Good News

Posted on November 25, 2022 by RC

I’ve got great news — I just saved a bundle on my car insurance. This pop-cultural punchline might just expose a real problem we have in our Christian sub-culture: we don’t know what the good news is.

The confusion, from one perspective, is understandable. God is good. God is gracious. We move from grace to grace, receiving gifts from Him all the time. God is in turn sovereign. He controls all things. When He tells us, therefore, that all things work together for good for those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28), we can learn that it’s all good news. His coming, that’s good news. His dying, that’s good news. His ascending, that’s good news. His sending the Spirit, that’s good news. The Spirit applying all these things to His people, that’s good news. Even the trials we go through here and now, they are good news as well. We are, after all, to count it all joy.

That everything is good news, however, does not mean that everything is the good news. The authors of their respective gospels were not merely publishing everything they came upon. While each had their own peculiar focus, each of them together, on the other hand, were seeking to make known the good news. These four men, however, were not the first. Two other men before them labored diligently to make known the good news. One of those two was called the greatest man born of a woman by the Lord (Luke 7:28). The other was the Lord of Glory Himself. If we would understand the Gospels, we would be wise to understand that the good news they were reporting was the good news proclaimed not just about Jesus, but by Jesus. The good news is that the kingdom has come. This is the message of Jesus: the kingdom of God is here.

On the other hand, the bad news is that the kingdom has come. The life, death, resurrection, ascension and return of Christ is to us who have been called, the very aroma of life. To those who are still outside the kingdom, it is the stench of death. It is the same kingdom either way, but for the seed of the woman (Christians) it is blessing, and for the seed of the serpent it is cursing.

That this one kingdom can mean one thing for one group and the opposite for another can help explain how we have come to conflate some terms over time. That is, the difference between seeing the coming of the kingdom as an event of joy or of dread is found in one simple distinction — do we trust in the finished work of Christ alone or not? The seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent began in the same place, as enemies of the kingdom. We are all by nature children of wrath. But it is as we are gifted with repentance and believe that we move from darkness to light, that we are adopted into the very family of God. That’s good news. Better still, the king who has adopted us, He is now king indeed. That’s very good news.

Our gospel is a truncated shell of this great reality if the good news is merely that we don’t have to go to hell. It gets only slightly better if it means that our souls go to heaven. The fullness of the gospel is found in the fullness of the kingdom. Jesus is about the business of remaking all things. He changes everything. He is, after all, the first-born of the new creation. He is remaking all the created order that groans under the burden of our sin. He is remaking all the political order, as all kings everywhere learn to kiss the Son, lest He be angry (Ps. 2). He is remaking the church, His bride, removing from us corporately every blot and blemish. And He is remaking every one of us, reshaping us pots into vessels of grace.

We are a part of this good news precisely because He came and lived a life of perfect obedience in our place. We are a part of this precisely because He suffered the wrath of the Father that is due to us for our sins. We are a part of this because He has given us each a new heart that responds to His calling with repentance and faith. We bring nothing to the table but our need. Jesus has done it all. We are His workmanship, judged innocent by His death, judged righteous by His life.

There is still more good news. We are not merely by the good news of His atonement made citizens of that kingdom we are called to seek. We are not merely judged righteous by His righteousness that we were called to seek. We are by the same Spirit made kings and queens with Him. We are not just subjects but rulers. We are seated even now with Him in the heavenly places. Our calling is to believe these promises. Our calling is to be of good cheer, for He has already overcome the world (John 16:33). We do not wait for His kingdom to come, for it is here. Instead, we strive to make it ever more visible, as we make all things subject to His glorious reign.

Posted in Advent, apologetics, Apostles' Creed, Biblical Doctrines, church, creation, Good News, kingdom, Kingdom Notes, politics, preaching, RC Sproul JR, repentance, sovereignty | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Neither Are We Grateful

Posted on November 24, 2022 by RC

It is a sure sign that we are sinners that we tend to be more concerned about what we do than what we are. That is, our guilt or peace oftentimes is the fruit of our own judgment of how often we commit a known sin, less often grounded in what we think and how we feel. I may hate my brother, but if I can keep myself from killing him, well, how bad could I be?

In Romans 1 Paul is setting about the business of explaining the universal guilt of men before God. There he answers the telling question, “What about the innocent native in Africa who knows nothing of Christ?” by affirming that all men everywhere both know who God is, and reject that knowledge. Before we have done anything we stand guilty, if only because our eyes tell us there is a God and our hearts hate that truth. Paul then, however, in describing the universal sinful condition of all men outside of Christ adds this condemnation—neither were they grateful.

