R.C. Sproul's Blog, page 62

$5 Friday (And More): Joy, the Prodigal Son, & Theology

It’s time for our weekly $5 Friday sale. This week’s resources include such topics as joy, the prodigal son, theology, grace, Martin Luther, preaching, and more.

Plus, several bonus resources are also available for more than $5. These have been significantly discounted from their original price. This week’s bonus resources include:

The Legacy of Luther , Hardcover Book $19 $10
Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ by John Piper, Paperback Book $16 $10
Heaven on Earth by Derek Thomas, Hardcover Book $13 $8
Servants for His Glory by Miguel Núñez, Paperback Book (Spanish) $13 $9
What about Free Will? by Scott Christensen, Paperback Book $18 $11
A Heart for God by Sinclair Ferguson, Paperback Book $11 $8
Jesus Among Secular Gods , Paperback Book $15 $10
Ichthus: Jesus Christ, God’s Son, the Saviour , Paperback Book $13 $9
When Worlds Collide , Hardcover Book $15 $10
The Christ of Wisdom , Paperback Book $20 $14
Willing to Believe by R.C. Sproul, Paperback Book $18 $10
Everyone’s a Theologian by R.C. Sproul, Audiobook $25 $12.50
The Book of Job by Derek Thomas, DVD $48 $15
The Book of Job with Derek Thomas, Study Guide $15 $8
Willing to Believe with R.C. Sproul, DVD $48 $15
Willing to Believe with R.C. Sproul, Study Guide $15 $5
What Is Biblical Preaching? by Eric Alexander, Paperback Book $5 $3.25
Does Prayer Change Things? by R.C. Sproul, Paperback Book (Spanish) $4 $2
What Is the Relationship between Church and State? by R.C. Sproul, Paperback Book $2 $1
Joy: February 2017 Tabletalk , Magazine $3 $1
Eastern Spirituality: August 2012 Tabletalk , Magazine $3 $1
The Prodigal Son: December 2012 Tabletalk , Magazine $3 $1

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

View today’s $5 Friday sale items.

Truly Loving Discourse

Here’s an excerpt from Truly Loving Discourse, Jason K. Allen's contribution to the August issue of Tabletalk:

Ours is a loquacious age. Words travel toward us at warp speed, landing with such force and frequency as to dizzy us all.

Virtually every sector of society contributes to this surplus of words. News anchors breathlessly report the latest happenings, accompanied by their own spin on the facts. The internet has made everyone an expert, granting everyone a platform and a megaphone with which to speak. Social media is a never-ending stream of gossip, speculation, and shrill accusation.

Continue reading Truly Loving Discourse, 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.

In Times of Trouble, Run to Romans 8:28

Nothing happens without God willing it to happen before it happens. From Made in the Image of God, Derek Thomas refers to Romans 8:28.

Transcript:

The powers that be are ordained by God. Behind it, of course, lies a biblical view of providence that nothing happens without God willing it to happen. That nothing happens without God willing it to happen before it happens. That nothing happens without God willing it to happen in the very way that it happens. It's a corollary of Romans 8:28, that all things, God works all things together for the good of those who love Him. That there's nothing outside of the control or the decree of Almighty God. When we're in trouble, we run to Romans 8:28 in a time such as this, in an unprecedented time such as this. We run to the cover, the bubble that says God is in control, He's ordered this, He's got this. I don't have to be afraid.

The Necessity of Effectively Communicating to Children

Like many, I have watched my fair share of films over the years, and the vast majority have been quite forgettable. There are a small number that I enjoyed enough to purchase in order to watch them again. But there are very, very few that were so powerful in one way or another that they have stayed with me years after seeing them. (I am still not sure I will ever forgive Walt Disney for the trauma inflicted by Old Yeller.)

When I think about the films I’ve seen as an adult that have really stayed with me, three come to mind. One is The Straight Story, a film based on the true story of seventy-three-year-old Alvin Straight, who drove his riding lawnmower 240 miles from Iowa to Wisconsin to visit his brother, who had recently suffered a stroke. The look on his brother’s face when he realizes what Alvin has done is deeply moving.

Two foreign-language films also fall into this category. The first, Sophie Scholl, is a German film based on the true story of a teenage girl who was arrested by the Gestapo for distributing anti-Nazi leaflets during WWII. Again, the final scene is powerful, but the questions this movie makes you ask about yourself and what you would have done in that situation are what stay with you long after the credits roll.

