You only have a few days left to save on your registration for our 2026 London Conference, Chosen by God. The discounted rate ends this Saturday, 29 August. Register now before this offer ends.

Join us on September 25–26 as we discover how the doctrine of election reveals the riches of God’s mercy, the certainty of His purposes, and the ultimate hope of eternal fellowship with Him.

CONFERENCE SESSIONS:

• Before the Foundation of the World by Mark Johnston
• The Potter and the Clay by Sinclair Ferguson
• Chosen for Holiness by Conrad Mbewe
• Christ, the Chosen Cornerstone by Ian Hamilton
• The Golden Chain of Redemption by Michael Reeves
• God’s Purpose in Election by Paul Levy
• A Chosen Race, a Royal Priesthood by Sinclair Ferguson
• Several Q&A Sessions with our speakers

We’ll also host a pastors’ pre-conference event, Shepherding and the Sovereignty of God, on September 25. This additional event is designed to help pastors reflect on their calling as shepherds of God’s flock serving under the ultimate authority of Christ, the Chief Shepherd.

PRE-CONFERENCE SESSIONS:

• The Chief Shepherd’s Reign by Paul Levy
• Strength in Weakness by Sinclair Ferguson
• Preaching Christ with Conviction by Paul Levy
• The Steadfast Pastor by Conrad Mbewe
• A Q&A Session with Ferguson, Levy, and Mbewe

Register for the 2026 London Conference today to save before the discounted rate ends on Saturday, August 29.

If you’ve ever participated in a team-building event, I suspect you have joined, or at least witnessed, the “trust fall” exercise. Participants stand on a platform, facing away from their peers, and are encouraged to perform “an act of faith”: They must fall backward into the waiting arms of peers they cannot see, trusting that they will be caught lest they incur injury. The lesson: Relationships of all kinds come with risks and elements beyond our immediate control. Sometimes this demands putting ourselves in the hands of others, figuratively speaking. Does our relationship with our heavenly Father demand this same type of trust when we cannot see what He is doing?

Our trust in God does not court the same risks or uncertainties as the “trust fall.” Thankfully, Scripture offers greater ground and certainty for trust in God. On the one hand, the knowledge of a good and orderly plan for all of creation remains on display generally for all His creatures. Paul, addressing the Athenian Areopagus—a pagan council dedicated to the discussion of ethical, cultural, and religious matters—reveals that the God they worship in ignorance is not distant or needy, but the self-sufficient source of life itself:

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. (Acts 17:24–25)

Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord of the universe affirms not merely His role as Creator, but also as transcendent Designer and Director:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isa. 55:8–11)

The Westminster Confession of Faith summarizes this doctrine of providence as follows:

God the great Creator of all things does uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy. (WCF 5.1)

These things alone encourage trust in a wise, powerful, just, good, and merciful God, especially when we don’t see, know, or understand the circumstances and events surrounding us.

Yet it is not in these qualities alone that Christians place their faith and confidence in God. Rather, it is on account of God’s loving fatherhood, made possible through His eternal Son, Jesus:

To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12–13)

Now, as “sons of God, through faith” (Gal. 3:26), we can put aside anxiety about “‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’” for our “heavenly Father knows that [we] need them all” (Matt. 6:31–32). And with regard to both our immediate and eternal purpose and destiny, we can know that:

For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Rom. 8:28–30)

All of this leaves us in a much better place than the individual in the “trust fall” exercise. But how does the Christian truly benefit from knowing this? How does our trust, our confidence, our certainty, help us? The words of the Heidelberg Catechism offer perspective:

We can be patient in adversity,
thankful in prosperity,
and for the future we can have
good confidence in our faithful God and Father
that no creature will separate us from his love.
For all creatures are so in his hand
that without his will
they can neither move nor be moved. (Q&A 28)

Unlike the person on the platform, we are not falling blind. We know the character of the hands that hold us—wise, powerful, just, good, and merciful—and we know we are beloved children, not strangers.

One of the most important aspects of the Christology of the New Testament is the motif found throughout the Gospels, and developed further by the Apostle Paul, that Jesus is the new Adam—that is, He fulfilled what it means to be the perfect man and the perfect image of God. Jesus revealed His deity, but He also, in His humanity, shows what the human race was supposed to be. Christ is a restoration of humankind, the image of God in its fullest manifestation, so much so that even in His humanity, Jesus was correct to say, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). In saying this, He did not deny His humanity, nor was He speaking only of His humanity. But if Jesus’ humanity is a perfect humanity, and if He displays the image of God in its fullest sense, then to look at Him is to behold the glory of the Creator. That’s what an image does: It reflects, mirrors, and reveals a likeness, a similitude of the original.

The Image of God After the Fall

Since the fall, we are left with a difficult question: Do we still bear the image of God, and if so, to what degree? We saw in Genesis 9 that even fallen man—in the days of Noah, as corrupt as the human race had become by then—was still seen as bearing the image of God. In answering this question, historic Protestantism has made a distinction between the image of God in the narrow sense and the image of God in a wider sense.

To bear the image of God in the wider sense means that, even after the fall and our corruption by sin, we still retain our humanness. Our minds have been affected by sin, as have our bodies; we age, we grow ill, we die, and our faculties have been weakened. We can become addicted and enslaved to certain passions, though we were originally made with a volitional freedom. We still have our faculties, however: We can still think and make choices; we still have bodies; and we are alive. We’re still human.

In spite of the loss of our innocence, we have not lost our humanity—but what has been lost is what theologians call conformitas. That is, we have lost obedience, and as disobedient creatures, we have besmirched and fogged the mirror that was made to reflect the holiness of God, so that now when the animals and the rest of creation look at us, they see people whose behavior does not conform to the character of God. This, the reflection of the character of God, is the image of God in the narrow sense, and this is what has been lost. Later, we will consider what this loss of conformity means—how seriously we have been affected by the fall and how deep the sinful corruption of our humanity penetrates.

Redeemed in Soul and Body

We must expand on the dual nature of Christ as both God and man. The Mormons believe that God has a physical body, because of their association of man’s image bearing with our physical bodies. Over and against this idea, historic Christianity has insisted that God does not have a body, that He is a spirit. Thus, we must locate those aspects that distinguish us as being in the image of God in His spiritual qualities.

However, as important as those nonphysical dimensions are to understanding what it means to be in the image of God, it would be Platonic rather than biblical to assume that our bodies have nothing whatsoever to do with our being made in the image of God. When God made us human, He didn’t just create disembodied souls; He didn’t set loose minds, wills, or feelings. He made creatures and fashioned them with bodies. If we look carefully at the biblical description of humanity from Genesis to Revelation, we see that the whole drama of redemption is concerned not simply with the soul but with the body also.

In the Apostles’ Creed, there’s a clause that reads, “I believe in the resurrection of the body.” This does not refer only to the resurrection of the body of Jesus, though the creed does affirm that elsewhere. This phrase refers instead to the church’s belief that our bodies will be raised. In other words, at the heart of Judeo-Christian theology is a notion that when God created man, He made him soul and body—and when He redeems man, He redeems him soul and body.

Young people are being confronted at an increasingly early age by an anti-God, anti-Scripture worldview that desires to influence their minds, attitudes, and behaviors. Yet, believers can be hopeful, knowing that we are transformed as our minds are renewed by God’s truth (Rom. 12:2). The following resources, curated by the Ligonier editorial team, focus on building up teenagers and young adults in the truths of God’s Word, that they might effectively identify and refute ungodly worldviews, as well as grow in their knowledge of the Lord and His will.

Reformation Study Bible, Student Edition by Ligonier Ministries

This resource makes the trusted teaching of Dr. R.C. Sproul and the Reformation Study Bible accessible to young people, helping them dig deeper into the Scriptures to find answers and direction for all of life. Practical lessons from every book of the Bible, together with questions and answers on key subjects, encourage lifelong study and growth in God’s Word.

Surviving Religion 101 by Michael Kruger

This book, aimed toward collegians, seeks to equip students attending secular universities by addressing a number of difficult questions they will face regarding the Christian worldview. Written as a series of letters, Surviving Religion 101 can strengthen students and help foster a more solid grasp on biblical truth.

Thriving at College by Alex Chediak

Written by a college professor, this book addresses the ten most common mistakes that college students make, as well as how to avoid them. In addition to providing sound advice for the college years, the book also seeks to cultivate mature adulthood to the glory of God during these formative years of transition.

What’s Your Worldview? by James Anderson

This book addresses the critical question of how a person views the world by helping readers identify and evaluate various worldviews. This resource can assist those who are asking the big questions about life, addressing not only what to believe, but also the reasons for those beliefs and how they shape our lives.

Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung

Those laboring over the question “What is God’s will for my life?” can find helpful biblical guidance from this book. While its scriptural approach can assist readers of all ages and stages of life, it is especially helpful in providing sound guidance for young adults facing their first major life decisions.¹

Every Christian father feels the weight of many responsibilities. We want to provide for our families, protect our children, guide them wisely, and prepare them for adulthood. Yet among all these callings, none is more important than helping our children live under the ministry of God’s Word in the fellowship of the local church.

Fathers cannot save their children. Only God can give new life. But fathers are called to be faithful shepherds in the home, using the ordinary means God has appointed.

The Family Pew

One of the most important things a father can do is join a faithful local church and consistently bring his family every Sunday. This is where our children hear the Scriptures read and preached. They hear God’s law, which exposes sin, and the gospel, which announces forgiveness in Christ. They sing with the saints, pray with the congregation, witness the sacraments, and learn what it means to worship the living God.

The local church is not an optional support system for Christian families. Through the local church, our Lord gathers His redeemed people, feeds them with His Word, receives their worship, nurtures their faith, and bonds them as a community rooted and established in love (Rom. 12; Eph. 4; Phil. 1:27–2:11). Parents need the church, and children need the church.

Fathers should therefore give the Lord’s Day and the means of grace the highest priority. Sports, travel, school, and work may all press for our attention, but none can replace the regular ministry of Word, sacrament, and prayer.

Read the Bible at Home

Fathers should also read Scripture with their families. Family worship does not need to become a long or complicated Bible study. In most homes, consistent reading, prayer, and perhaps singing will bear more fruit than occasional ambitious efforts that soon disappear.

Think of a sprinkler system that waters grass in a dry climate. One heavy watering every few months will not keep it alive. It needs regular, steady moisture. In the same way, children benefit from brief but continual exposure to the Word of God.

Moses told Israel to speak of God’s Word “when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deut. 6:7). The goal is not to turn the home into a seminary classroom. It is to make God’s truth part of the ordinary rhythm of family life.

Pray for and with Your Children

A faithful father prays for his children and prays with his children. We should pray for their conversion, their growth in grace, their friendships, their temptations, their future callings, and their perseverance in the faith. Job regularly interceded for his children (Job 1:5), and Paul commands fathers to bring up their children “in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4), a practice that cannot happen apart from prayer.

Children also need to hear their fathers pray. Through our prayers, children learn that we are dependent on God, that His help is real, and that every concern may be brought before Him. Praying with a child after a difficult day, before an exam, during sickness, or after a failure teaches a lesson that no lecture can communicate: Our Father in heaven welcomes us through Christ.

Model Repentance, Love, and Joy

Children learn not only from what their fathers say, but from how they live. A father’s example will either reinforce or undermine his instruction. Paul told Timothy to set an example “in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12). The same principle applies in the home.

This does not mean fathers must appear perfect. In fact, pretending to be perfect can do great harm. Our children already know that we fail. What they need to see is what a Christian does after failure. A faithful father says: “I was wrong. I spoke harshly. I sinned against you. Will you forgive me?”

