It sounds as though were talking about mercy and grace, but that mercy has been diluted by our contribution to the situation that has made God gracious. From 25 August 2013, he has served as a preacher and elder at St. Peter's Free Church, Dundee.[4]. His writing interests have ranged from works of scholarship to books for children. After long ages of conflict for the people of God, Jesus Christ arrived to fulfill Genesis 3:15 in His conquest of Satan. In addition, Ferguson also gives quotes during his sermons. Thats the kind of thing that promotes the tensions, arguments, building of kingdoms, the creation of tribes. What advice would you give to a modern Christianmaybe even a modern pastoron how to deal with theological disagreement in our world today? Matt Tully We have no continuing city in the present world order. My name is Jay Shetty, and my purpose is to make wisdom go viral. 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/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. Again, Im back to dispositions that the gospel creates so that the gospel formulates the style in which I do everythingtheology, ministry, controversy, polemics. Thats what Im supposed to do; thats what I want to be doing. Crossway is a not-for-profit Christian ministry that exists solely for Today, Sinclair Ferguson contemplates the remarkable testimony of the first witness to the resurrection of Christ. Thats why we need to be built together into the temple, and that means some hammering and chiseling. The 5-foot-4, 200-pound Ferguson finished with 2,814 yards, then a program record. : , . Lamech spoke hopefully of his son Noah, "Out of the ground that the LORD has cursed, this one shall bring us relief" (5:20). Now, dont ask me to unpack that, but its such a picture. 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 has been working for Reformed Theological Seminary as a Chancellors Professor of Systematic Theology since 2017. 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. Are you like Nicodemus or Zacchaeus, etc.? An angel came with striking instructions from the resurrected Lord: "Go, tell his disciples and Peter" (Mark 16:7). Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/john-saw-and-believed. That reminds me of the first question and answer to the shorter catechism: Adam was made for Gods glory and to enjoy him. But then what? I think the first thing to do is not to jump to conclusions. WebSinclair Ferguson follows a theme each week to guide you day by day in the pursuit of spiritual renewal. Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/jesus-teaching-on-marriage-and-gender. Latest content by Sinclair Ferguson Baptism- October 12, 2019 Site and Graphic Designby derby.graphics International Presbyterian Church Back to top 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. He is author of many books, including The Whole Christ, Maturity, and Devoted to God's Church. Or at a theological level, it would mean the gospel would then become constructed in a particular way that when you were talking about how the gospel worked out in peoples lives for all practical purposes you would never refer back to Exodus 20. Today, Sinclair Ferguson explains the hope swelling in these words for the one who denied Jesus--and for us. . What his passion is is to know Christ and the fellowship of his sufferings and being made like him in his death and at the end, ultimately, to be conformed to him. If you read John 13, its fairly obvious that Jesus knelt down before Judas Iscariot and washed his feet. 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? 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. We dont want morality from the Old Testament. Listen online or download the iHeart App. Dr. Sinclair Ferguson (born 1948) is a Scottish theologian known in Reformed Christian circles for his teaching, writing, and editorial work. Sinclair Ferguson Were just sort of playing to the echo chamber that were a part of already. It sounds like Im hearing you say theres actually value in theological disagreement and discussion. Thats such a helpful and humbling reminder that our psychology inevitablyalways, and without intentionally doing itis going to impact how we do theology and how we think about those things. 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. Heres a picture of that that, again, has impacted me greatly. But we also need to be very observant of our own psychology as well. You dont just throw it to the printer and say, Print that! Sinclair Ferguson Hes alright because of what he contributed. This may be the first time that an evangelical organization drew a line at Social Justice and a pro-SJW suffered a consequence for their position (Shepherds Conference sources indicate that Mohler and Duncan will not be back, but said that it would not be publicly stated that it was due to their Social Justice position). : , . As you may know, the later tabernacle and the temple were built in a way that reflected the beauty of the garden of Eden. Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/worthy-is-the-lamb, God promised Abraham that in his seed, "all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Gen. 12:3). Im fortunate to have fascinating conversations with the most insightful people in the world, and on my podcast, Im sharing those conversations with you. Things Unseen with Sinclair B. Ferguson is a weekday devotional podcast featuring thoughtful reflections on the Christian life and our relationship with God. Today, Sinclair Ferguson explores how Jesus Christ fulfills this blessing in the salvation of Jewish and gentile believers. This podcast is an anchor for our Christian faith! Its kind of fascinating to me that, over the years, numbers of preachers have said to me, I find preaching Paul easy, but I find preaching from the Gospels difficult. Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Evan Ferguson has committed his long-term future to Brighton & Hove Albion by signing a new deal until 2028. 27 Apr 2023 17:16:01 Matt Tully I know hes of interest to Crossway these days. January 12, 2016 Antinomianism, Legalism, Sinclair Ferguson. Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/pilate-who-condemned-him. Sinclair Ferguson is a Scottish theologian who is famously known in Reformed Christian circles for his writing, editorial work, and also teaching. Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/on-earth-as-it-is-in-heaven, Jesus taught His disciples to address God as He did: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name" (Matt. He was born on February 21, 1948, in Scottland, in the United Kingdom. (91) Here we are strangers, exiles for the moment. Free Content Update #6 (including patch 1.9.1) is now available and introduces more machines. Matt Tully Its a lighthearted nightmare in here, weirdos! I was going to ask about that. Antinomianism is, either in theological terms or practical terms, the rejection of the law. Listen today on Things Unseen as Sinclair Ferguson discusses the relationship of the Old Testament to the incarnate Christ. Him we proclaim. Thank you very much for having me. Sinclair, thank you so much for joining me today on The Crossway Podcast. We can rejoice that Sinclair Ferguson succumbed to years of pressure to turn his three (now somewhat famous) Marrow Controversy lectures into a book, and the book is done and launches soon from Crossway under the title, The Whole Christ: Legalism, Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | RSS. Do you feel like youve seen that tendency, or that temptation, in your own life and in your own doing of theology over the years? He is likely to be a person who will make me think through right down to the roots of the gospel. WebSinclair Ferguson is a Scottish theologian who is famously known in Reformed Christian circles for his writing, editorial work, and also teaching. 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. Sinclair Ferguson I think that connects even to critiques that we hear todayfrom outside the church, but especially from within the churchwhere people will look at different issues that we might be discussing and say, This is just a great example of what Paul warns about in 1 and 2 Timothy: quarreling over words, arguing, creating division over these unimportant things that maybe youre going too deep in. You and I have sinned. 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. 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. But Jesus didn't reject it. Its related to the relationship between Gods grace and our good works. The Marrow Controversy. Here is somebody who is in my crosshairs and I am after him, but I am on my knees seeking to wash his feet, or wash his brain, with the Word and with the Spirit. But thats the way God has made usto grow, just as he made the Lord Jesus to grow. Get personalized recommendations, and learn where to watch across hundreds of Today, Sinclair Ferguson considers God's faithfulness and His people's faith. Sinclair Ferguson The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel AssuranceWhy the Marrow Controversy Still Matters. In addition to his assistant minister duties, Ferguson is also an author. Probably also because the chief figure in my own mind, one of my own favorite Scottish theologians, was a very profoundly theological pastor who ministered absolutely in the boonies. In addition to being Senior Minister, Dr. Ferguson is Professor of Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary. So, as an individual, however irritating editors may be to authors, the individual author has the strength of the community around him. He enrolled at the University Arberdeen for all his University education and graduate with a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Divinity. Ferguson is also an author, professor, and public speaker. . If he felt he was in disagreement with another position, what he did was he looked for the best and the strongest possible exposition of that position in order to consider it. Many people are rejecting the teaching in Genesis about the boundaries of marriage and gender. Another thing that I think is really important in any discussion of disputed matters is thisand if I can make a historical illustration of this principle that John Owen, the great Puritan, had. Way back there, he put his decision into the treasury of merits, and he did enough. Copyright 2023 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. This is an excellent collection edited by John J. Hughes and includes an introduction by Sinclair B. Ferguson. Sinclair Ferguson Live life today ON PURPOSE. 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. He has held the Charles Krahe Chair for Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary. Today, Sinclair Ferguson invites us to join with all the redeemed in exalting our triumphant Savior. I think in some ways it may have resonated unexpectedly with people because this was a ministry in a very ordinary setting. Adam, in that sense, was the priest of the original creation, the one who supremely and representatively led and expressed the worship of God that the whole animal creation expressed in their own beautiful, but limited, way. 