The second foreign-language film that I have never been able to forget is Ponette, a French film about a fouryear-old girl attempting to deal with the death of her mother. Ponette is not an easy film to watch. There are few things more heart-wrenching than the grief of a young child, and the performance of the young actress portraying Ponette is truly nothing short of amazing. The most fascinating aspect of the film for me, however, had to do with the questions it raised about the way young children interpret (and misinterpret) the words of adults.

In the film, Ponette’s father is an atheist, and he tells her very bluntly that her mother is gone. While dealing with his own grief, he leaves his child with her aunt and uncle, who are devout Roman Catholics. In an attempt to console Ponette, her aunt tells her the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. In her four-year-old mind, Ponette takes this to mean that if she waits a few days, her mother will come back to her. Her aunt and uncle do not realize how Ponette has misunderstood them and, therefore, never really clarify things for her. Neither do they realize how devastated she is when her expectation fails to be realized. The advice Ponette’s four-year-old friends give her throughout the remainder of the film puts her through an emotional wringer, but misunderstanding them is far less serious than misunderstanding the relevance of Christ’s resurrection to her situation.

As Christians, we are called to teach our children. But how often do we simply take for granted that they have comprehended the meaning of our words? And do we consider the damage that can be done if they misinterpret us without our realizing it? Very young children are in the process of learning the basic rules of grammar through imitation and use. Their vocabulary is also growing—sometimes by inventing their own words. (My daughter came up with the word “foosies” for “flowers” when she was very young.) But young children often make mistakes in their use of the language as they learn it, and they do not always automatically grasp the proper denotations or connotations of every word and phrase they hear.

Confusing the meaning of the words restaurant and restroom as a child, while potentially embarrasing, is one thing. However, confusing the meaning of the words of Scripture or the basics of Christian theology is quite another. Anyone who teaches young children has to stop and think about the words he uses when communicating to them. We should not assume that the thoughts in our minds are effectively communicated without distortion to the minds of the children. It is vitally important to ask children what they have understood us to say.

What do they hear you, your pastors, or their Sunday school teachers saying about God when they hear talk about “the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”? What do they hear us saying when we say we believe in Jesus Christ, God’s “only begotten Son”? What do they hear if we use the words “Holy Ghost”? Do they understand what is being said when we use words like heaven, faith, soul, or salvation? We can only find out by asking them.

If they do require further explanation, the next question is this: Are we equipped to do the explaining? Can we clarify the doctrine of the Trinity, for example, to a young child? It is a self-evident truth that we cannot teach what we do not know, and we cannot explain what we do not ourselves understand. The study of Scripture and theology is simply not a luxury for those entrusted with children. It is a necessity.

This post was originally published in Tabletalk magazine.

Discourse with the Foolish

Here’s an excerpt from Discourse with the Foolish, Harry L. Reeder III's contribution to the August issue of Tabletalk:

Proverbs 26:4–5 tells us: “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.” I have to confess that I love these verses. But let’s be honest. Many believers have stumbled over this text and even more have been challenged by unbelievers with this text. Don’t be intimidated. When they challenge you, they have actually opened wide a door for you to talk with them about the futility of unbelief and to talk about a life of purpose and meaning for any and all who come to Christ as their Lord and Savior. So, now let’s take on the inevitable challenges and blessings of this captivating text.

Continue reading Discourse with the Foolish, 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.

How Can I Help My Evolutionist Son Respect Both Science and Scripture?

Science can help us make observations in the world, but it can never explain the origin of the world. From one of our Ask Ligonier events, John MacArthur shows that Scripture alone reveals where we came from.

Do you have a biblical or theological question? We invite you to ask Ligonier.

True Love

“All you need is love.” So sang the Beatles. If they’d been singing about God’s love, the statement would have a grain of truth in it. But what usually goes by the name love in popular culture is not authentic love at all; it’s a deadly fraud. Far from being “all you need,” it’s something you desperately need to avoid.

The apostle Paul makes that very point in Ephesians 5:1–3. He writes, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.”

The simple command of verse 2 (“walk in love, as Christ loved us”) sums up the whole moral obligation of the Christian. After all, God’s love is the single, central principle that defines the Christian’s entire duty. This kind of love is really “all you need.” Romans 13:8–10 says, “The one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments … are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Galatians 5:14 echoes that selfsame truth: “The whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” Jesus likewise taught that all the Law and the Prophets hang on two simple principles about love—the first and second great commandments (Matt. 22:38–40). In other words, “love … is the bond of perfection” (Col. 3:14 NKJV).

