Best Man Up Spiritual Oasis Media Inc Podcasts (2025)

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Podcast 367 -- NIV, RSV, KJV or Reader's Digest? 2 Timothy 3:14-17 57:20

7h ago57:20

57:20

Despite being a Bible study podcast, we've never taken up the fact of the sheer number of translations available. We remedy that oversight this week with a discussion about the history of Biblical translation, memories of Bibles we grew up with and what our preferences are now. This week's podcast is sponsored by Magic Mind. Visit www.magicmind.com…

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Podcast 366 -- We'll Hear from Stephen A. in the Morning 2 Peter 1:21 57:24

4d ago57:24

57:24

Inspired by last week's NFL draft, the fellows got together to draft their favorite prophets from the Old and New Testaments. Who made their teams? Moreover, who got left of the board? And what do our listeners think? Join us as we take a fresh look a some of the notable, and sometimes overlooked, figures who have spoken for God. And a big h/t to T…

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Podcast 365 -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit 1 John 4:7-15 53:45

14d ago53:45

53:45

Author Timothy Keller says it is the Trinity that makes God capable of love. It is a mystery, to be sure, and not always explicit, but from Genesis 1:1 on, scripture shows us one God but in three “persons” which all support and give freely in relationship with each other. Therefore, love began, or better still, has always existed, within the creato…

1
Podcast 354 -- What If...The Resurrection Really Happened? 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, 12-14, 20-23 57:04

21d ago57:04

57:04

Jesus' resurrection is a binary proposition: it either happened or it didn't. And there's nothing to support the idea that the testimony Gospels and the Apostle Paul should be taken as symbolic or metaphorical: they all clearly testify to Jesus' bodily resurrection concrete terms. But to accept the truth of the resurrection is to confront so many i…

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Podcast 363 -- The Cost of Forgiveness Ephesians 1:7-10 58:58

28d ago58:58

58:58

“Why did Jesus have to die?” is a question author Timothy Keller heard more often than “Does God exist?” To skeptics and, if we're honest, some Christians, the crucifixion is confusing, if not outright cruel. If God is so loving, they ask, why did he demand such a horrific sacrifice from his purported son? He’s God, after all, why can’t he just wav…

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Podcast 362 -- Are the Gospels Factual Accounts? Mark 2:1-12; 14:55-56. 60-64 58:42

1M ago58:42

58:42

Popular novels and movies like The Da Vinci Code have contributed to the belief that the gospels and letters in the New Testament Bible were either embellished or made-up completely. Academics, including contemporary Christians like John Dominic Crossan, tell us Jesus' miracles, let alone, his Resurrection, could not have happened, and it wasn't un…

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Podcast 361 -- Does Science Contradict the Bible? Genesis 1:24-27, 31 1:02:13

1M ago1:02:13

1:02:13

For centuries the Church supported--and underwrote--the study of science and the natural world. Only in that late 20th Century did Evangelicals go to war with science. To us, the conflict, largely ginned up by the culture, detracts from more important messages in the Bible. Join us as we continue our study of Timothy Keller's The Reason for God: Be…

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Podcast 360 -- Hell and Damnation Luke 16:19-31 1:10:00

2M ago1:10:00

1:10:00

There's no way around it, Christianity teaches the only way to eternal life is through a conscious decision to accept Jesus Christ's sacrificial atonement on the Cross. Timothy Keller states many find this the most offensive doctrine in Christianity. We take up the difficult question of why a loving God would consign people to eternal torment. We d…

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Podcast 359 -- Perfect Savior, Imperfect Church John 8:2-11 58:37

2M ago58:37

58:37

Who among us has not heard someone claim “Religion is responsible for more suffering and injustice than anything else in the world!”? Author Timothy Keller won’t shy away from the facts of the church’s history. He simply concedes the church, as a human institution, is part of the same fallen world as any other. That doesn’t necessarily mean the bas…

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Podcast 358 -- Christianity is a Straitjacket 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 1:01:59

2M ago1:01:59

1:01:59

"I don't like church or religion. It limits my choices, my options and my own ideas about what's right." So goes another common complaint about Christianity, as if any organization, sacred or secular, does not set standards and expectations for members. This week we talk about what Christian choices actually are, versus what the culture and media s…

