Verse-By-Verse Podcast

07/21/2024

What is the church? Please consider this study of Ephesians 1:19-23.

What is the church? What does it mean to be part of the Church? We explore these important questions in a study of Ephesians 1:19-23.

05/18/2024

How does one truly know God? What is the role of knowing God in the Christian life? These and other matters are discussed in this study of Ephesians 1:15-23.

How does one truly know God? What is the importance of knowing God to the Christian life? Join us for our study of Ephesians 1:15-23 in which these and ...

05/09/2024

What is God's primary driving concern in the work He is accomplishing through Christ? Join us in our study of Ephesians 1:8-10 as we make the case that God intends for an extravagant redemption.

What is the primary driving concern of God in the work which He is accomplishing through Christ? Join us in this study of Ephesians 1:8-10 in which we m...

01/02/2024

If you are aware of what I have taught about 1 Corinthians 8-10, you might be interested in these comments on Colossians 2:16. These do not represent a change in interpretation, just a filling out of my understanding -

"Thus, Paul’s admonition – not to the Judaizers, but to the Gentile Christians – was to stop letting those people who obviously failed to understand the gospel judge them and disturb their confidence in Christ. That statement “Let no one judge you…”, then, has to do with the motivations behind our actions. We cannot control what is in another person’s heart, but we can control how we allow others to affect us. If our religion is shaped by fear of how the culture around us would react if we did otherwise, it is not true religion.

This is in balance to the teaching of Paul in texts like 1 Corinthians 8-10 regarding how we should be willing to sacrifice our liberties in the interests of our brethren’s consciences. Note that in those texts, the goal is not to give triumph to ignorance, but to create a climate of edification through love. There is a clear difference between a conscientious Christian who we are seeking to encourage and an arrogant bully who we are allowing to run roughshod over our life in Christ. God demands we honor the former and reject the latter" (Notebook on Colossians).

12/12/2023

Lots of things have changed for Verse-By-Verse and for me personally in 2023, and more changes are forthcoming. In 2024 I intend to finish the Acts series as well as our new series on Ephesians and Inductive Bible Study. I also plan to cover Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon. Some in-person intensives over these books will also be offered in Tulsa, OK. The dates and locations will be announced shortly after the New Year.

Verse-By-Verse began as a personal effort for spiritual growth. I never anticipated that I would have many listeners. Indeed my number of listeners has swelled and shrunk over the years. Largely this has been due to my own inconsistency in publishing episodes at times. Due to some lifestyle changes, I anticipate that I can be much more consistent from here on out.

Other factors have also contributed to changes in my audience, including the fact that I have grown through my studies and reached conclusions that have caused some of my original listeners to reject me. I am not happy about that, but I am committed to radical openness and if others are not I am ready to see them leave me when I reach a conclusion they are utterly closed to. I make no apologies for growing closer to the teaching of Scripture and remain open to hear objections from anyone who will voice them to me regarding any of my teachings.

If you are open to consider freely what the Bible teaches, if you are willing to learn from a broken man who makes no claims to perfection or superiority, and if you have a hunger to understand the whole Bible more deeply, I hope you will join me or remain with me in this journey.

God bless, Clinton De France

12/04/2023

“I appeal to Jesus Christ, the only judge who is almighty and completely just. In his hands I place my cause, since he will judge each, not on the basis of false witnesses and erring councils, but on truth and justice.” - Jan Huss

11/09/2023

What does the phrase "in the heavenly places" mean? This phrase plays a major role in Paul's argument in Ephesians. It describes a place where some amazing beings and persons dwell and were some important things are happening that impact life on this earth. I hope this study will be helpful to those who listen.

In Ephesians Paul makes frequent reference to "the heavenly places" and the things that are happening there. What are "the heavenly places"? How role do...

10/26/2023

What are the indwelling and infilling of the Holy Spirit? How does the Spirit work in the life of the believer to make him or her more like Jesus? Is this work automatic or must it be received, and if it must be received how does one do that? These questions are explored in our study of the seal and pledge of the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 1:13-14.

What are the indwelling and infilling of the Holy Spirit? How does the Spirit work in us to make us like Christ? Find out some of what the Bible has to ...