If it is true that all men exist—were made to glorify God—our gratitude failure is not simply a failure of manners, akin to forgetting to write a thank-you card for a gift. Instead it is like adultery, like murder, like cosmic rebellion. How so? Well, a failure to be grateful is grounded in the conviction that we are due better than what we have been given. We are all born with an expectation of a certain level of comfort, a certain level of fulfillment, a certain level of pleasure. When these exceed our expectations we believe all is right with the world. We have received our due. When they fall below our expectations, however, we grumble, we complain, we howl. We scratch our heads thinking something is wrong with the universe.

Something is wrong with the universe—us. The lost are, well, lost. They have not been changed. They do not have the Holy Spirit. They are on their own. But we complain just like them. We have the same set of expectations, and so mimic their grumbling. We, because we are worldly, look at the world and our place in it just like the world.

Gratitude, however, isn’t the fruit of happiness, but its root. When we give thanks, when we look at the world and our place in it realistically, remembering what we are due in ourselves, what we have, and all that we have been promised in Christ, we are astonished, overwhelmed. And therefore overjoyed.

I have a wife who loves me, and our Lord. I have children and grandchildren who love me, and their Lord. I have friends who love me, and their Lord. Most important of all, I am beloved of the Father. How could I ever even begin to think “It isn’t enough”? And, when I fail, my Father forgives me, His Spirit works in me, and I get better. Saint, thanksgiving isn’t a holiday to be observed, but a lifestyle to be practiced. Give thanks. And when you are done, do it again.

Posted in 10 Commandments, Biblical Doctrines, Devil's Arsenal, grace, kingdom, Kingdom Notes, RC Sproul JR | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sacred Marriage; Twitter’s Musky Scent; Sons of God & More

Posted on November 23, 2022 by RC

This week’s Jesus Changes Everything Podcast

Posted in Biblical Doctrines, cyberspace, ethics, Good News, In the Beginning, Jesus Changes Everything, Lisa Sproul, prayer, RC Sproul JR, Sacred Marriage | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Chickens, Eggs and Roman Catholicism

Posted on November 22, 2022 by RC

One should not, after centuries of such folly, be surprised when Roman Catholicism exposes its shameful pride. As our senses have grown dull, they’ve become more brazen with each passing year. They, after all, are the one true church. They are the source of an infallible tradition. They hold the checkbook to the treasury of merit. Heck, their patron saint, Mary, is supposedly the Queen of the Universe.

Tradition, that mysterious unnamed repository of revelation, according to Rome, is equal in authority to the Word of God. But it gets still worse. The Roman church, according to the Roman church, stands over God’s Word like a colossus. They don’t just claim to have a perfect understanding of the Bible. They don’t just claim to be equal in authority to the Bible. They claim that they gave us the Bible. Rome saves us. Rome vets God’s Word.

Here is how the argument goes. When controversy arose early in the life of the church over whether this book or that belonged in the canon, the church convened a council to settle the matter. They settled the matter. Ipso pronto, hey presto, and QED, the church “gave us” the Bible and is therefore its master. Yeah, no.

First, the good Roman Catholics back in the time of this council, were better than their children. They did “finalize” the canon, but even they recognized the Bible was their authority, not the other way around. The language they used to affirm the canon was “Recipimus,” Latin meaning, “We receive.” “We receive these books to be the authoritative Word of God.” They affirmed not that they made the canon, but that they recognized it. They did not give it its authority, but recognized the authority it already had. Rome no more gave us the Bible than I crowned the Lord Jesus when I “made” Him Lord. He was Lord long before I was born. I just, by His grace and power, recognized it.

Second, when you challenge Rome, asking where they got the authority to give the Bible its authority, they will inevitably turn to Jesus, Peter and Caesarea Philippi. There Peter affirmed that Jesus was the Christ. There Jesus said that Peter was the Rock. And there Jesus said He would build His church upon the rock. There are nuanced arguments about what Jesus must have meant, Rome affirming this was Jesus anointing Peter as the first Pope, most Protestants affirming the rock is the declaration of Peter, that Jesus is the Christ, not that Peter is the pope. Trouble is, even if we stipulate Rome’s position, we still have an inescapable problem. If this is that place where Rome gets its authority, then Rome’s authority rests on the authority of the Bible. Uh-oh. The Bible’s authority rests on Rome whose authority rests on the Bible. Both feet planted firmly in mid-air.
The Bible is the alone Word of God. And those who think they gave Him His voice, those are not the people whose voices we should be listening to.

Don’t believe the hype.

Posted in 10 Commandments, apologetics, Biblical Doctrines, church, kingdom, Kingdom Notes, RC Sproul JR, Reformation, Roman Catholicism | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bible Study Tonight, 7 est on Facebook Live, RC-Lisa Sproul.

