The One Question Every Political Debate Must Answer

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Wretched Radio with Todd Friel

Episode: "The One Question Every Political Debate Must Answer"

Date: July 20, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of Wretched Radio centers on the crucial question underlying every political debate: "Who says?" Host Todd Friel uses a recent speech by Stephen Miller, former Trump administration official, as a case study to examine the issue of authority in political, social, and moral arguments. Friel argues that unless arguments are grounded in God's authority as revealed in the Bible, all appeals—be they to law, history, civilization, or personal instinct—are ultimately unstable. The episode challenges Christians to engage the public square distinctively, grounding their views and discourse in Scripture rather than merely human tradition or reason.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Central Question: "Who Says?"

• Theme: Every political and moral debate boils down to a question of authority.
  • Quote [03:10] (Guest): “This is the fundamental argument not only of our time, but of every era and epoch: Authority. Who says what is the right way to live, to do government, to run a society?”
• Friel critiques appeals to law, history, civilization, and tradition as “leaky authorities,” easily questioned or redefined in the modern context.
  • Quote [04:33] (Guest): “Anybody could argue, well, they didn’t know as much then as we know now... we can concoct a better system. Therefore, we conclude we’re right. And that is why, as a Christian, ultimately, if you’re ever debating... they're going to push you: 'Well, who says?'”
• The Bible, and specifically God’s revealed will, is presented as the only unshakeable authority.
  • Quote [07:40] (Guest): "He injects God, but he was also using all those other sources of authority. But that is the big one. When they reject God, they are going to desire to write the rules."

2. Listening Christianly: Evaluating Stephen Miller’s Arguments

• Friel urges Christians to listen to social and political commentary with discernment—”listening Christianly”—not just for conclusions but for underlying authority claims.
  • Quote [01:20] (Guest): "A Jewish man can’t understand politics, can’t understand social issues biblically, because... he’s not using the New Testament at least."
• Miller’s speech decries the left as claiming to be their own arbiters of right and wrong. Friel points out both left and right are susceptible to this, unless authority is explicitly grounded in God.
• Friel critiques the use of pejoratives like “useful idiots” as not fitting Christian discourse, emphasizing charity in speech.
  • Quote [09:18] (Guest): "As a quibble, that's not Christian discourse... not a pejorative I would use."

3. The Deeper Spiritual Reality

• The episode draws a direct connection between societal rebellion and spiritual rebellion against God.
  • Quote [10:03] (Guest): “Their hatred is not ultimately aimed at us. This is cosmic... If you’ve ever pondered when Paul in Ephesians... an entire chapter to spiritual warfare... This is the war that we’re engaged in.”
• Friel interprets envy, hatred, and subversive behavior as evidence of deeper hatred toward God, not merely political adversaries or institutions.
  • Quote [09:54] (Guest): "It's not hatred of Donald Trump... It's hatred of God. Because anything that is biblically sound, that is hated, is not motivated by the issue itself, but the author of the issue."

4. Biblical Patterns: Secular Humanism Explored

• Friel connects current political phenomena to biblical narratives—rebellion in the Garden of Eden, the Book of Judges, Sodom and Gomorrah, the Tower of Babel—as cycles of rejecting God’s authority for man's.
  • Quote [30:49] (Guest): “Secular humanism says, my way, it started in the garden. What did the devil say? Indeed, ‘Has God really said?’ That’s secular humanism in the garden.”
• The Book of Judges is especially highlighted as an example of societal collapse when “every man did that which was right in his own eyes."
  • Quote [30:49] (Guest): "When God is rejected in a society, you can take it to the bank... It is going to get ugly. If you want to, here's an exercise: read the Book of Judges and look for the progression of depravity."

5. Applying the Authority of Scripture

• Friel insists Christians must sound different in all arenas—political, parental, personal—because they operate from “God says,” not “I say.”
  • Quote [43:58] (Guest): "Because if we don’t bring in God, we have no authority. And you better be really witty, really clever... We need to bring an authority with us. We need to talk different than every other Republican. Our talk should be different. And if I could slip this in, as a parent, your talk should be different than other parents."
• Scriptural grounding is suggested not only for debates about abortion, sexuality, and justice, but for practical matters like parenting and work ethic.
  • Quote [46:10] (Guest): "We must, as parents, use the authority of the Word. Honey, these are not my rules. These are God's rules. And guess what? His rules are always best for you."

6. Evangelism and Ultimate Change

• The true crisis, Friel says, is not political but spiritual; evangelism is the only ultimate remedy.
  • Quote [38:28] (Guest): “This is why evangelism is our answer to the current political crisis. Because it’s not a political issue. If people don’t start getting saved lickety split, you and your family, frankly, are in danger.”
• Quoting Charles Spurgeon, Friel asserts that only “Thus says the Lord” claims true authority.
  • Quote [47:30] (Spurgeon via Friel): “Thus says the Lord. This is the motto of our standard, the war cry of our spiritual conflict, the sword with which we hope yet to smite through the loins of the mighty who rise up against God’s truth... nothing has any authority, but 'thus says the Lord of hosts.’”

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Notable Moments & Quotes

• [03:10] (Guest): “This is the fundamental argument... Who says what is the right way to live, to do government, to run a society?”
• [20:31] (Guest): “This is cosmic... This is a spiritual battle through and through.”
• [23:36] (Guest): “Why? What’s beautiful? How do we know what beauty is? God, you’ve got to have an ultimate standard...”
• [43:58] (Guest): “Our talk should be different. And if I could slip this in, as a parent, your talk should be different than other parents... Not that God is the authoritarian bad guy, but he is the authoritarian, and he’s a good guy.”
• [47:30] (Spurgeon via Friel): “Thus says the Lord. This is the hammer of God’s builders. This is the trumpet of his watchmen and the sword of his warriors. Woe to the man who comes in any other name... nothing has any authority, but thus says the Lord of hosts.”
• [38:28] (Guest): "This is why evangelism is our answer to the current political crisis. Because it's not a political issue. If people don't start getting saved lickety split, you and your family, frankly, are in danger."
• [53:11] (Guest, joking): “I have no idea. I think what he was trying to tell us is: I make thunder.”