10/16/2023

I have been thinking and studying a great deal about Paul's understanding of the church in the Book of Ephesians. I have landed on "the New Humanity" as my go to expression. I grew up, like most Americans, thinking of the church in terms of a place, an event, or an institution. I am rejecting my old understanding. I don't think it was right. I still think there is some appropriateness to each of these ideas in the way the word "church" is used in Scripture, however, I see in Ephesians that Paul has in mind an identity in Christ, being a new kind of human, the kind made in Christ's image, and the kind God always wanted. I'm afraid those other ideas have had too much prominence and have clouded out what is perhaps the most important point about the church in Scripture.

It is not good for a human to be alone. The kind of humanity God always wanted was a humanity in community.

This is tough. I honestly wish (most days) that I could leave the church. I've not been a good church member. I have hurt people and failed miserably many times in my efforts to have healthy relationships. I have failed as a leader. I have failed as a follower. I have also been deeply hurt by people and I have felt the traumatic shift from loving people and thinking of them as brethren to hating them and thinking of them as enemies. I know this isn't right, and I know it has to change - but it is true all the same. Yet, in the middle of all that mess, God is working to make things better.

If I believe in God's plan in Christ I cannot give up on the church. I cannot allow my failures or the failure of others to drive me into isolation. If I do that, I will never be the kind of human God wants me to be. The same is true for all of us.

May God help us to overcome our hurt and our failings and may He carry us forward in the beautiful purpose He has for all of us in Christ.

10/13/2023

This study of Ephesians 1:8-12 considers how the history of Israel functions as a revelation of God's wisdom and insight in bringing His ultimate purpose to pass! If you are troubled by the things going on in the world today, this lesson may be of encouragement to you!

How does the history of Israel reveal God's ultimate purpose? Find out in our study of Ephesians 1:8-12.

10/07/2023

What did the death of Jesus accomplish for the human race? Find out in our study of Ephesians 1:7.

What did the death of Christ do of the human race? Find out in our study of Ephesians 1:7.

10/07/2023

Baptism is not magic, a conjuring trick with water. But neither is it simply a visual aid. It is one of the points, established by Jesus Himself, where heaven and earth interlock, where new creation, resurrection life, appears within the midst of the old. (N. T. Wright, Surprised by Hope, 2007, p. 272)

10/03/2023

How do the biblical doctrines of election and predestination give us hope in times of confusion and distress? Find out in our study of Ephesians 1:3-6.

How do the Biblical doctrines of election and predestination give us hope in times of confusion and distress? Find out in this study of Ephesians 1:3-6.

09/08/2023

Some of the podcast listeners have recently begun a study through the Book of Ephesians. For their sakes I am going to be posting regular special studies, but even if you are not able to join us for the sessions, I hope you will listen to these studies and share them with others! God bless!

Is the plan of God failing? How are we to make sense of the evil in the world and the seeming triumph of darkness over light? The answer is "in Christ."...

09/05/2023

"If my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will take me up. Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence. I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" (Psalm 27:10-14)

09/01/2023

Big news! A new episode is out!

What impact does the kingdom of God have on evil industries? Find out in our study of Acts 19:21-20:1 as Paul concludes his ministry in Ephesus.

07/25/2023

Who shall the Lord's elect condemn?
'Tis God that justifies their souls;
And mercy, like a mighty stream,
O'er all their sins divinely rolls.

Who shall adjudge the saints to hell?
'Tis Christ that suffered in their stead;
And, their salvation to fulfill,
Behold him rising from the dead!

He lives! he lives and sits above,
For ever interceding there:
Who shall divide us from his love?
Or what should tempt us to despair?

Shall persecution, or distress,
Famine, or sword, or nakedness?
He that hath loved us bears us through,
And makes us more than conquerors too.

Faith hath an overcoming power;
It triumphs in the dying hour:
Christ is our life, our joy, our hope,
Nor can we sink with such a prop.

Not all that men on earth can do,
Nor powers on high, nor powers below,
Shall cause his mercy to remove,
Or wean our hearts from Christ our love.