Posted on November 21, 2022 by RC

Posted on November 14, 2022 by RC


We will once again be sharing our home Bible study through Facebook Live (RC-Lisa Sproul) this evening, 7 eastern. Those who’d like to meet face to face, you’re also invited for dinner at our home at 6:15. Tonight we consider the promise of God that all things work together for good for those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

Join us, one way or the other, and we pray your faith will be strengthened.

Posted in announcements, assurance, Bible Study, Biblical Doctrines, Facebook Live, RC Sproul JR, sovereignty, theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Bible Study Tonight, 7 est on Facebook Live, RC-Lisa Sproul.

What’s the difference between Pilgrims and Puritans?

Posted on November 21, 2022 by RC

Not much. Both groups had their roots in the Church of England. Both groups had a deep commitment to the doctrines of grace. Both groups were filled with men and women passionate about the gospel and the Lordship of Christ over all things. Both groups were deeply troubled by the broad latitude within the Church of England. The difference between them was how they dealt with their concerns with the Church of England.

The Reformation in England was a profoundly messy affair. It was sparked less by a recovery of the gospel, more by a king’s pursuit of a male heir. England then flipped from Protestant to Catholic to Protestant depending on who sat on the throne. In the end the church became, as it is to this day a wide tent, with room for Roman Catholic doctrine minus papal authority, strong Calvinists and others including, in our day, theological liberals who deny the deity of Christ and more.

Both Pilgrims and Puritans were among the strong Calvinists. The former took the view that the Church of England was beyond saving and left the established church while the latter took the view that the Church of England remained part of the true church but needed to rid itself of every remnant of Romish doctrine and practice. Pilgrims wandered from the established church while Puritans labored to purify it. Both groups wanted the same thing, a healthy, faithful and thriving church. They simply disagreed on the best way to get there.

The caricature of these faithful believers, that they were sour faced killjoys could not be further from the truth. They recognized their call to gratitude for all that God had done, to redeem them, provide for them, bless them. They, as Thanksgiving reminds us, loved to feast before the Lord. While they sought theological and biblical clarity, they were never an austere people.

The same commitments that marked these two groups, as well as the same differences, remain with us today, even outside the immediate context of the Church of England. For a modern look at how this played out in the 20th century I commend to you the inimitable Iain Murray’s amazing book, Evangelicalism Divided. I would consider this to be one of the ten most important books I’ve read in the past 25 years. Murray takes the occasion of Billy Graham’s London crusade and its decision to align with Roman Catholics and compares how three influential evangelicals in the United Kingdom responded to this. Martin Lloyd Jones represents a more Pilgrim like response, J.I. Packer a more Puritan response while John Stott fills to role of representing the established church. The book is published by Banner of Truth.

Pilgrims and Puritans together served as the driving force of the colonization of what is now the United States. They were men and women of courage and conviction, who in turn lived daily in light of their dependence on God’s grace in Christ.

Posted in Big Eva, church, RC Sproul JR, Reformation, Roman Catholicism | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Of Mice and Men

Posted on November 18, 2022 by RC

To suggest that wisdom is always balanced seems to me to be a bit, well, unbalanced. Whoever first uttered the words of wisdom, “moderation in all things,” should, I believe, have healed himself. All things? Isn’t that a bit extreme? In like manner, wisdom is almost always balanced. We need to measure the wisdom of looking before we leap with the equally potent conviction that he who hesitates is lost. We need to remember, as we loudly affirm that we ought not answer a fool according to his folly lest we be like him, that we ought to answer a fool according to his folly lest he become wise in his own eyes (Prov. 26: 4–5).

Jesus, who is wisdom incarnate, wisely tells us that we must consider the cost. Only a fool would set about the business of building a tower without first determining if he had the resources to complete the job. Planning, according to Jesus, is good and proper. Out of this wisdom we have with all due wisdom extrapolated our calling to set goals before us, to look beyond today, to discern the times. This same Jesus, however, speaking through James His brother, says, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’ — yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil” (James 4:13–16).

It is a great thing to plan, to lay down your hopes and aspirations. It is a great thing, in fact, not just to hope for a particular destination but to map out the steps that will get you there. It is, however, incumbent upon us to do this as creatures, as vapor. We must remember our frame. We must remember that we simply propose while God disposes. If the Lord wills, we will do this or that. If, however, the Lord wills differently, His plans will supersede our own. Not only ought we to pray, “nevertheless not my will but Thine be done,” but we ought also to pray knowing that His sovereign will, in fact, will be done.