When fathers ask forgiveness, they do not lose authority. They use it in a Christlike way. They show that the gospel is not merely something we tell others to believe; it is the grace by which we ourselves live.

We should also cultivate a home marked by love and joy. Children should associate the Christian faith not merely with correction and duty, but with gratitude, laughter, affection, hospitality, and delight in God’s gifts.

Trust the Results to God

Finally, fathers must remember that they cannot control the results. We can teach, pray, correct, encourage, and model. We can shepherd our children’s hearts, but we cannot regenerate them. Salvation belongs to the Lord (Jonah 2:9). This truth should humble us, but it should also relieve us. Our responsibility is faithfulness, not sovereignty. Paul planted, Apollos watered, “but God gave the growth” (1 Cor. 3:6).

A father may do many things well and still endure deep sorrow. Another may look back with regret and yet see God show remarkable mercy. We should neither take credit for grace nor collapse under guilt as though everything depended on us.

Faithful fatherhood means bringing our children to church, opening the Bible at home, praying with them, showing them a life of repentance and joy, and entrusting them to the mercy of God. The results belong to Him. Our calling is to be faithful.

To help reach as many people as possible with the truth of our holy God, we’re making R.C. Sproul’s entire teaching series library permanently free to stream online and in the Ligonier app.

Now Freely Available:

• 170+ audio and video series from R.C. Sproul’s decades of ministry
• 1,400+ messages on the Bible, theology, church history, and more
• 500+ hours of teaching to help you grow in your Christian faith

Start Watching Series like These:

• Dust to Glory: Study the whole Bible
• Foundations: Apply theology to your life
• Defending Your Faith: Answer common objections

Access This Teaching Anywhere

Learn from R.C. Sproul’s teaching series at any time in the Ligonier app. We’ve recently enhanced our app to make trusted teaching even more accessible, and more new features are coming soon. Make sure you update the app for the best streaming experience.

Thank You to Our Ministry Partners

This could not happen apart from your faithful support. As demand for this trusted teaching is rising in the Philippines, India, Nigeria, and around the world, Ligonier’s Ministry Partners are helping to equip the global church. Thank you.

Spread the Word

Tell your friends and members of your church about these free teaching series in the Ligonier app so they can study God’s Word with Dr. Sproul too.

It may well be that the first appearance of the sin of lust happened in the garden just as the man and woman made their tragic choice. As Eve considered the enticements of the serpent, she observed that the fruit was, among other things, “a delight to the eyes” (Gen. 3:6). Of course, there is nothing inherently wrong with something being pleasing to look at. But Genesis 3 is the record of history’s most infamous sin. So, we may safely conclude that Eve’s longing look upon the fruit in delight was done with a lustful eye. It was a covetous glance; a longing to have something that was not proper for her to possess.

Because Eve was born without a sin nature, her sin of lusting for the fruit (or more specifically what she believed the fruit could give her) was a deliberately chosen sin in response to an external source of temptation. We call that a “temptation from without.” We, however, are in an even more difficult predicament than our first mother. Having been born with a natural preference for sin, we are quite capable of producing lustful desires on our own without any external source egging us on. We call that “temptation from within.” Consider the words of James 1:14–15: “But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (emphasis added).

The New Testament word for lust is epithumia, which means “desire.” Of course, not all desires are bad. Indeed, there are examples in the New Testament of epithumia being used positively, such as when a qualified man appropriately “desires” the office of elder (1 Tim. 3:1). But epithumia is often used to refer to sinful desires, so epithumia is also rendered as “lust” and “passions,” as well as “desires.” Lust is the desire for anything that is sinful, such as illicit sex, intoxication, ill-gotten gain, revenge, or anything else that God forbids.

Lust may also be applied to the way in which we desire something that is not in and of itself sinful. In other words, we may lust when we desire a good thing in the wrong way or for the wrong reasons. It is not sinful to desire a spouse. But it is sinful to desire another person’s spouse. It is not sinful to desire to be compensated justly for legitimate labors. But it is sinful to desire riches to satisfy our materialistic appetites or because we crave worldly security. It is good to rest. But the sin of sloth is what happens when that desire becomes twisted. You get the picture. Lust is both a desire for the wrong thing and a wrong desire for an otherwise good thing. Lust, in all of its forms and expressions, is without exception sinful and, therefore, represents a sort of mutiny against God.

In Ephesians, Paul lists epithumia as belonging to those sins that characterize life outside of Christ when we “once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of our body” (Eph. 2:3, emphasis added). In Titus, we are told that prior to our conversion we were “slaves to various passions and pleasures” (Titus 3:3, emphasis added). A life given over to such sinful desires is wildly inconsistent with the Christian life.

Peter refers to lust (passions) as a way of contrasting the life of the Christian with that of the unbeliever: “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance” (1 Peter 1:14, emphasis added). “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11, emphasis added). He tells us we must no longer live for “human passions but for the will of God” (1 Peter 4:2, emphasis added).

In rebuking the religious leaders who opposed Him and His mission, Jesus said that their “desires” (lusts) were the same as their father Satan (John 8:44). Jesus locates the origins of lust within the evil heart of Satan. Not surprisingly then, lust, or worldly desires, often choke out the seed of the gospel in the human heart (Mark 4:19). So lust takes aim at the church’s efforts to gain a hearing for the gospel.

Lust deserves our aggressive opposition. We must flee from it when it comes from outside of us and kill it when it gurgles up from our hearts. Lust is bad for us the way all sin is bad for us because it tells us that poison is sweet and dying is living. May we make full use of the God-given means of grace (Scripture, the sacraments, Christian fellowship, and prayer) to wage war against lust just as surely as lust wages war against us. May we look to Jesus and treasure Him in our hearts. His power and loveliness are far greater than anything with which the world can tempt us. Jesus’ promises are better by far than the mocking promises of worldly desire:

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory (Col. 3:1–4).¹

For a limited time, you can enter to win two free registrations ($500 in value) to the 2027 Ligonier National Conference.

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We hope to see you in Orlando as we gather with like-minded Christians to rejoice in the glorious attributes of God.

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It is hard to be hopeful in dark days. Many Christians in the West are used to the comfort that came from being the majority in our society. To see such favor wane results in our grasping at something we once had. When our grandparents reminisced about “the good ol’ days,” it was from a perspective of feeling that those days were long gone, never to return. In the West, Christians reflect on a bygone era that doesn’t seem that far behind us. Yet in other respects, it is eons ago. This sense of loss and longing can produce within us a certain pessimism, a type of settled despair. In such a context, we can begin to wonder if hope and optimism are even reasonable.

Worse still, we read the expectations of Scripture and know we will suffer, for a servant is not greater than his master (John 13:16). Thus, we shouldn’t presume to be treated better by the world than our Lord was. Regularly throughout the New Testament, we’re told to expect suffering, opposition, and difficulty. In fact, the correction is that we should not be surprised when such challenges arise (see 1 John 3:13; John 15:18–20; 2 Tim. 3:12). We read in the pages of the Bible about struggling churches, imprisoned and beaten Apostles, opposed prophets and missionaries, and trials of every kind. Even the so-called “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11 is a list of people who suffered for the Lord’s sake, and the passage reaches its crescendo with these words:

Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised. (Heb. 11:35–39)

How is one supposed to be hopeful when this describes the Christian life? In the midst of such bleak realities, the Bible calls us—in these very same sections of Scripture—to faith and hope despite everything we see around us. That is what marks these faithful Christians of old as ones of whom the world was not worthy. The passage began with the memorable words, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1), and ends with, “God had provided something better for us” (Heb. 11:40). It then goes on to point us to Jesus, “the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). The suffering in this life immediately takes the biblical authors—and by extension, it should take us as well—directly to the cross. What event appeared more hopeless than the Savior of the world dying, seemingly defeated on the tree? It was so dismal that the disciples went back to fishing. They thought they had found the Messiah, the Son of God, the One for whom the whole of history waited. And, as it seemed to them, He failed. They initially thought they may as well give up and go back to “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die” as the best one can do in this life.

And yet, Christ Himself was not hopeless in the face of certain death (Heb. 12:2). Christian hope is not confidence that circumstances will improve on our preferred timetable or in our preferred way. Rather, it is confidence that Christ is reigning, the resurrection is true, and our God loves to bring light out of darkness. This is true faith, friends: We look at the fiery trials around us and we’re not surprised (1 Peter 4:12) nor dismayed. Instead, like the righteous person of the Proverbs, we smile at the future (Prov. 31:25).

Call us naive. Call us foolish. That’s fine. The world has always thought of Christians in such ways (1 Cor. 1:18). But the person of faith can be calm and quieted even in the face of trouble (Ps. 131:1–3). In fact, the Psalms uniquely describe the righteous person as someone who does not fear dark days:

He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. (Ps. 112:7)

That is because, like the resurrection itself, “Light dawns in the darkness for the upright” (Ps. 112:4).

Dear Christian, do not be troubled by present challenges, and do not be pessimistic. You serve a God who loves to work in dire circumstances. That way, when deliverance and goodness come, it is clear Who has brought it to pass. Not only is it OK to hope; it’s what Christians uniquely do.

In the garden of Eden, two individuals rose up in rebellion against the rule of God. Later, their offspring built cities until finally they decided to build the ultimate city: a citadel of defense, a monument to human arrogance to stand against the authority of God. The city of Babel was the capital city for the kingdom of man. This institutionalization of evil is expressed in Scripture perhaps nowhere more vividly than in Psalm 2.

The psalm begins with a question: “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?” (Ps. 2:1). This speaks of national fury and hostility. It is not that nations are merely grumbling and voicing mild dissent. Rather, they are so enraged that they devise a plot. It’s as though there were an international summit where the power brokers of the nations, as much as they compete with one another, agree to stand shoulder to shoulder against a common enemy. For example, the United States was allied with the Soviet Union during World War II. They stood together against the threat of Germany. Sometimes serious exigencies create strange bedfellows among people who would otherwise remain apart.

In Psalm 2, we see an international summit fueled by institutional fury. The leaders come together to brainstorm and agree on a plan of action, which the psalmist says at the outset is a vain thing. It is not vain in the sense of proud or arrogant, but vain in the sense of utterly futile. The psalmist is essentially asking, “Why are the nations in their fury coming together to plan an action that has no possible hope of success?” It is an exercise in utter futility.

The psalmist continues, “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together” (Ps. 2:2). The kings of the earth—the presidents, prime ministers, congresses, senates, and parliaments of the earth—are said to “set themselves.” Their muscles are taut. They are in a posture of readiness for conflict and in absolute rigid defiance. They are setting themselves with all the strength they can muster against something.

Why do the kings of the earth set themselves and take counsel together, and what are they against? Two things have provoked this political, institutional determination and opposition. They are against the Lord and against the Lord’s Anointed—in other words, against the Lord’s Messiah, against Christ. The picture that the psalmist draws here is one of international revolt against God and against His Anointed One.

In this summit of nations, what is the agenda, what plans are made, and what agreement is reached? They take counsel against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying, “Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us” (Ps. 2:3). The kings of the world come together and determine to break the bonds of God. This is an international declaration of independence from almighty God and independence from the One whom God has anointed and appointed to be King of kings and Lord of lords.

The kings of this world proclaim to Christ: “We will not have You rule over us. You are not our King.” They declare: “We’re not going to be under God at all. We’re not accountable or answerable to Him. We will not be obedient to God because His law is to us shackles and ropes that restrain us and tie us down. We’re going to break those bonds and tear up those ropes, and we will be free to run this world however we want. We will not worry about God’s law.”