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. Since the Lord's Prayer has been given to shape our praying, it also shapes our living as disciples of Christ. How much more have you and the family expanded it?. His sermons have attracted many as well as brought many followers and Christians close to God. Sinclair Ferguson We must look beyond this momentary life to understand its eternal significance, walking by faith rather than by sight. It seems like this struggle that Christians have with walking the line betweenor maybe thats the wrong metaphorbut avoiding legalism on one hand and Antinomianism on the other hand, it feels like something that continues to come back up in the life of the church. This very much was my hope with the book, as it was my hope with the original lectures, that it wouldnt be just a matter of, as it were, getting your theology right, but it would be a matter of the gospel actually impacting the way you thought about the gospel, and especially the way you thought about Christ and your relationship with him. 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. Matt Tully 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. Is that mostly due to just the didactic nature of Pauls teaching where hes giving us propositions vs. the story form of the Gospels and the Old Testament, or is it more than that? 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. Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/male-and-female-he-created-them. Could this be an example of that, or do you think thats not whats going on with this particular issue? If you think of the language Paul uses, how much of the New Testament did Paul have? However, after a disastrous Q&A at a Ligonier event in which Ligon Duncan endorsed the work of a gay Anglican priest, reports are circulating that Ligonier has done some soul-searching regarding how much they want to be affiliated with the biggest social justice advocates out there, with Duncan and Mohler included. He says there that all have sinned. Sinclair Ferguson It was now or never, so there was tremendous pressure on it. The thing that very much has moved me about him, because Ive read about him since I was a young man, was that when he got this sorted out, he said that people began to notice a tincture in his ministry. Mike Schmitz), Let's Read the Gospels with Annie F. Downs, 5 Minutes in Church History with Stephen Nichols. We want to help each other think a little bit better. And the Levitical family had the responsibility to look after themthe very same expression, incidentally, that describes Adams priestly ministry in the garden in Genesis 2:15. WebThings Unseen with Sinclair B. Ferguson is a weekday devotional podcast featuring thoughtful reflections on the Christian life and our relationship with God. During his time at the university, he worshipped at Gilcomstons South Church, under the ministry of William Still. He has served more than twenty years as a seminary professor and is currently on the faculty of Redeemer Seminary in Dallas, Texas as well as part time faculty of Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia. We dont want sermons on David and Goliath that tell us we need to be brave and stand up. Use this work to point suffering brothers Monday through Friday, this devotional podcast features thoughtful reflections on the Christian life and our relationship with God. In addition, he also wishes to show what Christian maturity is as well as how it is to be obtained. But then I think, What youre really saying is you wish you were sitting there, knowing what you know now. When I was a youngster growing up in Protestant Scotland, if you asked the average ProtestantPresbyterianDo you think youre going to heaven?, the answers would be something like, I hope Ive done enough. But I prepared them in a certain way so that I would touch on things I thought were really very important in understanding the Bible, the gospel, the Christian life, pastoral ministrythe addresses were given to ministers. 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. And then they wrote their review of the book based on those tweets? Podcast: A Christian Doctors Guide to Thinking about Coronavirus (Bob Cutillo, MD). At the end of the day, it needs to be done as someone who is a servant of Christ, and also a servant of the person. 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 So long as this is true we will find ourselves under threat from the old order. A podcast from Ligonier Ministries. That very fact opens up a lot of theological issues. Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/peters-failure-was-not-final. Read the transcript: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts/things-unseen-with-sinclair-ferguson/he-will-give-us-rest. He then moved back to his native Scotland in 1997, filling the pulpit at St George's-Tron Church, Glasgow, succeeding the 20-year ministry of Eric Alexander. Ferguson is among a select group of pastor-theologians whose books repeatedly serve to equip and edify the church. They also teach Christians good values and encourage them to be obedient even when they have no idea where obedience may lead them. Monday through Friday, this devotional podcast features thoughtful reflections on the Christian life and our relationship with 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. That seemed to me as much as to say that underneath every Antinomian is not an Antinomian but a legalist, and that that is the default position of the whole of humanity. I think the truth of the matter is, too, that the legalism could vary. . Sinclair Ferguson