Sinclair Ferguson: the Trinity brings comfort

Sinclair Ferguson reminds us that the doctrine of the Trinity brings comfort—especially in times of crisis.

“I think it would be true today to say that for many Christians the Trinity is the most speculative of all doctrines and therefore the most irrelevant—whereas for the Lord Jesus it is the least speculative of all doctrines and by far the most relevant and practical. But we don’t find that unless we’re digging into the scriptures to pursue the knowledge of God as He’s revealed to us in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Watch or read an excerpt here.

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A conference to watch next week!

A conference I have enjoyed watching and my wife and daughter have attended in recent years at The Master’s College

The theme of the 2013 Truth & Life Conference at The Master’s College is The Word of God. The conference explores the authority and sufficiency of the inerrant Word of God. Participants will learn more about how God’s Word guides and transforms the individual believer as well as the Church, for His glory. If you are in the Southern California area, we invite you to join us January 16-18 to hear from our president, Dr. John MacArthur and noted speakers Dr. Mark Dever and Dr. Sinclair Ferguson. Please join us via live streaming video at www.truthandlife.org.

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A sobering reminder for parents of young children

It was the night that Sinclair Ferguson went rogue–according to David Mathis–the Sunday evening when he tossed away his prepared sermon and challenged parents about the importance of speaking the Word of God into the lives of their children.

In the sermon, Ferguson says,  “What kind of instrument are you? I’m thinking particularly this evening about what kind of instrument are you in relationship to young people?”

Mathis continues,

This is an especially sobering warning from the veteran pastor to a young father like myself: “If you hide the Scriptures from your children, it may be better that a millstone be hung around your neck and you be cast into the midst of the sea than that you should ever imagine that you’re behaving like a Christian parent.”

The sermon is well worth the listen for young Christian parents — and everyone else. The preaching is raw and powerful — and Ferguson’s rich Scottish accent is icing on the cake.

You can stream or download the message here.

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Sinclair Ferguson on concerns with today’s Christianity

Sinclair Ferguson, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC, was asked a few years back about what concerned him most regarding the state of the church and modern-day Protestant Christianity in this country.  Ferguson pointed out a number of areas that he views as weaknesses including pragmatism, an emphasis on quality worship with a neglect of more regular worship, the lack of prayer in most churches, and the rise of the personality cult in Christianity.

Read and think about what he says about these areas and more here.

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A veritable feast: Sinclair Ferguson’s Tabletalk articles

What a joy to find out that Tabletalk (Ligonier’s monthly publication) has made all of Sinclair Ferguson’s article for the last several years available for free on-line.

Check them out here! There’s a lot of wisdom here!

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Is the war over?

Every so often during the second half of the twentieth century, news would come of the discovery of a soldier living in the jungle years after the end of the war in which he had fought. The war was over; these men had long been free; they could have lived out in society without fear of capture, without terror of the enemy. But they did not know the truth about their situation and status.

So it is sometimes with Christians. We can be deluded by the ongoing presence of sin into thinking that we are slaves of sin. We may even be driven to despair. We fail to appreciate that the grace of God in Jesus Christ sets us free from sin’s dominion and therefore enables us to engage in open conflict with sin’s presence and overcome it.

So here is the answer to the question, “How have we died to sin?” We have been united to Jesus Christ in His death to sin and His resurrection to new life. We have been raised into a new order of reality altogether–where sin no longer reigns because grace reigns.

–Sinclair Ferguson, By Grace Alone, p. 115

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Four fiery darts

How does Satan attack us?  As Christians we are told  to put on the whole armor of God of which part of that is this:

“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; ” (Ephesians 6:16, ESV).

What are some of the flaming darts the evil one zings our way.  In his book By Grace Alone Sinclair Ferguson mentions four powerful darts of the devil:

• “God is against you,” Satan says.  ”He is not really for you.  How can you believe He is for you when you see the things that are happening in your life?”
• “I have accusations I will bring against you because of your sins,” Satan argues.  ”What can you say in your defense? Nothing?
• “You say you are forgiven, but there is payback day coming–a condemnation day,” Satan insinuates.  ”How will you defend yourself then?”
• “Given your track record, what hope is there you will persevere to the end.”

How do we face down such darts with the shield of faith?  Ferguson goes on to explain that Romans 8:31-35 is a great place to start.  These are promises of God that will quench each one of the above darts.  Trust in these today. Bracket information added gives the defense for each of the above darts:

“ [Dart one] What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?  [Dart 2] Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.  [Dart 3] Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. [Dart 4] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? ” (Romans 8:31–35, ESV)

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By grace alone: five and out

Five quick quotes from the first chapter of Sinclair Ferguson’s book By Grace Alone which deals with the bondage of sin.

“My problem is not the isolated actions that I see as aberrations from what I really am. I am deceiving myself if I think that way.  These actions are are not abberations but revelations of what is in my heart. They show that I commit sin because I am in bondage to it.” (p. 3)

“We are not masters of our desires.” (p. 4)

“No one can will the will to will what it will not will.” (p. 4)

“What is it that you cannot master, but masters you?” (p. 9)

The response of a church organization that “recalled” one of their monthly editions of their magazine which called someone “a miserable sinner”:  “We don’t want to give the impression that the doctrines of the Christian faith cause people emotional trauma.” (p. 6)

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By grace alone!

“Routine grace, how monotonous the sound? Sadly, that’s the reality for many believers, too inured to the wonders of grace to live each day in utter amazement. This new book by Dr. Sinclair Ferguson provides a fresh infusion of joy and wonder for believers who’ve fallen into the trap of taking God’s undeserved riches for granted. Join Dr. Ferguson as he delves into God’s Word and comes away with a deeper understanding that can help enrich your faith–each and every day.”

So Ligonier Ministries introduces Sinclair Ferguson’s new book By Grace Alone.

Read a few endorsements and quite a few selected excerpts here and get the book!

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Union with Christ

Sinclair Ferguson on union with Christ

Apart from union with Christ, it impossible to receive any of the saving blessings of God.  Not even the cross and the empty tomb can save us unless we are joined to Christ.

By virtue of our union with Christ, we receive the double benefit of justification and sanctification.

John Calvin on this issue:

Christ is not outside us but dwells within us.  Not only does he cleave to us by an indivisible bond of fellowship, but with a wonderful communion, day by day, he grows more and more into one body with us, until he becomes completely one with us.

We must know that our Lord Jesus Christ presents Himself to us confirm us in the unity which we have already received by the faith of the Gospel, that we may be grafted into His body in such a manner that He will dwell in us and we in Him.

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