60 Second Christianity
121 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsExploring what Christians think and believe in one-minute segments. What is the Bible? Who is God? How does someone become a Christian? How are Christians supposed to think and live? Scott Wylie breaks down Christianity in short episodes and plain language.
Scott is the Executive Director and Broadcast Host at Wisdom International. Wisdom International is a nonprofit dedicated to helping people know God, think biblically and live wisely through Podcasts, Radio Broadcasts, Videos, Books and other Bible Teaching Resources.
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Episodes
What does it mean that God is rightous?
July 16, 2020 11:00 - 1 minute - 897 KBWhat does it mean that God is righteous? The easiest way to understand God’s righteousness is to know that everything he does is the right thing to do. Moses said it like this in Deuteronomy 32:4. Speaking of God, he said: “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.” Simply put, it means that God always does what is right. By the way, this is part of what it means to be God. That’s because God is the standa...
38: How does God's holiness relate to us?
June 25, 2020 12:00 - 1 minute - 897 KBHow does God's holiness relate to us? Well, for the Christian, the implications are significant. The Bible tells us that the holiness of God provides Christians with an example that we are supposed to follow. We certainly can’t do it perfectly as God can, but we are supposed to live lives of holiness and seek to remove sin from our lives. God declared to his people in Leviticus 19:2 that “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” Now remember, this is what we strive for, even thou...
37: Is God selfish?
June 22, 2020 12:00 - 1 minute - 897 KBIs God selfish? God is holy in that he can’t sin. God is also the one who determines what is or is not sin. So for God to be holy means that he is devoted to his own will, and devoted to continually pursuing his own honor and glory. I used to be a children’s pastor and children struggled with this because it seems selfish. It’s not. If I live my life in pursuit of my own glory, that would be sinful. It’s idolatry to honor anything above God. But we need to remember that the same is true for ...
36: What does it mean that God is holy?
June 18, 2020 12:00 - 1 minute - 897 KBThe Bible declares that God is holy. One very clear example of that is Psalm 99:9 where David gives us this command: “Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy!” To be holy means to set apart from what is worldly or common, and to be completely separated from sin. So there is nothing about God that is impure or sinful. Everything that he does is right and good. In 1 John 1:5, John didn’t use the word holy but he described what holiness is when he ...
35: What is "propitiation"?
June 15, 2020 12:00 - 1 minute - 897 KBA few episodes back, I read a verse from 1 John where Jesus is said to be the propitiation for our sin. That’s a word that most people don’t use often, but it’s important to know what it means. Webster dictionary defines it as “the act of gaining or regaining the favor or goodwill of someone.” That accurately represents how the word is used in the Bible. Because of our sin, we are out of favor with God. Jesus accomplished propitiation for us. His sacrifice appeased God’s wrath and made it po...
34: Why is racism a blasphemy against God?
June 02, 2020 19:00 - 1 minute - 897 KBWhy is racism a blasphemy against God? It is, and here’s why. The Bible tells us that God created the first human couple and that all humans since then are descendants from that one family. Any belief that one person is inherently better than another, violates God’s created order. He created one human race, and we are all part of it. In Genesis chapter 12, God called Abraham to be the father of the faith and declared that in Abraham, all the nations of the world would be blessed. Then in Rev...
33: How can we really love others?
May 28, 2020 11:00 - 1 minute - 897 KBI’ve spent the last few episodes considering God’s love, and today I turn it around to consider our love for each other. The Bible says that because God loves us, we are able to share that love with the people in our lives. Jesus said this in Matthew 22: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” We all know how hard that really is. Loving people as God expects is only possible because Go...
32: Does God love sinners?
May 25, 2020 11:00 - 1 minute - 897 KBDoes God love sinners? Well, the simple answer to that is "yes" and a key truth to remember if you’re a Christian is that God loved you before you loved him. In fact, that’s part of what makes God’s love so amazing - he gives it to sinners like us. Paul said this in Romans 5:8: “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” People sometimes make the false assumption that God loves people who are good. Or maybe you tend to think that God will love you...
31: Does God love us?
May 21, 2020 11:00 - 1 minute - 897 KBLast time I mentioned that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have eternally demonstrated love. The really good news for us is that God chose to direct his love toward us as well. When John was helping us understand what it means to love, he said this in 1John 4:10 “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” I’ll need to look at the word “propitiation” in a future episode. But for now, the key truth is that God decided to...
