Ligonier Ministries

How can I deepen my understanding of my own sinfulness?

The two primary ways to do that are prayer and the Scriptures. I would give those same two answers for a lot of areas of spiritual growth, spiritual discipline, and spiritual development. The more I am taking in God’s Word …Read More

Do Paul’s instructions about head coverings apply today, since he appeals to creation, not culture?

If you read almost any commentary on 1 Corinthians, you will see that the commentators look at the life situation in which the epistle was written. They notice that, in Corinth, which was a somewhat loose city, a sign of …Read More

Is addiction a sign that someone is not a Christian?

There is language in Hebrews 12 where the author of Hebrews talks about “that sin which so easily besets us,” or “that sin which so easily entangles us” (Heb. 12:1). Historically, people would come and say, “What is your besetting …Read More

Do you think the state will soon require churches to perform same-sex weddings?

THOMAS: The church is not tied to the state, so the state can’t mandate what the church does, and the state cannot mandate what the church believes. If it came to a point where the state was insisting that individual …Read More

What is the difference between sin, transgression, and iniquity?

FERGUSON: Sin, transgression, and iniquity are different words in the Old Testament. Most of us are familiar with the Greek term hamartia, meaning “sin,” which conveys the idea of falling short of the mark. We are made for the glory …Read More

How do scholars estimate when each book of the Bible was written?

SPROUL: There are different methods. The main method is through external sources, by looking at what the ancient extra-biblical writers would quote. For example, if a text of Scripture was quoted by Eusebius, and you know when Eusebius lived, then …Read More

How should we respond to the hyper-grace movement?

If we’re talking about “hyper-grace” in terms of grace covering everything, there are those in that movement who are basically antinomian. That is, they believe that once we experience grace, we’re no longer under the law in any sense, even …Read More

What percentage of our income should Christians give to the church?

The Bible very plainly gives us the tithe as ten percent. I think that’s a good starting point in how we give, and the New Testament never repeals it. Paul tells us that the Lord loves a cheerful giver and …Read More

What are the essential ingredients of a true church?

SPROUL: In the sixteenth century, with the rupture of unity in the ecclesiastical situation, there was a huge debate about what makes a valid church because there was such a proliferation of different denominations and so on. The essential ingredients …Read More