Understanding the Christ

Host Scott Stanley of DTG Ministries walks listeners through a provocative, scripture-driven exploration of what it means to ‘understand the Christ.’ Drawing on Luke 23, Genesis, Revelation, Proverbs and Hebrews, this episode builds on a previous videocast about the thief on the cross and unpacks why Jesus’ promise — “this day you shall be with me in paradise” — is a declaration about spiritual timing and the believer’s journey.
Topics covered include the distinction between “this day” and “today,” the spiritual meaning of Paradise and the Garden of Eden, the Tree of Life, and the role of the cherubim (the two messengers) guarding the way to God’s understanding. Scott reframes the seven days of creation as seven spiritual steps believers pass through on the road to being made in God’s image, arguing we are now in the sixth day where resurrection and transformation begin.
Key points emphasized: God is love (not an eternally angry deity), the true purpose of the cross as the source of God’s wisdom and understanding, how overcoming spiritual lies grants access to the tree of life, and the necessity of confronting church teachings that foster guilt and condemnation. Scott explains how the thief’s confession — recognizing Jesus as Son of God and believing in the resurrection — allowed him to pass the spiritual guardians and gain a right to the deeper revelation of the cross.
This episode is aimed at seekers desiring a deeper theological understanding and practical freedom from iniquity. Scott encourages listeners to review the prior videocast on the thief on the cross for background, and promises further scriptural unpacking in future episodes to show how the cross redeems misunderstanding and leads believers into God’s restorative paradise.

Host Scott Stanley opens this episode of the DTG videocast with an in-depth, part-one study of the thief on the cross (Luke 23). He examines what the thief actually believed about the dying man beside him, asking whether that thief recognized Jesus as the Christ, anticipated Jesus' resurrection, and trusted Jesus' coming kingdom. The episode traces the thief's words — "Remember me when you come into your kingdom" — and explores how those words imply belief in the risen Savior and connect to Old Testament prophecy.
Scott contrasts this careful scriptural reading with common denominational assumptions: the idea of an angry God who must be appeased, and the popular use of the thief-on-the-cross story as a shortcut to salvation without discipleship, Bible study, or baptism. He critiques institutional teachings that simplify the cross into a mere transaction and encourages listeners to study the Bible for themselves, rightly divide the word of truth, and test their own claims of salvation.
The episode walks through key passages and themes, including Luke 23:34–43, Mark 14:61, 1 John 5:1, Psalm 2, Psalm 110, and Zechariah 6. Scott explains terms like "born again" in light of believing Jesus is the Christ, discusses the Psalm 2 anointing language and the "branch and priest" motif, and considers why Jesus replied, "Today you will be with me in paradise," restoring deeper meaning to that promise.
This is part one of a series. There are no guests on this episode — Scott teaches solo — and he closes with a call to humility, honest Bible study, and restoring family and personal relationships through a clearer understanding of Jesus. Listeners can expect careful exegesis, prophetic connections, and an invitation to pursue the fuller truth behind the cross in future episodes.

Host Scott Stanley of DTG Ministries examines the inner life of faith in this episode, asserting that what Scripture calls Satan or the devil is fundamentally an inward rebellion present in every person. Drawing on passages from Luke (the temptation, the sending of the 70, and the Transfiguration), Psalm 2, Colossians 1, Ephesians 3, Hebrews 2, 1 John 4, Genesis 1, and Revelation 20, Stanley unpacks how Jesus faced and overcame those inner adversities and how that victory becomes the pattern for believers.The episode covers Jesus’ baptism and wilderness temptations, the meaning of “I beheld Satan fall as lightning,” and the Transfiguration where Moses and Elijah speak with Christ about his impending sacrificial work. Stanley argues that Jesus’ victory gave authority to his followers to tread on the powers of the enemy and that the Transfiguration is a prophetic vision of Christ’s self-giving love at the cross.Scott develops a theological framework that reframes the Trinity relationally as the Father, the Son, and humanity united by God’s understanding (the Holy Spirit). He teaches that creation—both spiritual (Genesis 1) and literal—was formed through the pattern of the perfected man in Christ, and that believers are being progressively made in that image. Practical implications include the necessity of free will, the church’s calling to overcome internalized evil, and the promise that the church will ultimately bind and walk in authority over Satan.Listeners can expect a thoughtful, scripture-driven sermon exploring how Christ’s example and God’s design aim to perfect humanity, with encouragement to pursue transformation, reject worldly distractions, and receive the understanding that shapes the inner universe between our ears. There are no outside guests; this is Scott Stanley teaching and meditating on these biblical themes on behalf of DTG Ministries.

Host Scott Stanley of DTG Ministries guides listeners through a dense, scripture-driven exploration of redemption, spiritual understanding, and the life of Jesus. Using Revelation, Matthew, Philippians, Psalms, and Genesis as anchors, Scott reframes key biblical images—like the beast, the waters, and Babylon—as symbols of thought, confusion, and the ideas we inherit from every "nation, kindred, tongue, and people."
The episode examines Revelation 17 and 13 to show how "water" represents human understanding and how the harlot and beast symbolize the confusion that sits on those thoughts. Scott contrasts worldly definitions and religious teaching with a call to be redeemed from inward influences, arguing that Satan functions as the internal "whisperer" who gives worldly concepts authority in our consciences.
Turning to Christology, Scott reads Philippians 2, Psalm 2, and Matthew 3–4 to argue that Jesus "emptied himself," underwent a spiritual begetting at his baptism, and faced inward temptation in the wilderness. He presents the baptism scene as the moment the Father declares, "You are my son," and interprets the temptations as an internal testing of that new spiritual identity.
Key points include: the spiritual (not exclusively literal) meaning of Revelation’s imagery; the identification of Satan as the internal adversary who empowers confused thought; the idea that Jesus became man without an innate halo and was "begotten" spiritually at his baptism; and the practical call to change language, definitions, and thought patterns to be redeemed from iniquity. Scott also challenges traditional trinitarian framing and encourages listeners to pursue a transformed inner life—mourning current confusion, hungering for righteousness, and pursuing the perfection of faith.
Listeners can expect deep theological interpretation, bold challenges to conventional doctrine, practical application for spiritual growth, and pointers to further resources (including Scott’s videocasts and podcasts at thelambslove.org) for those who want to continue studying these themes.

