In this inaugural episode of Ezra Interviews, Dr. Michael Thiessen is joined by homemaker and author Tilly Dillehay to discuss her recent book “My Dear Hemlock,” a re-imagination of C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters” for the modern woman.

Episode Resources: Purchase My Dear Hemlock here: https://amzn.to/404MlM4;

The WAIT is OVER!!! Pre-order your copy of the NEW updated and expanded version of Dr. Boot’s Mission of God with a brand-new study guide! Get it here: https://ezrapress.ca/products/mission-of-god-10th-anniversary-edition;

UPCOMING CONFERENCES:
Christ is King World Missions Conference – “Gospel Culture” | January 19-22, 2025 |  San Antonio, TX: https://christisking.church/lyw;
The Mission of God Conferences:
U.S. – Denver | Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 @ 8:00 – 16:00 MST@ Faith Church | Arvada, Colorado: https://www.ezrainstitute.com/mission-of-god-denver/;
Faith & Medicine Conference | January 19-22, 2025 |  Atlanta, GA: https://faithandmedicine.org/;

REFORMCON ’25 | “Out of the Ashes” | April 24-26, 2025 @ Tucson, AZ: https://reformcon.org/

Think Christianly about politics with the help of Dr. Boot’s latest book  “Ruler of Kings:” https://ezrapress.ca/products/ruler-of-kings-toward-a-christian-vision-of-government;

Got Questions? Would you like to hear Dr. Boot answer your questions? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us at https://www.ezrainstitute.com/connect/contact/;

For Ezra’s many print resources and to join our newsletter, visit: https://ezrapress.com.

Stay up-to-date with all things Ezra Institute: https://www.ezrainstitute.com;
Subscribe to Ezra’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPVvQDHHrOOjziyqUaN9VoA?sub_confirmation=1;
Fight Laugh Feast Network: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/8297;
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ezra-institute-podcast-for-cultural-reformation/id1336078503;
Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0dW1gDarpzdrDMLPjKYZW2?si=bee3e91ed9a54885.

Wherever you find our content, please like, subscribe, rate, or review it; it truly does help.

The post Tilly Dillehay: A Demonic Plot for Women appeared first on Ezra Institute.

HAPPY NEW YEAR from everyone at the Ezra Institute! In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Pastor Nate Wright announces a brand-new Ezra podcast–Ezra Interviews with Michael Thiessen. Would you like to know what to expect? Tune in for this scintillating conversation between Dr. Thiessen and Dr. Voddie Baucham on how Marxism and Critical Race Theory (CRT) have infiltrated the Church.

Episode Resources: Purchase Fault Lines here: https://www.amazon.com/Fault-Lines-Movement-Evangelicalisms-Catastrophe/dp/1684511801;

The WAIT is OVER!!! Pre-order your copy of the NEW updated and expanded version of Dr. Boot’s Mission of God with a brand-new study guide! Get it here: https://ezrapress.ca/products/mission-of-god-10th-anniversary-edition;

UPCOMING CONFERENCES:
Christ is King World Missions Conference – “Gospel Culture” | January 19-22, 2025 |  San Antonio, TX: https://christisking.church/lyw;
The Mission of God Conferences:
U.S. – Denver | Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 @ 8:00 – 16:00 MST@ Faith Church | Arvada, Colorado: https://www.ezrainstitute.com/mission-of-god-denver/;
Faith & Medicine Conference | January 19-22, 2025 |  Atlanta, GA: https://faithandmedicine.org/;

REFORMCON ’25 | “Out of the Ashes” | April 24-26, 2025 @ Tucson, AZ: https://reformcon.org/

Think Christianly about politics with the help of Dr. Boot’s latest book  “Ruler of Kings:” https://ezrapress.ca/products/ruler-of-kings-toward-a-christian-vision-of-government;

Got Questions? Would you like to hear Dr. Boot answer your questions? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us at https://www.ezrainstitute.com/connect/contact/;

For Ezra’s many print resources and to join our newsletter, visit: https://ezrapress.com.

Stay up-to-date with all things Ezra Institute: https://www.ezrainstitute.com;
Subscribe to Ezra’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPVvQDHHrOOjziyqUaN9VoA?sub_confirmation=1;
Fight Laugh Feast Network: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/8297;
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ezra-institute-podcast-for-cultural-reformation/id1336078503;
Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0dW1gDarpzdrDMLPjKYZW2?si=bee3e91ed9a54885.

Wherever you find our content, please like, subscribe, rate, or review it; it truly does help.

The post NEW YEAR, NEW (OLD) SHOW! – Voddie Baucham: CRT in the Church appeared first on Ezra Institute.

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Dr. Joe Boot, Pastor Nate Wright, and Dr. Michael Thiessen consider the Christmas message of the heavenly host.

The WAIT is OVER!!! Pre-order your copy of the NEW updated and expanded version of Dr. Boot’s Mission of God with a brand-new study guide! Get it here: https://ezrapress.ca/products/mission-of-god-10th-anniversary-edition;

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Christmas Giving AD
00:34 Opening
00:47 Intro
01:06 Welcome
02:40 Ezra Programs 2025
03:27  Christmas Traditions: Joe
05:41 Christmas Traditions: Mike
08:06 Christmas Traditions: Nate
11:47 Episode Topic
12:24 Scripture Reading | Hebrews 1
14:17 The Supremacy of Christ: Jesus is BETTER Than the Angels
22:26 The Herald Angel’s Greatest Message: Christ
26:13 The Supremacy of Christ Over Silly Spiritual Speculation
27:46 The Angelic Song: Glory to God in the Highest!
30:47 The Humble Shepherd King; to Humble Shepherds the Angelic Host Sing
37:09 Heralds & Messengers: Christians as the Angels in Christ
49:26 Conclusion
50:24 Outro

