Worship¶
We've crafted an unofficial, source-cited, non-commercial index of Dr. R.C. Sproul's publicly available teachings, weighted by how many independent sources corroborate each point. The content is authored by Dr. R.C. Sproul and published by Ligonier Ministries (a few items are third-party YouTube re-uploads); see the Methodology & Rights page for more info. Quotations are brief, linked to their source, and reproduced for study under Ligonier's Copyright Policy (ligonier.org/copyright-policy). This site is humbly offered for personal use only, out of love and respect, and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Ligonier Ministries or St. Andrew's Chapel.
589 positions — 38 corroborated across multiple sources.
Well-attested positions¶
Independently stated in two or more of his messages.
True righteousness is found in Christ, not in pretense or a mask, but in His righteousness received by faith.
When we find ourselves enmeshed in this type of pretense, an alarm bell should go off in our brains that we need to rush back to the cross and to Christ and to understand where our true righteousness resides. We have to find in Christ, not a mask that conceals our face, but an entire wardrobe of clothing, which is His righteousness.
Corroborated across 6 sources: Is the Church Full of Hypocrites? (Ligonier article) · Do You Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness? (Ligonier article) · Making Molehills Out of Mountains (Ligonier article) · R.C. Sproul @ 0:32 · The Just Shall Live by Faith (Ligonier) · Submit to Government (Part 1) (Ligonier)
Sin involves exchanging divine knowledge for false idols and worshipping creatures rather than the Creator.
Every creature down to the last one of us has exchanged that knowledge for an idol, exchanged the truth for a lie, and serves and worships the creature rather than the Creator, which exposes the whole world to condemnation.
Corroborated across 3 sources: R.C. Sproul @ 0:00 · God’s Wrath (Ligonier) · The Great Commission (Ligonier)
Intellectual idolatry occurs when people reconstruct their doctrine of God by stripping away attributes they find uncomfortable, thereby rejecting God's full character.
When we reconstruct our doctrine of God in such a way that we strip Him of those attributes with which we are uncomfortable, we reconstruct a god who is not holy, a god who is not wrathful, a god who is not just, a god who is not sovereign.
Corroborated across 3 sources: Calvin’s Defining Passion in the Protestant Reformation (Ligonier article) · R.C. Sproul @ 18:46 · R.C. Sproul @ 0:00
The ultimate purpose of worship is to ascribe glory to God, honor Him, revere Him, and adore Him in the excellence of His being.
I keep speaking on the whole principle of worship and that the purpose of worship when we come together is to ascribe glory to God, to honor God, to revere Him, and to adore Him in the excellence of His being.
Corroborated across 3 sources: For the Glory of God (Ligonier article) · The Calming of the Storm (Ligonier) · Faith Triumphs in Trouble (Part 3) (Ligonier)
Grace is defined as unmerited, unearned, and undeserved, and is mutually exclusive with works, merit, or deserving.
Grace, by definition, is unmerited, unearned, and undeserved. If it is by works, if it is earned, if it is deserved, if it is by merit, then it is no longer of grace. Do you see how simple Paul makes it? If it is grace, it is not earned; if it is earned, it is not grace. It is one or the other.
Corroborated across 3 sources: An Inalienable Right to Grace? (Ligonier article) · Israel's Rejection Not Total (Ligonier) · The Return of the Seventy-Two (Ligonier)
God's wrath is not arbitrary or irrational, but is directed against ungodliness and unrighteousness.
Now the idea of an irrational eruption of anger in God Himself would indicate God's becoming violently angry with no just cause, arbitrary wrath, flying off the handle for no good reason. But that's not what Paul is talking about.
Corroborated across 3 sources: R.C. Sproul @ 28:21 · God’s Wrath (Ligonier) · Israel's Rejection & God's Justice (Part 3) (Ligonier)
Covetousness is a fundamental sin that reveals a lack of gratitude and is contrary to contentment with God's goodness.
No one can honor God and have a heart full of gratitude to Him and be covetous. Covetousness is the antithesis of contentment with the goodness of God.
Corroborated across 3 sources: God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness (Ligonier) · God’s Wrath (Ligonier) · The Parable of the Rich Fool (Ligonier)
The Christian should respond to slander and false accusations by imitating Christ's example of accepting the attacks and praying for the forgiveness of those who attacked him.
Our Lord was slandered and falsely accused of all kinds of offenses, but He opened not His mouth in protest (Isa. 53:7). Like a lamb, He accepted these vitriolic attacks, and, in the very moment of His passion, He prayed for the forgiveness of those who were attacking Him (Luke 23:34). This is how we are called to react to our enemies (1 Peter 4:13).
Corroborated across 2 sources: A Charitable Reaction (Ligonier article) · How Should Christians Respond to Attacks and Insults? (Ligonier article)
The biblical definition of pure and undefiled religion involves caring for widows and orphans and maintaining personal purity from the world.
And James gives us a succinct definition of true religion, of true godliness: “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: To visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
Corroborated across 2 sources: Caring for Widows (Ligonier article) · Do You Care About the Widows? (Ligonier article)
Only things done for God's glory will endure forever and survive God's scrutiny.
Nothing built for the glory of man will survive His scrutiny. But what is done for God’s glory will endure forever.
Corroborated across 2 sources: The Glory of Man and the Glory of God (Ligonier article) · Our Story (Ligonier article)
As Christians, believers are called to be excellent stewards of God's gifts and talents, striving for excellence in all work.
We are to be wise stewards of God’s gifts and talents. That means striving to be the most honest, patient, hardworking, and committed workers we can be. It means settling for nothing less than excellence.
Corroborated across 2 sources: God’s Will and Your Job (Ligonier article) · Taking Thought for Tomorrow (Ligonier article)
Worship should be designed to please God, not to please either unbelievers or believers.
And the worship must not be designed to please the unbeliever or the believer. Worship should be designed to please God.
Corroborated across 2 sources: Good Intentions Gone Bad (Ligonier article) · How Should We Then Worship? (Ligonier article)
God is the absolute standard of righteousness and is perfectly just and righteous as the judge of all.
God is the absolute standard of all righteousness. As our Creator, He is also the supreme, sovereign judge of heaven and earth. The Bible clearly indicates that the One who is the judge of all is Himself perfectly just and righteous.
Corroborated across 2 sources: The Greatest Issue We Face (Ligonier article) · How should Christian values impact business ethics in the office? (Ligonier Q&A)
Sin is not merely an error or mistake, but a willful act of disobedience against a holy God.
My skin crawls when I hear sin described as “a mistake.” That language we’ve been taught to use is the politically-correct language of our day: “I made a mistake.”
Corroborated across 2 sources: The Holiness of God and the Sinfulness of Man (Ligonier article) · Is God disappointed in our mistakes or disobedience? (Ligonier Q&A)
To expect to participate in Christ's exaltation, one must first be willing to participate in His humiliation.
There is a warning, and that warning is clear: unless we are willing to participate in the humiliation of Jesus, we would have no reason to expect ever to participate in His exaltation.
Corroborated across 2 sources: Humiliation to Exaltation (Ligonier article) · Humiliation to Exaltation (Ligonier article)
The core of the Gospel is that Christ's righteousness is imputed to us, meaning we possess it by faith, not by our own works.
The point of the Gospel is that "imputation is real—God really laid our sins on Christ and really transferred the righteousness of Christ to us. We really possess the righteousness of Jesus Christ by imputation."
Corroborated across 2 sources: Jesus Not Only Died for Us, He Lived for Us (Ligonier article) · Abraham Justified Before Circumcision (Ligonier)
Apologetics has at least three main aims: answering critics, challenging cultural idols, and encouraging the church.
The task of apologetics, of defending the truth of Christianity, has at least three main aims. I think most Christians are familiar with two of these.
Corroborated across 2 sources: The Most Valuable Aim of Apologetics (Ligonier article) · The Task of Apologetics (Ligonier article)
The most relevant worship is that which is offered according to the truth of God and His Word.
That is why we in the session have to keep a close watch on what we do in worship, asking ourselves, “Is this according to the truth of God and His Word?”
Corroborated across 2 sources: The Perils Facing the Evangelical Church (Ligonier article) · The Woman at the Well (Part 2) (Ligonier)
Henotheism is a transitional stage between polytheism and monotheism, teaching that one god has sovereignty over a specific geographical or ethnic group.
Henotheism teaches the idea that there is one god for every nation who has sovereignty over a certain geographical or ethnic sphere.
Corroborated across 2 sources: Pluralism and Relativism (Ligonier article) · R.C. Sproul @ 21:20
To be 'conformed' to the world means adopting its popular structures and ways of thinking.
To be "conformed" to this world is to be with (Latin con ) the forms or structures of this world. It means doing the popular thing.
Corroborated across 2 sources: The World Is a Seducer (Ligonier article) · R.C. Sproul @ 12:47
Christians should prioritize pleasing God and His Son over seeking the approval of people.
We need churches filled with Christians who are not enslaved by the culture, churches that seek more than anything to please God and His only begotten Son, rather than to attract the applause of dying men and women.
Corroborated across 2 sources: The World Is a Seducer (Ligonier article) · What Is Time? (Ligonier article)
Christian service should be motivated by love for God and gratitude for salvation, not by an effort to earn favor.
We serve not to earn salvation, but because Christ already has purchased salvation for us.
Corroborated across 2 sources: What Does It Mean to Be an “Unprofitable Servant”? (Ligonier article) · R.C. Sproul @ 0:00
Humanity is called to reflect God's character, specifically His holiness, because they were created in His image.
Being created in the image of God among other things means that we, as God’s creatures who bear His image, are called to mirror and to reflect His character. We are to mirror and reflect His holiness.
Corroborated across 2 sources: R.C. Sproul @ 0:00 · R.C. Sproul @ 29:46
While God is generous with His mercy, grace is always voluntary and unrequired, and humans should never presume upon it.
God’s character is to be generous with His mercy. He is gracious, but grace is always unrequired and voluntary. We can expect it because of His consistency of character. However, we can never presume upon it.
Corroborated across 2 sources: R.C. Sproul @ 22:09 · The Locus of Astonishment (Ligonier)
Christians who believe in the deity of Christ and the inspiration of the Scriptures have an obligation to address the criticisms that have been raised against Scripture and Christ.
And so, I think it is our obligation as Christians who believe in the deity of Christ and the inspiration of the Scriptures to feel the weight of this burden and to address it as we encounter it.
Corroborated across 2 sources: R.C. Sproul @ 3:08 · R.C. Sproul @ 0:00
Because God is holy and humans are not righteous, they require help, which God provides through the righteousness of Christ.
If God is righteous and you are not righteous and He is going to judge you according to His righteousness, you need help. The good news of the gospel is that God Himself supplies the goodness that you and I do not have.
Corroborated across 2 sources: R.C. Sproul @ 27:54 · R.C. Sproul @ 0:14
Jesus accepted worship from Thomas, demonstrating that the divine nature of Christ was not questioned by the act of worship.
But when Thomas said, “My Lord and my God,” Jesus didn’t say to him: “I’m not God; I’m God’s representative. I’m the firstborn of all creation, but I’m not the eternal, self-existent, second person of the Trinity.” No, Jesus received worship from Thomas.
Corroborated across 2 sources: R.C. Sproul @ 16:21 · The Twelve Apostles (Part 2) (Ligonier)
True gratitude must be demonstrated through action, not merely felt.
Feeling and doing are not the same thing. If I would say to you, “What’s your most base sin? Your worst action of evil?” would you come up with something like failure to be grateful to God?
Corroborated across 2 sources: R.C. Sproul @ 0:00 · Cleansing of the Leper (Ligonier)
Worshipping anything other than God, whether in Israel, Canaan, or Philistia, constitutes an act of idolatry because there is only one God.
So what God is saying when He says, "Thou shalt have no other gods in my presence," He's basically saying to worship anything apart from Him, whether you live in Israel or whether you live in Canaan or whether you live in Philistia, you are engaged in an act of idolatry, because there is only one God.
Corroborated across 2 sources: R.C. Sproul @ 19:45 · The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus (Ligonier)
God's withholding of justice is actually an act of grace, which is necessary because of His holiness.
And it's because God is holy that any time He withholds justice, He is giving grace. If He were not holy, then perhaps His grace would not really be grace.
Corroborated across 2 sources: R.C. Sproul @ 1:03 · R.C. Sproul @ 24:54
Christians should practice mercy and kindness toward others because they have themselves been recipients of God's mercy.
You should be known as a person of mercy because you’ve been a recipient of mercy. That should mark your behavior. As God has been kind to you, so you should be kind to your neighbor.
Corroborated across 2 sources: R.C. Sproul @ 0:12 · Love Your Enemies (Ligonier)
When Paul uses the term 'hate' regarding Jacob and Esau, it should not be understood as God having malicious contempt, but rather as a comparative term.
When Paul recites the book of Genesis in Romans 9:6–13, when he repeats the words, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated,” we cannot understand the meaning of the term hatred to indicate that God has a malicious sense of odium or contempt within His being against this poor wretch by the name of Esau.
Corroborated across 2 sources: The Cost of Discipleship (Ligonier) · Israel's Rejection & God's Purpose (Ligonier)
True worship involves genuine internal devotion that goes beyond mere outward recitation of words.
One of the things Scripture warns about more than once is the danger of rendering to God mere lip service, going through the motions, rote worship, where we say the words and we confess with our mouths while our hearts remain far from Him.
Corroborated across 2 sources: The Forgiven Woman (Ligonier) · The Magnificat (Part 1) (Ligonier)
When offering oneself as a living sacrifice, the offering must be sanctified and consecrated, meaning it cannot be an offering of sin.
When you give yourself as a living sacrifice to God, He wants that sacrifice sanctified. He wants that sacrifice to be consecrated. We used to sing an old hymn. It is a very simple hymn, but it carried this message: “Give of your best to the Master.”
Corroborated across 2 sources: From Jerusalem to Illyricum (Ligonier) · Living Sacrifices to God (Ligonier)
True worship must come from the heart and spirit, not merely from outward actions or lip service.
My Father wants people to worship Him in spirit and in truth, not just with their lips, because lip service is the very essence of play-acting, of hypocrisy.
Corroborated across 2 sources: Defilement from Within (Part 1) (Ligonier) · The Woman at the Well (Part 2) (Ligonier)
The repetition of a person's name in address is a significant Hebraic gesture that communicates an intense and profound sense of personal affection.
Addressing someone by the repetition of their name is an unusual but significant Hebraic gesture that we find only about fifteen times in all sacred Scripture.
Corroborated across 2 sources: Jesus' Arrest (Ligonier) · Peter's Denial (Ligonier)
Using the name of God in a casual or flippant manner constitutes blasphemy.
If you use the name of God in vain, if you as casually use the common parlance of American people and walk out the door, see something happening, and say, “Oh my God,” you have just blasphemed.
Corroborated across 2 sources: Jesus before the Sanhedrin (Ligonier) · The Unpardonable Sin (Ligonier)
Shame regarding one's faith can lead to divine shame, as Christ warns that those ashamed of him will be ashamed of them.
Finally, Jesus says, “Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
Corroborated across 2 sources: Taking Up the Cross (Ligonier) · Peter's Confession and Our Cross (Ligonier)
Further positions¶
Drawn from a single high-trust (official transcript) source.
While the immutable essence of God is not changed by the alteration of His name, extending this concept to claim all religions worship the same Being is an irrational leap.
Now certainly, it is true that the immutable essence of God is not changed by the alteration of His name. In English, we may say “God,” in German “Gott,” in Greek “Theos,” yet all these names or words are used to point to the same Deity. Beyond this, however, things get murky.
Source: A Rose Is a Rose (Ligonier article)
Abraham's obedience to God's command to sacrifice Isaac was an act of faith that was of the highest degree, second only to Christ's faith.
This is a story of faith to the absolute degree. The only thing that ever exceeds it in Scripture is the faith of Christ Himself.
Source: Abraham’s Great Act of Faith (Ligonier article)
Saying 'amen' in worship is not merely agreeing with what was said, but expressing a willingness to submit to and be bound by the implications of the word.
Therefore, the expression "amen" is not simply an acknowledgment of personal agreement with what has been stated; it is an expression of willingness to submit to the implications of that word, to indeed be bound by it, as if the Word of God would put ropes around us not to strangle or retard us but to hold us firmly in place.
Source: Amen (Ligonier article)
Worship should be conducted with dignity and polish, reflecting the importance of the occasion rather than being dictated by the world's lowest standards.
That is, the wedding ceremony is not to be marked by the world’s best and highest, but by our best and our highest. It is our most important our.
Source: Beauty and the Best (Ligonier article)
The purpose of worship is to bring people together, and the church should focus on reflecting heavenly beauty rather than worldly standards.
Our worship should bring us together, rather than drive us apart. We have, after all, together been called to worship by our Lord.
Source: Beauty and the Best (Ligonier article)
The church should reject the world's slovenliness and indifference to beauty, instead adopting a refined standard of excellence.
We have given up the world, with all its arrogant slovenliness. We have turned up our noses at the world’s studied indifference to beauty.
Source: Beauty and the Best (Ligonier article)
People naturally desire to worship God by focusing on the good, the true, and the beautiful.
Wherever people come together to worship God, whether it be on a desert island or in a burgeoning metropolis, whether it be on the plains of Africa or in the cold winter of Siberia, people are concerned to worship Him in terms of the good, the true, and the beautiful.
Source: Building with Conviction (Ligonier article)
The principle of showing forth God's glory and beauty in places of worship is not something that can be discarded.
The principle of seeking to show forth His glory and His beauty in the places where we meet Him is not something that can be lightly discarded.
Source: Building with Conviction (Ligonier article)
Biblical worship is comprehensive, engaging all five senses, as well as the mind, in the worship experience.
All five senses, as well as the mind, were engaged in biblical worship. If we are to worship God fully in truth and in Spirit, we need to incorporate beauty among the gathering of His people wherever possible.
Source: Building with Conviction (Ligonier article)
Elements like beauty, goodness, and truth, which point to God, remain significant in all times and places in godly worship.
There’s nothing in redemptive history that would make beauty, goodness, or truth suddenly passé or insignificant. These elements, which point to God, are always and everywhere, in every time and in every nation, significant elements of godly worship.
Source: Building with Conviction (Ligonier article)
Baptism serves as an outward sign of belonging to Christ and signifies an individual's identity with Him through both His humiliation and exaltation.
An individual’s baptism says to the world, "I belong to Christ and He belongs to me." For this reason, the New Testament speaks of our being buried with Christ in baptism. Our baptism signifies our identity with Him in His humiliation and in His exaltation—in His suffering and in His resurrection.
Source: Buried with Christ (Ligonier article)
The honor of every human being is tied to God, as it is God who grants dignity to men and women.
And when the honor of God is at stake, so is the honor of every human being, for it is God who grants dignity to men and women.
Source: A Call for Endurance (Ligonier article)
Calvin believed that the distinction between 'worship' (latreia) and 'devotion' (doulia) was meaningless, arguing that serving idols is inherently a form of worship.
Calvin stated that this distinction between latreia and doulia of idols was a distinction with-out a difference. He wanted to get rid of idols in any form and said that we ought not to serve them because to serve them is in fact to worship them.
Source: Calvin’s Defining Passion in the Protestant Reformation (Ligonier article)
People are not punished for not hearing of Christ, but rather for rejecting the God who has revealed Himself clearly.
Yet the truth is that God will not punish people for not believing in someone they’ve never heard of; He will punish them for rejecting the God who has revealed Himself clearly.
Source: Calvin’s Defining Passion in the Protestant Reformation (Ligonier article)
All people are aware of God, but they suppress this knowledge in unrighteousness, which is the sin they are punished for.
All people know God; they simply suppress that knowledge in unrighteousness. That is the sin that they will be punished for.
Source: Calvin’s Defining Passion in the Protestant Reformation (Ligonier article)
True worship must be appropriate and honor God in the way that God desires to be honored.
Does it honor God the way that God seeks to be honored? Jesus tells the woman at the well that “true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him” (John 4:23).
Source: Calvin’s Defining Passion in the Protestant Reformation (Ligonier article)
Rejecting certain attributes of God and only accepting those that are palatable constitutes a form of idolatry.
We take the attributes of God that we like and reject the attributes of God that we don’t like, and when we do that, we are just as guilty of idolatry as a person who is worshiping a totem pole.
Source: Calvin’s Defining Passion in the Protestant Reformation (Ligonier article)
The purpose of gathering for worship is not personal enjoyment, entertainment, or evangelism, but solely the worship of God.
It must be understood, however, that the purpose of the Sunday morning gathering of the saints is not personal enjoyment or entertainment. It’s not evangelism or fellowship either. It is the worship of God.
Source: Calvin’s Defining Passion in the Protestant Reformation (Ligonier article)
Jesus regarded an attack upon His church as a personal attack on Himself, demonstrating a deep solidarity.