30: What does it mean that God is love?
May 18, 2020 11:00 - 1 minute - 897 KBOne of the Bible’s famous verses is 1John 4:8 which tells us that “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” In answer to the question, “Who is God?” or “What is God?”, I’ve heard Christians reply by simply saying “God is Love!” The theological truth behind the concept of God being love is that for all eternity, God has been actively giving of himself for the good of others. When I say “all of eternity” I mean that literally. For example, in John 17:24, Jesus was spea...
Why does it matter that God knows everything?
May 14, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBThe last two episodes have focused on the fact that God knows everything. He knows everything that has or will happen, and he knows the infinite number of things that could have happened but didn’t. I want to pause today and comment on the fact that God’s omniscience should be a source of comfort for the Christian. As you experience the events of your life, you likely have times of joy and times of sorrow and distress. While those times might take you by surprise, they are never a surprise t...
29: Why does it matter that God knows everything?
May 14, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBThe last two episodes have focused on the fact that God knows everything. He knows everything that has or will happen, and he knows the infinite number of things that could have happened but didn’t. I want to pause today and comment on the fact that God’s omniscience should be a source of comfort for the Christian. As you experience the events of your life, you likely have times of joy and times of sorrow and distress. While those times might take you by surprise, they are never a surprise t...
28: Does God know what could have happened but didn't?
May 11, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBLast time I said that God knows everything, but that he didn’t learn what he knows. There’s never a time when God doesn’t know something and comes to know it later. God knows everything there is to know about himself, and everything there is to know about the universe. To take God’s omniscience even further, he doesn’t just know all that there is. He also knows all that there could have been. For example, when he created the universe, he could have created different kinds of creatures. If yo...
Does God know what could have happened but didn't?
May 11, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBLast time I said that God knows everything, but that he didn’t learn what he knows. There’s never a time when God doesn’t know something and comes to know it later. God knows everything there is to know about himself, and everything there is to know about the universe. To take God’s omniscience even further, he doesn’t just know all that there is. He also knows all that there could have been. For example, when he created the universe, he could have created different kinds of creatures. If yo...
27: What does God know?
May 07, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBWhat does God know? One of the core attributes of God is that he is omniscient. What that means is that God knows everything. In 1 John, John wrote about love being the mark of the Christian and how the presence of love can reassure us that we are really saved. Then he said this: “For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. But God doesn’t know things the way you and I know things. Everything that you know, there was a time when you didn’t know...
What does God know?
May 07, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBWhat does God know? One of the core attributes of God is that he is omniscient. What that means is that God knows everything. In 1 John, John wrote about love being the mark of the Christian and how the presence of love can reassure us that we are really saved. Then he said this: “For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. But God doesn’t know things the way you and I know things. Everything that you know, there was a time when you didn’t know...
How could some authors of the Bible see God?
May 04, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBIf God is invisible, how is it that some authors of the Bible say that they saw him? Even though God is a spirit being and is not confined to a body, there are times when God revealed himself by taking on a form that could be seen. One example of that is something Abraham experienced. Genesis 18:1 says this: “And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.” God took on some sort of a visible form that Abraham was able to see and ha...
26: How could some authors of the Bible see God?
May 04, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBIf God is invisible, how is it that some authors of the Bible say that they saw him? Even though God is a spirit being and is not confined to a body, there are times when God revealed himself by taking on a form that could be seen. One example of that is something Abraham experienced. Genesis 18:1 says this: “And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.” God took on some sort of a visible form that Abraham was able to see and ha...
25: Can we see God?
April 30, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBThe last two podcasts looked at the idea of God being omnipresent. The reason that’s possible is because God is not confined to a body. God is a spirit, and therefore, we would also affirm that God is invisible. Even though God is present, with you, wherever you are listening to this, you can’t see him. The nature of his being is spirit, and we are beings who have bodies. We can see and touch and feel the physical world, but not the spirit world. The Apostle John put it like this in John 1:1...
Can we see God?
April 30, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBThe last two podcasts looked at the idea of God being omnipresent. The reason that’s possible is because God is not confined to a body. God is a spirit, and therefore, we would also affirm that God is invisible. Even though God is present, with you, wherever you are listening to this, you can’t see him. The nature of his being is spirit, and we are beings who have bodies. We can see and touch and feel the physical world, but not the spirit world. The Apostle John put it like this in John 1:1...