UPCOMING CONFERENCES:
Christ is King World Missions Conference – “Gospel Culture” | January 19-22, 2025 |  San Antonio, TX: https://christisking.church/lyw;
The Mission of God Conferences:
U.S. – Denver | Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 @ 8:00 – 16:00 MST@ Faith Church | Arvada, Colorado: https://www.ezrainstitute.com/mission-of-god-denver/;
Faith & Medicine Conference | January 19-22, 2025 |  Atlanta, GA: https://faithandmedicine.org/;

REFORMCON ’25 | “Out of the Ashes” | April 24-26, 2025 @ Tucson, AZ: https://reformcon.org/

Think Christianly about politics with the help of Dr. Boot’s latest book  “Ruler of Kings:” https://ezrapress.ca/products/ruler-of-kings-toward-a-christian-vision-of-government;

Got Questions? Would you like to hear Dr. Boot answer your questions? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us at https://www.ezrainstitute.com/connect/contact/;

For Ezra’s many print resources and to join our newsletter, visit: https://ezrapress.com.

Stay up-to-date with all things Ezra Institute: https://www.ezrainstitute.com;
Subscribe to Ezra’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPVvQDHHrOOjziyqUaN9VoA?sub_confirmation=1;
Fight Laugh Feast Network: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/8297;
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ezra-institute-podcast-for-cultural-reformation/id1336078503;
Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0dW1gDarpzdrDMLPjKYZW2?si=bee3e91ed9a54885.

Wherever you find our content, please like, subscribe, rate, or review it; it truly does help.

The post CHRISTMAS EVE SPECIAL: Hark! The Herald Angels appeared first on Ezra Institute.

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Dr. Joe Boot and Pastor Nate Wright talk about the turbulence of the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Baby Jesus, the meek and mild babe in a manager, shook the entire fabric of the world, troubling many, filling others with wrath and fear, but causing many to come from afar to prostrate themselves before him in worshipful service. What’s your response to the lowborn King of Kings? May it be the way of wisdom: worship and adoration.

Think Christianly about politics with the help of Dr. Boot’s latest book  “Ruler of Kings:” https://ezrapress.ca/products/ruler-of-kings-toward-a-christian-vision-of-government;

The WAIT is OVER!!! Pre-order your copy of the NEW updated and expanded version of Dr. Boot’s Mission of God with a brand-new study guide! Get it here: https://ezrapress.ca/products/mission-of-god-10th-anniversary-edition;

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Mission of God AD
00:25 Opening
00:36 Intro
01:05 Welcome
02:29 Christmas Gift – Mission of God: 10th Anniversary Edition
03:23 Conference ADs
05:18 Scripture Reading | Matthew 2:1-16
07:23 Sanitizing the Christmas Story
08:51 Trouble in Jerusalem: The Menacing Arrival of the Magi
12:23 Herod, the Great: The Tyrannical Imposter King of the Jews
19:05 Signs in the Skies
26:46 The Magi & the Messiah
32:35 The True King of the Jews, the Ruler of the Kings of the Earth
35:45 Herod’s Relevant Response to Jesus and Ours
43:20 Christmas: A Disturbance in the Force
44:26 Conclusion
45:50 Outro

UPCOMING CONFERENCES:
Christ is King World Missions Conference – “Gospel Culture” | January 19-22, 2025 |  San Antonio, TX: https://christisking.church/lyw;
The Mission of God Conferences:
U.S. – Denver | Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 @ 8:00 – 16:00 MST@ Faith Church | Arvada, Colorado: https://www.ezrainstitute.com/mission-of-god-denver/;
Faith & Medicine Conference | January 19-22, 2025 |  Atlanta, GA: https://faithandmedicine.org/;

REFORMCON ’25 | “Out of the Ashes” | April 24-26, 2025 @ Tucson, AZ: https://reformcon.org/

Got Questions? Would you like to hear Dr. Boot answer your questions? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us at https://www.ezrainstitute.com/connect/contact/;

For Ezra’s many print resources and to join our newsletter, visit: https://ezrapress.com.

Stay up-to-date with all things Ezra Institute: https://www.ezrainstitute.com;
Subscribe to Ezra’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPVvQDHHrOOjziyqUaN9VoA?sub_confirmation=1;
Fight Laugh Feast Network: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/8297;
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ezra-institute-podcast-for-cultural-reformation/id1336078503;
Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0dW1gDarpzdrDMLPjKYZW2?si=bee3e91ed9a54885.

Wherever you find our content, please like, subscribe, rate, or review it; it truly does help.

The post CHRISTMAS: A Time of Turbulence appeared first on Ezra Institute.

Scripture has much to say about the way in which our speech reveals the heart and character of a person, ‘For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks’ (Lk. 6:45). The writer of Proverbs understood the very human tendency for loose and agitated mouths to run away with themselves, impatient to speak and stir up anxiety and conflict everywhere when he said, ‘Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding (Prov. 17:27)’  Finding such self-control was evidently rare, even when this jewel of a saying was first written – an era in which there was no such thing as modern communications, media companies, or social media platforms, just small groups of people talking together. Now, communication is digital, instant, and en masse. Millions of people can eavesdrop and be part of a given conversation. 

The temptation in such spaces to constantly assert oneself, taking every passing dog by the ears, is too great for many people to subdue – in part because this abstract world is increasingly equalitarian, in so far as every Tom, Dick and Harry can not only join in but feel entitled to speak and comment on almost everyone and everything, as though on an equal footing with all and sundry, the great and the good. And so, the indolent and ignorant, the fornicator or the drug addicted, the prideful and conceited, the thief and pervert, all claim the same absolute right to trumpet their opinion in almost any conversation (being part of the digital social public), as the most qualified, experienced, and righteous of men and women.  The older social settings of necessarily incarnated communication exercised a certain restraint on the speaker; social standing, personal and familial reputation, knowledge and experience, not to mention one’s living testimony truly mattered. The proven were generally respected, the wise listened to attentively, and elders honoured. But the new digital public space is the place where the truly virtuous and accomplished can expect a tongue-lashing and good kicking from the mob, where pearls do fall before swine, and rebuking a mocker can lead to being the recipient of overt hatred (Prov. 9:8). Things that people would never say to a person’s face in civilized company, they feel free to scream on social media, often behind a veil of digital anonymity.

Yet access to the new public discourse is not enough if you want to shape the conversation. Our intoxicating age demands something more. To be heard and ‘liked’ requires attracting attention to oneself amidst a vast gallery public that understands a lot less than it pretends to. Unless the crowd is gossiping about you or commenting on you, you may not be heard, and so you must entertain at all costs.  And this is the key: the more controversial, aggressive, provocative and sensational, the better for being noticed and to becoming the ‘clickbait’ of the moment whilst building your following –   typically requiring fervent self-promotion. There need not be truth here, only noise, entertainment and conviction in equal measure. As Soren Kierkegaard once put it:

Our age…demands that the mouth drop open, for how else is one to visualise a true and genuine patriot except he be making speeches, how else should one visualize the dogmatic face of a ‘profound thinker’ except with a mouth able to swallow the whole world.1

Increasingly, few people are content to be getting on with doing something useful in the world or for the Kingdom of God, but must always be exercising their tongues, vaunting their opinions, creative ideas, image, brand and ‘brilliance’ before that colossal void ‘the public,’ which appears one day to be everything, but the next may be nothing, having moved on to the newer more sensational or controversial moment.  A fear of being abandoned by the digital crowd creates a new form of anxiety because the person desperate to create their own movement of followers craves engagements, ‘likes,’ and a majority to ‘certify’ if their ideas or activities are any good.  If you want to move anything, you must, of course, be rooted and stand firm, but if this firmness is not specifically in Christ and his Word-revelation, but in some other or even adjacent agenda, the would-be movement leader or influencer will not be able to stand alone as an individual – they will need the crowd. Whilst on the surface, the desire is to move others with endless engagement and commentary, it becomes very apparent that what the active influencer needs is for others to hold onto them so that they might be able to hold fast and later brag that it was they who stood upon the brink and at the head of a new direction or social phenomenon. 

The temptations and sins on social media are not just apparent among non-believers. In parts of the professing Christian world inhabiting social media platforms, a digital vaingloriousness is frequently manifest in tribalism, sensationalism, contentiousness (controversy for its own sake), boastfulness, and creating a sense of perpetual disgust at the world and others. Yet the abstract digital forum means an almost total lack of accountability in supposedly social spaces for whatever is said, and rarely does it provide a context for meaningful discussion and debate between mutually respectful persons. Instead, folly is on daily display. Little has changed then since Solomon warned his son, ‘A fool’s mouth is his devastation, and his lips are a trap for his life’ (Prov. 18:7). The tongue is indeed a fire, set ablaze by hell itself, and a tour through social media makes Dante’s Inferno look quite peaceable and pleasant by comparison.

Biblically speaking, we live in a fallen cosmos struggling under sin and rebellion, and yet also being recreated and reconciled to God, in and through Jesus Christ and his Kingdom people. Sadly, some of what we see in Protestantism’s online presence today regards that broken world with a visceral revulsion that can come dangerously close to treating God’s image-bearers themselves as human refuse. One great exponent of God’s law, the Reformed social critic R. J. Rushdoony, called this living by disgust:

More than a few prominent religious figures who present themselves as bold warriors for the Lord have really only one essential purpose: to keep disgust fresh. They publish…a stream of exposures about the menaces to church and state. Their purpose is to freshen disgust. Beyond that, they have little in the way of a gospel to present, and their morality is often suspect…Take away fresh disgust, and you rob a vast number of people of the most important part of their intellectual, religious and moral diet. With many, it becomes their whole life…Similarly, many who have left the modernist churches make it their life to review the horrors of the old church: their gospel is fresh disgust…The Pharisee needs a continual tale of evil, a steady recital of the depravity of men and movements around him in order to feel a moral glow. His self-justification is the sight of fresh evil in others…much historical ‘debunking’ has rested on such shaky moral foundations.2

Part of the appeal of living by disgust in the abstract and unreal world of social media is found not just in constantly pointing to the failures or faults of other Christians and churches but in the moral glow felt in publicly defining oneself down to the last doctrinal and socio-political point of contention – to show how different you are from the sinful and deceived people around you – and by engaging in constant historical debunking that refuses to accept the received account of anything, imagining everything is based on lies except one’s own thinking.  It is here that alarm bells should ring, for it was the spirit of the Pharisee that prayed: 

‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people, greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector” (Lk. 18:11). 

Rushdoony notes that the Pharisee’s claim was essentially to being, ‘the only true believer, the only activist, and the only person “alive to the issues.”’3 But, the self-aggrandizement and self-righteousness of the Pharisee did not validate his convictions. As Kierkegaard once noted, ‘Not everyone who offers himself as surety for the whole contemporary age proves by such action that he is reliable and can vouch for himself!’ (Humour, 255)4. 

Does any of this mean that lies and evil should not be refuted and exposed? Not at all. Truly Christian people seeking to live by the revealed Word of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit will address evil in the ways that truly count, not by mere recital or negation but by quiet, faithful and positive action in every area of life. To endlessly post comments about social, ecclesiastical or cultural evils and lies for the masses to revel in effects no change, even if millions follow and ‘like’ a supercilious tutting that makes them feel better about themselves. The world will not be renewed by social media likes and follows, nor by mere podcasts that express disgust with God’s people and God’s world while decrying the failures and evils of all others with an arrogant and unruly tongue.  

You will know if a Christian is truly living by the renewing and creative Word of God if, instead of constantly looking for fresh disgust and running their mouth about it all, they are quietly chaste before marriage, busy being faithful to their spouse when married, conscientious in their vocation, diligently teaching their children, witnessing to the lost, serving the local church, and establishing or supporting godly institutions without making a ‘hue and cry’ about it all on social media.  And this patient model of transformation was the example of the early church. It was by their family life and sexual purity, their obedience to the law of God, their financial integrity and quiet stand against social evils, their self-sacrifice and perseverance in the gospel, their mutual care for God’s people and sense of personal responsibility for others, that they created a new social order in the midst of a decaying one.

We would do well as Christians in our digital age of mass media, where everyone wants the mic, to remember the teaching of the apostle James, who warned that not many should presume to be teachers, for those who teach expose themselves to stricter judgment (James 3:1). Instead, we should be ‘quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger’ (James 1:19), just as our God is slow to anger, abounding in tender mercy, not treating us as our sins deserve (Ps. 103:10; 145:8).  Don’t be impressed by your social media following, or those of anyone else – as though they represent real impact for the kingdom of God – nor be concerned to engage everyone in the digital ether spoiling for a fight. In fact, ‘Don’t speak to a fool, for he will despise the insight of your words’ (Prov. 23:9). Have no part in the tactics of mockery and online abuse of other people, most especially of fellow Christians, for the mockers end is clear, ‘the ruthless one will vanish, the scorner will disappear’ (Is. 29:20). 

Nothing in our time is more conducive to giving free rein to an unruly tongue than social media platforms. All of us who use them for the limited value they do have should be ever mindful that ‘The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness…it is a restless evil full of deadly poison’ (James 3:6, 8).  Tame it, or set on fire the entire course of your life.

Footnotes

1. Thomas C. Oden (ed.), The Humor of Kierkegaard: An Anthology (New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2004), 246

2. R. J. Rushdoony, Faith and Action, Vol 3, Church, Family and Christian Living (Vallecito, CA: Ross House Books, 2019), 1327-1328

3. Rushdoony, Faith and Action, 1329

4. Oden, The Humor of Kierkegaard, 255

The post Taming the Tongue in an Age of Mockery and Social Media appeared first on Ezra Institute.

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Doctors Joe Boot and Michael Thiessen debunk popular myths concerning Christmas.

Think Christianly about politics with the help of Dr. Boot’s latest book  “Ruler of Kings:” https://ezrapress.ca/products/ruler-of-kings-toward-a-christian-vision-of-government;

The WAIT is OVER!!! Pre-order your copy of the NEW updated and expanded version of Dr. Boot’s Mission of God with a brand-new study guide! Get it here: https://ezrapress.ca/products/mission-of-god-10th-anniversary-edition;

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Mission of God AD
00:25 Opening
00:45 Intro
01:05 Welcome
01:25 Conference ADs
02:01 Mission of God: 10th Anniversary Edition
02:20 The Significance of the Christian Calendar & its Feasts
09:05 Myth #1 – Mary’s Song: The Magnificat and Its Meaning
19:45 Myth #2 – Origins of Christmas: Christian or Pagan?
29:22 Myth #3 – The Dating of Christmas
34:13 Myth #4 – The Magi: Who, What, When, How Many, and Why?
46:17 Myth #5 – The Christmas Tree: Its Symbolism and Significance
00:49:47 Conclusion
00:50:31 Outro

UPCOMING CONFERENCES:
Christ is King World Missions Conference – “Gospel Culture” | January 19-22, 2025 |  San Antonio, TX: https://christisking.church/lyw;
The Mission of God Conferences:
U.S. – Denver | Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 @ 8:00 – 16:00 MST@ Faith Church | Arvada, Colorado: https://www.ezrainstitute.com/mission-of-god-denver/;
Faith & Medicine Conference | January 19-22, 2025 |  Atlanta, GA: https://faithandmedicine.org/;

REFORMCON ’25 | “Out of the Ashes” | April 24-26, 2025 @ Tucson, AZ: https://reformcon.org/

Got Questions? Would you like to hear Dr. Boot answer your questions? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us at https://www.ezrainstitute.com/connect/contact/;

For Ezra’s many print resources and to join our newsletter, visit: https://ezrapress.com.

Stay up-to-date with all things Ezra Institute: https://www.ezrainstitute.com;
Subscribe to Ezra’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPVvQDHHrOOjziyqUaN9VoA?sub_confirmation=1;
Fight Laugh Feast Network: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/8297;
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ezra-institute-podcast-for-cultural-reformation/id1336078503;
Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0dW1gDarpzdrDMLPjKYZW2?si=bee3e91ed9a54885.

Wherever you find our content, please like, subscribe, rate, or review it; it truly does help.

The post Christmas Myths BUSTED! appeared first on Ezra Institute.

A participant in a BBC Radio Four religious programme some years ago stated that the doctrine of total depravity no longer has any credence in the Church and that only a few religious sects now adhere to it. Her point is well taken. Indeed, we could go further than this. Few of those who do give assent to the doctrine understand it or recognise its implications either for soteriology or social theory. Yet the Christian doctrines of total depravity and salvation and the Christian doctrine of social order are closely linked. 

