『Thinking on Scripture with Dr. Steven R. Cook』のカバーアート

Thinking on Scripture with Dr. Steven R. Cook

Thinking on Scripture with Dr. Steven R. Cook

著者: Dr. Steven R. Cook
無料で聴く

このコンテンツについて

Dr. Steven R. Cook is a Christian educator and traditional dispensationalist with a passion for teaching and writing about Scripture and Christian theology. He provides verse by verse analysis of Scripture and engages in discussions about Christian theology, rooted in his studies of the original languages of Scripture, ancient history, and systematic theology. As a voluntary ministry activity, Dr. Cook records weekly Bible studies at his home in Arlington, Texas, which are then shared through his podcast and YouTube channel. In addition to his audio and video messages, he has written several Christian books and dozens of articles on Christian theology. Dr. Cook also brings his theological expertise to the classroom, having taught undergraduate courses in theology at Tyndale Theological Seminary. Despite his busy schedule as a Case Manager for a local nonprofit agency, which helps the elderly and disabled in the community, Dr. Cook remains committed to his ministry and sharing his knowledge and insights with others. If you’re looking for a knowledgeable Christian educator and traditional dispensationalist, look no further than Dr. Steven R. Cook.Copyright 2013 Steven Cook. All rights reserved. キリスト教 スピリチュアリティ 社会科学 聖職・福音主義
エピソード
  • The Importance of Thinking on Scripture
    2025/06/17
    The Christian life is often won or lost in the arena of the mind. The believer’s greatest spiritual battles frequently take place in the quiet chambers of inner thought—unseen by others, yet intensely real. Satan, the world, and the flesh conspire to assault the believer’s thinking, seeking to distort reality, generate fear, inflame lusts, sow bitterness, and cultivate pride or despair. This is why Scripture emphasizes the mind as a primary battleground in the spiritual life. Paul exhorted the Corinthians to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:5), recognizing that unchecked thoughts can quickly become footholds for spiritual defeat. Victory in the spiritual life requires that we not only reject lies but also proactively fill our minds with God’s truth. Learning and meditating on Scripture is central to maintaining psychological and emotional stability (Psa 1:2-3). The mind, left untethered from truth, is vulnerable to deception and emotional volatility. But God’s Word anchors our thinking, offering divine perspective amid life’s ever-changing circumstances. David testified, “The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul” (Psa 19:7). His soul—his inner life—was stabilized and refreshed by God’s truth. Likewise, Jesus prayed for His disciples, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17). The Spirit uses the Word to shape our thinking and reorient our perspective (Rom 12:2; Col 3:16; 2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Pet 2:2). When our thoughts are governed by Scripture, our emotions tend to follow suit. Fear gives way to courage, confusion to clarity, and anxiety to peace (Isa 26:3; Phil 4:6-7). Biblical self-talk is a practical way believers apply God’s truth internally. We all engage in self-talk—an ongoing internal dialogue—but the content of that dialogue determines whether we spiral into discouragement or rise in spiritual strength. The psalmist modeled healthy self-talk when he asked, “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me?” (Psa 42:5a). Then he exhorted himself, saying, “Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence” (Psa 42:5b). Rather than allowing his feelings to dictate his thinking, he took command of his thoughts and focused them on God, repeating the process three times (Psa 42:5, 11; 43:5; cf. Psa 131:1-2). Paul understood the transforming power of focused thinking. He instructed believers, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom 12:2). The Greek word for “transformed” (μεταμορφόω, metamorphoō) refers to an inner change that manifests in outward conduct, and it begins by replacing worldly thought patterns with divine truth. Paul instructed the Christians at Philippi, saying, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” (Phil 4:6). If they did this, Paul said, “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil 4:7). And he gave them further, ongoing instruction, saying, “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things” (Phil 4:8). By shifting their focus from anxiety to intentional prayer, thanksgiving, and biblical thinking, believers would experience peace and maintain mental stability. Jeremiah, when dealing with disparaging thoughts because of the destruction of Jerusalem (Lam 3:17-20), forced his thoughts onto the Lord, saying, “This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (Lam 3:21-23). The verb translated “recall” in verse 21 is ashiv (אָשִׁיב), from the Hebrew root shuv (שׁוּב), meaning “to turn back, return.” In the hiphil imperfect form, it carries the causative