Deep in Scripture Radio

Romans 7:7-25

Freed from the bond of sin, who will we serve? Romans 7:1-6

In answer to a listener email, we discuss how there are indeed ways in which we have, either blindly or willingly, become enslaved by our modern industrialist culture, particularly through our over dependence upon technology. In today’s text, Romans 7:1-6, we see proof that the re-emphasis by Jesus of the original indissolubility of marriage has become the accepted norm of the Christian community. Paul assumes his Christian audience agrees that the marriage bond cannot be broken except by death....

The Wages of Sin is Death, Romans 6:12-23

As a result of death and resurrection of Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin. But there is still the danger of going back, choosing the slavery we had before. We need to understand the trajectory of our choices and continually inform our consciences by the standard of proper teaching.

Praying to Saints and Dying to Sin, Romans 6:1-14

On today’s episode of Deep in Scripture, Marcus and Ken start by taking a listener question on the scriptural bases for prayer to the saints and for our departed loved ones. They examine some relevant scriptures and then turn to the tradition present in the Early Church Fathers to see how the early Christians regarded such practices. They then move on to their continuing study of Romans 6:1-14, discussing Baptism and how Christians should respond to sin.

"Where sin increased, grace abounded all the more", Romans 5:12-2

EMAIL: Dear Mr. Grodi and Dr. Howell: A short time ago, you had some discussion in Deep in Scripture about salvation. I was wondering if you could tell me how you would respond to the following view about salvation and hell that there’s been a very long discussion about: “God is all powerful, God is all loving, has created us and wants us all to be saved; therefore He will find a way to make us all want to be saved and choose Him. No one will go to hell, because God hasn’t stepped off of the thr...

Romans 5:1-11

Email: Dear Marcus and Dr. Howell, in last week’s slight detour from Romans into James, there is a verse that you avoided. Could you briefly discuss James 2:12, “ So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.” Doesn’t this refer to the freedom that Luther proclaimed when he said that a person in faith was now free from any laws constricting their lives? Thanks, Marian

Special Episode: Fr. Benedict Groeschel on "Authentic and Inauthentic Renewal"

Listener Question on Faith and Works, James 2

Listener Email: Dear Marcus and Ken: I really appreciate the way you have been discussing St. Paul’s doctrine of justification in Romans on Deep in Scripture. The question that keeps coming up in my mind is how this all relates to what St. James says in James 2:14-26 about faith and works. At one point James says “You see that a man is justified from works and not from faith alone.”(v 24). Does this contradict Paul’s teaching? How would you explain this problem? Sincerely,Jack...

Servile vs Filial Fear and the Continued Study of Romans 4:13-25

EMAIL: Dear Ken and Marcus, Last week, you discussed Romans 4:4: “Now to one who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due.” Recently someone pointed out Phil 2:12, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Could you compare and contrast these, and discuss how they relater to servile and filial fear? Thanks, Bob Romans 4:13-25 13: The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that they should inherit the world, did not come through the law but through the righteousnes...

Continuing Romans 4:1-12

EMAIL: Dear Marcus and Ken, I regularly post comments on a discussion site which has a lot of Bible only Christians. ... One of the things I notice with this group is they go to the OT a LOT and the epistles but seem to ignore the Gospels and any parts of the Epistles that don't jive with their thinking (like most of James). Fear is very prevalent among them and the God they present looks more like the Terminator. Any help you can give me will be appreciated as when I post I try to write for tho...

Jews, Gentiles, and Works of the Law Continued, 3:9-31

Marcus and Ken continue their discussion of Romans 3:9-31, taking a question regarding Circumcision and Baptism.EMAIL: Last week, in your interpretation of Romans 2:29, you replaced Christian for Jew as an application. Instead of what Paul wrote—“For he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart; spiritual and not literal”—you read: “For he is a Christian who is one inwardly, and real baptism is a matter of the heart; spiritual and not literal.” If this is an ac...

Jews, Gentiles, and Works of the Law, Romans 2:25-29, Romans 3:1-8

Marcus and Ken continue their discussion of Romans

Jews, Gentiles, and Works of the Law, Romans 2:6-24

Marcus and Ken continue their discussion of Romans

In Passing Judgement Upon Him You Condemn Yourself, Romans 2:1-8

In His love, God has revealed Himself to humanity in three ways: (1) through HIs creation; (2) to His chosen people Israel; and (3) through the Gospel. In Romans 1:16-21, which we discussed last week, we see that because of these revelations, mankind is without excuse. As St. Paul wrote in verse 21: So they are without excuse, for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened.

God's Revelation and Human Freedom, Continuing Romans 1:22-32, 2:1-8

In His love, God has revealed Himself to humanity in three ways: (1) through HIs creation; (2) to His chosen people Israel; and (3) through the Gospel. In Romans 1:16-21, which we discussed last week, we see that because of these revelations, mankind is without excuse. As St. Paul wrote in verse 21: So they are without excuse, for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened.

The Consequences of Rejecting the Gospel, Romans 1

Marcus Grodi and Kenneth Howell discuss what happens when people reject God in rejecting his revelation through natural revelation, the prophets, and through the Gospel itself.

Apostolic Authority and Succession, Romans 1

At first glance, this passage may seem insignificant, sounds like merely an introduction, breaking ice with these Christians he has never met, before he gets into the meat of the letter, but behind it is the assumption of Apostolic authority and the practice of a Bishop, which was witnessed to in the NT, Paul’s Letter, and the ECF.