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Important Timestamps & Segment Highlights

• [00:34] – Illustration about Christian vs. non-Christian authority; Jewish rabbi and Christian sermon analogy.
• [02:56] – Introduction of Stephen Miller’s speech as a case study on appeals to authority.
• [04:29] – Dissection of “appeal to authority” in political debate.
• [13:22] – Discussion of “normality” and cultural standards: appearance, family, morality.
• [20:31] – Emphasis on the cosmic/spiritual nature of cultural conflicts.
• [25:17] – Distinctive Christian speech: “Why do you keep quoting the Bible?”/”God has everything to do with this.”
• [29:24] – Survey of “says who?” in biblical and modern contexts; summary of Old Testament authority issues.
• [43:58] – Parenting and practical living: using God’s authority as the basis for daily life and instruction.
• [47:30] – Charles Spurgeon’s admonition on “Thus says the Lord” as the only true authority for the church and society.
• [53:11] – Lighthearted moment: “I think what he was trying to tell us is: I make thunder... but thunder is not how God speaks a particular message.”

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Conclusion & Takeaways

Todd Friel calls Christians to a radical re-imagining of their public engagement: grounding every political, social, and personal stance on the authority of Scripture. He urges believers not to simply be another voice among many but to “sound different”—to be marked by submission to “Thus says the Lord.” Only this, he argues, offers real power and lasting persuasion. Political crises are ultimately spiritual, and evangelism is the only path to true societal healing.

Final Thought [49:38] (Spurgeon via Friel):
"We will listen to the opinions of great men with the respect with which they deserve as men. But having so done, we deny that we have anything to do with these men as authorities. For nothing has any authority. But thus says the Lord of hosts."

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For Christians entering any debate or arena, Friel’s episode is a clarion call: always bring your authority with you—the Word of God—or risk becoming just another voice lost in the clamor of men.

Transcript

[Todd Friel]

Wretched radio begins in 3, 2, 1. Now, I can preach it like this, okay?

[Jimmy Hicks]

Repent.

[Fortis Institute Announcer]

Or I can tell you change your mind.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Preaching repentance in the area of consciousness of sins is dishonoring the work of Jesus.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

Repentance means you realize you're guilty, that you deserve the wrath and punishment of God. You begin to realize that sin is in you, and you turn your back on it in every shape and form. You renounce the world, whatever the cost, and you deny yourself and take up the cross and go after Christ.

[Todd Friel]

It's time for Wretched Radio with Tod Friel.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

If this is true, the converse must be true also. And I'm not talking about tennis shoes, because I'm not even still in business. This is Wretched Radio. Perhaps you've heard it said that if a pastor preaches a sermon on a Sunday morning with a Jewish rabbi in the audience and the rabbi affirms everything the pastor preaches, oh, that sermon ain't Christian. Conversely, if a Jewish man is speaking and I affirm everything, then I believe it is correct to conclude, then I am not listening Christianly because I should hear a Jewish person speaking on politics and social issues and say, that doesn't align with the Bible.

[Todd Friel]

Why?

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

Because he's not using the Bible. Which is precisely my point. Point. Stephen Miller was speaking at a conference titled the Resurgence of Political Terrorism. He's the deputy chief of staff in the Trump administration. This dude is. He's a pistol. He's, wow, this guy. I wouldn't care to debate this fellow. He's whip smart. But his presentation, if you listen Christianly, whilst much of it was good, I'm not sure that we can affirm entirely. Why? Well, because a Jewish man can't understand politics, can't understand social issues biblically, because, well, he's not using the New Testament at least. And so it is. As I was listening to this presentation, I found myself cheering, and I don't want to say jeering, but. But cheering and going. In other words, I was sounding like what a Jewish rabbi should sound like when he's in a. When he's hearing a sermon that's thoroughly Christian. No, no, that's off. Listen to this presentation by Stephen Miller and let's put on our berean caps. I will affirm there was much that he said that I think that we can cheer for, but this will be an exercise in listening Christianly.

[Jimmy Hicks]

And the leftist justifies this violence to himself by saying that they alone are the arbiters of what is right or wrong, not the Law, not history, not civilization.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

Now that is an interesting statement, isn't it? Because let's be honest, we're saying the exact same thing, aren't we? No, we're the arbiters. Who knows what's right? Now Stephen's. His appeal to authority was law, history. So he's saying, hey, they're disregarding all of those things and they're claiming they are right. And that raises the question, because if we're saying, no, we're right, is this call to authority sufficient? Please listen to this again, because this is the fundamental argument not only of our time, but of every era and epoch. Authority. Who says what is the right way to live, to do government, to run a society?

[Jimmy Hicks]

And the leftist justifies this violence to himself by saying that they alone are the arbiters of what is right or wrong.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

Now we say that too, don't we? I mean, obviously, who possesses a worldview and goes, I admit it, I've got half of it wrong? No, you think you're completely right. So who's right? The left or the right? The answer is, who's the authority?