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Podcast 357 -- How Could a Good God Allow Suffering? Psalm 31 58:39

2M ago58:39

58:39

We continue our study of Timothy Keller's The Reason for God with one of the most oft-asked questions about God. Keller turns the question back on the skeptic, does suffering and evil really negate the existence of God, or is God just acting the way the doubter thinks he should? We don't have easy answers, but we think some comprehension begins wit…

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Podcast 356 -- Aren't All Religions the Same? Matthew 5:14-16, 1 Peter 2:12 51:25

3M ago51:25

51:25

Skeptics, pull up a chair! We begin a study of Timothy Keller's The Reason for God. First up, the question of whether there is a one true religion or if all Truth is relative to one's culture or worldview. Keller would say the statement "I have no doctrine" is a doctrine in itself and that every worldview, no matter what it is, comes down to a leap…

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Podcast 355 -- The Chosen Season 4 1:25:35

3M ago1:25:35

1:25:35

Hades and Styx! It's time for our latest deep dive into the crowd-funded streaming TV series The Chosen. We discuss the show's bolder choices and bigger risks as we follow Jesus and his band of disciples through the "Year of Opposition." There's confrontation and confusion mixed with reconciliation and resurrection. Spoiler Alert! This week's podca…

1
Podcast 354 -- Walk the Walk Ephesians 4:1-6 55:43

3M ago55:43

55:43

In six short verses, Paul offers some basic points on how individuals within a group can get cooperate toward successful outcomes. We discuss how to successfully model Christian attitude and behavior whether it's on a church project or in the workplace. This week's podcast is sponsored by Magic Mind. Visit www.magicmind.com/NCANSWERS and use the co…

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Podcast 353 -- Gimme Three Steps Ephesians 2:8-10 1:01:48

3M ago1:01:48

1:01:48

Grace is the essential Gospel. You are saved in spite of being mired in sin and death. God has mercifully thrown you a lifeline purely out of love. So why is this such a stumbling block? Why do even committed Christians feel they must be something transactional about the grace of God? With some help from scripture and a bit of Lynyrd Skynyrd, we ex…

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Podcast 352 -- Men on a Mission Matthew 28:16-20, Acts 1:6-8 57:46

4M ago57:46

57:46

The fellows talk about their experience in mission work locally in Houston, and their trips to Mexico and to Kenya. We discuss the importance of being a part of church efforts that create connection and empathy with neighbors. We also talk about the way, in the post-colonial, post-Christian era, patronage has given way to partnership in response to…

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Podcast 351 -- Why Do We Go to Church? Acts 2:42-47, Hebrews 10:24-25 1:04:32

4M ago1:04:32

1:04:32

Statistics tell us that church net closings in the U.S. reach about 3,000 a year and every year 2.75 million churchgoers fall into inactivity. We look at the reasons for this decline and address the importance of regular church attendance to growth in the faith. The fellows talk about growing up in various denominations, and the changes they have s…

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Podcast 350—What if Brian Thompson Was a Member of Your Church? Proverbs 22:16, 28:27; Ezekiel 16:49 1:12:02

4M ago1:12:02

1:12:02

Is there moral equivalency in shooting someone in the street and using AI algorithms to deny medical care to thousands of patients, perhaps leading to untimely death? To start the new year, the fellows take up the topical concept of structural violence, the idea that organizations and institutions, just because of the way they work, can be as much …

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Podcast 349 -- There's Something About Mary Luke 1:27-56 1:01:49

5M ago1:01:49

1:01:49

For our fifth annual Christmas podcast, we look at the Virgin Mary. Beneath the trappings of tradition and legend, we find a Biblical narrative of an ordinary young woman responding to extraordinary circumstances. We look at the arc of Mary's faith, from her skeptical question "How can this be?" to her courageous affirmation of God's promise of sal…

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Podcast 348 -- True Gratitude vs. False Positivity Psalm 31:9-18, 21-22 48:51

5M ago48:51

48:51

Scripture exhorts us to be grateful. But can well-meaning Christians apply the message of gratitude the wrong way or in the wrong situations? We discuss the idea of "dark gratitude," which instead of providing support, steers us away from confronting problems, difficulties and outright hardship we need to face. Hat tip to Elizabeth Bernstein, whose…