The doctrine of total depravity does not claim that non-believers are incapable of doing good or virtuous acts. While God is the source of all goodness and, without His grace, humans cannot achieve any true good (cf. Mt. 19:16–17), common grace allows virtuous thoughts and actions among non-believers. The doctrine teaches that the Fall affected every aspect of human nature, including intellect and reason. This contrasts with the Roman Catholic view, which holds that man’s reason remains essentially uncorrupted by the Fall. The Reformers rejected the nature/grace dualism underlying the Roman Catholic doctrine, which limited the Fall’s effects to man’s “spiritual” condition while leaving reason intact. Following Augustine’s doctrine of original sin, they taught that the Fall impacted the whole nature of man, including his reason. Therefore, in all thoughts and actions—virtuous or immoral—the non-believer thinks and acts in rebellion against God. As the Apostle Paul stated, “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). Those who do not live by faith are in denial of God and in rebellion against Him. Their acts of charity and virtue, though good in themselves, serve the idols they choose instead of the God of the Bible. In every aspect of their lives, they deny the God who demands that their lives be lived in His service and for His glory. Non-believers’ virtuous thoughts and works are used to deny God and glorify idols. Their hearts are totally turned away from God, who is the author of all good (and the only one who is good, according to Jesus—Mt. 19:17). They are dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1) and cannot, without God’s grace, exercise faith (Eph. 2:8) or please God (Heb. 11:6).

The desire to be like God (Gen. 3:5, 22), defining good and evil without reference to Him, colors the entire outlook of fallen man. In all his thoughts and actions, he seeks to think and act independently of God, denying Him in every aspect of life. This orientation of denial determines how he lives in all spheres, interpreting the world without God. The corruption of sin manifests not only in morals and spirituality but also in his will, which is bound by sin, leading him to use reason to deny God. His defection from God is total; in this sense, man is totally depraved.

The doctrine of total depravity has profound implications for a Christian worldview. It affects not only our view of humanity’s slavery to sin and inability to serve God but also influences how we raise and educate children, provide welfare, organize society politically, and deal with criminals. In essence, it shapes how we apply faith to every aspect of life. As a foundational doctrine, total depravity aids in developing a consistently Christian perspective on the origin, nature, meaning, value, and purpose of life, based on the biblical doctrines of Creation, Fall, and Redemption. The biblical doctrine of the Fall presupposes Creation and rejects views like theistic evolution. Understanding the Fall—its extent and implications—is crucial in shaping our comprehension of salvation.

The Roman Catholic Doctrine

Medieval Roman Catholic theologians distinguished between the image of God in man—his natural ability to reason and exercise free will—and the likeness of God, which was his original righteousness in God’s sight. The likeness was considered a supernatural gift (donum superadditum) bestowed upon Adam in addition to his human nature. According to this doctrine, it was this supernatural gift that was lost in the Fall, breaking man’s communion with God. However, the image of God—man’s reason and free will—remained essentially uncorrupted by sin, though weakened. This led to a division between two realms: nature and grace. Redemption occurs in the realm of grace, not nature, which is largely unaffected by the Fall or Redemption.

This perspective denies man’s total depravity since the Fall, implying that sin is not pervasive and does not affect all of man’s thoughts, words, and actions outside of Christ. Salvation through Christ does not bring about a total transformation of man’s natural life by God’s grace but restores the donum superadditum, serving as a supplement to complete man. In this view, man can, by his own will and abilities, accomplish much of what God requires intellectually, morally, politically, and culturally. However, he cannot achieve supernatural righteousness in God’s sight without God’s grace. This grace is necessary to restore communion with God and to understand the supernatural revelations in Scripture. Meanwhile, the “book of nature” is accessible to all, and through natural abilities, people can attain a proper understanding of it.

In this perspective, which is associated with Roman Catholicism and particularly Thomas Aquinas, man is not totally depraved but only partially fallen. He retains natural abilities like reason and free will, which are not entirely corrupted by sin. According to Aquinas: “The constitution of human nature is neither destroyed nor diminished by sin. The gift of original righteousness was totally lost through the sin of our first parent. The natural inclination to virtue is diminished by sin.” For him, original sin is desire not subject to reason, and sin is “to fall short of the good which befits one according to one’s nature.” Man’s nature is impaired more in the desire for good than in the knowledge of truth, but “human nature is not so entirely corrupted by sin as to be deprived of natural good altogether.” Consequently, “grace does not abolish nature but perfects it.”

Therefore, salvation does not totally transform man’s life and culture but merely perfects them, as they are not perceived as completely fallen. The curse of sin has not entirely corrupted man’s natural life and culture. Man needs saving from sin, rebellion against God, and unbelief, but this is seen narrowly, relating to faith and morals. The Fall is viewed in “religious” terms, and areas considered part of nature are deemed religiously neutral. In this perspective, the Christian faith is a synthesis of nature and grace, with grace completing nature.

Except in areas perceived as “religious,” salvation in such a worldview will not affect the social order. Since man retains his natural abilities intact (e.g., intellect, reason, and free will), his culture and social order are not completely transformed by God’s grace in Christ; only his “spiritual” condition needs correction.

This illustrates that our understanding of the nature and extent of the Fall shapes our understanding of Redemption. If the Fall is total and affects every aspect of man’s life, then Redemption must be total, redeeming and transforming the whole of man’s life. There can be no area of human life or thought that is not to be redeemed by Christ. If the Fall is partial, affecting moral inclinations and faith but not intellect, then natural life is not wholly corrupted, and Redemption is partial, merely perfecting nature rather than transforming it entirely.

The Modern Protestant Doctrine

The Roman Catholic doctrine views Adam’s original righteousness as a donum superadditum, a supernatural gift added to human nature, which was lost in the Fall. This means man’s natural abilities—reason and free will—remain uncorrupted by sin. The Reformers rejected this view and taught the doctrine of total depravity, asserting that sin affects every aspect of human nature, including the intellect. Abraham Kuyper emphasized that sin darkened the intellect and that regeneration transforms both will and consciousness.