[Jimmy Hicks]

Not the law, not history, not civilization.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

That's the appeal to authority. Law, history, civilization. Now, I think that that is a leaky authority. Why? Well, anybody could argue, well, they didn't know as much then as we know now. We've come a long way, baby. Therefore it is okay to change the systems. After all, they were simply made up by human beings. We're smarter now, we have more technology, we can concoct a better system. Therefore we conclude we're right. And that is why, as a Christian, ultimately, if you're ever debating, if you're ever engaging with somebody who's sharp, they're going to push you. Well, who says? Who says you're right? Why do you people on the right think you're right? And yes, we can look back at history and we can say things like, this is the greatest civilization ever built. But then they are going to counter by saying, wait a second, there's a lot of bad things that have happened and they will inevitably throw up slavery lickety split. See there, we're not a great country. So now the question is, who is right? This is the debate of every era. Go back to the garden. What was Satan's temptation? Authority. God doesn't know best you do, therefore you make decisions. And as you make your way throughout the entire Old Testament, that is always the issue when the Jews are being rebellious. Against whom are they rebelling? God. Why? Because they don't think that he is the authority. Consider the Book of Judges, which is undoubtedly the preeminent example of what I'm talking about. Every man did that which was right in his own eyes. They didn't care about authority. I'm the authority. And as you make your way throughout even secular history, the issue is always authority. Who is the one who gets to determine the best path? And the answer historically has been those in power. And that is why you take a look at, even at modern history, the French Revolution. It's about authority. Who gets to say the government. No, not the people get to say it's a battle for authority. And so it is today. And if we just rely on history, civilization or law, I think we lose. And that is why ultimately the Christian argument must always be thus saith the Lord. I'm not saying I'm right. I'm representing what God says. This is true in political discourse, it is true in religious discourse, social discourse, authority. And that's why I agreed with his conclusions. But ultimately I think that his premise is leaky because he doesn't have a powerful enough authority.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Not public opinion, certainly not God.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

Now, fair enough, he injects God, but he was also using all of those other sources of authority. But that is the big one. When they reject God, they are going to desire to write the rules and they are going to do what? Believe that they are doing that which is right in their own eyes. He saved God for the end. And perhaps rightly so. But in my estimation, that's the exclusive buck stopping location. God, because all of those other sources of authority can be challenged and have been challenged. Well, they could even use the American Revolution. Well, didn't you guys do that back in the 18th century when it came to England? You overthrew the authority. And so we must come back to our opinion isn't based on our opinion. It is not based on law. It isn't based on history, it isn't based on society. It isn't based on tradition. It isn't based on custom. It is based on God.

[Jimmy Hicks]

The leftist assumes for himself judge, jury, executioner.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

Who is the judge, jury and executioner? And there's only one answer to that. It's not the litany of authorities that Stephen Miller just cited. Only one God.

[Jimmy Hicks]

But let's not pretend for a moment that these radical leftists, these terrorists, are operating from a place of sincere political conviction. Sure, there are plenty of useful idiots that they use who may believe these discredited ideologies.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

Okay, if I could, as a quibble, that's Not Christian discourse. Even though I get the term useful idiots and I think it was a liberal who identified the religious right as being useful idiots, not a pejorative that I would use.

[Jimmy Hicks]

The leftist is fundamentally motivated by envy, by hatred, by jealousy. The leftist looks at what is beautiful and what is good and what is natural and is filled with empty envy and hatred.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

That is a great observation, but the question is hatred of whom? See, Stephen Miller won't get there in my estimation. Perhaps he would, but he didn't in this particular speech. Hatred of what? It's not hatred of Donald Trump. It's not hatred of Ronald Reagan. It's not hatred of the Constitution. It's hatred of God. Because anything that is biblically sound, that is hated, is not motivated by the issue itself, but the author of the issue. They hate God and they hate what he says and they hate what he represents. Even if what we are saying isn't supported by a Bible verse. If it is biblical and they rebel against it and they hate is not because they hate the issue, it is because they hate the author of the issue. The same thing is true with persecution a Christian. Sure, they hate you, but ultimately they hate your God. They can't get him. They don't have access to him, so they'll go after you. It's because they hate Him. And that is why, when I was listening to this Stephen Miller speech, which I believe had much to commend, it was never fully satisfying because it is not entirely Christian. Will continue practicing our discernment skills, courtesy of Stephen Miller, next on Wretched radio.

[Fortis Institute Announcer]

You know you can love the Lord with absolutely everything in you and still go mute when somebody asks you, how do you even know the Bible is true? You feel the answer deep down. You just can't put it into words. The reasons go deeper than most of us were ever even shown. Skeptics know that too. That's why they start in Genesis and then they work backward. Because if you crack the foundation, then everything built on top of it will start to wobble. But when you trace the logic and the morality and the science all the way down, you find the very same thing every single time. Reality only makes sense if the Bible is true. And Dr. Jason Lyle has spent his entire career studying the universe. And in his new series, Irrefutable Proof of Creation, he asks the hard questions about God and turns doubt into confidence. Irrefutable Proof of Creation is streaming right now on Fortis, with new episodes dropping every week. Download the Fortis app on your smartphone. Your smart TV or you can go

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

to fortisplus.org Is it possible a Christian university can actually be ranked high when it comes to preparing students students for the real world? The hat tip to Masters University. You want to send your kids someplace where they actually still teach the Bible, not just based on a document that they may be having a file cabinet someplace, but they actually use the Bible there. The education at the Master's university, not only biblical, but oh so practical courses, diplomas, degrees, they can be achieved online or of course, on their beautiful campus in Southern California. Would you like to learn more about the Master's University to prepare you or your child for the future? I encourage you to visit masters. Edu Wretched Masters. Edu Wretched Reality tv.