When Paul commands us to walk in love, the context reveals that in positive terms, he is talking about being kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving to one another (Eph. 4:32). The model for such selfless love is Christ, who gave His life to save His people from their sins. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). And “if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11).

In other words, true love is always sacrificial, self-giving, merciful, compassionate, sympathetic, kind, generous, and patient. These and many other positive, benevolent qualities (see 1 Cor. 13:4–8) are what Scripture associates with divine love.

But notice the negative side as well, also seen in the context of Ephesians 5. The person who truly loves others as Christ loves us must refuse every kind of counterfeit love. The apostle Paul names some of these satanic forgeries. They include immorality, impurity, and covetousness. The passage continues: “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous ( that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not associate with them” (vv. 4–7).

Immorality is perhaps our generation’s favorite substitute for love. Paul uses the Greek word porneia, which includes every kind of sexual sin. Popular culture desperately tries to blur the line between genuine love and immoral passion. But all such immorality is a total perversion of genuine love because it seeks self-gratification rather than the good of others.

Impurity is another devilish perversion of love. Here Paul employs the Greek term akatharsia, which refers to every kind of filth and impurity. Specifically, Paul has in mind “filthiness,” “foolish talk,” and “crude joking,” which are the peculiar characteristics of evil companionship. That kind of camaraderie has nothing to do with true love, and the apostle plainly says it has no place in the Christian’s walk.

Covetousness is yet another corruption of love that stems from a narcissistic desire for self-gratification. It’s the exact opposite of the example Christ set when He “gave Himself up for us” (v. 2). In verse 5, Paul equates covetousness with idolatry. Again, this has no place in the Christian walk, and according to verse 5, the person who is guilty of it “has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”

Such sins, Paul says, “must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints” (v. 3). Of those who practice such things, he tells us, “Do not associate with them” (v. 7).

In other words, we are not showing authentic love unless we are intolerant of all the popular perversions of love.

Most of the talk about love these days ignores this principle. “Love” has been redefined as a broad tolerance that overlooks sin and embraces good and evil alike. That’s not love; it’s apathy.

God’s love is not at all like that. Remember, the supreme manifestation of God’s love is the Cross, where Christ “loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (v. 2). Thus Scripture explains the love of God in terms of sacrifice, atonement for sin, and propitiation: “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). In other words Christ made Himself a sacrifice to turn away the wrath of an offended deity. Far from dismissing our sins with a benign tolerance, God gave His Son as an offering for sin, to satisfy His own wrath and justice in the salvation of sinners.

That is the very heart of the Gospel. God manifests His love in a way that upheld His holiness, justice, and righteousness without compromise. True love “does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth” (1 Cor. 13:6).

That’s the kind of love we are called to walk in. It’s a love that is first pure, then peaceable.

How Did Roman Catholic Views on Mary Change in the 20th Century?

In the latter half of the 20th century, the Roman Catholic Church increasingly exalted the Virgin Mary in its official teaching. From his series A Survey of Church History, W. Robert Godfrey alerts us to several of these staggering changes.

Transcript:

The 20th century for the Roman Catholic Church could, in many ways, be called the "century of Mary," because Roman Catholics have continued to exalt Mary in their teaching. Under Pius XII in the 1950s, the church for the first time declared, the pope infallibly ex-cathedra declared, that Mary had been immaculately conceived. Some Roman Catholic theologians had taught that for a long time. The Franciscan theologians in the Middle Ages taught it, but Thomas Aquinas denied it. So that's a fairly good Roman Catholic authority, but it became binding dogma and truth for all Roman Catholics in the 1950s to believe that Mary had been conceived without the stain of original sin. That's a fairly remarkable claim, but it’s all part of this effort to exalt Mary. At the same time, it was declared that the body of the Virgin had been assumed into heaven after her death so that her body would not see corruption. That, too, is taught ex cathedra by the pope. That is binding dogma for the Roman Catholic Church. So, there is this exaltation of Mary. The giving of new titles to Mary has increased in the 20th century. There were some delegates coming to the Second Vatican Council who declared before the Council that they hoped the Council would declare Mary co-redemptrix with Christ, which really is staggering to think about. There were even a few theologians who said Mary has been raised to hypostatic union with the Godhead. That would mean we now have four persons in the Godhead; I mean, that's a blasphemy beyond imaging. Now that was not a widely held point of view; it was just a few crazies, but it shows how the focus on Mary was so exalted.

