at Odds with EvangelicalsSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.

Last week we mentioned a new series with Teddy James and Jeremy Walker. This week we decided to postpone that series because Dr. John Snyder and Teddy James recorded a two-episode series for the conclusion of 2024 and beginning of 2025. John and Acey Floyd recorded a series focusing on Union with Christ several months ago. As we said during those episodes, there was much more we could say on the topic, and so we wanted to revisit it with a particular emphasis on looking ahead to a new year.
Likely everyone has heard the adage “Once saved, always saved.” While that is a true statement, it is also incomplete and far too small to truly convey the depth of finishing this life united to Christ. But one of the biggest problems with that statement is that it leaves no room and no application for the warnings of Scripture. It also leaves large questions for those who apostatize from the faith. This is dangerous for every Christian because it means we will miss what God is saying in those passages, and it could cause us to finish slowly and poorly.
To help us think about finishing well, John and Teddy discuss what faith is, what apostasy is, and why understanding those things is crucial to living a life and dying a death close to Christ.
Show Notes:
Scriptures mentioned:
Hebrews 3:12-4:2
Hebrews 6:4-8
Hebrews 10:26-39
2 Peter 2:30-21
The story of Alexander:
2 Timothy 4:14-15
1 Timothy 1:19-20
Acts 19:29-34
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

Some Christians seem to think that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given only to some believers. But the whole sweep of Scripture points in the opposite direction. Today, Barry Cooper discusses how God has empowered all of His people for ministry. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/simply-put/the-gifts-of-the-spirit/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:13 – 14:06)A Protestant Christmas: How Protestants Came to Celebrate the Incarnation of Christ as ChristmasPart II (14:06 – 17:45)How Do We Understand Promise and Fulfillment in Matthew’s Use of Hosea 11:1? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters from Listeners to The BriefingPart III (17:45 – 21:34)In Light of Jesus’s Fulfillment of the Law, Are Christians Still Required to Keep the Mosaic Law? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters from Listeners to The BriefingPart IV (21:34 – 23:09)Why Do We Not Sing More Hymns About the Incarnation Throughout the Year, Like We Do with the Resurrection? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters from Listeners to The BriefingPart V (23:09 – 24:14)Can a Baby Fuss Without Sin? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letter from a (Probably Sleep-Deprived) Listener to The BriefingPart VI (24:14 – 25:31)If Jesus was Born on Christmas, How Was He Around While Adam and Eve Lived? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter from a 6-Year-Old Listener to The BriefingPart VII (25:31 – 29:30)How Should Christians Celebrate Christmas While Also Separating It From Any Pagan Origins? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters from Listeners to The BriefingSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.

See Jordan’s study, Christ Our Treasure: Enjoying the Preeminence of Jesus in the Local Church – https://shop.mediagratiae.org/collections/jordan-thomas
Over the last three weeks, Dr. John Snyder and Jordan Thomas have been discussing the ultimate jewel of the Christian life. We all know that Christ is to be the precious treasure of our individual and corporate Christian lives, but sometimes we must fight a difficult battle to keep Him as our focus.
After John mentioned session four in last week’s episode, we thought it would be a good idea to present that entire talk to you for this week’s podcast. We pray you are encouraged by this session and it fuels your love for both Christ and your church.
Show Notes:
See Jordan’s study, Christ Our Treasure: Enjoying the Preeminence of Jesus in the Local Church – https://shop.mediagratiae.org/collections/jordan-thomas
See the 2024 Media Gratiae Ministry Report
-https://report.mediagratiae.org/

This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:13 – 12:06)How the Collapse of Germany’s Government Could Be a Foreshadowing: What Happens in Germany is Important to Christian in the U.S. and in the WorldPart II (12:06 – 13:46)The Big Problem of Underperformance in the UK: It Doesn’t Matter If You Have an Empire If You Can’t Flush the SewersBritish Authorities Criticized Over Sewage Spills in Public Waterways by The New York Times (Amelia Nierenberg)Part III (13:46 – 15:59)The UK’s Final Ruling on the Cass Review: The U.S. Needs to Heed the Warnings Over Transgender Procedures on Minors from BritainThe Cass Review by The Cass ReviewPart IV (15:59 – 22:22)No, Disney, Parents Do Not Want Transgender Storylines: Pixar Pulls Transgender Storyline From Upcoming SeriesDisney removes transgender storyline from upcoming Pixar streaming series by NBC News (Daniel Arkin)Part V (22:22 – 25:17)Judge Rules Transgender Teaching in Schools Violate Parental Rights: The Sexual Revolution is Colliding with Parental Rights, Religious Liberty, and MoreHow Trump Can Target Transgenderism in Schools by The Wall Street Journal (Max Eden)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.

This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:14 – 14:15)There are Deeply Troubled People Among Us: The Daniel Penny and Jordan Neely Case Raises Massive Mental Health Issues in NYC and BeyondIn Penny Verdict, a Flashpoint in the Debate Over Crime and Mental Illness by The New York Times (Hurubie Meko and Anusha Bayya)Part II (14:15 – 19:34)President Biden’s Reckless Clemency Commutations: President Biden Grants Shocking and Controversial Clemency CommutationsPart III (19:34 – 26:00)Salvation is Not a Pardon or Commutation: At the Heart of the Gospel is the Substitutionary Atonement of Christ on Our BehalfVictims ‘shocked’ after Biden grants clemency to ‘kids-for-cash’ judge and $54 million embezzler by CNN (Marshall Cohen)Sign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.

Defibrillators are not self-operated. Neither can the spiritually dead make themselves alive to Christ. Today, Barry Cooper helps us consider our need for someone else to apply the paddles to cause our spiritual hearts to beat. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/simply-put/regeneration/ A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Donate: https://donate.ligonier.org/ Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts