R.C. Sproul's Blog, page 516

The Last Enemy

Here's an excerpt from The Last Enemy, an article R.C. Sproul wrote in 2000 for Tabletalk.

"HALT! WHO GOES THERE?"

Such might be the words of a sentry who confronts a mysterious stranger in the darkness. The sentry must discern the identity of the trespasser to determine whether he is a friend or foe. Armed to protect his territory, the vigilant guard wants to avoid two evils: 1) the entrance into the compound of an enemy bent on destruction and 2) the mistaken shooting of an ally stumbling about in the dark.

There is an intruder in our garden—the one called death. Our task is to determine whether his grin is the fiendish mask of a mortal enemy or the benign smile of a friend come to rescue us from this vale of tears. Should we greet him with strident protests or with open arms?

Continue reading The Last Enemy.

How to Astonish the World

The world is not easily astonished or amazed. Human beings have accomplished and achieved so much that even a mission to Mars is so, "Whatever." The latest films resort to more and more outlandish plots and extreme effects to grab and grip attention. The tsunami of digital media has hyper-stimulated us into numbness.

However, travel back with me 2000 years to Galilee and you'll discover something that astonished, something that amazed, something that grabbed and gripped public attention. And it can do the same today. What is it?

Christian Doctrine.

Yes, that's right, Christian truth can astonish the world (Mark 1:22). However, it wasn't doctrine alone, it was doctrine taught with authority. That's what made Jesus such a contrast to every other teacher of His day.

But it wasn't the usual human trappings of academic credentials, power-clothes, famous friends, large crowds, or pomp and ceremony that packed his words with power and influence. What was it, then? There are a number of clues in the immediate context of Mark 1:22 that instruct Christ's church, preachers, and witnesses, how to recover this authority.

1. His Calling

Just a few verses before this incident, the Father anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and ordained him into public ministry (v. 11).

Just as so much of Jesus' authority was built upon this divine calling, so Christ's witnesses can re-discover unapologetic and unembarrassed public witness by being fully persuaded of God's call and authorization to speak in His name.

2. His Confidence

Few children thrive without a strong and steady assurance of parental love. Few Christians prosper without an assurance of God's love. But with it, we can face trials and speak God's truth with poise and confidence.

That's why Jesus was given such an unforgettable and impregnable assurance of His Father's love at his ordination: "You are my beloved Son" (v. 11). His assured heart produced confident words.

3. His Conscience

When God said, "I'm totally pleased with you, Son," He was putting a holy stamp of approval on Christ's first 30 years on earth. Such a clear conscience lent tremendous authority to His words. Without such, we can preach and witness all we like, but there will be no power, no authority.

4. His Communion

Jesus had just returned "in the power of the Spirit" (Luke 4:11) after having completed 40 days of temptation without a stumble. Such close communion with God amplified His words and magnified His aura of authority. While the Scribes knew "the sources," He knew the Source.

5. His Clock

"The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand" (Mark 1:15). Jesus heard God's clock ticking ever closer to the fulfillment of His purposes. The Gospel's time is now. The Gospel's Kingdom is here. The Gospel's King has come. Jesus was a man of urgency because He was a man of eternity. Put eternity and urgency together and you get doctrine with authority.

6. His Clarity

In contrast to the confused and confusing ramblings of the Pharisaical preachers of His day, Jesus' message was profoundly simple and crystal clear. "Repent and believe the Gospel" (v. 15). So profoundly simple, so powerfully clear.

7. His Courage

Jesus interrupted the rough and tough Galilee fisherman: "You, you, and you. Come. Follow me!" There is no waffling or apologizing. Leave your occupations, your money, your comfort, and follow me. What compelling courage. No wonder they followed.

These clues to Christ's astonishing authority show us where to look for similar authority today. There is no substitute for this and there are no shortcuts. You can't buy this authority, qualify for it, or rest in it once you get it.

Oh, and by the way. It says they were astonished at his doctrine. It doesn't say they liked it.

Indispensable Apologetics: An Interview with Ravi Zacharias

Here's an excerpt from Indispensable Apologetics: An Interview with Ravi Zacharias in the August issue of Tabletalk.

Tabletalk: How did you become a Christian?

Ravi Zacharias: I became a Christian while a teenager in India, the land of my birth. I had struggled with many issues—especially those of failure and disappointing my family. There was a series of events, but the culminating point came when I tried to take my own life. It was on that bed of suicide when a Bible was brought to me. I heard John 14 read to me, especially verse 19. Jesus said: “Because I live, you also will live.” In that crisis situation, I cried out to Jesus and received Him as my Lord and my Savior. That was the beginning..

