R.C. Sproul's Blog, page 132

2019 London Conference: Early-Bird Ends Today

The early-bird discount for our 2019 London Conference ends today, so don’t delay. Register now and save.

Jesus Christ is the light of the world, and as Christians, His light shines through us. This conference will present core truths of the Christian faith in order to equip believers to shine as lights in this world.

If you register, you’ll receive two days of teaching and encouragement from Alistair Begg, Sinclair Ferguson, Mark Johnston, Albert Mohler, Burk Parsons, and Michael Reeves.

Sessions:

The Light of Christ by Mark Johnston
Not One Jot or Tittle by Alistair Begg
The Truth Shall Set You Free by Albert Mohler
My Yoke Is Easy by Sinclair Ferguson
Take Up Your Cross by Michael Reeves
Make Disciples by Burk Parsons
Panel Discussion: The Church in the United Kingdom with  Sinclair Ferguson, Mez McConnell, Paul Levy, Michael Reeves, and Jeremy Walker

Join us on 27–28 September to learn about core truths of the Christian faith and be equipped to shine as lights in this world. Register today and save.

Register Now & Save

Early-bird rate ends July 31, 2019 at 11:59pm ET.

Apostasy and How it Happens

I can still recall the conversation although it took place more than three decades ago. A shocked friend asked, "Have you heard that Sarah is no longer a Christian?" What was so alarming to my friend was that Sarah had been one of the most influential, and apparently fruitful, members of her Inter-Varsity group. What would those who had been influenced by her witness to Christ say, or do? Would they be shaken to the core and now doubt their own Christian faith? After all, the person who had pointed them to Christ no longer trusted Him.

On occasion we wonder if an individual really has been converted. And sometimes we have an inexplicable, ill-defined sense that something is missing. But we cannot read the heart. Even so, we hear of friends—whose faith we never doubted—turning away from Christ.

Apostasy is the old, vigorous word to describe this abandonment of Christ. The New Testament church was familiar with it. It was a major concern of the author of Hebrews. That is why he wrote the often-discussed words of Hebrews 6:4–6: Those once enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, become partakers of the Holy Spirit, tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the coming age—if they fall away cannot be renewed again to repentance.

Some in the early church thought that the phrase "cannot be renewed" meant that those who stumbled could not be received back into fellowship. But our author does not have the penitent in mind. Rather, he is thinking of those whose hardness of heart blocks the way to the cross and proves irreversible.

It has been said that there is no more powerful or detailed description of the true Christian in the New Testament than in the words of Hebrews 6:4–6. That is surely a breathtaking statement in the light of what is said about the first readers a few verses later. The author is confident of something "better" in them—the very things that accompany salvation (6:9). The implication is that, however powerful the experiences described in 6:4–6 may be, these are not the definitive marks of a Christian. They may be present when genuine faith is absent. In fact, Hebrews is telling us that which is possible to experience without actually being a Christian.

Something must be missing therefore from this list of influences and experiences. What Hebrews has already said about an earlier generation brings it to light: "the gospel was preached ... to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith" (Heb. 4:2 NKJV). There was no real trust in Christ, the crucified, risen, and reigning Savior.

The truth and the power of the gospel were experienced. But "experience" in itself is not regeneration unless gospel grace penetrates into the heart. Hebrews 6:4–6 makes no mention of the crucified One being trusted and sin being rejected. Rather, despite rich spiritual experiences, heart unbelief and rejection of Christ, crucifying Him ourselves, are grimly possible.

The solemn fact is that none of us can tell the difference between the beginning of backsliding and the beginning of apostasy. Both look the same. So what are the tell-tale signs of this sickness unto death? Are there early symptoms that might alert us to our spiritual danger?

Hebrews 6:8–12 suggests three things we should look out for. First, we should look for the presence of "thorns and briars" (v. 8). Here Hebrews echoes the words of our Lord in the Parable of the Soils. In some soils (hearts) the good seed of the Word is planted and seems to take root. But in fact the soil is infested with weeds that strangle the fruit of the good seed. "The cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful" (Mark 4:19 NKJV).