How does God respond? Does He say: “I see your intercontinental ballistic missiles all lined up and aimed at Me. I see the totality of human power directed against Me. I see that you’ve taken polls that have declared that I and My Son are irrelevant, so let Me surrender to the kingdom of this world”? No. When God sees human institutions in total agreement, determined to declare their freedom and autonomy from the reign of Christ, Scripture tells us in verse 4, “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.” We can imagine this summit and all the tanks, planes, bombs, and missiles aimed against heaven. God looks down at the collective power and determination of the kings of this world and comments, “Look at these people,” when He could take His thumb and squash every human institution in an instant.

God holds them in derision, but not for long: “Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, ‘As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill’” (Ps. 2:5–6). The greatest political issue in the history of the world is the question “Who is king?” God has not given us a referendum by which we either acknowledge or fail to acknowledge our King. God has set His King on Zion, and no power in heaven or on earth can dethrone Him. You may disobey Him. You may hate Him. You may ignore Him. But you cannot remove Him, because God has made Him King, and His kingdom will reign forever and ever.

Our great God is worthy of all praise (see Ps. 19:1; Isa. 6:3). We long for everyone on earth to know and worship Him, for that is His due. God created human beings in His image to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. If we are to fulfill that wonderful end, we need to learn of God, His works, and His ways. One generation is to pass on that eternal treasure to the next as David declared:

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.  One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. Ps. 145:3–4

If each generation is to learn of God, each needs to be able to read His Word. Each needs to learn of God’s mighty deeds in history. Each generation needs to explore His astonishing wisdom in creation. If each generation is to be equipped to love their neighbor, they need to be trained in all the competencies that enable societies to function well. The creation mandate calls us to develop the earth’s resources responsibly, for the glory of the great King of all the earth, and for the blessing of the people made in His image. If we are to fulfill the creation mandate well, we are to pass knowledge from generation to generation. There is always more to learn, discover, explore, and develop.

A Glorious Vision

Education is how we can learn of God and His world. It is a way to glorify Him and better serve others. It brings glory to God as we explore the frontiers of science and knowledge. God’s glorious creation is infinitely complex and beautiful, and there is more to discover and enjoy.

Through the last two thousand years, Christians have been at the forefront of promoting education for all. We have a clear vision of our purpose as human beings: to glorify God and serve others. We have a clear vision of our identity as human beings: created in God’s image. He has endowed us with reason. Yes, we are fallen. But even sinful human beings can study and learn, and, in God’s common grace, achieve great things.¹ We have a solid basis for epistemology (the basis for knowing anything): there is knowledge because the Creator has laid down laws and patterns, the cosmos is designed, and it is orderly. We have a solid foundation for morality: God has written His moral law on tablets of stone, and also on every human heart. The moral law of God, summarized in the Ten Commandments, is for all peoples, at all times, in every place.

It is important for us to observe that the humanistic worldview is not neutral. The lie that there is no God leads straight to the lie that there is no absolute morality, and there is no ultimate truth. That undermines the foundation of the educational enterprise.

A Practical Commitment

From the inception of Christianity, education was seen as a priority. In the centuries after the collapse of the Roman Empire and in subsequent centuries, the church provided rigorous schooling for many. Christians want people to be able to read the Bible for themselves and in their own language. They pioneered female education in many nations, which has played a major role in elevating the dignity of women. The earliest universities were all built on Christian foundations. Vishal Mangalwadi, an Indian scholar who converted to Christianity, writes: “Western missions . . . birthed, financed, and nurtured hundreds of universities, thousands of colleges and tens of thousands of schools. They educated millions and transformed nations.”²

A Scientific Enterprise

We reason, observe, experiment, deduce, speak, infer, argue, communicate, love, and relate because God has endowed every human being with the capacity to reason. The cosmos can be investigated, discovered, and explored because it is created by God who is characterized by order, truth, reason, and beauty. He has provided an astonishing array of natural resources to be developed.

Modern science arose because men such as Kepler, Newton, and Faraday believed that the whole universe is like a book written by God, waiting to be read and understood by people made in His image. It can only be understood because the faithful God ensures that it functions according to reliable principles. “[The Son] upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Heb. 1:3). Still, today, there are many committed Christians deeply involved in scientific endeavor.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we are all called on to learn of God and His works and His ways. Learning is a life-long endeavor, as there is always more to learn. We are called to pass on that knowledge to the next generation, so that they too may glorify and serve God and be well-equipped to serve others. The hymn writer and educationalist, Isaac Watts, wrote this reminder:

Your God, O Zion, ever reigns! Let every voice, let every age, In this exalted work engage: Praise Him in everlasting strains!³

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on May 22, 2023.

“Would you be free?” So goes the opening lyric of the old hymn “Power in the Blood.” But though the song was written more than a century ago, the question is never old. To many, however, it’s a puzzling question. To ask someone if they wish to be free assumes that they are currently not free. To put a finer point on it, to ask the question presumes that someone is currently enslaved or imprisoned.

But in our enlightened age, we find ourselves happily freer than ever before. We fancy ourselves a liberated people. We use terms like self-actualization or agency to underscore that we can do as we please. As Jean-Jacques Rousseau declared in the first line of The Social Contract, “Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains.”

Scripture testifies otherwise. Quite the opposite of Rousseau’s quip, mankind is not only enslaved—we are born so. Still worse, the enslavement that Scripture speaks of is not from without but from within. Indeed, the full line of the hymn is, “Would you be free from the burden of sin?”

These are strong words. Should not concepts such as slavery be reserved for more serious situations? But Scripture proclaims that mankind’s deepest and most incurable of problems is sin.

When Adam fell, he plunged both himself and all mankind into sin. We are no longer free to obey God. As the Apostle Paul says, “You are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness” (Rom. 6:16).

Notice that there is no neutral option. We will serve something, either sin or God, but there is no middle ground. While this is stark news, it also speaks to something glorious. We are created after God’s image and, as such, we are to obey God.

However, the great tragedy is that while we are created to serve God, we are no longer free to do so. In our corrupted nature, we lack the ability to obey Him. On a more practical level, this is why we open our mouths and gossip pours out. We are quick to be angry. We fall into greed, malice, lust, bitterness, covetousness, and complaining. Even if we catch ourselves not wanting to do such things, we repeatedly do the very things that we do not want to do, with all the consistency of a dutiful servant. As Jesus said, “Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin” (John 8:34).

It would be one thing if our slavery was merely a ball and chain that we could physically break off with a mallet or solve with the stroke of the political pen. It would be one thing if our bondage could be remedied with therapy, self-help, positive thoughts, or an extra dose of discipline, gritted teeth and all.

But our enslavement runs deeper—down to the soul.

Only as we understand the depths of our bondage does the concept of redemption shine so brightly. The word redemption simply means to be bought back—in our case, to be bought back or purchased from slavery to sin.

But if we are unable to unshackle ourselves, what hope is there of deliverance?

No sooner had Adam and Eve fallen than God promised to send a Redeemer (see Gen. 3:15). The Old Testament rolls forward with this promise in mind when, in the fullness of time, Jesus reads aloud these words from Isaiah at the outset of His ministry: “[God] has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives” (Luke 4:18; see also Isa. 61:1).

Liberty! Freedom! However, Christ did not merely proclaim this liberty; He secured it by giving up His life as a ransom. When Christ died upon the cross, He satisfied the wrath of God as He paid in full the just penalty for the sins of His people. Christ has “redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Gal. 3:13). Then, by virtue of His resurrection, Christians are said to be no longer “in [our] sins” (1 Cor. 15:17). Instead, we are in Christ.

To be in Christ is to be free. Just as a former inmate should no longer think of themselves as in prison, likewise, Christians should no longer consider themselves as in their sins. Certainly, we will fight against sin in this age, but we have been delivered from the dominion that it once held over us as we await the final day when we shall receive our full liberation as God’s children.

Lastly, let’s clear up a possible confusion regarding the word free. Whenever we hear the word free, we typically add the word “from,” as in, “I am free from debt,” or “free from cancer.” This is gloriously accurate because Christ sets us free from our sin, shame, and guilt.

But there is more. We are also set free to. Before, we not only failed to submit to God’s law, but we were also unable to do so. When the Holy Spirit applies the finished work of Christ to believers, we are now empowered to obey the God who created us and loves us.

So, would you be free? The only way to answer this question rightly is to recognize that apart from Christ, mankind is held captive to sin and death. But if we are in Christ, we can join Paul in saying that we too have “redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses,” and all because of God’s lavished grace upon us (Eph. 1:7–8).

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I was pleasantly surprised recently while on a walk with my four-year-old daughter. She pointed out a flower, stooped over it to smell it, and then turned back at me to smile. Armed with this cute smile that was framed by her curly hair, she made her request, “Come and smell this one, Daddy.” Being neither willing nor able to refuse her, I complied. And after smelling the flower I have to admit, it smelled surprisingly beautiful. The strange thing is I have walked up and down this street for years but never noticed this flowerbed. My little girl pointed it out and gave me the privilege of enjoying this moment with her.

Do you walk down the same road week after week in your worship gathering or personal devotions? Have you become too familiar with the scenery? Does the bouquet of grace fade into the background of life? As Christians we want to be regularly taken by the beauty and sweetness of the gospel flower.

This happened to me twice in the last few days. On both occasions it was while singing some of the most common hymns that we sing as Christians.

The first instance was during family worship while singing Amazing Grace. We are trying to teach the words to our two youngest (ages four and two) while reinforcing the song to the rest of us. This results in us singing it many times on many consecutive days. As a result, we have great familiarity with a most familiar song. However, as we sang, I realized I wasn’t as familiar as I thought. I was arrested by a particular phrase: “Twas grace that taught my heart to fear And grace my fears relieved.”

I crumbled inside when I sang these words. Do you see the diversity of grace? It carves up the hard heart of stone to make it responsive and reverently fear God. It is grace that initiates and sustains any real and true view of God as inflexibly holy and just. It is grace that gives us sight to see the God who, with a word, can calm the seas, and then make us tremble before Him (Mark 4:35–41). It is also grace that draws us to God to find refuge in Him. Isn’t that an amazing thought? It is grace that makes us see that there is no escape from God but there is rescue in God. As we sang I was undone by these all-too familiar words. I was drawn to the bouquet of grace and bidden to smell. What a glorious surprise to our soul when God graciously reminds us of truth.

In the second instance we were gathered for our Sunday morning worship. We sang the familiar hymn Holy, Holy, Holy. As we sang, I was surprised again. This was the phrase that did it: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Merciful and mighty, God in three persons, blessed Trinity!”

Do you see those two words nestled adjacent to one another? “Merciful and mighty.” These words don’t seem to go together. Mighty ones often demonstrate their might by not showing mercy. How many powerful men in history can we identify that are known as being merciful? And what of being merciful? When one is merciful isn’t it often because they can identify with the weak or otherwise pitiable people? With God however, you have infinite might and infinite mercy bound up in one being. There is no earthly parallel that can appropriately reflect God’s wonderful weightiness on either one of these attributes, never mind at the same time. But, this is what the song rightly says. It reminds me of Jonathan Edwards famous sermon The Admirable Conjunction of Diverse Excellencies in Christ Jesus. Speaking of Christ and this surprising explosion of perfections he writes,

There do meet in the person of Christ such really diverse excellencies, which otherwise would have been thought utterly incompatible in the same subject; such as are conjoined in no other person whatever, either divine, human, or angelical; and such as neither men nor angels would ever have imagined could have met together in the same person, had it not been seen in the person of Christ.

In the One being that is God there is more than a sufficient amount of fodder for the eternal bedazzling of our souls!