How Should We Interpret Promises in the Psalms That No Harm Will Strike Us?

How do we interpret the verses in the Psalms that say “no evil shall be allowed to befall you” (91:10)? From one of our Ask R.C. events, R.C. Sproul explains the way Christians should understand promises like these.

To ask a biblical or theological question, just visit ask.Ligonier.org or message us on Facebook or Twitter.

Read the Transcript

The Secret of Sanctification

One of the most beneficial things I learned from my professors during my seminary days was that ministers must continually preach the message of the cross to the people of God for their growth in grace. One professor in particular constantly exhorted us to preach Christ “for pardon and power.” The longer I am a Christian, the more clearly I see the wisdom of this counsel. The message of the cross meets our deepest need for pardon and power as we seek to overcome indwelling sin.

Few things trouble the soul of the child of God as much as the presence of indwelling sin and the sober realization of the inability of the flesh to overcome it. True believers often come to the end of themselves and cry out: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Rom. 7:24). Christians grieve over sin and spiritual weakness. They long for victory over it. The Scriptures command us to be diligent in examining ourselves (1 Cor. 11:28), taking heed to ourselves (1 Cor. 10:12) and asking the Lord to “Search me and see if there be any grievous way in me” (Ps. 139:23–24); but they do not stop there. God’s Word reveals that the work of Christ is the source of pardon for sin as well as the source of power to overcome it. Believers possess this power by virtue of their union with Christ in His death and resurrection. In order to grow in Christlikeness, the believer must remember that sin’s dominion was broken when Christ died and rose again. This is the apostle’s chief concern in Romans 6:1–14, a passage to which we must regularly return.

All of this seems so clear that I marvel at how quickly we forget it and how seldom it is mentioned in pulpits and Christian literature (a grand exception being Walter Marshall’s Gospel Mystery of Sanctification). The deficiency is apparent in many seeker-sensitive churches, where pragmatism abounds. Yet, sadly, it is also prevalent in many of our more traditional Protestant churches. I often fear that those who are the most skillful at diagnosing the complexity and atrocity of sin in themselves — and in pointing it out in others — are the least skillful in pointing themselves and others to the Savior. It is far easier to fixate on the problem than to focus on the solution. It is actually quite easy to focus on sin and quite difficult to keep our eyes steadfastly fixed on Jesus (Heb. 12:1–2). Consequently, it often seems expedient to offer pragmatic — dare I say it, even biblical — advice that does not actually give the power to overcome sin (Col. 2:20–23). In order to progress in Christian living, we must remember that sin’s dominion was broken when Christ died for us at the cross.

Paul addresses the issue of sanctification in Romans 6:1–14 by reminding believers of the freedom they have from sin’s dominion by virtue of their union with Christ: “We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin” (Rom. 6:6, emphasis added). Sin’s power was broken in the death and resurrection of Jesus. Christ came not only to cancel sin’s debt; He came also to break its power. Therefore, the apostle exhorts, “You also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 6:11). When we forget that sin’s power over us was broken in the death of Christ, we will inevitably fail to walk in the newness of life that we have in union with Him. If we neglect this crucial aspect of Christ’s work, we will inevitably end up living in bondage, fear, doubt, and anxiety — or else we will become selfrighteous, judgmental, and proud.

Union with Christ is truly one of the most precious doctrines for Christian living. It is mentioned nearly 150 times in the New Testament by use of such phrases as “in Christ,” “in Him,” “in Jesus,” or “in Jesus Christ.” The apostles relentlessly remind believers of their position in Christ. By faith we are united to Him, in whom we receive all the spiritual blessings of God (1 Cor. 1:31).

We do not come to Christ by faith for justification and then depart from Him for sanctification. In Christ our sins are pardoned, and in Him the reign of sin is overthrown. The same Christ who justified us also sanctifies us; therefore, the same faith that justifies us also sanctifies us (John 15:1–5). John Owen captured this truth magnificently when he wrote, “While by faith we contemplate the glory of Christ as revealed in the Gospel, all grace will thrive and flourish in us towards a perfect conformity unto Him.” By union with Christ, believers have power to put indwelling sin to death (Col. 2:20–3:17). With the apostle, we answer the question: “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” with the joyful exclamation: “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”