Despite this, many Protestants today hold a perspective similar to the Roman Catholic understanding. They are dualists, splitting life into spiritual (grace) and secular (nature) realms. They believe nature doesn’t need redeeming because it isn’t fallen, so conversion affects only the spiritual realm. The Church focuses on the supernatural, often advising congregations not to engage with cultural or worldly concerns. This dualistic worldview has led to pietism, now dominant among Protestants.

Even among those who consider themselves Reformed, the implications of total depravity for areas outside theology and church life are often neglected. In education, politics, economics, art, and culture, faith is seen as largely irrelevant and not requiring transformation. Practically, Reformed believers today have adopted a worldview similar to Roman Catholicism, viewing grace as relevant only to spiritual aspects of life. Consequently, the doctrine of total depravity, while still verbally acknowledged in Reformed churches, is no longer fully understood or its implications appreciated. It is confined to the spiritual realm and is seen as having no relation to secular life.

The Arminian Doctrine

Arminianism, now dominant among Protestants, often denies man’s total depravity since the Fall, sometimes implicitly. While some Arminians acknowledge total depravity, their doctrines of prevenient grace and free will effectively negate it. For instance, Arminians at the Synod of Dordt taught that Adam did not lose the ability to believe in Christ after the Fall.

Reformed Churches have embraced pietism partly because they’ve unwittingly accepted a key premise of both Roman Catholicism and Arminianism: that man is not completely fallen away from God and isn’t totally depraved outside of saving grace. This narrows the Christian faith to a “spiritual” realm, reducing it to a syncretistic mystery cult that combines elements of Christian soteriology, a form of Gnostic dualism, and a secular humanist worldview.

Despite professing adherence to doctrines like TULIP, many Reformed Churches deny the connection between faith and culture. They advocate withdrawing from the world rather than engaging with and transforming it, contrary to the historical linkage of the Great Commission and the Cultural Mandate. By separating religion from culture, they’ve opened the door to the Arminian worldview, rendering the doctrine of total depravity ineffective in practice. They don’t see man’s fallen nature manifesting in all aspects of life and culture; thus, areas like education, medicine, science, art, and politics are viewed as neutral and not in need of redemption.

In practice, many modern Reformed believers are effectively Arminians. Their approach contradicts the teachings of the Reformers they claim to follow, as they believe grace merely perfects nature rather than completely transforming man and his culture.

When Christians disengage from culture and allow society to develop according to its own principles—rooted in original sin where individuals define good and evil without reference to God’s word—they are often shocked by the ensuing moral decline. Culture is essentially the external manifestation of religion; therefore, accepting education and societal development without God leads to His elimination from culture. The rise of secular explanations like evolution and increasing immorality are symptoms of humanity’s desire to live apart from God. Excluding God from areas like welfare and medicine results in issues like widespread welfare abuse and abortion on demand.

By denying the necessity of a Christian culture, Christians have inadvertently opened the door to multiculturalism and the repaganization of society. Instead of retreating, they should preach the full gospel to all creation, bringing God’s redeeming grace into the nation’s cultural life. Those who claim to be Reformed but separate faith from culture have adopted a pietistic perspective, becoming implicit Arminians. This view relegates God to a narrow sphere of church meetings and personal piety, neglecting His influence on broader aspects of life such as education, art, economics, welfare, medicine, law, and vocational life.

As a result of this worldview, society has declined from one that acknowledged and honored God, albeit imperfectly, to one that extensively blasphemes and dishonors Him. This decline has accelerated dramatically, placing the nation on the brink of severe consequences.

The Biblical Doctrine

Our understanding of the Fall directly affects our understanding of redemption. If man is totally depraved by the Fall, his sin and denial of God manifest in every aspect of his life and culture. Therefore, his redemption must be equally total, embracing not just his spiritual life but his culture as well. If the Fall is only partial, sin doesn’t permeate all of life, and the natural life of man doesn’t need total transformation—only perfection. In that case, the gospel becomes merely a “spiritual” addition to man’s life, a donum superadditum, concerned primarily with the world to come.

However, the Bible teaches that man’s fall into sin is total; without God’s grace, every thought is continually evil (Gen. 6:5; 8:21; Rom. 1:18–32). Redemption isn’t just a spiritual addition but a complete transformation of man’s natural life by God’s grace. It’s a re-creation of man in the image of Christ: “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Cor. 5:17). This new creation must manifest in every aspect of life and culture—the external expression of his religion.

Neglecting this doctrine leads to severe societal consequences, as we fail in our cultural mandate to bring all things under Christ’s lordship (Gen. 1:28; 2 Cor. 10:5). Often, the full implications of this neglect become apparent in subsequent generations, explaining the dire consequences mentioned in the Second Commandment (Ex. 20:5).

Man’s sin affects every area of his life, causing him to suppress the knowledge of God in all spheres (Rom. 1:18–19). Consequently, sin permeates the entirety of culture. Similarly, the salvation accomplished by Christ must transform all aspects of life and culture. This has profound implications for social order: society will either move toward the new creation in Christ or toward a culture of death (Prov. 8:36). A society embracing Christ will align itself with God’s law, recognizing man’s total depravity and God’s grace as the sole remedy. Rejecting this leads to societal deterioration into depravity and death, which is evident in today’s Western society.

Conclusion

The decline of society into a culture of depravity will not be halted until the Church recognizes the full extent of man’s fall into sin and the complete nature of the redemption accomplished by Christ. The Church must actively transform culture by applying God’s word to every sphere of human thought and activity, preaching total salvation to a totally fallen world.