In thinking about the blessings of this last week I have a few items to help cultivate this:

1. Pray for eyes to see and savor the surprising beauty of God.
2. Expect to see this. If you go sightseeing at a zoo, new city, or out in the country, you expect to see something. After all, that is among the reasons for the trip. So too when coming to the Word of God or the preaching of the word, come to see. After praying, come with eyes peeled to see something of God’s manifold beauty.
3. Slow down. My mind finishes familiar sentences in the Bible if I‘m not careful. I can do the same with songs and books. In order to see the flowers and smell the bouquets we must slow down. Sometimes we are too smart and too rushed for our own good. Slow down and smell the roses.
4. Respond in thanksgiving. When you are surprised by, or simply reminded of a truth revealed—stop and give God praise. After all, you in your flesh did not stumble upon that glorious nugget. Satan is not laying these before you. No, seeing and savoring the supremacy and sufficiency of God actually comes from God. So with a wide smile, heap praise back upon Him. This too brings Him glory.¹

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Abel was the second-born son of Adam and Eve (Gen. 4:2) who receives the Lord’s favor but his brother’s ire. Known prominently as being the first victim of murder in the Bible, the short narrative of Genesis 4:1–16 reveals that Abel is a more important character than initially meets the eye. More than a victim, he was a humble and faithful worshiper of the Lord whose character looks forward to One greater than himself. Abel is a type of Christ who is born in humility, lives a life of faithfulness to God, is accepted by Him, and yet dies a gruesome death.

A Futile Name

Names in the Bible are often significant. Abel’s name (hevel) comes from a Hebrew term that means “breath” or “futility.” While his elder brother, Cain, was born with all the pomp and show of the firstborn son of the original couple and a name that associates him with the Lord, Abel was born in association with his brother and a name that diminishes his significance (Gen. 4:2). Yet it is the brother whose name associates him with futility who will be the object of God’s electing love. Abel is the first, but not last, who will live in a humble state yet receive the Lord’s favor. Abraham comes to mind as a good example. When he was called out of Ur of the Chaldeans, the Lord promised that he would sire a populous nation that would dwell in a bountiful land. This promise was given to a man who was elderly, without child, and wandering as a sojourner. The Lord will use the weak things of the world to shame the strong, and the foolish to shame the wise (1 Cor. 1:27). It is the humble that He will exalt, and the proud that He will humble (Luke 14:11; 1 Peter 5:5).

A Younger Brother

One of the more significant yet overlooked details about Abel is his status as the younger brother. Genesis 4:2 draws our attention to this when it states, “Again, she bore his brother Abel” (emphasis added). The first distinguishing mark of Abel’s identity is his status as younger brother. Due to their birth order, one might suspect that Cain would gain the blessing and association with the Lord. But the Lord chooses Abel over Cain, the younger over the older. In so doing, the Lord reverses the expectation that the firstborn son would be the heir of the promises given to the original couple. This divine choice of the younger over the older becomes a key theme in the rest of Genesis as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are all younger brothers.

A Shepherd

Abel’s vocation also shows his humble state in a fashion that looks forward to the patriarchs of Israel. Adam was a worker of the ground (Gen. 3:23), which he then passed on to Cain (Gen. 4:2). Abel, however, is a shepherd. While we know the venerable tradition of shepherds in the Bible—including Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and David—Abel is the first shepherd. Too often we read the Bible backwards and see this work as a badge of honor. Contextually, Abel’s work to tend the flock was a sign of his humility.

A Humble Worshiper

Abel, named after futility, younger brother to Cain, seeks association with the Lord through humble worship. When Abel brings his sacrifice, he brings “the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions” (Gen. 4:4). His bringing of the very best of his vocation as a sacrifice to the Lord shows his humble heart. It is due to this humble character that the Lord “gazes upon” or “had regard for Abel and his offering” (Gen. 4:4). While some may contend that it is due to the sacrifice of blood that Abel is accepted, the author of Hebrews tells us otherwise: “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous” (Heb. 11:4, emphasis added). Abel’s acceptance before the Lord was by grace through faith. It was in his coming in humble worship looking to the Lord for divine blessing that he received his righteous commendation. Abel is the first one recorded in Scripture to offer the Lord a sacrifice with a humble and contrite heart.

A Victim of Murder

Even as Abel is commended as righteous, he is also the first victim of murder at the hand of his brother. We must not overlook the significance of this event. It was not in spite of but because of Abel’s righteous faith before the Lord that Cain, in murderous jealousy, kills him while in the field (Gen. 4:8). It is in this way that Abel becomes a particularly potent type of Christ. Abel was a humble shepherd yet faithful worshiper who was killed because the Lord commended him as righteous. Because of this, “through his faith, though he died, he still speaks” (Heb. 11:4) as his blood cries out even from the ground.

A Type of Christ

Jesus was born in humility through His taking on of human flesh in a humble state. Jesus was overlooked and disregarded by men, though He was the Son of God and heir of all things (Heb. 1:2). Jesus, while not a shepherd by vocation, is nonetheless the Good Shepherd who came to lay down His life for the sheep (John 10:11–18). Jesus was the perfectly righteous One who was faithful in all His works and yet was killed upon a cross because of His righteous deeds—and in so doing, paying the penalty for our wickedness. Jesus is the One to whom we come as the “mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel” (Heb. 12:24). Abel was a seed of the woman, looking forward to the seed of the woman.

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It has been said that all philosophical inquiries in the history of theoretical thought are nothing more than footnotes to the work of Plato and Aristotle. We can speak in a similar manner about theology. It has been said of modern theologians that we are at best dwarfs standing on the shoulders of giants. If any giant stands out in the history of the church as someone on whose shoulders the whole history of theology stands, it is Aurelius Augustine, also known as Augustine of Hippo.

Augustine is the most quoted theologian in history apart from the biblical authors themselves. If you were to read the writings of Thomas Aquinas, the other giant on whom we all stand, you would find that the man he quotes most often is Augustine. Likewise, if you were to go through the writings of John Calvin to see whom he cites as authorities, the number-one reference in terms of frequency is Augustine. The same may be said of Martin Luther, who was a member of the Augustinian order when he was teaching at Wittenberg at the time of the Reformation.

Augustine left a legacy for all Christendom. He is often considered the greatest theologian of the first millennium of church history. It’s hard to say who was the most brilliant theologian of all time because each has different gifts and different insights, but to the extent that Augustine was the pioneer, he stands out. As brilliant as Thomas was and as great as Luther, Calvin, and Jonathan Edwards were, they pale in comparison to Augustine. They all had one singular advantage that Augustine didn’t have: Augustine went before them. Augustine didn’t have an Augustine to depend on before he set forth his writing.

Augustine’s life is perhaps the most well-documented Christian life of the ancient church, if for no other reason than his own autobiography, Confessions, which has come down to us as a Christian classic. Augustine begins his Confessions with a prayer that has become famous: “O Lord, Thou hast made us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.” The chronicle that Augustine provides of his own life is a story of restlessness. It is the story of a man who, as a youth, was precocious and brilliant and already recognized for his great skill, but who was also deeply troubled and restless.

Aurelius Augustine was born on November 13, 354. His father was a pagan who later converted to Christianity shortly before his death, but during Augustine’s youth his father was an unbeliever who was unequally yoked to a woman of great godly devotion and faith. Her name was Monica, and she was perhaps the most revered Christian mother apart from Mary herself and has had more sermons preached about her on Mother’s Day than perhaps any other woman, again with the possible exception of Mary. She prayed daily for her son. But Augustine became a wayward young man, not only involved in licentiousness, living with a series of concubines and having illegitimate children and living a somewhat riotous life, but also involved in serious heretical movements. He joined the Manichean sect, which was hostile to Christianity, and then left the Manicheans to become a follower of Neoplatonic philosophy, which was also self-consciously opposed to Christianity.

One time Monica visited her pastor, who was the great Ambrose, bishop of Milan. She went to his study, weeping and saying that she had prayed for so many years for her son, but that he had showed no evidence of repentance or of coming to faith. Ambrose questioned Monica, “Can a child of so many tears possibly be lost?” The theological answer to that is yes, a child of so many tears could be lost, but Ambrose was giving comfort to Monica and exhorted her to persevere. It’s interesting that Monica maintained a loving relationship with Augustine in the midst of all his licentious living, but when he turned his devotion to the Manichean sect, she kicked him out of the house. Monica tolerated the girlfriends, but she wasn’t going to tolerate the heresy in her household.

As a young man, Augustine also became highly educated, and his profession was that of a rhetorician. He was an expert speaker and made his living in the science of rhetoric. He would visit Milan to hear Ambrose preach, not because he was interested in the bishop’s message but because he was interested in examining Ambrose’s oratorical style.

While Augustine listened to Ambrose, however, he began to be exposed to the teaching of the gospel and to come under conviction. This conviction reached a crisis point, the result of which is recorded by Augustine in a famous incident known as the Garden Episode.

Augustine was struggling with sexual lust. He knew that what he was doing was wrong, and he wanted to be done with it. He came so close to breaking with his pattern of living, but he couldn’t get free. Here’s how Augustine tells it:

I was speaking in this manner and weeping, and the bitterest contrition of heart, when lo, I heard a voice. I didn’t know whether it was a boy or girl saying in a chant and repeating over and over, tolle lege, tolle lege, “Take up and read, take up and read.” And at once, with changed countenance I began most intently to think whether there was any kind of game in which children chanted such a thing, but I couldn’t recall ever hearing it. I choked back the rush of tears and rose interpreting it no otherwise than as a divine command for me to open the book and read whatever passage I first lighted upon, for I had heard of Anthony, that he had received the admonition from the gospel lesson which he chanced to come in upon as if what was read was spoken to himself, “Go sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shall have treasure in heaven, and come follow Me,” and was at once converted by this oracle to Thee, O God. So I returned quickly to the place where Olithius was sitting, for I had laid down the volume of the apostle there when I left him. I seized it; I opened it, and I read in silence the passage on which my eyes first fell. “Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying, but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof.” And no further did I wish to read nor was there need. Instantly as I reached the end of this sentence it was as if the light of peace was poured into my heart, and all of the shades of doubt faded away.

This incident marked the conversion of Augustine. After he was converted and studied in the church, he became a figure of vast importance in the life of the church. In 391, he was ordained as a minister in Hippo in North Africa, and in 395, he was raised to the rank of bishop. From there, for the rest of his life until his death in 430, Augustine worked as a giant of the Christian church. He was the adviser to the bishop of Rome. He was the champion theologian in some of the greatest theological controversies of church history, not the least of which was the enormous controversy with the British monk Pelagius that threatened the doctrines of salvation by grace and of original sin. Augustine also helped resolve the Donatist controversy.

Augustine was distinguished largely for two characteristics: First, his incredible understanding of the character of God, and second, his incredible understanding of the character of man. The more deeply Augustine understood the character of God, the greater he sensed his own dependence on God’s grace for salvation. The more we understand God, the more we understand how far short of God we fall.

During his lifetime, men gathered around Augustine, and a sort of early form of monastery was established around his bishopric in North Africa. Through all these controversies, Augustine was tireless in his preaching, in his teaching, and in his writing. Sometimes today, when ministers die, they will bequeath their personal libraries to the church or to seminaries rather than pass it on to future generations. When Augustine died, he passed on a library, but it was a library of books that he had written himself. He was also the consummate architect of the theology of the church. His ecclesiology shaped the church’s doctrine for centuries to come. His immortal classic City of God illustrates the idea that the kingdom of God is made visible in this world through the institution that Christ established—the church.

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You’ve made it. You stand among the stately ivy-covered halls of your chosen college. You walk across the manicured quad, dorms, and library to your classes. You are on your way to higher education. Everything seems perfectly designed to prepare you for your future life and career—except it isn’t. The college life is not real life. This is not to say that real and important things do not happen in those college years; they do. However, the priorities, place, and pace of college life does not reflect real life and will not adequately prepare you for success in real life.