[Fortis Institute Announcer]

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[Todd Friel]

Hermeneutics Hermeneutics is the art and science of interpreting scripture. One key principle of hermeneutics is reading verses in context. Words can have multiple meanings, but the intended meaning of a word is understood from its context in the surrounding words, verses, paragraphs and chapters, all understood in the context of the Bible as a whole. This is Wretched Radio with Todd Friel.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

True, but not completely. This is Wretched Radio. Stephen Miller, one of the sharper squirrels in the drawer in the Trump administration, delivering a message concerned about political terrorism. I also saw when I was at the gym, I thought I mentioned I go to the gym. It's so obvious. Marco Rubio was speaking about political terrorism. So this must be a thing coming out of the White House right now. And Stephen Miller, who is Jewish Married, three kids. He is defining and describing what motivates the left to be political terrorists. And so many of his observations, I affirm, I affirm. But he doesn't have authority to make these claims and substantiate them. We as Christians do. That would be the Bible. Furthermore, he can't explain what is in the heart that motivates the envy and hatred of the left. I think he's rightly identifying what motivates the left so much is envy. Which incidentally Jimmy, you can't tag me on this because I'm not going to mention First Peter. Psalm 73 was the Sermon subject for at Elpharetta Bible Church this weekend. It's Asaph, he's the chief musician. He, he was assigned by David. He wrote 12 Psalms and Psalm 73 is a Psalm of slippage. His, his feet almost slipped. Why? Because he was looking at what I called the wicked wealthy. Because wealthy people are not necessarily wicked. If somebody is wealthy, it is because God has given it to them. I think that's First Chronicles, Ecclesiastes. If you've got wealth, it was provided to you by God and isn't necessarily a sin, nor are you necessarily a wicked human being. But Asaph is looking at those who have ill gotten gain. These were evil people. Their eyes buried, bulge, their belly is fat, they mistreat people for the sake of gain and they blah blah, blah all over the planet about how amazing they are. They say that God has no knowledge, he's not in control of all things, we are. In other words, these were wicked wealthy and Asaph was looking at them with envy. Isn't that staggering? Looking at somebody that he identified as wicked and went, yeah, but I kind of, I kind of envy them. Let's just fast forward that for a moment into a modern day context. Think of a wealthy person that perhaps you envy. Most likely not a believer. So take your Taylor Swift, your Elon Musk, please take your Taylor Swift and Elon Musk. Do you envy them? Many young people envy Taylor Swift. She's evil and she's wealthy. Elon Musk, he's wealthy. Now you might not care for this statement because he seems to be sort of, sort of on the political right side. He's got like seven mama babies, baby mamas, I guess I don't know the lingo. It's the baby mamas. But he's got 14 kids from five different women. Well, that's evil. And yet we envy them just like Asaph. Now what makes envy so bad? Stephen Miller is going to decry the left for being envious. But what makes envy bad? Well, he could argue it motivates them to political violence. Fair enough. But I think the Bible explains why envy is so bad. Envy being a violation of the tenth Commandment is a heart issue that is expressing hatred toward God. You don't run this place. Right. Those people that you've given stuff. I should have. You've got this wrong. It's a fist shake toward heaven. And so Stephen Miller is right to point out, I believe what motivates much of the left is envy. He has no support for it. Any moral issue that you hear somebody decry, the question is, well, says who? Says who? I remember I did a presentation at Answers in Genesis years ago about this subject. It was secular humanism, and I believe the title of the speech was says who? And we trace through the Bible all of the different societies, Jewish culture, that were behaving poorly, and it was inevitably an authority issue. Same thing throughout secular history. It's an authority issue, and it's the same issue today. That is, why would. If we're going to be Christians in the arena, we got to be Christians in the arena. Otherwise we're just another clamoring voice. No, we think we're right. No, we don't think we're right. We think God is right. And we think we're rightly reflecting what he says. Here's why we don't think you should be killing babies in the womb. Because God says, thou shalt not murder, and that's murder. That's what the intentional taking of an innocent human life is. We need to stop the murder of babies, says the Lord. This is an authority issue.

[Jimmy Hicks]

The leftist looks at a perfect family with the perfect life and a perfect job and perfect kids that goes to church every Sunday and is filled with a feeling of inadequacy and jealousy. And they covet and they turn those emotions ultimately into a desire to subjugate, to oppress and to inflict, inflict pain and suffering.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

Agree with that. Agreed. But again, I would cite authority and I would remind us their hatred is not ultimately aimed at us. This is cosmic, what we're seeing on the left. This is a spiritual battle through and through. If you've ever pondered when Paul in Ephesians, when he dedicates an entire chapter to. To spiritual warfare, an entire chapter to putting on the full armor of God in Ephesians 6. This is what he's talking about. This is the war that we're engaged in. It's not a political battle. Per se. I know that's the arena. But if we enter the arena of politics having put down our weaponry, why do we get to say, says who? And again, I think we've already deconstructed Stephen Miller's source of authority being culture, history, society, laws. Those can be argued and debated. But there's one that can't be God. This is what he says.

[Jimmy Hicks]

It's not a coincidence that when you look at these violent antifa demonstrations, you see any photograph of those who were assembled. To be blunt, no. Not one of the people that is demonstrating looks like a normal person. Not one looks normal.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

Probably a fair observation, but what is normal? What is normal? Why does he get to say what's normal? He's wearing a very nice suit and tie. Is that normal? Is blue hair normal? What's normal?

[Jimmy Hicks]

They're all deformed in some way. In their appearance, in their dress, in their mannerism. Why is that? Why? If you look at two photographs and you see a normal American street, you see an antifa protest. Why do the people that are violently demonstrating, why is there not one normal looking person among them? Every one of them, through the course of their life and their decisions, has scarred their body and their appearance in many different ways. To the point in which their outer appearance becomes a manifestation of their inner hatred toward whom?

