Truth and Consequences by Gene Edward Veith A modern reader perusing Jonathan Edwards' "Resolutions" is likely to think, what about dieting? And, didn't eighteenth-century New England have any gyms that he could resolve to join? Today, losing weight and getting more exercise are about the extent of our resolutions. We...

Continue Reading The Resolution Solution...

Dear Friend,We have been richly blessed by the way the Lord has financially protected Ligonier Ministries this year through these extremely difficult economic times, and I'm sure you have been affected by it in some way. With that said, we as a ministry have made it a major initiative to...

Continue Reading Your generosity this week helps serve a world desperate for spiritual reality...

Seek Ye First by R.C. Sproul Jr. It is a sure sign of the fall that we so egregiously miss what we lost. Jesus calls us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness precisely because our priorities are all out of line. Even that for which we...

Continue Reading Some Dance to Forget...

Tabletalk magazine exists to help explain important, biblical doctrines and events while encouraging people toward holy living. Each issue features articles from well-known and respected scholars, regular columns, and insightful daily Bible studies.You can now purchase the entire 2008 Tabletalk collection for only $16. Contributors during the year included Alistair...

Continue Reading A Year of Tabletalk...

May our sinless, sovereign, majestic, incarnate, and holy Lord be your joy this Christmas.It's been a pleasure for the team at Ligonier to serve the web community here on our blog. We launched last March and have been overwhelmed by the thousands of readers and kind words through the comments...

Continue Reading Have a blessed Christmas...

Pro Ecclesia: For the Church by Simon J. Kistemaker The word church is fundamentally a Christian word and belongs exclusively to Christianity. Although other religions have terms such as synagogue and mosque, only Christians legitimately call their house of worship "church." There are churches that are named after places and...

Continue Reading The Prevailing Church (pt. 1)...

by R.C. Sproul That question comes up every year at Christmastime. In the first place, there's no direct biblical commandment to celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25. There's nothing in the Bible that would even indicate that Jesus was born on December 25. In fact, there's much in...

Continue Reading Is the Celebration of Christmas a Pagan Ritual?...

Pastor's Perspective by Robert W. Field Hawaii has often been advertised as one of those classic dreams of paradise. When streets on the mainland clog with snow and temperatures plummet far below zero, thoughts are enticed by Hawaii's warm tropical waves lapping upon beaches saturated with sun. Clouds drift by...

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R. Albert Mohler:There is something deeply mysterious about Christian preaching, both in terms of its communication and in terms of its content. After all, what we preach is not what the world expects to hear. It is not a message they will hear anywhere else. No human wisdom, no school...

Continue Reading The Mystery of Preaching...

Like Jeremiah, Ezekiel ministered in the years immediately preceding and immediately following the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. However, unlike Jeremiah, who remained in Judah, Ezekiel ministered primarily to the exiles in Babylon. Ezekiel, a priest of the Jerusalem temple, was one of the many Judeans taken to Babylon...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Ezekiel...

Generation to Generation by Iain D. Campbell I would be devastated if my Christian teenage daughter became pregnant outside of marriage. It wouldn't be the unforgivable sin, I know, but in a world of enticements we are never out of danger. Today's young Christians are more vulnerable to Satan's attacks...

Continue Reading Expectant Christians...

The second volume in A Long Line of Godly Men Profile series from Reformation Trust, The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards uncovers practical ways Edwards sought to fulfill his resolutions. The author, Dr. Steven J. Lawson, exhorts contemporary Christians to do likewise, living for God's glory with unrestrained passion.Often remembered...

Continue Reading The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards...

Tolle Lege: Take Up and Read by Keith A. Mathison What do commercialism, the problem of evil, Chick tracts, American Idol, and Francis Beckwith's recent conversion to Roman Catholicism have in common? Anyone? If you couldn't come up with an answer, not to worry. One would be hard-pressed to find...

Continue Reading Pop Goes the Evangelical...

Right Now Counts Forever by R.C. Sproul It has been called the Achilles' heel of the Christian faith. Of course, I'm referring to the classical problem of the existence of evil. Philosophers such as John Stuart Mill have argued that the existence of evil demonstrates that God is either not...

Continue Reading The Mystery of Iniquity...

From In Christ Alone by Sinclair Ferguson:"Before all time; prior to all worlds; when there was nothing "outside of" God Himself; when the Father, Son, and Spirit found eternal, absolute, and unimaginable blessing, pleasure, and joy in Their holy triunity -- it was Their agreed purpose to create a world....

Continue Reading Great Salvation...

Coram Deo: Living Before the Face of God by Burk Parsons The movie Paradise Now is the 2005 Golden Globe winner for best foreign-language film. Although I have not yet seen the film, I have been intrigued by the film's title since it's release. The story follows two Palestinian childhood...

Continue Reading Paradise Now and Then...

The December edition of Tabletalk is out. This month's theme is "Paradise Lost and Regained." The issue explores basic elements of Christianity, including the loss of paradise by our first parents and how it was regained by Jesus Christ.Contributors include R.C. Sproul, Iain Campbell, Chris Donato, Robert Field, Simon Kistemaker,...

Continue Reading Columns from Tabletalk Magazine, December 2008...

by Robert Rothwell When I was sixteen years old I became convinced that I was not going to be around much longer. Now before you jump to the conclusion that I had become obsessed with my own demise, I should give the reason why I did not think I had...

Continue Reading The Eternal Priesthood...

Joel Beeke:The way to godly living is surprisingly simple: we are to walk with God in His appointed way (Micah 6:8), diligently using the means of grace and the spiritual disciplines, and waiting upon the Holy Spirit for blessing. Note that godly living involves both discipline and grace. This emphasis...

Continue Reading The Way to Godly Living...

Paul's epistle to the Ephesians was likely written during the time of his two year house arrest in Rome (A.D. 60-62). During this same period, Paul also wrote Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians. These four epistles are now commonly referred to as the "prison epistles." Ephesians is a profound book, and...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Ephesians...

Christians are a singing people. And there is a reason for that. We have a King who came and declared victory over sin and death. And as His people, we share in that victory. We know this because He has promised it in His Word. Today on Renewing Your Mind we...

Continue Reading The Promise of Christmas...

In this final part of our three-part series on Christmas according to the Angels, we contemplate the truth that the birth announcements of the angels celebrated "glory to God" and "peace for man." Consider first that the angels celebrated "glory to God" (Luke 2:14) in their birth announcements for Jesus....

Continue Reading Christmas According to the Angels (pt. 3 of 3)...

As Christmas Day draws near, we want to make sure you are able to get your resources in time. Friday, December 12, is the last day to use standard (UPS Ground) shipping for online orders. Thursday, December 18, is the last day for upgraded shipping to guarantee delivery by Christmas....

Continue Reading Christmas Shipping Information...

In our first installment in this series, we learned that the Gospel birth announcements of the angels brought "good news of great joy" to those humbled by sin, suffering, and death. In this our second installment, we focus on two more truths: 1) the birth announcements of the angels were...

Continue Reading Christmas According to the Angels (pt. 2 of 3)...

Other than the Holy Spirit, they are the most pivotal players in the drama that we know as the Christmas story; they are the most pivotal players in the accounts God gave us about the birth of Jesus our Lord. Matthew the Evangelist tells us that it was one of...

Continue Reading Christmas According to the Angels (pt. 1 of 3)...

The Word Became Flesh is the newest Christmas music release from Ligonier Ministries and is a unique production, exploring the doctrine of the Incarnation. The musical score and text by Dan and Heidi Goeller is wonderfully executed by full orchestra and choir and contains a beautiful balance of familiar hymns...

Continue Reading A Musical Exploration of the Incarnation...

by Gene Edward VeithThe theme of this month's Tabletalk is Paradise Lost, which is the title of what most critics would agree is the greatest poem in the English language. John Milton (whose 400th birthday we celebrate today on December 9) was an English puritan revolutionary who helped overthrow King...

Continue Reading An Epic in the Making...

by R.C. Sproul "Bah! Humbug!" These two words are instantly associated with Charles Dickens' immortal fictional anti-hero, Ebenezer Scrooge. Scrooge was the prototype of the Grinch who stole Christmas, the paradigm of all men cynical. We all recognize that Ebenezer Scrooge was a mean person - stingy, insensitive, selfish, and...

Continue Reading Marley's Message to Scrooge...

R. Albert Mohler Jr.:Sometimes it happens that preaching the Word is met with antipathy and resistance. Why? Because "the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword" (Heb. 4:12a). And as the Lord spoke to His prophet Isaiah, "[My Word] will not return to Me...

Continue Reading The Priorities of Preaching...

The book of Lamentations was written soon after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C. It consists of five poetic songs of lament. It is not among the most popular Old Testament books, but  it repays careful study. There are a number of helpful commentaries on this book, and the...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Lamentations...

Together for the Gospel (T4G) began as a friendship. These friends differed on a number of theological issues, but they were committed to standing together for the main thing -- the gospel of Jesus Christ. So they began a conference which occurs every two years and aims principally at encouraging...

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by R.C. SproulThe simple answer to your question is that the X in Christmas is used like the R in R.C. My given name at birth was Robert Charles, although before I was even taken home from the hospital my parents called me by my initials, R.C., and nobody seems...

Continue Reading Why is X Used when it Replaces Christ in Christmas?...

For those who don't know, "Ella Ruth" is the name of the main character in Dr. Sproul's newest children's book, The Prince's Poison Cup. She's also his first great-granddaughter to whom the book is dedicated. This tender photo was taken last weekend....

Continue Reading RC reading to his Ella Ruth...

In the two previous installment in our series on Gal 4:4-5, we have learned four features of the Apostle's answer to the question, what Child is this who was born at Christmas? We have focused on the Child as the heart of history, on two circumstances of His birth,...

Continue Reading Christmas according to the Apostle Paul -- Gal 4:4-5 (Pt. 3 of 3)...

This Christmas season we've grouped several similar Reformation Trust titles together and are offering them at a lower cost. Take an opportunity to purchase a book set for you, a loved one, or your pastor.R.C. Sproul Book SetThese titles by Dr. R.C. Sproul provide an excellent starting point for those...

Continue Reading Book Sets from Reformation Trust...

In our first installment in this series on Christmas according to Paul, we learned that, for the Apostle, Jesus is the Child for whom all of time had waited and who was born of a woman. In the second part of our series, we learn two more truths about Christmas...

Continue Reading Christmas according to the Apostle Paul -- Gal 4:4-5 (Pt. 2 of 3)...

A Season for GivingChristmas is a time to celebrate what we hold most dear. We draw closer to God, family, and friends, and express our affection and gratitude by giving gifts. It is also a time when many Ligonier supporters consider a year-end donation to our ministry. We are grateful...

Continue Reading Year-End Giving Information...

What if Ligonier Ministries earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Or how about if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support Ligonier's outreach? GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the...

Continue Reading Goodsearch: A New Way To Support Ligonier Ministries...

One of the most beloved carols that Christians sing during the Christmas season is that of William C. Dix, What Child is This?  As few other carols do, the lyrics of this selection prompt us to contemplate the identity, the person and work, of the Babe in the manger. ...

Continue Reading Christmas according to the Apostle Paul -- Gal 4:4-5 (Pt. 1 of 3)...

The Internet Specials page is a great place to find special discounts available for a limited time for our online shoppers. Here are more highlights of our current offerings.Ask R.C. 2007 (reg. $20) $9.60CD series by R.C. SproulDr. Sproul answers a variety of questions about the Bible, philosophy, the Christian...

Continue Reading Reformed Resources at Reduced Prices (Pt. 3)...

by Sinclair B. Ferguson I took the hand of my toddler son (it was several decades ago now) as we made our way into the local shop on the small and remote Scottish island where earlier that year I had been installed as minister. It was Christmas week. The store...

Continue Reading Santa Christ?...

Derek Thomas: Expository preaching is a necessary corollary of the doctrine of the God-breathed nature of Scripture. The idea is not so much that God breathed into the Scriptures, but that the Scriptures are the product of His breathing out. Independent of what we may feel about the Bible as...

Continue Reading The Breath of God...

James Montgomery Boice:Three hundred years is a long time. What kept Enoch walking with God for three hundred years? He had an awareness of judgment coming. He had a sensitivity to the ungodliness of the age. And he drew closer to God as the reality of these things pressed in...

Continue Reading Enoch Kept Walking...

Here are some more special offers available for a limited time! See the entire list on our Internet Specials page.The Christ of the Prophets (reg. $30) $21.60by O. Palmer RobertsonIn this thorough introduction to the prophets of ancient Israel, O. Palmer Robertson captures the passion and purpose of their extraordinary...

Continue Reading Reformed Resources at Reduced Prices (Pt. 2)...

From What's So Great about the Doctrines of Grace? by Richard D. Phillips:"...irresistible grace glorifies the entire Trinity by proving how intimately involved God is in every conversion. It reminds us that when we speak about God's grace, we do not mean that God sits afar and cuts sinners a...

Continue Reading Thankful for God's Intimate Involvement...

"Faith cannot be without a settled peace of mind, from which proceeds the bold confidence of rejoicing," John Calvin wrote in his commentary on Hebrews in the mid-sixteenth century. This point is most striking, and mostly underplayed by many exegetes. How could Calvin write something so...insensitive? And again: "We hence...