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Podcast 347 -- Dignity and Diversity 1 John 4:19-21, Galatians 3:26-29 58:29

5M ago58:29

58:29

Woke culture has made diversity a dirty word. Christians can reclaim it by rooting human diversity in the context of God's creation, not racial, ethic or sexual identity. Every human is made in the image of God, which alone confers dignity and value to every human life. Diversity follows, as Paul notes, but we remain united--and equal--by the claim…

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Podcast 346 -- The Promise of an Abundant Life Jeremiah 29:2-14, John 10:7-10 53:14

6M ago53:14

53:14

What is the Christian idea of a flourishing, abundant life? Can the Bible's metaphorical green pastures measure up to a 10.000-acre Texas ranch? And can people flourish in exile, as Jeremiah urges? Download and listen before you buy that next graduation card! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.…

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Podcast 345 -- "Hey Google, Write My Sunday Sermon" Genesis 11:1-9 1:04:23

6M ago1:04:23

1:04:23

We wrap up our study of Rod Dreher's The Benedict Option debating the author's contentious view of the Internet, social media and the accompanying cultural message to envelope oneself in a virtual world to escape the real one. We add a discussion of AI, which has exploded since Dreher published, and what ethical questions it raises for Christians. …

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Podcast 344 -- Christians vs. Sex 1 Corinthians 7:1-7, Song of Songs 1:2-4 1:07:43

6M ago1:07:43

1:07:43

"To reduce Christian teaching about sex and sexuality to bare, boring, thou-shalt-not moralism is a failure of imagination," Rod Dreher writes in the The Benedict Option. Instead, Churches should strongly proclaim the stability Christian sexual ethics offer men and women who seek true intimacy, romance and fulfilling partnerships in their love rela…

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Podcast 343 -- Modern Witchcraft Deuteronomy 18:10-14, Ephesians 5:11 56:55

6M ago56:55

56:55

It's Halloween, so the fellows discuss what Bible authors might have meant when they condemned witchcraft and sorcery. Rather than supernatural black magic, were they pointing to talented manipulators whom today we would call narcissists and psychopaths--persons who know there is no greater human flaw than the ability to fool oneself? Jeffrey Epste…

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Podcast 342 -- When the Gender Reveal Party Is For Your 23-Year-Old Co-Worker Colossians 3:23-24 1:05:02

7M ago1:05:02

1:05:02

Trigger warning! The fellows discuss the challenges of the new woke workplace, and whether Christians should react to corporate pronoun policies with principled resistance, silent acknowledgement or suppressed laughter when any of these three could lead to termination. Join us for an oft-times politically incorrect podcast as we discuss the importa…

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Podcast 341 – Education as Christian Formation Proverbs 22:6 1:05:22

7M ago1:05:22

1:05:22

As we continue our look at Rod Dreher’s The Benedict Option, we generally agree American culture lost something valuable when colleges and universities abandoned classical education models, study of the humanities and their respect for the history of Western Civilization. But are Dreher’s suggestions realistic? We debate his call for Christians to …

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Podcast 340 -- The Christian Village 1 Corinthians 12:12-14 47:17

7M ago47:17

47:17

As we continue our discussion on The Benedict Option, we reflect how we, as Christians, should desire to be seen by the world. Amidst the chaotic collapse of the Roman Empire, Benedict created active faith communities that drew men and women looking for an alternative to the moral disorder around them. Author Rod Dreher says that today’s Christians…

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Podcast 339 -- A Church For All Seasons Ephesians 2:14-22 1:01:31

7M ago1:01:31

1:01:31

Has Christian influence in the culture waned? Most definitely. Are Christians wasting time and effort trying to restore the cultural climate of the 1950s? Most definitely. Author Rob Dreher wants Christian churches to focus their efforts on what he believes are more important goals. As we continue our study of The Benedict Option, we debate Liberal…

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Podcast 338 -- The Benedict Option Romans 12:1-18 1:03:32