But Jesus felt such solidarity with His church that He regarded an attack upon His body, the church, as a personal attack on Himself.
Source: In Christ Our Suffering Is Not in Vain (Ligonier article)
The ultimate standard for beauty is God, just as He is the standard for goodness and truth.
Just as the normative standard for goodness and truth is God, so the ultimate standard of beauty is God, and He is very interested in beauty in His creation.
Source: The Church Adorned with Beauty (Ligonier article)
Church activities should be done tastefully and adorned with beauty as a visible way to honor God.
The life of the church should be adorned with beauty as a visible expression of our desire to honor God.
Source: The Church Adorned with Beauty (Ligonier article)
The New Testament teaches that we are covered and clothed with the righteousness of Christ.
The New Testament speaks of exchanging our filthy rags for the righteousness of Christ. The imagery we get in the New Testament is that we are covered, we are clothed, with the righteousness of Christ (Rom. 4:7–8; 2 Cor. 5:21).
Source: A Consuming Fire (Ligonier article)
The act of purification, such as the burning coal on Isaiah's lips, is intended for cleansing, not punishment.
It wasn’t for punishment; it was for purging. It was to make the unclean clean.
Source: A Consuming Fire (Ligonier article)
Prophets aimed to guide the people back to the original covenants, obedience to the law, and true worship, criticizing the hypocrisy attached to external forms and rituals.
They called for a return to the terms of the original covenants that God had made with them, to obedience to the law that God had revealed through Moses, and, most importantly, to the practice of true worship as distinguished from all forms of idolatry and hypocrisy. They spoke boldly against formalism, externalism, and ritualism.
Source: Covenant Prosecutors (Ligonier article)
The Reformation's message was disseminated through various cultural means, such as music and visual arts.
In addition to these methods of print, music was used in the Reformation to carry the doctrines and sentiments of Protestantism through the writing of hymns and chorales. Religious drama was used not in the churches but in the marketplace to communicate the central ideas of the movement — the recovery of the biblical Gospel.
Source: Crossing the Channel (Ligonier article)
Christians must resist conforming to the fallen and pagan culture by allowing the Word of God to inform their minds.
We are to seek to live transformed lives and to have our minds informed not by what other people are doing in the secular culture, not by what is deemed acceptable in television episodes or movie scenes of extramarital sex or by homosexual relationships, but we are to have our minds informed by the Word of God.
Source: Cultural Revolution (Ligonier article)
Modern culture, particularly the New Age movement, shares a commonality with Gnosticism by substituting mystical insight for rational and empirical investigation.
▷ A view Sproul explains or critiques — not his own position.
The most obvious point of commonality is the substitute of mystical insight for rational and empirical investigation.
Source: The Da Vinci Conspiracy (Ligonier article)
God holds individuals accountable for their own words and actions, not for what other ministers say or do.
I realized that God was not going to hold me accountable for what other ministers said or did. Rather, He was going to hold my feet to the fire for what I say and do.
Source: Dear Bob (Ligonier article)
Death is inherently repulsive and contradicts life.
Death is obscene, a grotesque contradiction to life.
Source: Death Is No Stranger (Ligonier article)
The Puritan view argues that recreation is unacceptable on the Sabbath day, citing Isaiah 58:13–14.
The Puritan view argues against the acceptability of recreation on the Sabbath day. The text most often cited to support this view is Isaiah 58:13–14 and following:
Source: Defining the Debate (Ligonier article)
Being righteous is simply defined as doing what is right, which requires a passion.
Being righteous is not all that complicated; it means doing what is right. We have to have a passion to do what is right.
Source: Do You Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness? (Ligonier article)
Righteousness is defined simply as doing what is right in the sight of God, which means doing everything that God calls us to do.
What is righteousness? The simplest answer to that question is this: Righteousness is doing what is right in the sight of God . This is a simple definition that is far more complex under the surface. To be righteous is to do everything that God calls us to do.
Source: Don’t Confuse Spirituality with Righteousness (Ligonier article)
The speaker is concerned with defining integrity, noting that it is listed as a chief synonym for 'honor' and that the dictionary provides several definitions.
I speak about honor because the dictionary lists the term honor as the chief synonym for the word integrity . My concern in this article is to ask: “What is the meaning of integrity?”
Source: Duty and Honor (Ligonier article)
True integrity is revealed when a person confronts the ultimate standard of God's character.
But once they raise their gaze to heaven and consider even for a moment what kind of being God is, they stand shaking and quaking, becoming completely disavowed of any further illusion of their integrity.
Source: Duty and Honor (Ligonier article)
New Christian movements in developing regions often suffer from syncretism, mixing pagan elements with the Christian faith.
So often a syncretism exists in which superstitious elements of animistic religion are mingled and blended with the Christian faith.
Source: Ecclesiastical Myopia (Ligonier article)
Many areas of Christianity suffer from a lack of solid doctrine and the blending of pagan elements.
The bad news is that there has been a lack of substantive doctrine feeding the people of these lands—as is often the case with fresh revivals and awakenings to Christianity. So often a syncretism exists in which superstitious elements of animistic religion are mingled and blended with the Christian faith.
Source: Ecclesiastical Myopia (Ligonier article)
Scripture contradicts the idea that because God is sovereign, prayer is pointless, and instead affirms that prayer does effect change.
Scripture universally and absolutely denies that conclusion. Instead, it affirms that prayer does effect change.
Source: The Efficacy of Prayer (Ligonier article)
The primary purpose of striving for excellence and achievement is to glorify God.
The legitimate motive for excellence is to seek achievement for the end to glorify God. That is the chief purpose for which we are created, to bear witness to His glory.
Source: Exceptional Mediocrity (Ligonier article)
Children are viewed as valuable gifts from God that should be treasured and raised in faith.
We know they are gifts from God to be treasured and to be raised in the fear and admonition of our Lord (Eph. 6:4).
Source: Family Values (Ligonier article)
Acknowledging God's sovereignty, justice, omniscience, and immutability is essential, otherwise, the object of worship is not truly God.
If we don’t acknowledge the sovereignty of God, if we don’t acknowledge the justice of God, if we don’t acknowledge the omniscience of God, the immutability of God, then whatever god it is we are acknowledging, it is not God.
Source: For the Glory of God (Ligonier article)
Worshiping different deities, even if they are called by different names, is a significant issue, and one must not assume that all religions worship the same thing.
We are told that whatever we call him or it—Allah or Yahweh or Tao or Buddha—it doesn’t matter. We all worship the same thing. To that I reply, “No, we don’t.”
Source: For the Glory of God (Ligonier article)
To truly honor God, one must understand Him based on His self-revelation in Scripture, rather than based on the subjective opinions of sinful people.
And the only way for this passion to be realized is to honor God as God, to understand Him as He has revealed Himself in His Word and not according to the mere opinions of fallen creatures.
Source: For the Glory of God (Ligonier article)
The sections of Leviticus are particularly difficult to read because the ceremonies and rituals described are foreign to modern readers.
But when we get to Leviticus, everything changes. It’s difficult reading about the ceremonies, the sacrifices, and the cleansing rituals because they are foreign to us today.
Source: Get a Basic Overview of the Bible (Ligonier article)
Humanity's inherent drive has always been to build magnificent monuments and cities to signify human importance and achievement.
From the beginning, the dream of human progress, the dream of the human spirit has been to build a city of such magnificence that it reaches to the pinnacle of heaven itself.
Source: The Glory of Man and the Glory of God (Ligonier article)
Structuring worship for unbelievers is misguided because true seeking after God begins only at the point of conversion.
The good intention of reaching such people with evangelistic techniques that include the reshaping of Sunday morning worship fails to understand some significant truths set forth in Scripture.
Source: Good Intentions Gone Bad (Ligonier article)
The primary purpose of corporate assembly is for the people of God to gather together to offer sacrifices of praise and worship to God.
The purpose of corporate assembly, which has its roots in the Old Testament, is for the people of God to come together corporately to offer their sacrifices of praise and worship to God.
Source: Good Intentions Gone Bad (Ligonier article)
Corporate worship should not be a place for celebrating profane or secular matters.
Corporate worship is not the place to celebrate the profane or the secular.
Source: Good Intentions Gone Bad (Ligonier article)
Theological grace is defined as God's unmerited or undeserved favor.
The usual definition for grace that we have in theology is "God's unmerited or undeserved favor."
Source: The Grace of Faith (Ligonier article)
God will judge all people according to their works, rewarding the righteous and punishing the unrighteous.
The sober warning of Christ and of the Apostles is that God, in His perfect judgment of us, will judge all men according to their works and will reward the righteous and punish the unrighteous.
Source: The Greatest Issue We Face (Ligonier article)
The speaker asserts that the hallowing of God's name should be a top priority in prayer, suggesting it is foundational to other spiritual goals.
I’m convinced that although we pray for the manifestation and the victory of the kingdom of God, it is futile to hope for the victory of God’s kingdom on this planet until or unless the name of God is regarded as sacred, because God’s kingdom does not come to people who have no respect for Him.
Source: “Hallowed Be Your Name" (Ligonier article)
The speaker teaches that God's will will not be accomplished in the world by people who do not show reverence and adoration toward Him.
Likewise, we pray that the will of God will be done in this world, but God’s will is not done by people who do not regard Him with reverence and with adoration.
Source: “Hallowed Be Your Name" (Ligonier article)
God's love is absolutely flawless and sacred, lacking any trace of selfishness, wickedness, or sin.
Second, God’s love is pure. His love is absolutely flawless, having no selfishness, wickedness, or sin mixed in with it.
Source: The Holy Love of God (Ligonier article)
Fallen humans have a basic inclination to worship something or someone other than the true God.
we realize that as fallen creatures it is one of our most basic and fundamental inclinations to worship something, or someone, other than the true God.
Source: How Should We Then Worship? (Ligonier article)
Christians are not required to travel to a central location like Jerusalem to offer authentic worship to God.
We recall Jesus’ discussion with the woman at the well when He said that the New Testament church has no appointed central sanctuary where all true worship must take place.
Source: How Should We Then Worship? (Ligonier article)
Today, the most obvious place for Christians to worship is together in local churches.
So today it would seem that the obvious answer to the “where” question is that we should be worshiping together with other Christians as we gather in local churches.
Source: How Should We Then Worship? (Ligonier article)
While believers should worship God every day, God also appoints special times for corporate worship.
Obviously, it is the obligation of the believer to worship God everyday, at all times. But God appoints special times and seasons for the gathering of His people in corporate worship.
Source: How Should We Then Worship? (Ligonier article)
The 'how' question of worship is ultimately determined by the 'who' question.
And the “how” question is ultimately determined by the “who” question.
Source: How Should We Then Worship? (Ligonier article)
The primary focus of worship should be pleasing God, not appealing to unbelievers or even believers.
The solemn assembly is to be the assembling together of believers, of the body of Christ, to ascribe worship and honor and praise to their God and to their Redeemer. And the worship must not be designed to please the unbeliever or the believer. Worship should be designed to please God.
Source: How Should We Then Worship? (Ligonier article)
The most important attribute of God that should guide our thinking about worship is His holiness.
I believe that the one attribute of God that should inform our thinking about worship more than any other is His holiness. This is what defines His character and should be manifested in how we respond to Him.
Source: How Should We Then Worship? (Ligonier article)
Modern worship movements are criticized for attempting to diminish the fearsome holiness of God and for adopting secular entertainment styles.
The modern movement of worship is designed to break down barriers between man and God, to remove the veil, as it were, from the fearsome holiness of God, which might cause us to tremble. It is designed to make us feel comfortable.
Source: How Should We Then Worship? (Ligonier article)
Worship music, even if varied, must always maintain a sense of solemnity, reverence, and awe before God.
Rather, let us return to Augustine who agreed that we can use a variety of music in our worship, but all that is done should be done with a certain gravitas, a certain solemnity, always containing the attributes of reverence and awe before the living God.
Source: How Should We Then Worship? (Ligonier article)
All aspects of worship—what, where, when, and how—must be determined by the character of God.
The “what?” of worship, the “where?” of worship, the “when?” of worship, and especially the “how?” of worship must always be determined by the character of the One Who is the living God.
Source: How Should We Then Worship? (Ligonier article)
Christ willingly accepted humiliation, choosing to become a man and a servant, obedient even unto death.
He chose willingly to make Himself of no reputation, to become a man and a servant, obedient even unto death.
Source: Humiliation to Exaltation (Ligonier article)
Exaltation is the exact opposite and strong antithesis to the quality of humiliation.
The quality of exaltation is the exact opposite, a strong antithesis, to the quality of humiliation.
Source: Humiliation to Exaltation (Ligonier article)
Prayer is not limited to supplication or intercession, but is a multidimensional act that includes adoration and praise.
The question assumes that prayer is one-dimensional and is defined simply as supplication or intercession. On the contrary, prayer is multidimensional. God's sovereignty casts no shadow over the prayer of adoration.
Source: If God Is Sovereign, Why Pray? (Ligonier article)
Grace is something undeserved that we cannot possibly deserve, and confusing it with justice is a serious error.
The minute we think that anybody owes us grace, a bell should go off in our heads to alert us that we are no longer thinking about grace, because grace, by definition, is something we don't deserve.
Source: An Inalienable Right to Grace? (Ligonier article)
Parables should be understood as a simple, profound whole, rather than being over-analyzed or treated as an allegory.
Like a blossom, a parable is best understood by seeing it in its simple and profound entirety.
Source: 4 Interpretive Guidelines for Understanding Jesus' Parables (Ligonier article)
The anger Christians are called to exhibit must be imitative, meaning it must be righteous and not merely selfish or explosive.
This imperative to “be angry” is not a license for the expression of any kind or force of anger; rather, the anger that we are called to exhibit must also be imitative. It must be like the anger of God in the sense that it must be righteous and not just selfish and explosive.
Source: Is It OK to Be Angry? (Ligonier article)
Any anger must ultimately be brought before God and judged by His standard of righteousness and anger.
That anger, however, must always be brought coram Deo , before the face of God, and judged by the standard of His righteousness and of His anger.
Source: Is It OK to Be Angry? (Ligonier article)
Seeking God is primarily the business of believers, not unbelievers.
The point is that seeking is something that unbelievers do not do on their own. The unbeliever will not seek. The unbeliever will not knock. Seeking is the business of believers.
Source: Is Jesus Knocking at the Heart of the Unbeliever? (Ligonier article)
It is never proper to accuse God of wrongdoing.
However, we must not come to God in a spirit of complaint or anger against Him, for it is never proper to accuse God of wrongdoing.
Source: Is it Ever Legitimate to Complain to God or to Express Anger to God? (Ligonier article)
The Pharisees were judged by Christ primarily for hypocrisy, meaning the problem was internal rather than related to their outward religious performance.
The Pharisees came under the judgment of Christ chiefly for one sin: hypocrisy. It wasn’t that something was wrong with their outward performance, but something was wrong inside. Something was wrong with their hearts.
Source: Love Beyond Performance: Why Virtue Without Love Is Worthless (Ligonier article)
God is described as being merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and abundant in steadfast love and faithfulness.
The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness
Source: Love That Is Patient and Kind (Ligonier article)
Deepening one's understanding of God through scripture leads to greater love, which in turn motivates worship and obedience.
The more we understand God with our minds, the more we love Him with our minds. To love God with our minds is to hold Him in high esteem, to think about Him with reverence and with adoration.
Source: Loving God with Our Minds (Ligonier article)
Profanity is defined not by modern standards of cursing, but by the act of diminishing or trampling on what is holy.
But it was profane in that Scrooge demeaned what was holy. He trampled on the sanctity of Christmas. He despised the sacred.
Source: Marley and His Message to Scrooge (Ligonier article)
Christmas is a holy day, and its celebration is a time when the sacred Incarnation is broadcast to the world.
It is called a “holiday” because the day is holy. It is a day when businesses close, when families gather, when churches are filled, and when soldiers put down their guns for a 24-hour truce.
Source: Marley and His Message to Scrooge (Ligonier article)
The tradition of giving gifts is a positive response to the supreme gift of God, illustrating the truth that giving is more blessed than receiving.
The giving of gifts is a marvelous response to the receiving of such a gift. For one day a year at least, we taste the sweetness inherent in the truth that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Source: Marley and His Message to Scrooge (Ligonier article)
The Pharisees incorrectly substituted liturgical exercises for the true and full obedience required by the law.
In Old Testament Israel and among the New Testament Pharisees, liturgical righteousness was substituted for authentic righteousness. That is to say, men became satisfied with obeying the rituals of the religious community, rather than fulfilling the broader implications of the law.
Source: The Meaning of God’s Will (Ligonier article)
Spiritual practices, such as prayer and Bible study, are means to achieve righteousness, not ends in themselves.
That is, the discipline of prayer, Bible study, church fellowship, witnessing, and the like are not ends in themselves, but are designed to assist us in living righteously.
Source: The Meaning of God’s Will (Ligonier article)
It is a solemn responsibility for parents, and for the church community, to pass on the gift of God's knowledge and raise up children in the fear of the Lord.
It’s my responsibility as a parent and it’s your responsibility as a parent to pass on that gift. If you aren’t a parent, it’s your responsibility to support the work of the church and those who are parents in passing on that gift.
Source: The Most Solemn Mandate (Ligonier article)
The curse is defined as God's judgment on disobedience and violations of His holy law.
The curse is the judgment of God on disobedience, on violations of His holy law.
Source: Obscene, yet Beautiful (Ligonier article)
In the Old Testament, God inspired artisans and craftsmen to prepare objects for the tabernacle, ensuring their work met divine standards of beauty.
When we go to the Old Testament, for example, we see there that the first people filled with the Holy Ghost were the artisans and craftsman that God selected to prepare the objects for the tabernacle. That's divine inspiration—these artists were inspired by God the Holy Spirit. He inspired them for their craftsmanship of the tabernacle and its furniture, for the metalworking in the tent, and for the making of the gowns and robes for Aaron—which were to be made for glory and for beauty.
Source: Our Beautiful God (Ligonier article)
Beauty is important to God because God Himself is beautiful, and therefore, appreciating beauty is important to His people.
Beauty is important to God because He is beautiful, and so what is beautiful must be of importance to His people as well.
Source: Our Beautiful God (Ligonier article)
The use of 'Father' when addressing God in prayer is a significant propensity among Christians, seemingly emulating the model prayer given by Jesus.
It would seem that the instructions of our Lord in giving the model prayer, “The Lord’s Prayer,” is emulated by our propensity for addressing God as Father.
Source: Our Father (Ligonier article)
How Christians speak of God reveals their deepest attitudes toward Him, and using His name carelessly diminishes respect, awe, and adoration.
How we use the name of God reveals more clearly than any creed we ever confess our deepest attitudes towards the God of the sacred name.
Source: Our Father (Ligonier article)
Christians must prioritize speaking of God in a way that communicates respect, awe, adoration, and reverence.
It should be a priority for the church and for every individual Christian to make sure that the way in which we speak of God is a way that communicates respect, awe, adoration, and reverence.
Source: Our Father (Ligonier article)
It is the duty of believers to discern and defend Augustine's truth by adhering to Scripture and the church's ancient councils.
It is our task, however, if we are to be faithful first to Scripture and then to the church’s ancient councils, to discern Augustine’s truth and defend it aright.
Source: The Pelagian Controversy (Ligonier article)
Jesus must be understood as the perfect man, not merely a good or very good man.
We are confessing that Jesus is the perfect man. There’s a significant difference between the good, the better, the best, and the perfect.
Source: Perfectly Human (Ligonier article)
Vacuous worship is empty of content, relying on platitudes, pop psychology, and entertainment, and lacking the Word of God and authentic praise.
A vacuous worship is one that is empty of content. It is satisfied with platitudes, pop psychology, and entertainment. Such worship is devoid of the Word of God and of the authentic sacrifice of praise.
Source: The Perils Facing the Evangelical Church (Ligonier article)
Prayer is essential for nurturing obedience and putting the heart in the proper mindset to desire obedience.
Prayer is what prompts and nurtures obedience, putting the heart into the proper “frame of mind” to desire obedience.
Source: The Place of Prayer (Ligonier article)
Jesus modeled continuous prayer, demonstrating that communion with the Father never stopped.
Jesus prayed in the morning, during the day, and sometimes all night long. There is evidence that He had a time set aside for prayer; however, considering the relationship Jesus had with the Father, we know that communion between them never stopped.
Source: The Place of Prayer (Ligonier article)
Animism is defined as the belief that seemingly inanimate objects are inhabited by spirits.
Animism is the notion that apparently inert objects are inhabited by spirits.
Source: Pluralism and Relativism (Ligonier article)
Monotheism is the final stage of religious evolution, defining religion as worshiping one supreme God who rules over all nations and human activities.
As the word suggests, monotheism reduces religion to one God who is supreme. He is a high god. He rules over all nations.
Source: Pluralism and Relativism (Ligonier article)
God is characterized by bringing unity while simultaneously preserving diversity.
The God whom we worship is a God who brings unity, but at the same time preserves diversity.
Source: Pluralism and Relativism (Ligonier article)
The kerygma is the power of God for salvation, and the church cannot maintain its identity without it.
It is this kerygma that the New Testament indicates is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16). There can be no acceptable substitute for it. When the church loses her kerygma , she loses her identity.
Source: Preaching Christ (Ligonier article)
Preparation for worship is necessary, both historically (as seen with Israel) and personally (by reading God's Word and praying).
We should do the same by reading God's Word and praying for His assistance to worship Him rightly. Part of our preparation for worship ought to be reminding ourselves of who God is—the holy, sovereign Lord.
Source: Preparing Your Heart for Worship (Ligonier article)
Love is not merely a feeling but an objective concept defined by God, who defines it as the rejection of sexual immorality, impurity, and covetousness.
God defines love as being the rejection of sexual immorality, impurity, and covetousness. Anything that includes such things cannot be love even if the designation of love is claimed.
Source: Principles and Situations (Ligonier article)
The church has a biblical duty to engage with the public square and call the state to account, as demonstrated throughout biblical history.
And that has been the task of the church throughout the ages, throughout the pages of the Old Testament and into the New.
Source: Principles for Voting (Ligonier article)
Government is instituted by God to protect human life and maintain common grace, and it is ultimately accountable to God.
But on the other side of the coin God also instituted government for the safety and well being of the people who live in its midst. And the government has been assigned by God the responsibility of preserving, protecting and maintaining the sanctity of human life.
Source: Principles for Voting (Ligonier article)
Justification is a central, pivotal doctrine that affects all other aspects of Christian theology.
John Calvin added a different metaphor, saying that justification is the hinge upon which everything turns.
Source: Is the Reformation Over? (Ligonier article)
Grace is a gift that cannot be earned, bought, or merited, and it is given to the humble because they understand God's graciousness.
By definition, grace is not something you can earn. You can receive grace only if God in His mercy gives it to you. It’s a gift. You can’t buy, earn, or merit it. God gives grace to the humble because they understand the graciousness of grace.
Source: The Secret to a Happy Life (Ligonier article)
When approaching God, one must come in thanksgiving and praise for received grace, rather than demanding or persuading Him.
We must come to Him in thanksgiving and praise for the grace we’ve already received.
Source: The Secret to a Happy Life (Ligonier article)
The Christian must distinguish between the secular and the sacred, but never separate them.
The Christian must distinguish between the secular and the sacred, but never separate them.
Source: Secularism: Ignoring the Eternal (Ligonier article)
Secularism is criticized for confusing the secular and the sacred, stressing the present, and neglecting the eternal.
They don't separate the secular and the sacred; they confuse them. They stress the now and neglect the eternal.
Source: Secularism: Ignoring the Eternal (Ligonier article)
Genuine nonconformity must be motivated by devotion to God, not merely for its own sake.
The key words in this beatitude are "for My sake." The nonconformity we are called to is not simply nonconformity for nonconformity's sake.
Source: The World Is a Seducer (Ligonier article)
The Old Testament is a reliable source for worship principles because it provides detailed instructions, while the New Testament is less explicit on the conduct of worship.
In the Old Testament, I find a refuge from speculation, from human opinion, and from the vagaries of human taste and preference because there I find God Himself explicitly demanding that certain things take place in worship.
Source: Sight, Place, and the Presence of God (Ligonier article)
People who feel bored in church are likely experiencing a lack of sense of God's presence.
I must conclude that they are experiencing no sense of the presence of God. That is tragic, because if people have no sense of the presence of God, they cannot be moved to worship and glorify God.
Source: Sight, Place, and the Presence of God (Ligonier article)
The physical design of a worship environment can significantly help people feel the presence of God and inspire worship.
That gave me the opportunity to point out how the architecture of the cathedrals, the form of the worship environment in those buildings, put my students in the “mood” for worship, as it were.
Source: Sight, Place, and the Presence of God (Ligonier article)
A lack of sense of God's presence prevents people from being moved to worship and glorify God.
That is tragic, because if people have no sense of the presence of God, they cannot be moved to worship and glorify God.
Source: Sight, Place, and the Presence of God (Ligonier article)
The belief that Christ is the first creature made by God, as held by groups like Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, is incorrect and falls short of Christian orthodoxy.
Following the thinking of the ancient heretic Arius, Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses argue that the New Testament does not teach the deity of Christ; rather, they argue it teaches He is the exalted firstborn of all creation. They say He is the first creature made by God, who then is given superior power and authority over the rest of creation.
Source: A Snare in Your Midst (Ligonier article)
Polytheism is foreign to Judeo-Christian theology, which understands deity in monotheistic terms.
Such polytheism is utterly foreign to Judeo-Christian theology, where deity is understood in monotheistic terms.
Source: A Snare in Your Midst (Ligonier article)
Contemporary American Christians are experiencing a spiritual exile due to a culture and government that is increasingly hostile to Christianity.
Ours is a spiritual exile as we confront a culture and government increasingly hostile to Christianity.
Source: Songs from Exile (Ligonier article)
Nehemiah was unwilling to compromise the mission for God, even if it meant losing the applause of both Jews and pagans.
But Nehemiah cared nothing for the applause of men and was totally unwilling to compromise the mission he had undertaken for God.
Source: Songs from Exile (Ligonier article)
Failing to tithe is considered robbing God Himself, not just the church or its leaders.
Malachi’s teaching indicates that when we fail to tithe, we are not merely robbing the church, the clergy, or Christian educators—we are robbing God Himself.
Source: What Does the Bible Say About Christian Tithing? (Ligonier article)
The Didache, written in the first or second century, shows that the early Christian community continued the practice of tithing.
The tithe principle is clearly communicated in this work, showing us that the primitive Christian community continued the practice of the tithe.
Source: What Does the Bible Say About Christian Tithing? (Ligonier article)
Christian art does not require its subject matter to be overtly or directly religious.
I think it is wrong for Christians to demand of their artists that they paint only themes which are overtly and directly religious.
Source: The Christian and Art (Ligonier article)
Christ prayed for the church's unity to mirror the unity that exists between the Father and the Son.
He desired that the unity of the people of God—the unity of the church—would reflect and mirror the unity that exists between the Father and the Son.
Source: The Church Is One (Ligonier article)
American culture is characterized by being a melting pot of people and ideas, making it pluralistic rather than uniform.
Such uniformity has not been the American experience. We have been a melting pot of people and, therefore, of ideas. The result has been that many different beliefs and philosophies compete for acceptance within our society. We are not uniform but pluralistic.
Source: The Importance of Cultural Awareness (Ligonier article)
Many Christians fail to understand the boundaries between Christianity and paganism.
We are inconsistent and confused because we fail to understand where Christianity ends and paganism begins. We do not know where the boundary lines are.
Source: The Importance of Cultural Awareness (Ligonier article)
The aesthetic value of music cannot be determined solely by how long ago it was written or composed.
We can’t determine the aesthetic value of music based upon how long ago it was written or composed.
Source: The Nadir of Arrogance (Ligonier article)
Many hymns were originally considered innovative, often borrowing from secular musical styles and adapting them for Christian use.
It is instructive to remember that most of the hymns that are now well-received in the church as part of the classic depository of hymnody were considered innovative at one time. In fact, many hymn writers borrowed from the musical styles that were popular in the secular world of their day, put them into a Christian context, and introduced them into the life of the church.
Source: The Nadir of Arrogance (Ligonier article)
For prayer to be answered, one must maintain proper reverence, obedience, and continuous communion with Christ.
There must be proper reverence for God, obedience to his will, and an ongoing communion with Christ.
Source: The Power of Prayer (Ligonier article)
Sin is defined as the disobedience of God's purpose for humanity, which involves seeking personal glory instead of God's glory.
We were created to rely on God and give Him glory. But we insist on seeking our own glory instead. We have substituted God’s will for our own desires, and set out to make a name for ourselves. This is what the Bible calls ‘sin’ and it is the disobedience of God’s purpose for us.
Source: The Quest for Glory (Ligonier article)
Churches that support abortion or remain silent on the issue have a duty to be called to account and must protest the evil of abortion.
It is time for Christians to give prophetic criticism to the church, specifically to those churches that support abortion on demand or remain silent on this major issue. In my own city, one of the largest evangelical churches has publicly welcomed the woman in America who is the most visible and vocal supporter of partial-birth abortions.
Source: The Voice of the Church (Ligonier article)
Attacks against the authority and integrity of Scripture are attacks on the church's very foundation.
The attacks launched against the integrity, authority, sufficiency, and trustworthiness of Scripture are attacks not upon a side alcove of this building. They don’t put a dent in the roof of the church. They’re attacks on the church’s very foundation.
Source: What Is the Church? (Ligonier article)
The primary focus for improving culture and the nation must be the renewal of the church, not merely criticizing external cultural or governmental issues.
if we want to be concerned for our nation and culture, our priority must be the renewal of the church.
Source: What Is the Church? (Ligonier article)
The integrity of Christ's person and work is paramount, meaning He must be sinless, which requires all His teaching, including Scripture doctrine, to be true.
The issue at stake is the integrity of the person and work of Jesus. He can save us only if He is sinless, and He is sinless only if all of His teaching—including what He teaches about Scripture—is true.
Source: What Difference Does an Inerrant Bible Make? (Ligonier article)
The purpose of life is to offer honor to God, recognizing that this is the highest goal.
It involves recognizing that there is no higher goal than offering honor to God.
Source: What Does “Coram Deo” Mean? (Ligonier article)
When praying for God's blessing on a nation, one must acknowledge that God has the capability to withdraw that blessing or bring calamity.
If you pray that God would bless a nation, certainly in your prayer you must allow for the possibility that He might not, that indeed, if He’s capable of bringing prosperity and peace to a nation, then He must also be capable of withdrawing that blessing and even bringing calamity and wrath on it.
Source: What Does It Mean That God Is Sovereign? (Ligonier article)
Grace is defined as the unmerited favor of God.
The catechisms many of us learned as children give us the answer: “Grace is the unmerited favor of God.”
Source: What Is Grace? (Ligonier article)
Sacred space is ground that becomes holy because of an intersection between the divine and the human.
God commanded Moses: “Moses, Moses! . . . Take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground” (Ex. 3:4–5). Holy ground is ground that is now uncommon, extraordinary, filled with meaning and significance, because there an intersection took place between the divine and the human, between the Creator and the creature.
Source: What Is a Sacrament? (Ligonier article)
The concept of sacred space is a common human practice of imbuing ordinary places with special significance due to an association with something transcendent.
Part of our human experience is taking that which is ordinary and imbuing it with special significance because of its association with something transcendent, something supremely important.
Source: What Is a Sacrament? (Ligonier article)
Human practice involves taking ordinary things and giving them special significance because of their association with something transcendent.
Part of our human experience is taking that which is ordinary and imbuing it with special significance because of its association with something transcendent, something supremely important.
Source: What Is a Sacrament? (Ligonier article)
The church observes specific occasions because they mark sacred time, which is a key aspect of Christian life.
The reason, however, that the church celebrates those specific occasions is that they mark, in our memory, sacred time.
Source: What Is a Sacrament? (Ligonier article)
Jesus attached new significance to the ancient Passover rite by declaring that the bread and cup symbolized His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus took the Old Testament sacrament of Passover and filled it with new meaning and new content, saying, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt. 26:28).
Source: What Is a Sacrament? (Ligonier article)
Salvation is a divine work that is accomplished by God, from God, and for God.
We are saved by God, from God, for God. That is the full irony of the drama of salvation.
Source: What Is Glorification? (Ligonier article)
Sin is viewed as a debt because God, as the Creator and Sovereign, imposes obligations, and failure to perform them results in debt.
God intrinsically and absolutely has the right to impose obligations on His creation. If God imposes obligations upon us that we fail to perform, then we incur debt. At this point, God becomes a creditor.
Source: What Is Sin? (Ligonier article)
Baptism is a rich and complex sacrament that cannot be reduced to a single meaning.
I think one of our tendencies is to reduce those to one—making it merely a cleansing rite or merely a sign of empowering by the Holy Spirit—when in fact it is a sacrament that is rich and complex with meaning and significance.
Source: What Is the Significance of Baptism? (Ligonier article)
Blasphemy is defined as saying things that denigrate the character of God.
Blasphemy is something that we say that denigrates the character of God.
Source: What Is the Unpardonable Sin? (Ligonier article)
The proper response to God's corrective actions is to receive them with gladness.
We would do well to receive His jolt with gladness, for it helps us see things from the eternal perspective.
Source: When Towers Fall (Ligonier article)
God prohibits idolatry, viewing it as an abomination that pollutes the land and provokes His judgment.
Don’t you know that God prohibits this, and that it’s an abomination in His sight and it pollutes the whole land and provokes His judgment?
Source: Which Laws Apply? (Ligonier article)
The early church faced the challenge of maintaining monotheism while simultaneously affirming the deity of Christ.
In the early centuries, the church had to maintain the clearly taught notion of monotheism, with the equally clear affirmation of the deity of Christ. How monotheism could be maintained while affirming the deity of Christ reached crisis proportions in the third century and on into the fourth.
Source: Who Do You Say That I Am? (Ligonier article)
After condemning Sabellius, the church used the expression 'like essence' (homoi-ousios) to refer to the Logos.
Sabellius and his Modalistic Monarchianism was condemned as heresy in Antioch in 267, and the church used the expression “like essence” ( homoi-ousios ) to refer to the Logos.
Source: Who Do You Say That I Am? (Ligonier article)
A faithful servant who performs their duties will be given even greater responsibility and esteem by their master.
The master will give the servant even more responsibility and esteem because he has been faithful in the things given to him.
Source: Will He Find You Faithful? (Ligonier article)
The marketplace was a central, public location for community life, not merely a place for shopping.
The marketplace in Athens was more than a mere shopping mall. It was the center of community life. It was the place where people gathered to play, shop, hear lawsuits, and attend events.
Source: Into the World (Ligonier article)
Believers are responsible for engaging the world and should not blame the world for their own failure to do so.
I fear that all too often we blame the world for our failure to engage it when, in reality, we are more comfortable hiding from the world’s hostility.
Source: Into the World (Ligonier article)
The speaker questioned whether the practice of speaking in tongues was a supernatural event, suggesting it was not necessarily the same as what occurred in the early church.
I don’t doubt anyone’s experience of praying in such a fashion, but I am concerned it is not a supernatural event and is not the same as what was experienced in the early church.
Source: Zeal without Knowledge (Ligonier article)
Predestination proper is distinct from providence, which deals with God's involvement in everyday actions and activities.
And predestination proper is concerned not with those daily questions of whether or not I drop this chalk on the floor, if that was predestined. That would fall under the theological heading of providence.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 21:14
Sin is fundamentally an act of slandering God's integrity, asserting that the sinner knows better than God what will bring them happiness.
I'm saying I know what's going to make me happy. God doesn't know what's going to make me happy. He has arbitrarily put a restriction on me to keep me from being happy. The same slander that the serpent is giving to the integrity of God is repeated every single time we sin.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:36
When the Bible speaks of God 'hating' someone, it refers to the withholding of special divine favor, not a feeling of malice.
And all that "hatred" means in this passage is the absence of this special divine favor, where God is giving a special divine favor, a gracious action, a loving action to one, He withholds from the other.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 22:15
When dealing with the reprobate, God's activity is passive, meaning He lets them to themselves and does not actively create evil or unbelief in their hearts.
But in the case of the rest of mankind, He lets them to themselves. He does not come in and create evil in their hearts, or create unbelief in their hearts, He passes over them, letting them to themselves, so that God's activity here is negative, or passive, rather than active.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 26:36
The ritualistic actions described in the text were not primitive magic but were significant because they attracted the attention of birds of prey.
Birds of prey were attracted to this holy liturgy to disturb it, to defile it, to destroy it. And Abraham, all he was able to do was to shoo away the vultures, and the buzzards that were coming.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 29:55
Circumcision was a sign that consecrated the individual, setting them apart and reminding them of their commitment to God.
I have set you apart. I have consecrated you. I have made you holy. And that's the blessing of which I spoke, and the sign of that blessing will be seen in this cutting rite of circumcision.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 35:47
The Roman Catholic Church believes that during the prayer of consecration, a supernatural miracle occurs, changing the substance of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ.
▷ A view Sproul explains or critiques — not his own position.
the belief of the Roman Catholic church is that in the midst of this observation, a divine, supernatural, immediate miracle takes place where, during the prayer of consecration, that can be offered by one who has gone through holy orders and has been consecrated as a priest, during the prayer of consecration the miracle takes place -- the miracle that is called transubstantiation
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 11:33
The Sabbath day is a time for concentrated attention on one's relationship with God, involving worship and reflection on life's purpose.
Remember that in the context of the Sabbath day, man does more than rests. This is the day in which he is given towards concentrated attention to his relationship to God. This is the day of worship. This is the day of celebration.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 2:47
Christian life requires mirroring and reflecting the uniqueness of God by living in service and harmony with the Creator.
We are called to mirror and to reflect the uniqueness of God; that our lives are to be lived out in the service of our Creator in fellowship and in harmony with Him.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 3:52
Recognizing parallelism is a signal that the passage is poetry, requiring careful interpretation to avoid misunderstanding the meaning.
But it's that recognition that when we see parallelism we know we're dealing with poetry, and a flag should go up in our head that is a poetic structure that we need to be careful that we don't misinterpret it.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 9:29
The concept of the Zeitgeist refers to the prevailing spirit or spirit of the age, encompassing what is currently fashionable or acceptable.
Well “Zeit” is the German word for “time” and “Geist” is the German word for “spirit,” and so this compact word “Zeitgeist” means literally “the spirit of the times,” or “the spirit of the age.”
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 19:24
The New Testament, specifically Paul, calls believers to resist conforming to the world.
But Paul says, “Do not be conformed to this world.”
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 16:27
Pelagianism is fundamentally anti-Christian and unchristian.
▷ A view Sproul explains or critiques — not his own position.
But what this church historian was saying is that Pelagianism is fundamentally not only on unchristian, but anti-Christian.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 30:35
The command to honor parents must be followed regardless of whether the parents themselves are honorable.
But God doesn’t say, “Honor your father and mother only when they’re honorable.” But theirs is a position, they hold an office, and even if they’re unworthy of that office, the office itself is still to be honored so that Christians should be scrupulous in demonstrating honor, dignity, and respect to every parent.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 1:02
Sin not only exposes shame but also soils the soul, necessitating cleansing.
It is the bath that signifies the laver of regeneration, the cleansing from sin because not only does sin expose our shame, but it also soils our souls as it were.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 14:07
Humans are called to imitate God's love by treating enemies and those who persecute them with goodness and blessing.
Love your enemies. That is, bless the ones who curse you. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 18:04
Sin is not merely an isolated event, but a pattern of nurturing and justifying one's sinful desires.
You embraced your sin. You nurtured your sin. And even though at first it made you sick because you knew you were violating everything sacred and everything holy. You kept at your sin.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 14:55
Worship is defined as the people of God offering praise, adoration, and affection to God.
Worship is not entertainment, worship is when the people of God come and as priests lift up their praises, their adoration, their affection to God, just as the priests lifted up the blood offering in the Old Testament, we lift up our reverence and our adoration to God in praise.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:00
The God of Scripture is capable of being angry when humans violate others, trample truth, or desecrate the holy.
But the God of Scripture is a God who is capable of being angry when human beings violate other human beings, and when human beings trample truth, and when human beings desecrate that which is holy, God is angry.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 27:44
Humanity has a basic propensity towards idolatry, which involves worshipping a creature rather than the Creator.
Your religion, we all have a basic propensity towards idolatry. That's where we all are coming from.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 44:52
Monarchianism was an historical attempt to preserve the unity of God and specifically monotheism.
And so, monarchianism was an attempt, historically, to preserve the unity of God, and specifically monotheism, but it sometimes, as I said, veered off course and created several problems.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 4:22
People have a deep-seated desire to find a place where they can be naked and unashamed, such as in private.
Yet there's another side to it still, another facet. There is a sense in which all of us have a desire, deep down in, to find that Eden where once again we can be naked and unashamed.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 16:23
Sproul argues that interpreting the Song of Solomon solely as an allegory of Christ's love for the church is incorrect.