Continue Reading Confidence in Christ...

We have refreshed Ligonier's Internet Specials page where you can find a variety of online-only discounts on a variety of resources. Here is a sampling of some of our current special offers. Remember to check back often as the selection changes.The Attributes of God (reg. $31) $14.88CD series by R.C....

Continue Reading Reformed Resources at Reduced Prices (Pt. 1)...

From Chosen by God by R.C. Sproul:"We are able to persevere only because God works within us, within our free wills. And because God is at work in us, we are certain to persevere. The decrees of God concerning election are immutable. They do not change, because He does not...

Continue Reading Perseverance is God's Preservation...

Created in 2006, our music division at Ligonier Ministries exists to exalt the name of Christ and support the teaching of the Word of God with music. Today's Renewing Your Mind broadcast highlights some of our most recent releases including God of Grace and Glory, featuring organ and trumpet, Light...

Continue Reading A Taste of Ligonier Music...

by John H. Gerstner De Jong in his Covenant Idea made a mountain out of Miller's relative mole hill. He found Edwards to be the chief underminer of New England covenant theology. The broad structure of his book and Jonathan Edwards' place in it can be seen in the table...

Continue Reading Jonathan Edwards On "Covenant" (pt. 2)...

by John H. Gerstner When the term "covenant" is used, the general educated reader needs to be told its religious meaning. The general reader, somewhat literate on matters religious and Christian, will likely think of the "covenant of grace", which he will likely associate generally with Protestantism, and he may...

Continue Reading Jonathan Edwards On "Covenant" (pt. 1)...

The prophet Jeremiah witnessed the fall of Judah in 586 B.C. Jeremiah's prophecies declare the end of one era and announce the beginning of another. The law of God given to Moses had decreed that violations of the covenant would result in the removal of God's blessings and the imposition...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Jeremiah...

Click here to listen in as Dr. R.C. Sproul and Rev. Burk Parsons discuss Tabletalk magazine. You'll learn about the magazine's origins, how it's put together each month, how readers use the magazine, and some of the upcoming themes and contributors.Readership for this unique monthly devotional magazine is now more...

Continue Reading A Tabletalk interview with Burk Parsons and R.C. Sproul...

Peter didn't just blow it, he blew it badly. "Though they all fall away...I will never fall away" (Matt. 26:33). Peter's resolution we admire for its confidence and bravery. But it is a statement relying on one's own strength and it is doomed for shipwreck. A few hours go by...

Continue Reading Mercy for the impetuous...

Poet. Warrior. Musician. Shepherd. King. Theologian. Sinner.Few people can be accurately described using all of these adjectives, but we find one such person in the Old Testament -- David. Who was this man? At the utterance of his name, we inevitably think of his illicit relationship with Bathsheba. But is...

Continue Reading A Man After God's Own Heart...

Is Biblical Preaching Doomed to Extinction? In the Old Testament, God decried the fact that His people were perishing for lack of knowledge about Him. The same seems to be occurring today. There is "sharing," "suggesting," plenty of storytelling, and lots of preaching to "felt needs" in modern pulpits....

Continue Reading Feed My Sheep: A Passionate Plea for Preaching...

John Calvin is often reviled as a humorless doctrinarian who preached an austere theology that twisted Scripture.  In John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology, Burk Parsons and a cadre of godly pastors and scholars seek to set the record straight in honor of the 500th observance...

Continue Reading John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine and Doxology...

With this post, we begin to look at the best commentaries on the Old Testament Prophetic Books. For a good introductory overview of these books, I would recommend O. Palmer Robertson's The Christ of the Prophets.Of all the eighth century prophetic books, none matches the sheer scope of the book...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Isaiah...

Last spring, 5,500 people attended the second bi-annual Together for the Gospel conference in Louisville, Kentucky. In case you missed it or just need to hear it again, these eight messages and six panel discussions will broadcast at Ligonier.org from Nov. 18-Dec. 5, 2008. Tell your friends and tune in...

Continue Reading Watch the 2008 Together for the Gospel conference online...

Seek Ye First by R.C. Sproul Jr. Thomas Aquinas was a great gift to the church. He stands among the greatest minds the world has ever known. This doesn't mean, of course, that he did not have his flaws, one of which goes to the heart of his intellectual labors....

Continue Reading Conquering the World...

Pro Ecclesia: For the Church by Joni Eareckson Tada Bureaucracies aren't programmed to be compassionate. It's not in the nature of the thing. Take my friend, David Bowie, in his big, bulky wheelchair. After he became a quadriplegic in a car accident and his wife left him, he moved into...

Continue Reading Spontaneous Compassion...

IntroductionLigonier Ministries is pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications from qualified candidates for admission to the Doctor of Ministry degree program to be offered by Ligonier Academy of Biblical and Theological Studies.  The program is a professional degree for ordained men serving in pastorates, mission fields, and...

Continue Reading Introducing the Doctor of Ministry Program at Ligonier Academy...

Generation to Generation by Douglas F. Kelly As a father of five children, and now a grandfather, I have spent three and a half decades seeking to pass down the Christian faith to the next generation. Let me deal with only one area of this vast work -- one, I...

Continue Reading Bedtime Stories...

A Destination for Hope...When Ligonier Ministries first began, it was a place. A destination. A refuge for devoted learners and passionate followers of Christ. Ligonier quickly grew to become an organization with international scope, but its origin was as a place of study and fellowship centered on the teaching of...

Continue Reading Announcing Ligonier Academy...

Right Now Counts Forever by R.C. Sproul Perhaps the most remarkable statement I ever heard a man utter from the pulpit was: "He has a penurious epistemology, which tends to be myopic." I was seated in the balcony of the church when that statement was made, and I could not...

Continue Reading Ecclesiastical Myopia...

Pastor's Perspective by John Piper A shared vision for world missions is crucial in the life of the church. Why should world missions be fundamental in the ministry of the church? What do we mean by it? How do we go about it? What is your place in it? Consider...

Continue Reading Holding the Rope...

R. Albert Mohler Jr.:Evangelical pastors commonly state that biblical preaching is the hallmark of their calling. Nevertheless, a careful observer might come to a very different conclusion. The priority of preaching is simply not evident in far too many churches.We must affirm with Martin Luther that the preaching of the...

Continue Reading Preaching: the first essential mark of the Church...

The book of Galatians is sometimes referred to as "the charter of Christian liberty." In it, Paul fights tooth and nail for the doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ alone. There are a number of helpful commentaries on this epistle, and the following are five of the best....

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Galatians...

From Chosen by God by R.C. Sproul, pg 73-75It is ironic that in the same chapter, indeed in the same context, in which our Lord teaches the utter necessity of rebirth to even see the kingdom, let alone choose it, non-Reformed views find one of their main proof texts to...

Continue Reading John 3:16...

Truth and Consequences by Gene Edward Veith Missionaries from Europe and America took Christianity to the ends of the earth and evangelized Africa and Asia. Now, as Christianity declines in the West, churches from the old mission field are the ones defending historic Christianity and are evangelizing Europe and America....

Continue Reading The Old Mission Field...

Help make 2009 a year of enriching and engaging Bible study for someone on your gift list by sending them a subscription to Tabletalk magazine. When you do, we will automatically send one copy of R.C. Sproul's The Holiness of God to you and one copy to the gift recipient....

Continue Reading Give Tabletalk To a Friend, Get 2 Free Books...

Tolle Lege: Take Up and Read by Keith A. Mathison Robert Bruce (1551-1631) is not a household name, even among knowledgeable Reformed Christians. He was at one time, however, one of the most important leaders in the Church of Scotland. He was the successor of John Knox and James Lawson...

Continue Reading A Visible Word...

R.C. Sproul addresses four questions on the relationship of Christians to the civil magistrate here.What is a Christian's responsibility to government?Should Christians work to have Christian values in public policy?Both Peter and Paul call us to submit to governing authorities. In light of that, is revolution ever possible for a...

Continue Reading Christians and Government...

In the midst of the election cacophony, take a break and listen to today's Renewing Your Mind broadcast. Dr. Sproul provides a dramatic reading of his newest children's book The Prince's Poison Cup. Produced by John M. Duncan, this audiobook has a full musical score with sound effects. It's a...

Continue Reading Hear R.C. read The Prince's Poison Cup...

Coram Deo: Living Before the Face of God by Burk Parsons It's hard to believe that it was nearly a decade ago that we witnessed the turn of the third millennium. If you recall, on New Year's Day several network TV stations featured live coverage from around the world. It...

Continue Reading The World Upside Down...

If you have not listened to today's radio broadcast of Renewing Your Mind with Dr. R.C. Sproul, you can do so here. "Principles for Choosing a Leader" can also be downloaded here and the text is available here....

Continue Reading A Vote for Righteousness...

The November edition of Tabletalk is out. This month's theme is "The Church of Jesus Christ and its Impact Around the World." The issue looks at the global church, rejoicing in the worldwide witness of the Christian faith. Editor Burk Parsons says this: "when we gather together for worship on...

Continue Reading Columns from Tabletalk Magazine, November 2008...

I was recently skimming a book about Cambridge University and ran across a picture of the new Divinity Faculty building completed in 2000. Having looked at page after page of pictures of the centuries-old buildings of Cambridge, I was taken aback by the design chosen for this new structure. I...

Continue Reading When an Architect Should "Take a Mulligan"...

As a reminder, just one day remains to get a genuine leather copy of The Reformation Study Bible (ESV) for a gift of any amount....

Continue Reading One More Day for Leather Reformation Study Bible (ESV) Offer...

It is somewhat difficult to recommend a "Top 5" list on the Song of Songs because one's inclusion of commentaries in the list will largely depend on whether one takes an allegorical or non-allegorical approach to the book. The list below is based on my own non-allegorical approach to the...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on The Song of Songs...

Turn to the Word that turned the world upside down. In this 8-minute video, we learn from Dr. R.C. Sproul the importance of Scripture as the Protestant Reformation ignited Europe with the flame of truth. He also writes about it here....

Continue Reading Video: Journey to The Reformation Study Bible...

Continue Reading Happy Reformation Day 2008...

by R.C. SproulThe Bible is a book. It may be called a collection of books compiled together into one majestic volume. As a book it is designed to be read. In this respect it is like all other books. But the Bible is not like any other book. It is...

Continue Reading Introduction to The Reformation Study Bible...

For those considering our 2008 Reformation Week special offer, we wanted to offer a little more encouragement by republishing endorsements for The Reformation Study Bible:"I would like every English-speaking Christian to own and use The Reformation Study Bible. First because it is a Bible, God's Word to mankind -- and...

Continue Reading Endorsements for The Reformation Study Bible (ESV)...

In Sammy and His Shepherd, Susan Hunt offers families a delightful story, built around the twenty-third Psalm, that will help children grow in their understanding of what it is to live among a community of redeemed people guided by a loving Lord.Sammy the sheep lives a happy life as...

Continue Reading Sammy and His Shepherd, by veteran children's author Susan Hunt...

What happens when church marketing meets church history? Citizens of the German city of Wittenberg may soon find out. In honor of the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's arrival in Wittenberg as a student and a monk, the leaders of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) have declared a "Luther...

Continue Reading Wittenberg: The Protestant Rome?...

We all know about Reformers Martin Luther and John Calvin, but who else do you know? What other heroes of the faith passed on to us our Protestant tradition? The first half of this week on Renewing Your Mind is dedicated to some of the lesser known reformers and liberating...

Continue Reading Profiles of the Reformation...

Download and listen to this message by R.C. Sproul. This will also air nationwide next Monday on our Renewing Your Mind broadcast. Find your local station here....

Continue Reading Principles for Voting (audio)...

by R.C. SproulIn Acts 14, Luke sets forth for us the events that took place on Paul's first missionary journey, a journey on which Barnabas accompanied him. We've seen this pattern emerge over and over again. The apostles would come into the synagogue or the public square known as the...

Continue Reading Principles for Voting (text)...

Celebrate Reformation Week with a genuine leather Reformation Study Bible (ESV) for a donation of any amount. Click here.On October 31, 1517, a young monk named Martin Luther nailed ninety-five theses to the castle church door in Wittenberg, Germany. He addressed the abuses of the sale of indulgences and this...

Continue Reading Get a Reformation Study Bible for a donation of any amount...

by R.C. Sproul The Power of the Intercessor Prayer is the priestly function of carrying a petition to God. In Old Testament times two major classes of mediators functioned between God and his people: prophets and priests. Stated simply, the prophet was ordained by God to speak his divine Word...

Continue Reading The Power of Prayer (pt. 3)...

by R.C. Sproul The simple summaries Jesus gives are designed to encourage us to pray. We have not, he said, because we ask not. The pattern seems simple. We are to ask and we will receive. Elsewhere the New Testament expands the conditions, giving us a fuller view of what...

Continue Reading The Power of Prayer (pt. 2)...

For the last several years, I have been hearing rumors of a book project that was being developed by Dr. James T. Dennison. According to the "word on the street," Dennison was working on a multi-volume work that would include most or all of the Reformed confessions of the sixteenth...