Join Scott Stanley of DTG Ministries in this focused videocast as he guides viewers through a Scripture-driven reevaluation of who Jesus is and what He does for humanity. Scott reads and reflects on key passages—Romans 3, Ephesians 2 and 4, 2 Timothy 3, Deuteronomy 18, 1 Timothy 2, 1 John 2, and Revelation 5–6—to show the extent of humanity’s fallen condition and the purpose of Christ’s ministry.
Scott explains the difference between viewing Jesus as an advocate who shields us from God versus understanding Him as our mediator who brings God’s understanding and the Holy Spirit into our lives. He challenges common teachings that portray the cross primarily as a legal payment of sin debt, instead emphasizing God’s love, the dismissal of sin, and redemption from iniquity. Key theological touchpoints include the nature of forgiveness ("love does not make a record of sin"), the role of the Holy Spirit, and the Lord’s Prayer as a model for dismissing offenses and walking in love.
The episode walks listeners through Revelation 5–6, unpacking the symbolic "book" as each person’s life story and the seven seals as stages of spiritual experience—white, red, black, pale—showing how literalism and legalism can lead to apostasy. Scott portrays Christ as the only one "worthy" who has prevailed to open our books and mediate God’s truth into our consciences, helping believers confront their failures, cry out for help, and receive practical transformation.
Practical applications include freeing the mind from guilt (recognizing God has already forgiven), learning how to receive the mediator’s ministry, seeking spiritual community with those who understand these truths, and distinguishing scripture-as-guide from life-in-Jesus. This solo teaching episode is both a theological correction and a pastoral call—to move beyond a mere "form of godliness" and embrace the living, mediating Christ who redeems us from iniquity.

Scott Stanley of DTG Ministries examines the spiritual dynamics of pride, fear, and wisdom in this episode of Exploring the Deep Things of God. Using the symbol of a roaring lion, he explains how pride—often unchecked—devours relationships and spiritual life, and why a true fear of the Lord is the necessary response to resist it. Stanley reads and unpacks key scriptures (1 Peter 5; Proverbs 1; 1 Corinthians 2; Hebrews 2 and 5; John 14; Romans 8) to show how God’s wisdom and the pouring out of His Spirit expose sin, guide correction, and lead to transformation.The episode explores the identity and role of Jesus as God’s Son and as Michael ("Who is like God"), describing the Son’s incarnation, baptism, suffering, and how Jesus authored eternal salvation in the flesh. Stanley contrasts the Father’s eternal plan to bring His children into God’s glory with the modern "beast system" of the universal church, warning listeners against surrendering conscience and scriptural truth to institutional authority.Key points covered include: the lion as a symbol of pride and the devil’s adversary role; the choice and meaning of the fear of the Lord; wisdom as Jesus Christ and him crucified; the pouring out of the Spirit to make God’s words known; the process by which believers are conformed to the image of the Son; and a call to leave comfort zones and embrace the true gospel. No external guests are featured — this is a solo teaching by Scott Stanley.The episode closes with a strong exhortation: let the fear of God grip you when pride rises, embrace humility and wisdom, and pursue the transformative promise of God’s glory through the cross and the Holy Spirit.

Scott Stanley challenges believers to go deeper than rituals and doctrines, arguing that eternal life is not in rules or church systems but in knowing the Father through Jesus. He explains the cross as a portrayal of our inner brokenness and iniquity and presents the Holy Spirit as the Father’s understanding that sets us free.Stanley warns against relying on institutional religion or misapplied doctrines, urging listeners to seek truth, work out their salvation, and be freed from guilt, anger, and false teachings so they can truly know God.

Scott Stanley of DTG Ministries offers an old-fashioned, plain Bible study focused on Matthew 7:7–13, urging listeners to "ask, seek, and knock" for God’s truth. He emphasizes the Holy Spirit as God’s understanding, the need to leave apostasy and creedal habits, and the importance of growing in the Father’s revealed love.The episode explains New Jerusalem, the narrow way to life, and the fivefold ministry as gifts to help believers be redeemed in their thinking and live out righteousness. It calls listeners to seek truth, connect with those who teach the only begotten Son, and stand ready to follow Christ above all else.

Scott Stanley explains three powerful symbols—water (our understanding), blood (the record of our soul), and spirit (the emotions we manifest)—and how they shape our actions and struggles.The episode shows how Jesus, the Messiah, transforms our understanding and forgives our iniquity so we can change our spirit, overcome sin, and learn to live and walk in love.

Scott Stanley of DTG Ministries examines what he sees as a widespread apostasy in the church, using Revelation and other scriptures to challenge traditional doctrines and call listeners to seek the true meaning of Jesus' coming in the flesh.He reframes the cross as freedom from iniquity (not divine appeasement), contrasts God's spiritual language with church language, and urges believers to embrace love as righteous action, stand firm in truth, and spread this understanding despite opposition.