24: If God is everywhere, is he even in hell?
April 27, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBLast time, I said that God is everywhere at the same time. Someone asked me if that means God is in hell. The answer has to be yes. Hell is part of God’s creation and if God is omnipresent, He is present in hell. The way to think about this is to remember that even though God is everywhere, he acts differently in different places. For the believer, both now and in heaven, God’s presence will bring blessing. David said this in Psalm 16:11: “In your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your ...
If God is everywhere, is he even in hell?
April 27, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBLast time, I said that God is everywhere at the same time. Someone asked me if that means God is in hell. The answer has to be yes. Hell is part of God’s creation and if God is omnipresent, He is present in hell. The way to think about this is to remember that even though God is everywhere, he acts differently in different places. For the believer, both now and in heaven, God’s presence will bring blessing. David said this in Psalm 16:11: “In your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your ...
Where is God?
April 23, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBWhere is God? Well, that’s sort of a trick question. Many people might say God is in Heaven. The truth is that God is everywhere. The word we use to describe that is omnipresent. The prefix omni means all. So the word omnipresent means that God is present everywhere. There are no limits on God regarding where he is or where he can be. You have a body, and your body can be in one place. If you’re in Singapore right now, you can’t also be in India. God doesn’t have size dimensions or an amount...
23: Where is God?
April 23, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBWhere is God? Well, that’s sort of a trick question. Many people might say God is in heaven. The truth is that God is everywhere. The word we use to describe that is omnipresent. The prefix omni means all. So the word omnipresent means that God is present everywhere. There are no limits on God regarding where he is or where he can be. You have a body, and your body can only be in one place. If you’re in Singapore right now, you can’t also be in India. God doesn’t have size dimensions or an a...
22: How is one day like one thousand years for God?
April 20, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBI’ve been looking lately at the truth that God is eternal. I said that God doesn’t experience time as we do. The events that we experienced as our past, or the things that we have not yet experienced, and are our future, are all in the present to God. However, sometimes the authors of the Bible explain this by using time references. Peter wrote that “with the Lord, a thousand years is as one day.” He also turned that around and said “one day is as a thousand years.” Peter’s reference to time...
How is one day like one thousand years for God?
April 20, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBI’ve been looking lately at the truth that God is eternal. I said that God doesn’t experience time as we do. The events that we experienced as our past, or the things that we have not yet experienced, and are our future, are all in the present to God. However, sometimes the authors of the Bible explain this by using time references. Peter wrote that “with the Lord, a thousand years is as one day.” He also turned that around and said “one day is as a thousand years.” Peter’s reference to time...
What does it mean to be outside of time?
April 16, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBLast time I mentioned that exists outside of time. When I was a Children’s Pastor, I tried to help kids understand this by using the analogy of a parade. When we watch a parade, it comes by us as a sequence of floats and bands and performances. When we’re sitting on that curb, we see what’s in front of us. We can remember what’s already gone by us, but that’s the past. We can start to hear what is still coming toward us, but that’s the future. That’s still to come. In this analogy, God would...
21: What does it mean to be outside of time?
April 16, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBLast time I mentioned that exists outside of time. When I was a Children’s Pastor, I tried to help kids understand this by using the analogy of a parade. When we watch a parade, it comes by us as a sequence of floats and bands and performances. When we’re sitting on that curb, we see what’s in front of us. We can remember what’s already gone by us, but that’s the past. We begin to hear what is still coming toward us, but that’s the future. That’s still to come. In this analogy, God would be ...
How does God experience time?
April 13, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBLast time I said that God is eternal. He never had a beginning and will never have an end. It’s difficult for us to grasp this but before anything else existed, God was there. And he will always exist. But even in talking about God being eternal, we use references to time because we don’t have any other frame of reference that we can relate to. We talk about eternity past and eternity future. But the reality is that God is outside of time. He doesn’t experience events in succession like you....
20: How does God experience time?
April 13, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBLast time I said that God is eternal. He never had a beginning and will never have an end. It’s difficult for us to grasp this, but before anything else existed, God was there. And he will always exist. But even in talking about God being eternal, we use references to time because we don’t have any other frame of reference that we can relate to. We talk about eternity past and eternity future. But the reality is that God is outside of time. He doesn’t experience events in succession like you...
What does it mean that God is eternal?