Continue Reading A New "Must Read" for Reformed Christians...

Read it here....

Continue Reading Justin Taylor interviews Dr. Sproul about The Prince's Poison Cup...

by R.C. Sproul We are moved by the litany of faith that the author of Hebrews records in chapter 11 of that book. There we have the "Roll Call of Faith," which catalogues the heroic acts of biblical men and women of faith. Their acts are partially summarized in verses...

Continue Reading The Power of Prayer (pt. 1)...

For a limited time, first-time ministry contacts can receive a free pocket-size copy of Dr. Sproul's book, Chosen by God, by signing our online guestbook.Because of the widespread neglect and misunderstanding of the doctrine of predestination, many people cite this book not only as their introduction to R.C. Sproul's teaching,...

Continue Reading Get a free copy of Chosen By God...

As a reminder, you can view and listen to the messages and Q&A sessions by launching the pastors' conference webcast from this link. When you launch the player, click the "On Demand" link from the menu on the left. We'll add the balance of the messages by the end of...

Continue Reading More Ferguson, Lawson & Sproul Conference Messages Are Available...

If you've followed this blog, you have most likely heard us reference our Pastors Conference as the Encouragement Conference. That title has been reinforced as many pastors have expressed the refreshment and encouragement they receive from the speakers, fellowship, and time in reflection. You can view pictures from the event...

Continue Reading Pictures from the Encouragement Conference...

by R.C. Sproul One of the marks of a true Christian is that he never quits fighting. He doesn't always win, though he will win the ultimate battle because of Christ. If a person ever does give up the fight, then he has truly embraced the evil, legitimizing it. In...

Continue Reading The Prohibitions of Prayer (pt. 2)...

by R.C. Sproul Very few prohibitions regarding prayer are found in the Scriptures. In Psalm 66:18, the Psalmist David penned these divinely inspired words: "If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." The Hebrew verse could also be translated, "If I had iniquity in...

Continue Reading The Prohibitions of Prayer (pt. 1)...

Continue Reading Pastors Conference Begins Today, Webcast Available...

The following interview between John Duncan, Executive Producer of Renewing Your Mind and Dr. R.C. Sproul, appears in a recent edition of Pulpit Helps magazine. John asks R.C. about the call to ministry, about his priorities as a pastor and about the challenges that come with a life of ministry....

Continue Reading R.C. Sproul on the call to the ministry, priorities of ministry and challenges of ministry...

Vanity of vanities! All is vanity. So begins the book of Ecclesiastes, one of the more difficult books of Scripture to interpret and apply. The book deals with questions of despair, suffering, and folly -- in other words, life in a fallen world. Ecclesiastes teaches us that life without God...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Ecclesiastes...

From Ligonier Ministries comes our annual selection of hundreds of resources for the growing Christian. Featuring new books from Reformation Trust Publishing, new music, new Dr. Sproul teaching series, new conference series, the T4G'08 DVDs, recommended reading from some of the best pastors and authors, the ever-popular Reformation Study Bible,...

Continue Reading Enjoy Our 2008 Christmas Resource Guide...

Young children learn about God through stories tailored especially for them. Weaving tales from real life situations that children can easily relate to, great-grandfather and theologian R.C. Sproul opens important biblical truths to children. (Parents might even learn a thing or two.)Dr. Sproul's newest story, The Prince's Poison Cup, is...

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by R.C. Sproul Thanksgiving Thanksgiving must be an integral part of prayer. It should be inseparably related to our petitions of supplication; otherwise thanksgiving is illegitimate. The Scriptures tell us to come to God and make all of our requests known with thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is an acknowledgment of God and...

Continue Reading The Practice of Prayer (pt. 4)...

We just learned that respected author and theologian Michael Horton will be speaking along with Dr. Sproul in September 2009 for our Pacific Northwest Cruise. The topic is "One Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church." Welcome aboard Dr. Horton....

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by R.C. Sproul Confession After expressing adoration, we must come with hearts of confession. Remember that we have no right to come before God at all, apart from the finished work of Christ. We can make no claim, in and of ourselves, to the ear of God. We have no...

Continue Reading The Practice of Prayer (pt. 3)...

If you can't attend our Pastors' Conference next week in person, you can be a part of it live via this free exclusive webcast available in both English and Spanish.Join Sinclair Ferguson, Steven Lawson, and R.C. Sproul as they encourage pastors and church leaders to proclaim faithfully the Word of...

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by R.C. Sproul Adoration As in the pattern of the Lord's Prayer, the most appropriate way to begin prayer is with adoration. Sadly, we are most often moved to prayer by our desires for supplication. We go to God when we want something from him. We are in such a...

Continue Reading The Practice of Prayer (pt. 2)...

by R.C. Sproul The Lord's Prayer was given to the church in response to the disciples' request that Jesus teach them to pray. In the masterful example of the Lord's Prayer we have seen the priorities of prayer. We can also detect a pattern of prayer, a fluid movement that...

Continue Reading The Practice of Prayer (pt. 1)...

Generation to Generation by David Osborne The fourth Saturday of this month is legendary for college football fans. It is the annual clash between Alabama and Tennessee (two of the Deep South's most storied football programs). Alabama fans recognize Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's iconic status. The "General," as Robert Neyland...

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As a result of a report from Titus, Paul wrote the letter we know as 2 Corinthians sometime in A.D. 56. He wrote the letter to express his thanksgiving for the church's renewed repentance (2 Cor. 7:15-16), to encourage them to complete their collection for the poor in Jerusalem (2...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of 2 Corinthians...

Seek Ye First by R.C. Sproul Jr. The question of canon, like the question of law, is one of authority. We who are Reformed spend a great deal of time and energy speaking about God's sovereign power. God's power is more than worthy of our attention and study. We ought...

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Pastor's Perspective by Robert W. Oliver The apostles who associated with the Lord during His earthly ministry were still dependent upon the Holy Spirit to lead them into all truth. That truth has been transmitted to us in the pages of Scripture. Thus, Peter wrote: "And we have something more...

Continue Reading An Inestimable Treasure...

Tolle Lege: Take Up and Read by Keith A. Mathison There are a very small number of books other than the Bible that have affected the course of history. One thinks immediately of books such as Nicholas Copernicus' Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies, Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica, Charles Darwin's Origin...

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Truth and Consequences by Gene Edward Veith When Christians talk about the "canon," they are referring to the books that comprise the Bible. But non-theological scholars too are debating the "canon." Not the canon of the Bible, but the canon of the "great books" that comprise our civilization. The question...

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Right Now Counts Forever by R.C. Sproul In centuries past, the church was faced with the important task of recognizing which books belong in the Bible. The Bible itself is not a single book but a collection of many individual books. What the church sought to establish was what we...

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Pro Ecclesia: For the Church by Randall Van Meggelen I recently shared with my pastors that I attended a course in which the instructor encouraged the class of music directors to view ourselves not merely as musicians, but rather as "church" musicians. One of my pastors responded by suggesting that...

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The book of Proverbs is the central wisdom book of the Old Testament. Like the book of Psalms, it is a "collection of collections." The individual proverbs were composed by different authors (e.g., Solomon, Agur, Lemuel) over a period of time and finally collected into a single book. The Proverbs...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Proverbs...

Coram Deo: Living Before the Face of God by Burk Parsons About ten years ago I had the opportunity to study under the late Dr. Harold O. J. Brown (1933-2007) at the Evangelical Preacher's Seminary in Wittenberg, Germany. Dr. Brown was known by his students for his oral examinations, wherein...

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Click here to download the full track of "Stayed on Jesus" from the new album "Light All Around" by The Master's Chorale. We are pleased to offer this song, which has a wonderful message about our daily communion with Christ. May it encourage you and others to daily keep your...

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by R.C. Sproul Do Not Lead Us into Temptation, But Deliver Us from Evil At first glance this section of the Lord's Prayer seems to be two separate petitions, but that is not the case. It follows the literary form of parallelism used in the Old Testament--two different ways of...

Continue Reading The Pattern of Prayer (pt. 5)...

The October edition of Tabletalk is out. This month's theme is "The Canonicity of Scripture" and examines how the church came to possess God's Word, the Holy Bible. Contributors include R.C. Sproul, Charles E. Hill, Stephen J. Nichols, Robert W. Oliver, David Osborne, Randall Van Meggelen, and Robert I. Vasholz....

Continue Reading Columns from Tabletalk Magazine, October 2008...

by R.C. Sproul Forgive Us Our Debts As We Also Have Forgiven Our Debtors This is an extremely dangerous prayer to pray, but it contains a principle that the New Testament takes very seriously. The supreme warning from Jesus is that God will judge us according to how we have...

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by R.C. Sproul Thy Kingdom Come One central motif in the Scriptures is the kingdom of God. It was the main thrust of Jesus' teaching and preaching. Jesus came as the fulfillment of John the Baptist's message, which was clear, precise, and simple: "Repent, for the kingdom of God is...

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In Living for God's Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism Dr. Joel R. Beeke sets himself to introduce Calvinism to the serious inquirer and to solidify a healthy brand of Calvinism in the minds of people who already embrace it. Here is the story of Calvinism, from its earliest roots to...

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Last weekend saw Ligonier Ministries travel to Scottsdale, Arizona for the 2008 West Coast Conference. R.C. Sproul, John MacArthur and Ligon Duncan spoke to a sold-out audience at Scottsdale Bible Church on "Tough Questions Christians Face." A few photos by Lukas VanDyke are posted here: Friday and Saturday. Alex...

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by R.C. Sproul Who Art in Heaven Another debate raging at the time Jesus delivered these words was over the precise location of God's presence. In the discussion between Jesus and the woman at the well, Jesus was quick to point out that God is spirit, and as such could...

Continue Reading The Pattern of Prayer (pt. 2)...

The last message of the conference was given by Dr. R.C. Sproul.  He began by announcing a pop quiz.  We were each to privately answer the question:  What is the Gospel?  [That happened to also be the title of Dr. Sproul's message.]  He read to us from Romans 1, culminating...

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THREE REASONS TO BE INFORMED ABOUT POSTMODERNISMThe topic of Dr. Duncan's second message was Should the Church Embrace Postmodernism? Dr. Duncan gave us three reasons why we should study postmodernism (though he noted the church ought not to embrace it). 1.  It is pervasive in our culture today.  We need...

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DOES RESPONSIBILITY EQUAL ABILITY?One asked:  "How can man be responsible to believe in Jesus Christ if he is not able to do so?" The response was that man is unable to believe in Christ, but he is responsible for that inability.  The command that people repent and believe remains.  Dr....

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After singing six verses of The Church's One Foundation, Dr. John MacArthur gave a message on the question Is Jesus the Only Way?  John noted that, in our day, the exclusivity of Jesus Christ is not an obvious truth for many professing evangelicals.  When he began his ministry, John had...

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Photos courtesy Lukas VanDyke...

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The speaker this evening was Dr. R.C. Sproul. Dr. Sproul is respected worldwide for his ability to help Christians provide the reasons for what and why they believe. In addition to his duties as the founder and president of Ligonier Ministries, Dr. Sproul can also be heard daily on the...

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The first Q&A session was held after a short break.  A variety of questions were asked.  Early on, there were a few questions on intelligent design (ID) and creation.  Dr. Sproul pointed out that the metaphysical assumption behind all science is that the universe is knowable.  When the scientist wants...

Continue Reading Ligonier West Coast Conference - Q&A Session I...

The second session this afternoon was given by Dr. John MacArthur.  Dr. MacArthur has served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, Calif., for nearly forty years, and his teaching is available worldwide on the radio, Internet, and television program Grace to You. Dr. MacArthur provides training to...

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After a packed sanctuary sang For All the Saints, Chris Larson opened with prayer and a reading from I Corinthians.  Mr. Larson then introduced the speaker for the first session, Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III.  Dr. Duncan is the senior minister of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Miss., and adjunct...

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by R.C. Sproul Jesus performed many miracles. During the course of his ministry, he walked on water, turned water into wine, healed the sick, raised the dead. As John said, "There are also many other things that Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that...

Continue Reading The Pattern of Prayer (pt. 1)...

Our conference in Scottsdale begins Friday afternoon. It appears that the "light and heat" of God's Word will be joined with the physical heat of 100+ degrees during the day.But you don't have to be here to be able to enjoy the sound teaching from Ligon Duncan, John MacArthur, and...

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There are a few spots still open for our complimentary Pastors Breakfast this Friday, September 26th in Scottsdale, Ariz. Please call 800-435-4343 by 8pm tonight or email mduncan-at-ligonier.org to RSVP. Here are additional details:LocationScottsdale Bible Church High School Arena7601 E Shea BlvdScottsdale, AZ 85260SpeakersDr. R.C. SproulDr. Ligon DuncanSchedule8:00 a.m. -...

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The Book of Psalms is one of the most beloved portions of Holy Scripture. Its contents are read and sung by millions every day. The book is actually a collection of 150 individual songs composed over a period of approximately 1000 years, from the time of Moses (Psalm 90) to...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Psalms...

by R.C. Sproul But what about intercession and supplication? It's nice to talk about the religious, spiritual, and psychological benefits (and whatever else might derive from prayer), but what about the real question, Does prayer make any difference? Does it really change anything? Someone once asked me that question, only...