You cannot be properly rooted and grounded in your faith apart from Christ’s church. And if you are not rooted and grounded in the local church, you will major in the minors. Yet, a good local church rarely factors into the decision of choosing a college. More than luxurious dorms, award-winning faculty, a killer rec center, beautiful architecture, or a state-of-the-art library, college students need the church in order to be truly successful in college. College students need the church because all Christians need the church.

The priorities of college life do not reflect real life.

Even in many evangelical colleges, the pursuit of academic inquiry takes precedence over all other interests. The pressure to perform academically can be overwhelming and all-consuming. The brilliance of PhDs who challenge preconceived notions of truth can capture the imagination. Grades become the ultimate purpose for existence. Or perhaps the student is driven by the social life of college such that hanging out with friends is the sole interest of college. That social life might even be oriented around a parachurch campus ministry. But the emphasis is always, “What are we doing next?” Or maybe the college student is experiencing the modest rebellion of newfound independence and just wants to do his own thing. Independence and self-expression become paramount. These skewed priorities are nurtured and exaggerated by the college experience, and they inhibit the college student from faithful attendance in church. College students need the church.

The place of college life does not reflect real life.

One of the exciting aspects of college life is to be surrounded by people in the same stage of life. Lifelong friendships are forged in college. Yet the mono-generational environment of college is not a healthy environment for your spiritual life. Being siloed solely with people between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two can warp your perspective. The real world does not look like this.

College students need to live around the older and younger members of the covenant community. It isn’t that other generations are better than the current generation of college students, but rather that they have different struggles than college students. They have lived experiences and perspectives that are needed for a well-rounded preparation for adulthood. The knowledge and wisdom that college students can glean from older saints who are seasoned in both the joys and challenges of the Christian life can help them see beyond the unique assumptions that accompany every new generation.

The younger and older saints of the church need the energy and creativity of college students, just as the college students need the wisdom of older saints. Plus, those older members of the church might even offer a home-cooked meal and help with laundry. Christians are not meant to live in mono-generational communities. College students need the church.

The pace of college life does not reflect real life.

What is the number one reason Christian college students give for not attending church on Sunday morning? They stayed up too late on Saturday night. It might be because of studying. It might be because of hanging out late. It might be because they were scrolling down the rabbit hole of their preferred social media platform. Late nights in college are part of the experience. Young adults need to feel that freedom and the ensuing reality of grogginess the next morning. None of that, however, creates an excuse for failing to gather with the saints on the Lord’s Day. Real life will have plenty of moments in which we are tired on a Sunday morning, but we must remain faithful to God’s commands. Sunday church is a Saturday-night decision. College students need the church.

Real life is lived with the church.

The priorities, place, and pace of college life can push students away from the regular worship of God in the church on the Lord’s Day. Christian college students need to attend church in college because they are Christians. You don’t have to be able to ace Organic Chem 320 or Theory of Partial Differential Equations 412 to understand this. The Christian life needs to be lived with the church. If you are a Christian in college, do not let the priorities, place, or pace of college push you out. College students need the church.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on May 20, 2024.

Holiness is what God is. It is an attribute of God. Since God is simple, He is indivisible and cannot be apportioned into parts. Therefore, each of the three Trinitarian persons is pervasively holy. The attributes of God are coextensive with His being and thus each and every one is possessed comprehensively, exhaustively, and indivisibly by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In short, God’s holiness is as comprehensive as His being—infinite, eternal, immense. God is not partly holy, partly loving, and so on; He is comprehensively and exhaustively loving, holy, good, and every other attribute that He is.

When we think of holiness as it can be expressed in humans, it is often equated with moral and spiritual characteristics. This is seen in exhortations such as the Lord telling His people, “Be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44; 1 Peter 1:13–16). It is an imperative to moral and spiritual purity.

Perhaps a more basic idea is separation. God is transcendent, separate from creatures, and in this context calls us to be separate in moral and spiritual terms—although not in any detachment from the world around us. This is a call to abandon idolatry and to be faithful to God’s covenant (Isa. 57:15; 2 Cor. 6:14–18).

Yet these considerations only scratch the surface. If holiness were merely separation from sin and idolatry, God would be holy only in relation to His creation—separate and free from all the defilement of the world. It would entail the existence of the creation and the place of the human race within it, together with the sinful rebellion that Adam instigated. It would be to see God not as He is in Himself but in relation to the entities He brought into existence. God, however, is holy in Himself, independently of the existence of the created order. He remains forever true to who He is. He does not change. We can rely on Him absolutely.

This tells us that in thinking of holiness, we must begin with God. One of the most sustained treatises on the attributes of God was written by Stephen Charnock.¹ In his dissertation on Charnock’s theology of God’s holiness, Markus Holmbom argues that the holiness of God represents His own integrity, the integrity of all His attributes, all that He is, in His simple and immutable being. Holmbom writes, “Holiness is best understood as God’s metaphysical integrity, undividedness, or wholeness.”² This underlines the point, mentioned repeatedly in Scripture, that God is forever true to Himself. He does not change (Num. 23:19; Ps. 110:4; Mal. 3:6; Heb. 7:21; James 1:17).

This should lead us to consider that, in such ways as we may by God’s grace reflect His character, personal integrity is at the heart of what is meant. The one who pleases God “swears to his own hurt and does not change” (Ps. 15:4). This was perfectly embodied in Jesus Christ, God’s eternal Son, God with us (Matt. 1:23), the second person of the Trinity, living as man (John 1:14). He was free from sin and could therefore challenge His deadliest enemies to convict Him (John 8:46; 1 Peter 2:21–24; Heb. 7:26). His utter integrity was seen in that He set His face to go to the cursed cross, to suffer human death and human burial.

How much this integrity is needed! When Christians, especially Christian leaders, lack personal integrity, that is a reproof to Christians and brings reproach upon the church. It should not be so.

As John Calvin wrote in his commentary on 2 Peter, the goal of the gospel is to make us sooner or later like God. Peter spells this out in a range of virtues that are produced in us by the Holy Spirit and perfectly exemplified in our Lord (2 Peter 1:5–11). They can be summed up by the integrity, the wholeness, that is conformity to the character of God, imperfectly in us now but in full flowering when Christ returns in undiminished and unrefracted glory, when we shall be made like Him (1 John 3:1–2). This demands our ongoing attention (1 John 3:3).

If you’re serving in youth or college ministry, you know that advertising an evening of “Dinner and Doctrine” or “Theology Tonight” may not be the most surefire way to draw a crowd. It can be difficult to engage teenagers and young adults in the discipline of theological study—especially as they have often been deeply influenced by an entertainment and social media culture of two-minute video clips and sound bites, which can significantly hinder an appetite for sustained, concentrated theological thought. Even so, it is the role of faithful believers in the local church to challenge our young people to think theologically and grow in their theological understanding as they are guided by God’s Word.

I’m grateful that, in our church context, our pastor for youth and college engages our students in sound biblical teaching and presses toward deeper theological understanding. Our college students have met for book discussions on great Puritan works and gathered on Sunday evenings to wrestle through dense theological topics. Our high school and middle school students have worked through the Westminster Shorter Catechism, both memorizing the catechism questions and being taught the meaning and application of its theology.

Below, let me humbly offer three encouragements toward engaging youth and young adults in theological thought that our church is seeking to apply in our church context.

1. Convince them that theology is practical.

The first “apologetic” in convincing young people to give themselves to theological study and understanding is to counter the common sentiment that theology is impractical—that it belongs in stuffy seminary libraries rather than the hallways of the local high school. It’s good to remind young people that their theology will shape every aspect of their lives: their patterns of thought, decision-making, convictions, cultural engagement, motivation, and relationships. What we believe about God is the most intensely practical thing about us.

Perhaps the most striking (negative) example of the practical nature of theological belief in Scripture is spelled out in Romans 1:18–32. What begins with a sinful decision about belief and worship (the “exchange” of the Creator for idolatrous images of created things) bears fruit in all kinds of sinful behavior and actions. Truly, what we believe will bear fruit in how we live. It is helpful, on this point, also to remind young people that they are engaged in theological thought already, all the time. They are being “discipled” in theological thought through song lyrics, tweets, TikTok videos, and social media influencers. Their failure to engage in Christian theological study will not leave them on neutral ground but will make them vulnerable to other forms of inaccurate theological discipleship.

2. Show them that theology is exciting.

During my seminary years, Dr. D.A. Carson often remarked that he had learned over the years that while his students would not remember everything he taught them, they always seemed to remember the things about which he was most excited. I want to suggest that, for pastors and lay leaders in the church who work with young people, perhaps one of the first steps toward your students gaining a love of theology is their catching your infectious excitement about God, His Word, and the beauty of Christian doctrine.

College and high school students should be able to sense our passion for the depth of theology, the beauty of the gospel, and the riches of the Christian Scriptures, perhaps even before they begin growing in their own understanding of all those treasures. Do we talk about Christian doctrine in such a way that communicates to our young people that we are sharing with them the most weighty and glorious matters in the universe?

3. Remind them that theology must be worshipful.

Paul’s beautiful prayer for the Ephesian believers, which he summarizes in Ephesians 1:15–21, is a prayer for their growth in what we might call “theological knowledge,” to be sure. But his prayer for their growth in knowledge tilts undeniably Godward in worship. Paul wants these Christians to grow in deeper theological understanding so that they exult more worshipfully in their glorious Savior. He wants them to “know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe” (Eph. 1:18–19). Paul is not after theological knowledge for its sake alone. For Paul, growth in theological understanding is meant to grow our hearts in more and more worship to God and to praise Him for His glorious saving work in our lives.

Theological teaching and study must never be divorced from a relationship with the glorious God who has revealed Himself to us in His Word. As we understand more of Him, we are meant to worship Him and enjoy Him more and more as well.¹

When was the last time you were studying a difficult Bible passage and it suddenly became clear?

These moments of discovery are among the greatest joys of the Christian life. As we come to a fuller understanding of who God is, what once brought confusion now drives us to deeper worship. You cannot find this satisfaction anywhere but in the Scriptures.

Yet this joy is often hard-won.

To help you in this pursuit, we’ll send you two copies of Dr. R.C. Sproul’s book Hard Sayings—one for you and another to help guide a friend through challenging passages in Scripture. Request both copies when you support Ligonier Ministries with a donation this month.

Even the Apostle Peter acknowledges that some portions of Scripture are “hard to understand” (2 Peter 3:16). Every Christian eventually encounters passages that stop us in our tracks.

While some of the Bible’s teachings are difficult for us to grasp, others seem hard to accept. The biblical truth of God’s sovereignty over all things—even over sin and suffering—initially jars our emotions. Passages about hell and the Lord’s holy justice challenge our assumptions about who God is—and who we are.

Yet these verses are not stumbling blocks to hinder our walk with Christ. By God’s grace, they become stepping stones toward our greater spiritual growth.

Dr. R.C. Sproul wrote, “If there is a shortcut to accelerating your understanding of Scripture, it is to focus your attention on the hard sayings.” This passion to help people study God’s Word for themselves shaped R.C.’s decades of teaching, and it still shapes Ligonier Ministries today.

Through our global Bible-teaching outreach, Ligonier helps Christians navigate Scripture to come to a fuller view of God and His glory. This ministry depends on the generosity of friends such as you to equip God’s people to know and love His Word.

Our founder loved inviting people on the journey of knowing God and delving into His Word. R.C. drew Christians into the drama of Scripture with its captivating accounts of the Lord’s work in the world. When he came to a difficult text, Dr. Sproul encouraged his students to welcome this opportunity to deepen their reliance upon the Lord as they grapple for the truth.