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

He's right. He's right. Because when a person on the outside does not conform to the standard, what is that? It's a sinful heart. When you see these pride parades with these people running around naked, what is that that's saying? I do not believe the Bible. I reject God and that we should be filled with shame in our nudity. I reject the fall. I reject sin. So he is correct. It is a manifestation of what is going on in their heart. But it is a manifestation of the hatred in their heart toward God because he's the ultimate authority.

[Jimmy Hicks]

Trust your instincts. To all people and across all civilizations. You know what normal is. You know what beautiful is. You know what good is. You know that families are right.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

Why? Why? Why? What's beautiful? How do we know what beauty is? God, you've got to have an ultimate standard of beauty or nothing is beautiful. How do you know what is not? Why is family nice? Because God says so. Being married to one person your entire life, why is that so glorious? Because God says so.

[Jimmy Hicks]

You know that children are precious and beautiful and must be protected.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

Why? Says who? Says who? Says who? If we're gonna be Christians in the arena, we need to bring an authority in other Words, we need to be quoting Bible verses.

[Jimmy Hicks]

You know that the criminal and the junkie and the predator is a threat to normal, healthy living.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

In other words, that is defined by whom? Because somebody could argue, hey, if that's the way the person wants to live, let him live autonomously. Who are you to say that isn't beautiful? And I would wonder what Stephen's response would be. I know what the Christian response is. God says, this is beautiful. Why shouldn't you be a junkie? Well, because you're a mago day. And your brain, it shouldn't be getting addled. It should be getting sharper and clearer and smarter so that you can be like God. Stephen Miller appreciate his observations. He landed pretty much in the right place. How he got there, I don't know. Because without authority, it has no power.

[Jimmy Hicks]

This is so much deeper than issues about taxation and regulation. They're incredibly important.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

Amen.

[Jimmy Hicks]

It's about normal, healthy, ordered living.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

And what is healthy, normal, ordered living? Who says the answer is God? We're Christians. A Christian, in my estimation, should speak in such a way that anybody hearing our political discourse should say, why do you keep quoting the Bible? What does God have to do with this? And the answer, of course, is everything. When we speak about politics, it should cause a Jewish rabbi to. This is wretched radio,

[Fortis Institute Announcer]

And it's now time for your daily Fortis News Breaker production. A Fortis institute up in Canada, officials have spent years insisting that native children who attended government residential schools were secretly buried in mass graves. There's just one problem. After all the searching, not one body and not one mass grave has been located. So British Columbia's Attorney General has landed on a solution that isn't finding evidence. It's outlawing doubt. She's pressing the federal government to use the criminal code against what she calls residential school denialism, a word chosen to borrow the moral weight of Holocaust denial and pin it on people whose only crime is asking where the bodies are. When you have to criminalize the question, you've already admitted that you can't even answer it. Closer to home, we got a vivid lesson in how the rules bend for the right people. Body cam footage from New York shows the View co host Sunny Hostin working to talk police out of arresting her son, who'd wandered onto active railroad tracks through an open gate. Her opening pitch to the officers that she's a former federal prosecutor and her son is a Harvard graduate. As if a diploma were a get out of trespassing free card. The officers were already cutting him break but the family is fighting it anyway. And this is the same person who's built a career suggesting the police are the villains, right up until she needed them to look the other way for her own boy. Yeah, that same collapse of accountability is playing out on a bigger scale in what the press has politely branded teen takeovers. All year, mobs organized over social media have swarmed beaches, malls and highways from Chicago to Charlotte to Washington, twerking on squad cars, looting stores, and in too many cases, opening fire. Over the Fourth of July, a policeman's home in Buffalo was surrounded while his family hid inside. And in Florida, gunfire turned deadly. The experts offer a whole menu of excuses. Loneliness, the pandemic, capitalism, a shortage of so called safe spaces. What they won't tell you is that in one Detroit mentorship program, up to 95% of these kids have no father at home. And that a justice system terrified of being called racist quietly stopped holding anyone accountable years ago. And while the rest of the world races to build the computing power that runs modern life, New York governor just signed an order slamming the brakes on data centers. She's pausing permits for up to a year, floating fresh taxes on the very companies she wants investment from, and asking Big Tech to pour money into the state's crumbling power grid. That's the same state so famous for taxing people out of the door that its own residents are fleeing. And now it's puzzled that businesses might actually build somewhere much friendlier. And that wraps up today's Fortis News break. I'm Jimmy Hicks. If you want more, you can download Fortis or sign up to become a Fortis insider for exclusive daily content. Both of those things can be [e-mail] and don't forget, you can subscribe to Fortis News on your favorite podcast app. And to get these updates daily. And until tomorrow, go serve your king.

[Todd Friel]

Attributes of God. What does it mean to say God is righteous? He is the standard of what is right and good. He is in strict adherence to his moral law, and he is the source of righteousness through Jesus Christ for every sinner who repents and puts their trust in Christ. This is Wretched Radio with Todd Friel.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

Not to beat the horse or anything, But I'm going to. This is Wretched Radio. Ran to my office during the break to look for the file of the presentation that I did at Answers in Genesis a number of years ago. I do believe it was converted into a chapter on secular humanism in the Answers series. It's really good if you're looking for a really. I don't want to say pithy because it's a pretty hefty treatment of world religions. It is a great series from Answers. In Genesis, my subject was Secular Humanism. And the title of the presentation that I did was says who? Because that is how I ultimately defined what Secular Humanism is. The philosophy that embraces reason and logic, either individually or collectively, while specifically rejecting religion and God as the basis of truth. In other words, says man, that's what secular humanism is. And wow, do we see, says man, all throughout the Bible traced. And I'm sure it wasn't exhaustive all of the times when man said, no, not your way. I'm Frank Sinatra, I'm doing it my way. By the way, Jimmy, are you a fan of Dean Martin?