Continue Reading The Purpose of Prayer (pt. 2)...

You can now pre-order Dr. Sproul's newest children's book, The Prince's Poison Cup. It's $14.40 from Ligonier's online store and ships in mid-October. A companion audiobook with a dramatic musical score is also in production and available soon.To whet your appetite for the book, we'll be posting some of the...

Continue Reading The Prince's Poison Cup available for pre-order...

It's the weekend, and you need assistance with an order or website question. Now you no longer have to wait until Monday to get help or to place your orders. Ligonier Ministries' resource consultants are now available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to...

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by R.C. Sproul Nothing escapes God's notice; nothing oversteps the boundaries of his power. God is authoritative in all things. If I thought even for one moment that a single molecule were running loose in the universe outside the control and domain of Almighty God, I wouldn't sleep tonight. My...

Continue Reading The Purpose of Prayer (pt. 1)...

If you had one sentence to describe choice servants of God -- in the past and present -- what would you say?C. J. Mahaney shares an audio clip here of that question he put to Mark Dever in 2007....

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by R.C. Sproul What is the goal of the Christian life? Godliness born of obedience to Christ. Obedience unlocks the riches of the Christian experience. Prayer is what prompts and nurtures obedience, putting the heart into the proper "frame of mind" to desire obedience. Of course, knowledge is also important...

Continue Reading The Place of Prayer...

We're a week away from our conference with Ligon Duncan, John MacArthur, and R.C. Sproul in Scottsdale, Ariz. Due to the sell-out attendance, we are offering a live stream of the conference. The fee is a nominal $5 to help us to cover the cost of the webcast. This fee...

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In 1999 Ligonier Ministries published Does Prayer Change Things?, a short book by R.C. Sproul that incorporated a previous work, Effective Prayer. Though small in size, this book is densely packed with biblical wisdom on both the theology and the practice of prayer. Dr. Sproul writes, "To be without prayer...

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With this post, we begin to look at the best commentaries on the Old Testament Wisdom Books and Psalms. For a good introductory overview of these books, I would recommend Daniel Estes' Handbook on the Wisdom Books and Psalms and Derek Kidner's The Wisdom of Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes. Estes'...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Job...

Many Christians reflect upon the purpose and consequences of Jesus' resurrection only at Easter. This is distressing because the resurrection, as the event upon which Christianity stands or falls, should occupy first place in our thinking and living.Next fall, Ligonier Ministries will explore the resurrection at our West Coast Conference...

Continue Reading Announcing our Seattle 2009 Conference & Cruise ...

Early next year, Reformation Trust Publishing will release a new book by Dr. R. C. Sproul Jr. titled Believing God: Twelve Biblical Promises Christians Struggle to Accept. The book is a call for Christians to take a second glance at the promises of God in the Bible in order to...

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Dr. Sproul discusses a chapter from his book, 5 Things Every Christian Needs to Grow....

Continue Reading R.C. Sproul on the importance of Bible study...

At Ligonier Ministries we praise the Lord for the life and ministry of John H. Gerstner (1914-1996). He was Dr. Sproul's primary mentor and served for many years at Ligonier as a resident theology advisor. He excelled in theology, church history, and apologetics, as well as being a renowned Jonathan...

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The secret is out. We like to help our students find quality resources, but we also offer them at affordable prices. As a special offer for our online shoppers, we have an Internet Specials page available where you can find a variety of discounts on a variety of resources. These...

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by John H. Gerstner Dante's Inferno tells of Virgil leading Dante to the entrance of Inferno. There is a sign that says, "Abandon all hope, all ye who enter here." There is a sign over the entrance to the Kingdom of God also, and it reads: "Abandon all pride, all...

Continue Reading The Way: Straight and Narrow (pt. 2)...

by John H. Gerstner The lessons are now over. Now comes the homework. This is the "lab" part of our course. Here is where you learn by doing, having learned by reading. Jesus tells us that in spite of the glorious way of divine salvation, not many will find it....

Continue Reading The Way: Straight and Narrow (pt. 1)...

Learn more about 5 Things Every Christian Needs to Grow. Check out our "Spread the Word" pricing here....

Continue Reading R.C. Sproul introduces his book on the means of grace...

The letter titled First Corinthians in our Bibles was written by the Apostle Paul from Ephesus during his third missionary journey sometime around AD 55. The letter was written to address a number of problems and questions that had arisen in the church at Corinth, including sexual immorality, marriage and...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of 1 Corinthians...

In addition to carrying all of Dr. Sproul's work, one of the things we strive to do at Ligonier Ministries is to provide trustworthy resources for our students by hand-selecting the best of new and older Christian education materials. This is best displayed at our conference bookstores and in Tabletalk...

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by John H. Gerstner There is more Scripture to the same effect, but I think this is sufficient to indicate the thought of the Bible. Let me say a final word on this subject as to why I believe people think that there is a possibility of moving or progressing...

Continue Reading The Future: Heaven or Hell? (pt. 3)...

by John H. Gerstner It has been characteristic of the sects to deny future punishment. Unitarianism emerged in this country basically as a protest against vindictive justice. It is true that this was not always in the foreground of the controversy, but it is probable that it was always in...

Continue Reading The Future: Heaven or Hell? (pt. 2)...

Take a look at our September eNewsletter here.To opt-in and regularly receive email communication from Ligonier Ministries, we can help you here....

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by John H. Gerstner Edwyn Bevan, in his book Christianity, says that some modern Roman Catholics, speaking off the record concerning their official doctrine of the endless punishment of the wicked, "teach that the punishment involves real pain, but that it is not forever; others that the punishment is really...

Continue Reading The Future: Heaven or Hell? (pt. 1)...

Listen in as Dr. Sproul talks about his newly released book, Five Things Every Christian Needs to Grow.Also, Alex Chediak is posting an interview with R.C. about this book over at his blog.  Part 1  |  Part 2...

Continue Reading R.C. Sproul talks about Five Things Every Christian Needs to Grow...

Tolle Lege: Take Up and Read by Keith A. Mathison Have you ever found yourself so caught up and concerned with the rampant sinfulness of our culture that you forget about the subtle sins in your own heart? If so, Jerry Bridges has written a book for you. Respectable Sins:...

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Continue Reading R.C. Sproul on the White Horse Inn with Michael Horton...

Generation to Generation by Greg Miseyko Mr. Reagan is "a firm and unbending politician for whom words and deeds are one and the same." This assessment found in East German secret police files provides future generations with a lasting example of integrity. These files must have reached the attention of...

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Pro Ecclesia: For the Church by Phil Newton Over the past decade I've engaged a wide-range of Christians on the subject of elders. Some, in desperation, want to change dysfunctional church leadership structures. Others have grown tired of side-stepping the biblical teaching on elders. Some long to adopt elder leadership...

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In the Hebrew Bible, the book of Esther is found in the third section of the canon, the Writings.  It is the last of the five "scrolls" (Ruth, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, and Esther), and is read at the Feast of Purim. It is a deeply profound and moving...

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Get your own - Open publication...

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Pastor's Perspective by John R. Hutchinson I had just moved to the Washington D.C. area when the call came from a Christian organization on Capitol Hill, asking if I would be the evangelical along with a Jewish rabbi, Roman Catholic priest, and members of Congress in a press conference intended...

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Truth and Consequences by Gene Edward Veith America is mad for liberty. Ours is a free country. We enjoy freedom of speech and of religion, the freedom of the press, and the freedom to bear arms. And rightly so. But though Americans love freedom, many of them have forgotten what...

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Right Now Counts Forever by R.C. Sproul "A decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered...." In Luke 2, the well-known passage introducing the nativity story, the title accorded to the Roman emperor is Caesar Augustus. Had this census been mandated earlier under the monarchy...

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Coram Deo by Burk Parsons As I have traveled abroad, I have had to endure all sorts of snide remarks about the United States. I have seen graffiti depicting the American flag with bombs in place of stripes and skulls in place of stars. I have seen disfigured pictures of...

Continue Reading One Nation, Under God...

The September edition of Tabletalk is out. This month's theme is "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness." Articles by R.C. Sproul, Michael Horton, T. David Gordon, and other authors focus on helping Christians to understand important, biblical doctrines and events while encouraging us toward holy living. Tabletalk Editor Burk...

Continue Reading Columns from Tabletalk Magazine, September 2008...

With the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, the continuous historical narrative of the Old Testament comes to a close. These two books were originally a single work, and most commentaries treat them together. Ezra and Nehemiah cover an historical period of approximately 100 years, from the decree of Cyrus permitting...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah...

This book is now available. From the back cover:People need to maintain a diet of nutritious foods if their bodies are to grow and thrive. But what do the people of God need in order to grow and thrive in the Christian faith? In this book, noted theologian and pastor...

Continue Reading 5 Things Every Christian Needs to Grow by R.C. Sproul...

We are pleased to release our newest music project: Light All Around featuring The Master's Chorale conducted by Dr. Paul Plew.Here is how Dr. Plew introduces this CD:The Master's College students heard on this recording represent a host of young Christian men and women who desire to make a significant...

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by John H. Gerstner What, then, is the church of Christ? Although the previous definition is unsatisfactory, the addition of two words will make it quite satisfactory. Thus, the church consists of all who sincerely profess faith in Christ, who are normally subordinate to His officers, and who associate with...

Continue Reading The Church: The Body of Christ (pt. 3)...

from Kaki Cobb, Development Officer:Doing Good Through eBayYou can now support Ligonier by buying and selling on eBay. Ligonier Ministries has joined with eBay Giving Works and Mission Fish (administrator of eBay Giving Works), providing a new and exciting way to raise money for the ministry. This program allows you...

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by John H. Gerstner This notion that members of some particular denomination are necessarily members of Christ's church or body I cannot grant. I will not deny that a person who sincerely and truly makes a sound profession of faith in Christ is a member of His true church, but...

Continue Reading The Church: The Body of Christ (pt. 2)...

by John H. Gerstner There are fundamentally two views of the church. There are variations of these and mixtures of them, but fundamentally only two views. This division runs through the various denominations or "churches," as we shall see. The first conception of the church is stated as follows: It...

Continue Reading The Church: The Body of Christ (pt. 1)...

"God wills evil to exist."So begins Dr. John MacArthur's address from our 2007 National Conference Contending for the Truth. We featured this 2-part message last week on our radio broadcast, Renewing Your Mind.Listen to part 1 here.Listen to part 2 here.*****The MP3 is $2. The conference is available on audio...

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If you randomly select 100 Christians and ask them to name their five favorite books of the Bible, it is unlikely that the books of 1 & 2 Chronicles will be found on many lists. These books are largely neglected by Christians today. They are, however, part of God's inspired...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Books of 1 & 2 Chronicles...

From the back cover of The Gospel Ministry...On November 20, 1717, Thomas Foxcroft presented a message on faithful gospel ministry and was strongly petitioned to have it published as a book. However, Foxcroft had not delivered this message at a conference for pastors, but at his own ordination. His intention...

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For when blog posts just aren't enough: http://twitter.com/ligonier...

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by John H. Gerstner The third fruit of justification that the apostle mentions in our text is rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God. The preceding joy of fellowship with God was augmented by its promise. In a certain sense, that present joyful fellowship was partly from anticipation...

Continue Reading Assurance: How We Know That We Know Christ (pt. 3)...

That's right, one of the blog world's favorite words: "free." If you are not aware, Tabletalk published a great issue on "The New Atheism" this month. In light of this timely topic, we would like to equip you with extra copies to discuss atheism with those close to you...

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by John H. Gerstner The second proof of one's salvation that the apostle mentions is a gracious state: "We have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand." The grace here mentioned signifies a condition of fellowship with God. It introduces us to a second level of Christian experience....

Continue Reading Assurance: How We Know That We Know Christ (pt. 2)...

Renewing Your Mind with Dr. R.C. Sproul has been added to the Sunday morning program schedule at 7:30am for KTIS in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Part of the Faith Radio Network at Northwestern College, they also serve the following stations and cities:Sioux Falls, SD -- KNWC AM1270Waterloo, IA -- KNWS AM1090Madison, WI...

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by John H. Gerstner Up to this point our interest has been in coming to Christ. We have considered our lost condition by nature, our need of a Savior, Christ's remarkable qualifications for that role, and the way by which we are persuaded of it. But now we address ourselves...

Continue Reading Assurance: How We Know That We Know Christ (pt. 1)...

There are a handful of biblical books for which there is no shortage of commentaries. One thinks immediately of books such as Genesis, Psalms, the Gospel of Matthew, and the Book of Revelation. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, however, may very well be the one book of the Bible that...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Romans...

Castle Church is a group of Reformed Christians producing content with a view to benefiting believers around the world. Their panelists recently conversed with the Rev. Richard Phillips, senior minister at Second Presbyterian Church in Greenville, SC, and author of Jesus the Evangelist and What's So Great About the Doctrines...