The nature/grace schema of the Roman Catholic Church, popular even among Protestants today, hinders this mission because it compromises with worldly philosophy—specifically, the synthesis of Christian doctrine with Aristotelian thought by Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas attempted to reconcile Aristotelianism and Christianity, accepting key concepts like substance and accident, and viewing grace as perfecting nature rather than transforming it.

This syncretism opposes the biblical worldview grounded in the doctrines of Creation, Fall, and Redemption. Abandoning these doctrines alters our understanding of redemption, resulting in a truncated gospel incapable of transforming the whole of man’s life. Christ came to save the entire world, not just to rescue individuals from damnation; His Great Commission calls us to bring all nations into obedience to His word.

Therefore, the Church must abandon the dualistic nature/grace schema and pursue a biblical understanding of Creation, Fall, and Redemption. God’s grace doesn’t merely perfect an unfallen nature but completely transforms the natural life of man, who is totally depraved and in need of grace in every sphere. The grace of God in Christ claims the whole of man’s life—including family, politics, art, and business. No area of life or culture is religiously neutral; it either serves Christ or denies Him (Matthew 12:30).

The post Total Depravity & Social Order appeared first on Ezra Institute.

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Pastor Nate Write and Doctors Joe Boot and Michael Thiessen discuss the recent Mission of God Conference: Ontario and, during this advent season, delve deep into the importance of the incarnation of Christ and its political and ministerial ramifications.

Think Christianly about politics with the help of Dr. Boot’s latest book  “Ruler of Kings:” https://ezrapress.ca/products/ruler-of-kings-toward-a-christian-vision-of-government;

The WAIT is OVER!!! Pre-order your copy of the NEW updated and expanded version of Dr. Boot’s Mission of God with a brand-new study guide! Get it here: https://ezrapress.ca/products/mission-of-god-10th-anniversary-edition;

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Mission of God AD
00:25 Opening
00:45 Intro
01:05 Welcome
01:52 Mission of God: 10th Anniversary Edition
02:29 Conference Re-cap – Mission of God: Ontario
11:29 This is War! The Great Historical Conflagration
25:33 The Political Ramifications of the Incarnation
38:47 The Incarnation as the First-fruits of the New Creational Order
46:31 Incarnational Ministry
01:14:52 Conclusion
01:19:56 Outro

UPCOMING CONFERENCES:
Christ is King World Missions Conference – “Gospel Culture” | January 19-22, 2025 |  San Antonio, TX: https://christisking.church/lyw;
The Mission of God Conferences:
U.S. – Denver | Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 @ 8:00 – 16:00 MST@ Faith Church | Arvada, Colorado: https://www.ezrainstitute.com/mission-of-god-denver/;
Faith & Medicine Conference | January 19-22, 2025 |  Atlanta, GA: https://faithandmedicine.org/;

REFORMCON ’25 | “Out of the Ashes” | April 24-26, 2025 @ Tucson, AZ: https://reformcon.org/

Got Questions? Would you like to hear Dr. Boot answer your questions? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us at https://www.ezrainstitute.com/connect/contact/;

For Ezra’s many print resources and to join our newsletter, visit: https://ezrapress.com.

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In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Dr. Joe Boot and Dr. Michael Thiessen are joined by the pastor and author, Doug Wilson (www.dougwils.com), to discuss the recent Antioch Declaration and its various issues and controversies.

Think Christianly about politics with the help of Dr. Boot’s latest book  “Ruler of Kings:” https://ezrapress.ca/products/ruler-of-kings-toward-a-christian-vision-of-government;

Episode Resources: The Antioch Declaration: https://antiochdeclaration.com/; Tobias’ Controversial Appearance  on Iron Sharpens Iron: https://ironsharpensironradio.com/2024/09/16/september-13-2024-show-with-tobias-riemenschneider-on-the-rise-of-anti-semitism-admiration-of-adolf-hitler-in-the-21st-century/; Joe Boot on The Antioch Declaration on Iron Sharpens Iron: https://ironsharpensironradio.com/2024/11/25/november-25-2024-show-with-dr-joe-boot-jacob-tanner-on-the-antioch-declaration/; “When a Member of Our Church Shared a Holocaust Meme” | Right Response Ministries: https://youtube.com/watch?v=pj7L7b66xLY&t=520s.

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Mission of God AD
00:25 Opening
00:44 Intro
01:04  Welcome
01:38 Mission of God: 10th Anniversary Edition
02:55  (Issue 1) Tobias Reimenschnieder vs. Joel Webbon Feud
03:47  (1.1) Who Knew What, When?
04:04 (1.1.1) Doug’s Response
05:08 (1.1.2) Joe’s Response
06:19 (1.2.1) Would You Recommend Arbitration Towards Reconciliation?
06:48 (1.2.1) Doug’s Response
08:56 (1.2.2) Joe’s Response
11:36  (1.3) Tobias: When Will He Respond & Why He was Included?
12:42 (1. 3.1) Joe’s Response
14:52 (1. 3.2) Doug’s Comment: A Necessary Distinction: 2 Issues, 1 Group
18:11 (2) The Antioch Declaration
18:16 (2.1) The Goal of the Declaration?
18:18 (2.1.1) Drawing a Line in the Sand: Doug’s Response
20:07 (2.1.1) NTTR not for the BETTER
21:12 (2.1.2) Doug’s Comment on the Unhinged Response
22:17 (2.1.3)Why the Name – Antioch?
24:08 (2.1.4 ) “An [Necessary] Instituting Consideration:” Joe’s Response
25:52 (2.1.5) Joe’s Comment on the Unhinged Response
26:26 (2.1.6) The Necessity of Contextual Ministry & Theological Application to Life
30:16 (2.2) Fighting the Temptation to Black-pill
32:31 (2.3) What’s with the Style?
33:12 (2.2.1) A Rejoinder on Black-pilling
35:48 (2.3.1) What’s with the Style?
40:50 (2.4) Aristotle & Pagan Philosophy is not Biblical
42:41 (2.4.1) A Reformed, Presuppositional Critique
46:00 (2.4.2) Rejecting the Pagan Synthesis
48:40 (2.4.3) The Insanely Unbiblical Nature of Aristotelian Natural Law
49:59 (2.4.4)The Danger of Pagan Primordial Aristotelian Nationalism
51:40 (2.4.5)The Christ NOT the Philosopher
53:22 (2.4.6)The Greek Philosophers Penchant for Statism
54:38 (2.4.7) Natural Affections & the Kingdom of God as “the Totalizing Bond”
01:02:17 (2.4.8)The Law of Love
01:05:27 Conclusion
01:08:45 Outro