I would say, just by way of passing, you don't have time to defend it from an academic perspective, that there just simply is no justification whatsoever for interpreting the Song of Solomon simply as an allegory of Christ's love for the church.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:11
The Song of Solomon should be interpreted literally as a celebration of romance, rather than forced into an allegory.
that there just simply is no justification whatsoever for interpreting the Song of Solomon simply as an allegory of Christ's love for the church. What this is, is a divinely inspired love song, where the Holy Spirit is celebrating romance between two people.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 5:20
Christians are taught to accept criticism gratefully, even when the criticism is harmful.
But we are taught all of our lives to accept criticism gratefully. We give people a license to criticize us.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 16:10
Amillennialism believes the Christian community will have an ongoing positive influence on culture, bringing blessing and improvement to the human condition.
Now, also the amill position believes that the Christian community, as it manifests the kingdom, will have an ongoing positive influence on culture, that the impact of the church on the world will be to bring blessing and improvement to the human condition and to the human situation.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 8:16
Salvation is achieved by grace through faith, and this is not an action performed by man.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 11:42
Humans were created for fellowship and communion with God, experiencing joy in His presence.
Beloved, you were made for fellowship and communion with God. You were created with a capacity to experience unspeakable joy in his presence, to be shut out of that presence, to be in a place where there is no light and only darkness is the worst possible thing that could ever befall you.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 2:19
Evangelism is a natural response to having experienced God's grace and forgiveness.
I will be an evangelist because that would be my natural response to the experience of Your grace.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 23:14
While the Bible suggests wives should submit to their husbands, the most difficult command is for husbands to love their wives sacrificially.
I think women have the easy role here to perform. I wish all I had to do was submit and let my wife have that position of leadership and authority in the house. The hard part comes now. Listen to what God says to the man. "Husbands, love your wives."
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 17:55
A husband's role is to nourish and cherish his wife, thereby honoring Christ and making the marriage whole.
That’s my job -- to nourish her and to cherish her, and in that Christ is honored, and marriages are made whole.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 26:39
Christian people are marked by their call to humiliation, which is demonstrated by identifying with Christ through baptism.
Christian people are marked indelibly with their call to humiliation. We bear witness to Him by calling attention to His death and resurrection by participating in it in our own lives. When a person is baptized, he identifies himself with Jesus Christ.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:00
God's provision of the sacrifice is a consistent theme, first symbolized by the ram and later fulfilled by Jesus Christ.
God said, "Abraham, I will provide the sacrifice. I will provide the lamb," so that two thousand years later, a prophet came out of the desert in Palestine and called the whole nation to take a bath, because he said, "The kingdom of God is coming."
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 48:54
True worship involves recognizing that God is the Lord of all and that He is the one who created the individual.
If you believe that, then you’re on your face, never making demands to God, only making requests. Because you recognize that it is He who has made you and not you yourself.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 3:02
A casual or cavalier attitude toward the name of God reveals a person's deepest attitude toward God.
if we have a cavalier, casual attitude toward the name of God, that reveals more deeply than anything else we say about our deepest attitude toward the God of the name.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 27:48
The coming of the Kingdom of God and the doing of God's will on earth depends on the reverence shown to God's name.
I don't think that the kingdom of God will ever come on this earth or that the will of God will ever be done on this earth until or unless the name of God is revered by His people.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 27:07
Using God's name as a common curse word demonstrates a lack of respect for God's holiness.
If you use the name of God as a common curse word, you are at root a profane person. You have no respect for the holiness of God, and I urge you to think before you let that word pass over your lips again in a frivolous manner because God will not tolerate the desecration of His name.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 27:54
While Amos's basic theme is the justice of God, the basic theme of Hosea is loving mercy.
We say of Amos that the basic theme of Amos is the justice of God – doing what is right. But the basic theme of Hosea is loving mercy.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 5:19
It is a greater sin to deny God's existence and then worship something inferior in His place than it is to refuse to worship God entirely.
It’s one thing to refuse to worship God at all. It’s another thing to not only deny His existence, but then to set up something in His place that isn’t worthy to compare with Him and begin to worship that in His place.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 2:36
Every person, regardless of their status (priest, scholar, or theologian), has a duty to study God's Word diligently.
God does, in fact, require of each of His people, not just of the priests and the prophets or the scholars and the theologians, He requires of each one of us that we be diligent in the study of His Word.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 24:20
The core issue in worship is the absence of God at the center of the practice.
The problem is the absence of God from the center of our worship.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 2:26
There is a growing sense of hostility and militancy directed against the Christian faith and against Christians.
and that more and more it seems that there’s a growing hostility in our nation towards the Christian faith and a growing sense of militancy from pro-Christian and anti-Christian forces.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:31
The speaker finds it exceedingly rare to encounter someone who publicly criticizes the integrity of Jesus.
But in the midst of all of that, what I find exceedingly rare is someone who publicly will criticize the integrity of Jesus.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 1:31
Jesus of Nazareth has engendered more universal respect for his integrity than any other human being.
nevertheless there’s a kind of restraint about Jesus – that it – of all the human beings who’ve ever lived, I doubt if there’s ever been a human being who has engendered more universal respect for his integrity than Jesus of Nazareth.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 2:35
Ministry is motivated by the fact that God needs nothing, and humans minister to others as an appropriate way to show gratitude.
Context: Quoting Jonathan Edwards' statement, but affirming the principle as the impetus for ministry.
the only appropriate way for us to show our gratitude to God who needs nothing, who is all-sufficient, is to take from our sufficiency and minister to those who do need something—in His name.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:00
Anyone who takes their faith seriously and speaks from the Word of God will eventually be accused of fanaticism.
Because anybody who takes their faith seriously and speaks in behalf of Christ and His kingdom will at some point, and often at many points, be accused of fanaticism.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:57
The Creator is perfectly righteous and holy, and cannot be portrayed as flawed or imperfect.
The Creator is perfectly righteous. There is no shadow of turning in Him. He is a holy God. And yet man, who is finite from the dust, contingent, raises his fist in defiance against the eternally holy, self-existent Creator of the universe.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 5:41
Sin is an offense against an infinitely perfect being, requiring an infinite and eternal penalty.
Now, it's an offense against an infinitely perfect and infinitely holy being, and I think the theologians are correct when they say that a just penalty for a crime against an infinitely valuable being is infinite and eternal punishment.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 9:08
Love does not seek attention or an ostentatious display of itself.
Love does not seek it's own. Love does not seek the spotlight all the time, and love does not seek an ostentatious display of itself, "it does not parade itself" is the way Paul speaks of it.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 5:29
Love does not prioritize its own desires but is instead sensitive to the needs and desires of other people.
Loving -- to love, does not seek your own, does not have to have its own way all the time, but love is sensitive to the needs and the desires of other people.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 11:08
Love is defined as being unprovoked, meaning it does not have a short fuse or become easily angered.
"Love is not provoked." What does that mean? It means love does not have a short fuse. Love is not ill tempered.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 11:22
True worship must be centered on the character of God Himself, not on man-made objects or worldly theology.
At the very beginning of the Old Testament covenant at Sinai was an emphasis on faith that was to be different from other religions, a faith that would be focused and centered on the character of God Himself.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 11:35
The Bible reflects the views and perspective of life of the culture in which it was written, but this does not mean it teaches erroneous views.
It reflects life and the perspective of life of one living in an agricultural society because that’s the setting in which – and I certainly believe with the conclusion of this that the church has an obligation to approach the Scriptures with literary and historical understanding.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 23:09
God demands that those who minister in His name must be treated with reverence and acknowledge His holiness.
Do you remember the day I set you apart and consecrated you for that holy task that I said that there are certain principles I will not negotiate with my priests? I will be regarded as holy, from any -- by anyone who dares to presume to minister in my name. And before the people I will be treated with reverence.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 7:25
People become so accustomed to God's normal patterns of grace and mercy that they take it for granted, assume it, and demand it.
But ladies and gentlemen, we become so accustomed to God's normal patterns of grace and mercy that we not only begin to take it for granted, we begin to assume it, we begin to demand it, and then if we don't get it we're furious.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 26:15
Believers are beloved by the Father, and this status should not be forgotten.
We are beloved of the Father because he’s beloved of the Father, and we ought never to forget that.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 22:31
The New Testament does not repudiate the Old Testament's affirmation of monotheism; rather, it assumes and repeats these concepts.
When we come to the New Testament, it's not as though the New Testament repudiates the Old Testament affirmation of monotheism. The concepts of monotheism that are so firmly established in the Old Testament are not only assumed, but repeated over and over again in the New Testament.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 8:47
After God forgives and cleanses a person, the natural result is a calling to ministry and service.
You know, I have noticed in Scripture that God never says, "Come unto Me," without saying to those who come unto Him, "Go ye." We come to Him, He heals us, He forgives us, and then He sends us.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 24:18
For those who are in Christ, there is no condemnation, even if they still must go through an evaluation.
Now, as for those who are in Christ, the apostle says, “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” That doesn’t mean that we don’t have to go through an evaluation. But those who are in Christ, the forgiven people, will never be condemned by the wrath
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 16:04
Those who are in Christ, the forgiven people, will never be condemned by the wrath of God.
But those who are in Christ, the forgiven people, will never be condemned by the wrath of God.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 16:17
The first thing one should pray for, according to Jesus' teaching, is that God's name be treated with reverence and regarded as holy.
The first petition: "Hallowed be Thy name." What does that mean? Jesus is saying when you pray the first thing you should pray for is that the name of My Father be treated with reverence; that it be regarded as holy, because indeed holy is His name.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 7:29
The core message of Scripture is to highlight the gap between God's perfect holiness and humanity's inherent corruption.
That's what the message of Scripture is all about and how God addresses that gap between who He is and who we are.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 25:12
The purpose of being present is to give praise and give thanks to God.
We’ve been made clean, and we come to give praise, and we come to give thanks.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 6:36
The ultimate goal is to show thanks, giving glory and honor to the Redeemer.
How do you show your thanks to Christ? How do you give glory and honor to your Redeemer? That’s what we’re about, saying thank you.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 7:52
When there is a clear conflict between obeying God and obeying man, a religious person must obey God.
Whenever there is a clear conflict there, the only right thing that any religious person can do is to obey God.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 20:28
The monotheism found in Israel and the Old Testament is unique compared to other ancient cultures.
but there is a uniqueness found in the particular type of monotheism that is native to Israel and to Old Testament Jewish faith.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 6:02
One should not conclude that the name Elohim implies polytheism.
And so I think that you're leaping to conclusions by assuming from the name Elohim that therefore there was this polytheism. It really gets at times absurd.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 16:19
Christianity is not a religion of individualism, but rather emphasizes community.
Christianity is not a religion of individualism.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:08
Apostasy is defined as a repudiation of true faith, which is distinct from paganism, which refers to an unbeliever who has never professed faith.
Now, remember the difference between paganism and apostasy. A pagan is one who is an unbeliever who has never made a profession of faith.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 11:50
Even those hostile to God's things who engage in godless behavior still retain a nagging awareness that their actions are wrong.
The people that you know in this world who are hostile to the things of God, who have no qualms about the godless behavior in which they are involved every day, nevertheless do not always sleep easily at night when they put their head on the pillow. They know. And they know that they know that how they are living is not good.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 3:06
The phrase 'Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated' should be interpreted not literally, but as an idiomatic expression of preference.
The standard method of interpreting this difficult text is to see these words, first by Malachi, and then as they are repeated by the Apostle Paul in Romans, as simply a manner of speaking. Kind of a Hebrewism, Hebraism, kind of an idiomatic expression not to be taken in a direct literal sense, but rather simply expresses the idea of some sort of preference.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 4:23
Monophysitism is the heresy that confuses or mixes the two distinct natures of Jesus.
Because what is going on here in the monophysite heresy is the two natures of Jesus are being mixed together or confused.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 8:43
God's anger is a righteous and appropriate response to the reality of injustice.
God's anger, as we say, is righteous indignation. And it is an appropriate response to the reality of injustice. It is injustice that angers God.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:36
The God being worshipped possesses absolute power and the ability to fulfill every promise He has made.
But the God that we worship, the God that we believe, has the power. He has the strength to do what He will do. He has the power to fulfill every promise that He has made to His people.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 1:18
God's judgment, even when correcting or chastising, is characterized by a tenderness that prevents humiliation.
There is a tenderness about His judgment as He seeks to correct us so that we can be comfortable in His presence.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 22:02
Entering a holy place should intuitively evoke a sense of reverence, much like Jacob recognizing God's presence.
Have you ever walked into a church – a cathedral perhaps – where as soon as you walked across the threshold, walked through the door that you sensed what I sensed that night in that chapel on that wintry night where you were making a transition from the common to the uncommon. That you were walking over a threshold from the secular to the holy; from the profane to the sacred.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 23:19
The attempt to find the 'essence' of religion by reducing it to a common denominator is reductionistic and tends to obscure vital ingredients of Christianity.
And the attempt later scholars were critical of saying that it was reductionistic, that is, get down to the very lowest common denominator of what we find in religion -- what is religion all about
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 3:10
Directly addressing God as 'Father' was unusual in the Old Testament, and Jesus was notable for doing so, which even led to accusations of blasphemy.
The personal direct form of address of calling God Father is noticeably absent from those Jewish lists. And we go over this in more detail in our Christology series but I'll mention it again here, and that is a fact that most people aren't aware of, that nowhere in the Old Testament or in any existing Hebrew documents do we ever find a Jewish person addressing God directly in the form of personal address as Father until the tenth century A.D., till a thousand years after Christ, in Italy, with one notable exception -- a Jewish Rabbi from Galilee in the first century whose life is recorded in history; many of his public and private prayers are recorded, and in every single prayer this Rabbi prays except one, he directly addresses God as Father. Who is that mysterious Galilean Rabbi? Jesus.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 8:45
Animism is the most primitive form of worship, involving praying to inanimate objects like trees or rocks because they are believed to be inhabited by spirit beings.
Animism believes that inanimate objects like trees or turtles, or -- well turtles are animated in a certain sense, but trees and rocks and so on -- are inhabited by spirit beings, usually of a negative inclination, demonic spirits.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 19:53
Sproul warns that failing to show proper reverence to Christ can lead to divine anger and spiritual perishing.
I remind you again of the terrifying words in the admonition of the psalmist in Psalm 2, “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way.”
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:00
Believers should willingly show affection and reverence to Christ, contrasting this with betrayal.
And my plea is that we would all rejoice in His coming, willingly bow our knee before Him, embrace Him with affection, and give Him not the kiss of Judas, but the kiss of love and affection in which He delights.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:00
God ordained Christ's sacrifice from the beginning of time.
In His providence, God ordained from the foundation of the world that this lamb should go to an altar to be slain as a sacrifice.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 45:41
God is inherently righteous and always does what is right, which is the fundamental assumption of biblical justice.
Ladies and gentlemen, that's all God knows how to do, because He is altogether righteous. And to be righteous, simply speaking, is to do what is right. God always does what is right and Abraham understood that, and that was the foundation for this almost humorous narrative of negotiations.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 18:55
When Israel sins, God allows them to be oppressed by enemies, which leads them to cry out to God.
So, God is going to chastise His child, Israel. So, He raises up the Philistines to come and smite the Israelites to drive them back to dependence upon their God. So then what happens? The Philistines come, and the Israelites become oppressed.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 1:05
The Holy Spirit is characterized as not being a slanderer.
The Holy Spirit is not a slanderer.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:00
The dirty clothes of the priest symbolize a blemish or imperfection that Satan focuses upon to argue that the person is unfit for ministry in God's presence.
But we look at Joshua, and his clothes are dirty, and that indicates that there’s a blemish or something that is taking away from the purity of his office and of his mission, and it’s that that Satan sees and focuses upon.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 8:23
The United States is a great country that takes pride in the principle of toleration.
It has been called obviously the 'Melting Pot' nation where we have welcomed people from every race and every religious persuasion and every conceivable form of background and it's a nation that takes pride in the principle of toleration.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 1:02
Luther struggled with the concept of God's justice, viewing God as an angry Judge who condemns sinners.
He said, "Christ seems to me as an angry Judge with a sword in His hand. You asked me if I love God? This God who damns sinners, who imposes the relentless decrees of His laws on their consciences. Love God?" said Luther, "Sometimes I hate Him."
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 39:06
God provides a foreign righteousness in Christ that covers human unjustness.
God's internal righteousness, but He's speaking about a righteousness that is a iustitia aliena, a foreign righteousness, a righteousness He provides for people who don't have any of their own. The righteousness that God provides for you in Christ, the justice of God that covers your unjustness.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 46:03
God is incapable of unrighteousness, even when dealing with human sin or election.
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 7:04
The overarching message throughout the Bible is that human life is profoundly sacred.
The overarching message is that human life is profoundly sacred.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 13:26
Withholding offerings and tithes is equated with stealing from God.
By withholding your offerings and your tithes, you are actually stealing from God.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 17:34
The Old Testament demonstrates that God's hand and glory are constantly present, even in natural elements like bushes, making God worthy of worship.
Because the Old Testament makes it clear that His hand is behind every bush. And there can’t be a bush without the being of God. And heaven and earth are full of His glory. And His glory is wonderful and marvelous and astonishing, and most important, worthy of worship.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:00
Man's ultimate purpose is holiness, which involves glorifying and enjoying God.
In a word, we were made for holiness.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 24:02
God is characterized not only by passion in His rebuke of evil but also by compassion, hearing the cries of His people.
He is not indifferent to evil. He’s very passionate in His rebuke and admonition against evil. But, ladies and gentlemen, He’s not simply a God of passion. Perhaps the most obvious characteristic of that God is that He is a God of compassion, a God who hears the cries of His people.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 24:30
The Bible frequently emphasizes the importance of the mouth, lips, and tongue, noting their potential for sin and praise.
And in this series he speaks about his tongue, his lips and his mouth and so often we see that point of focus in the biblical concern for sin.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 4:31
Genuine humility is evident when people are broken by an encounter with God.
We see throughout the Scriptures when people are broken by an encounter with God that there is an experience of humility that is genuine.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 15:54
Jesus commanded his followers to love their enemies, bless those who curse them, do good to those who hate them, and pray for those who persecute them.
But I say to you, love your enemies. Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 14:31
Jesus taught that believers should strive for completeness, or integrity, mirroring the absolute perfection of God.
Jesus is saying you are to manifest and to imitate nothing less than the integrity of almighty God, who loves people even when they hate him, who does good to those who persecute his own Son, and you are called to transcend the normal, human feelings of hatred and vengeance that mark fallen humanity now that you are in the kingdom, you are to live out a kingdom ethic, the essence of which is this doctrine of love.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 15:37
Josephus was deeply devoted to Jerusalem and did not want to see its destruction.
But the thing that comes through the writings of Josephus is Josephus had an unbridled passion and love and affection for Jerusalem. He was the consummate Jew. He loved the Holy City.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 10:59
Josephus viewed the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple as a divine act of vengeance against the Jewish people.
And so he sees in the fall of Jerusalem and in the destruction of the temple a divine act of vengeance on His own people.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 26:56
Christianity is inherently God-centered, meaning that God is the central focus of the worldview.
Christianity is theocentric, that is to say, it is God-centered.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 13:07
God specifically identifies Isaac as the son to be sacrificed, emphasizing that he is the only authentic, legitimate son and the one whom Abraham loves.
Abraham, take now thy son, thy only son, that is your only authentic, legitimate son, you know which one I mean, Abraham, the one whom thou lovest.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 4:55
Modern culture has lost the understanding that every individual is personally and individually accountable to God for their entire life.
If there’s anything that’s been lost from our culture, it is the idea that human beings are privately, personally, and individually, accountable to God for their lives.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:00
The ultimate standard by which humanity will be judged is the perfection of God, not a mere human standard.
the standard by which we will be judged ultimately is not a curve, but it will be the standard of God's perfection.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 12:16
The persecution of Christians was significant, occurring both from the Jewish community and later from the Romans.
First at the hands of the Jewish community, but then secondly at the hands of the Romans.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 11:17
The offering of tithes, prayer, and attentive listening to the Word of God are all integral parts of proper worship.
Since when is the offering of our tithes to the Lord on Sunday morning not an integral part of worship? Since when is prayer not an essential dimension of the assembling together of the saints in worship?
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:00
The current understanding of worship in the church is deeply flawed and incorrect.
There’s something deeply wrong about our understanding of worship.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 0:15
Metaphysics is the academic discipline that searches for what lies beyond the scope of the physical.
Metaphysics searches for that which lies above and beyond the scope of the physical.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 8:07
Teleology is the study of purposes and goals, derived from the Greek word 'telos,' which means 'end' or 'purpose.'
And the science of teleology is the science of purposes and goals. I tell a story of when my daughter went to school for the first time. She went to a progressive public school in Boston, Massachusetts.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 23:01
Humanity is a subject that has been a central focus in the twentieth century, particularly following the decline of belief in God.
The dominant question of philosophy in the twentieth century has been the question of anthropology, "What does it mean to be anthropos, to be man or human?" That's been the overarching question, and there's a reason for that. It's not, again, by accident that the crisis in anthropology followed, in history, the eclipse of belief in God in Western civilization.