April 09, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBWhat does it mean that God is eternal? For something to be eternal would require that it never had a beginning and that it will never have an end. In the entire universe, there is nothing that’s eternal except for God. God did not begin and he will not end. One place we can go in the Bible to learn this is Psalm 90, verse 2. The English Standard Version says this: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are...
19: What does it mean that God is eternal?
April 09, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBWhat does it mean that God is eternal? For something to be eternal would require that it never had a beginning and that it will never have an end. In the entire universe, there is nothing that’s eternal except for God. God did not begin and he will not end. One place we can go in the Bible to learn this is Psalm 90, verse 2. The English Standard Version says this: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are...
Does God act the same way in all situations?
April 06, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBLast time I said that that there are aspects of God that never change. In saying that, we also need to remember that God does act differently and feel differently in different situations. For example, the Bible tells us that God loves all people. The Bible also tells us that God will act differently toward those who place their faith in him as compared to those who reject him. He acts differently in each of those cases. It’s critical for Christians to understand this. God hates the sin of Ch...
18: Does God act the same way in all situations?
April 06, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBLast time, I said that that there are aspects of God that never change. In saying that, we also need to remember that God does act differently and feel differently in different situations. For example, the Bible tells us that God loves all people. The Bible also tells us that God will act differently toward those who place their faith in him as compared to those who reject him. He acts differently in each of those cases. It’s critical for Christians to understand this. God hates the sin of C...
Does God change?
April 02, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBThe Bible tells us that there are many aspects of God that are unchangeable. In particular, he’s unchangeable in his being, his attributes, his purposes, and his promises. In each of those areas, God is unique in this regard. As humans, our being or nature changes. For example, someday we will exchange our current bodies with new and glorified bodies. Our attributes change. Even the things that we intend to do and the promise we make can change. But in each of those areas, God doesn’t change...
17: Does God change?
April 02, 2020 10:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBThe Bible tells us that there are many aspects of God that are unchangeable. In particular, he’s unchangeable in his being, his attributes, his purposes, and his promises. In each of those areas, God is unique in this regard. As humans, our being or nature changes. For example, someday we will exchange our current bodies with new and glorified bodies. Our attributes change. Even the things that we intend to do and the promises we make can change. But in each of those areas, God doesn’t chang...
16: Is it possible to know God?
March 30, 2020 09:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBIs it possible to know God? The Christian response is yes, and no. We can’t know everything there is to know about God. We’re bound by the confines of space, time and limited knowledge. God doesn’t have any of those limitations. God is omnipresent, infinite and omniscient. The Bible says in Psalm 145 that God’s greatness is unsearchable. In other words, we’ll never fully know him. Thankfully, Jesus became a man and lived here on earth. Jesus was known and he told us that if we know Him, we k...
Is it possible to know God?
March 30, 2020 09:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBIs it possible to know God? The Christian response is yes, and no. We can’t know everything there is to know about God. We’re bound by the confines of space, time and limited knowledge. God doesn’t have any of those limitations. God is omnipresent, infinite and omniscient. The Bible says in Psalm 145 that God’s greatness is unsearchable. In other words, we’ll never fully know him. Thankfully, Jesus became a man and lived here on earth. Jesus was known and he told us that if we know Him, we k...
Do humans share a universal sense that there is a God?
March 26, 2020 09:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBDo humans share a universal sense that there is a God? Despite how an atheist or agnostic might think, Christians would answer yes, and here’s why. The Bible teaches that God created all people, in all places and at all times with an inner sense that he exists. In Romans 1:19, Paul talks about people who don’t believe in God and he says this: “What can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them.” When people don’t believe this, Paul said in verse 25 that it’s becaus...
15: Do humans share a universal sense that there is a God?
March 26, 2020 09:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBDo humans share a universal sense that there is a God? Despite how an atheist or agnostic might think, Christians would answer yes, and here’s why. The Bible teaches that God created all people, in all places and at all times with an inner sense that he exists. In Romans 1:19, Paul talks about people who don’t believe in God and he says this: “What can be known about God is plain to them because God has shown it to them.” When people don’t believe this, Paul said in verse 25 that it’s becaus...
The Bible Assumes God's Existence
March 23, 2020 11:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBDoes God exist? When you read the Bible, you don’t find an argument for the proof of God’s existence. There’s no passage that lays out the case or responds to the premise of Here’s how you know there is a God. Philosophers and theologians have laid out arguments for the existence of God, and there are many books that talk about that. When you come to the Bible, the Bible simply assumes that God exists. In fact, the Bible begins with the assumption that there is a God. It says “In the beginni...