7M ago1:03:32

1:03:32

We begin a study of Rod Dreher's controversial 2017 book, subtitled "A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation." Dreher is not calling for a retreat, rather he says the current times offer an opportunity to regroup around the Benedictine Rules written for Christian monastic living. In the opener of the series, we look at the life and con…

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Podcast 337 -- Spare the Rod? Proverbs 13:24 54:03

8M ago54:03

54:03

The phrase "spare the rod and spoil the child" is not in the Bible. But the Book of Proverbs does address the value of disciplining your children. The fellows discuss whether the Bible endorses corporal punishment or if parents misuse scripture as an excuse to vent their personal frustration and anger on their kids. We also try to interpret "spare …

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Podcast 336 -- Two Invitations Proverbs 9:1-18 53:41

8M ago53:41

53:41

We discuss the juxtaposition of Wisdom and Folly in the Book of Proverbs and the Biblical assertion that there is objective, divine, discernable Truth that God infused within creation. We contrast this with the modern folly, particularly the ideas of moral relativism and academic nihilism, which tell us the world is only what we make of it and if w…

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Podcast 335 -- Who Do Ya Trust? -- Proverbs 3:5-8 48:23

8M ago48:23

48:23

"Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" might grate the ears of American Christians, who are raised to see themselves as independent, self-reliant and owing nothing to no one, but the phrase "God helps those who help themselves" is nowhere in the Bible. We discuss the scary word "surrender," the difference betwee…

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Podcast 334 -- Tough Gig in the Decapolis The Chosen Season 3 1:30:21

11M ago1:30:21

1:30:21

In a super-sized podcast before our summer break, we take a deep dive into Season 3 of The Chosen. Jesus’s disciples attempt to live by his teachings, doing their best to speak plainly, forgive and put others first. For some it proves difficult. We talk about the modern overtones in the relationships between Simon and Eden, Mary and Tamar and Matth…

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Podcast 333 -- Are All Sins Equal? James 2:10-11, Romans 6:21-23, 1 John 5:16-18 1:03:44

11M ago1:03:44

1:03:44

In a provocative podcast, we talk about whether God makes any distinction in severity among sins. We touch on the Catholic doctrine of mortal and venial sins, and contrast that with Paul's assertion that the wages of sin--all sin--is death. We question why, if adultery is against God's law, why Israel's patriarchs and kings got a pass for multiple …

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Podcast 332 -- Solid Rock or Shifting Sand? Matthew 7:15-28 51:08

11M ago51:08

51:08

The fellows wrap up their look at the Sermon on the Mount with a discussion of modern false prophets inside and outside the church, the touchy topic of whether non-Christians can be true disciples of Jesus and if the principles outlined in the Sermon can be separated from the foundational directive of "seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteou…

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Podcast 331 -- Ready Player One Matthew 7:7-14 56:01

12M ago56:01

56:01

Is the Sermon on the Mount analogous to an MRPG strategy guide? The fellows are mischievous enough to suggest it. If our Christian mission is to work alongside God to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, Jesus give us an awful lot of information as to how to do it, beginning with your character traits (the Beatitudes), your role (to be salt and l…

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Podcast 330 -- Wealthy and Worried Matthew 6:19-7:6, 12 1:02:18

12M ago1:02:18

1:02:18

Seek first the Kingdom of God and all we need will be given to us. This is hard to believe. Yet for Christians it stands as a promise from the Son of God himself and therefore demands to be taken seriously. Material wealth won't last. Worry accomplishes nothing. Judgment leads to hypocrisy. These sections of the Sermon on the Mount get to the heart…

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Podcast 329 -- It's Awesome To Be Humble Matthew 6:1-18 54:48

12M ago54:48

54:48

Jesus teaches the Christian approach to religious disciplines of charity, prayer and fasting should be practiced with humility. The fellows discuss the definition of true humility, which lies somewhere between boastful arrogance and self-erasure. We talk about the difficulty of avoiding temptation of making gifts or personal service all about onese…

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Podcast 328 -- A New Playbook Matthew 5:17-48 58:37

1y ago58:37

58:37

The Sermon on the Mount, as Robert "The Professor" Cocheu notes, sits "at the intersection on faith and real life." We take on one of the chewier sections in an attempt to get to its overall countercultural point -- that in the Kingdom of God, everyone is understood to be made in God's image and no one is expendable. In this framework, does insult …