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 4:51
Believers are called 'saints' not because they are inherently pure or righteous, but because the Holy Spirit dwells in them and sets them apart.
Not because they are pure and righteous and altogether holy in that sense, but because the Holy Spirit is dwelling in them and the Holy Spirit has set them apart, and He sets them apart by consecrating them
Source: R.C. Sproul @ 15:22
The Bible speaks of people who manifest exemplary godliness, even if they are not perfectly righteous in obedience.
The Bible does speak, however, about those who manifest exemplary godliness, such as Job and other Old Testament characters who were singularly godly in contrast to everyone else.
Source: The Angel & Zacharias (Part 1) (Ligonier)
When God names a child, it signifies that the child is set apart and consecrated for a special task.
There were those rare occasions, however, when a special child was born and God would take away from the parents the authority to name the child: His name shall be Isaac. His name shall be Samuel. His name shall be John. His name shall be Jesus. When God does that, He is saying: “This child is set apart. This child will be sanctified and consecrated for a special task that I have called him to perform.”
Source: The Angel & Zacharias (Part 2) (Ligonier)
While he is personally in favor of seeker-sensitive worship, he believes that the structure of worship should ultimately be designed for believers.
On the other hand, as paradoxical as this might sound, I am strongly in favor of seeker-sensitive worship. I want the worship at Saint Andrew’s to be seeker-sensitive. However, I know that only believers are seekers, so I am hoping that we can structure our worship for believers.
Source: Asking & Knocking (Ligonier)
God gives believers the merit of Jesus' righteousness, which is imputed to them, even though they do not deserve it or earn it.
Father, how we thank You for the perfect righteousness of Jesus, whose righteousness You have transferred to our account and imputed to us, where we don’t deserve it, where we cannot earn it.
Source: The Baptism of Jesus (Ligonier)
The title Son of God should not be interpreted solely as a reference to Jesus' deity.
Likewise, when we see the title Son of God , we would assume that its primary reference is to His deity, but again we make a mistake if we draw that inference without great care.
Source: A Basket Case (Ligonier)
Corporate worship on Sunday morning is intended for the body of Christ (believers) to approach God as holy.
corporate worship on Sunday morning is for the body of Christ, for believers, and it is for believers to be brought before their living God and to approach Him as One who is holy.
Source: A Basket Case (Ligonier)
The reality of God's holiness must be reflected in how people worship Him, as this reveals their understanding of who He is.
The reality of God’s holiness should be manifested in how we worship Him. The way people worship God speaks louder about their understanding of who He is than any creed or theology they could write.
Source: A Basket Case (Ligonier)
Strong believers have a duty to tolerate the scruples of the weak and prioritize pleasing their neighbor.
We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.
Source: Bearing Others' Burdens (Ligonier)
The Word of God is a subject of continuous study and concern, particularly regarding how believers treat one another.
As I mentioned earlier, Paul treated this question of how we regard the weaker brother in the things that are adiaphorous—that is, things with no inherent ethical bearing, but which some people may have scruples about—as a matter so serious that he dealt with it in great length here in Romans and also in his correspondence to the Corinthian church.
Source: Bearing Others' Burdens (Ligonier)
In the context of the Christian community, believers should bear with the scruples of the weak and not seek personal pleasure at the expense of others.
That is not what Paul is talking about in the passage that I just read from Romans. Rather, he says that we ought to bear with the scruples of the weak and not please ourselves. It is not trying to please people for the sake of personal gain, but we are not to seek our own pleasure to the hurt of our brothers and sisters.
Source: Bearing Others' Burdens (Ligonier)
The command to give preference to one another is interpreted as a call to humility, where one should prefer others to receive honor and glory.
The general approach to this text interprets it to mean that we ought to prefer each other for honor. Rather than seeking honor for ourselves, we should seek to reflect, or deflect, honor from ourselves and prefer that others receive the honor and glory.
Source: Behave Like a Christian (Part 1) (Ligonier)
Christians should seek to deflect honor from themselves and prefer that others receive it, which is a call to humility.
Rather than seeking honor for ourselves, we should seek to reflect, or deflect, honor from ourselves and prefer that others receive the honor and glory. It is a call to humility.
Source: Behave Like a Christian (Part 1) (Ligonier)
Sproul acknowledges the difficulty of the command to bless enemies, contrasting it with the relative ease of simply refraining from cursing them.
Like I said, I can handle half of that. I can handle not cursing them. That is not too difficult. But to bless them, to pray that God would bestow His favor and grace upon these people? I am more comfortable with the prayers of imprecation, such as Psalm 70.
Source: Behave Like a Christian (Part 1) (Ligonier)
When people take offense when none is given, they are doing something offensive by responding in that manner.
When people take offense when none is given, they are doing something offensive by responding in that manner.
Source: Behave Like a Christian (Part 2) (Ligonier)
God's message to Pharaoh was not merely for the Israelites to be free, but specifically so that they could come and worship Him at His holy mountain.
No! “Let My people go, that they can come out and worship Me at my holy mountain.”
Source: The Benedictus (Part 2) (Ligonier)
God's deliverance of His people is intended for the purpose of worshiping Him and serving Him without fear.
No! “Let My people go, that they can come out and worship Me at my holy mountain.” We who have enjoyed the Exodus brought by one greater than Moses, having received the fulfillment of this promise to Abraham, are rescued from our enemies for the purpose of serving the Lord without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him.
Source: The Benedictus (Part 2) (Ligonier)
The greatest enemy to godliness and the Christian life is what is customarily accepted in the culture.
One of the greatest enemies to sanctification, to godliness, and to the Christian pilgrimage is that which is customarily accepted in the culture in which we live.
Source: The Birth of John the Baptist (Ligonier)
Being reviled or hated is a blessing only when it occurs because of one's commitment to Christ.
Jesus was not speaking to Hitler, saying, “It’s a wonderful thing that everybody hates you because you’re going to be great in the kingdom of God.” Jesus added that people treated this way for the Son of Man’s sake are blessed.
Source: Blessings & Curses (Ligonier)
Congruous merit is real but imperfect merit that is fitting for God to reward, but not so pure that it requires divine obligation.
It is true merit, but it is mixed with some weaknesses and frailties. It does not have perfect purity attached to it. It is not so good that it requires God to honor it or to reward it, but it is good enough to make it congruous, or fitting, for God to reward it.
Source: Boasting Excluded (Ligonier)
The true proof of loving Jesus is not merely saying it, but actively obeying His commandments.
Anyone can say that they love Jesus, but the proof of the pudding is obedience. In effect, Jesus was saying, “If you love Me, keep My commandments. But if you do not keep My commandments, you are workers of lawlessness and disobedience.”
Source: Build on the Rock (Ligonier)
The study of Apostolic doctrine is synonymous with the study of God's Word because that doctrine is found in sacred Scripture.
Beloved, the study of Apostolic doctrine is the study of God’s Word because you find the Apostolic doctrine in sacred Scripture.
Source: Build on the Rock (Ligonier)
All people, including the Pharisees and scribes, need the ministrations of the Son of God to cover their sins, forgive them, and redeem them.
So it was with the Pharisees, and so it was with the scribes, and so it is with all of us who think for a minute that we don’t need the ministrations of the Son of God to cover our sins, to forgive us, and to redeem us.
Source: The Call of Levi (Ligonier)
When worshipping God, believers should approach Him with godly fear and reverence, similar to the fear experienced by the disciples.
We come not with a servile fear but with a godly fear, a sense of reverence before Him, a sense of fear and trembling experienced by the disciples in the boat on the Sea of Galilee.
Source: The Calming of the Storm (Ligonier)
If a person is mature in their faith, their primary reason for attending church should be to worship God.
However, the reason that we are to come, if we are mature in our faith, is to worship God, to bow down before Him, to sing our praises to Him, to offer the sacrifice of praise to our God, and to adore Him with the fear of the Lord that is the beginning of wisdom.
Source: The Calming of the Storm (Ligonier)
Managers must be removed if they are cruel and uncaring to their subordinates, as the shepherd has a duty to protect the sheep.
I have tried to urge management in various organizations to make sure that if you have managers tyrannizing their subordinates, they must be removed. When the wolf comes into the sheepfold, it is the duty of the shepherd to protect the sheep.
Source: The Centurion's Servant (Ligonier)
Believers who are in Christ should express their thanks through loud, visible worship and adoration.
If it be that we are in Christ Jesus, we should shout our thanksgiving to Him and fall at His feet in honor, adoration, and worship.
Source: Cleansing of the Leper (Ligonier)
Sproul asserts that it is perfectly consistent for Jesus to cleanse the temple both during the first Passover and again before his death.
I think it is perfectly consistent that when Jesus comes to Jerusalem for the Passover before His death and sees the same thing going on, He goes back to the temple and cleanses it again.
Source: Cleansing of the Temple (Ligonier)
The purpose of Jesus' whip was not to express rage, but specifically to remove the animals from the temple complex.
No, the purpose of the whip was to get the animals out, and He drives them out of the temple complex.
Source: Cleansing of the Temple (Ligonier)
David's psalms illustrate that zeal for God's house can be a consuming passion that leads to personal reproach.
Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.
Source: Cleansing of the Temple (Ligonier)
God requires a specific manner of worship, and sacred spaces should be reserved for prayer and adoration, not commercial activities.
God is very particular about how He is worshipped, about how He is approached in the sanctuary. Jesus is saying to His contemporaries: “This is holy ground. This is a place for prayer. This is a place for adoration and worship. Take your animals and your money for exchange and go across the street. This is My Father’s house.”
Source: Cleansing of the Temple (Ligonier)
Many modern cultural practices and world events have roots in paganism, but these roots are often overlooked and should not cause great concern.
I think it is understandable that many things in the world and in our culture have their roots in paganism. But those roots have long since been overlooked, and we do not have any great scruples about them today.
Source: Conclusion (Ligonier)
The naming of days of the week after pagan gods or celestial bodies does not imply any religious homage or worship to those deities.
When we use these designations, we do not attribute to the days of the week any particular religious homage to the gods of the Norsemen or the Romans or any worship of the sun or moon. That is just a point in passing.
Source: Conclusion (Ligonier)
True worship is reserved for God alone, and attributing powers or authorities to human figures constitutes a crossing of the line from service to worship.
You have attributed to these human characters powers and authorities reserved for Christ and for Christ alone, whom the New Testament makes clear is the only Mediator between God and man.
Source: Cornelius' Household (Ligonier)
When people worship human figures, the response is consistently to correct them, reminding them that they are merely human.
Peter said: “Get up. Stop that and stand up; I’m a man just like you are. Don’t worship me.” Paul had to do the same thing. Angels had to do the same thing.
Source: Cornelius' Household (Ligonier)
The only person in Scripture who accepts worship is Jesus Christ because he is God incarnate.
The only person we see anywhere in Scripture who accepts the worship of people is our Lord Himself because He is God incarnate.
Source: Cornelius' Household (Ligonier)
Believers must be careful to give respect and honor to past faithful figures without crossing the line into veneration or worship, which detracts from God's glory.
We are to give respect and honor to those who have been faithful in the past, but we need to guard ourselves carefully that we never cross that line to veneration or worship in any way and detract anything from the glory of God, of which God says, “I will share with no man.”
Source: Cornelius' Household (Ligonier)
Disciples must prioritize their devotion to Jesus Christ above all other loves, including family and self.
What our Lord was saying in this text was not that we are to despise or abhor our parents, children, or spouses, but that the devotion we have to Jesus must be even greater than what we have for our dearest family and friends.
Source: The Cost of Discipleship (Ligonier)
God is naturally hostile toward corrupt sinners.
God is the natural enemy of corrupt sinners.
Source: Death in Adam, Life in Christ (Ligonier)
Indifference toward God is actually a form of hatred.
But if you are indifferent to the Lord God Almighty, who has created you and is the author of every blessing you have received, what is that except hatred?
Source: Death in Adam, Life in Christ (Ligonier)
It is proper for the Creator to be estranged from the sinner because God is holy and humanity is not.
It is not right for the creature to be estranged from the Creator, but once the creature is sinful, it is right and proper for the Creator to be estranged from the sinner. God is holy, and we are not.
Source: Death in Adam, Life in Christ (Ligonier)
Josephus' Jewish Antiquities is a valuable resource for studying the history of the first century, particularly regarding the destruction of the Temple in AD 70.
I always encourage my students in seminary that in addition to their studies of the New Testament, they ought to have a copy of Josephus’ Jewish Antiquities because he gives such a gripping account of the history of the first century and happened up to the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem in AD 70.
Source: The Death of Herod (Ligonier)
Human or angelic figures in Scripture who are mistaken for gods are always rebuked by those who understand that God alone is worthy of worship.
Any time that takes place in Scripture, even if it was an angel from heaven who came to make an announcement and was mistaken for God, in every one of those occasions, those human or angelic personages admonished and rebuked people from offering worship to them because they understood that God and God alone is worthy of worship.
Source: The Death of Herod (Ligonier)
Agrippa sinned by basking in the adulation of the people instead of rebuking them for offering worship to him.
But instead of rebuking the people and admonishing them for this acclamation, Agrippa basked in it.
Source: The Death of Herod (Ligonier)
Jesus condemned religious leaders, such as scribes and attorneys, for their hypocrisy and deceitful culture.
They love to parade around in glory and enjoy the adulation of the people in the marketplace, the synagogues, and wherever they can be elevated in places of honor. But theirs is a culture of deceit, and to them will come the greater condemnation.
Source: The Destruction of Jerusalem (Ligonier)
The Kingdom of God is defined by righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, not by external practices like eating or drinking.
For the kingdom of God is not in eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Source: Do Not Cause Another To Stumble (Ligonier)
The Bible is the greatest gift God has given to His church, second only to Christ Himself.
apart from Christ Himself, there is no greater gift that God has given to His church than His Word.
Source: Eternal Appointment (Ligonier)
Shaking off the dust signifies that a place has responded with such wickedness that the ground itself is polluted by sin.
The significance of that Hebrew idiom was that this place responded with such wickedness and such great evil that the sinful hearts of those who heard the gospel actually polluted the ground on which they stood.
Source: Eternal Appointment (Ligonier)
God is holy and cannot tolerate sin, leading Him to be at war with humanity's idolatry.
But the God who is—He is a holy God, so holy that He cannot bear to look at iniquity. There is a basic revulsion in the very character of God for those of us who are engaged in cosmic treason every day of our lives.
Source: Faith Triumphs in Trouble (Part 2) (Ligonier)
Justification encompasses more than just forgiveness or the imputation of Christ's righteousness; it includes peace and access to God's presence.
But in our justification, we have peace, peace that passes all human understanding. Where once we were barred from admittance into the immediate presence of God, we are now called to enter into His presence boldly.
Source: Faith Triumphs in Trouble (Part 2) (Ligonier)
God's love is an outpouring of divine affection for us, not merely a feeling or a benefit.
He is talking about God’s love for us . If there is any concept that has been cheapened today, it is this idea of the love of God.
Source: Faith Triumphs in Trouble (Part 3) (Ligonier)
True devotion involves a profound act of humility and physical submission, such as kissing the feet, which contrasts with mere observation.
She humiliated herself to kiss His feet. How can you not think of Psalm 2, where the question is, “Why do the kings of the earth conspire against the Lord and against His anointed, saying, ‘Let us cast their bonds from off us and let us break their chains’?”
Source: The Forgiven Woman (Ligonier)
The common cultural belief that God does not hate sinners is a lie, because God abhors the impenitent and carnally minded person.
By all matter of certitude, we think we can rest assured that God does not hate them. We hear the platitudes: “God hates the sin, but He doesn’t hate the sinner” and “God loves everyone unconditionally.” That is the biggest lie of our day. He does not.
Source: Free from Indwelling Sin (Ligonier)
Humanity is fundamentally saturated with unrighteousness, not merely mildly affected by error or bad habits.
We are not merely mildly affected by error, bad habits, or mistakes. Rather, we are filled, saturated with unrighteousness.
Source: God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness (Ligonier)
People who believe they are basically good do not need Jesus, but those who are tainted by unrighteousness do.
But as long as you tickle your own imagination and say that you are basically good, basically good people do not need Jesus.
Source: God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness (Ligonier)
Christian behavior should be a radical exception to sin, not generally accepted, and culture often dictates behavior over God's standards.
But when they do, it should be a radical exception to Christian behavior, not something that is generally accepted. People get their cues today for their behavior not from what God says is acceptable to Him but from what the culture says is acceptable.
Source: God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness (Ligonier)
Modern culture has redefined 'right' to mean the ability to act with impunity, which is not the kind of right God grants.
The very word right has been redefined in our culture to mean that everyone has a right to do what they want to do with impunity.
Source: God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness (Ligonier)
When humans act in defiance against God, they gather cultural support to reduce their guilt and build allies for their rebellion against heaven.
But when we act against Him in defiance, we marshal all the support we can get in the culture to lessen our guilt and gain allies in our revolt against heaven.
Source: God’s Wrath on Unrighteousness (Ligonier)
Attending to the hearing and exposition of God's Word is an integral part of worship.
attending to the hearing of the Word of God and its exposition is an integral part of worship.
Source: God’s Wrath (Ligonier)
Fallenness is defined by the refusal to honor God, the refusal to worship God, and hearts that are not filled with joy and gratitude for what He gives.
It is the refusal to honor God, the refusal to worship God, and hearts that are not filled with joy and gratitude for what He gives that define our fallenness.
Source: God’s Wrath (Ligonier)
God is inherently holy, and when humans create idols, they do not create anything truly holy.
God is holy. When fallen creatures make idols, they do not make holy ones.
Source: God’s Wrath (Ligonier)
The knowledge God has of those He appoints is not merely cognitive but is redemptive, spiritual, and affective.
I think that the full import of this word includes within it not mere cognition in the mind of God. Rather, the knowledge God has of those whom He appoints to be conformed to the image of His Son is a knowledge that is redemptive, spiritual, and affective—not e ffective but a ffective.
Source: The Golden Chain (Ligonier)
Human opposition to God's people is ultimately meaningless because it cannot overthrow the glory God has planned for His saints.
Paul is saying that all the opposition that rises up against us by human beings is meaningless in the final analysis, because all the opposition in the world cannot overthrow the glory that God has laid up for His saints from the foundation of the world.
Source: The Golden Chain (Ligonier)
Jesus taught that true greatness is found in humility, exemplified by receiving the little child.
Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.
Source: The Greatest (Ligonier)
The desire to be overlooked by God is a fundamental human response to the existence of God, which is described as a loss of freedom and dignity.
Within the heart of the atheist is a profound desire not that God would look at him, but that God would overlook him, that God would ignore him.
Source: The Greatest (Ligonier)
A culture is considered twisted and faithless when its values are contrary to the Lord God, such as regarding the sanctity of life or marriage.
The values they held dear were noxious to the Lord God, and what was precious in the sight of God was despised in their own culture. Theirs was a twisted culture because it was a faithless culture.
Source: The Greatest (Ligonier)
While striving for greatness in faith and service is noble, seeking the greatest status at the expense of others is perversion.
To want to be great in faith and in service is a noble thing, but to want to be the greatest in the kingdom of God at the expense of other people is perversity.
Source: The Greatest (Ligonier)
The biblical word 'baptize' does not necessarily mean 'to immerse,' and the Greek verbs used for the term are not limited to that meaning.
That man went on to say to this member of our church that the biblical word baptize means “to immerse.” This member of the church asked me if that was the case, and I responded: “No, that is not the case.
Source: Healing of the Leper (Ligonier)
God's cleansing power means that what God has cleansed should no longer be considered unclean.
But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’
Source: The Holy Spirit to the Gentiles (Ligonier)
It is a significant difference between merely being hostile to Jesus and accusing Him of being in league with the devil.
It is one thing to be hostile to Jesus, and something else to say He is in league with the devil.
Source: A House Divided (Ligonier)
Christianity is fundamentally centered on doctrine, and neglecting it means dismissing the importance of truth, Christ, and God.
God forbid that it ever be any of you, because Christianity is all about doctrine. The doctrine of Christ is about who He is. He is not just a friend. He is not just a religious symbol.
Source: If It Is of God (Ligonier)
Christ's ministry is directed toward calling sinners to repentance, not validating those who already adhere to the law.
I’ve come to call sinners to repentance. The healthy have no need of a physician. You’re going to go straight to heaven. If you’ve kept the law since your youth, you’ve got it made.” That is not what He said.
Source: The Indictment of the Jews and Gentiles (Ligonier)
Modern society has a pervasive and ingrained tendency toward vulgarity and blasphemy, which is part of our inherent nature.