sense, “I cause to return to my mind.” Jeremiah wasn’t passively remembering; he was actively and intentionally forcing truth back into focus, dragging his thoughts from despair and anchoring them in the character of God. Joseph framed his brothers’ betrayal through the lens of God’s providence, saying, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Gen 50:20; cf. Gen 45:5, 7; Rom 8:28). Rather than allow bitterness or victimhood to dominate his thoughts, Joseph chose to interpret his painful past through the divine perspective of God’s sovereign hand. Though deeply wounded by those closest to him, he refused to let their evil define his outlook or determine his response. Instead, he elevated his thinking above the horizontal plane of human injustice and aligned ...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 5 分
  • The Spiritual Life #37 - When a Christian Turns to a Sinful Lifestyle
    2025/06/15
    Christians are instructed, “do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness” (Rom 6:12-13a), “flee sexual immorality” (1 Cor 6:18), “he who steals must steal no longer” (Eph 4:28), “let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth” (Eph 4:29), “do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Eph 4:30), “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Th 5:19), put aside “anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth” (Col 3:8), “abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul” (1 Pet 2:11), “make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler” (1 Pet 4:15), “do not love the world nor the things in the world” (1 John 2:15), and “little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). These commands would be pointless if it were not possible for Christians to commit all these sins. It is never the will of God that we sin (1 John 2:1), but if we sin, and “there is no man who does not sin” (1 Ki 8:46), it is God’s will that we confess our sins (1 John 1:9), accept responsibility for our actions, and get back to learning God’s Word (2 Tim 2:15; 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Pet 3:18), living by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38), and pursuing holiness (1 Pet 1:15-16), and righteousness (1 Tim 6:11; 2 Tim 2:22). Consequences for Sin It is difficult for some to understand, but when Christians sin, we are not in danger of condemnation (Rom 8:1; 35-39), we do not forfeit the free gift of eternal life (John 10:28; Rom 3:24; 6:23), and we do not cease to possess the righteousness of God that was given to us at the moment of faith in Christ (Rom 5:17; Phil 3:9). When Christians sin, we are walking in darkness and have broken fellowship with God (1 John 1:5-6), and stifle the work of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us (Eph 4:30; 1 Th 5:19). If we continue in sin, or leave our sin unconfessed, we are in real danger of divine discipline from God (Psa 32:3-5; Heb 12:6; 1 John 5:16-17; cf. Dan 4:37). Even though David was forgiven for his sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam 12:13), he still faced earthly consequences that impacted him and his family (2 Sam 12:10-14). Serious sin, and ongoing sin, can eventuate in divine discipline to the point of physical death (1 John 5:16; cf., Lev 10:1-2; Acts 5:3-5; 1 Cor 11:30), as well as the loss of eternal rewards (1 Cor 3:10-15; 2 John 1:8). These are serious punishments by the Lord which impact a believer in time and eternity; however, the sinning saint is not in danger of losing salvation.[1] The Way of Righteousness As Christians, God calls us to “pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2 Tim 2:22; cf. 1 Tim 6:11), to “present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God” (Rom 6:13b), and to “present your members as slaves to righteousness” (Rom 6:19a). Addressing the Christians at Ephesus, Paul wrote, “you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light, for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth, trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph 5:8-10). Peter also wrote, “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Pet 2:24a). Righteous living—that’s what God desires from us. He wants our thoughts, words, and actions to align with His righteous character and written Word as it applies to us as Christians. But this requires positive volition and a commitment to the Lord (Rom 12:1-2), to learn His Word (2 Tim 3:16-17; 1 Peter 2:2) and live His Word by faith (2 Cor 5:7; Heb 10:38). As Christians, God has done everything for us to live spiritually successful lives (i.e., giving a new nature, the Holy Spirit, and divine revelation). But God does not force us to live spiritually, as we must choose to live out the new life. And, like Solomon, we are always in danger of being corrupted by others (1 Cor 15:33), by Satan’s world-system (1 John 2:15-16), and our fleshly natures within (Rom 13:14; Col 3:9; Gal 5:16-17; 1 John 1:8). To be faithful to the Lord to the end of our days (as God directs), one needs thinking that is properly calibrated according to Scripture (Rom 12:1-2). God has already blessed us with everything we need to live spiritually (Eph 1:3), but it’s up to us to lay hold of what He’s provided and to advance to spiritual maturity. The successful Christian life starts with positive volition. Jesus said, “If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself” (John 7:17). The word “willing” translates the Greek verb thelō (θέλω), which means “to desire to have or experience ...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 7 分
