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The Story And The Shape

The Story And The Shape

Written by: Paul Smith
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A podcast about Christian theology and the shape it takes in the lives of believers and the church, particularly framed within the Bible's big story of the coming of God's Kingdom through his Messiah, Jesus.

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Christianity Ministry & Evangelism Spirituality
Episodes
  • Ep5: Does Romans 3:25-26 Really Teach PSA? // Rethinking Propitiation & Justice
    May 9 2026

    In episode #5 of the podcast we take a deep dive into one of the most important atonement passages in the New Testament. What does “hilasterion” (often translated "propitiation") really mean? Is God the one being propitiated, or is He offering humanity a gift?

    We explore the original meaning of the word in both Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts, the true nature of God’s justice, and why this passage may not be saying what many assume. A fresh look at justice, faithfulness, and reconciliation that challenges common assumptions about the cross.

    If you’ve ever wrestled with how God can be both just and the justifier, this episode is for you.


    00:00 Intro

    03:10 The Word Propitiation

    09:25 Direction of the Gift

    12:45 Faith As Loyalty

    22:30 What Hilasterion Really Means

    37:20 Trojan Horse & Augustus

    50:40 Amnesty & Reconciliation

    56:50 Final Thoughts


    Music by PaulYudin - https://pixabay.com/music/rock-sport-sport-music-490393/

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    59 mins
  • Ep 4: Is God's Justice About Retribution... or Restoration?
    Apr 28 2026

    Most Christians assume that God’s justice means punishment for wrongdoing. But what if the Bible presents a completely different picture? In this episode, we look at how “justice” is actually used in the Old Testament and why that might challenge the idea that God’s justice is primarily retributive. This is part of an ongoing series exploring the cross, the gospel, and the assumptions behind penal substitutionary atonement.

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    41 mins
  • Ep3: What If God Doesn't Need to Punish to Forgive?
    Apr 11 2026

    What if God doesn’t actually need to punish sin before He can forgive us?

    In this episode of the podcast, we take a close look at one of the most common assumptions in modern Christianity: that God can’t forgive without someone being punished. We trace the idea back to Anselm’s satisfaction theory, examine John Stott’s arguments in "The Cross Of Christ", and ask whether this is really a biblical concept or a man-made framework placed on top of Scripture.

    We dive into the Old Testament (Psalms, Micah, Isaiah, Jonah), the parable of the unmerciful servant, and why penal substitution might actually be trying to solve an imaginary problem.

    Watch this episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/yTiaw9EFeGY

    Intro music by PaulYudin - https://pixabay.com/music/rock-sport-sport-music-490393/

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    1 hr and 1 min
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