This lifelong quest to know God is the reason Ligonier exists. In the Lord’s providence, we provide trusted theological teaching to help Christians everywhere know the Bible, love the Lord, and serve Him faithfully throughout the world.

• This August, I’ll be in Africa helping to distribute study Bibles to more than 35,000 pastors across the continent. By September, one in every 25 pastors on earth will have received the Reformation Study Bible. Your support is crucial in our endeavors to strengthen hundreds of thousands more pulpits.

• In Sunday schools back at home, our children’s Bible curriculum is laying a foundation for biblical literacy to serve the next generation. Your generosity undergirds efforts to translate Growing in God’s Word into Spanish and Chinese to assist the global church.

• This month, students are returning to Reformation Bible College in Central Florida to receive theological discipleship and formation for their callings. Your financial backing helps form clear-thinking Christians who rightly handle God’s Word in all of life.

• And as you enable the translation of Ligonier’s discipleship resources into the world’s most-spoken languages, we’re spreading the joy of the Lord where sound theology is hardest to obtain.

This month alone, Ligonier Ministries will reach more than 10 million people worldwide with trusted Bible teaching. But with more than 8 billion souls on the planet, we’re only beginning the work of discipleship among the nations.

Your support is crucial for inviting more people on the ultimate journey to know God. None of us grows in grace by accident. Yet unparalleled blessedness awaits God’s people as they meditate day and night on His Word (Ps. 1:2). Together, we’re helping Christians reach the assurance and fulfillment that comes from having minds renewed in the knowledge of the Lord.

To further your Christian growth this month, we want to send you Dr. Sproul’s book Hard Sayings. Drawn from a lifetime of careful study, these chapters guide Christians toward clarity on some of the Bible’s most perplexing passages. Receive this book with your donation of any amount, and we’ll send you a second copy. You can share it with a friend or study together with a group, as iron sharpens iron (Prov. 27:17).

Knowing God’s Word is the pursuit of a lifetime. By His grace, let’s help more Christians explore the Bible’s depths, mine the riches in every passage, and behold the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you for standing with Ligonier Ministries as we proclaim, teach, and defend the holiness of God in all its fullness to as many people as possible.

We’re sharing a bonus episode today on Renewing Your Mind, featuring a conversation that Ben Sasse recently hosted with Sinclair Ferguson and W. Robert Godfrey.

Listen now as they discuss Christian worship, the church’s influence on the culture, and our calling to serve Christ amid suffering and weakness.

Long before he was known to America as the U.S. senator from Nebraska, Ben Sasse has been an advocate for Reformed theology and a longtime friend of Ligonier Ministries.

Ben came to know R.C. Sproul through his work with Michael Horton and James Boice. For several years, he served as the executive director for the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, helping to organize the meeting that produced the Cambridge Declaration. Ben later went on to work closely with W. Robert Godfrey at Westminster Seminary California for a time.

Many of us may know that Ben has stage-4 pancreatic cancer, and he seeks to face this terminal diagnosis with steadfast faith in Christ. At the close of a recent 60 Minutes interview, when asked if he thinks God has a plan for his cancer, Ben quoted a familiar statement by Dr. Sproul to affirm, “There are no maverick molecules in the universe.”

Join us in praying for Ben Sasse and his family as Ben seeks, by God’s grace, to finish his race well.

As summer draws to a close, stock your library with discounted resources for every age and stage of the Christian life.

This week only, save up to 50% on more than 150 books and commentaries. You can also get a variety of Crucial Questions booklets for just $1. Discover a wide selection of titles in theology, biblical studies, church history, and much more.

Explore a variety of discounted titles, including:

• Books like A Happy Marriage: Covenant Joy in a Fallen World
• Commentaries such as John: An Expositional Commentary
• Crucial Questions booklets like What Is the New Testament About?
• And More

Shop now and save up to 50% on titles like these before the sale ends Saturday. While supplies last.

To a lost world, the cross of Jesus Christ is an offense.

But for Christians, the cross reveals the power and love of God in rescuing sinners from judgment and delivering them into His glorious kingdom.

Join us on January 14–15 at Reformation Bible College for the 2027 Winter Conference: The Cross of Christ. In a time of doctrinal confusion and renewed challenges to Reformed theology, we will explore why only the atoning work of our Lord provides a sure foundation for our worship, unity, and witness.

Registration includes admission to all sessions and access to a bookstore with special conference pricing for select titles. Register today to secure your spot.

Schedule

Thursday, January 14

• The Cross of Christ and the Glory of God by Derek Thomas
• Panel Discussion: Life and Ministry in View of the Cross with Crowe, Thomas, and Tweeddale

Friday, January 15

• The Obedience of Christ by Brandon Crowe
• The Demonstration of Love by Kevin DeYoung
• We Preach Christ Crucified by John Tweeddale
• Questions and Answers with DeYoung, Thomas, and Tweeddale

This conference will also include breakout seminars from the faculty of Reformation Bible College.

• Did the Father Turn His Face Away? by Levi Berntson
• Justified by His Blood by Matthew Dudreck
• The Reformed Pastor? by Keith Mathison
• Christ Our Substitute by Ben Shaw
• Golgotha and the Great Commission by Cody Wilbanks

Is your church small group, homeschool co-op, or Sunday school class looking for a trusted way to study God’s Word together?

With Ligonier Connect, you can start a group in just 90 seconds—no setup required. Simply:

• Pick a course.
• Invite your group.
• Start studying together.

See how easy it is to create your first study group with this video.

Ligonier Connect makes it easy to organize your group so you can focus on growing together in God’s truth.

This week only, you can save 30% on your first three months with an individual or community subscription to Ligonier Connect. Use promo code GROUP26 at checkout to save.

With Ligonier Connect, your group can choose from more than 130 interactive courses in biblical studies, theology, Christian living, worldview, and church history. Set a custom schedule, track your group’s progress, and manage your community—all in one place.

Begin studying together today with courses like these:

Theology for All I: God

What difference does theology make in the Christian life? In this course, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson explains why knowing God is vital for every believer—and that theology shapes how we think, worship, and live before the One who saved us.

When Worlds Collide

Without a biblical understanding of the nature of God, man, and the world, everything seems to be spinning out of control. In this course, Dr. R.C. Sproul explains God’s sovereign and righteous purposes over every aspect of life—even times of suffering.

The Lord’s Day

When few people see Sunday as sacred, it’s time to ask if we’ve lost something vital along the way. In this course, Dr. W. Robert Godfrey surveys the Bible and church history to discover God’s purpose for the Lord’s Day.

Everything in Christ

Is Jesus really enough? Sometimes Christians can be tempted to chase spiritual experiences or keep religious rules rather than rest their faith in Christ alone. In this course, Rev. Joel Kim explores Colossians, showing how this book lifts our eyes to the preeminence of Christ.

The Necessity of Reforming the Church

In this course, Dr. W. Robert Godfrey gathers insights from John Calvin to ask penetrating questions for Christians and congregations today. Far from being over, the work of reforming the church is needed even now.

Remember to use coupon code GROUP26 at checkout to save 30% on your first three months with an individual or community subscription to Ligonier Connect. This offer ends Saturday, July 18.

The State of Theology survey from Ligonier Ministries Canada reveals what people really believe about the Christian faith.

Unfortunately, the survey’s key findings show that theological confusion is prevalent—not only outside the church, but also within.

Nearly three quarters of Canadian evangelicals affirm the statement, “Everyone is born innocent in the eyes of God.”

This means that three out of five evangelicals throughout Canada either don’t understand or don’t believe the Bible’s teaching about original sin and human fallenness. When people fail to see the seriousness of sin, the need for the gospel itself is called into question.

To make matters worse, 60% of Canadian evangelicals agree with the statement, “Everyone sins a little, but most people are good by nature.”

These sobering statistics point to significant perplexity in the church about sin. Yet Scripture is clear: Since Adam’s fall, every person (except for the incarnate Lord) is born guilty, corrupted in nature, and in need of God’s grace for salvation through Jesus Christ.

Download the Free Study Guide

The church today needs clarity on sin and salvation. One important way of gaining clarity is by gathering people together around the Word of God.

Download the free digital study guide for The State of Theology Canada. Each section includes discussion questions and biblical insight to guide your conversation.

More Resources on Sin and Salvation

R.C. Sproul founded Ligonier to help Christians know who God is and who they are. Here are several resources from Ligonier addressing the Bible’s teaching on sin.

• The Bondage of the Will book by Martin Luther
• “Radical Corruption” article by R.C. Sproul
• “The Sinfulness of Man” video message with Michael Reeves
• “TULIP and Reformed Theology” article by R.C. Sproul
• What Is Reformed Theology? video teaching series with R.C. Sproul

Do you feel disoriented in our rapidly changing world?

Civilizations that once reflected Christian values now embrace secular ideas and challenge biblical truth. How did these changes happen, and how should the church respond?

The Church in a Changing World is a new digital teaching series from Dr. W. Robert Godfrey. This series invites you to:

• Examine the historical influences behind the decline of Christendom
• And consider how the church might respond today with clarity and renewed confidence.

Buy lifetime digital access to this video teaching series today.

The Church in a Changing World is a teaching series to help Christians today be persuasive people for the sake of the gospel. This digital series can be a valuable addition to your Sunday school or homeschool curriculum, small group discussion, or personal study.

8 Messages Reflecting on Recent Church History, Including:

• Defining Christendom
• Freud, Marx, and Modern Thought
• The Erosion of Christian Values
• Becoming a Persuasive People
• And More

Watch the first message for free to begin your study.

Several Teaching Series Formats Available

• Digital video teaching series
• Ligonier Connect course
• Digital study guide

Preorder the DVD Edition and Study Guide

You can be among the first to receive the DVD edition and paperback study guide of The Church in a Changing World once they’re available. Preorder both for yourself or a loved one.

Watch Now as a Ministry Partner

Did you know that Ligonier’s Ministry Partners get complete streaming access to our teaching series library? Start streaming The Church in a Changing World and 230+ other series when you partner with Ligonier today.

Your prayers and monthly donation will help fuel gospel outreach so more Christians worldwide can benefit from this biblical teaching.

Who is your role model for the Christian life?

All of us learn by imitation. From our earliest days, we pattern our lives after the examples set before us. We absorb their habits and characteristics—both the good and the bad, as every parent knows too well.

Ligonier Ministries has created a new book filled with godly examples from redemptive history. Request Heroes of the Christian Faith, featuring teaching from Dr. R.C. Sproul, with your donation this month.

For me, faithful pastors and theologians are my heroes.

The Lord Jesus Christ has given these men to His church as gifts (Eph. 4:11–12). They are on the front lines of the gospel’s advance. He used faithful preachers to lead me away from the “seeker-sensitive” approach to church growth and toward a biblical understanding of how God works through His ordinary means of grace. The church grows as pastors proclaim the whole counsel of God, tearing down strongholds of unbelief and advancing the Great Commission (2 Cor. 10:4–6) by means of the Word, prayer, and the sacraments.

This is why I am as passionate as ever about the purpose of Ligonier Ministries: to spread trusted Bible teaching from gifted theologians for the health of the church. This passion drove Dr. Sproul. He looked up to faithful Christians throughout history who devoted their lives to the ministry of the Word, and he took joy in serving in that long line through the teaching fellowship he established at Ligonier.

The generous support of Ligonier’s donors is vital for strengthening the church. Following our founder’s example, friends such as you help lift up God’s glorious Word so that generations to come, and nations around the world, may love and serve the Lord.