UPCOMING CONFERENCES:
The Mission of God Conferences:
Canada – Ontario | Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, 9:00 EST @ Harvest Bible Church Windsor: https://brushfire.com/ezrainstitute/missionofgod2024-ontario/587020/details;
Denver | Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 @ 8:00 – 16:00 MST@ Faith Church | Arvada, Colorado: https://www.ezrainstitute.com/mission-of-god-denver/

REFORMCON ’25 | “Out of the Ashes” | April 24-26, 2025 @ Tucson, AZ: https://reformcon.org/

The WAIT is OVER!!! Pre-order your copy of the NEW updated and expanded version of Dr. Boot’s Mission of God with a brand-new study guide! Get it here: https://ezrapress.ca/products/mission-of-god-10th-anniversary-edition;

Got Questions? Would you like to hear Dr. Boot answer your questions? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us at https://www.ezrainstitute.com/connect/contact/;

For Ezra’s many print resources and to join our newsletter, visit: https://ezrapress.com.

Stay up-to-date with all things Ezra Institute: https://www.ezrainstitute.com;
Subscribe to Ezra’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPVvQDHHrOOjziyqUaN9VoA?sub_confirmation=1;
Fight Laugh Feast Network: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/8297;
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ezra-institute-podcast-for-cultural-reformation/id1336078503;
Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0dW1gDarpzdrDMLPjKYZW2?si=bee3e91ed9a54885.

Wherever you find our content, please like, subscribe, rate, or review it; it truly does help.

The post The Antioch Declaration – WHY!?: Joe & Doug Speak for Themselves appeared first on Ezra Institute.

In this episode of the Podcast for Cultural Reformation, Dr. Joe Boot and Dr. Michael Thiessen are joined by author Stephen C. Perks to talk about nature/grace dualism and how its unfortunate effect on Christians’s understanding of politics and Church & State relations down through the ages. How can consistent Reformational correct these errors? Tune in to find out.

Think Christianly about politics with the help of Dr. Boot’s latest book  “Ruler of Kings:” https://ezrapress.ca/products/ruler-of-kings-toward-a-christian-vision-of-government;

Episode Resources: Kuyper Foundation Website: https://www.kuyper.org/; Kuyper Foundation Publications: https://www.kuyper.org/books;

CHAPTERS:
00:00 Mission of God AD
00:25 Opening
01:04 Intro
01:25  Welcome
01:48 Upcoming Conference Information
02:41 Conversation Set-up
07:11 Romish Anthropology & its Dualistic Error
10:54 Nature/Grace Dualism in Theology
25:10 Nature/Grace Dualism & Politics
31:52 The Nature of the State & the State of Nature
44:40 Church Tradition, Authority & Semper Reformata
51:07 The Church of England (CoE), Reformable?
55:50 The Church & Ecclesiastical Renaissance
01:03:34 The Church & the Kingdom of God
01:16:00 A Political Gospel?
01:21:00Conclusion
01:23:00 Outro

UPCOMING CONFERENCES:
Join us this October 31- November 2 @ The Presence of Christ Conference at Trinity Bible Chapel in Kitchener/Waterloo:  https://mytrinitybiblechapel.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/2343549;

The Mission of God Conferences:
Canada – Ontario | Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, 9:00 EST @ Harvest Bible Church Windsor: https://brushfire.com/ezrainstitute/missionofgod2024-ontario/587020/details;
Denver | Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025 @ 8:00 – 16:00 MST@ Faith Church | Arvada, Colorado: https://www.ezrainstitute.com/mission-of-god-denver/

REFORMCON ’25 | “Out of the Ashes” | April 24-26, 2025 @ Tucson, AZ: https://reformcon.org/

The WAIT is OVER!!! Pre-order your copy of the NEW updated and expanded version of Dr. Boot’s Mission of God with a brand-new study guide! Get it here: https://ezrapress.ca/products/mission-of-god-10th-anniversary-edition;

Got Questions? Would you like to hear Dr. Boot answer your questions? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us at https://www.ezrainstitute.com/connect/contact/;

For Ezra’s many print resources and to join our newsletter, visit: https://ezrapress.com.

Stay up-to-date with all things Ezra Institute: https://www.ezrainstitute.com;
Subscribe to Ezra’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPVvQDHHrOOjziyqUaN9VoA?sub_confirmation=1;
Fight Laugh Feast Network: https://pubtv.flfnetwork.com/tabs/audio/podcasts/8297;
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/ezra-institute-podcast-for-cultural-reformation/id1336078503;
Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0dW1gDarpzdrDMLPjKYZW2?si=bee3e91ed9a54885.

Wherever you find our content, please like, subscribe, rate, or review it; it truly does help.

The post Christianity & Politics: Nature, Grace & Church & State ft. Stephen C. Perks appeared first on Ezra Institute.