⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 2 min read
Episode Summary
Our culture today tells us that freedom is found in self-definition. Be who you want to be. Believe what feels true. Follow your own path. But the Word of God tells a very different story.In this episode of Contending for the Word, Dave Jenkins examines the rise of self-made spirituality and why it promises freedom while leading to confusion, instability, and bondage. True freedom is not found in creating your own truth or constructing your own identity. True freedom is found in submission to the truth of God’s Word and the Lordship of Jesus Christ.Dave explains how self-made spirituality reshapes truth, identity, authority, and freedom around the self, why this worldview is so appealing in our cultural moment, and how Christians can live with clarity, conviction, compassion, and discernment in a confused age.Listen and Watch
Episode Highlights
- Why biblical freedom is rooted in truth, not self-expression.
- How self-made spirituality shifts authority from God to the individual.
- Why identity is received from God, not constructed by personal feelings.
- How self-definition creates instability, anxiety, and spiritual bondage.
- Why a culture built on the self produces confusion and fragmentation.
- How Christians can speak truth with compassion and conviction.
- Why the gospel offers real freedom, rest, and hope in Christ.
Key Scriptures
- John 8:31–36
- Genesis 1:27
- 2 Corinthians 5:17
- Proverbs 14:12
- Judges 21:25
- Romans 12:2
- Colossians 3:3
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21
- Ephesians 4:15
- Matthew 11:28
- Revelation 21:5
Contending for the Word
Contending for the Word exists to help Christians think biblically, resist deception, and remain grounded in the Word of God in a confused age.Learn more about Contending for the Word.Watch more episodes on YouTube here: Contending for the Word YouTube Playlist.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.
Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.
He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).
You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.
When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.
Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
