What does the whole Bible teach about which acts, attitudes, and attributes receive God's approval? In Lesson 30, Dave Rich shifts the class into Normative Ethics — the search for answers — and announces the organizing framework for the rest of the series: the Ten Commandments. Dave opens with a survey of biblical ethics summaries, from Ecclesiastes 12 and Micah 6:8 to the Golden Rule and Paul's charge to do all things to the glory of God. These summaries, he shows, are consistent with one anoth...
May 31, 2026•45 min•Ep. 30
Most Christians agree they should read the Bible—but how often? How much? And what do you do with the genealogies and census lists? In Lesson 29 of Christian Ethics and the Old Testament , Dave Rich turns the lens on the Bible itself, examining what Scripture says about its own intake and what that means for everyday practice. Rich walks through Psalm 19, Psalm 119, Joshua 1:8, Deuteronomy 6, and the example of the Bereans in Acts 17 to build a cumulative case for what biblical engagement actual...
May 24, 2026•41 min•Ep. 29
The Bible is trustworthy. But how do you know—and how do you use it rightly? In Lesson 28 of Christian Ethics and the Old Testament , Dave Rich brings the series' extended examination of scriptural authority to a close and turns the corner toward a foundational question: how do we interpret the Bible we've established as God's Word? Rich opens by tackling the charge of circular reasoning head-on. Is it logically valid to prove the Bible's authority from the Bible itself? He argues yes—and shows ...
May 17, 2026•46 min•Ep. 28
The Bible we hold is a translation of ancient manuscripts. But does that gap between the original autographs and our English Bibles introduce error we should be worried about? In Lesson 27 of Christian Ethics and the Old Testament, Dave Rich works through the transmission and translation of Scripture—and makes the case that we have every reason for confidence. Rich opens with the logic: reliable manuscripts plus faithful translation equals God's Word in English. Either piece can fail, and he wal...
May 10, 2026•48 min•Ep. 27
How do we know the Bible we hold today actually contains God's words—all of them, and only them? In Lesson 26 of Christian Ethics and the Old Testament, Dave Rich works through the doctrine of canonicity and its direct bearing on Christian ethics. If the whole Bible teaches us which acts, attitudes, and attributes receive God's approval, then it matters enormously whether we have the right books. Rich opens with three definitions of canon—exclusive, functional, and ontological—and argues that th...
May 03, 2026•46 min•Ep. 26
Dave Rich returns for Lesson 25 in the Christian Ethics and the Old Testament series. After establishing Scripture's authority through inspiration last session, this lesson works through the next essential questions: Is the Bible clear enough, necessary enough, and sufficient enough to serve as the foundation for Christian ethics? Rich opens with the doctrine of the clarity of Scripture—what theologians call perspicuity—grounding it in passages from Deuteronomy, Psalms, and the New Testament epi...
Apr 26, 2026•44 min•Ep. 25
What makes the Bible the right place to go for Christian ethics? Before addressing how source material can be misused in moral reasoning, Dave Rich steps back to answer a more foundational question: why is Scripture authoritative in the first place? In Lesson 24 of the Christian Ethics and the Old Testament series, Rich grounds the authority of Scripture in the doctrine of verbal inspiration — the biblical teaching that the words of the original autographs are God-breathed. Working through 2 Tim...
Apr 19, 2026•41 min•Ep. 24
Christians are called to obey God's commands — not merely to know them. But what happens when Christian ethics slides into error, minimizing the obligation to obey? In Lesson 23, Dave Rich continues the survey of antinomian ethical ditches, finishing Christian pragmatism before turning to free grace theology and a topic he calls "Sovereign Constraints and the Death of Choice." Christian pragmatism reduces ethics to results — the end justifies the means. Rich traces this error from secular teleol...
Apr 12, 2026•48 min•Ep. 23
What happens when Christian ethics goes wrong — on either side of the road? Lesson 22 of the Christian Ethics series covers the final rigorist errors and opens the antinomian ones. Dave Rich finishes the fundamentalist ethic from the previous lesson, drawing a clear line between biblical separation and the error of letting the world define the church's ethic in opposition to it. He then addresses scrupulosity — moralism with an emotional edge. For those prone to a hypervigilant conscience, Rich ...
Mar 29, 2026•44 min•Ep. 22
What does it look like when law overrides grace? In Lesson 21 of the Christian Ethics series, Dave Rich identifies a class of ethical errors he calls "rigorism" — a broad category of views that elevate obedience to law above its proper biblical place, sometimes to the point of outright heresy. Rich walks through four distinct expressions of this error. Pelagianism, the most extreme, denies grace entirely, insisting that human beings are inherently capable of meeting God's standard on their own —...