If we would plan in accordance with God’s plan, we must first know what God’s plan is. He has not told us that we will go into such and such a city, buy and sell and make a profit. He has not told us that our five-year-old daughter will marry her eight-year-old neighbor, and the two of them will build their home on the back side of our property. He has not told us that our ten-year-old son will thrive in a particular line of work, and will, along with his own as yet unborn children, seize that whole industry for the kingdom of God. He has not told us that once we have seized this industry we will cooperate with the plan set in motion by Brother Jones fifty years ago so that we can together seize that other cultural doodad for Jesus. It is a shameful thing to be shortsighted. It is likewise an arrogant thing to boast that you can see far into the future.

God’s secret plan is just that — secret. We don’t know His strategy, how He will move in this coming year, decade, or century. God’s revealed plan is, well, that which has been revealed. He has told us what is required of us — that we do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with Him (Mic. 6:8). He has told us the sum of the matter — that we should fear Him and obey all that He commands (Eccl. 12:13). He has called us to go into all the nations, baptizing them, teaching them to obey all that He has commanded (Matt. 28:19–20). He has told us that we ought not worry about what we will eat or about what our great grandchildren will eat. The Gentiles worry about such things. No, our calling is to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt. 6:33). My prayer and my plan is that every day I would grow more faithful in this calling.

This, we highly resolve — that we would seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. If we would but keep this one resolution, we would witness worldwide revolution. Better yet, we would enjoy a new reformation. May God give us the grace to be extremists where we ought to be, that we would always seek out wisdom and rest in His finished work.

Posted in Biblical Doctrines, eschatology, ethics, kingdom, Kingdom Notes, prayer, RC Sproul JR, Reformation, sovereignty | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Of Mice and Men

Giving Offense

Posted on November 17, 2022 by RC

When the world embraces as truth the postmodern notion that all truth claims are a hidden exercise of power we ought not to be surprised when counter-offensives come in the form of self-victimization. OK, let me try that again. When you think everyone else is a wicked tyrant it is rather easy to see yourself as a helpless hero. And to use that “helplessness” as the cudgel by which you seize power.

Here’s how it works. First, you decide that language is inherently abusive. Second, you decide that you have been abused. All the snowflake yammering about “safe spaces,” “micro-aggressions,” and “triggering language” is just so much soccer style flopping. It is Dennis the Peasant whining about the violence inherent in the system. A decent person, of course, has no desire to hurt another person. When said other person squeals in pain our first instinct is to apologize. We’re embarrassed, like our tongue just stepped on someone’s toes. So we retreat. We redouble our efforts to be extra special winsome and gentle. We even join the protests against those troglodytes who won’t get with the program. In short, we surrender.

It is certainly possible to give unnecessary offense. In a normal world the likelihood of doing so is roughly equal to the likelihood of taking unnecessary offense. We’re not in a normal world anymore, Toto. The Christian needs to learn three important truths in this blunderful world of ow’s. First, we must remember that the message that we carry is an offense. The Bible tells us this, over and over. To seek to bring that message while avoiding the offense is like trying to go downstairs while staying upstairs. Our message begins with the very truth that unbelievers, as we did when we were still dead in our sins, labor so diligently to suppress, that there is a God and that we fall short of all He requires of us.

Second, they will insist the offense is precisely where it isn’t so as not to have to think about where it is. When he/him starts screeching at us because we tell she/her that she must repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ we’re doing it right. We don’t mock her dysphoria, neither do we enter into it. She wants to live in a pretend world where she can be a he and need not fear God’s wrath. Our message to her is that she must be a she and can be free of God’s wrath through Jesus.

Third, we need to remember that our calling is to joyfully receive the hatred of the world for loving them. We are the ones who are willing to be falsely accused of giving offense because we care about those who accuse us. We are the ones who are willing to be thought fools because we know well and good, as anyone can see, that the Emperor is an Empress. We are the ones who are willing to be actually victimized by the ones crying “victim” because our lives and our treasures are secure in Christ in heaven. We are the ones who rejoice when all men revile us for His name’s sake.

Posted in 10 Commandments, abortion, apologetics, Biblical Doctrines, Big Eva, church, ethics, kingdom, Kingdom Notes, persecution, philosophy, politics, post-modernism, RC Sproul JR, sexual confusion | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Giving Offense

This week’s Jesus Changes Everything Podcast

Posted on November 16, 2022 by RC

Posted in Biblical Doctrines, church, Good News, Jesus Changes Everything, kingdom, Lisa Sproul, prayer, RC Sproul JR, Sacred Marriage | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Casting Mountains Into Seas, a Bible Study

Posted on November 15, 2022 by RC

Posted in Bible Study, Biblical Doctrines, church, kingdom, persecution, politics, prayer, RC Sproul JR, sovereignty | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Casting Mountains Into Seas, a Bible Study