What Exactly is “the Gospel” Anyway? Romans 1

What is “the Gospel of God”? When St. Paul said he was not ashamed of the Gospel, or that he was “set apart for the gospel”, what did he meant by “the gospel”? Do all Christians agree on what this means? And what does “the gospel” require of us? What must we believe? What must we do? Or does it even require that we do anything, except believe in Jesus Christ? Today Marcus Grodi and Dr. Howell begin a series of study on the book of Romans.

Sharing the Gospel When It Is DIFFICULT! Romans 1:16

How do we tell a world, how do we tell our neighbors, the truth about Jesus Christ and the gift of salvation, when the world, even our neighbors, no longer share the common Christian assumptions? How do you tell them about Jesus when they no longer accept the possibility of a Creator God? Or how do you correct Christians who have inaccurate views of the faith, of Jesus, of the Church, which they only hear you through the lenses of their prejudice, or ignorance? And when does our own pride get in...

Faith, Works and Abraham Part 2: What must we do to be saved? Galatians 3:1-14

“What must we do to be saved?” This question draws us into the theological questions of salvation, justification, sanctification, faith and works, and the diversity of opinions on these issues have sadly divided Christians for centuries. Both sides of the arguments claim Saint Paul as their champions, but especially, through Saint Paul, point to Abraham as the model for all men of faith. Many non-Catholic Christians still presume that Catholics believe that they are saved by works, but is this t...

Faith, Works and Abraham: What do Catholics Really Believe? Galatians 3:1-14

Many people asked Jesus, “What must I do to be saved?”, and two thousand years later, many more are still asking this question. Over these two thousand years, many Christians have answered this question by positing a clear division between faith and works, or faith and the law, based supposedly on statements by St. Paul in his NT letters—with Abraham as the model for all men of faith. Many non-Catholic Christians still presume that Catholics believe that they are saved by works, but is this true...

The Bread of Life Discourse, John 6

This weekend in the liturgical calendar is the celebration of the feast of Corpus Christi. All around the world Catholics will be processing in the streets carrying the cross of Christ, honoring His sacrifice for our sins and salvation. But in our country were few people anymore learn or speak Latin, far too many people haven’t a clue what Corpus Christi means. Even people living in the city of this name are as oblivious to its meaning as many people living in San Francisco or Los Angeles. I’ve ...

Being and Abiding, Questions and Answers

Marcus Grodi and Dr. Kenneth Howell discuss "Being and Abiding" in Christ and then answer listener questions.

Christ’s Resurrection and Ours, 1 Corinthians 15:35-58, Catechism 992 – 1019

We’ve reached the end of our liturgical celebration and reflection on the resurrection and ascension of Christ our Lord, and now we celebration the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This gift of the Spirit was a fulfillment of the promise of Christ, to guide and power His Church, but like the ascension, the coming of the Holy Spirit loses it’s meaning apart from the resurrection of Christ, and our own boldly resurrection. In First Corinthians 15, Saint Paul addressed this question, but parti...

St. Matthias: A Witness to His Resurrection, 1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Today is the feast of St. Matthias. The remaining eleven apostles were gathered in the Upper Room, after the resurrection and ascension of our Lord, and Simon Peter, their leader appointed by Christ, called them to an important task: the replacement in the vacant office of Apostle of Judas. Of the two qualified men nominated, the Holy Spirit led them to chose St. Matthias, but the main reason for this act of choosing him to replace Judas was, as stated in the book of Acts, that “one of these men...

Continuing Reflection on Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension, 1 Corinthians 15:20-34

This is the weekend in which we celebrate the Ascension of our resurrected Lord to the right of the Father. There are many themes we could discuss concerning the meaning of the Ascension, but the Ascension means nothing apart from the resurrection. During these weeks between Easter Sunday and Pentecost, we are called to reflect on the meaning of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In First Corinthians 15, Saint Paul addressed this question, but particularly how the resurrected Christ changed his o...

A Look at Paul's Conversion and the Resurrected Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:8-11

During these weeks between Easter Sunday and Pentecost, we are called to reflect on the meaning of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, for our individual lives, for the lives of those around us, and for the entire world. “What difference does it make?”, as a former Secretary of State once quipped. In First Corinthians 15, Saint Paul addressed this question, but particularly how the resurrected Christ changed his own life and therefore why he believed it should change ours.

The Easter Season and 1 Corinthians 15 – Deep in Scripture Radio

We are now in the Easter season. This is not a time merely to box up and store the easter decorations, the bunnies, baskets, plastic eggs, and colored fake hay. Nor is it merely a time to continue feasting on the candy, while contemplating which exercise plan will be the most optimal in removing the evidence. Nor is this the time to merely put the Crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus behind us, return to Ordinary worship, until 50 days later we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit on Penteco...

The Holy Saturday Descent Into Hell: 1 Peter 3:19

On this day between Good Friday and Easter, how and where are we to follow Him? Scripture says, “being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit … he went and preached to the spirits in prison”? What does this mean for our Lord and for us?

Peace, Love, and Holiness: Hebrews 12:14

As Lent recedes and we approach Holy Week and Easter, the question arises to what extent have we benefited—have we changed or been changed—by the messages we have read or heard from Scripture or in Liturgy, by the graces of the sacraments, by the disciplines, or through our walking together with our Christians on this Lenten journey?