The heart of Christian discipleship is learning to imitate our Savior. One way we do this is by patterning our lives after saints who have gone before us and believers who are ahead of us in their walk with the Lord. The Apostle Paul illustrated this pattern when he urged the Corinthians to “be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1).

It matters immensely who influences us and whose example we follow.

Today, many people—especially young people—model their lives after the wrong heroes. Influencers, athletes, and entertainers shape the popular imagination, yet their character typically does not drive anyone to Christ. Even within the church, many are led astray by false teaching and unbiblical ideas. Others grow complacent in the pursuit of holiness, aimless and without a guide.

God calls His people not to be conformed to the pattern of this world. We must instead seek to renew our minds by His Word and Spirit (Rom. 12:2). Helping Christians cultivate renewed minds is the objective of Ligonier’s Bible-teaching outreach as we exalt the Lord Jesus Christ, the Hero and Champion of our salvation. He is our hope and our highest model for faithfulness.

Ligonier seeks to help Christians follow the Lord by building what we believe is the world’s greatest discipleship library—more than 30,000 theological resources from 800 teachers. This library preserves the rich heritage of God-honoring heroism in the historic Christian faith:

• The prophets and Apostles, whose costly obedience gave us Spirit-inspired Scripture;
• Courageous leaders like Athanasius and Martin Luther, who defended the truth;
• Great teachers like Augustine and John Calvin, who brought clarity to the church.

As R.C. said, “We need examples, not only in the Bible, but in church history, of people who were willing to stand against the whole world if necessary to be loyal and faithful to Christ.” Your support of Ligonier can help more people see the rich depths of historic Christianity and the courage it instills to live for God’s glory.

This month, we want to send you a new resource drawn from several of Dr. Sproul’s most well-known teaching series. Heroes of the Christian Faith is a book aiming to invigorate steadfast faith and godly conviction through the examples of twenty of the Lord’s servants, from Moses and Esther to Polycarp and Jonathan Edwards. Be among the first to receive the book with your donation.

The heroes in this book stood firm by God’s grace, yet they did not stand alone. Nor can Ligonier stand alone today. Your support is crucial as we begin this new budget year with a plan to expand outreach for the further proclamation of God’s Word.

Your prayers and financial generosity can help establish a pattern for Christian faithfulness by:

• Guiding Christians at every stage of life with more Bible-teaching resources, including the now-complete Crucial Questions series of 50 booklets;
• Equipping parents and teachers to model faithfulness for the next generation through the new digital Growing in God’s Word Bible curriculum and forthcoming translations;
• And edifying the global church by releasing new Christ-exalting teaching each week on Ligonier’s dedicated websites in the world’s top 20 languages.

Please pray especially for our largest-ever distribution of the Reformation Study Bible next month. In August, Lord willing, 35,000 church leaders across four African nations will receive study Bibles in three languages. These pastors are hungry for reliable resources to help them guide their congregations to know the Lord deeply and follow Him faithfully.

Outreaches like this would not be possible without Ligonier’s thoughtful donors. God works through real people—like you and me—to spread truth and further discipleship in His church.

Thank you for standing with Ligonier today by making a timely gift that expands the reach of trusted Bible teaching, helping more Christians stand firm in the truth and live for God’s glory alone.

My other favorite Reformer, partly because I love his name, is Johannes Oecolampadius. His name literally means “house lamp,” but he was a brilliant language scholar. He wrote a Hebrew grammar. He wrote a commentary on Isaiah that became the model for Luther, for Calvin, and for all the Old Testament work of a whole century of scholars. Every time we pick up our English Bible, we know that a boatload of scholars made that possible. Some of them gave their blood for us to have an English Bible. Oecolampadius was one of those guys. He died young, but he filled his life as much as he could. And what a great name!

This text doesn’t literally mean we should never do anything other than pray. It’s clear the Scriptures call us to all sorts of other things. But prayer should be a regular, recurring part of our whole experience, such that there are not only, perhaps, set times of prayer for us but that we turn to the Lord throughout the day. We don’t have to pray at great length all the time, and I think that’s part of the reminder here. This text calls us to cultivate a sense of the presence of God with us, along with us turning our hearts, minds, and cares to Him regularly throughout the day.

It’s an encouragement to think of ourselves as a prayer-filled people. That’s the call, and it’s a valuable call for us to hear.

To know who you are already in Christ is invaluable. You belong to Him. Any persecution you experience, any demeaning you experience, yes, it will be sore, but you can look up to Him and say: “Lord, I belong to You, I’m Yours, and I know this is about You. You will help me cope with it.”

The other thing I would say is really get to know your Bible. Psalm 119 was written for people your age. That’s why it says, “How can a young man keep his way pure?” (Ps. 119:9). Psalm 119 teaches us that if we hide God’s Word in our hearts, it will not only protect us from sinning, but it will make us wiser even than our teachers. That doesn’t mean you’ll know more than a rocket scientist, but it does mean that you have the clues to the meaning of life and that you learn in Scripture first principles that will enable you to negotiate your way through life. That is such a tremendously stabilizing force.

I would also advise that you really seek to understand Christian doctrine. Understanding Christian doctrine gives you a framework of reference, and most of your peers have no idea of their framework of reference. They don’t have any roots. They don’t have any first principles of which they are conscious. They are awash. They’re blown around, as Paul says, by any teaching that comes along. There is “cool” teaching that you’ll come across—for example, it’s cool to be an atheist today just like it was cool to smoke fifty years ago. But just like it was cool to smoke fifty years ago, being an atheist is going to kill you.

There is a tremendous strength in the Christian gospel, and one of the things our conference time does for youngsters is give them a sense that the gospel has its own intellectual power, and we don’t need to be ashamed of it.

There are people in the visible church—that is, they attend church and may even be members of the church—but they are not members of the invisible church. They may even make a profession of faith, but we don’t know the heart. We can’t see into the heart. In some denominations, in order to be a member, you have to have a credible profession of faith. They are looking for evidences, but even then they don’t know if someone is genuinely saved.

To sum it up, false converts are not converts who then become not converts. They were never converts. This is not something that’s new for us; it’s there in the epistles of John and in the New Testament church.

I started reading the Bible when I was nine. I had read John 5:39–40 before, but I was fourteen when it hit me. That verse applied to me in this way: I thought being a Christian meant reading the Bible, saying prayers, helping old ladies cross the street, and doing good things, but that verse hit me like a hammer. I thought: “This is exactly where I am. I’ve been searching the Scriptures and reading them diligently. In five years, I’ve probably missed only five days of reading the Bible.” It really came to me with great power and awakened me. It didn’t convert me; it awakened me. A number of months afterward, I was brought to a living faith through John 8:12: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Those are reasons why I love John’s gospel from my mid-teens, but there are many other reasons. One of them is simply because of the sheer wonder of the portrayal of Christ in it. There are also sections of it that I particularly love. Ever since I was a teenager, I’ve loved John 13–17 particularly, but there is no part of it I don’t love. Every time I read it or preach on it, I think, “This is absolutely endless.” The early fathers used to say that John’s gospel was like a sea that an elephant could swim in and in which a lamb could bathe—it’s just so rich for all believers. So, I think my favorite book of the Bible is John’s gospel.

I remember when I was converted as a high school student and first found myself worshiping amongst the Dutch Reformed, we always prayed the Lord’s Prayer, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” We can debate the translation, and it can go either way, but I think our Lord is reminding us that He withstood temptation for us and overcame the evil one. We pray that He will continue to preserve us so we don’t face temptation as He faced it and that we would be delivered from the evil one to live for Christ. I think that’s at least part of what’s going on in the Lord’s Prayer.

REEDER: I love the translation, “Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” I actually think it’s a better translation because that’s exactly where this is aiming: we are reminded of Christ having endured temptation for us, and therefore, we are delivered through His faithfulness in all of life under the assault of the evil one.

On the other hand, the notion of testing itself is not evil. On the contrary, God uses testing. Further, God can sovereignly take that which the world, the flesh, and the devil would use to ensnare us, and the Lord can use it instead to disciple us and develop us. But we are to flee temptation. I’ll make two comments.

First, Christians make a big mistake in this area by saying that we resist temptation and flee Satan. I think the Bible would have us do the opposite. The Bible does not want us to flee Satan; the Bible wants us to resist Satan, and he will flee from us. But that which is designed to ensnare us into sin, we are to flee that temptation and pursue the environment of holiness and the means of grace that build us up.

Second, having said that, when God brings tests, they are not designed to ensnare us. Rather, they are designed to edify us. A test from the divine hand does three things. It’s kind of like my algebra teacher in the eighth grade. I was convinced she gave me tests to flunk me. I have always told people: “You never have to worry about prayer in school. As long as you’ve got algebra tests, you’ll have prayer in school, I can promise you.” But a test in the hand of the Almighty is there to show us what we know, to show us what we don’t know, and to show us what we need to know. That is from the hand of the Lord. But we flee that which is designed by the world, the flesh, and the devil to bring us down.

PARSONS: I think it is confusing for everyone when we hear that translation. Part of the issue with the way it’s translated into English and the way we understand that portion of the Lord’s Prayer is that it’s a bit of a Hebraism. It’s a way of speaking. It’s a manner of getting a point across to say: “When we are tempted, Lord, lead us away from it. Get us out of it. Help us to flee it.” I know that sounds like the opposite of what it is saying, but that is the way the Hebrews thought and spoke. We see Hebraisms throughout the Gospels, and I think that’s what it’s getting at.

The second thing I would say is that many Christians have been taught to have prejudices against the Reformed faith, but often they don’t know what it is. However, if they are really the Lord’s people, there is one person they are not supposed to have a prejudice against, and that is the Lord Jesus. So, immerse yourself in the teaching of Jesus.

Our late friend, James Montgomery Boice, once preached a sermon on the radio, which I think was called “Was Jesus a Calvinist?” He got more bad press for that sermon than for anything else, but that is actually quite a good question because we can get prejudices about “isms,” but if we are the Lord’s people, we love the Lord Jesus. We know even at the instinctive and emotional level that if He taught it, we should listen, and if He believed it, we need to learn to believe it.

So, a great tool for us in keeping friendships and helping our friends is our own study of the way in which Jesus Himself taught about the grace of God, the depravity of man, the nature of the atonement, and the sovereignty of God. It’s all in the Gospels. I think that will enable you to maintain friendships, or if you lose them, they will be lost because alas, people won’t listen to Christ Himself. That is very sore, but I think it does mean that you have not been the offensive one. That’s one thing that I’ve found helpful.

The Spirit primarily does two things in us, and if you understand these two things, you’ll understand how the Spirit helps us pray. First, the Spirit illumines us. He opens our eyes to see who God is truly, and we then find our minds turned. We have a complete misunderstanding of what God is like, and then the Spirit opens our eyes, and it’s a mighty aha moment that carries on as we carry on being educated by the Spirit. So, the Spirit renews our minds as we think: “Oh, that is what God is like. I did not think God was like that.”

Second, by renewing our minds, the Spirit transforms our hearts. He takes away a heart of stone to give us a heart of flesh. That is an initial work that He does, but it’s also an ongoing work. The Spirit gives us a new mind and a new heart, but He also ongoingly educates us and affects us. In regard to prayer, that means that as the Spirit works in me, my mind is enabled to know what to pray for.

As a young Christian, I naturally tended to have a prayer life like a shopping list of blessings for me, my family, and my friends, and it was pretty self-centered. And then I’d remember that I ought to do some less self-centered prayers. But as the Spirit works in me and transforms my mind, and I see reality differently, as I start seeing the centrality of God and not me, then my prayers start following that change. My prayers start becoming more God-centered and less me-centered. That’s the Spirit’s re-education work.

