From Darkness to Light
Reformed Brotherhood | Reformed Theology and Brotherly Love
Release Date: 02/12/2025
Pop Culture and Piety: Living for God in a Media-Saturated World
Reformed Brotherhood | Reformed Theology and Brotherly Love
In this episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb dive deep into the intersection of pop culture, entertainment, and the Christian life. They explore how Christians can engage with leisure and media in a way that glorifies God, applying biblical principles like those found in 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Ecclesiastes 3. The hosts emphasize the importance of balancing Christian liberty and holiness, while also recognizing the practical role of rest and recreation in human flourishing. Through personal anecdotes and theological insights, they provide listeners with a...
info_outline
Remembering God's Faithfulness
Reformed Brotherhood | Reformed Theology and Brotherly Love
In this episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb delve into the profound significance of sharing personal testimonies as a way to reflect on God’s providence and glorify His work in our lives. Through their own faith journeys—Tony’s teenage conversion and Jesse’s early life in a faithful Christian household—they explore the transformative power of the gospel and the beauty of childlike faith. Along the way, they discuss how testimonies encourage others, strengthen the church, and remind us of God’s unchanging faithfulness across every stage of life....
info_outline
Law, Gospel, and the Righteousness of God
Reformed Brotherhood | Reformed Theology and Brotherly Love
In this episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse Schwamb takes listeners on a deep theological journey into the distinction between law and gospel. Drawing from Martin Luther's theological insights, Jesse explores how these two words from God—the law and the gospel—reveal His righteousness and intersect with Christian living. He reflects on the ways the law exposes sin and reveals the justice of God, while the gospel offers the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. This timely discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding how God's law and gospel work in harmony to declare...
info_outline
The Cross and True Christian Power
Reformed Brotherhood | Reformed Theology and Brotherly Love
In this episode of the Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse and Tony dive deep into Martin Luther's contrasting theological concepts: the Theology of Glory and the Theology of the Cross. Beginning with a reflection on how the Theology of Glory prioritizes human strength, reason, and achievement, they explore how this perspective can mislead Christians into seeking God through displays of power and visible success. Instead, they emphasize that Luther's Theology of the Cross reveals God's power most profoundly in weakness, suffering, and humility. The conversation highlights how the Theology of Glory...
info_outline
Theology of the Cross and Suffering
Reformed Brotherhood | Reformed Theology and Brotherly Love
In this episode of Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse and Tony delve into Martin Luther's concept of the Theology of the Cross, a foundational idea in Reformation theology. Rooted in the Heidelberg Disputation of 1518, this theological framework challenges believers to see God's power and purpose in human suffering and weakness. The hosts explore how the cross is the ultimate revelation of God's nature, subverting traditional human expectations of power and glory. The discussion highlights the stark contrast between the Theology of the Cross and what Luther termed the Theology of Glory. The former...
info_outline
Self-Examination in the Christian Life
Reformed Brotherhood | Reformed Theology and Brotherly Love
In this episode of the Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse and Tony delve into the crucial Christian discipline of self-examination. Grounding their discussion in Scriptures like Psalm 139:23-24 and 2 Corinthians 13:5, they explore what it means to test and examine oneself in the faith. They emphasize that self-examination is not about undermining assurance but rather about deepening a believer’s trust in Christ while fostering spiritual growth and humility. The conversation highlights the necessity of prayer as the starting point for self-examination. Jesse and Tony remind listeners that asking God...
info_outline
Demons and the Sovereignty of God
Reformed Brotherhood | Reformed Theology and Brotherly Love
In this episode of the Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse and Tony delve into the topic of demons and spiritual warfare, exploring what the Bible teaches about these spiritual entities and their activity in the world. The conversation begins with an examination of Job 1, where Satan appears in the heavenly court to accuse Job, demonstrating how God’s sovereignty encompasses even the actions of the devil and his demons. The discussion emphasizes that while demons are real and dangerous, they operate under the ultimate authority of God, who uses even their actions to fulfill His purposes. The hosts...
info_outline
Understanding Spiritual Battles in Daily Life
Reformed Brotherhood | Reformed Theology and Brotherly Love
In this episode of Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse Schwamb and Tony Arsenal tackle the often-overlooked topic of spiritual warfare, focusing on the biblical truths about angels and demons. The discussion begins by affirming the reality of Satan and his demons as active agents in the world, working to oppose God and deceive humanity. Drawing from both Scripture and personal experiences, the hosts emphasize the importance of being aware of the spiritual battles that Christians face daily and how these confrontations are a central part of our spiritual journey. The conversation highlights the need...
info_outline
The Lord’s Day and Its Significance
Reformed Brotherhood | Reformed Theology and Brotherly Love
In this engaging episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse Schwamb and Tony Arsenal dive into the rich theological and practical significance of the Sabbath in Reformed theology. They begin by discussing the dual aspects of the Sabbath as a creation ordinance and a ceremonial practice, explaining how it is both a moral obligation for all humanity and a type that pointed forward to Christ's redemptive work. The hosts emphasize that the Sabbath is a blessing, not a burden, designed for rest, worship, and spiritual renewal. The conversation explores how the Sabbath transitions from the seventh...
info_outline
Capturing Knowledge That Glorifies God
Reformed Brotherhood | Reformed Theology and Brotherly Love
In this episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Tony Arsenal takes listeners on a deep dive into the art and purpose of effective note-taking, particularly within the context of Christian living and theological study. With Jesse absent for this episode, Tony explores practical techniques to help Christians retain, process, and apply what they read, whether it be from Scripture, theological works, or even secular writings. Highlighting his own personal process, Tony emphasizes the importance of reading with intention and grounding all study in the ultimate goal of glorifying God and enjoying Him...
info_outlinen this episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse and Tony delve deep into Colossians 1:13-14, unpacking the Apostle Paul's rich theological message about being rescued from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of Christ. The discussion centers on the transformative power of God's grace, emphasizing the joy and beauty of redemption, forgiveness, and union with Christ. Through Christ alone, believers are qualified to share in the inheritance of the saints, receiving full access to the privileges of being children of God.
Tony and Jesse explore the covenantal implications of the passage, showing how salvation is not based on human effort or merit but entirely on God’s initiative. The conversation highlights the sufficiency of Christ in salvation, contrasting the gospel's message with works-based systems of theology. They also discuss how this passage reflects the broader themes of Pauline theology, including union with Christ, sanctification, and glorification.
The hosts encourage listeners to embrace the good news of the gospel, reminding them that salvation is a gift received through Christ alone. They urge anyone who has not yet trusted in Christ to consider the beauty of being transferred into the kingdom of light. This episode is a theological feast, offering both encouragement and practical insights for living out the gospel.
Key Points:
- Rescue and Redemption in Christ: Believers are delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of God's beloved Son, emphasizing God's initiative in salvation.
- Union with Christ: Salvation is not merely transactional but relational, as believers are united with Christ and share in His inheritance.
- Covenantal Theology: The passage underscores the covenantal framework of Scripture, showing how believers are brought into a new covenantal relationship through Christ.
- The Sufficiency of Christ: The episode highlights Christ's sufficiency in salvation, rejecting works-based systems and affirming that salvation is entirely a gift of grace.
Questions for Reflection:
- How does understanding that salvation is entirely God’s initiative impact your walk with Christ?
- What does it mean to you personally to be transferred from the domain of darkness into the kingdom of light?
- How does the concept of union with Christ shape your understanding of your identity as a believer?