[Fortis Institute Announcer]

I can't say that I am.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

You should be.

[Fortis Institute Announcer]

Okay.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

You should be. It's, it's not that he was a, a moral example, but that guy, you can't help but smile every time he sings. We watched a thing on the tv. It was like an hour long special on Dean Martin. And the entire time we're just like, yeah, that feels good. Sweet, sweet memories he gave to you. Hear him in Italian restaurants all the time. So you're probably a bigger fan than, you know. Secular humanism says, my way, it started in the garden. What did the devil say? Indeed, Has God really said, that's secular humanism in the garden. Noah and the ark, Genesis 6:5. It's verse 22. Noah did according to all that God had commanded him. The world, on the other hand, didn't. One followed God and what he says, the other followed what we says. Secular humanism. Genesis 11, the Tower of Babel. Let us make for ourselves a name. Nothing which we purpose to do will be impossible for us. In other words, secular humanism says, you're in my chair, God, get out. I'm sitting there. Sodom and Gomorrah, escape for your life. Do not look behind you. Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah overthrew the cities. But his wife from behind looked back and she became a pillar of salt. She rejected what God says. That is the fundamental debate of our day and every day. That's my point. And that's why going through all of these instances is a reminder that Christians must sound different in our discourse. Otherwise we have no authority. We're just another special interest group. Which is a lot of Christian activity on the hill these days. How's about pharaoh? In Exodus 5, God said, Do it what did Pharaoh say? No. Israel with the golden calf in Exodus 32, they've quickly turned aside from that which I commanded him. That's what their rebellion is. It is a rejection and resistance of God's authority and commands. Leviticus 10. You got yourself some strange fire. Nadab and Abihu, they did things which God had not commanded them to do. We don't know what the strange fire was for sure. We know it was a conference about a decade ago, but it was also an offering that was not commended or prescribed by God. In other words, Nadab and Abihu said, we're going to determine how worship should be done. Judges, every man did that which was right in his own eyes. Chapter 20. It just keeps getting worse and worse through, through throughout the Book of Judges. When God is rejected in a society, you can take it to the bank. Beretta. It is going to get ugly. If. If you want to, here's an exercise in. In maybe reading the Bible with a purpose, which, by the way, I think that's a good rule to bring to reading your Bible. Maybe you've gotten into a bit of a rut. You open it up and you do it. And that's good. You read your Bible regularly and faithfully. That is a very good thing. But maybe it will energize it and cause you to be a bit more engaged if you read it with a particular purpose. Ask the Bible every time, why am I doing that? Why am I reading this? What am I seeking to learn from this? Well, here's an instance. Read the Book of Judges and look for the progression of depravity. It gets worse and worse and worse. And it ultimately concludes in chapter 21. It starts in chapter 20. 400,000 men go to the tribe of Benjamin, insisting they deliver the men of Gibeah who committed a crime. And they wouldn't. So Israel kills tens of thousands of Benjaminites, burns down their cities, killing all the women and cattle. Only 600 men escaped. What was going on? This was one of the most grotesque scenes and stories ever in the Bible. And those were the Jewish people responding to. Really starts back in Judges, chapter 19. A Levite married a concubine. That shouldn't have happened, but nevertheless, the concubine was unfaithful to him, ran away to Bethlehem. He went after her to bring her home. Stopped in Gibeah, which is a tribe of Benjamin. Nobody would take them in, except an old man, ultimately invited them in to stay. And while they were celebrating, the men of the city, very bad men, surrounded the house banging on the door. Hey, we want that dude. We want that Levite. And the old man said, no, don't take him. Take the woman. Stop right there. There's a rudderless society. Don't do that. Hey, fellas, don't do that to the dude. Do it to the woman instead. Everything about this story is just. And it just keeps getting worse and worse. He tells them to not behave wickedly, and he gives them the concubine. Here's my virgin daughter and his concubine. Please let me bring them out that you may ravish them and do whatever you wish, but don't commit such an act of folly against this guy. Wow. So even kind secular humanists have horrible thinking anytime you take God out of the equation. Danger, Will Robinson. As the day began to dawn, the woman came and fell down at the doorway of the man's house where her master was. When her master arose and opened the doors of the house, Behold, his concubine was lying at the doorway of the house with her hands on the threshold. He said, get up, let's go. No answer. He placed her on the donkey and he went home. She was dead. Honestly, when he entered his house, he took a knife and laid hold of his concubine and cut her in 12 pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout the territory of Israel. And that then brings us to chapter 20, where the entire nation, they, they, they're profoundly confused about all of this. And so 400,000 men said, we're going to have to repay them. So they slaughter the entire tribe of Benjamin, except 600. Bad decision making. Bad decision making. Bad decision making. Bad decision making. And it doesn't even end there. So after slaughtering the, the tribe of Benjamin, now the 11 tribes go, wait a second. We got a problem. We, we, we could lose a tribe. And that's our national identity because we've slaughtered everybody but 600 Benjamites. And they had no wives. And the 11 tribes had made a vow that they would not provide women for the survivors. So what are they going to do? Here's the solution. They decided women from a tribe that didn't fight against Benjamin could provide women so Benjamin could survive. Now this is just classic. This is how you manipulate truth. Hey, we'll do this because of that. And if we do it like, then we're not really going against our vow, because we didn't do that. Exactly. We did it kind of like this over here. What is that? Depraved minds. Why are they so depraved in their decision making says man. So Jabesh Gilead had not fought against Benjamin. So Israel sent 12,000 warriors to Jabesh Gilead, had them slaughter all men and women who were not virgins, and they took the 400 virgins of jabesh Gilead who and gave them to Benjamin. But the math is still off. 600 men, 400 virgins. So Israel told the men of Benjamin to go to Shiloh during a festival and kill the men and take 200 more women while they were dancing. It goes on and on and on and on throughout the Old Testament. You've got the Jews rebelling now. You've got Uzzah touching the ark. You've got the sin of king Jeroboam in 1 Kings chapter 14. What do we see in the Bible? A lesson that should smack us upside the head. When a society strays from God, look out. It's going to get this is why evangelism is our answer to the current political crisis. Because it's not a political issue. If people don't start getting saved lickety split, you and your family, frankly, are in danger. Ultimately where it will go. And then, if I might beat the horse one more time, if we do not start invoking God into the conversation in the public square, well, it has no power to it. And you can look forward to them responding, saying, this is Wretched Radio.

