If thats the case, then Albert Mohler is one of the most radical Social Justice Warriors in evangelicalism, doing a 180-degree turn from his 2014 debate with Jim Wallis on the subject. WebSinclair B. Ferguson (PhD, University of Aberdeen) is Chancellors Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary and the former senior minister of the First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina.He is the author of several books, including By Grace Alone and Lessons from the Upper Room.Sinclair and his wife, Each week follows a theme to guide you day by day in the pursuit of spiritual renewal. Today, Sinclair Ferguson expresses what it means for God's kingdom and His will to be established in our lives. Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/gods-unfailing-promise. When we lose hold of who God is, then our identity as His image-bearers will inevitably unravel. He was born to his parents in Scottland, in the United Kingdom. My area of teaching has been systematic theology, which I love, but its also become very obvious to me that the big danger in any system-type theology is that it becomes depersonalized and ideological. He is married to his beautiful and loving wife Dorothy Ferguson. The Marrow Controversy. What he has done isby one of ten different ways that he knows you can get thereby one of these ten different ways, he has solved the crossword puzzle of the Old Testament, and then he puts his pencil down because hes preached Christ from the Old Testament. Ferguson is among a select group of pastor-theologians whose books repeatedly serve to equip and edify the church. A graduate of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, he is the author of some two dozen books, has authored numerous articles and has contributed to various symposia. So that would be another form of Antinomianism. In addition to being Senior Minister, Dr. Ferguson is Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary. According to reports today, this soul-searching has led to a severing of the official relationship between Albert Mohler and Ligonier. I think someone could read some of that and think, Were they just talking past each other? Ferguson later transferred to the US in the mid-2000s to the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, working as the senior pastor of the historic First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, in South Carolina. By the mercy of God, in his creation he built in the stuff out of which this kind of thing could be done. I dont remember when this struck me, but one day it struck me that these two statements dont really belong together in the same sentence. If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks then look no further. Here is one. One of the most striking insights that I feel like you draw out is the fact that both legalism and Antinomianism actually, even though they might seem like theyre at the opposite ends of the spectrum, they nevertheless have the same root. The picture were given in Genesis 3 is of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, calling out: Adam, Adam, where are you today? Racing to the empty tomb, John found Jesus' graveclothes inside. Many people are rejecting the teaching in Genesis about the boundaries of marriage and gender. [3] He was the pastor there for 10 years. Crossway is a not-for-profit Christian ministry that exists solely for Since the Lord's Prayer has been given to shape our praying, it also shapes our living as disciples of Christ. And then they wrote their review of the book based on those tweets? These tools are wonderful tools. So, surely, he would have come to his heavenly Father, leading the whole created order as its prophet, priest, and king, and said to his Father, Father, we finished the work, and then, like a child, wouldve handed it all back to God as the love gift of an obedient creation. At the end of Luke 2 it says Jesus was growing in stature, but also in wisdom and favor with God. Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/simon-who-carried-his-cross. We want to help each other think a little bit better. I cant remember whether or not I said this in the book, but I remember sitting under a series of expositions from the Gospels in which the thrust was, Where are you in this story? They also continued to stress that it was Mohlers influence in the institution, as well as his position on Social Justice, that led to the decision and that the final call was multi-faceted., Do you know the difference between first degree murder and second degree murder? Learn more or donate today at. I was reading a number of the figures who were known as Antinomians in history. I think it can be more than that because with all the didactic material in Pauls letters, still at the absolute core of it for him is always about the person he met on the Damascus road; or rather, who met him on the Damascus road. Matt Tully Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/our-father-in-heaven, After long ages of conflict for the people of God, Jesus Christ arrived to fulfill Genesis 3:15 in His conquest of Satan. Sinclair Ferguson Were subject to that, and thats why we so much need one another. Sinclair Ferguson Ferguson was ordained as a minister in the Church of Scotland in 1971, becoming the minister of St. John's, Baltasound, the most northerly parish in Scotland, on the island of Unst, Shetland. So whatever the matter was about, its a lifelong business letting the gospel, being porous to the gospel, so that it then comes out of your pores, and theres the tincture in your ministry. If you think, Let me cut out everything in Pauls letters thats not related to something going wrong in the