Professor, Reformed Theological Seminary He was 31 years old. Today, Sinclair Ferguson considers God's faithfulness and His people's faith. I think a lot of people have had this reaction to it because on one level its a recountingor retellingthe story of what is, largely, a forgotten eighteenth century debate within Scotland called the Marrow Controversy. You have to go off a main road, drive down a valley, go through trees for miles, turn right, and you come to the church in which he ministered. I think we all have a better sense for legalism and this specter in the church that we dont want to fall into, but whats Antinomianism? Podcast: Help! Its a natural dangerespecially in a society where were encouraged to have our own opinions and theres the possibility of spreading them very quicklythats usually not done. He currently serves as a preacher and elder at St. Peters Free Church in Dundee. It is the pastoral challenge: persuading those who are no longer under sins dominion that this is who they really are.. Today, Sinclair Ferguson poses the biblical solution for an inconsistent life of unbelief. Beloved Roads to Bethlehem Sinclair Ferguson Dec 24, 2022 Holiness Means More Than Killing Sin Sinclair Ferguson Nov 30, 2021 The First and Most Broken Commandment Maturity: Growing Up and Going on in the Christian Life, among many others. Where do you see that? For example, when Ive been preaching on a book of the Bible, Ive always tried to use at least three commentaries of different kinds: one that will be the latest evangelical commentary (if you buy that, youve probably bought the previous two because the guys had to discuss them), along with that, a great classical commentary; and then along with that, a commentary written by somebody I know Im going to disagree with on almost every big point. He also previously served as a council member of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. 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. Whats wrong with that? He is married to his beautiful and loving wife Dorothy Ferguson. You can think about this in all kinds of ways. These tools are wonderful tools. Were subject to that, and thats why we so much need one another. In addition, Ferguson has also worked as an editor with the Banner of Truth Trust, as a professor of systematic theology in Dallas, at Redeemer Seminary, and as a council member of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. But when he dies, his brother shows the minister who takes the funeral service his decision card and says, Hes alright, isnt he? (Sam Storms). A prophet is someone who speaks Gods Word. Would you agree with that? Harris writes, Lines are being drawn. 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. Nothing can take the place of spending time studying the HOLY SCRIPTURES for yourself, but these short themes will make you think and meditate on GODs Word! Yet, on the other hand, the book has had this resonance that goes beyond what you might think it would have, given that thats the topic. We want to sharpen each other. Many people today think that seeing is believing, but Christians know there is more to life than meets the eye. How much of that is due to the fact that we often, especially in online discourse, are not trying to persuade anybody. Sinclair is the author of several books, including The Holy Spirit and From the Mouth of God: Trusting, Reading, and Applying the Bible. He was, in his own sphere, a miniature reflection of what God is to the whole created cosmos. He has now returned to his native Scotland, where he previously served Church of Scotland congregations in Unst (Shetland) and Glasgow (St Georges Tron). IMDb is the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. Books he has written, edited, or contributed to include: Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. So the notion is that because were under grace we have nothing to do with the law. Today, Sinclair Ferguson shows that Christ's way is the only way for God's image-bearers to flourish. I think you can trace in Genesis 3 this conflict between legalism and Antinomianism in the way in which the serpent essentially traps Eve and then Adam. Today, Sinclair Ferguson expresses what it means for God's kingdom and His will to be established in our lives. I could bang on from the pulpit to the congregation how much we need one another, but when I get down to my keyboard and my blog (or whatever), I really act as though I dont need anybody else. Dr. Sinclair Ferguson has a way of saying a lot in a short time. But they knew God would fulfill His Word. Its an incentive to throw out Gods specific commandments and its also a suggestion that God really wants something more from you in order that you may have a relationship with him that is pleasing and acceptable to him. 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? Each week follows a theme to guide you day by day in the pursuit of spiritual renewal. But it was matched by a probing intellect and a thirst for reality that had the potential to unbalance him or even lead to perpetual disappointment. The fall intervened. There was even agreement from both sides on what the Westminster Confession said about the problems of legalism and Antinomianism and how were justified by faith alone. In Christ Alone: Living the Gospel-Centered Life. So, in other words, the decision to dismiss Mohler was multi-faceted but did include his position on Social Justice which was at odds with many at Ligonier and with the widow of R.C., Vesta Sproul, who signed The Dallas Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel.