14: The Bible Assumes God's Existence
March 23, 2020 11:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBDoes God exist? When you read the Bible, you don’t find an argument for the proof of God’s existence. There’s no passage that lays out the case or responds to the premise, "Here’s how you know there is a God." Philosophers and theologians have laid out arguments for the existence of God, and there are many books that talk about that. When you come to the Bible, the Bible simply assumes that God exists. In fact, the Bible begins with the assumption that there is a God. It says “In the beginni...
Not Everything the Bible Allows is Wise
March 19, 2020 11:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBThe doctrine of the Bible’s sufficiency implies that an action is not a sin unless the Bible says it is. Christians also distinguish between something being sinful and something being wise. Asking the question “is what I’m about to do a sin” is a great place to start, but it’s not the only question. For example, a behavior might not be a sin, but there might be some good reasons to avoid or limit that behavior. My point in the last episode was not to say we should do whatever we want as long...
13: Not Everything the Bible Allows is Wise
March 19, 2020 11:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBThe doctrine of the Bible’s sufficiency implies that an action is not a sin unless the Bible says it is. Christians also distinguish between something being sinful and something being wise. Asking the question “is what I’m about to do a sin?” is a great place to start, but it’s not the only question. For example, a behavior might not be a sin, but there might be some good reasons to avoid or limit that behavior. My point in the last episode was not to say we should do whatever we want as lon...
What makes something a sin?
March 16, 2020 14:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBSince Christians believe that the Bible is God’s Word, that means’ there’s no higher authority. Stated positively, it means that we do as the Bible commands. But it also means that we don’t add commands to the Bible that’s aren’t there. To say it another way, nothing is a sin that the Bible doesn’t classify as sin, either by clear teaching or by principle. I grew up in a tradition that tended to do this. For example, we thought it was sinful to use playing cards because some people use cards...
12: What makes something a sin?
March 16, 2020 14:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBSince Christians believe that the Bible is God’s Word, that means there’s no higher authority. Stated positively, it means that we do as the Bible commands. But it also means that we don’t add commands to the Bible that’s aren’t there. To say it another way, nothing is a sin that the Bible doesn’t classify as sin, either by clear teaching or by principle. I grew up in a tradition that tended to do this. For example, we thought it was sinful to use playing cards because some people use cards ...
11: Obey the Bible's Commands, and Follow the Bible's Principles
March 12, 2020 14:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBGod told us everything we need to know to live as Christians. But what if the Bible doesn’t mention a particular topic? When we don't have clear instructions in the Bible, Christians we use principles from the Bible to make decisions. Let me give an example. The Bible doesn’t have a command telling us what day the church should gather. However, in the Bible, the first Christians gathered on The Lord’s Day or Sunday. Based on that example, the church I’m part of meets on Sunday. It’s not a si...
Obey the Bibles Commands, and Follow the Bible's Principles
March 12, 2020 14:00 - 1 minute - 894 KBGod told us everything we need to know to live as Christians. But what if the Bible doesn’t mention a particular topic? When we don't have clear instructions in the Bible, Christians we use principles from the Bible to make decisions. Let me give an example. The Bible doesn’t have a command telling us what day the church should gather. However, in the Bible, the first Christians gathered on The Lord’s Day or Sunday. Based on that example, the church I’m part of meets on Sunday. It’s not a si...
What is the "sufficiency of Scripture?"
March 09, 2020 11:00 - 1 minute - 890 KBThe Bible contains everything we need to know to have and maintain relationships with God. The theological term to describe that is “sufficiency”. Or the sufficiency of Scripture. Based on this belief, if we want to know what God thinks about something, we search the Bible to find out. Not everything that humans could possibly know is in the Bible. My son Chad can’t read the Bible for sports predictions. The Bible doesn’t tell us everything about math or science of history. But everything Go...
10: What is the "sufficiency of Scripture?"
March 09, 2020 11:00 - 1 minute - 898 KBThe Bible contains everything we need to know to have and maintain a relationship with God. The theological term to describe that is “sufficiency”. Or the sufficiency of Scripture. Based on this belief, if we want to know what God thinks about something, we search the Bible to find out. Not everything that humans could possibly know is in the Bible. My son Chad can’t read the Bible for sports predictions. The Bible doesn’t tell us everything about math or science or history. But everything G...