- Isaac Watts

07/18/2023

I am selling hundreds of new, used, and collectable books from my personal library. These a precious books to me, but I am going through some forced downsizing. All used books are in very good condition or else priced extremely low. Every book is priced below the Amazon price for comparable condition. Buyer pays shipping. I will be updating the list every day based on what sells.

07/16/2023

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled” (Luke 14:8-11).

The kingdom of God operates in paradoxes because it involves the bizarre task of redeeming sinners. Remember what God is doing in our lives and it will help us walk the path correctly. When I was a young man I was zealous, or perhaps ambitious… and rushed ahead into things for which I was not prepared. Rushing makes stumbling that much easier and falls that much harder.

To those who are early on your journey with Christ: be patient, be humble, take time to grow and be matured by God, and trust that He will bring you to the place He wants you to be.

07/11/2023

After a year and one month I have finished writing two courses (introductory and advanced) in the inductive Bible study method. My note book is about 60,000 words long, covering both courses.

I am not sure what I will do with these courses. I have some friends overseas with whom I study. I hope to use all this material in those studies. I am offering it to my local congregation. I may record videos of me lecturing through all of the material and post them on the Verse-By-Verse YouTube channel.

Someone asked if I will publish them, but I'm not sure. I have at times past published books that had such limited interest that I ended up with a large stock of literature I could never sell. These will not be in typical book form. They will contain fairly exhaustive notes which I would use in teaching these course. I'm not sure if people would be interested in it.

My hope is to next complete a similar notebook on the Biblical narrative with supplemental notes on the historical and geographical background of Scripture and a survey of every book in the Bible. I hope to have this one finished by the end of the Summer if possible.

When all is complete I will have notebooks on Inductive Bible Study, the Biblical Narrative, and the complete text of the Book of Ephesians. These should constitute around 130 hours worth of material if given in lecture form.

07/06/2023

"On this day in 1415, theologian and reformer Jan Hus was martyred. His accusers made it clear at his trial that Hus would not only die, but that they planned for him to die without hope. 'We take from you the cup of redemption,' the prosecutors solemnly intoned before sentencing him. But Hus replied, 'I trust in the Lord God almighty ... that He will not take away from me the cup of His redemption, but I firmly hope to drink from it today in His kingdom'" (From Voice of the Martyrs).

I hope you will not experience it, but one day you may find someone who claims to be a Christian and seeks to convince you that God does not love you, will not forgive you, will not accept your repentance, and has no interest in redeeming you. Do not believe it. Trust Christ. "Who is the one who condemns?... Christ died for us, was raised, and intercedes for us at the right hand of God" (Romans 8:34). I hope you never find yourself so abandoned that you are made to feel that everyone is against you, but if you are relentlessly pursuing God, God is not against you. "And if God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).

05/28/2023

Last week I had the privilege of teaching through the whole book of Ephesians. For about five hours a day, Monday through Friday, I gathered with some friends and lectured through each chapter of the book.

The analysis was based on the inductive Bible study method and we considered every verse together. We were able to discuss many great subjects treated in the epistle, including the Holy Spirit, God’s ultimate purpose in redemption, spiritual warfare, and justification by faith.

In addition to the lectures, I had the opportunity to address questions and have many discussions with those who attended in which we further explored the nuance and implications of the content of the book.

I was asked to do the this again next year with another book, and to publish my notes from this year. God willing I will fulfill both of those requests. I love teaching the Word of God and feel so blessed to do it whenever He gives me the opportunity.

05/23/2023

The study through Ephesians is underway and going very well! If you are in Tulsa, join us anytime from 10 AM to 5 PM today through Friday at -

1105 S 141st E Ave
Tulsa, OK 74108
United States

Today we will work through Ephesians 2 and 3, God willing.

05/17/2023

The study through Ephesians starts next Monday at 10 AM! Come if you can!

05/10/2023

Are you planning to attend the Ephesians Study? Here are some study/thought questions to get you ready for the first day. Upon arrival you will be given more study/thought questions to cover the full text of the book.

Research Questions and Assignments for General Read-Through

Use the text, translation comparison, and other research tools to answer these questions.