  • The Spiritual Life #36 - When a Christian Turns to a Sinful Lifestyle
    2025/06/08
    The Corinthian Christians were undeniably saved, as Paul calls them saints (1 Cor 1:2) and brethren (1 Cor 3:1). Yet, they exhibited a persistent pattern of carnality, evidenced by their divisive behavior, internal conflicts, and failure to mature spiritually. Paul rebuked them for their immaturity and misguided allegiance to human leaders, which had fractured the church into competing factions (1 Cor 1:10-13). He then directly addressed their spiritual condition, describing them as “men of flesh” (1 Cor 3:1), signifying their prolonged carnality. He writes, “I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able” (1 Cor 3:2). This was an embarrassing reality for the Corinthians, for by the time Paul wrote to them, they should have progressed further in their spiritual walk. He then laments their ongoing carnality, declaring, “for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?” (1 Cor 3:3). The phrase “you are still fleshly” (ἔτι γὰρ σαρκικοί ἐστε, eti gar sarkikoi este) uses the present indicative, indicating a continued state of carnality. Here, the present tense describes customary or habitual action. Wallace notes, “The customary present is used to signal either an action that regularly occurs or an ongoing state.”[1] The Christians at Corinth were habitually driven by the flesh rather than the Spirit. This confirms that their failure to mature spiritually was not due to a temporary lapse but an entrenched pattern of behavior. Had their sinful patterns been proof of lostness, Paul would have addressed them as unbelievers needing salvation rather than carnal believers needing correction. Paul does not suggest they should question their salvation; rather, he exhorts them toward spiritual growth and maturity. The solution is not introspective doubt but a call to align their practice with their position in Christ.[2] Several of the seven churches in Revelation (Rev 2-3) exhibited patterns of habitual sin, as evidenced by Jesus’ rebukes. The church in Ephesus, though commended for its hard work and perseverance, was rebuked by Jesus, who said, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Rev 2:4). The phrase “you have left” translates the Greek verb aphekas (ἀφῆκας), which is in the aorist tense, indicating a decisive act in the past. These believers had, at some point, turned away from their original love for Christ, and the context suggests they had not yet returned to it. Pergamum, while faithful to Christ’s name under persecution, tolerated the false teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans, which led to idolatry and sexual immorality within the congregation (Rev 2:14-15). Jesus said, “I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality” (Rev 2:14). The word “hold” translates the Greek kratountas (κρατοῦντας), which is a present participle, denoting ongoing adherence to false doctrine. This wasn’t a one-time deviation but an entrenched pattern that led to idolatry and immorality. Thyatira, despite its love and perseverance, was rebuked for tolerating “the woman Jezebel,” whose false teachings encouraged sin through idolatry and immorality (Rev 2:20-21). Jesus said, “I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols” (Rev 2:20). The word “tolerate” translates the Greek verb apheis (ἀφεῖς), which is a present active indicative, indicating that the church at Thyatira habitually permitted Jezebel’s corrupting influence. Jesus called each of these churches to repent. To the church at Ephesus, He said, “Remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first” (Rev 2:5). Thomas notes, the church “had simply lost their bearings, like the prodigal son, and needed to regain them.”[3] Repentance (metanōeō) meant they were to recalibrate their thinking according to God’s standard and redirect their behavior to righteous living. Repentance, according to Thomas, “Calls for a decisive change of attitude with its resultant action. It is a reversal of the status quo, a deliberate repudiation of former sins and a complete return to the standards and will of God. It is an appeal to begin at this moment a complete change. It calls for a quick and effective decision.”[4] Similar exhortations were given to Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, and Laodicea, urging them to change their minds and turn from their habit of sin and ...
    続きを読む 一部表示
    1 時間 2 分

Thinking on Scripture with Dr. Steven R. Cookに寄せられたリスナーの声

カスタマーレビュー:以下のタブを選択することで、他のサイトのレビューをご覧になれます。