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 them." I was reminded that the Protestant Reformers' understanding of the Creator's transcendent purity was crucial to their recovery of the biblical doctrines that had been all but lost in their day. Knowing the Lord's perfect holiness drove them to Scripture, where they found that the righteousness of Christ is the only way anyone can be reconciled to God. In turn, God's holy love, wrath, knowledge, power, and character gave them inexhaustible reasons to praise Him, as Calvin said. God's holiness informed the Reformers' teaching on His unsurpassable worth and motivated them to do all things soli Deo gloria -- to the glory of God alone.
Today we are in a situation not unlike the one the church faced just prior to the Reformation. The holiness of God has been obscured, and, consequently, the church's doctrine and ethics have been tarnished. Entertainment has replaced worship in many places, the Gospel is misunderstood and neglected, and the church assimilates itself to the culture instead of seeking to transform it through the preaching of God's Word. If the church is to regain her saltiness, something must be done.
Next spring I invite you to join us in Orlando as we address the critical issue of the holiness of God during Ligonier Ministries' 22nd annual national conference. On March 19-21, 2009, Thabiti Anyabwile, Alistair Begg, Don Carson, Ligon Duncan, Sinclair Ferguson, Robert Godfrey, Steven J. Lawson, Al Mohler, R.C. Sproul Jr., Derek Thomas, and I will come together to proclaim and defend the holiness of God. We will look at Scripture's teaching on God's holiness and how it affects our worship, doctrine, and personal walk with Christ. This expanded conference will also feature a mini-conference on the life and influence of John Calvin, whose 500th birthday we celebrate in 2009.
For the sake of the Gospel we must never negotiate the holiness of God. I hope that you will join us next March as we look once more at His transcendent majesty.
In Christ,
R.C. Sproul
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To register, please call one of our resource consultants toll-free at 800-435-4343. Online registration will open soon.
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