Questions Answered by R.C. Sproul Page 1 | Learn Reformed theology from top theologians and teachers at Ligonier.org

Both Peter and Paul call us to submit to governing authorities. In light of that, is revolution ever possible for a Christian, and if so, under what circumstances?

It certainly is clear that the New Testament puts an emphasis on the Christian’s responsibility to be a model of civil obedience. In Romans 13, Paul tells us that the powers that be are ordained by God. That doesn’t mean …Read More

In Acts 16 Paul encourages Timothy to be circumcised, then later condemns it. Was he being hypocritical?

I don’t think the apostle was being hypocritical at all. This is a very interesting historical situation that the New Testament records for us. It does say that Paul circumcised Timothy and then refused to circumcise Titus, and this became …Read More

First Corinthians 15:29 says, “Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?” I know it’s a Mormon doctrine to believe in baptism for the dead by proxy. What is the Christian view of this?

There’s not a single text in all of Scripture that gives an explicit mandate for the church to practice proxy baptism, or baptism for the dead, and yet here is a practice that has emerged in one religious body. The …Read More

Is God concerned with the material well-being of Christians?

The short answer to that, emphatically and definitely, is yes. Not only is God concerned about the material well-being of Christians, he’s deeply and profoundly concerned for the material well-being of the whole world. God created a material world. He …Read More

We’ve been taught that prayer changes things. In view of God’s sovereignty, what is the role of prayer in a Christian’s life?

First of all, we need to establish that it is the sovereign God who not only invites us but commands us to pray. Prayer is a duty, and as we perform that duty, one thing for sure is going to …Read More

Why in the Old Testament does God demand so much violence and war of the Jewish nation?

One of the most difficult episodes for us to handle as people who live on this side of the New Testament are the Old Testament records of what is called the herem. This is where God calls Israel to embark …Read More

Scripture says that Christ stated the unforgivable sin as being blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Can you expand on that, and how should I pray for someone committing that sin?

There’s a lot of confusion over the sin that Jesus says cannot be forgiven either in this world or in the world to come. Some people think that the unforgivable sin is murder because the Old Testament gives us such …Read More

How do we reconcile the fact that God is sovereign with the fact that he has given us free will as persons?

I don’t see any problem in reconciling the sovereignty of God with man’s free will as long as we understand the biblical concept of freedom. With respect to mankind, human beings are given the ability to make free choices, but …Read More

What is the significance of baptism?

Just as an aside, the word significance has as its root the word sign. A sign is something that points to something beyond itself. We all recognize that whatever baptism signifies, Jesus obviously thought it was very important because he …Read More

Is the celebration of Christmas a pagan ritual?

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 …Read More

Is it being narrow-minded for Christians to say Christ is the only way?

Well, it certainly can be an expression of narrow-minded-ness for a Christian to say that Christ is the only way. I’ll never forget the first time somebody asked me that. I was in college, and my college professor looked me …Read More

We talk of the Bible as being the inspired Word of God. Would the men who chose the books to be included in the Bible also have been inspired by God?

This is one important point of dispute between historic Roman Catholic theology and classical Protestant theology. The Roman Catholic Church has gone on record, particularly at the Council of Trent in the sixteenth century, to declare that not only were …Read More

How can I tell others about Jesus in a manner that is nonthreatening but yet convincing?

A few years ago, I was involved in training the laity of a local church in the activity we call personal evangelism, and I did that over a period of sixteen weeks. Of that sixteen weeks, about three weeks required …Read More

I’ve been wrestling with a career decision. What thinking processes should Christians use in decision making?

Unfortunately, in today’s Christian environment the whole idea of thinking has become suspect. It’s as if using our natural abilities of intellect—particularly in areas of career— somehow represents a lack of faith. The concept is that we’re supposed to entrust …Read More

How should I handle my own doubts about God’s presence in my life?

This question brings to mind an experience I had early in my ministry. In fact, I’d only been ordained a few months and was teaching at a college. One church had a minister who was much loved by his congregation; …Read More

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Questions Answered

Both Peter and Paul call us to submit to governing authorities. In light of that, is revolution ever possible for a Christian, and if so, under what circumstances?

In Acts 16 Paul encourages Timothy to be circumcised, then later condemns it. Was he being hypocritical?

First Corinthians 15:29 says, “Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?” I know it’s a Mormon doctrine to believe in baptism for the dead by proxy. What is the Christian view of this?

Is God concerned with the material well-being of Christians?

We’ve been taught that prayer changes things. In view of God’s sovereignty, what is the role of prayer in a Christian’s life?

Why in the Old Testament does God demand so much violence and war of the Jewish nation?

Scripture says that Christ stated the unforgivable sin as being blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Can you expand on that, and how should I pray for someone committing that sin?

How do we reconcile the fact that God is sovereign with the fact that he has given us free will as persons?

What is the significance of baptism?

Is the celebration of Christmas a pagan ritual?

Is it being narrow-minded for Christians to say Christ is the only way?

We talk of the Bible as being the inspired Word of God. Would the men who chose the books to be included in the Bible also have been inspired by God?

How can I tell others about Jesus in a manner that is nonthreatening but yet convincing?

I’ve been wrestling with a career decision. What thinking processes should Christians use in decision making?

How should I handle my own doubts about God’s presence in my life?

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