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In the beginningActive and present at creation, hovering over the unordered conditions (Gen. 1:2)In the Old TestamentThe origin of supernatural abilities (Gen. 41:38)The giver of artistic skill (Ex. 31:2-5)The source of power and strength (Judg. 3:9, 10)The inspiration of prophecy (1 Sam. 19:20, 23)The equipper of God's messenger (Mic. 3:8)In...

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"We will leave the Muslims, Hindus, Mormons, and Jedi Knights to respond for themselves, although we note in passing that it is another fundamental belief of the atheist creed that all religions are essentially the same -- hence the oft repeated statement or accusation that 'atheists do not fly planes...

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When Jesus "speaks of future disaster, he always teaches its close relation with the [joy] of redemption, so that when disasters suddenly come they...may be borne by hearts that have premeditated them."-- Jerome, Commentary on Matthew, 3.17.23...

Continue Reading Jerome on Future Disaster and Joy...

The books of 1 and 2 Kings recount events that cover a period of just over four hundred years, from the death of David to the release of Jehoiachin from prison in Babylon. The books of Genesis through Samuel describe the progressive and gradual fulfillment of God's promises to give...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Books of 1 & 2 Kings...

Here at Reformation Trust Publishing, a spring and summer of intense labor is passing, and now the fields are white unto harvest. In other words, a bumper crop of good books is just beginning to arrive in our warehouse--and becoming available to you. We have just released a new edition...

Continue Reading A Bumper Crop of Good Books...

Tolle Lege: Take Up and Read by Keith A. Mathison One of the first Reformed authors I ever read was Sinclair Ferguson. I was a dispensationalist in transition at the time, and I ran across a little book titled The Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction by Dr. Ferguson. I started...

Continue Reading Hope in Life and Death...

This year at our Pastors Conference we will provide live Spanish translation. We hope to serve a growing number of Reformation-minded pastors in South Florida, the Caribbean, and Latin America. A pastoral ministry rooted in the doctrines of the Reformation has the ability to counteract the deeply embedded Roman Catholic...

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Pastor's Perspective by Philip G. Ryken Make no mistake: there is an aggressive new atheism in America. The new unbelievers are eager to win people to their cause. Not content simply to disbelieve in God for themselves, they want to persuade other people not to believe in Him either. Some...

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The books of Samuel deal in the broadest sense with the establishment of the monarchy in Israel in fulfillment of promises found within the Pentateuch. Within this larger context, these books focus primarily on the stories of three important individuals in the history of Israel: Samuel, Saul, and David. The...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Books of 1 & 2 Samuel...

Our friend and exceptional musician Terry Yount sent us this note:I ran across this listing for Pipedreams, the Minnesota Public Radio organ broadcast, for an upcoming program featuring recent recordings of Bach. Ligonier's CD, "God of Grace and Glory" is the last listing in the program. BACH (arr. Fox/Yount): Now...

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For those who listen to Pilgrim Radio out West or on the web, you will have the opportunity to hear our 2008 National Conference, Evangelism According to Jesus, rebroadcast every weekend starting August 9 & 10. The schedule is located here.For available frequencies, please see this list.*****These popular messages are...

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Following is the brief introduction R.C. wrote for his book 5 Things Every Christian Needs to Grow. It is available for pre-order from Reformation Trust Publishing:It's a worldwide phenomenon. Every four years, the world pauses and holds its collective breath while the Olympic Games take place. Staggered so they occur...

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Listen as Dr. Sproul joins James White on his webcast program, The Dividing Line. The broadcast aired on Thursday, August 7. The MP3 file is located here.They will be discussing many topics, including our upcoming conference in Scottsdale, September 26-27....

Continue Reading R.C. Sproul on The Dividing Line with James White...

Pro Ecclesia: For the Church by Carl R. Trueman Many evangelical Christians are instinctively suspicious of the whole idea of creeds and confessions, those set forms of words that certain churches have used throughout the ages to give concise expression to the Christian faith. For such people, the very idea...

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Truth and Consequences by Gene Edward Veith The old atheists maintained that belief in God is not true. The new atheists maintain that belief in God is not good. The atheists' problem, though, is that however much they attack belief in God, their own worldview lacks all appeal. They get...

Continue Reading Making Atheism Enchanting...

Right Now Counts Forever by R.C. Sproul In this postmodern culture we have witnessed a fascinating revival of ancient Gnosticism. The Gnostics of antiquity were called by that name because they asserted that they had a superior type of knowledge that surpassed the insights found even in the apostles...

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Coram Deo: Living Before the Face of Godby Burk Parsons Since hearing about the supposedly "new" atheism I have been trying to figure out what's so new about it. Its proponents are not saying anything different than their atheist ancestors have said throughout history. In truth, they are simply using...

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The book of Acts is Luke's sequel to his Gospel. It traces the first decades in the history of the church after the resurrection of Christ, focusing in particular on the work of Peter and Paul. A helpful work that places Acts in the larger redemptive historical context of Scripture...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Acts...

by John H. Gerstner But to come back to our point: We must put on holiness. It is not enough to know how it is done, it must be done. It is not enough to know that it must be done, we must do it. Though I have all knowledge...

Continue Reading Sanctification: Christianizing the Christian (pt. 3)...

The August edition of Tabletalk is out. This month's theme is The "New" Atheism. Articles by R.C. Sproul, Ravi Zacharias, John Blanchard, and other authors look at this new brand of atheism which represents just the latest attack on the Christian faith. Christians would do well to be prepared to...

Continue Reading Columns from Tabletalk Magazine, August 2008...

by John H. Gerstner In What Sense the Christian Is Imperfect Now The saint's imperfection is no less apparent than his perfection. It jumps right out from the Scripture. In Colossians 3:12 we are told that Christians are elect and holy; immediately after that we are exhorted to put on...

Continue Reading Sanctification: Christianizing the Christian (pt. 2)...

by John H. Gerstner Christian perfection is an ideal for which we all must strive. Although there is a double standard of morality in Roman Catholic theology, Protestant Christianity knows no such distinction. The priesthood of all believers is a well-known Reformation principle. The perfection of all believers (as a...

Continue Reading Sanctification: Christianizing the Christian (pt. 1)...

Dear friend,When I was preparing to lecture on the holiness of God years ago, I came across this quote from John Calvin's commentary on Isaiah 6:3: "The angels never cease from their melody in singing the praises of God, as the holiness of God supplies us with inexhaustible reasons for...

Continue Reading 2009 National Conference -- March 19-21 in Orlando, Florida...

by R.C. Sproul Applications After discussing these five positive signs, Edwards turns his attention to the application section of his treatise, following the normal structure of his sermons. In Section III he notes the practical inferences he draws from his study. The first inference is that the recent extraordinary influences...

Continue Reading The Spirit of Revival (pt. 5)...

by R.C. Sproul Positive Marks Next Edwards turns to the positive marks or biblical signs of true revival. The first positive mark is seen in the elevated level of people's esteem for Jesus. Edwards follows the Reformation's emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit in the application of the...

Continue Reading The Spirit of Revival (pt. 4)...

After reading the story of Israel in the Book of Judges, one can be left wondering whether all is lost for Israel and for mankind. It's a terrible downward spiral of sin and judgment. The Book of Ruth reminds us that it wasn't all bad news. The Book of Ruth...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Ruth...

by R.C. Sproul Negative Marks Edwards begins by following the via negationis or "the way of negation." That is, before he proceeds to affirm positively what are the true marks of revival, he first spends time in Section I observing what are not (or at least not necessarily) signs of...

Continue Reading The Spirit of Revival (pt. 3)...

by R.C. Sproul The Relevance of Edwards's Distinguishing Marks What do these trends signify? Are we in the midst of a major revival? Or are we seeing spurious marks of revival? Here is where the revisiting of Edwards's Distinguishing Marks can be most helpful. For us to discern the presence...

Continue Reading The Spirit of Revival (pt. 2)...

On this page, we've collected some of R.C. Sproul's teaching series on the subject of "Christian Living". God desires for us to not only understand His holy character, but to grow in holiness ourselves. These series are for those desiring to understand the process of sanctification and learn how the...

Continue Reading Teaching Series for the Growing Christian...

In the eighteenth century, revival swept America as a Great Awakening woke thousands of Americans from spiritual slumber. While many were genuinely converted, discerning Christian leaders such as Jonathan Edwards became convinced of the need to determine how one could distinguish true revival from false. Edwards performed such a study...

Continue Reading The Spirit of Revival (pt. 1)...

by John H. Gerstner Augustus Hopkins Strong used the analogy of the coupling that joins a train of railroad cars to a locomotive. The coupling has no power in itself; it cannot move a single car one inch. All the power is in the locomotive; but the coupling is the...

Continue Reading Justification by Faith (pt. 3)...

by John H. Gerstner The epistle to the Romans has already shown us that man is guilty before God. Their sins have incurred the wrath of God: "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness" (Romans 1:18)....

Continue Reading Justification by Faith (pt. 2)...

by John H. Gerstner From Romans 1:18 to 3:20, the Apostle Paul seeks to demonstrate the universal sinfulness of men. He shows the wrath of God revealed against the heathen because they would not have God in their thinking. He shows that the nominally religious people of Israel, by their...

Continue Reading Justification by Faith (pt. 1)...

The events described in the book of Judges cover a period of approximately 350 years, from the death of Joshua to the rise of the monarchy under Samuel. Unlike Joshua, however, which recounted a period of Israel's history largely marked by faithfulness to God, Judges recounts a period of history...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Judges...

The Gospel of John is one of the most popular and beloved books in the Bible, and this fact is reflected in the sheer number of available commentaries on the book. John is so theologically rich that I have found help and insight in a large number of commentaries. Choosing...

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by John H. Gerstner Then the Savior departed from the apostles a second time and prayed again, "O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me except I drink it, Thy will be done." The agony of the first prayer was not even over, but a new...

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by John H. Gerstner The preview of impending doom was so terrifying that the mighty Jesus Himself asked, if it were possible, to escape it. Normally His obedience was instant and without question. Only the extreme severity of the ordeal can explain the plea: "O My Father, if it be...

Continue Reading The Atonement (pt. 2)...

by John H. Gerstner Gethsemane was the place of Christ's exquisite torment. It is here we see the Man of Sorrows being acquainted with grief. Matthew tells us that after the last supper with His apostles, He began to be sorrowful. At the supper He had been full of joy....

Continue Reading The Atonement (pt. 1)...

The summer months are a particularly challenging time for many Christian ministries. While outreach continues, finances are usually strained. This year the economy seems to only be exaggerating this struggle.To that end, Dr. Sproul has recorded a special summer financial appeal. While R.C. is quite the professional football fan (Go...

Continue Reading Will you step to the plate this month?...

Pro Ecclesia: For the Church by Howard Q. Davis In chapter two of Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands, Paul David Tripp relates a story of a church member who called the pastor to get him to help a man. Tripp's comment to the member was, "Isn't God's love amazing? God...

Continue Reading We Don't Need Supermen...

Generation to Generation by Susan Hunt A friend gave me a plaque that proclaims: "Grandmothers are antique little girls." I don't know what the originator had in mind, but my spin is that the longer we live, the more we return to the simplicity of girlhood. I am convinced that...

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With this post, we begin to look at the best commentaries on the Old Testament Historical Books. For a good introductory overview of these books, I would recommend Victor P. Hamilton's Handbook on the Historical Books and David M. Howard's An Introduction to the Old Testament Historical Books. The two...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Joshua...

The book of Deuteronomy is one of the most frequently cited Old Testament books in the New Testament. Only Psalms and Isaiah are quoted more. Containing Moses' final messages to the people of Israel before their entrance into the Promised Land, the book is rich in theological significance. The following...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Deuteronomy...

Seek Ye First by R.C. Sproul Jr. Trouble comes to the people of God. If it is not here now, it will be here soon. Those who promise that the Christian life is a breezy walk through the meadow not only have not taken up their cross and followed Him,...

Continue Reading I Will Sing an Old Song...

Tolle Lege: Take Up and Read by Keith A. Mathison When Dutch Calvinists and Arminians squared off against one another in the early part of the seventeenth century, the Calvinists won the opening battle. The controversy, however, soon spread beyond the borders of the Netherlands. Now, four hundred years later,...

Continue Reading The Will to Debate...

Pastor's Perspective by Bill Haynes Martin Luther, in his Table Talk #403, makes the statement that "an upright shepherd and minister must improve his flock by edification, and also resist and defend it; otherwise, if resisting be absent, the wolf devours the sheep." Resisting and defending require that a pastor-shepherd...

Continue Reading Standing Firm...

Right Now Counts Forever by R.C. Sproul During the nineteenth-century potato famine in Ireland, my great-grandfather, Charles Sproul, fled his native land to seek refuge in America. He left his thatched roof and mud floor cottage in a northern Ireland village and made his way barefoot to Dublin -- to...

Continue Reading All Truth Is God's Truth ...

Truth and Consequences by Gene Edward Veith On October 10, A.D. 732 , some 80,000 Muslim cavalrymen attacked 30,000 Frankish infantrymen near Tours in present-day France. Those Muslims had already conquered Northern Africa and Spain, and they were poised to sweep over the rest of Europe. Normally, foot soldiers are...

Continue Reading What if the Muslims Won?...