1. Make a suggested outline of the book and try to identify key texts.
2. What date was Ephesians likely written?
3. Who wrote Ephesians and what were his circumstances at the time?
4. How might those circumstances have shaped the theme and content of the book?
5. What literary genre is Ephesians?
6. To whom was this book addressed and why is this a controversial question?
7. Who delivered the letter?
8. What other letters were likely dispatched at the same time?
9. What two groups of people does Ephesians discuss in the early chapters?

Ephesians 1:1-14

Try to answer these questions by thoughtful and analytical reading of the text.

1. Why might Paul state that he was an apostle “by the will of God”?
2. The letter is addressed to “the saints.” Are all Christians saints? Is there any distinction between “the saints” and “the faithful” in the next verse?
3. What does it mean to state that “grace and peace” come “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”?
4. How many times does Paul use expressions like “through Christ”, or “in Christ”, or “in Him” (referring to Christ)? What do these expressions teach about the role Jesus plays in God’s plan?
5. How many times does Paul say, “to the praise of… glory” in 1:1-14? How might this phrase function in Paul’s overall message here?
6. What is the reason Paul “blesses” God in verse 3?
7. To what does Paul refer by “every spiritual blessing”?
8. What are “the heavenly places”?
9. What does it mean to suggest that these blessings are “in Christ”?
10. To what “choice” of God does Paul refer here (verse 4)?
11. Why does Paul describe us as being “adopted” by God?
12. How does predestination work?
13. Who is “the Beloved” (verse 6)?
14. What is “redemption”? From whom or what are we redeemed?
15. How does “the forgiveness of our trespasses” relate to the blood of Jesus and the concept of redemption?
16. How does Paul describe the disposition of God toward those who have been redeemed by Christ?
17. Is the “wisdom and insight” something that pertains to God or us (verse 8 )?
18. What is “the mystery of His will” and how does Paul use the expression “administration” in this passage (verses 9-10)?
19. What does the phrase “fullness of the times” mean in this text (verse 10)?
20. To what does Paul refer when he speaks of “all things” being “summed up” in Christ (verse 10)?
21. What is the “inheritance” mentioned in verse 11?
22. In verse 13, Paul shifts from “we” to “you also” – who are these two groups of people?
23. Note the sequence of events described in verse 13 – what two events are antecedent to (come before) the sealing with the Holy Spirit?
24. How are the terms “sealed” and “pledge” used in this passage to describe the Holy Spirit?
25. What is Paul’s point bringing up the Holy Spirit at this stage in his argument?
26. How does the Holy Spirit work in the life of the Christian?
27. What is the purpose of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

05/09/2023

Hello, friends! I want to invite you to help this project by becoming a Patreon supporter. Your help goes to the production costs, as well as costs associated with the resources and time needed for research for these studies. I have heard some very kind and gracious messages about the impact Verse-By-Verse Podcast has had in some people's lives - if you are one of those people or if you are in a position to help for the sake of others, please consider giving either a one time gift or becoming a monthly subscriber.

https://www.patreon.com/vbvpodcast

05/06/2023

Hello friends! I was trying to make some modifications to the FB event for my upcoming study in Ephesians and ended up cancelling the event. Now I am not sure how to un-cancel it. Please forgive my technical ineptitude! If you were planning to attend please message me so I can have a sense of how many may come. I will be posting some study questions on Monday that you can start working through in order to be prepared for our work on Monday. God bless.

04/20/2023

“I take religion to be, not the bare saying over of so many prayers.… but a constant ruling habit of soul, a renewal of our minds in the image of God, a recovery of the divine likeness, a still-increasing conformity of heart and life to the pattern of our most holy Redeemer.” - John Wesley

04/19/2023

“From victory unto victory His army shall he lead, til every foe is vanquished and Christ is Lord indeed!”

04/18/2023

I’m looking forward to the in-person Verse By Verse Study through Ephesians May 22-26. I am working on a new translation which draws from some of the latest linguistic research. It will be included in the hand outs.

On the theological side, I’m excited to explore and hear feedback on the concept of mystical appropriation (i.e., how your individual spiritual growth contributes to the growth of the body of Christ). I have become convinced that this is a major theme in Ephesians.

Some who are traveling in from out of town have reached out about accommodations and there are Christians who have opened their homes. If those fill up I will try to get a deal with a local hotel. God bless all!