Continue reading Indispensable Apologetics: An Interview with Ravi Zacharias.

Announcing our 2013 National Conference

Is the church in America alive, or is it dead? This question is not as easy to answer as it might seem. There are many outward signs of strength. A large proportion of people in the United States profess to be born again. Politicians often profess faith in Christ. Megachurches dot the land.

When we look a little deeper, however, we find signs of death. Many professing Christians deny the existence of objective truth and ethics. Some elevate personal experience to a level of authority equal to Scripture. Congregations neglect preaching in favor of marketing techniques and entertainment. Such things reveal a hollow core, a lack of steadfastness in those things that endure.

Revelation 3:2 tells us that when we see death and not life, the faithful remnant is called to "strengthen what remains and is about to die." Now, perhaps more than ever before, we must stand with conviction. We live in age of compromise, but if we stand on the bedrock of God's truth, we will not bend with the winds of relativism and faithlessness.

On February 21-23, 2013, Ligonier Ministries will be hosting our annual conference in Orlando, Fla. Alistair Begg, Sinclair Ferguson, Robert Godfrey, Steve Lawson, R.C. Sproul Jr., Cal Thomas, and Ravi Zacharias will join me as we consider the theme "No Compromise: Standing for the Truth of God's Word." We will examine the Word of God and what it says about standing firm for bedrock truths such as the resurrection of Christ, the trustworthiness of Scripture, God's plan for the family, our need to show mercy, the importance of theology, the primacy of preaching, the exclusivity of Jesus, the place of the church, our call to be on the offense against the city of man, and the final victory of Christ and His people. As always, this promises to be an encouraging time of study.

I hope that you will consider joining us in February for fellowship, encouragement, prayer, worship, and study during this conference. We look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones as we learn how to stand firm for our Savior.

In Christ,

R.C. Sproul

Register Now and Save $50

Register today and you will be eligible for our Early Bird Rate—that's a savings of $50. Be sure to check our other special discounts and rates that may apply. Learn more.

Conference Message Titles

The Article on Which the Church Stands or Falls by R.C. Sproul
Feet Firmly Planted in Midair by Robert Godfrey
Preach the Word by Alistair Begg
Here I Stand by Steven Lawson
Family Tradition by Cal Thomas
Doctrine in the Dock by Sinclair Ferguson
Have Mercy by Alistair Begg
A Good Offense by R.C. Sproul Jr.
He Is Risen Indeed by Ravi Zacharias
On This Rock by Sinclair Ferguson
No Compromise, No Surrender by R.C. Sproul

In addition, there will be two Questions & Answers sessions. Learn more about the speakers and the conference schedule.

An Added Bonus — 2013 Study Cruise

Following our 2013 National Conference is an opportunity for you to join R.C. Sproul and R.C. Sproul Jr., February 24 — March 3, for a time of extended study on our 2013 Carribean Study Cruise. If you register to travel with us for this Study Cruise you will receive complimentary admission to our 2013 National Conference. Early bird pricing for the Study Cruise ends August 31. Learn More.

Register for our 2013 National Conference and we'll see you in Orlando next February.

How Should Protestants Relate to Roman Catholics?

I have written in strong terms in Are We Together? because I believe the errors of the Roman Catholic Church are deep and significant. I am happy to make common cause with Roman Catholics on social issues, but we have no common cause in the gospel. Rome has compromised the gospel with her unbiblical doctrines. I firmly believe that she is "teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt. 15:9).

How then should we proceed? How should we relate to Roman Catholics?

I believe that as individuals, we should reach out to Roman Catholics. We should love our neighbors who are in the Church of Rome. We should befriend them and spend time with them. By doing so, we earn the right to lovingly critique their views.

As churches, we must stand for the biblical gospel—and nothing more. It is our calling to hold high the truth and expose falsehood. To this end, it is essential that we know and understand what Rome is teaching, so distinctions can be made. It is important that the people in the pews be educated about what Protestants believe over against what Roman Catholics teach.

Pastors should preach the gospel and point out ways in which it is twisted by men, including the Roman Catholic Church. I am not saying that every sermon must attack Rome, but given the attraction that Roman Catholicism is exerting on some Protestants, it is essential that its errors be exposed. By faithfully preaching the gospel, pastors will defend the Reformation.

When our involvement in social issues brings us into contact and camaraderie with Roman Catholics, we need not draw back. But we must not assume that we are brothers and sisters with them in the gospel. They are members of a church that has anathematized the gospel, so we ought to pray for them and seek to reach them for Christ.