You are going to wonder how people who made movies before 1950 were ever able to communicate anything in those films when gratuitous language is now part of the warp and woof of our society, where we take for granted that we are people whose mouths are full of cursing, blasphemy, and filthy talk.
Source: The Indictment of the Jews and Gentiles (Ligonier)
Humans are inherently flawed and recognize their inability to meet God's standard of righteousness.
Context: This is part of a prayer, but it reflects his stated theological understanding of human sinfulness.
O Father, when You measure us by Your standard, we know that You do not judge on a curve, but we are found lacking, and all of our righteousness is filthy rags in Your sight.
Source: The Indictment of the Jews and Gentiles (Ligonier)
The principles of worship were originally established by God for the people of Israel.
The principles of worship that shape our devotion even to this day were born in Israel when God delivered to His people the principles by which He was to be worshiped, adored, and sanctified.
Source: Israel's Rejection of Christ (Ligonier)
The Greek word translated as 'unrighteousness' is formed by prefixing the letter 'a' (a negation) to the root word dikaios, which means 'righteous' or 'just'.
In Greek, when a word is prefaced with that simple letter a , that is a negation of the root. We know that agnosticism comes from the word agnosis , meaning “without knowledge” or “non-knowledge.” The root here is the word dikaios , which means “righteous” or “just.” When you put that little prefix of the a in front of it, that negates the root.
Source: Israel's Rejection & God's Justice (Part 1) (Ligonier)
God is absolutely without unrighteousness, injustice, or iniquity.
That is to say, the one thing that is absolutely indisputable is that there is not any unrighteousness, injustice, or iniquity in God, though indeed, at first glance, it may seem that way.
Source: Israel's Rejection & God's Justice (Part 1) (Ligonier)
God is not required to show mercy to everyone, as evidenced by His calling of Abraham.
God called Abraham out of paganism, out of Ur of the Chaldeans, and made a covenant promise to him, not because Abraham had done any good thing, as Paul labored earlier, but that the purposes of God according to His grace might stand.
Source: Israel's Rejection & God's Justice (Part 1) (Ligonier)
God does not treat everyone equally, and this differential treatment is necessary for the glory of His purposes.
If we read the Bible from Genesis 1 to the end of Revelation, we see that God does not treat everyone the same. If He treated us all the same, we would all have the same place in hell. But so that the glory of His purposes may be made known, He exercises mercy, though not to everyone.
Source: Israel's Rejection & God's Justice (Part 1) (Ligonier)
Believers must understand the absolute integrity and righteousness of God.
what we should understand more clearly than any other item of thought in the Christian faith is the absolute integrity and righteousness of almighty God.
Source: Israel's Rejection & God's Justice (Part 2) (Ligonier)
It is right for the judge of all the earth to show God's wrath.
It is right for the judge of all the earth to show His wrath.
Source: Israel's Rejection & God's Justice (Part 3) (Ligonier)
It is justifiable for a holy God to display anger against sin.
But if we stop for a moment, it should not take long to think about the justness of a holy God displaying anger against sin.
Source: Israel's Rejection & God's Justice (Part 3) (Ligonier)
God may display His wrath and power, and humanity should not object to these demonstrations.
Paul asks that sober and sobering question: What if God wants to show his wrath? What if God wants to display His power? Do you have a problem with that?
Source: Israel's Rejection & God's Justice (Part 3) (Ligonier)
God demonstrates a basic attitude of goodwill toward all creatures and pours out gifts and benefits to people indiscriminately.
God has a basic attitude of goodwill toward all His creatures in the world. That posture or attitude of goodwill that God displays to the whole of humanity is shown by His love of beneficence. The love of beneficence has to do with God’s giving good gifts to people indiscriminately.
Source: Israel's Rejection & God's Purpose (Ligonier)
When Jesus commanded his disciples to 'hate' their family, he meant that their love for Christ must exceed their love for their earthly family members.
Jesus was saying, comparatively speaking, as a manner of speaking: “If you are going to love Me, you must love Me first of all. The love that you have for Me must so exceed the love you have for your friends, your spouses, your mother, your father, your children, that by comparison, the love you have for them would be seen as hatred.”
Source: Israel's Rejection & God's Purpose (Ligonier)
God used the disobedience of one group (the Jews) to bring a larger group (the Gentiles) into His household of faith.
The means through which that salvation has come to us and to the gentile world is the fall of the Jews. This is what God has done: He has worked through the disobedience of one group to bring another group, a larger group, into His household of faith.
Source: Israel's Rejection Not Final (Part 1) (Ligonier)
God, who is just, will vindicate His people who cry out to Him day and night, even more than an ungodly judge would.
No, the difference is that if an ungodly judge, on a given day, will render a just, vindicating verdict, how much more will God, who is just, vindicate His people, who cry unto Him day and night?
Source: Israel's Rejection Not Final (Part 1) (Ligonier)
God commits all people to disobedience so that He may extend mercy to everyone.
Paul says, “God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all”—to the Jew first and then to the Greek.
Source: Israel's Rejection Not Final (Part 3) (Ligonier)
The preservation of the saints is based on the Lord God's grace and mercy, not on the efforts or merit of the believers.
He didn’t say, “I have reserved for Myself seven thousand who kept themselves from apostasy by their own efforts and their own merit.” That was not what God was saying, but rather: “I have kept for Myself seven thousand within this godless nation. Some may be in the courts of Ahab and Jezebel. Some, perhaps, are in areas that you would never guess you would find one of My own. But in this nation, there are seven thousand that are Mine, whom I have preserved. I have kept them from apostasy.”
Source: Israel's Rejection Not Total (Ligonier)
Jesus taught that the rejected stone, which is the cornerstone, will ultimately crush anyone who falls upon it.
But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”
Source: Jesus’ Authority & the Parable of the Tenants (Ligonier)
Christian worship shifted from the seventh day (the original Sabbath) to the first day because of Christ's resurrection.
The reason is that the Lord of the Sabbath was resurrected on the first day of the week, and His resurrection proved the ultimate intent and purpose of the original Sabbath day.
Source: Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath (Ligonier)
The church is called to actively pursue the battle until Christ is acknowledged as Lord and Savior everywhere.
However, we are called to pursue this battle until every inch of real estate on this planet confesses Christ as Lord and Savior.
Source: Jesus Meets a Demon (Ligonier)
A prophet is not accepted or honored in his own country.
Jesus went on to say, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country.”
Source: Jesus Rejected (Ligonier)
The rejection of Jesus by the people of Nazareth was an example of a universal pattern of rejection that Scripture describes.
I want us to see, at the early stage of Jesus’ ministry, the people of Nazareth’s response to one of their own. It was unqualified rejection. Remember, the same prophet Isaiah, when he spoke of the One who would come as the sin-bearer, as the Suffering Servant of Israel, spoke in this manner: “He was despised and rejected of men.”
Source: Jesus Rejected (Ligonier)
It was the custom for parents to take a boy to Jerusalem the year before his bar mitzvah to show him the temple and surrounding sites.
It was the custom of the Jews at that time that a year before bar mitzvah, when the boy reached the age of twelve, the parents would take him to Jerusalem and show him all around the temple and the different sites around the Holy City to prepare him for the following year’s ceremony of bar mitzvah.
Source: Jesus in the Temple (Ligonier)
After the Passover celebration, visiting rabbis and scholars gathered in the city to discuss theological matters.
It was the custom at that time that after the celebration of the Passover, the visiting rabbis and scholars, the theologians of the day—the PhDs of Israel—stayed around the city. This was one of the few times during the year that they had the opportunity to sit down and discuss matters of theology.
Source: Jesus in the Temple (Ligonier)
Jesus confronted the temple authorities for turning the house of prayer into a den of robbers due to the commercial exploitation of the people.
He said, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer.’ But you have made it a den of robbers.”
Source: Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem (Ligonier)
God's house is meant to be a sacred place and a house of prayer, not a profane or secularized location.
Yet, when God commanded His people to build a house for Him, He said, “I want it to be a holy place, a house of prayer where you can come privately and corporately and lift up the sacrifices of your praises in prayer to God.”
Source: Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem (Ligonier)
Believers must actively pay attention to the Word of God when they are in church, as it is essential for life.
Beloved, when you come to church to hear the Word of God, as boring as I or any other preacher might be, if you are hearing the Word of God, are you hanging on it? On every single word?
Source: Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem (Ligonier)
Humans tend to measure themselves against cultural standards rather than the absolute standard of God's perfect righteousness.
We are so hardened in our sin and so accustomed to our corruption that we give our attention not to the law of God but to the social customs of our culture, and then we measure ourselves in conformity to those customs.
Source: The Jews Are as Guilty as the Gentiles (Ligonier)
Hypocrisy is defined as claiming to be more righteous than one actually is.
But the hypocrite is the one who claims to be more righteous than he is.
Source: The Jews Are as Guilty as the Gentiles (Ligonier)
Christians should not allow unbelievers to make them feel uncomfortable or guilty by their language, but they should not be less than kind or loving to them.
But we do not need to aid and abet them in their blasphemy by being less than kind, less than loving, or less than sensitive to them as human beings.
Source: The Jews Are as Guilty as the Gentiles (Ligonier)
God holds people, nations, and businesses accountable for maintaining just weights and measures.
God holds people, nations, and businesses accountable for just weights and measure.
Source: Judge Not… (Ligonier)
Some New Testament scholars interpret the reference to eagles as referring to the Roman legions.
There are many New Testament scholars who believe that the reference to eagles is to the assembly of the legions of Rome, whose standards bore the symbol of the eagle.
Source: The Kingdom Come (Ligonier)
The title 'Lamb of God' is featured prominently in Christian culture, art, and music.
This title, Lamb of God , features prominently in church history, in our art, in our music, and in symbolic depictions of Christ throughout Christendom.
Source: The Lamb of God (Ligonier)
Charity is meant to cover minor, everyday struggles among Christians, but it does not excuse gross or heinous sin.
The New Testament makes it clear that we are not to give each other license for gross and heinous sin. But the average, run-of-the-mill, everyday struggles that all Christians have are to be covered by that charity.
Source: Law Cannot Save from Sin (Part 1) (Ligonier)
Making diligent use of the means of grace means programming oneself with worship, prayer, and Scripture to sanctify one's desires.
To make diligent use of the means of grace is really to program yourself with worship, with prayer, and with Scripture so that your desires are actually sanctified.
Source: Law Cannot Save from Sin (Part 2) (Ligonier)
When people lose sight of what pleases God, their passion and delight in God begin to diminish.
When we begin to lose sight of what is pleasing to God, our delight in God begins to lose its passion.
Source: Law Cannot Save from Sin (Part 2) (Ligonier)
The declaration of 'no condemnation' applies specifically to those who are in Christ Jesus.
There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Source: Law Cannot Save from Sin (Part 3) (Ligonier)
Believers should not judge the service or practices of others, as all Christians are servants of Christ.
Who are you to stand in judgment over your neighbor’s servant? Your neighbor’s servant is to serve your neighbor, and your servant is to serve you. The point is that we are all servants of Christ.
Source: The Law of Liberty (Ligonier)
Believers are dedicated to the Lord, whether they live or die.
If we live, we live to the Lord; if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.
Source: The Law of Liberty (Ligonier)
The Scriptures show that wine was a real substance that God sanctified, and the warning was against excessive consumption leading to drunkenness.
You will see that it was the real thing that God sanctified and warned the people not to drink too much of, because drinking too much wine would get them drunk, and getting drunk was a sin.
Source: The Law of Liberty (Ligonier)
The primary reason for attending church on Sunday morning should be to worship God, not merely for fellowship.
I must give a word of caution. The primary reason we are supposed to come to church on Sunday morning is to worship God. We are told by the polls that the primary reason people come to church on Sunday morning is to enjoy fellowship with their Christian friends.
Source: Life in the Early Church (Ligonier)
The primary purpose of giving to God is not the loss of something, but the expression of worship.
However, the primary point is not that we should lose something, but rather that we should express something. The whole principle of giving to God is an expression of worship.
Source: Living Sacrifices to God (Ligonier)
The Christian response to the gospel is a living sacrifice—the offering of oneself—which is an act of worship and praise.
In light of the gospel and all that we have just heard about the mercies of God, present yourselves —not your animals, not your vegetables, not your grains—as living sacrifices. Paul is not asking us for martyrdom. He says that the response we should give to the gospel is an act of worship and praise.
Source: Living Sacrifices to God (Ligonier)
The believer's response to Christ's giving of Himself is to give oneself to God through service and thankfulness.
Christ, in the ultimate sense, has given Himself for us, and we are to respond to that by giving ourselves to Him. Of course, we cannot give ourselves to Christ in the same manner in which He has given Himself to us.
Source: Living Sacrifices to God (Ligonier)
The dedication of oneself as a living sacrifice is an offering of one's whole self for one's whole life, beginning the moment one comes to Christ.
It is an offering of your whole self for your whole life. It is so easy for us to see that, yet so hard for us to do it, because every day of our Christian lives our spiritual growth is so meek and weak that we want to hold back.
Source: Living Sacrifices to God (Ligonier)
Entering into the service of Jesus Christ means dedicating one's life to God, which is viewed by the world as a form of sacrifice.
When you enter into the service of Jesus Christ, by the standards of this world, you are throwing your life away. You are wasting your life.
Source: Living Sacrifices to God (Ligonier)
God requires that any offering of oneself must be acceptable to Him, which means it must be offered in humility and repentance.
God requires that when we give this offering of ourselves, we give it in a way that is acceptable to Him. He requires that we offer ourselves in humility and repentance to Him.
Source: Living Sacrifices to God (Ligonier)
The proper response to God is a logical and reasonable worship that involves offering one's whole self in thanksgiving, praise, and adoration.
We can ask, What is more logical, what is more reasonable than to respond to God by offering our whole selves to Him in thanksgiving, praise, worship, and adoration? With the saints behind the altar we sing, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.” That is the logical response.
Source: Living Sacrifices to God (Ligonier)
True worship is not mindless, and Christians are called to be intellectually mature in their understanding, even if they are childlike in morality and trust.
The worship that we are to offer to God is not to be mindless worship. The church today is pervaded by mindless worship. We have seen a whole generation of Christians who do not want to have to think.
Source: Living Sacrifices to God (Ligonier)
True worship is a logical response to the gospel that requires intellectual engagement, not merely emotional feeling.
If we understand the gospel for a moment, then indifference and apathy are irrational responses. The worship that we are to offer to God is not to be mindless worship.
Source: Living Sacrifices to God (Ligonier)
Humans deserve punishment, which is defined as being slaughtered or crushed.
What we deserve, as Jesus said in this text, is to be slaughtered in the temple or crushed on the sidewalk. That is what we deserve.
Source: The Locus of Astonishment (Ligonier)
Humans confuse justice and mercy by believing that God owes them grace or is obligated to be gracious.
If you ever think that God owes you mercy, if you think for a second that God is obligated to be gracious to you, then let a bell go off in your brain that teaches you that you have now confused justice and grace.
Source: The Locus of Astonishment (Ligonier)
The Israelites were commanded to eat the roasted flesh with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, and to keep the blood as a protective sign.
Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.
Source: The Lord's Supper (Ligonier)
The Passover must be remembered and celebrated annually so that future generations understand the Lord's saving acts.
So, God said: “Don’t ever forget this day. Every year, at the appointed time, you must gather and celebrate the Passover of the Lord. When the son says to the father, ‘Why, father, do we do this?’ the patriarch of the home will remind the people what the Lord has done to save them.”
Source: The Lord's Supper (Ligonier)
The Old Testament rituals, such as the Day of Atonement, were merely symbols pointing toward a perfect and ultimate reality.
In that drama of Israel was a symbol that pointed to a later, full, and perfect reality when the sins of God’s people would be satisfied once and for all.
Source: The Lord's Supper (Ligonier)
The Pharisees and scribes complained that Jesus was receiving and eating with sinners and tax collectors.
all the tax collectors and sinners drew near to Jesus to hear Him, but the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.”
Source: The Lost Son (Part 1) (Ligonier)
The biblical culture of ethics is founded upon the principle of honor, which requires giving honor where it is due.
Yet the biblical culture of ethics is built on honor. Giving honor where honor is due—to your boss, to your parents, to the civil magistrates, and, yes, to your pastor.
Source: Love Your Neighbor (Ligonier)
Christians are free to give their tithes and gifts wherever the work of Christ is happening, not just to their local church.
Do not think you have to give all your tithe to Saint Andrew’s if you are a member of Saint Andrew’s. You are free to give it wherever else the work of Christ is happening.
Source: Lying Donors (Ligonier)
Giving should be done cheerfully, and the person giving should be willing to adjust their lifestyle to honor God.
God loves a cheerful giver, and I do not like to talk about this because I don’t want anybody to give to the work of God and Christ begrudgingly. God also loves the person who says: “I didn’t realize this weight of responsibility that is on me. I haven’t put this in my budget. I’ve never really thought about it or been convicted of it by God the Holy Spirit. But now that I stop and think about it, it’s clear that if I’m going to honor God with my life and possessions, I should be glad to do whatever it takes to change my lifestyle to bring my giving up to where it ought to be.”
Source: Lying Donors (Ligonier)
Music used in worship should be rich in content and focused on the majesty of God, rather than merely repetitive.
If you want to see an example of pure praise music (not of the seven-eleven variety, in which the same seven verses are sung eleven times), but praise music that is deep and rich in content, focused on the majesty of God, then here we have Holy Spirit-inspired praise music, where Mary says, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
Source: The Magnificat (Part 1) (Ligonier)
Mary's use of 'soul' and 'spirit' in her song is an example of synonymous parallelism, a common Hebrew poetic form.
Mary is not making a distinction between her soul and her spirit like some people would like to believe, but instead uses a common Hebrew form of poetry called parallelism. In this case, she uses synonymous parallelism, where the first line and the second line mean essentially the same thing.
Source: The Magnificat (Part 1) (Ligonier)
People often speak of God in meaningless terms, which can be no different from the language used to worship an idol.
Notice, in passing, that so often in our culture when people speak of God, they do so in meaningless terms. People will speak about a higher power or a force greater than themselves. There is hardly any difference between that kind of language and the language of an animist practitioner who bows down and worships an idol made of wood.
Source: The Magnificat (Part 1) (Ligonier)
God's mercy is consistently available to all generations who revere Him.
God’s mercy is on everyone who fears him, from generation to generation. This is not something new. This is not something unique in the life of Mary. This is something that goes on and on, from Adam to Noah, to Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, David, Jeremiah, Peter, Paul, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, to you and me.
Source: The Magnificat (Part 1) (Ligonier)
The Passover was the most important feast of Old Testament Judaism, commemorating God's deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptians.
The most important feast of Old Testament Judaism was the celebration of the Passover. It commemorated God’s deliverance of His people from the hand of the Egyptians and His sparing the children of Israel from the angel of death or vengeance that was visited upon the Egyptians.
Source: The Anointing at Bethany (Ligonier)
The people criticized Mary for wasting money on Jesus' adoration when those funds could have been used for the poor.
In other words, they said: “Why do you waste this money on Jesus? Why do you waste this money on adoration when there are hungry people? Just think what we could have done with those three hundred denarii.
Source: The Anointing at Bethany (Ligonier)
Jesus ensured that the world would remember and speak about the woman's act of love and devotion.
Jesus ended this discussion with these words: “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.”
Source: The Anointing at Bethany (Ligonier)
Christ's sacrifice purchased believers, meaning they do not own themselves.
Paul said: “You are not your own. You don’t own yourself. You’ve been bought. You’ve been purchased.” Paul said, “You’ve been bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:19–20).
Source: The Atonement (Ligonier)
The current culture is characterized by a willingness to accept actions, such as the annual slaughter of babies, that are historically associated with barbarian cultures.
But we think nothing of slaughtering one million babies every year. That is barbarian. Historically, that only happens in barbarian cultures. But once it is legal, our culture thinks it is okay.
Source: The Beheading of John the Baptist (Part 2) (Ligonier)
The city of Bethsaida, according to Jesus' evaluation, was a monument to unbelief, not faith.
Far from being a monument to faith, the city of Bethsaida, in Jesus’ evaluation, was a monument to unbelief.
Source: The Blind Man & Peter's Confession (Ligonier)
The ritual of laying on of hands has historically been used for three primary purposes: signifying consecration through sacrifices, ordaining priests, and communicating a blessing.
In the Old Testament, the primary usage of the laying on of hands was for three things. In the first instance, the laying on of hands was accomplished when people would lay hands on sacrifices that would be offered to God. That was a ritual that signified consecration, setting aside something to a sacred or special or a holy usage. In the second instance, the laying on of hands was done not to animals, but to people, with the consecration of the Levitical priests. Priests in the Old Testament were ordained by the laying on of hands, again signifying consecration—making something special. The third use of the laying on of hands was simply to communicate a blessing, as Melchizedek blessed Abraham in the Old Testament.