Second, we should look for the absence of "things that [always] accompany salvation" (v. 9). What are these "things"? They are, surely, the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–24). Paul interestingly contrasts verbally the fruit of the Spirit with the works of the flesh. These marks of grace are the natural outcome of regeneration. Furthermore, the cross has a central place in such a life, for "those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions" (Gal. 5:24 NKJV).

The third thing is perhaps the most alarming: The failure to show "diligence" and a tendency to become "sluggish" (vv. 11–12). Earlier the writer had warned how easy it is just to "drift away" (Heb. 2:1). But this drifting happens slowly, and it often goes unnoticed.

Yes, apostasy happens. Sometimes the catalyst is flagrant sin. The pain of conviction and repentance is refused, and the only alternative to it is wholesale rejection of Christ. But sometimes the catalyst is a thorn growing quietly in the heart, an indifference to the way of the cross, a drifting that is not reversed by the knowledge of biblical warnings.

So perhaps a personal health check is in order. And today would be the wisest time to do it.

This post was originally published in Tabletalk magazine.

2019 London Conference: Early-Bird Ends Tomorrow

The early-bird discount for our 2019 London Conference ends tomorrow, so don’t delay. Register now and save.

Jesus Christ is the light of the world, and as Christians, His light shines through us. This conference will present core truths of the Christian faith in order to equip believers to shine as lights in this world.

If you register, you’ll receive two days of teaching and encouragement from Alistair Begg, Sinclair Ferguson, Mark Johnston, Albert Mohler, Burk Parsons, and Michael Reeves.

Sessions:

The Light of Christ by Mark Johnston
Not One Jot or Tittle by Alistair Begg
The Truth Shall Set You Free by Albert Mohler
My Yoke Is Easy by Sinclair Ferguson
Take Up Your Cross by Michael Reeves
Make Disciples by Burk Parsons
Panel Discussion: The Church in the United Kingdom with  Sinclair Ferguson, Mez McConnell, Paul Levy, Michael Reeves, and Jeremy Walker

Join us on 27–28 September to learn about core truths of the Christian faith and be equipped to shine as lights in this world. Register today and save.

Register Now & Save

Early-bird rate ends July 31, 2019 at 11:59pm ET.

Orderly Worship as a Witness to the World

Here’s an excerpt from Orderly Worship as a Witness to the World, David P. Barry’s contribution to the July issue of Tabletalk:

Walking into an unsupervised toddler nursery is enough to overwhelm most people. It’s chaos. The children might be screaming, fighting, throwing toys, holding their hands over their ears, or doing any number of other things all at once. Children need unstructured play time or “free play” for their development, so it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Still, an adult observer might reasonably conclude from the disorder that these children haven’t agreed on what they’re doing. We can tolerate a loud nursery, but in other contexts, such a free-for-all is objectionable. A disordered graduation or wedding ceremony would be inappropriate because it would distract from the unified focus of the gathering. The same principle applies when we worship.

Continue reading Orderly Worship as a Witness to the World, or begin receiving Tabletalk magazine by signing up for a free 3-month trial.

For a limited time, the new TabletalkMagazine.com allows everyone to browse and read the growing library of back issues, including this month’s issue.

Can You Disagree with Infant Baptism and Still Be Reformed?

From one of our live Ask Ligonier events, Stephen Nichols discusses the doctrines that unite Reformed Baptists and Reformed Presbyterians.

Ask your biblical and theological questions live online at Ask.Ligonier.org.

Read the Transcript

2019 London Conference: Early-Bird Ends in 48 Hours

The early-bird discount for our 2019 London Conference ends in 48 hours, so don’t delay. Register now and save.

Jesus Christ is the light of the world, and as Christians, His light shines through us. This conference will present core truths of the Christian faith in order to equip believers to shine as lights in this world.

If you register, you’ll receive two days of teaching and encouragement from Alistair Begg, Sinclair Ferguson, Mark Johnston, Albert Mohler, Burk Parsons, and Michael Reeves.

Sessions:

The Light of Christ by Mark Johnston
Not One Jot or Tittle by Alistair Begg
The Truth Shall Set You Free by Albert Mohler
My Yoke Is Easy by Sinclair Ferguson
Take Up Your Cross by Michael Reeves
Make Disciples by Burk Parsons
Panel Discussion: The Church in the United Kingdom with  Sinclair Ferguson, Mez McConnell, Paul Levy, Michael Reeves, and Jeremy Walker

Join us on 27–28 September to learn about core truths of the Christian faith and be equipped to shine as lights in this world. Register today and save.

