Ligonier Ministries

How were people saved in the Old Testament?

LAWSON: There is only one way of salvation. It is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. There is not one way to be saved in the Old Testament and a different way to be saved in the …Read More

Should fear play a role in our evangelism?

My mentor, who was an expert on the theology of Jonathan Edwards, once wrote a little chapter in a book called “Justifying a Scare Theology.” Of course, if anybody was the master of scaring people with his theology, it was …Read More

Should we cast lots today to help us make decisions?

I would say no, because we are not under the direct prescription of God to cast lots as a way of discerning His will. There were strict controls on the way in which that was handled in the priesthood, with …Read More

How do I know if I am saved?

You know that you’re saved because salvation begins to appear in your life. You desire new and different things. The law of God that you regarded as an enemy and an irritation becomes a friend, and you want to keep …Read More

Does the incarnation mean that God has changed in space and time from that point on? If not, why and how do we respond to the question?

SPROUL: The first part is very easy—He certainly does not change. In His being, He is immutable. In the incarnation, He took upon Himself a human nature. He didn’t stop being God and become a human being. To affirm He …Read More

Why do some Christians use the Westminster Confession while others use the Three Forms of Unity?

Coming out of the Reformation there were different branches, but they all agreed on a couple of things. They agreed that they were against Catholicism. They agreed on the five solas of the Reformation. They were committed to the sovereignty …Read More

What would you say to a Christian who rejects the inerrancy of Scripture?

I think there are lots of people who are Christians who don’t believe in the inerrancy of Scripture. I think they should. I think they’ve been misinformed. They may retain the essence of the Christian faith, but they don’t have …Read More

How many days was Jesus in the grave—two or three?

According to the New Testament, Jesus died on Friday and rose on Sunday, so he was not in the grave three full days. That manner of reckoning was typical among the Jews of the first century, and there’s no real, …Read More

What are some good arguments for the Apostle Paul’s authority?

Paul makes arguments for his authority in 1 and 2 Corinthians. This is exactly what Paul was dealing with in his own day. His Apostolic authority was challenged. We don’t have to come to the twenty-first century; we can stick …Read More

Can a saved person be lost?

No, but someone who thinks they are saved can be lost, which is different, and someone that you think might be saved can be lost. The perseverance of the saints, or the perseverance of God’s elect, actually became the definitive …Read More

Does God give people free will?

No, God doesn’t give people free will if you take it to mean that they can choose anything they want. I would define free will as this: every human being has the freedom to choose whatever sin he wants. That’s …Read More

What does it mean that baptism is for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38)?

SPROUL: Baptism is a sign, and it signifies the forgiveness of sins. I don’t think that it automatically carries forgiveness of sins with it, but it’s a central sign of what our salvation is. We’re being washed with water, and …Read More

If we do not witness and share the gospel will some people not go to heaven?

I had a conversation with the leader of one of the world’s largest evangelistic organizations a few years ago. There had been a dispute in the church, and we were meeting to try to solve the problem. We were able …Read More

Is it acceptable to interpret Adam as an allegory, not a historical person?

SPROUL: This issue is really becoming hot in our day, and it’s critical. It’s critical not only for the teachings of Genesis, but for the teachings of the Apostle Paul and of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you negotiate Adam’s …Read More

How can I love the truth without becoming a Pharisee?

One of the things we go back to is recognizing who we are as whole people. We’re not just rational people. It’s about the truth, and it’s also about what Edwards would call the “affections.” The affections are not the …Read More