There is much more I could have said in Are We Together? However, I hope this small book introduces you to some of the issues that have been—and remain—in dispute between Protestants and Roman Catholics. I encourage you to dig deeper on your own so that you will become more knowledgeable and articulate in dealing with these issues. Much is at stake, and there is a desperate need for an educated laity.

The Reformation is not over. It cannot be over and must not be over until all who call themselves Christians have one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. The cause of sola Scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia, solus Christus, and soli Deo Gloria remains the cause of and for biblical truth.

Excerpt adapted from R.C. Sproul's latest book, Are We Together? Available now from ReformationTrust.com

Twitter Highlights (8/26/12)

Here are highlights from our various Twitter accounts over the past week.

Year 2 @refbiblecollege begins today. We're very thankful. Please pray for the students and faculty. instagr.am/p/OjTLhQCanu/

— Ligonier Ministries (@Ligonier) August 20, 2012

We must beg for grace to be willing servants more fully and consistently. —@joelbeeke bit.ly/J5XhZN

— Reformation Trust (@RefTrust) August 21, 2012

When the gospel is at stake, we have to "Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also." —R.C. Sproul bit.ly/OEe6jr

— Reformation Trust (@RefTrust) August 22, 2012

The law is a mirror reflecting to us both the perfect righteousness of God and our own sinfulness & shortcomings: ligm.in/RdEd4c

— Ligonier Ministries (@Ligonier) August 22, 2012

We have been once born sinners: we must be born again, that we may be saints (Thomas Boston).

— Ligonier Academy (@LigonierAcademy) August 22, 2012

Reading through the Bible from beginning to end is like watching a painter transform a blank canvas into a masterpiece (T.D. Alexander).

— Tabletalk Magazine (@Tabletalk) August 23, 2012

Salvation is something that God does in us and for us, not something that we in any waydo for ourselves. —R.C. Sproul

— Ligonier Ministries (@Ligonier) August 24, 2012

You can also find our various ministries on Facebook:

Ligonier Ministries | Ligonier Academy | Ligonier Connect | RefNet
Reformation Bible College | Reformation Trust | Tabletalk Magazine

Why Did God Destroy the City of Sodom?

There are, in our day, two principle competing views on how to answer this question. Because we live in a world where those committing sexual perversion have become a protected class, certain circles of the church have rushed to accommodate them. The up and coming theory, however anti-intuitive it might be is this- God destroyed Sodom not because it was a city given over to perversion, but because it was a city that failed to exercise hospitality. God's wrath was poured out not because the men of Sodom, pounding on Lot's door, wanted to sexually assault the angels, but because the angels were not treated with grace and compassion. It wasn't what they wanted to take, but what they failed to give.

The more conservative wing of the church, of course, takes an older view, a more intuitive view. The narrative here goes like this- Sodom was a city where sexual perversion had taken such deep root, that when angels came to visit they were viewed as fresh meat. This grave evil that gave birth to this grave crime inspired God's grave wrath.

While the second view, the more intuitive, the more historical view has more to go for it than the politically correct more modern view, I'm afraid they both seriously miss the point. Yes, the wrath of God is revealed against all unrighteousness. Yes, sexual perversity is both a result of God's wrath and a provocation of God's wrath. But a more careful look at the story tells us why Sodom was destroyed. It was destroyed not because of the evil of the unbelievers. It was destroyed because of a lack of a remnant. God destroyed Sodom because of the failure of the church, of the believers.

Remember Abraham's careful conversation with God, his virtual negotiation for the city of Sodom. Would God spare the city if there were fifty righteous there? Forty-five? Forty? Finally God agrees that He will spare the city for ten. But Abraham could not find even ten. Don't miss though what might have been. This dark and evil city would have been spared had there been but ten righteous people. Despite the perversion, despite the scope of the evil, the city would have been spared for just ten righteous.

We live in a dark and evil land, amongst a dark and evil people. We too, in ourselves, are dark and evil. But we, by His grace, have a righteousness that is not rightly our own. We have a perfect righteousness. And by that, we can be the very reason God might spare our nation, our culture. We plot and we worry about how to take back this institution and that. We strategize and we compromise, that we might earn a place at the world's table, for the sake of the world. When what we are called to do is to seek first His righteousness and His kingdom. What we are called to do is the right thing.

It is possible to retreat from the battle, and excuse our fear as pursuing personal righteousness. We call this folly pietism. I fear, however, that we are falling off the other side of the horse. Here piety is called pietism, and worldliness called being missional. The mission, however, is piety. Rescue your neighborhood. Rescue your city. Rescue your nation. Rescue those who are caught up in perversion. Rescue the Lots of the church. Do it by seeking His righteousness. Remnants save cities.