history of the church, you dont have all that much left in Pauls letters. Log in, Written by Don K. Clements | But I realized then that because I had focused on what I thought were really important theological, pastoral issues, the historical setting was just one of many settings in which the issue of how do we understand the gospel, especially when people begin to develop a Reformed view of theology, there are big questions related to the nature of Gods covenant. He serves as a Teaching Fellow for Ligonier Ministries. So, I think this is just partin answer to your questionI think its just part of the existence of the church in the world as a sinful community living in a sinful world, surrounded by malformed thinking about the world, God, and the gospel. So long as this is true we will find ourselves under threat from the old order. He has served as minister of two congregations in Scotland, one on Unst, the most northerly inhabited island in the United Kingdom, and the other at the center of Glasgow, the largest city in Scotland. Jesus taught His disciples to address God as He did: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name" (Matt. But they knew God would fulfill His Word. The controversy began in a very small Scottish town, essentially during a presbytery meeting where some of the men in the presbytery were trying to weed out legalism. Books he has written, edited, or contributed to include: Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. In a way, I think for most of us who plod along in our churches, thats where the Gospels come in. I remember coming across a very striking comment in the Dutch-American theologian Geerhardus Vos where he says the essence of legalism is that you sever the law of God from the person of God. That goes back to the Marrow Controversy and what we are in our hearts and how were related to Christ and how we think of brothers and sisters. Where do you see that? No matter how hard atheists try to suppress the truth of God, they cannot escape the fact that their lives were created with meaning. Its not a focus on the personnot the solution to the Old Testament crossword puzzlebut Christ himself offered to the people. Unaware that they were traveling with the resurrected Jesus, two disciples gladly heard Him explain the Scriptures on the road to Emmaus. We have no continuing city in the present world order. Listen to Sinclair Ferguson and learn some helpful texts to which you can turn and shine some light into somebodys darkness. Websort by. Again, we tend to think of a priest as someone who makes a sacrifice for sin, and thats true. I think one of the things that has just fascinated me about the Marrow Controversy (and lots of controversies) is that in so manyI have a mantra in which I say, There is no theology without psychology. Theres not abstract theology; theres only the theology that we, as individuals, work out. Occasionally, Im asked to speak at seminary graduations and I think, I wish I was sitting where theyre sitting!. They had seen something on the website, and so they had formed their opinion without carefully reading and reflecting. For an American context, help us understand that word. Find ratings and reviews for the newest movie and TV shows. Trapped by the Jewish leaders, Pontius Pilate asked the crowd, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ" (Matt. One day, He will cover the entire cosmos in His glory. A graduate of the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, Ferguson is the author of some two dozen books, has authored numerous articles and has contributed to various symposia. . , . At that time, nobody was interested in any opinions I had. What we think we are doing is cutting edge and speaking to the times without really realizing we can becomeintellectually and emotionallyfodder for the spirit of this age, while what we think we are doing is advancing the gospel. Today, Sinclair Ferguson considers God's faithfulness and His people's faith. What if Simon of Cyrene hadn't been passing by when the soldiers compelled him to carry Jesus' cross? When Adam first set his eyes on Eve, he knew that she was just what he needed. In this episode, Sinclair Ferguson discusses the relevance of church history and divisive theological positions as we dig into a largely forgotten 18th-century Scottish debate about Gods grace and our works, explaining the roots of legalism and antinomianism, and why all of this matters for modern-day believers. I Hate My Job (Jim Hamilton). Were just sort of playing to the echo chamber that were a part of already. Im not big on categorizing people in that way, but the shorthand can be useful. The 5-foot-4, 200-pound Ferguson finished with 2,814 yards, then a program record. Today, Sinclair Ferguson explores how Jesus Christ fulfills this blessing in the salvation of Jewish and gentile believers. I think he was a very farsighted individual, but I dont think he could have been as farsighted in my life as he actually was. They really are. Sinclair Ferguson It was now or never, so there was tremendous pressure on it. WebBeginning January 2, join Sinclair Ferguson for this new daily devotional podcast. He attended the University of Aberdeen where he first studied and received a Master of Arts, followed by a Bachelor of Divinity prior to obtaining his Ph.D. As a student, Ferguson worshipped at Gilcomstons South Church, which was under the ministry of William Still. Dr. Sinclair Ferguson, while living in Scotland, is professor of systematic theology at Redeemer Seminary in Dallas and dean of the Doctor of Ministry program at Ligonier Academy. He says there that all have sinned. Josh and Chuck have you covered. About two-thirds of my life as a minister has been taken up as a seminary teacher, and a third of it as a minister. Today, Sinclair Ferguson looks to Christ, the second Adam, who will bring redeemed humanity into everlasting glory. Have you found that to be the case in your own life and study and ministry? If you can maybe just picture this: heres a glass of water and I drip into it a tincture of lemona few drops of itand it flavors the whole. This is an excellent collection edited by John J. Hughes and includes an introduction by Sinclair B. Ferguson. If you think of the language Paul uses, how much of the New Testament did Paul have? Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/john-saw-and-believed. Today, Sinclair Ferguson considers the grave warning found in Pilate's own answer to this question. This wasnt a university town, this wasnt a man with a mega congregation. Ferguson worked as a pastor for a decade before he was offered a teaching position at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, as a part-time Professor of Systematic Theology. Its primary teaching fellows include Sinclair Ferguson, Steve Lawson, Steven Nichols, Albert Mohler and This has become an absolute favorite of mine. He is featured teacher for several Ligonier teaching series, including Union with Christ. He also previously served as a council member of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. One of the things thats happened with social media nowessentially, for the first time in historyis that you can get directly to me (your public) without what you are getting to me passing through anybody elses ears or eyes. In Christ Alone: Living the Gospel-Centered Life. Theology for Ministry: How Doctrine Affects Pastoral Life and Practice includes contributions from Joel Beeke, Ligon Duncan, W. Robert Godfrey, Michael Horton, Douglas Kelly, Robert Letham, Philip Ryken, and Chad Van Dixhoorn. View our current career opportunities. He and his wife, Dorothy, have been blessed with three sons and a daughter and 12 grandchildren. Matt Tully Rufus The Roadrunner Ferguson, who turned 72 on Friday, played for UW from 1970 through 1972. But it wasn't until he saw Jesus' facecloth, neatly folded and by itself, that John believed. https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/on-earth-as-it-is-in-heaven, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/our-father-in-heaven, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/worthy-is-the-lamb, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/the-blessing-of-abraham, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/he-will-give-us-rest, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/gods-unfailing-promise, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/the-central-promise-of-scripture, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/created-for-glory, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/jesus-teaching-on-marriage-and-gender, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/the-inconsistent-atheist, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/male-and-female-he-created-them, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/who-am-i, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/james-reunited-with-his-brother-and-lord, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/peters-failure-was-not-final, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/the-disciples-hearts-burned-within-them, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/john-saw-and-believed, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/mary-knew-her-masters-voice, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/the-man-who-was-crucified-beside-him, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/simon-who-carried-his-cross, https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/pilate-who-condemned-him, Do not sell or share my personal information. Can you think of any examples from our modern lives today where you have seen legalism or Antinomianism infect the purity of our understanding of the gospel, perhaps in subtle ways that we would never say it like that, but its still maybe there? Sproul and headquartered in Orlando, Florida, has been torn on the issue of Social Justice. WebAnxiety is a pervasive problem for many of us today. Our Ligonier sources warned that it may take time to see Mohlers name removed from the website, and probably wont happen until his scheduled speaking engagements are over. Since one of my pretty deep theological convictions is its all in Genesis 3and I honestly cant remember if I bring this out in the book. Today, Sinclair Ferguson reflects on the Lord's Prayer and the precious gift we have in calling on God as Father. . Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | RSS. Sinclair Ferguson Another issue that I found interesting in the book was as I was reading through the details of this Marrow Controversy itself, as weve already talked about, there are lots of terms being usedsimilar and same terms. They suspected that there was some level of high preparationism and what I would call qualificationism, in that there is something you have got to do to be allowed in. Maturity: Growing Up and Going on in the Christian Life, among many others. : , . Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/the-blessing-of-abraham. Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/the-central-promise-of-scripture. Youve lost that sense that the law of God is actually coming out of the covenant bond and personal fellowship that God has created with these people in the Exodus. A prophet is someone who speaks Gods Word. Today, Sinclair Ferguson poses the biblical solution for an inconsistent life of unbelief. If you think about it, all exposition of the Word is, as they used to say in my tradition, ministerial. P&P spoke to two sources familiar with the matter, including one associated closely with Ligonier. Matt Tully We dont always understand the issue fully, we dont always read each other or listen to each other fully; and yet, we jump in. He explains that although the Holy Spirit is at times the forgotten Person of the Trinity, His presence and work is found all over the redemptive history. Only have time for the best-of-the-best from TGC? Unpack that for us, because I think that gets back to what youre saying here. Define that for us. He later moved back to Scottland in the year 1997, where he filled the pulpit at St Georges-Tron Church in Glasgow, succeeding the successful two-decade ministry of Eric Alexander. Ferguson is 75 years old. , . Sinclair Ferguson The fall intervened. Speak to the pastor listening right now who says, Yeah, thats exactly what I do. Things Unseen with Sinclair B. Ferguson is a weekday devotional podcast featuring thoughtful reflections on the Christian life and our relationship with God. Both Al Mohler and Ligon Duncan were just dismissed as teaching fellows at Ligonier for perceived compromise on SJ.. He is author of many books, including The Whole Christ, Maturity, and Devoted to God's Church. I actually find oral communication much more difficult than writing because I basically hardly ever spoke throughout my whole education, but I wrote a lot, because thats how we communicated. You get to my age and you look back and you think, God, be merciful to me, a sinner. But if you reflect on it, youll realize that much biblical prophecy is not so much foretelling, but forthtellingapplying Gods truth to every situation. I think I probably did, because Im as much in ruts in my thinking as anybody else. I came to that kind of formulation when I just happened to be studying the history of Antinomianism many years ago. Did they intend it to be a trick question? We dont want sermons on David and Goliath that tell us we need to be brave and stand up. Its very interesting to listen to peoples reactions to that question: yes or no, or dont know, or theres something maybe not quite right about the way youre asking that question. He is the same today as he was then too, so that, in a sense, I think we need to understand that sometimes we are turning the New Testaments testimony and looking at it from the outside in instead of listening to it from the inside out. His quotes encourage people and also serve as an eye-opener where he teaches Christians ways to overcome the flesh. Thats what Im supposed to do; thats what I want to be doing. I guess people might say in modern terms the relationship between the indicatives of the gospel and the imperatives of the gospel. Music, radio and podcasts, all free. They also confirmed that they would not be looking at Duncan for speaking engagements in the future. Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/jesus-teaching-on-marriage-and-gender. In 2022, a Festschrift was published in his honor. Sinclair Ferguson Each week follows a theme to guide you day by day in the pursuit of spiritual Interested in joining the Ligonier team? Could this be an example of that, or do you think thats not whats going on with this particular issue? Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/he-will-give-us-rest, Adam and Eve didn't know every detail about the promised One who would triumph over the tragedy of sin. Were they just emphasizing different things and that was leading to disagreement? If you can never get enough true crime Congratulations, youve found your people. What did they do? WebToday, Sinclair Ferguson looks to Christ, the second Adam, who will bring redeemed humanity into everlasting glory. Podcast: Are Christians Obligated to Give 10%? Today, Sinclair Ferguson explains the hope swelling in these words for the one who denied Jesus--and for us. And then he stops. In addition, Ferguson also received his Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen. Ferguson speaks at numerous conferences worldwide. God promised Abraham that in his seed, "all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen. 12:3). Youre sick because youre a sinner. I suppose the most popular kind is youre driving along the road and the guy whos driving you is going 95 mph and the speed limit is 70 mph. Authority on earth was given to him, and he was to express it lovingly, creatively, as creations prophet and priest, as well as king, and to do so to the ends of the earth. A Christian doctor discusses the current coronavirus pandemic, explaining what's currently happening in the US and around the world and offering perspective on how we should think about this virus. He is a man of above-average stature. I think the truth of the matter is, too, that the legalism could vary. In the mid-2000s, he then transferred back to the US to the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, serving as the senior pastor of historic First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, South Carolina. But then he goes on to say something I think I might not have said, because I think I wouldve written, All have sinned and broken the commands of God. But no, what Paul says is that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We must look beyond this momentary life to understand its eternal significance, walking by faith rather than by sight. He has been Chancellor's Professor of Systematic Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary since 2017,[1] commuting from Scotland, where he was an assistant minister at St. Peter's Free Church of Scotland, Dundee.