Further, through the Spirit’s re-education work, He is also transforming my affections and desires. It’s not merely as the Spirit works in me that I know, “Yes, I really ought to be more God-centered and less self-centered.” Rather, the Spirit is doing a deeper work. He’s actually making me want to be and enjoy being God-centered so this just becomes natural to me. I’m not trying to work at it. It just comes out of who the Spirit is making me to be. Therefore, I begin to desire to pray God-centered, God-loving, and God-adoring prayers.

The Spirit educates and affects me such that I begin to desire to pray, to desire long communion with God in a way that I did not think about before. Initially, prayer was just one of those things that I ought to do every now and again. But the Spirit’s work runs so deep that I begin to enjoy communion with God.

So, it’s those two things that the Spirit does. He educates me, transforming my mind, and He transforms my affections so that I enjoy prayer and begin to pray more intelligently and more Christian prayers.

The basic principle is to make sure that you have space in your day, then space in your week, and then space in your month set aside for reading. I remember the late John Stott saying that he tried to read one hour a day, a morning a week, a day a month, and a week a year. If you keep that up, or some such program, even though it seems slow, you will eventually get through a lot of books over a longer period of time.

This is not a matter of setting a pattern or a standard for everyone. Some of us read very quickly, and some of us read more slowly. Some books should be read quickly. Others should be read slowly. I think the thing that helps is breaking the back of our sloth and indifference and saying, “Even if I have to start small, I will do it.” And if you keep going, it’s amazing how much you can get through.

I would also recommend paying attention to the style. If you read something and think, “That is really good,” then don’t just go on to the next thing. Look back and ask yourself: “Why is this really good? How is this person doing this?” Then, see if you can build some of these principles into your own use of language. I think we often forget that we use language in ministry, and the better we can use it, the better it will be. In a sense, the better our language is, the better we will be able to glorify God with words—not just cheap, easy words and slang but words that exalt God and lift the spirits of those who listen to us.

In the ministry of Christ and the seventy, when they came back from their mission, Jesus said, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18). An aspect of Satan’s control over the world was affected by the ministry of Christ, His death and resurrection, and the day of Pentecost, which suggests that now the gospel is to be preached in all the world.

That being said, Satan is still referred to as the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2). He still has power. He does not have as much power as he did under the old covenant, but he is still to be reckoned with: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). In his Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis said something along the lines that you can make too much of the devil, but you can also make too little of him. He hasn’t yet been cast into the bottomless pit that the book of Revelation speaks of in Revelation 20. So, he is very much to be reckoned with, even in the new covenant.

GODFREY: I certainly agree, but we have to be very clear: Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords now. I think Lewis is exactly right: we can’t make too much or too little of Satan. On the “too much” side, sometimes we talk about Satan almost as if he were a minor god. He is a finite creature, which means he can’t be everywhere at once. He can’t be the Holy Spirit, so he has minions who serve him.

Sometimes we talk as if there is the Holy God and then there is the evil god, Satan. Satan is not God. He’s a finite creature. He’s limited by his finitude as well as by God’s sovereignty. He is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, but he is chump change compared to the sovereign God. He has been defeated, and he will be destroyed. Our calling is not to let him destroy us before he is destroyed.

FERGUSON: We all try to answer questions by saying the same thing in different ways, and there are two things I’ve found helpful in this context.

The first is what Bob has alluded to in Matthew 28:18–20. Jesus is saying in Matthew 28:18–20 that as the second man and the last Adam, He has won back the dominion on earth that Adam lost. Adam lost his dominion. He fell to the tempter. Christ has overcome the tempter so that He now says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” We might instinctively think, “He’s the Son of God—of course all authority in heaven and on earth is His.” But Jesus is speaking in a particular context, saying that the dominion Satan won in the garden of Eden has been overthrown, and that authority is now His.

The second is to pick up what Derek said: the limiting context of the expression regarding the binding of Satan is that he would no longer deceive the nations. It isn’t just a general statement, “Satan is bound,” but that Satan is bound in this particular respect: until the resurrection of Christ, the sending of the Holy Spirit, and the coming of the last days, Satan was deceiving all the nations except the one nation God was undeceiving in His mercy. On the day of Pentecost, the crowd that gathered was analogous to the crowd that gathered to build the Tower of Babel in an attempt to pull God down. God judged the nations at Babel and committed them to the deception of Satan. But from the day of Pentecost onwards, the nations are being undeceived by the preaching of the gospel. That is symbolized by the gatherings of the people at Pentecost and has now been experienced for two thousand years.

This is just another way of saying that we always need to look at the context in which phrases are used. We don’t just see a phrase and then make up ourselves what it means. In specific ways, the Scriptures help us to see these statements within a particular grid and context. So, when the Scriptures say that Satan is the god of this age, we realize that those who are not Christians are living in this age. However, the end of the ages has dawned on believers, and the preaching of the gospel continues to invade this age to bring people into the new age, which will continue until the Lord comes. And then, whatever your eschatology, comes the end.

I was seventeen in 1965, a first-year student at university, and I encountered the first reprints of John Owen’s works. They were big—six hundred pages per volume, and there were twenty-four volumes. I was able to buy them for fifteen shillings a volume, which is about eighty cents or something like that. When you are Scottish and young and you can get six hundred pages for under a dollar, you buy it. Of course, I’m being humorous. But when I started to read him, I realized this was a different order of teaching altogether. Owen’s works were so theologically rich and spiritually profound that they made some of the other things I was reading seem very superficial. So, that was how I started reading John Owen, and I have kept reading him ever since.

If somebody asked me, “Which theologian taught you to think?” I would say John Calvin because I bought his Institutes when I was a teenager as well.

BINGHAM: Was it expensive or cheap?

FERGUSON: I got them cheap. However, they were more per volume than John Owen. I probably got my first set of Calvin’s Institutes for about $4.50. But Owen helped me to apply theology and to see the way biblical theology flows out into the experience of the church and the Christian life.

Some of Owen’s books in particular helped me, and the one I have treasured most is his book Communion with God, which focuses on communion with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. There are also helpful volumes in his complete works. He talks about Christ in volume one, sin in volume six, and justification in volumes four and five. There are twenty-four volumes. I go back to reading him and sometimes think, “Why do I bother reading anybody else?” It is so rich. He is not an easy read, but it’s worth persevering.

The world takes confidence in all sorts of things. It takes confidence in its own accomplishments. It takes confidence in the various ways it avoids having to think about reality. It’s sometimes prideful. Sometimes it’s just indifferent. Christian confidence, on the other hand, is attuned to the Word of God, the promises of God, and the assurance of what God has said.

Recently, I was talking to some friends about a dear saint in our church who is on her deathbed. They reported that she is full of confidence that Jesus has eternal life for her and that death is not the end. It is critical that we have confidence like hers as we face the struggles, difficulties, and from our limited perspective, uncertainties of life. We can have confidence that God’s promises that will prove true.

Machen was a brilliant scholar. He had a bachelor’s from Johns Hopkins, was Princeton-trained, and then became a Princeton professor. Machen lived during the time of modernism in American culture, as the twentieth century was a time of optimism and growth. Of course, it had World War I, but that influenced Europe far more than it did America because it took place on European soil. France lost 2 million people in World War I, while America lost 170,000 soldiers, which is terrible, but the differences are known. But it was still a time of modernism, and Machen lived during the “Roaring Twenties,” as we call it. It was a culture that was ready to move away from God. That’s modernism: “We don’t need God anymore. We built skyscrapers, and He is holding us back.”

Much of the church didn’t want culture to keep moving past them, so they said: “Hold on, you don’t have to leave just yet. We’ll make our doctrines a little more palatable. If you don’t like sinful man, let’s say that humanity is basically good. If you don’t like the idea that Christ had to die and you must have a substitute, let’s turn Christ’s death into just an example that you are empowered to follow every day. Isn’t that beautiful?” That’s liberalism. It compromised the doctrines that actually define Christianity in order to stay at the “cool table” of culture.

Along came Machen, and he wrote a book, Christianity and Liberalism. He essentially said: “This is not Christianity. This is a Christianity without a cross, which is not Christianity. Christianity without the message of sin is not Christianity. Christianity without an authoritative Bible standing over us that we are accountable to is not Christianity. If you don’t have those things, you don’t have Christianity. You are American. You are free to believe whatever you want to believe. We love liberty, but you can’t believe something that’s the total opposite of Christianity and call it Christianity.” Machen took a bold stand.

I mention all of this because I think it’s true of the story of American Christianity, which is a tale of two cities. We love our culture in America. Sometimes, we want to be a part of it so much so that we’ll compromise our convictions. It has happened. We all saw it. It’s happening right now. Whole denominations are selling their birthright to keep up with culture. That’s one city. Or, we can be a church of conviction that says, “No, we are going to follow God’s Word.” Machen is a good example of being a Christian of conviction.

So, that is one incident I find interesting and informative.

Later on, I used a different pattern and then I started using the kind of “Through the Bible in a Year” type pattern and there are various forms of that. I have used one that was written by Robert Murray M’Cheyne, Scottish minister in the nineteenth century that is very well known. You read four chapters a day from Old Testament, New Testament. You get through the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice in the year. And so, getting through the whole Bible each year I think is a helpful practice.

I’ve also, in addition to that, focused from time to time on certain books and given them more concentrated study. The material I actually recommend, I think I find myself recommending most, is actually Tabletalk, Nathan, for two reasons. One is because it does give you that help of a disciplined program of Bible reading. It gives you help in the notes that help you to expound and understand and apply the text, and there are also some great articles that go along with it. And it’s a terrific bargain. So, product placement is Tabletalk.

I know people who have used the same pattern all their lives. I have tended to vary the patterns I’ve used just because knowing the way I’m wired, that’s what I’ve found most helpful. And then, I have surrounded that with various things. You know sometimes I’ll have used some kind of prayer book just to help me, you know, to get the engine started. Sometimes I would sing.

Last year I did something I had never done before. I’m a speed reader and I felt I was speed reading instead of meditating, and so I started chanting the Psalms to myself, now not quite in the old Anglican way, but what I found in the English Standard Version was I could slow myself down by chanting out loud. And one of the things, I think, both my wife and myself have found is that speaking the Bible out loud is a very good help to Bible study because it was actually written to be heard and not just to be read.

So, those are some of the things that I have found helpful.

For those who want to pretend that God doesn’t exist and want to act as if He doesn’t and claim that He doesn’t, I still say to begin with Him. At the end of the day, people are not converted by the way in which we evangelize but rather by God who works in their hearts. So, objectively, begin with God. Begin with His standard, His character, who He is, and what He demands.

At the same time, I would also say that it depends on the conversation. I am engaged in conversations with non-Christians all the time, whether at restaurants, where I am in the community, at the gym, and so on, and it’s fascinating to me: people are incurably religious. They are religious at the very core of their being. Even people who don’t go to church, who are not a part of any organized religion, are religious. We see it every Sunday: clubs, communities, people coming together, being spiritual, being people of faith, whatever they are. So, start wherever they are. In one sense, you can meet people where they are. If they’re thinking about their children, if they’re thinking about their situation, if they’re worried about things, if they have guilt, if they feel the pressures and the anxieties of life, start there.

I would also say this: engage in conversations with them as human beings in a genuine and authentic way because you actually care about them. Yes, you want to communicate and proclaim the gospel to them—but communicate with them because you care about them.

That’s one of the things we see Jesus doing in His ministry. We see the Apostles doing that in their ministries. They have a love for people and a care for human beings. It’s true that their love for God and their desire to glorify God exceeds all of that, but they actually do care about people. They engage with people because they care about them. They care about their souls.

We evangelize not so that we can tell our Christian friends that we have evangelized; we evangelize for the glory of God and for the sake of the souls of those to whom we speak.