Mar 22, 2026•47 min•Ep. 21
What happens when obeying one of God's commands seems to require breaking another? Dave Rich continues this examination of impossible moral conflict by applying three major Christian ethical frameworks to two of history's most challenging scenarios: Rahab's lie to protect the Israelite spies, and the ten Boom family's decision to deceive Nazi soldiers to save Jewish lives. Conflicting absolutism says Rahab did the right thing — but still sinned and needed forgiveness. Graded absolutism says her ...
Mar 01, 2026•46 min•Ep. 20
What happens when obeying one command of God seems to require breaking another? That's the question at the center of this compelling lesson on Christian ethics — and it may be one of the most practically important questions a believer can wrestle with. In this episode, Dave Rich opens a multi-part series on apparent moral conflict — those moments when two God-given duties seem to pull in opposite directions. Drawing from a wide sweep of biblical accounts — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the ...
Feb 22, 2026•46 min•Ep. 19
Dave Rich concludes his examination of how Christians should approach the Old Testament for ethical guidance. Building on previous lessons about the Mosaic law, Rich shifts focus to the creation ordinances—commands given to Adam before the law of Moses even existed. He walks through Genesis to identify seven binding ordinances that remain in force today: procreation, subduing the earth, dominion over creatures, labor, the weekly Sabbath, and marriage. Rich demonstrates how these foundational com...
Feb 08, 2026•43 min•Ep. 18
Dave Rich continues his examination of how Christians should approach the Old Testament law. This teaching tackles one of the most debated questions in biblical ethics: Are believers still bound by the Mosaic law? Rich methodically works through the traditional categories of moral, ceremonial, and civil law, revealing why these divisions—while useful—don't actually appear in Scripture itself. He demonstrates that the Bible presents the law as a unified whole, yet the New Testament clearly teache...
Feb 01, 2026•39 min•Ep. 17
Dave Rich tackles one of the most debated questions in Christian theology: How should believers use the Old Testament law for ethical guidance? With clarity and biblical precision, he examines the 613 Mosaic laws and asks which ones still apply to Christians today. Why do we follow some commandments but not others? Are the Ten Commandments still binding? What about dietary restrictions and civil penalties? Rich walks through six major theological approaches to the law, from Marcionism's complete...
Jan 25, 2026•45 min•Ep. 16
Dave Rich continues exploring the conscience, part 2, in this biblical teaching on conscience development and maintenance. The conscience must be trained through God's Word and obedient choices to function properly. A clear conscience results from confessing sin, accepting God's forgiveness, and walking in truth. This lesson addresses weak, evil, and seared consciences that require biblical renewal. ★ Support this podcast ★...
Jan 18, 2026•40 min•Ep. 15
Dave Rich begins a critical examination of the Christian conscience in this first installment of Fire in the Hole. Drawing from both Old and New Testament texts, Rich explores the biblical foundation of conscience as a God-given human faculty that judges our actions and thoughts. Fire in the Hole examines how conscience functions differently in believers and unbelievers, examining passages in which the Old Testament uses phrases like "heart struck" and "integrity of heart" to convey what the New...
Jan 11, 2026•42 min•Ep. 14
Dave Rich continues exploring the believer's work in sanctification through five essential spiritual practices. Understanding God's fatherly discipline transforms trials from sorrowful experiences into opportunities for sanctification, yielding the peaceful fruit of righteousness. The believer's work in sanctification requires embracing various trials as necessary means God uses to refine faith and shape character. Believers participate in their sanctification through fasting, stewardship, and a...
Jan 04, 2026•45 min•Ep. 13
Dave Rich examines essential elements of the believer's work in sanctification, demonstrating how Christians actively cooperate with God's transforming power. Understanding the believer's work in sanctification requires recognizing both divine sovereignty and human responsibility, as Philippians 2:12-13 reveals. This practical teaching explores six vital practices that cultivate holiness: Bible intake through reading and study, devoted prayer during temptation, meaningful fellowship with other b...
Dec 28, 2025•43 min•Ep. 12
Dave Rich delivers a comprehensive examination of Christian ethics by exploring the biblical lists of virtues and vices found throughout Scripture. This message focuses on the attribute dimension of Christian ethics, demonstrating how virtues like faith, love, and the fear of God shape godly character while vices such as sexual immorality, selfish ambition, and jealousy must be actively resisted. Rich emphasizes the inseparable connection between Christian ethics and sanctification, showing that...