4 Responses to the Challenge of Same-Sex Unions

In the world but not of the world? From the very beginning, the church has faced the challenge of responding to external events, trends, ideologies, and controversies. By definition, the church does not get to choose these challenges, but they have been thrust upon Christians by the world. The question always comes down to this: What now?

That question seems especially urgent in light of the emergence of same-sex unions and marriage in the United States and the world over. How must the church answer this challenge?

To answer that question, we need to think about the speed of the moral revolution that has pushed this question to the forefront of our culture. In less than a generation, homosexuality has gone from being almost universally condemned to being almost fully normalized in the larger society.

We are facing a true moral inversion — a system of moral understandings turned upside down. Where homosexuality was even recently condemned by the society, now it is considered a sin to believe that homosexuality is wrong in any way. A new sexual morality has replaced the old, and those who hold to the old morality are considered morally deficient. The new moral authorities have one central demand for the church: get with the new program.

This puts the true church, committed to the authority of God's Word, in a very difficult cultural position. Put simply, we cannot join the larger culture in normalizing homosexuality and restructuring society to match this new morality. Recognizing same-sex unions and legalizing same-sex marriage is central to this project.

Liberal churches and denominations are joining the project, some more quickly and eagerly than others. The cultural pressure is formidable, and only churches that are truly committed to Scripture will withstand the pressure to accommodate themselves and their message to the new morality.

What, then, is the true church to do?

First, we must stand without compromise on the authority of the Bible and the principles of sexual conduct and morality that God has revealed so clearly in His Word. The Bible's sexual morality is grounded in the creation of humanity in God's image; we are created as male and female and given the gift of sex within the marriage covenant — and only within the marriage covenant between one man and one woman for as long they both shall live.

The easiest way to summarize the Bible's teaching on sexuality is to begin with God's blessing of sex only within the marriage covenant between a man and a woman. Then, just remember that sex outside of that covenant relationship, whatever its form or expression, is explicitly forbidden. Christians know that these prohibitions are for our good and that rejecting them is tantamount to a moral rebellion against God Himself. We also know that the Bible forbids all same-sex sexual acts and behaviors. Thus, we know that homosexuality is a sin, that blessing it in any way is also sin, and that normalizing sin cannot lead to human happiness.

Second, we must realize what is at stake. Marriage is first and foremost a public institution. It has always been so. Throughout history, societies have granted special recognition and privileges to marriage because it is the central organizing institution of human culture. Marriage regulates relationships, sexuality, human reproduction, lineage, kinship, and family structure. But marriage has also performed another crucial function — it has regulated morality.

This is why the challenge of samesex unions is so urgent and important. Redefining marriage is never simply about marriage. It leads to the redefinition of reproduction and parenthood, produces a legal revolution with vast consequences, replaces an old social order with something completely new, and forces the adoption of a new morality. This last point is especially important. Marriage teaches morality by its very centrality to the culture. With a new concept of marriage comes a new morality, enforced by incredible social pressure and, eventually, legal threats.

Third, we must act quickly to teach Christians the truth about marriage and God's plan for sexuality in all its fullness and beauty. We must develop pastoral approaches that are faithful to Scripture and arm this generation of believers to withstand the cultural pressure and respond in ways that are truly Christian.

Fourth, and most important, this challenge must drive us to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Christians must be the first to understand this challenge in light of the gospel. After all, we know spiritual rebellion when we see it, for we ourselves were rebels before God's grace conquered us. We know what moral confusion means because without the light of God's Word, we are just as confused.

There is no rescue from the self-deception of sin except for the salvation that is ours in Jesus Christ. While doing everything else required of us in this challenge, the faithful church must center its energies on the one thing that we know we must do above all else — preach, teach, and live the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Learn how you can help Ligonier Ministries continue to proclaim a biblical view of marriage.

This article original appeared in Tabletalk Magazine.

$5 Friday: The Cross, Marriage, & Atheism

Friday is here again and that means it's time for another $5 Friday sale. This week's resources cover such topics as the cross, marriage, evangelism, suffering, atheism, spiritual growth, and more.

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

View today's $5 Friday sale items.

Every Conflict Is a Test

Here's an excerpt from Every Conflict Is a Test, Alexander Strauch's contribution to the August issue of Tabletalk.

The New Testament does not hide the fact that nearly every church in the Apostolic age experienced conflict. As the New Testament writers addressed these matters, they provided invaluable instruction on how believers are to think, act, and treat one another when conflict arises. By studying the churches in the New Testament and the instructions given to them regarding conflict, we can learn biblical principles for handling conflict in a constructive, Christ-honoring way.

Continue reading Every Conflict Is a Test.