[Fortis Institute Announcer]

A lot of us got handed a choice we never agreed to faith on one side, reason on the other. So when talk turns to fossils or the age of the universe, you kind of feel that knot. You believe God's word. You just can't explain why. But that choice was a setup. The same God who gave us the Bible gave us the universe to study. And truth doesn't argue with itself. The trouble was the assumptions. The one smuggled in next to the evidence and taught as fact. It's why two people can look at the same fossil and walk away telling two different stories. But you sort the assumptions out and the science sits comfortably beside scripture. That's exactly what in the beginning with Dr. Jason Lyle is for. He's a PhD astrophysicist who takes the hardest questions in science and and makes them clear and biblical. New episodes of in the Beginning heard every Wednesday on every single podcast platform in existence or on the Fortis plus app at fortisplus.org hey, thanks for listening to Wretched Radio today. You know, finding Bible teachers you can actually trust, it's not as easy as

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

it used to be.

[Fortis Institute Announcer]

There is a lot of content out there, but not all of it's faithful. That's what Fortis Institute is building. We've brought together a team of fellows, people like Tim Challis, Dr. Jason Lyle, Dr. Andrew Walker, Dr. Greg Gifford, Pastor Brad Bigny, Todd Friel, Dr. John Kratz, Libby Glossin, Dr. Adam Tyson, and they're all committed to teaching the Word without apology. These aren't influencers. They're not chasing trends. These are serious teachers doing serious work. And the reason that we've been able to bring voices like this together in one place is because of our Gospel partners, men and women just like you, who find value in what we're doing at Fortis Institute. And if you appreciate what we're doing and you want to be a part of it, would you consider joining us as an ongoing monthly gospel partner? Help us to continue building something that matters? Just go to fortisinstitute.org right now. Wretched Amazing Grace Amazing Gospel Ask most Christians what they know about hermeneutics and you'll likely get Herman who? That sounds like somebody's uncle. Is that the guy that always comes and just stays quiet in the back of the small group? Hermeneutics is actually the art and science of interpreting science scripture. And if you don't know how to do it rightly, you're going to read the Bible wrongly. Worse, you're actually going to be an easy target for every false teacher with a podcast and a proof text. Herman, who is basically a master's level education and how to read the Bible correctly and it's condensed into something that you can actually finish. You'll learn how to interpret a 2000 year old book in a 21st century world without twisting it into something it was never meant to say. By the end of it, you'll never read Scripture the same way again and you'll never have the wool pulled over your eyes by someone who sounds confident but doesn't know what they're talking about. Herman who it is streaming right now for free on Fortis. Download the app on your smartphone on your smart TV, or just simply go to fortisplus.org.

[Todd Friel]

Books of the Bible Ephesians was written by Paul to the churches around Ephesus. It is about who Christians are and how they live. When we are in Christ, we are made alive, reconciled to God, and united with other believers in the church. If you are struggling in your walk with Christ, perhaps it is time to revisit what Christ has done for you and who you are in Him. This is Wretched Rich Radio with Todd Friel.

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

It's conclusive. I was right. This is wretched radio. You say Friel. How do you know you were right? Because Charles Spurgeon said so. Looking through the notes of a presentation. Wow. Zoink, scoob. It's 22 pages long. My notes. I wonder how long I spoke that day. My apologies to everybody who was at the Answers in Genesis conference, I don't know how long ago, speaking on the subject of secular humanism, the title says who? Because it is all about authority. And as I was reading through the conclusion of the presentation, which I think we need to hear in light of the conversation about bringing the Bible into the public arena. Because if we don't bring in God, we have no authority. And you better be really witty, really clever. Got to get a zinger. Oh, got him. Scored. You won the debate. And you don't really win the debate because you don't win over people. We need to bring an authority with us. We need to talk different than every other Republican. Yep. I just said Republican. Because we're Christians way before we're Republicans. Our talk should be different. And if I could slip this in, as a parent, your talk should be different than other parents. It's so easy to parent in a non Christian way because you become the authority in your child's behavior. Hey, clean up your room. Didn't your mother tell you to clean up your room? Now clean up your room. What did you just do? You just said, I'm the authority. Abide by my rules. What happens after 18 years of that? They're no longer under your authority. Bye bye rules. I'm not making my bed anymore. I'm not behaving like that. I am going to go get drunk because my parents aren't my authority anymore. And that is why. Good Christian parenting. And this is a discipline. And I'm telling you, it ain't easy. But it is one well worth striving for. Use God as your authority. Honey, let's talk again. Why we have a clean bedroom. Let's go through to the theology of being tidy. What are we saying to God when we don't take care of the stuff he gave us?

[Todd Friel]

Hmm?