Dec 21, 2025•38 min•Ep. 11
The Fear of God stands as a foundational virtue in Christian ethics, appearing throughout Scripture as the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. Dave Rich examines this essential attribute in lesson 10 of his Christian ethics series, demonstrating how The Fear of God shapes believers' lives through faith, obedience, and trust. This biblical virtue appears in over 300 verses commanding believers to fear God while rejecting the fear of man or circumstances. The Fear of God leads to life, produces hum...
Dec 14, 2025•44 min•Ep. 10
Dave Rich explores love as a Christian virtue that pervades all moral decisions and relationships. This comprehensive virtue extends to believers and the lost, demonstrated through obedience, gratitude, and sacrificial service modeled after Christ's atoning love. Love as a Christian virtue means imitating God, who first loved us, fulfilling the law through neighbor love, and speaking truth lovingly. Paul declares that without love as a Christian virtue, even extraordinary spiritual gifts become ...
Dec 07, 2025•43 min•Ep. 9
Dave Rich explores love as a Christian virtue flowing from God's eternal nature within the Trinity. This love extends from the Father's love for the Son before creation, and it reaches believers through union with Christ. Christian love toward God manifests primarily through obedience to His commandments and covenant loyalty. Love as a Christian virtue includes profound gratitude for redemption from spiritual slavery. The biblical word "yada" connects thanksgiving with worship, demonstrating how...
Nov 30, 2025•39 min•Ep. 8
Dave Rich examines faith as a Christian virtue rooted in knowledge, assent, and trust in God's promises. Beyond justifying faith that receives salvation through Christ's righteousness, believers cultivate faith as a Christian virtue throughout sanctification. This active faith demonstrates itself through obedient works, as illustrated by Abraham and Rahab. Without faith as a Christian virtue, pleasing God remains impossible, making this essential for Christian ethics and daily obedience. Downloa...
Nov 23, 2025•39 min•Ep. 7
Dave Rich examines virtue ethics within Christian teaching, contrasting secular approaches with biblical principles. While godless virtue ethics lacks authority and struggles with practical guidance, Christian virtue ethics finds its foundation in God's character and Christ's perfect example. Scripture emphasizes moral excellence through passages such as 2 Peter 1:3-8, which call believers to cultivate virtues including knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, and love. Virtue ethics co...
Nov 09, 2025•42 min•Ep. 6
Dave Rich examines the glory of God as the central purpose of Christian living in this lesson on Christian ethics. The glory of God represents the ultimate telos—the motivation and purpose—behind every ethical decision believers make. Throughout Scripture —from Psalm 86 to Revelation 4 —the glory of God emerges as the reason for creation and the believer's chief end. The Hebrew word kavod and the Greek word doxa reveal three distinct biblical meanings: God's inherent gloriousness, the glory due ...
Nov 02, 2025•44 min•Ep. 5
Dave Rich examines situationism, the ethical system popularized by Joseph Fletcher, which claims that love is the only moral absolute. Through careful biblical analysis, Rich demonstrates why situationism fails as a Christian ethic despite its appealing simplicity. Fletcher's system collapses ethical decision-making into a single principle: do whatever seems most loving in any situation. However, Rich reveals how situationism misunderstands divine commands, ignores the greatest commandment to lo...
Oct 26, 2025•41 min•Ep. 4
Dave Rich examines the foundational ethical frameworks of deontology and teleology through a Christian lens. Deontology emphasizes rules-based ethics where acts conform to authoritative commands, while teleology focuses on purposes and intended results. Rich explores how secular systems like utilitarianism and ethical egoism attempt to establish moral authority apart from God, yet ultimately fail to answer the critical question: "Says who?" The presentation demonstrates that Christian ethics inc...
Oct 19, 2025•46 min•Ep. 3
Dave Rich examines the fundamental question of what makes a thing good by contrasting voluntarism vs. essentialism through the lens of Scripture. The discussion addresses whether God wills something because it is good, or whether something is good because God wills it. Through careful theological analysis, Rich demonstrates that God's immutable nature resolves this dilemma—His will is eternal, unchanging, and defines goodness itself. The session then critiques noncognitive ethical systems like l...
Oct 12, 2025•38 min•Ep. 2
This introduction to Christian ethics explores the foundational principles of biblical morality. The lesson examines three categories of ethics: descriptive, normative, and meta-ethics, with particular focus on understanding how Christians should approach ethical questions. Christian ethics differs fundamentally from secular philosophy because believers possess Scripture as their authoritative source. The study demonstrates that ethical behavior flows from identity in Christ rather than mere rul...
Oct 05, 2025•41 min•Ep. 1