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Podcast 327 -- Out of the Salt Shaker Matthew 5:1-16 51:57

1y ago51:57

51:57

The Sermon on the Mount is at once an inaugural address, a list of promises and expectations, a mission statement, and a vision for a new type of Kingdom. It seems to set impossible expectations, but suggests these expectations can be met through the power of the Holy Spirit and a spirit-driven community. This week, the fellows begin a comprehensiv…

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Podcast 326 -- Sandwiched Between Commitments Exodus 20:12, 2 Corinthians 12:14 1:04:50

1y ago1:04:50

1:04:50

The Sandwich Generation describes adults from the ages of 40 to 59 who are caught between supporting minor children and aging parents. We focus on the aging parent caregiving part of this and the stress it can bring to Christian households. How do we honor the commandment to “Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12) while at the same recog…

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Podcast 325 -- What Counts is the New Creation Galatians 6:14-16 49:24

1y ago49:24

49:24

The fellows wrap up their study of Galatians with guest Scotty Swingler, Students Pastor at Sugar Land Baptist Church. We talk about how freedom in Christ opens the door to agape love and fellowship, freedom from the cultural pressure to condemn others and fret about what other think of us. But most of all, we are free to put aside "playing church"…

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Podcast 324 -- Restoration > Cancellation Galatians 6:1-10 56:17

1y ago56:17

56:17

Grace. compassion and empathy do not come naturally. Just look at the glee people have toward "cancelling" that latest personality who posts an ill-phrased or politically incorrect remark. Paul writes that restoration of sinners should be a principal aim among Christians, who should be first to understand that restoration with God was the undeserve…

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Podcast 323 -- Spiritual Fruit Salad Galatians 5:16-26 1:02:33

1y ago1:02:33

1:02:33

Surrender to the Holy Spirit and fruit of the spirit--love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control--will follow. So it says plainly right here. Yet do we really believe that? Do we always hedge, depending on some aspect of our fallen human nature as a back-up to grace? Is it even possible to totally s…

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Podcast 322 -- Paul's Cutting Remarks Galatians 5:1-15 56:51

1y ago56:51

56:51

To grasp Paul's message it’s essential to understand what he means by “freedom.” In America, freedom means independence and self-actualization. Therefore we must be on guard of replacing slavery of the Law with slavery of identity, nation, culture, career and, most of all, ego. To Paul and the early Christians, freedom was liberation--not just from…

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Podcast 321 -- Who Stole Your Joy? Galatians 4:12-20, Psalm 98:4-9 57:35

1y ago57:35

57:35

We are a people claimed by God as children and heirs. The Psalms exhort us to shout for joy. When C.S. Lewis came to God, he was surprised by joy. Yet it seems, going all the way back to the Galatian church in AD 50, that there have been those determined to make Christian life and worship as doleful and dolorous as possible. What is Christian joy? …

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Podcast 320 -- "Why, Then, Was the Law Given?" Galatians 3:15-4:7 1:04:02

1y ago1:04:02

1:04:02

In fulfilling the Law, Paul says Christ freed us to live in faith by the Holy Spirit. So what role does Mosaic Law, from the Ten Commandments on down, have in our Christian lives? We debate one commentator's assertion that, when faced with a moral quandary, "Christians who are seeking God's will do not turn first of all to the Law of Moses for dire…

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Podcast 319 -- The Limits of the Law Galatians 3:1-14 51:28

1y ago51:28

51:28

Paul chides the Galatians for falling into "Christ-Plus" thinking in terms of salvation. Yet even today, We Christians still fall back on expressing our religion through adherence to arbitrary rules extracted from Old and New Testament writings, regardless of the context. Should Christian women wear trousers or cut their hair short? Does the Bible …

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Podcast 318 -- Blow-Up in Antioch Galatians 2:11-21 58:13

1y ago58:13

58:13

Peter visits Antioch and Paul calls him out publicly for eschewing gentile converts and folding to pressure from Judaizers who demand all new believers follow the letter of Mosaic Law. We talk about why Paul was right, but also try to understand what political and religious and cultural forces behind the "circumcision party's" demand for absolute o…

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