• The Moment a Catholic Apologist Destroyed His Own Argument | Weighed in the Balance Ep. 36
    Oct 14 2025

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    Catholic apologist Joe Heschmeyer just made a stunning admission — and he probably didn’t even realize it. In this episode of Weighed in the Balance, Jonathan Brooks reacts to Heschmeyer’s claim that the Bible’s canon was known long before it was ever “infallibly defined.” What does that mean for Rome’s argument that Protestants need an infallible Magisterium to know which books belong in Scripture? Jonathan breaks it all down with sharp analysis, historical insight, and a bit of irony that you won’t want to miss.

    Timestamps
    00:00 – The “Worst” Catholic arguments ranked
    03:15 – Assurance of salvation and confusion with “once saved, always saved”
    08:00 – Why Protestants say “Roman Catholic” instead of “Catholic”
    13:00 – The real meaning of the Whore of Babylon
    16:00 – Did Rome really kill millions in the Dark Ages?
    20:00 – Did Catholics add books to the Bible?
    26:00 – The line Joe Heschmeyer shouldn’t have said
    27:15 – Why his admission undercuts Rome’s entire canon argument

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    29 mins
  • When Even Luther and Calvin Need Grace Ep. 35
    Oct 11 2025

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    We love our heroes of the Reformation—Luther, Calvin, Knox, Zwingli—but if church history teaches us anything, it’s that even the greatest defenders of the gospel still needed the gospel themselves. In this episode of Weighed in the Balance, Jonathan Brooks reminds us that the same grace these men preached was the grace they depended on. Their flaws don’t discredit the Reformation; they magnify the mercy of God who saves sinners through faith in Christ alone. From the pride of reformers to the failures of modern Christians, Jonathan draws a straight line to the only One who never failed.

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    24 mins
  • The Most Offensive Truth in Christianity: You Contribute Nothing Ep. 34
    Oct 10 2025

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    In this episode of Weighed in the Balance, Jonathan Brooks digs deep into one of the most explosive truths of the Christian faith—justification by faith apart from works. While Rome insists grace must be earned through cooperation and merit, Scripture declares the opposite: that the sinner contributes nothing to salvation except the sin that made it necessary. Drawing from Paul’s letters, the Reformers, and the ongoing debates about faith and works, Jonathan explains why this “offensive” gospel is actually the best news imaginable.
    If you’ve ever wondered why sola fide was worth dying for—or why it still divides the church today—this episode is for you.

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    26 mins
  • Joe Heschmeyer’s Dogma Disaster: Why Rome Still Misses the Gospel Ep. 33
    Oct 7 2025

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    In this episode of Weighed in the Balance, Jonathan Brooks reacts to Joe Heschmeyer’s video ranking “arguments against Catholicism”—and exposes the confusion at the heart of Rome’s dogma. What’s the difference between doctrine and dogma? Why does Rome make salvation hinge on believing things Scripture never commands? And how do Protestants balance biblical truth with genuine assurance of salvation? Jonathan unpacks these questions while showing why the Reformation’s message of faith alone is not an excuse for complacency but the only path to real peace with God.

    Find Joe's original video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwim4iDSKe4&t=1378s

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    29 mins
  • What Is Faith—And Why Rome Gets It Wrong Ep. 32
    Oct 2 2025

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    What is faith? Protestants confess that we are justified by faith alone—but unless we know what faith actually is, that claim means very little. In this episode of Weighed in the Balance, Jonathan Brooks unpacks Philip Melanchthon’s definition of justifying faith in the Apology to the Augsburg Confession. Is faith just historical knowledge? Or is it the living trust that clings to Christ’s promise of forgiveness? Along the way, Jonathan exposes how the Roman Catholic system either puffs people up with self-righteousness or drives them into despair—and why only the gospel of Christ offers true comfort. If you’ve ever wrestled with the question of faith, works, and justification, this episode cuts through the confusion and gets to the heart of the matter.

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    24 mins
  • Joe Heschmeyer’s “Devastating” Catholic Shorts? Not So Fast… | Weighed in the Balance Ep. 31
    Sep 30 2025

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    Roman Catholic apologist @JosephHeschmeyer has built a reputation for producing short, punchy videos that claim to deal “devastating” blows to Protestant theology. But are his arguments as airtight as they sound in sixty seconds? In this episode of Weighed in the Balance, Jonathan Brooks takes a careful look at some of Heschmeyer’s most popular shorts—on topics like purgatory, Luther, and the authority of Scripture—and shows why they collapse under scrutiny. Far from being devastating, these arguments rely on selective quotes, rhetorical sleight of hand, and historical half-truths. The Reformation wasn’t built on sound bites, but on the enduring truth of God’s Word. If you’ve ever been unsettled by a slick Roman Catholic video online, this episode will help you see why the gospel of grace still stands firm.

    Find Joes original videos here: https://youtube.com/shorts/L_r8dtaO_NA?si=oVBegzJsdwaay_aJ

    https://youtube.com/shorts/s0kdTYRyDoo?si=4dpiKmXbdNA4P8pK

    https://youtube.com/shorts/KmdCJKG1hMg?si=opZVKMQb6nNVjYbk

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    40 mins
  • Philip Melanchthon: The Reformer Everyone Loves to Hate (But Shouldn’t) Ep. 30
    Sep 27 2025

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    Philip Melanchthon was Luther’s right-hand man, the author of much of the Lutheran Confessions, and a brilliant theologian—and yet history remembers him more for his compromises than for his faithfulness. In this episode of Weighed in the Balance, Jonathan Brooks shows why Melanchthon deserves far more credit than he gets. From his role in defining Reformation theology to his struggles with compromise and his reputation as a peacemaker, we explore the legacy of a man who fought the good fight and finished his course. Whatever his flaws, Melanchthon clung to Christ, and his confession of the gospel still speaks powerfully today.

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    25 mins
  • Rome Still Doesn’t Get Justification—Here’s Why Grace Alone Still Matters Ep. 29
    Sep 25 2025

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    In this episode of Weighed in the Balance, Jonathan Brooks continues his walk through the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, where Philip Melanchthon dismantles Rome’s teaching on merit. While Rome no longer openly teaches that sinners can earn forgiveness by their own acts of love, the Catechism of the Catholic Church still insists that believers must “merit eternal life” through good works after receiving initial grace. Jonathan shows why this development isn’t enough, how it still misses the heart of the gospel, and why Paul’s words in Romans—“if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works”—remain the dividing line. If you’ve ever wondered whether Catholic teaching has really changed since the Reformation, this episode lays it all out.

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    31 mins