Of the four Gospels, Luke is R.C. Sproul's personal favorite. It is the longest of the four Gospels and the only one whose author wrote a sequel (Acts). His Gospel is addressed to one Theophilus, but it appears to have a larger and predominantly Gentile audience in mind as well....

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on The Gospel of Luke...

If you live in Columbus, Louisville, Philadelphia, San Francisco, or Tampa, you can now hear R.C. Sproul's daily radio broadcast on the following stations:Columbus, Ohio -- WRFD AM880 @ 9am ET, M-FLouisville -- WFIA 94.7FM & AM900 @ 11am ET, M-FPhiladelphia -- WFIL AM560 @ 2pm ET, M-FSan Francisco --...

Continue Reading New Cities for Renewing Your Mind Radio Broadcasts...

Although the fourth book of the Pentateuch is titled "Numbers" in English, its Hebrew name bemidbar ("in the wilderness") is a more accurate description of its contents.  It is largely concerned with Israel's forty years in the wilderness as they slowly made their way from Mount Sinai to the plains...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Numbers...

Coram Deo: Living Before the Face of God by Burk Parsons One could perhaps make the argument that the history of the church consists of one division after another. Nevertheless, while history is replete with ecclesiastical divisions, there is a unity that transcends all the worldly clamor and devilish confusion...

Continue Reading God's Truth Abideth Still...

The July edition of Tabletalk is out. This month's theme is The Eighth Century, the period of history that fell midway between the founding of the church and the time of the Protestant Reformation. The daily devotions continue our study of the book of Matthew.We don't post all of the...

Continue Reading Columns from Tabletalk Magazine, July 2008...

You may be pleased to know that you can now listen daily to Renewing Your Mind with Dr. R.C. Sproul on the XM and Sirius satellite radio systems.Sirius subscribers: tune in at channel 161 at 5:30am ET, Monday thru Friday (check local market for time zone specific schedule).XM subscribers: tune...

Continue Reading Renewing Your Mind now on XM & Sirius Satellite Radio...

Although the Gospel of Matthew precedes the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament canon, there is strong evidence that Mark was the first of the four Gospels to be written. It is a fast-moving narrative that seeks to reveal who Jesus is. The following are five of the most...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on The Gospel of Mark...

by John H. Gerstner What has been the influence of Christ on succeeding centuries? Shortly before His death He said, "Believe Me for the very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works...

Continue Reading Jesus Christ: The God-Man (pt. 3)...

By John H. Gerstner The Deity of Christ But now we find ourselves in an extraordinary situation. If we admit, as the world does, that Christ is the perfect man, we must also admit that He is God then! "Why," you ask, "if we acknowledge Christ to be the perfect...

Continue Reading Jesus Christ: The God-Man (pt. 2)...

I have enjoyed getting to know Carol Taubl of the Taubl family over the last year. She and her family are gifted musicians and they have a beautiful testimony as they travel the country and perform. She also functions as something of a business manager for them all. We recently...

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by John H. Gerstner When I studied at Harvard University in the 1940's, we had a very interesting professor, Dr. H. H. Cadbury, who used to attempt to introduce Christ to his classes. In attendance, he would have, in addition to the divinity school men, a number of the regular...

Continue Reading Jesus Christ: The God-Man (pt. 1)...

How many Christians have resolved to read through the entire Bible and made good progress through Genesis and Exodus only to hit a wall and give up when they reach Leviticus? With all of it's different laws regarding the Old Covenant priesthood and various sacrifices, it can be quite difficult...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Leviticus...

The music catalog at Ligonier continues to grow. Our mission continues, to export and illustrate the great truths of Scripture through exceptional music. We recently produced a new CD, God of Grace and Glory, with our friend Terry Yount. He is a respected and able musician. We were very pleased...

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What would happen if when we speak of the Gospel we get it wrong and as a result introduce people to the wrong Jesus? Earlier this year, Ligonier Ministries held its 21st annual national conference, "Evangelism According to Jesus," here in Orlando, Fla. Joining R.C. Sproul were friends Sinclair Ferguson,...

Continue Reading Learn to share the true Gospel of Jesus Christ...

by John H. Gerstner Let us now apply this doctrine to ourselves. First, let me apply it to myself. This doctrine means that, though I am a minister of the gospel, I am by nature a child of wrath. Even Paul, the greatest of ministers and apostles, included himself. "We...

Continue Reading Sin Makes No Racial Distinctions (pt. 3)...

by John H. Gerstner Reinhold Niebuhr, America's distinguished neo-orthodox theologian, lectured to the students and faculty of Harvard Divinity School in 1940. He was discussing original sin and gave this domestic illustration. He son, who was then seven, had been in a neighborhood brawl. Niebuhr was inclined to finish what...

Continue Reading Sin Makes No Racial Distinctions (pt. 2)...

by John H. Gerstner Speaking of God's providence we noticed sin incidentally. We now bring it into focus. One cannot think of God's holy ways without thinking of our unholy ones. We cannot think of ourselves without thinking of our sin. Sin is the most important conviction any man can...

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In a 1996 guide to the best commentaries, Derek Thomas wrote: "There is a famine of really good commentaries on Exodus."  Dr. Thomas' commentary guide has since been updated, but at that time, the best contemporary commentary one could recommend on the book of Exodus was by Brevard Childs, and...

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The first five books of the Old Testament, the Hebrew Torah, are often called the Pentateuch.  A helpful introduction to this part of Holy Scripture is the book From Paradise to the Promised Land by T. D. Alexander.  The first book of the Pentateuch is one of the most well-known...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on the Book of Genesis...

There once was a time when you could stop watching a movie and be able to start watching it again a few months later in the exact place you left off. You didn't have to think about Scene Selection, Menus, or wonder what kind of goodies lay under "Special Features."...

Continue Reading What's a VHS? Very Holy Sermon? ...

In early fall, Reformation Trust Publishing is re-releasing a revised and expanded version of Dr. Sproul's 5 Things Every Christian Needs to Grow. In that book, R.C. recommends a starter list for people who have never read the Bible.The Old Testament overview includes:Genesis (the history of Creation, the fall, and...

Continue Reading R.C. Sproul's Starter List for Reading the Bible...

Seek Ye Firstby R.C. Sproul Jr.There is no such thing as the "More Party." They do not run campaigns seeking to unseat sitting officials of the "Less Party." Both "more" and "less" need more context and less ambiguity. We need to know what we are getting more or less...

Continue Reading Kiss the Son...

International Outreachby Timothy A. DickOver the years, Ligonier Ministries has been blessed with many opportunities to provide biblical teaching resources for the church in various countries and languages. Yet, at this moment in time, unlike any other, we are perhaps on the horizon of a new reformation. We believe...

Continue Reading Actively Participating in the Global Expansion of the Church...

by Steven J. Lawson For the last four years, I have spoken at a conference on the West Coast called Resolved. The name is drawn from the Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards and is aimed at college students and "twenty-somethings" in the next generation. As an eighteen and nineteen year old,...

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The last twenty years have witnessed a dramatic increase in the number and quality of biblical commentaries being published. With such a large number being published, it can be difficult to choose among them, but with the prices involved, it may also be necessary. Ligonier Ministries provides a Recommended Reading...

Continue Reading Top 5 Commentaries on The Gospel of Matthew...

Pastor's Perspectiveby Terry L. JohnsonDuring the Reformation era, debates raged over what things must be considered crucial to Christian faith and practice, and what could be considered adiaphora (Latin for "things indifferent"). All sides agreed that the doctrines of the Trinity, the atonement, and justification were central. But what...

Continue Reading Pluralistic Worship...

Dr. Sproul addressed the faculty and student body at the recent Westminster Seminary California commencement. His message was "The Power of the Gospel" and he took Romans 1:1-17 as his text.Listen to the message along with Dr. Robert Godfrey's introduction of Dr. Sproul here....

Continue Reading The Power of the Gospel...

Right Now Counts Foreverby R.C. SproulThe nineteenth-century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche is famous for his declaration that "God is dead." That brief dictum does not give the whole story. According to Nietzsche, the cause of the Deity's demise was compassion. He said, "God is dead; He died of pity." But before...

Continue Reading Twilight of the Idols...

"Howdy" from Dallas, Texas where members of the Ligonier team are arriving to be a part of the 36th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America. "GA" (as it is known to Jus Divinum enthusiasts) will take place in the Dallas Hyatt Convention Center from June 10-13. This year's...

Continue Reading Deep in the Heart of Texas...

by John H. Gerstner Positive Providence When considering the definition of negative providence, we used Ed Wynn's comic parody of the poet. Now, considering positive providence, we consider the poet himself: There is a destiny which shapes our ends, Rough hew them though we may. The "rough hew" needs explanation....

Continue Reading God's Providence: A Two-edged Sword (pt. 3)...

A Body of Divinity.  By Archbishop James Ussher.  Solid Ground Christian Books, 2007.  467pp.  $50.00.A Foundational Text of Reformed OrthodoxyThe last several decades have witnessed the publication of a wealth of classic theological treasures.  Some of these, such as Francis Turretin's Institutes of Elenctic Theology and Herman Bavinck's Reformed Dogmatics,...

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Generation to Generationby Niel NielsonRecently, an acquaintance of mine gathered these statistics on the choices available today: 200 cable channels; 255 ways to order a Big Mac; 19,000 possible combinations for coffee at Starbucks and 78,998 for ice cream and toppings at Cold Stone Creamery; and more than 500,000 mathematical...

Continue Reading Choose This Day...

Truth and Consequencesby Gene Edward VeithToday's postmodernists use cultural pluralism as a pretext for relativism, as if the existence of many cultures implied the existence of many truths. Many Americans embrace multiculturalism as if they had no culture of their own. In religion, pluralism has given rise to a...

Continue Reading A Good Kind of Pluralism...

Where did we come from? It's one of humanity's most basic questions. Please brace yourself for my answer: we didn't come from monkeys. Though I say this somewhat tongue-in-cheek, there's a point to be made. When it comes to the issue of origins, particularly human origins, the advocates of naturalistic evolution...

Continue Reading Support our mission to ask (and answer) ultimate questions...

Pro Ecclesia: For the Churchby Robert M. NorrisI am not used to being considered a heretic. Yet recently, when a colleague and I visited a friend who teaches theology at a famous British university, we found ourselves faced with this charge! In a conversation that had quickly turned to...

Continue Reading Praying for Church Leaders...

Tolle Lege: Take Up and Readby Keith MathisonI face something of a dilemma here that I believe C. J. Mahaney might appreciate. He has written a wonderful book in which he seeks to share insight on the practice of true humility and the conquest of pride. However, as he...

Continue Reading In All Humility...

New prices, DVDs, music, books, teaching series, and many more resources for the growing Christian can be found in our just-released 2008 Summer & Fall Resource Guide (PDF 8MB). Learn about our new reduced prices on every resource we carry as well as our new discount for churches. In this...

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Coram Deo (Living before the face of God)by Burk ParsonsOur enemy's supreme deception is in his attempt to convince us that he doesn't exist. Toward that end, he has launched his assault against us with every weapon in his carefully fashioned arsenal. Perhaps his greatest success is in persuading us...

Continue Reading Don't Be So Open-minded...

by R.C. SproulToday the need for sacrifices to be made in faith is forgotten -- we hear that it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you're sincere. In fact, the basic requirement of sacrifice is unknown -- it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you're sincere....

Continue Reading Sacrifices in Faith...

Do you need small group or Sunday school summer material but don't know where to start? Want to take something along to redeem the time while on vacation? Depending on how much time you have available, we have several DVD series that can provide four to six to twelve weeks...

Continue Reading What are you studying this summer?...

The daily headlines tell the ongoing story of earthquake devastation in China and the cyclone tragedy of Myanmar. These are not abstract realities affecting people on the other side of the globe. After Eden, suffering is our common plight. We are frail creatures. It is at these moments we look...

Continue Reading A Better Country...

Early in 2005, Mark Dever sat down with R.C. Sproul for an installment of the 9Marks Ministries audio interview series. Their topic was "Theology & Books". Mark is an excellent interviewer and leads a fascinating discussion with R.C. giving some of the "story behind the story" for many of his...

Continue Reading Mark Dever Interview with R.C. Sproul...

The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology, and Worship by Robert Letham. P&R Publishing, 2004.  551 pp.  $24.99. Our Triune GodAs Robert Letham observes in his new book, "For the vast majority of Christians, including most ministers and theological students, the Trinity is still a mathematical conundrum, full of imposing...

Continue Reading Book Review - The Holy Trinity by Robert Letham...

by Roger NicoleIn modern English the words apology and apologize indicate regret because some statement or action was offensive and wrong. This is not the case for "apologetics" in theology, for that discipline is intended to manifest "a point of view is right." It is intended for those who differ...

Continue Reading God in the Dock: The Apologetics of C.S. Lewis...

Charles Spurgeon referred to it as a "mountain of sound theology," and now Solid Ground Christian Books is bringing the complete works of Thomas Manton back into print in 22 volumes. The list price for this set is $1,000, but until May 31, SGCB is taking pre-publication orders at the...

Continue Reading Complete Works of Thomas Manton...

