2014 National Conference — Questions and Answers
Earlier this month we held our 2014 National Conference on the theme, Overcoming the World. This conference sought to consider what Scripture says about confronting worldliness, defending the faith, living as a faithful remnant, and understanding biblical ethics.
One of the highlights from our conferences are the times of questions and answers. You can watch both sessions below or via our Vimeo and YouTube channels. For the other messages, please stream the conference here.
Sinclair Ferguson, Robert Godfrey, Steven Lawson, Albert Mohler, and R.C. Sproul were asked the following questions:
- How do US army chaplains stay faithful to God and His truth, and provide the gospel to same-sex couples? How do they stay faithful amidst the persecution? (00:13)
- I have a son who has entered into a homosexual lifestyle. How do I handle this, how do I act, what do I say? (02:58 )
- I have many Christian friends who are libertarians and say the state should not be involved in marriage at all. Is this a correct position? (14:13)
- I have a relative who is constantly trying to say that if I try to say something is false or sinful I am "condemning" the person or the thing and am not being loving. What do I say in response? (23:13)
- Is personal peace and affluence the biggest impediment to Christian witness? (28:37)
- How do I explain the reality of sin? (29:41)
- Since there is one God, why is it that we have so many different views and denominations? (30:27)
- We live in a rural area without access to solid biblical teaching, let alone Reformed teaching. The nearest church with such teaching is 2 hours drive away. How should we agree to meet with and serve when we don't agree with things taught from the pulpit? (36:04)
- Dr. Lawson, could you elaborate on the Lord's concept of salt and light in the Sermon on the Mount and how He describes Christian character? (37:40)
- Dr. Mohler, is homeschooling a retreat from the world? Can we put children in school and expect them to engage the world? (42:05)
- What is the biblical way we should think about movies such as, Son of God, Noah, God's Not Dead, and Heaven is for Real? (45:25)
- What words of advice and encouragement would you give to someone teaching three and four year-olds? How do we prepare them for a world that will be against them if they follow Jesus? (54:20)
Voddie Baucham, Stephen Nichols, R.C. Sproul, R.C. Sproul Jr., and Derek Thomas were asked the following questions:
- Athanasius confronted the issue of the deity of Christ. What is the strongest enemy the church faces today? (00:10)
- If God wants us to spend all eternity with Him, why didn't He just put us with Him from the beginning? (08:43)
- How do we deal with knowing some of our loved ones may be headed to perdition? (11:29)
- Since we are chosen before the foundation of the world, how does God view us before we are born again? (15:30)
- Dr. Baucham, you said that you had overcome numerous struggles as a married adult man due to not having your father around when younger. I can relate. Can you talk about this a bit? (16:42)
- I am trying to reconcile the death of my son. How do I deal with my anger against God experienced as I am in this dark time? (20:08)
- Since God is slow to anger and patient, why, when man first sinned, was His wrath and punishment so severe? (23:19)
- What is the minimal amount of gospel truth that must be believed to be saved? (25:43)
- How can we overcome the view that the OT portrays an unloving and ungracious God? (29:25)
- Can you discuss the relationship between God's sovereignty in salvation and man's responsibility? (33:30)
- What is the balance between standing for truth and maintaining the unity of the Spirit? (34:08)
- About Luther's anti-Semitism seen in his writings—How can these attitudes and actions of the father of the Reformation be justified? (38:26)
- What is the Reformed view of speaking in tongues? (43:20)
- Given that we are not of the world, but sent into the world, what should our political involvement be, particularly for moral issues? (46:22)
- I have a friend who says she is saved but has no need for the church. How can I help her return to church? (49:00)
- How can pastors encourage their flocks to engage the world in the most effective way in the public square? (52:04)
- Is repentance more than a change of mind? How can I know that I've repented enough? (53:52)
Note: Answers given during Questions and Answers sessions reflect the views of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Dr. R.C. Sproul and Ligonier Ministries. Here is our Statement of Faith.