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

We're not grateful. Didn't God order everything? It was chaos. Sort of like your bedroom. And he ordered it. Why? Because he's an orderly God. We should be like him. And you bring God into a conversation about clean and messy bedrooms, about doing their chores. You're working unto the Lord. These are your assignments. This is the way you help the family function. Let's talk about the Importance of family according to God. In other words, you ground your parenting in the authority of God says, and that means when they leave your temporal authority, guess what? God is still their authority. And furthermore, you're not the authoritarian bad guy. Not that God is the authoritarian bad guy, but he is the authoritarian, and he's a good guy, if you will. And if they won't get as angry at you. Honey, these are not my rules. These are God's rules. And guess what? His rules are always best for you. They will always serve you well. We must, as parents, use the authority of the Word. And that is why the conclusion of this particular presentation, it asks the question, what does the Bible teach us about responding to secular humanists? How do you reach them? And the answer is, well, you can't by yourself. You can't logic them. You can't statistic them. You can't history them. You need something else. Why? Because their minds are dark. And a natural man cannot accept the things of the spirit of God because they're foolishness to him. He can't understand them because they're spiritually appraised. So they need a heart change. You don't like Antifa? They need a hard change. You don't like Black Lives Matter? They need a hard change. You don't like the. The rioter. You don't like the way Seattle is being run. Those leaders need a heart change, and they must receive that, or their thinking can never be completely right, ever. They need correct believing, then God progressively fixes their thinking. Charles Spurgeon actually said that, which is why I think I'm in the right. Jimmy, you got a Charles Spurgeon quote, you're good to go, baby. Thus says the Lord is the only authority in God's church, said Spurgeon. Thus says antiquity. Thus says authority. Thus says learning. Thus says experience. They are but idol gods which defile the church of God, be it yours and mine as bold warriors to dash them in pieces without mercy, seeing that they usurp the place of the word of God. Now, that's true in the church. That is true in culture. Spurgeon. Thus says the Lord. This is the motto of our standard, the war cry of our spiritual conflict, the sword with which we hope yet to smite through the loins of the mighty who rise up against God's truth. I was reading a Spurgeon sermon the other day. It's been a bit since I have that dude. He was off the charts brilliant. His allusions to history and nature, unbelievable mind. Thus says the Lord. This is the hammer of God's builders. This is the trumpet of his watchmen and the sword of his warriors. Woe to the man who comes in any other name. He is speaking in the context of the church. I do believe that this abides to everything. Paul, parenting, marriage, everything must be informed by the word of God. And that includes our politics. If we are an angel from heaven, Preach unto you anything but thus says the Lord, no matter what your character or standing, give no heed to us, but cleave unto the truth as it is in Jesus. That goes for preaching, by the way. All of these silly preachers who basically concoct something out of thin air every single week and maybe throw a Bible verse onto their TV monitors so they can look like Andy Stanley. They aren't preaching from the authority of God's word. And they should be ignored and they should be rejected and they should be identified and labeled and marked and divided from Spurgeon. We will listen to the opinions of great men with the respect with which they deserve as men. But having so done, we deny that we have anything to do with these men as authorities. For nothing has any authority. But thus says the Lord of hosts, if you shall quote precedence, venerable, with 15, 16 or 17 centuries of antiquity, we burn the whole as so much worthless lumber. That's, that's, that's why when Stephen Miller said, hey, we, we appeal to history, civilization, society. It's, it's, it's, it's, it's just chafe. It has no power unless you put your finger upon the passage of holy writ which warrants the matter to be of God. God's word, not man's opinion, claims your allegiance. O for a stern integrity that will hold the word and will never depart from it, come what may. Can you think about any other arena in which that is not true? Because I can't think of one. Can't think of one. And here's the good news. Whatever the arena is, if you bring the authority of God's word and it is not received, they're not rejecting you. You have not lost the debate. Because the debate isn't about who gets the one up. The debate is about proclaiming the word of God. That's what the debate is about. Because that word has power and we have everything that we need for life and godliness in that book. Jimmy. I had something happen last night. Was at a lovely church in Cumming, Georgia. Hope it was just delightful people. It was a Sunday night gathering. The pastor, he was praying for the, for the, for the service. That was about to begin. And he said, lord, we would pray. I'm paraphrasing, of course. Lord, pray for the speaker that we would hear you through him. And at that second ba boom, thunder. And it was one of those Georgia thunderclaps. And it just kept going and going because, Lord, we would like to know what you would tell it. Ba boom. And it's crashing outside. Do you know what God was trying to tell us?

[Fortis Institute Announcer]

What's that?

[Guest Speaker / Commentator]

I have no idea. I think what he was trying to tell us is I make thunder. And it just so happened to be at the same time. You were preaching to hear from me. But thunder is not how God speaks a particular message. Thunder speaks in general. I'm powerful. I control the wind and the waves and the sky and the sea. But he's not delivering a message to that particular convocation because he was asking to hear from God. We hear from God through the Word. Consider how Paul interacted with people in the Areopagus. These were pagans. What did he do? These were not Jewish people. These were pagans. These were Greek pagans. He reasoned with them through the scriptures. He reasoned with them. In other words, when Paul was evangelizing and persuading people that Jesus Christ is their savior, he used the word of God. So evangelism, we must use the word parenting, Marriage, must use the word of God if we want to enter the political arena. The word of God. Educate our children. Word of God. Instill morals into our children. Word of God. And perhaps most personally, if I want my life to run right, I have to reject the secular humanist in me because I'm still inclined to say, says me. And we need to reject that, knowing that everything that God says is good. And thus we bow to Thus saith the Lord in every arena, including the arena of my own heart. Until tomorrow, go serve your king.