Reformation21 has posted a review Dr. Sproul just finished of prominent atheist-turned-theist Antony Flew's new book There Is A God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind. Read the entire review here....

Continue Reading R.C. reviews Antony Flew's "There Is A God"...

by Sinclair B. FergusonNovember 22, 1963, the date of President Kennedy's assassination, was also the day C.S. Lewis died. Seven years earlier he had thus described death: "The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning." The metaphor inherent in these words is...

Continue Reading Surprised by Joy: The Life of C.S. Lewis...

For sixty years, successive generations have been helped by what C.S. Lewis wrote on the subject of pain and suffering. The sustained benefit is due in large measure to the fact that he brought to the "problem" a solid dose of Christian realism. This medicine may be more important now...

Continue Reading Pain: God's Megaphone...

Registration is now open for our 6th annual Pastors Conference to be held October 20-23 in Lake Mary, Florida. R.C. will be joined by Sinclair Ferguson and Steven J. Lawson, both great friends of Ligonier. Let me tell you a few stories about our two specially invited speakers. Over the...

Continue Reading The Encouragement Conference...

Truth and Consequences by Gene Edward Veith Dante ranks right up there with Shakespeare and Homer as the greatest writers of our civilization. Though the Italian poet, who lived from 1265 to 1321, embodies the High Middle Ages, he is sometimes called a proto-reformer for his bold condemnation of the...

Continue Reading Dante on Virtue and Vice...

Thabiti Anyabwile asks "Do You Know the One NT Figure Mentioned in the Book of Hebrews?" That was how Sinclair Ferguson started chapter 45 of his wonderful meditation on the Christian life, In Christ Alone. Do you know? I didn't either. But Sinclair gave 5 clues, by the third I...

Continue Reading The One NT Figure Mentioned in Hebrews...

by Leland RykenThe most important lessons that we can learn from C.S. Lewis' Narnian Chronicles are the ones that Lewis himself wanted us to learn. It so happens that Lewis said enough about literature in general and the Narnian books in particular that it is possible to read Lewis' classic...

Continue Reading The Imagination of C.S. Lewis...

Right Now Counts Foreverby R.C. SproulC.S. Lewis emerged as a twentieth-century icon in the world of Christian literature. His prodigious work combining acute intellectual reasoning with unparalleled creative imagination made him a popular figure not only in the Christian world but in the secular world as well. The Chronicles of...

Continue Reading The Weight of Glory: The Significance of C.S. Lewis...

Unless you've been living in a beaver's house, you know that Prince Caspian descends on theaters Friday. While the secular, materialist culture at large tries to understand why C.S. Lewis' worldview makes them uncomfortable, we thought we would take a moment to celebrate this unique man's contributions.The January 2008 issue...

Continue Reading C.S. Lewis (1898-1963)...

Generation to Generation by Ron Gleason Being a pastor has been the most humbling, challenging, fulfilling, and wonderful calling of my life. It was in the pastoral ministry that I learned -- and still am learning -- that true success is not measured by the size of your salary or...

Continue Reading To the Young Pastor...

Skeptics often point to the existence of variants within the biblical manuscripts as evidence that the doctrine of inerrancy is false. Sometimes Christians who notice the effects of these variants when they compare different Bible translations can have their faith shaken. It is important that Christians have an informed understanding...

Continue Reading The Inerrancy of the Autographs...

Seek Ye First by R.C. Sproul Jr. Every culture and subculture has its own taboos. Not all of them are the same, however. Given that we are all human, how can we explain the divergence of cultural standards? Why is it that one culture will find adultery to be a...

Continue Reading At Least I'm Honest...

Tolle Lege: Take Up and Read by Keith A. Mathison It should come as little surprise to learn that the doctrine of the substitutionary atonement of Christ has come under renewed criticism in recent decades. The Reformers dealt with such criticisms and attacks from the Socinians. Our more recent forefathers...

Continue Reading The Great Exchange...

Pastor's Perspective by Robert S. Rayburn Pride is the idolatry of the self. It is the nature of pride as competition with God -- the displacing of God by the self at the center -- that has led many Christian thinkers through the ages to regard pride (superbia) as the...

Continue Reading Pride & Humility...

What is the unpardonable sin? Is it possible for us as Christians to commit this sin? Jesus defines the unforgivable sin in Mark 3:20-30 and gives specific content as to how it is committed. Download and listen to the sermon by R.C. Sproul here.We offer these monthly messages to subscribers...

Continue Reading The Unpardonable Sin...

by John H. Gerstner Negative Providence What do we mean by negative providence? Suppose we begin with the late comedian Ed Wynn's definition based on a slight alteration of some famous lines: There is a destiny that shapes our ends rough; Hew them how we may. This is negative enough,...

Continue Reading God's Providence: A Two-edged Sword (pt. 2)...

Last Friday on Renewing Your Mind with Dr. R.C. Sproul, we took the opportunity to ask some questions of our esteemed founder. It's always enjoyable to hear our Executive Producer John Duncan ask Dr. Sproul the hard questions. Click here to listen.Here are the questions and the time codes in...

Continue Reading Ask R.C. (5/2/08)...

by John H. Gerstner According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, "God's works of providence are His most holy, wise, powerful preserving and governing all His creatures and all their actions." This comprehensive statement says that God's providence encompasses all, and not merely some, of the acts of His creatures. Such...

Continue Reading God's Providence: A Two-edged Sword (pt. 1)...

Pro Ecclesia: For the Church by George Grant The heroine of My Fair Lady, Eliza Doolittle, captured the sentiment of most of us when she complained, "Words, words, words -- I am so sick of words. I get words all day through, first from him, now from you. Is that...

Continue Reading The High Call of Service...

Coram Deo: Living Before the Face of God by Burk Parsons We all certainly agree that all virtues are heavenly and that all sins are deadly. Nevertheless, certain virtues are more heavenly than others, and certain sins lead to death more quickly than other sins. While some sins are private...

Continue Reading War and Peace...

The May edition of Tabletalk is now distributed to subscribers. This month's theme is "The Seven Deadly Sins and the Seven Heavenly Virtues" and the issue includes articles written by R.C. Sproul, Thabiti Anyabwile, Robert W. Carver, Chris Donato, Ron Gleason, George Grant, Ken Jones, Jonathan Leeman, Robert S. Rayburn,...

Continue Reading Columns from Tabletalk Magazine, May 2008...

The recent release of the movie Expelled has made the question of intelligent design a topic of water cooler conversation once again. But what exactly is "intelligent design," and why is it so upsetting to advocates of Neo-Darwinism? Since the publication in 1991 of Phillip Johnson's Darwin on Trial, a...

Continue Reading Unlocking the Mystery of Life...

Thanks to Abraham Piper for writing a helpful primer for blog readers who have not yet discovered the Internet tool known as 'RSS'. You can find his step-by-step guide here.Once you've read that, you're ready to subscribe to our blog at this address:http://feeds.feedburner.com/LigonierMinistriesBlog...

Continue Reading What is RSS and Why is It Worthwhile?...

Right Now Counts Foreverby R.C. Sproul"The sinfulness of sin" sounds like a vacuous redundancy that adds no information to the subject under discussion. However, the necessity of speaking of the sinfulness of sin has been thrust upon us by a culture and even a church that has diminished the significance...

Continue Reading Cosmic Treason...

Dr. O. Palmer Robertson has been a stalwart Reformed scholar for decades, and his writings have benefited countless pastors, students, and laymen. From his classic Christ of the Covenants to his recent Christ of the Prophets, he has helped many to understand the Word of God more fully.This June, P&R...

Continue Reading Essays in Honor of O. Palmer Robertson...

by John H. GerstnerNo One Can Be Saved Without Being a Theologian. If the above is enough to indicate that persons may have divine knowledge without being saved, then let us go on to indicate the still more pertinent truth, that no one can be saved without the knowledge...

Continue Reading Everyone Must Be a Theologian (pt. 3)...

by John H. GerstnerEveryone May Be a Theologian Without Being Saved!"But," the layman exclaims, "do you mean to tell me that if I do not have the knowledge of God I shall perish, and that if I do have the knowledge of God I will live forever? Do you mean...

Continue Reading Everyone Must Be a Theologian (pt. 2)...

At Ligonier Ministries we praise the Lord for the life and ministry of John H. Gerstner (1914-1996). He was Dr. Sproul's primary mentor and served for many years at Ligonier as a resident theology advisor. He excelled in theology, church history, and apologetics as well as being a renowned Jonathan...

Continue Reading Everyone Must Be a Theologian (pt. 1)...

Registration is now open for our Pastors Conference. This is a unique 4-day event each fall where we purposefully put a cap of 350 attendees and strive to give them an experience unlike any other pastors event. Ligonier Ministries loves pastors and it's a pleasure to serve them along with...

Continue Reading National Pastors Conference in Orlando this October 20-23...

Ligonier Ministries has begun working with a unique translation effort called Gospel Translations. It's a partnership between several ministries. We appreciate our friends at Sovereign Grace, Desiring God, and 9Marks who have spearheaded this effort.As Philip Jenkins has written, Christianity is growing in the Global South. Our concern is that...

Continue Reading Gospel Translations & Tabletalk Magazine...

R.C. Sproul will be speaking this weekend at the venerable Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology at the historic Tenth Presbyterian Church in downtown Philly. The "PCRT" is probably the "granddaddy" of major Reformed Bible conferences in North America (as Keith Jackson might put it) and was founded in 1974 by...

Continue Reading Philadelphia Freedom...

It's been fifteen years since the publication of David Wells' No Place For Truth.  This outstanding volume was followed by God in the Wasteland, Losing Our Virtue, and Above All Earthly Pow'rs.  The fifth and final volume in this series was published on April 14, 2008 by Eerdmans Publishing Company. ...

Continue Reading The Courage to Be Protestant by David F. Wells...

The newest book from Reformation Trust Publishing is now available. Order here for $12.The author, Rick Phillips, introduces the book in the preface:I love the doctrines of grace. I love them as doctrines, that is, as biblical teachings that are sublime and wonderful beyond all human expectation. There can hardly...

Continue Reading Now Available -- What's So Great About the Doctrines of Grace? by Richard D. Phillips...

Pro Ecclesia (For the Church)by R. Albert Mohler Jr.The Bible consistently affirms education as a central responsibility of God's people. In the Old Testament, the Jewish people were reminded that the education of their own children was an essential part of their responsibility as God's covenant people. In Israel, a...

Continue Reading Training Pastors in Church...

In a recent interview with World magazine, Ben Stein says that he does not expect any Oscar nominations for his new film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed.  Instead, he says, "I think we will be mocked and belittled for this production."  This may be the understatement of the year.  The reviews...

Continue Reading Expelled the Movie Opens Today...

Seeking a Better Country: 300 Years of American Presbyterianism.  By D. G. Hart and John Muether.  P&R Publishing Company, 2007.  304 pp.  $24.99.The year 2006 marked the 300th anniversary of Presbyterianism in America.  In honor of this tercentenary, D. G. Hart and John Muether have written a critical history of...

Continue Reading Book Review - Seeking A Better Country: 300 Years of American Presbyterianism...

Here are a few moments with the speakers and Dr. Sproul at yesterday's panel discussion....

Continue Reading When Pastors Get Discouraged...

I listen to R.C. Sproul. A lot. What he has to say -- and the way he says it -- continues to shape me. His message Wednesday afternoon at T4G will forever be in my "top 5" RC messages. R.C. Sproul loves the Gospel (as if there were any doubt).Here...

Continue Reading Audio from the Curse Motif sermon...

Here are some notes I took on Dr. Sproul's session this afternoon at the Together for the Gospel Conference.Dr. Sproul discussed what it means that Jesus was cursed by God. Though he has studied the subject for over fifty years, he still feels like he is barely scratching the surface...

Continue Reading R.C. Sproul on the Curse Motif...

Tim Challies is posting updates as the week unfolds in Louisville. Pray for Dr. Sproul as he speaks today at 2:30pm EST on "The Curse Motif of the Atonement."...

Continue Reading T4G Updates...

The gospel of Christ is the good tidings that God has revealed concerning Christ. As all mankind was lost in Adam and became the children of wrath, put under the sentence of death, God, though He left His fallen angels and has reserved them in the chains of eternal darkness,...

Continue Reading Jeremiah Burrough's Summary of the Gospel...

Like many others out there in the Reformed evangelical universe, I've been waiting for T4G. "Together for the Gospel" (for you anagrammatically challenged) is a bi-annual pastors/church leader's conference held in Louisville with the worthy goal of promoting the centrality of the Gospel in local church life. This great event...

Continue Reading So you're coming to Together for the Gospel...

It is one of the brightest hopes in the United States at the present time that Gospel preachers, from different denominational backgrounds, are being spontaneously drawn together in a common concern to advance the cause of Christ. This cause does not need new labels or structures; most of all it...

Continue Reading Iain Murray on Unity...

In 2006, four mutual friends who are also pastors with a passion for the Gospel gathered together for a conference entitled Together for the Gospel. These four pastors, Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, Albert Mohler, and C.J. Mahaney, were joined by R.C. Sproul, John Piper, and John MacArthur. Together they exhorted...

Continue Reading Preaching the Cross (T4G'06)...

