Jack Hibbs Podcast: United in Truth

Host: Pastor Jack Hibbs
Date: February 9, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Pastor Jack Hibbs dives into the pressing topic of unity in the body of Christ, examining what it truly means to be “united in truth.” Drawing from Romans 14 and 15, Psalm 133, and other key scriptural passages, Jack unpacks how believers are called to evaluate and support one another—not with condemnation, but with love, humility, and a foundation built on biblical truth. He confronts the tension between judgment and grace, discusses dangers of false unity, and highlights Jesus’ standards for true fellowship within the church.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Judging and Evaluating One Another Biblically

• Not Condemnation, But Fruit Inspection
  • Jack distinguishes between judging to condemn (which believers must not do) and examining the “fruit” in each other's lives to help one another grow (03:10–04:00).
  • "We are called to be fruit inspectors in the family of God... not with the spirit of condemnation." (03:30, Jack)
• Language Matters
  • The English word “judge” is too limited; in Greek and Hebrew, there’s a difference between discernment and condemnation (03:45–04:30).
• Restoration, Not Rejection
  • Christians are tasked with restoring those who stray rather than ostracizing them. Always, this must be done "with an outstretched arm of love and of hope” (01:39; repeated at 04:55).
  • “If you know somebody... they’re not walking right with the Lord, what are you supposed to do? Stone them? No, you’re supposed to reach out and pull them up out of the pit.” (04:56, Jack)

2. The Foundation of Christian Unity

• Unity Must Be Built on Truth
  • True unity is rooted in doctrinal agreement, not mere inclusivity or compromise (06:40–07:30).
  • “We never sacrifice truth for unity. Oh, our church is a church of unity. What does that mean?... You’ve got to be unified upon the truth.” (07:02, Jack)
• Psalm 133’s Vision of Unity
  • Biblical unity is as precious as anointing oil, signifying God’s blessing where truth and love come together (05:35–06:30).
• Dangers of False Unity
  • Admitting anyone, regardless of belief, doesn’t create “unity”—instead, it sows chaos:
  • "You're living a nightmare. You think it's a dream, it's a nightmare." (07:20, Jack)

3. Faith: Unseen but Evident

• Faith and Scientific Laws
  • Jack draws a parallel between faith and invisible scientific laws like gravity; both are unseen but their effects are undeniable (08:11–09:50).
  • “You can’t see gravity, but you can see the effects of gravity. The same is true about faith.” (09:08, Jack)
• Practical Faith and Accepting the “Weak”
  • Paul’s instruction in Romans: Accept those “weak in faith” without divisive arguments over secondary matters (10:10–12:30)
  • “That weak believer may actually be stronger than you in many things.” (11:45, Jack)

4. Warnings Against Division and False Teaching

• Marking Those Who Cause Division
  • Scriptural call to “note those who cause divisions and offenses”—not out of personal dislike, but on biblical grounds (13:40–14:56).
  • “If somebody’s always gossiping about others, you need to mark them... The Bible says that a talebearer divides friends. God hates that, by the way.” (14:35, Jack)
• Tradition vs. the Commandments of God
  • Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for elevating human tradition above God’s word (16:00–18:10).
  • “You have made the commandments of God of no effect by your tradition.” (17:55, Jack quoting Jesus)

5. External Appearances and True Worship

• God Looks at the Heart, Not the Outward Appearance
  • Jack dismantles superficial church standards that judge by clothing, culture, or style of worship (19:10–20:40).
  • “It's not what you're wearing that makes you a Christian....Going to church doesn't make you a Christian.” (20:25, Jack)
• Global, Joyful Diversity
  • The true church embraces believers from all cultures—what matters is genuine faith, not externals (20:48–21:20).
• John 1:12 as the Defining Mark
  • “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God to those who believe in His name. Church, is that enough?” (20:55, Jack)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Restoration, Not Rejection:
  • “If you know somebody... they’re not walking right with the Lord, what are you supposed to do? Stone them? No, you’re supposed to reach out and pull them up out of the pit.” (04:56, Jack)
• On False Unity:
  • “You’ve got to be unified upon the truth. And it’s the truth that will prevail to us today.” (07:09, Jack)
• On Fruit Inspection, Not Condemnation:
  • “Are you to judge me based upon my life’s statements, my lifestyle? The answer is yes. And I the same to you, but not with the spirit of condemnation. Always remember this. As believers and followers of Christ, we are to always be making our evaluation, our assessment, with an outstretched arm of love and of hope.” (03:40, Jack)
• On Legalism and Tradition:
  • “Thus you have made the commandments of God of no effect by your tradition. Jesus is so mild, he says, ‘Hypocrites’... In vain they worship me.” (17:56–18:34, Jack quoting Jesus)
• On Grace vs. Cultural Expectations:
  • “If you go to the jungles of South America, if you go to Brazil, you’re gonna see Christians worshipping God... And we think because we’re from New York City that if they don’t put a suit on, they cannot be worshipping God. What’s wrong with us?” (19:27, Jack)

Key Timestamps

• [01:39] — Call to restore wayward believers with love, not condemnation.
• [03:30] — Explanation on biblical “judging” as fruit inspection.
• [05:35] — Psalm 133 and the beauty of unity in the church.
• [07:02] — Risks of “unity” without truth as foundation.
• [09:08] — Analogy of faith and the unseen laws of science.
• [10:10] — Romans 14: acceptance of the “weak” in faith.
• [14:35] — Dangers of gossip and division within the church.
• [17:55] — Jesus rebukes traditions that overshadow God’s commandments.
• [19:27] — Warning against superficial definitions of worship.
• [20:55] — The only true qualifier for being God’s child: receiving Christ.

Tone & Closing Thoughts

Jack Hibbs speaks candidly, balancing pastoral warmth with direct biblical admonition. His tone mixes encouragement (“Always remember... with an outstretched arm of love and of hope”) with humor and challenge (jokes about worship attire and “Krispy Kreme” vs. church attendance). The episode ultimately challenges listeners to stand firm on truth, show grace to fellow believers, and remember that God measures the heart—not the external trappings.

For more resources or to download outlines, visit jackhibbs.com.