Register Now & Save

Jonathan Edwards' Driving Passion

Jonathan Edwards lived with one driving passion: soli Deo gloria—for the glory of God alone. His master purpose in all things, his overarching aim in all of life, was to bring honor and majesty to the name of God. He desired to exalt the greatness of God with every breath he drew and with every step he took. Every thought, every attitude, every choice, and every undertaking must be for the glory of God.

Each of Edwards' seventy resolutions was centered on this supreme passion for God's honor. Through these ambitious purpose statements, Edwards pursued his passion for glorifying God in all things. His God-centered vision pulled him and propelled him forward in all of life. It was God, majestic and holy in His infinite being, whose sovereignty knows no limits, whose grace knows no bounds, whom Edwards kept constantly before his adoring eyes. It was God, sufficient in Himself and all-sufficient for His people, whom Edwards sought with all his might to please. It was God who became Edwards' goal in daily Christian living and whom he pursued with radical resolve and holy ambition. Amid all his labors as a pastor, Edwards remained riveted upon God, who is the beginning, the middle, and the end of all things, the first cause and last end, and everything in between. God Himself has made the promotion of His glory to be His highest end, and Edwards, likewise, lived for this above all else.

In this day, some three hundred years after Edwards' time, there is a desperate need for a new generation to arise onto the scene of history that will prize and promote the glory of our awesome God. Beholding the soul-capturing vision of this all-supreme, all-sovereign, and all-sufficient God transforms individuals in life-altering ways. This is what we learn from Edwards, and this is what we must experience in our own lives. Our lofty theology, centered on God Himself, must be translated into daily Christian living in practical ways.

May God raise up a growing host in this day that will be consumed with striving to be holy just as He is holy. May God give to His church an army of followers of Christ who are radically surrendered and fully devoted to Him. May such a righteous remnant come in due season for the cause of another Great Awakening. And may Edwards' "Resolutions" be the footprints they follow.

This excerpt is taken from The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards by Steven Lawson.

Jesus: The God-Man

In this brief clip from his teaching series A Survey of Church History, W. Robert Godfrey examines the importance of recognizing who Jesus is in relation to God and in relation to man. Watch this entire message for free today.

Transcript:

So, the church has come now to this recognition of who Jesus really is in relation to God and in relation to man, and it’s crucial because it establishes that He is divine, and understands us fully, and is human, and He can be our Savior fully. Because it’s in His death on the cross, it’s in His body and blood that our redemption is made. It’s in His human nature in the first place that our redemption is accomplished for us. And so this is so important, and it is ultimately a triumph of Biblical religion. Again, if you look at the Bible, the Bible may not tell us in technical terms exactly how we understand the relationship of the humanity and the divinity to Jesus, but when you look in the Bible, nothing can be clearer than that Jesus is divine, according to Biblical teaching, and that Jesus is human according to Biblical teaching. Jesus wept, Jesus was hungry, Jesus slept, Jesus died; He was a human, and that is so important to understanding who He was.

$5 Friday: Martin Luther, Guilt, & Grace

It’s time for our weekly $5 Friday sale. This week’s resources include such topics as grace, the Psalms, truth, the Trinity, angels, the Lord’s Prayer, Jonathan Edwards, guilt, and more.

Sale runs through 12:01 a.m. — 11:59 p.m. Friday ET.

View today’s $5 Friday sale items.

Loving God with Our Minds

In this brief clip for our 2012 National Conference, R.C. Sproul explains that loving God with our minds leads us to worship.

Transcript

If I want to love God more, I have to know Him more deeply. The more I search the Scriptures, and the more I focus my mind's attention on who God is and what He does, the more I understand just a tiny little bit about that, the more my soul breaks out in flame. The greater ardor I have to honor Him, and that that understanding of the mind—the more I understand God with the mind, the more I love Him with my mind. What does it mean to love with the mind? It's to hold in high esteem. To think about God with reverence and with adoration because the more we love God with our minds the more we'll be driven to do that other thing that is alien to us in our fallen condition, and that is to worship Him.