Pro Ecclesia (For the Church)by Richard D. PhillipsSince we live in a fallen world, our greatest strengths have a way of giving birth to our greatest weaknesses. This is why some churches that emphasize a strong Bible-preaching pulpit are less vigorous in ministries of mercy. One inner city Presbyterian church...

Continue Reading What the Needy Need...

If you are a reader of contemporary theological works and you have not already encountered the name "N.T. Wright," you will. Wright is the Anglican Bishop of Durham, and he is one of the most prolific biblical scholars of our day. I first encountered Wright's name years ago while doing...

Continue Reading When Wright Is Wrong...

Christ has redeemed us to be a light that directs others to Him. Fulfilling this call requires us to be able to deal with the most difficult questions asked about the Christian faith. If we are unprepared for the darkness around us, it will be harder to counter it with...

Continue Reading Ligonier Conference Near Phoenix this September 26-27...

Generation to Generationby Joshua Harris When I turned twenty-one, my dad gave me this simple advice: “Find men that you want to be like and then sit at their feet.” As I launched into manhood, he was reminding me that the lessons I needed most wouldn’t be found in a...

Continue Reading The Next Generation...

Pastor's Perspective by Kim Riddlebarger Of all the Reformation-era catechisms, perhaps none is as well-loved as the Heidelberg Catechism. In the opening question and answer, the personal and distinctive tone of the catechism becomes evident. “What is your only comfort in life and in death?” This is not a theoretical...

Continue Reading What is Your Only Comfort?...

Greetings from the green forests of central Mississippi and Ligonier Ministries' humble church relations director. It's been my privilege this week to be here with a group of ministers committed to what one notable confession of faith calls "the ordinary means of grace." Simply put these not so ordinary means...

Continue Reading Church Relations on-the-road at Twin Lakes and PCRT/Atlanta...

Right Now Counts Foreverby R.C. SproulThe Latin word credo means simply "I believe." It represents the first word of the Apostles' Creed. Throughout church history it has been necessary for the church to adopt and embrace creedal statements to clarify the Christian faith and to distinguish true content from error...

Continue Reading Norma Normata -- A Rule that is Ruled...

This is from Burk Parsons' column "Coram Deo: Living Before the Face of God" written to introduce the April 2008 edition of Tabletalk. He is the editor of Tabletalk magazine and minister of congregational life at Saint Andrew's Chapel in Sanford, Florida.*****One dutchman, a theologian. Two dutchmen, a church. Three...

Continue Reading Confessionally Challenged...

The April edition of Tabletalk has now reached our subscribers hands. This month's theme is on The Three Forms of Unity, those formative documents produced during that revival of the Gospel we call the Protestant Reformation. The daily devotions continue our study of the book of Matthew.We'll post some of...

Continue Reading Columns from Tabletalk Magazine, April 2008...

Today is April 1--a day known also as April Fool's Day. It's as good an occasion as any to ask R.C. Sproul a question about humor. Did Jesus ever laugh? What do the Scriptures tell us about his character and sense of humor? I’ve heard some people answer this question...

Continue Reading Did Jesus Ever Laugh?...

Augustine of Hippo: A Biography.  New Edition.  By Peter Brown.  University of California Press, 2000.  548 pp.  $19.95.St. Augustine was born in A.D. 354 in the town of Thagaste in North Africa to a pagan father and a Christian mother.  From these inauspicious beginnings, he would eventually become one...

Continue Reading Book Review - Augustine of Hippo: A Biography...

"The fundamental question posed in Calvinism is not 'How can I be saved?', but 'How shall God be glorified?'"So writes Ian Hamilton, minister of Cambridge Presbyterian Church in England and trustee at the Banner of Truth Trust. Read it here....

Continue Reading Experimental Calvinism...

At his blog "Christians in Context" Damian Romano has posted his top ten R.C. Sproul quotes. And he has rounded up some good ones. Here is a sampling:10. Every sin is an act of cosmic treason, a futile attempt to dethrone God in His sovereign authority.9. Most Christian's salute the...

Continue Reading Top Ten R.C. Sproul Quotes...

The music division of Ligonier Ministries has been created as an aid to the educational work. Our desire is to produce music which helps illustrate the transcendent qualities of God and of God's universe.In keeping with this mission, Ligonier has just released a new recording in collaboration with a remarkable...

Continue Reading The Alphabet of Revelation by J.A.C. Redford...

We asked one of our development officers, Kaki Cobb, to bring you an update on a special outreach we've been offering to our armed forces chaplains. Here is her report:As an extension of our mission, Ligonier Ministries continues to reach out to military chaplains, both at home and abroad, so...

Continue Reading Serving those who serve...

Is God a "delusion"? Is Christianity dangerous? Are science and faith incompatible? Although these questions are not new, they are being asked more often since the publication of Richard Dawkins' bestselling book The God Delusion.In October 2007, Richard Dawkins and fellow Oxford professor Dr. John Lennox were invited to Birmingham,...

Continue Reading Debating 'The God Delusion' ...

About six weeks ago, Mr. Ben Stein joined Dr. R.C. Sproul for a delightful and stimulating conversation about the current state of free scientific inquiry in academia. We have posted the video below.Many of you may recognize Mr. Stein as the teacher in the 1986 film, Ferris Bueller's Day Off,...

Continue Reading R.C. Sproul Interviews Ben Stein...

As we look back on the weekend in which we have remembered Jesus death and rejoiced in his resurrection, this portion of R.C. Sproul's book Following Christ seemed particularly poignant.For three days God was silent. Then he screamed. With cataclysmic power God rolled the stone away and unleashed a paroxysm...

Continue Reading If a Man Die, Shall He Live Again?...

A week ago, C.J. Mahaney presented a message at the Ligonier national conference based on 1 Corinthians 15:17, "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins."We thought it would be appropriate for this Easter weekend....

Continue Reading The Resurrection of Jesus...

What is the significance of the shedding of blood in the atonement?by R.C. Sproul The idea that there's some intrinsic or inherent power in the blood of Jesus is a popular concept in the Christian world. It even crops up from time to time in various hymns and praise songs....

Continue Reading The Shedding of Blood...

Together for the Gospel 2008 will be held in Louisville, April 15-17. Registration is almost full. It is our joy to see the revived interest in the historic Christian faith, particularly among young pastors and seminarians. Dr. Sproul is a guest speaker again this year and we know it energizes...

Continue Reading T4G'08...

I place the books I've read into several categories.  Aside from Scripture, which of course falls into a unique category, the top category consists of great books that I read again and again.  There are a number of books I would place in this category, one of which is Neil...

Continue Reading How Television Has Transformed Public Discourse...

Most readers know Tabletalk magazine for its helpful, topical articles as well as the daily Bible studies. In 2008, the editors have started posting the magazine's columns as well as R.C. Sproul's popular "Right Now Counts Forever" article. Here are the links to the March edition:Coram Deo (Living Before the...

Continue Reading Columns from Tabletalk Magazine, March 2008...

Dr. R.C. Sproul is fond of speaking of "the philosophy of the second glance." For instance, in his recent book on worship, A Taste of Heaven, Dr. Sproul writes that the ongoing controversies over what is proper in worship have "caused many of us to practice the philosophy of the...

Continue Reading A Second Glance at the Doctrines of Grace...

Our thanks to all our students and ministry partners who attended last week's National Conference. It was a pleasure to meet so many new friends and catch up with old ones. The team at Ligonier benefits from hearing your encouragement and your testimonies about the effects of this ministry...

Continue Reading Thanks for a great conference...

Embryo: A Defense of Human Life.  By Robert P. George and Christopher Tollefsen.  Doubleday, 2008.  242pp.  $23.95.The Least of TheseSince the 1973 Supreme Court decision in the case of Roe v. Wade, the question of the status of the human embryo (and fetus) has been at the center of heated...

Continue Reading Book Review - Embryo: A Defense of Human Life...

The conference has come to an end, but we are just getting started with adding the videos to the web site. If you were not able to watch the webcasts of the sessions, you can watch them online for the rest of this week. Here are the links: Preconference Messages...

Continue Reading Ligonier National Conference - More Video...

Dr. R.C. Sproul's second and final conference message was entitled "Counted Righteous in Christ (Imputation)." He began by reading Genesis 15:1-6, where we learn that Abraham believed God, and God "counted it to him as righteousness." Dr. Sproul then read from Romans 4:1-8, where we see Paul hearkening back...

Continue Reading Ligonier National Conference - R.C. Sproul - (II)...

In his second and final conference message, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson spoke on the theme "The Nature of Saving Faith." Dr. Ferguson took his text from Romans 3:19-4:2, but also read several verses on the results of saving faith from Romans 5. INTRODUCTION Towards the beginning of the third book of...

Continue Reading Ligonier National Conference - Sinclair Ferguson (II)...

As we approach the end of the second day of this conference, I would like to remind you that you can participate in the weekend's proceedings from wherever you are, even if you happen to be on the other side of the world. We are continually updating the conference photo...

Continue Reading Ligonier National Conference - Audio & Video...

This afternoon we finally got to hear from R.C. Sproul. He chose to speak from a few verses in Galatians 1 and 2 and said that he has probably preached this message 100 times in the past. He provided a brief defense of the importance of the doctrine of justification...

Continue Reading Ligonier National Conference - R.C. Sproul (I)...

C.J. Mahaney is president of Sovereign Grace Ministries, which is devoted to the establishment and support of local churches. Formerly the pastor of Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Md. for 27 years, Pastor Mahaney also currently serves on the council of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals and on the board...

Continue Reading Ligonier National Conference - C.J. Mahaney ...

Dr. Sinclair Ferguson is senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, S.C., and Distinguished Visiting Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Seminary. One of the most renowned Reformed theologians in our day, Dr. Ferguson is also a member of the Council of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. He is...

Continue Reading Ligonier National Conference - Sinclair Ferguson (I)...

Yesterday, in a preconference message, Joni Eareckson Tada shared "Good News in a Fallen World." She spoke again this morning and as she so often does, she prefaced her speech with a video and a song and concluded it with another song (in which she was joined by the...

Continue Reading Ligonier National Conference - Joni Eareckson Tada (II)...

The second day of the conference began with John MacArthur's second and final sermon. His topic was "Simultaneously Righteous and a Sinner" (or, to use the Latin theological term, simul iustus et peccator). He turned first to the well-known story of the raising of Lazarus and on that basis titled...

Continue Reading Ligoner National Conference - John MacArthur - We Have Been Raised But We Stink...

Dr. Steven J. Lawson gave his second and final message entitled "The Saving Power of God." Noting that this is the central theme of Romans, Lawson took his text from Rom. 1:1-18. INTRODUCTION That all power belongs to God is clearly taught in the Bible. We call this the...

Continue Reading Ligonier National Conference - Steve Lawson - (II)...

Mrs. Joni Eareckson Tada has for many decades traveled the world to remind people of the practical applications of the Gospel. She is the founder of Joni and Friends, an organization designed to evangelize and disciple in the disability community. She currently holds an appointment to the Disability Advisory Committee...

Continue Reading Ligonier National Conference - Joni Eareckson Tada (I)...

R.C. Sproul Jr. followed Dr. Lawson with a message entitled "Evangelizing Your Children." R.C. Sproul Jr. is the founder of the Highlands Study Center in Mendota, Va., which seeks to help Christians live more simple, separate, and deliberate lives to the glory of God and for the building of His...

Continue Reading Ligonier National Conference - R.C. Sproul Jr....

Dr. Steven J. Lawson opened the conference with a dynamic message entitled "The Foolishness of Preaching" from the text I Cor. 1:18-25. Lawson is the senior pastor of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama. He serves on the board of directors of The Master's College and Seminary and the...

Continue Reading Ligonier National Conference - Dr. Steven Lawson (I)...

This year we are pleased to have Lukas VanDyke, photographer extrordinaire, serving at the conference. He has been wandering all over the campus with his cameras and we have just posted the first of many galleries of his work.You can view them here....

Continue Reading Ligonier National Conference Photo Galleries...

The Ligonier Ministries 2008 National Conference is now underway. Please consult this post if you would like to enjoy the plenary sessions via free, live webcast. Also, be sure to check back over the course of the conference for daily photo galleries. And stay tuned here for live-blog updates from...

Continue Reading Ligonier Ministries 2008 National Conference...

"Hello I'm Mel Duncan. I'm with Ligonier Ministries and I work with pastors." It's something I've said hundreds of times the last few years. It's also something I never get tired of repeating because over the last three years I've encountered pastors from all walks of life serving faithfully in...

Continue Reading The Pastor and Ligonier Ministries...

If you're not just a reader of blogs but a blogger yourself, we have a deal for you. Last summer, Ligonier's publishing arm, Reformation Trust, launched a small pilot program under which bloggers can contact us for a free PDF version of one of our books. When a blogger posts...

Continue Reading Blog for a Free Book...

We're just days away from the biggest Ligonier event of the year. We are pleased to announce the free, live webcast of our national conference. New this year is a Spanish language audio simulcast. See below for details.Last year we had more than 22,000 visitors enjoy the conference stream, many...

Continue Reading Live Webcast of Ligonier Ministries 2008 National Conference...