Source: The Blind Man & Peter's Confession (Ligonier)
The care of the soul is a top priority taught by Jesus, and the failure to value it is evident in modern society's priorities.
The care of our souls is seen as a top priority of Jesus in His teaching in the New Testament. You might remember the value system He taught. He said: “What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? And what would it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?”
Source: The Calling of the Disciples (Ligonier)
True worship must be a physical, corporate gathering of the people of God, not an individual activity like watching it on television.
You cannot be in church on television. To be in church is to be with the people of God in corporate worship, in solemn assembly.
Source: The Calling of the Disciples (Ligonier)
The speaker encourages the congregation to pay attention to the Word of God.
He who has ears to hear the Word of God, let him hear.
Source: Calming the Sea (Ligonier)
Believers must remain watchful and pray because they do not know when the master of the house will return.
Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.
Source: Christ Coming in Glory (Ligonier)
The Pharisees and scribes prioritized human traditions over the commandments of God.
For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.
Source: Defilement from Within (Part 1) (Ligonier)
The hostility of the scribes and Pharisees was directed at Jesus himself, not merely his disciples.
The target for their hostility was not the disciples so much as it was Jesus Himself.
Source: Defilement from Within (Part 1) (Ligonier)
The complaint lodged against Jesus and his disciples was not about hygiene, but about ritual defilement.
No, hygiene had nothing whatsoever to do with the complaint that was being lodged against Jesus and His disciples. In view here were ritual cleansing and ritual defilement.
Source: Defilement from Within (Part 1) (Ligonier)
Legalism is a subtle form of idolatry because it elevates human traditions and regulations above the divine Word of God.
Ladies and gentlemen, what’s so bad about legalism is that it is a subtle form of idolatry. We begin to elevate what is human above what is divine.
Source: Defilement from Within (Part 1) (Ligonier)
A person's understanding of God's character will be revealed by how they worship Him, not just what they confess.
It is more than what you confess with your lips that will show what you really believe about the character of God. You will see it by how you worship Him.
Source: Defilement from Within (Part 1) (Ligonier)
The tradition of Corban was misused as a loophole to escape the divine obligation of honoring one's parents.
So, in the name of piety, a person could escape his obligation of caring for his parents in times of infirmity or in their old age, when they may have been too fragile to support themselves:
Source: Defilement from Within (Part 2) (Ligonier)
Achieving first place in the Kingdom is based on faithfulness to Christ, not on personal merit.
What gets you first place is not merit, but fidelity and faithfulness to Christ.
Source: The Eye of the Needle (Ligonier)
Jesus' feast differed from Herod's feast because it focused on the exposition of God's truth rather than exotic entertainment and dancing.
At the first feast, there was exotic entertainment and dancing. At the second feast, the first item of order was the exposition of the truth of God by the Son of God.
Source: Feeding of the Five Thousand (Ligonier)
The celebration of Communion is meant to satisfy the deepest spiritual hunger of the soul, mirroring Christ's provision.
He comes to satisfy us with the deepest hunger that we have in our souls.
Source: Feeding of the Five Thousand (Ligonier)
The people gather to be satisfied by the deepest spiritual hunger within their souls.
He comes to satisfy us with the deepest hunger that we have in our souls.
Source: Feeding of the Five Thousand (Ligonier)
Hypocrisy is a specific sin that is distinct from, but contained within, the larger category of sin.
All hypocrites are sinners, but not all sinners are hypocrites. Let me say it again. All hypocrites are sinners, but not all sinners are hypocrites. Hypocrisy is one of many sins.
Source: The Fig Tree and the Temple (Ligonier)
The Bible warns that humans provoke God to anger, citing the example of Jesus' righteous indignation in the temple.
We do provoke God to anger. We see that the people of Jesus’ day provoked our Lord to righteous indignation. He came into the temple, the house of God, and was furious with what He found there.
Source: The Fig Tree and the Temple (Ligonier)
The temple was intended to be a place of prayer for all nations, not just for religious sacrifices or rituals.
My Father’s house was built to be a house of prayer, and you’ve turned it into a den of thieves. The whole purpose of My church has been warped and distorted and turned into corruption.
Source: The Fig Tree and the Temple (Ligonier)
The nation of Israel was in a state of spiritual decline and hypocrisy because its worship was flawed.
The object lesson of the tree regards Israel, and the symbol of the Old Testament for Israel was “God’s fig tree.” Now, the fig tree is cursed, and so is the nation, because the heart of their worship was an exercise in hypocrisy.
Source: The Fig Tree and the Temple (Ligonier)
Integrity means being uncompromising with respect to principles and ethics, and a person of integrity never compromises principle for the sake of popularity.
I mentioned that the primary meaning of the term integrity is to be uncompromising with respect to principles and ethics—not uncompromising in personal negotiations for property, sales, and that sort of thing, but with respect to what is right.
Source: God and Caesar (Ligonier)
Using the title 'august' for any creature was an act of idolatry among the Jewish people.
It was a term the Jews would only use for God, and to call any creature “august” would be an act of idolatry on the lips of the Jewish people.
Source: God and Caesar (Ligonier)
The first commandment is to love God with all one's heart, soul, mind, and strength.
The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.
Source: The Great Commandment (Ligonier)
A synagogue was fundamentally a place of assembly for reading and commenting on Scriptures, not a temple for worship.
The synagogue was not the temple, where people came in Jerusalem for worship, but the word synagogue means “a place of assembly, a gathering place.”
Source: Healing of the Man with the Unclean Spirit (Ligonier)
The Greek word translated as 'tile' can refer to any kind of hard, baked clay, ceramic, or hard, sunbaked mud that mimics ceramic tile.
First, the Greek word Luke uses, translated by the word “tile,” can simply refer to any kind of hard, baked clay, ceramic, and so on. We also know that Capernaum was an upscale village along the shores of the Sea of Galilee and that there were European settlements in Capernaum.
Source: Healing the Paralytic (Ligonier)
The kiss used by Judas was not merely a simple peck, but a lavish gesture signifying deep affection and honor, which was used for a wicked mission.
We also note in the text that the language describes the kiss of Judas as not a simple, brief peck on the cheek, but rather the Greek indicates a kiss lavishly bestowed upon Jesus, signifying an especially deep sense of affection and honor.
Source: Jesus' Arrest (Ligonier)
Humanity's righteousness is compared to filthy rags, and true standing before God requires being stripped of these rags and clothed in Christ's righteousness.
All of us have garments that clothe us, and we are told our righteousness is like rotten, filthy rags. The only way any of us can ever stand in the sight of God is to be stripped of those rags and clothed afresh in the garments of the righteousness of Christ.
Source: Jesus' Arrest (Ligonier)
Prayers must align with God's will, meaning believers should not pray for unethical or sinful gains.
The truth is that the statement about any two people agreeing must be understood in light of what else the Bible teaches us about prayer, particularly that we are to pray according to the will of God. What does that mean? That means that we are not to pray for unethical gain.
Source: Jesus’ Authority (Ligonier)
God's answers to prayer are always perfect, and a 'No' from God does not mean the prayer was unanswered.
The second thing we know for sure is that He answers it, and His answers are always perfect.
Source: Jesus’ Authority (Ligonier)
The synagogue in Capernaum was built upon the foundation of an earlier first-century synagogue where Jesus preached and exorcized demons.
Last week, I mentioned the excavations of the synagogue in Capernaum and how, in the fourth century, this magnificent limestone edifice was built upon the foundation of the first-century synagogue in which Jesus preached and exorcized the demon-possessed man.
Source: Jesus Heals Many (Ligonier)
The people of Nazareth were profoundly offended by Jesus, which is described by the Greek word skandalizō, meaning scandalized.
The Greek word there is a form of the verb skandalizō , from which the noun is skandalon , which comes over into the English language as the word scandal . These people were scandalized by Jesus.
Source: Jesus at Nazareth (Ligonier)
Jesus is the cornerstone of God's building, but he is also the skandalon, or the disgraced One, rejected by his own people.
But Jesus Himself is not the foundation; He’s the cornerstone (Eph. 2:20). Even as the cornerstone, He’s also the skandalon . He’s the disgraced One.
Source: Jesus at Nazareth (Ligonier)
Unbelief leads to hostility, meaning those who do not believe in Christ eventually grow to hate Him.
With unbelief comes hostility. Those who did not believe in Christ soon grew to hate Him.
Source: Jesus at Nazareth (Ligonier)
People must be cleansed from their sins in preparation for the Messiah's arrival.
You need to take a bath. You need to be cleansed from your sins.
Source: John the Baptist (Ligonier)
True greatness among believers is achieved through serving others, rather than exercising authority or being served.
Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
Source: Kingdom Climbers (Ligonier)
Humans possess a divine aspiration for significance, meaning, and importance in their lives.
Every one of us has a desire planted in us by God that our lives will be significant, that they will count, that they will matter, that they won’t be meaningless, insignificant, and wasted.
Source: Kingdom Climbers (Ligonier)
Christian followers must reject the pagan tendency to rule and exercise power without humility or willingness to serve.
They don’t feel any sense of responsibility. There’s no noblesse oblige in the mentality of Gentile pagans. All they want to do is rule and exercise power and authority. There’s no humility. There’s no willingness to serve.
Source: Kingdom Climbers (Ligonier)
Christian behavior must be guided by the Word of God, not by the influences of pagan society.
I do that because I understand that we are bombarded everyday with influences concerning what we are expected to do and how we are expected to behave by a pagan society. It eats away at us. It breaks down our resolve. That’s why we have to keep coming back to the Word of God for our marching orders. We don’t get them from the culture.
Source: Kingdom Climbers (Ligonier)
Christians should follow the Word of God rather than the customs of the surrounding culture.
So often, even professing Christians take their cue on how we should live, not from the Word of God, but rather from the culture around them, following the customs that are acceptable in pagan culture. We are called as Christians to march to a different drummer.
Source: Marriage and Divorce (Ligonier)
God will destroy the Jewish sacrificial system, the temple, and the Jewish priesthood.
He will destroy the temple. He will destroy the whole Jewish sacrificial system. He will destroy the Jewish priesthood, the Pharisees, the Sanhedrin, and give the vineyard to the Gentiles, which is one of the great mysteries of redemptive history that Paul elaborates in Romans 11.
Source: The Parable of the Vinedressers (Ligonier)
The rejected chief cornerstone, which was Jesus, became the chief cornerstone of God's church.
But that stone which they rejected became the chief cornerstone in God’s church.
Source: The Parable of the Vinedressers (Ligonier)
He expressed discomfort with preaching in a setting that treated the message as mere entertainment rather than genuine worship.
I do not feel comfortable preaching on a stage in the context of entertainment, particularly when my message is a plea to the leaders of evangelicalism to stop the eclipse of the character of God and to stop exchanging worship for entertainment.
Source: Parables of the Kingdom (Ligonier)
The practice of anointing a body with spices was intended to show respect and devotion, not to preserve a corpse.
The practice of anointing a body with spices of myrrh, aloe, and other precious spices was done not to preserve a corpse but to show respect and devotion to the departed loved one.
Source: The Resurrection (Ligonier)
Christianity is fundamentally a supernatural religion, which is difficult to maintain in a culture that tries to suppress supernatural ideas.
Christianity, whatever else it is, dear friends, is a supernatural religion. We live in a culture that does everything it can to squelch and quench any idea of the supernatural.
Source: The Resurrection (Ligonier)
When judged against God's standard of righteousness, all people are found to be sinful.
When we judge ourselves against the ultimate standard of the righteousness of God, we will understand why at first the Psalmist and then the Apostle Paul in Romans say: “There is none righteous. There is none who does good, no, not one.”
Source: The Rich Young Ruler (Ligonier)
The scribes' prayers were hypocritical, performed not to honor God but to gain a reputation for piety among men.
The scribes disguised their hypocrisy with their long, drawn-out, public prayers, which they made not to honor God but that they might be seen by men.
Source: The Scribes and the Widow (Ligonier)
The woman's act of falling face down before Jesus indicated both profound respect (homage) and desperate pleading for her daughter's redemption.
The fact that she came and went face down into the dirt in front of Him indicates two things. First, she was paying homage to Him. She was showing her profound respect to Him, even though she didn’t know Him except by reputation. Not only was this a sign of homage, but second, it was also a sign of abject pleading.
Source: The Syro-Phoenician Woman (Ligonier)
In the ancient world, calling a person a dog was considered one of the worst insults.
The worst insult you could give a person was to call them a dog.
Source: The Syro-Phoenician Woman (Ligonier)
God's grace is abundant and generous, providing a full feast for believers, not merely crumbs.
The good news is that, in the overflow of mercy and grace that comes to us from the hands of God, though we should be satisfied with crumbs, He is not satisfied with giving us crumbs. He prepares a table before us.
Source: The Syro-Phoenician Woman (Ligonier)
Peter's rebuke of Jesus was not mild, but a full, hostile protest against Him.
The force of all this is that Peter’s protest is by no means mild. Rather, he is standing up to Jesus, and he brings the full measure of a hostile rebuke against Jesus.
Source: Taking Up the Cross (Ligonier)
Blasphemy is defined as a verbal sin, which is an action that desecrates the holy character of God.
Blasphemy is a verbal sin. It is a sin you commit with your mouth or your pen. It is an action by which you desecrate the holy character of God.
Source: The Unpardonable Sin (Ligonier)
The Father is the one who delivers the Son into the hands of men, and this is not considered an act of divine betrayal.
What I object to is that the one who is handing over Jesus to men is the Father. When the Father delivers the Son into the hands of men, it is not an act of divine betrayal.
Source: Who Is the Greatest? (Ligonier)
Christ recognizes and appreciates any act performed in His name, even if the act is simple, such as giving water to a thirsty person.
Even those who give a cup of cold water to somebody who’s thirsty, when they give it in the name of Jesus, that person is recognized by Christ.
Source: Who Is the Greatest? (Ligonier)
Attending corporate worship on Sunday morning is essential for the spiritual health of the individual.
There is nothing more important for our souls than to be in attendance on Sunday morning for worship.
Source: Martha & Mary (Ligonier)
The first song recorded in Scripture is the text attributed to Lamech, which was actually a song sung to his wives.
Then the text says, “Lamech said to his wives,” but he was actually singing to them. This is the first song recorded in Scripture.
Source: Mary's Visit to Elizabeth (Ligonier)
Not all songs recorded in Scripture are positive, as some are arrogant and destructive.
I mention that for this reason: not all songs recorded in sacred Scripture are good songs. Some of them are bad songs. They’re arrogant and destructive songs.
Source: Mary's Visit to Elizabeth (Ligonier)
Christian music should focus on praising, blessing, thanking, and responding to God.
We need to have music that praises, blesses, thanks, and responds to God.
Source: Mary's Visit to Elizabeth (Ligonier)
The Kingdom of God requires repentance and cleansing, which was offered by John the Baptist.
John the Baptist came as a prophet and called the people to come and be cleansed, to repent because the kingdom of God was at hand.
Source: Message from John the Baptist (Part 2) (Ligonier)
The religious establishment often rejects God's will and cleansing because they believe it is not meant for them.
The religious establishment, however, said: “We’re not going to do that. That’s for the am ha’aretz , the people of the land, the common folk, but not for us. We will not go into the water and be cleansed.”
Source: Message from John the Baptist (Part 2) (Ligonier)
Syncretism is dangerous because it corrupts God's religion by mixing it with pagan culture, which removes something vitally important from the truth of God.
Any time syncretism takes place, something corrupt is added to the religion of God. At the same time, something vitally important is removed from the truth of God.
Source: The Ministry of John the Baptist (Ligonier)
Syncretism corrupts the religion of God by adding something corrupt while simultaneously removing something vitally important from the truth of God.
Any time syncretism takes place, something corrupt is added to the religion of God. At the same time, something vitally important is removed from the truth of God.
Source: The Ministry of John the Baptist (Ligonier)
Humans will be held accountable for everything they have done, said, and failed to do that God called them to do.
it is the idea that we will be held accountable for everything we have done, everything we have said, and everything we have left undone that God called us to do.
Source: The Mission of the Seventy-Two (Ligonier)
The Pharisees created their own traditions, which was an attempt at self-righteousness and was not mandated by God.
The Pharisees, who were the archconservatives of Israel, created new laws that God never imposed upon the people. They created their own traditions, and their tradition sought to require the Jews to fast twice a week for at least a portion of the day.
Source: New Wineskins (Ligonier)
The Apostolic tradition (paradosis) is a godly tradition that must be maintained and guarded throughout the church's history.
Τhere is a godly tradition, the Apostolic tradition, which is to be maintained and guarded in every age of the church.
Source: New Wineskins (Ligonier)
When the bridegroom (Christ) is present, the appropriate response is celebration, not fasting or mourning.
When the bridegroom comes, it’s time for a feast.
Source: New Wineskins (Ligonier)
If a person is offended by what the Lord God Almighty speaks, the fault lies with the person, not with God.
If we are offended by what the Lord God Almighty speaks, then the problem is not with Him, but with us.
Source: No Other Name (Ligonier)
Secular culture promotes the idea that all religions are equally valid, which contradicts biblical teaching.
Now, the assumption of the secularist is that all religions are not only equally tolerated under the law, but they are equally valid —or invalid.
Source: No Other Name (Ligonier)
True compassion requires action and demonstration, going beyond mere feelings.
True compassion goes far beyond feelings. Real compassion never stops at the feeling level. If a person really has compassion, he does not just feel it, he shows it.
Source: The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Ligonier)
The speaker asserts that tithing is a small, manageable act of worship and honor that is a biblical responsibility.
Tithing is not a big thing, as if Jesus were asking you to be burned at the stake or thrown to the lions in the Circus Maximus. Jesus called this a little thing. When Jesus asked you to tithe, He was asking for a little thing.
Source: The Parable of the Unjust Steward (Ligonier)
The ability to give a small offering, such as tithing, is presented as a measure of one's ability to truly worship and honor God.
If you cannot give Him a little thing, how can you really worship Him and honor Him?
Source: The Parable of the Unjust Steward (Ligonier)
When addressed by the repetition of his name, it is a significant theological pattern, exemplified by God calling Abraham.
Think back to the days of Abraham, when he went to Mount Moriah with Isaac, and he raised the knife to plunge it into the chest of his son. At the last possible moment, God called to him, saying: “Abraham, Abraham! . . . Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God” (Gen. 22:11–12).
Source: Paul's Conversion (Ligonier)
Jesus identifies so completely with His people that persecuting His church is equivalent to persecuting Himself.
Jesus so identifies with His church, so identifies with His people, that anyone in Christ Jesus who is persecuted for Christ’s sake is at the same time identified with Jesus.
Source: Paul's Conversion (Ligonier)
God is a kind deity who responds to prayers, but people must be careful about what they ask for.
God is the kind of God who hears and answers prayers. You must be careful what you ask for because you might get it.
Source: Paul's Sermon at Antioch (Ligonier)
True spiritual devotion requires believers to dedicate themselves fully, body and soul, to the things of God.
Christian, what God loves are believers who do not just give a casual interest in the things of God, who do not just show up in church once or twice a month for public worship, but then the rest of the time, they spin their wheels.
Source: Paul's Sermon at Antioch (Ligonier)
The speaker wants the audience to focus on the sound and the sight of the Pentecost event, rather than solely on speaking in tongues.
For now, I want us to focus on the other two dimensions, the sound and the sight of what happened on Pentecost, because therein we see Pentecost’s great significance.
Source: Pentecost (Ligonier)
God desires Christians who are passionately devoted to Him, not those who are merely lukewarm.
He does not want lukewarm Christians. He wants Christians who are consumed with fire in their bones, burning with a passion for the things of God.
Source: Pentecost (Ligonier)
It is common for Christians to feel ashamed of Jesus and want to keep a low profile in the world.
It’s not uncommon, dear friends, for Christians to be ashamed of Jesus. Sometimes we want to be secret service Christians, or Clairol Christians where only our hairdresser knows for sure.
Source: Peter's Denial (Ligonier)
Adherence to any religion other than the true God is merely running away from God into idolatry.
No, they are running away from God as fast as they can run into a religion of idolatry. Anything but the true God will satisfy the hearts of wicked people.
Source: Peter's Second Speech (Ligonier)
Justification is the declaration by God that a person is clean, which removes impurities from His sight and grants access to His presence.
God has declared you clean. That is what justification is all about. That is what the pronouncement of your forgiveness is all about: God has removed the impurities from His sight, and He gives you access to His presence.
Source: Peter's Vision (Ligonier)
The Pharisees were a group who were meticulous and scrupulous in their devotion to spiritual duties and obedience to the law.
They were meticulous and scrupulous in their daily devotion to spiritual duties.
Source: The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Ligonier)
All human righteousness is insufficient and considered filthy rags before God, meaning only Jesus possessed perfect righteousness.
The Bible says that all of your righteousness and all of my righteousness is filthy rags in the eyes of God. The only one who ever possessed perfect righteousness was Jesus.
Source: The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Ligonier)
Salvation is a process of being found by God's grace, rather than something that the individual actively seeks or pursues.
They were not concerned with studying the Old Testament Scriptures. They did not care about the law of Moses. They were not pursuing the righteousness of God, and yet in God’s mercy, what they were not pursuing, they found.
Source: Present Condition of Israel (Ligonier)
Failing to perform actions that God commands is considered a sin of omission.
We commit sins of omission when we fail to do those things we ought to have done that God commands us to do.
Source: The Promise Granted Through Faith (Ligonier)
The first commandments in the Ten Commandments concern our duty and behavior toward God, representing a vertical responsibility.
These commandments early in the Ten Commandments prescribe our responsibility to God on a vertical plane.
Source: Put on Christ (Ligonier)
Even if taxes are unjust, confiscatory, or oppressive, Christians have an obligation to pay them.
Even if the taxes are unjust, even if they are confiscatory, even if they are oppressive, it is our obligation to pay them.
Source: Render Unto Caesar (Ligonier)
While Christians must pay taxes to the government, they must not give the government worship or loyalty.
He’s due taxes, but not worship. He doesn’t intercede for you or make atonement for you. Those things are to be given to God.
Source: Render Unto Caesar (Ligonier)
The Sadducees were a priestly group that rejected the traditions of the Talmud and other rabbinic studies, limiting their doctrine primarily to the Torah, and they did not believe in a future life.
Secondly, they rejected the traditions of the Talmud and other rabbinic studies, trying to restrict their doctrine principally to the Torah. They did not believe there were grounds for believing in a future life. Therefore, they denied the resurrection of the dead.
Source: The Resurrection & David's Son (Ligonier)
True goodness is an absolute standard belonging only to God.
No one is good but One, that is, God.
Source: The Rich Young Ruler (Ligonier)
A Christian is simultaneously righteous and a sinner.
But Luther’s slogan was that the Christian is someone who is at the very same time righteous and a sinner.
Source: Righteousness Revealed (Ligonier)
A person does not have to wait to become perfectly righteous before being acceptable to God.
I do not have to wait to become perfectly righteous before I am acceptable to God.
Source: Righteousness Revealed (Ligonier)
Faith is the sole instrument by which a person is linked to Christ and receives His righteousness.
Faith is the lone instrument by which you are linked to Christ and receive His righteousness transferred by God to your account.
Source: Righteousness Revealed (Ligonier)
God's grace is a gift that freely gives the righteousness of Christ to a sinner, who remains a sinner.
It is the grace by which God freely gives the gift of the righteousness of Christ to a sinner, who is at the same time just and sinner.
Source: Righteousness Revealed (Ligonier)
Propitiation means satisfying the demands of justice and God's wrath.
Propitiation means to satisfy the demands of justice. In terms of the biblical concept, it means to satisfy the demands of God’s wrath.
Source: Righteousness Revealed (Ligonier)
Expiation refers to Christ removing our sin from us, taking it away.
When the New Testament speaks about expiation, it speaks about that sense in which Christ removes our sin from us. He takes it away.
Source: Righteousness Revealed (Ligonier)
Those who remain unconverted and defined by the corrupt nature of the flesh cannot please God, even through prayer.
Those who remain unconverted, those who are still defined by the corrupt nature that is referred to by this word sarx , or flesh, they are in such a state that nothing they can do can please God. Something that may surprise or startle you is that even the prayers of the unbeliever are displeasing to God because those prayers do not come from the heart.
Source: Sanctification (Ligonier)
Cowardice is characterized by a person doing nothing, saying nothing, and seeing or hearing no evil when evil is being committed.
A coward is a person who, when evil is being done, does nothing, says nothing, sees no evil, and hears no evil.
Source: Saul of Tarsus (Ligonier)
The act of shaking off dust was a ritualistic action performed by Jewish people to prevent bringing pagan contamination into the sacred borders of Israel.
When the Jew came back to the border of Israel, before he crossed into the Holy Land again, he would stop and literally shake the dust off his feet, lest he bring pagan contamination to the Holy Land.
Source: The Sending of the Twelve (Ligonier)
Attempting to elevate one's office or gift above others, or becoming dissatisfied with God's given role, can lead to spiritual downfall.
Context: Using the historical example of King Uzziah.
Then, in his later years, his status went to his head. He was not satisfied with being king. He wanted to be a priest, too. Uzziah went into the temple and tried to offer the offerings, and the priests were horrified.
Source: Serve God with Spiritual Gifts (Ligonier)
God has the full capacity to both bless and judge a nation, and this power must be understood when praying for blessings.
I tried to remind people at that time that if you are going to pray to God that He would bless the nation, that he would bless America, you must understand that in your prayer, you are praying to One who has every right and every power to withhold that blessing from a nation. The God who has the capacity to bless a nation also has the capacity to judge that nation.
Source: Sin's Advantage in the Law (Ligonier)
The purpose of seeking righteousness is not to earn salvation, but to express praise and gratitude to God.
Context: This position is stated within a prayer, but reflects his theological teaching.
by Thy grace help us to make the seeking of righteousness the main business of our lives—not to merit salvation, which we could not possibly do, but to show forth our praise and our gratitude to You.
Source: From Slaves of Sin to Slaves of God (Ligonier)
The Father has committed all judgment to the Son, requiring that people honor the Son to honor the Father.
For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father.
Source: The Son of the Father (Ligonier)
Honoring the Son is necessary for honoring the Father, and vice versa.
No, you cannot honor the Father without honoring the Son, and the Father has appointed a day when He will judge the world by the One whom He has appointed to be the Judge: the Son of Man, the heavenly being who comes to this earth to judge the world.
Source: The Son of the Father (Ligonier)
Jesus asserts that those addressing him are speaking to the Judge and the Lord of the Sabbath, and that dishonoring him means dishonoring the Father.
Fellows, you’re talking to the Judge here. You’re talking to the Lord of the Sabbath. You’re talking to the One before whom you will stand in judgment. You’re talking to the One whom the Father has given the power of life in Himself. If you don’t honor Me, you don’t honor the Father.
Source: The Son of the Father (Ligonier)
Those who do not believe in the Son of God are already condemned, because they have not believed in Him.
but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Source: The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up (Ligonier)
Coming to the light means that one's deeds will be exposed, which is both a challenge and a necessary process for being seen as done in God.
But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.
Source: The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up (Ligonier)
Simeon was likely viewed by the public as an object of derision and scorn.
I do not know if that is true, but I am convinced that he was an object of derision and scorn. The people would laugh at this old man and say, “Simeon, what are you doing?”
Source: Song of Simeon (Ligonier)
Blasphemy is defined as a verbal disrespect and dishonoring of God's name.
Blasphemy is something you do with your mouth, and it is a verbal disrespect and dishonoring of almighty God, whose name is protected in the Decalogue and for whom the first petition our of Lord in the Lord’s Prayer is, “Hallowed be Thy name.”
Source: Sons of Covenant (Ligonier)
Unregenerate people, even if they are church members, remain spiritually resistant, having calcified hearts and ears that cannot hear God's word.
They may be members of the church, but they still resist the Holy Ghost, and their necks have become stiff. They are set in their ways. Their hearts have been calcified. They have become without hearing in their ears for the things of God.
Source: Stephen on Trial (Ligonier)
In the New Testament, a saint refers simply to those whom God has called to Himself, set apart, and consecrated, rather than only referring to canonized figures.
It does not refer to those who have lived such stellar lives of piety that they have been canonized by a pope or a church, but it simply means, “Your holy ones, those whom You have called to Yourself, whom You have set apart, consecrated, indwelt with Your Holy Spirit, and are making holy in their sanctification.”
Source: The Street Called Straight (Ligonier)
God counts us righteous because the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, even if we are not inherently just.
Even though in and of ourselves we are not just or righteous, nevertheless, in this wonderful theme of justification, God counts us righteous because the righteousness of Christ has been imputed to us.
Source: Submit to Government (Part 1) (Ligonier)
Revenge is not ours because God knows our hearts and we are prone to committing injustice when seeking justice.
God says that when we are injured, we are never to become vigilantes in searching out our own revenge. Revenge does not belong to us. As I mentioned last time, this is because God knows our hearts and that we are never satisfied to get even.
Source: Submit to Government (Part 1) (Ligonier)
Christians are called to be exemplary models of civil obedience, recognizing that sin itself is fundamentally an act of revolt against authority.
This universal call to subjection to authority touches the root of our corruption because every one of us is a sinner, and every sin is an act of revolt against authority. If we respected the authority of God perfectly, we would never sin.
Source: Submit to Government (Part 1) (Ligonier)
True worship requires preparation and forethought.
True worship always involves preparation. You do not just come into the presence of God without some forethought of where you are going and what you are going to do there.
Source: Suffer the Little Children to Come Unto Me (Ligonier)
The Greek word 'ponēros' in the context of prayer refers specifically to Satan, not evil in general.
In this case, however, it is the Greek word ponēros , which literally means not “evil” in general but “the evil one.” The word ponēros is a title ascribed by sacred Scripture to the prince of lies, Satan himself.
Source: The Temptation of Jesus (Ligonier)
Jesus defeated Satan's offer of worldly authority by citing Scripture, asserting that worship belongs only to God.
Jesus said, “Fabulous offer, but get behind me Satan, for it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve.’”
Source: The Temptation of Jesus (Ligonier)
Herod, who had already killed family members, had no genuine intention of worshipping the newborn King.
Herod, who had already killed three of his sons and one wife, had no intention of giving homage to the newborn King.
Source: The Triumphal Entry (Ligonier)
God will ultimately judge those who persecute the faithful, including religious leaders and political figures.
But on the last day, the last word will be spoken by My Father, and all whom the Father has given to Me who will cry out, ‘Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’
Source: The Triumphal Entry (Ligonier)
Aristotle defined justice as giving to a person what is due, what is owed, what is fair, and what is true.
He said that justice is giving to a person what is their due, what is owed them, what is fair for them, what is true in the matter.
Source: The Unjust Judge (Ligonier)
God will vindicate His elect who cry out to Him day and night.
Jesus was saying, “Will not God vindicate His elect who cry unto Him day and night?”
Source: The Unjust Judge (Ligonier)
Jesus taught that when invited to a feast, one should not take the best seat, lest a more honorable person be invited and ask them to give their place.
When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, “Give place to this man,” and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.”
Source: The Way of Humility (Ligonier)
The principle is that those who exalt themselves will be humbled, while those who humble themselves will be exalted.
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
Source: The Way of Humility (Ligonier)
When hosting a feast, one should invite the poor, the maimed, the shunned, and the lowly, rather than only the rich and famous.
Instead, invite the poor, the maimed, the shunned, the lowly, the people of the earth. Bring those who cannot repay you, and your repayment will be great in heaven.
Source: The Way of Humility (Ligonier)
When Jesus addresses his mother using the title 'woman,' it is a polite form of address, not an insult.
It is like saying “Ma’am” or “Madam.” It is not like a cab driver in New York saying, “Where to, lady?” It is not that kind of address. This is a very nice way of addressing His mother.
Source: The Wedding Feast (Ligonier)
The use of wine in the New Testament symbolizes the arrival of the Kingdom of God, representing a progression beyond the Old Testament's water-based purification rites.
When Jesus announces the coming of the kingdom in the New Testament, He uses the metaphor of wine to do it. You may remember that He elsewhere talks about the new wine that has to be put in new wineskins. This represents a change from the economy of the Old Testament, going beyond water to the higher level of new wine.
Source: The Wedding Feast (Ligonier)
Jesus' actions, such as eating with publicans and attending feasts, signal the appropriate start of the celebration of the Kingdom of God.
But when the bridegroom comes, it is time for the party to start. That is Jesus’ whole point, and now He starts the celebration of the breaking in of the kingdom of God appropriately by making provision for celebration.
Source: The Wedding Feast (Ligonier)
In the Old Testament, water was generally fine for drinking, and wine was reserved for special feasts or celebrations.
Let me say this: We have a tendency to think that the Jews in the Old Testament drank wine because the water was no good. No, the water was fine, and they normally drank water. Most of the time when wine was used, it was for special Old Testament feasts or celebrations, such as the Passover.
Source: The Wedding Feast (Ligonier)
The Bible does not teach that drinking wine is sinful; rather, it is sinful to get drunk.
It is sinful to get drunk, but abuse does not require disuse.
Source: The Wedding Feast (Ligonier)
John the Baptist called the Jewish people to undergo a cleansing rite because the Messiah's arrival was imminent and they were unprepared.
John came as a Jew to Jews, calling the people of Israel to receive this rite of cleansing while he is making his sermonic announcement: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). John is saying: “A crisis moment in history is at hand. His fan is in His hand. The ax is laid at the root of the tree. The coming of the Messiah is not going to be in some distant, unknown future, but He is at the door. Any minute, He is going to come.”
Source: Who Are You? (Ligonier)
Pharisees are criticized for focusing on external religious cleanliness while neglecting internal moral purity.
Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also?
Source: Woes to Hypocrites (Ligonier)
The speaker emphasizes that religious observance must include justice and love for God, not just ritualistic tithes.
But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you. “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God.
Source: Woes to Hypocrites (Ligonier)
True worship must be conducted in spirit and truth, not restricted to a specific physical location like a mountain or a city.
God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.
Source: The Woman at the Well (Part 1) (Ligonier)
The Samaritans were hostile toward the Jews for various reasons, including their religious practices and geographical location.
The Samaritans only accepted the first five books of the Old Testament, so they ignored the teaching of the prophets. They ignored the Psalms and the messianic predictions therein, and all that spoke of Jerusalem.
Source: The Woman at the Well (Part 1) (Ligonier)
The fact that the woman came alone at noon suggests she was ostracized and considered a pariah in her community.
Normally, the women would come in a group to the public well to get the water they needed for the day. That this woman came alone at noon tells us about her social status in the community. She was obviously ostracized from the rest of the women and something of a pariah, so she had to come by herself in the heat of the day to get her water.
Source: The Woman at the Well (Part 1) (Ligonier)
The historical hostility between Samaritans and Jews was rooted in deep history, including the Samaritans' religious syncretism.
After the Samaritans were carried away into captivity by the Assyrians in 722 BC, they returned with wives they had married from the pagans. The Samaritans became religious half-breeds, as it were. They entered into religious syncretism, intermixing the pagan rites of their neighbors with their historical religion.
Source: The Woman at the Well (Part 1) (Ligonier)
True worship must be offered from the depths of the soul and inner human spirit, not merely according to the Holy Spirit.
When Jesus talks about God wanting people to worship Him in spirit and in truth, He is saying that the worship we offer is to come from the depths of our souls, from our inner human spirit that defines the very core of our being.
Source: The Woman at the Well (Part 2) (Ligonier)
While Christ is honored, the supreme focus of Christian worship must be on the Father, who is the ultimate object of worship.
But remember that Christ came, in the first place, to reconcile us to the Father, and there is a sense in which the supreme focus of our worship on Sunday morning is to the Father.
Source: The Woman at the Well (Part 2) (Ligonier)
Modern worship trends, often driven by polls and marketing, attempt to tailor religious services to people's felt needs, which is contrary to what the Father desires.
Like a marketing survey, we ask: “What do people want on Sunday mornings? Do they want sermons that will give them popular psychology? Do they want warm, fuzzy sermons where their felt needs are met?”
Source: The Woman at the Well (Part 2) (Ligonier)
The Lord's Supper is a true means of grace where Christ is truly present by His Spirit to minister forgiveness to those who come in humility.
At Saint Andrew’s Chapel, we believe and affirm the real presence of Christ in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. We believe that this sacrament is a true means of grace through which Christ, by His Spirit, is truly present to minister to us in our weakness.
Source: The Woman at the Well (Part 2) (Ligonier)
Jesus established the ritual of the Lord's Supper by taking bread and wine and declaring their new, symbolic meanings.
He took bread. And when He had blessed it, He broke it, and said to His disciples, “This is My body, broken for you.” In like manner, after they had supped, He took the cup, which was part of the ritual of the Old Testament Passover, and changed its significance, saying: “This is now My blood, shed for the remission of your sins, shed for the making of a new covenant. Drink ye all of it.”
Source: The Woman at the Well (Part 2) (Ligonier)
Designing worship programs specifically for unbelievers is a distortion of biblical teaching and what the Word of God commands.
But if I tailor the program for the unbeliever, that’s totally antithetical to what the Word of God teaches. This whole movement of seeker sensitivity is a pernicious distortion of what God commands and expects.
Praying to Mary and the saints constitutes a gross act of idolatry.
It’s a gross act of idolatry to be praying to Mary and to the saints. That is a very serious matter.
Source: Can praying to Mary or the saints keep a professing Christian out of heaven? (Ligonier Q&A)
Scripture teaches that God is compassionate, marked by loving-kindness, and shows mercy.
Context: MacArthur (speaking, not Sproul)
Scripture teaches that God is compassionate and marked by loving-kindness. He shows mercy to thousands, is tender-hearted, and weeps through the eyes of Jeremiah.
Source: Can praying to Mary or the saints keep a professing Christian out of heaven? (Ligonier Q&A)
Sproul concludes that because of the differences in theology, Christians and Muslims do not worship the same God.
So, the simple answer would be no, we don’t worship the same God.
Source: Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God? (Ligonier Q&A)
Sproul argues that claiming a generic God worshipped by everyone, separate from the Christian God, undermines the uniqueness of Christianity.
You can only answer yes if you can somehow argue that there is a generic God that everybody worships and then there’s a Christian God, but that’s a slippery slide to pluralism. It’s not an argument that makes any sense within the uniqueness of Christianity and the specific claim of Christianity that there is only one God.
Source: Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God? (Ligonier Q&A)
Every impenitent sinner is constantly exposed to the rage and fury of God's wrath.
Every impenitent sinner is exposed every second to the rage and fury of God’s wrath, as Paul tells us in Romans 1:18 and following.
Source: Does God love us just the way we are? (Ligonier Q&A)
Pentecost marked a shift where the anointing of God became universal for all believers, unlike its restricted nature in the Old Testament.
Now, I don’t think that happens in the New Testament. That’s the significance of Pentecost. We not only receive regeneration, sanctification, and indwelling, but from the day of Pentecost onward we also receive the anointing of God to carry out our task as believers in this world. In the Old Testament, that anointing was restricted to a handful of people. In the New Testament, it’s universal, to the whole body.
Source: How does the Holy Spirit work distinctly in the Old and New Testament? (Ligonier Q&A)
Heresy is defined as something that attacks the core principles of the gospel and the truth.
Heresy is something that strikes at the very heart of the gospel and of the truth.
Source: How do you define a false teacher? (Ligonier Q&A)
God desires to remove sin from His children and call sinners to Himself to give them both a righteous status and a righteous character.
Context: Stated by Reeves.
However, in calling us into the life of Christ, God desires to remove the sin that disgusts Him from His children. God desires to call sinners to Himself to give them a righteous status and, eventually, a righteous character.
Source: Is God disappointed in our mistakes or disobedience? (Ligonier Q&A)
Christ's redemptive work is that He provides the clothing of His righteousness to cover humanity's sin and nakedness.
The work of Christ in our redemption is that He provides us with the clothing of His righteousness to cover our filthy rags and our nakedness.
Source: Is there evidence of Adam and Eve’s repentance and faith after the fall? (Ligonier Q&A)
While we are required to pray for people committing any sin, we are not required to pray for those committing the sin unto death.
We are to pray for people who are committing any other sin, but if we see a person committing the sin unto death, we are not required to pray for them. The Bible doesn’t say we are not allowed to pray for them, but we’re not required to, and I would think that would apply to this sin.
The Bible is a text that critiques the reader, which is a positive sign that the reader should not criticize it.
The one book that I don’t read critically in that sense is the Bible because, when I read the Bible, the Bible criticizes me. I don’t criticize it.
Source: Should Christians study philosophy? (Ligonier Q&A)
Even when enjoying personal intimacy with God, believers must maintain a healthy respect and adoration for Him.
We are invited to call him Abba, Father, and to have the personal intimacy promised to us, but still we’re not to be flippant with God. We’re always to maintain a healthy respect and adoration for him.
Source: Throughout the Bible we are told to fear God. What does that mean? (Ligonier Q&A)
The central purpose of the church must be maintained through corporate worship, which is instructed by Scripture, fellowship, and prayer, and should not be usurped by lesser programs.
So, I think it’s extremely important what happens Sunday morning for corporate worship, where we are instructed by the Scriptures and we gather together in fellowship and prayer. We don’t want to let these lesser programs usurp the central purpose of the church.
Source: What are the essential ingredients of a true church? (Ligonier Q&A)