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Martin Luther didn’t intend to start the Reformation. In this brief clip, R.C. Sproul explains how Luther’s 95 Theses spread across Germany and sparked a chain of events he never saw coming.

R. C. Sproul (1939–2017) went home to be with his Savior today at the age of 78. (Read Justin Taylor’s obituary.) The former pastor of St. Andrews Chapel and founder of Ligonier Ministries was also a prolific author who had a way with words. Here are 40 of my favorite R. C. quotes. Thank you, God, for his life and legacy. “There are only two ways of dying. We can die in faith or we can die in our sins.” “We are secure, not because we hold tightly to Jesus, but because he holds tightly to us.” “To know that...

Dr. Robert Charles Sproul has been many things over his accomplished lifetime – an acclaimed Bible teacher, theologian, author, radio speaker, jokester, golfer, even artist and musician. As one close associate said, he might best be described as “omni-competent.” Better known as “R.C.” to his family, friends, students, readers of his books, and hearers of his lectures, Sproul forged a reputation as a staunch, determined defender of the Scriptures, becoming a central combatant in the so-called “battle for the Bible” during the 1980s and 90s. He also was noted for being unusually skilled in distilling theological truths and principles into...

Noted Reformed theologian and founder of Ligonier Ministries R.C. Sproul has been hospitalized due to breathing problems and as of Tuesday remains in critical condition. On its website, Ligonier reported Dec. 3 that Sproul had been hospitalized on Dec. 2 because of "respiratory difficulties," listing him as being "in guarded condition at the intensive care unit and receiving expert care and attention." "The doctors believe this is not pneumonia, but an exacerbation of his emphysema due to the flu so he has been put on a ventilator to help his breathing. Thank you for praying for his recovery," noted the...

Dr. Sproul is not improving as we had hoped and so these next few days are critical. He has a fever today due to the infection he has been fighting. Moreover, he is not decreasing in his reliance on the ventilator to support his breathing. Your prayers in behalf of Dr. Sproul are deeply appreciated. They mean so much to the family and all who love R.C. We will keep you informed here on the blog and on Facebook and Twitter if his condition changes.

R. C. Sproul's popular lecture on Protestant Reformer Martin Luther.

To further help Christians know what they believe, why they believe it, how to live it, and how to share it, in May 2013 we made the ebook editions of R.C. Sproul’s Crucial Questions series free forever. We continue to publish new ebooks in this series and this year have added Can I Lose My Salvation? and What Is the Great Commission?Here is a complete list of the free ebooks in the Crucial Questions series: Are These the Last Days? (Kindle) (iTunes)Can I Be Sure I’m Saved? (Kindle) (iTunes)Can I Have Joy in My Life? (Kindle) (iTunes)Can I Know God’s Will? (Kindle) (iTunes)Can I Lose My Salvation?...

"The civil government does not define your ethic as a Christian. That's critical that we understand that..."

The attempt to change God the Father to God the Mother is full bore idolatry—a syncretism of the spirit of the age. I remember some of the most emotionally powerful moments of worship that I have experienced occurred in a context where there was the least amount of belief. There was a time in my life when I regularly went to worship at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, a beautiful church building that had this glorious liturgy. And it would be my habit to go there on Sunday morning and to sit in the pew and listen to the music...

Some of our deepest challenges as believers involve dealing with the sins of others, particularly those whom we love. Whether it is a relative struggling with addiction, a best friend unfaithful to his spouse, or a loved one embracing sexual perversion we often feel caught between our genuine love for the sinner and our genuine revulsion at the sin. The bromide “Hate the sin, love the sinner,” while at least infused with a touch of wisdom, doesn’t typically answer all the hard questions. When confronted with tough moral calls it’s often wise to slow down and define our terms. First,...

Good news: Dr. Sproul is home from the hospital. As many of you know, he suffered a stroke, which required an extended hospital stay. We give thanks to God that there has been no paralysis and he remains his same jovial self. But there are some remaining effects of the stroke that affect his speech and strength. Further, he's been diagnosed with a diabetic condition that will be addressed through diet and regular medical attention. He is fatigued and in coming days will be concentrating on regaining his strength as well as his speech therapy. Again, Dr. Sproul expresses his...

From the Ligonier Ministries FB Page: Thank you for your continued prayers for Dr. Sproul. The doctors did confirm a stroke occurred but we are thankful to God that there is no paralysis. In fact, he is very alert, feeling well, and resting comfortably. And the hospital staff is enjoying his sense of humor.

From the Ligonier Ministries Facebook Page: Last Saturday, Dr. Sproul checked himself into the hospital. The doctors suspect he had a mild stroke. He remains in the hospital for further testing and observation. The Sproul family requests your prayers.

Rob Bell believes the Bible is irrelevant. The Bible says Rob Bell is irrelevant. Transcript: At some level, I’m happy when this happens, it’s not that unusual. We have someone who makes a splash in our little world, the evangelical world. And he typically makes that splash because he’s quite effective at gathering large numbers. But after a while we begin to doubt his loyalty to the core convictions of evangelicals. Well, it’s not unusual when this happens that about this same time, our hero with the wide reach determines to turn on we evangelicals and embrace the broader world....

No, and yes. The Bible does not have specific text that suggests that the Bible alone is our final authority in all matters of faith and practice. Those who delight to point this out, however, typically Roman Catholics and the eastern Orthodox, typically miss the point. First, their energies more often than not are aimed at the Anabaptist error that we call solo Scriptura. Here the person affirms that all he needs is himself and his Bible. The wisdom of the church in history, the community of believers, are all deemed irrelevant to understanding the things of God. Solo scriptura...

When we consider the predicament that the evangelical church of the twenty-first century faces in America, the first thing we need to understand is the very designation “evangelical church” is itself a redundancy. If a church is not evangelical, it is not an authentic church. The redundancy is similar to the language that we hear by which people are described as “born-again Christians.” If a person is born again of the Spirit of God, that person is, to be sure, a Christian. If a person is not regenerated by the Holy Spirit, he may profess to be a Christian, but...

There is a sort of application of the Observer Effect that applies to the news of the day. Sometimes confused with the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, which argues that at the subatomic level we can discern either the velocity of a particle or its location, but not both, the Observer Effect argues that observing scientific phenomena can affect what we are observing. It’s almost as if the electrons know we’re looking at them, and adjust their dance. With respect to the news of the day, we often hear this kind of argument: “Social ill x is no greater today than it...

Answering theological questions from his students has been a continual commitment throughout Dr. R.C. Sproul’s ministry. Originally called “gabfests” by his early students and later, “Ask R.C.,” these sessions continue to take place at our conferences, on Renewing Your Mind, and online. Have a theological question for Dr. Sproul? Submit your questions on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ using the official #AskRC hashtag. We’ll compile those questions and Dr. Sproul will answer a selection live tonight at 7:30pm ET. Watch live tonight at live.ligonier.org.

(Original title: "Well Done Phil" “It seems odd, that certain men who talk so much of what the Holy Spirit reveals to themselves, should think so little of what he has revealed to others.” – C. H. Spurgeon, Commenting and Commentaries (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1876), 1. “Tradition is the fruit of the Spirit’s teaching activity from the ages as God’s people have sought understanding of Scripture. It is not infallible, but neither is it negligible, and we impoverish ourselves if we disregard it.” – J.I. Packer, “Upholding the Unity of Scripture Today,” JETS 25 (1982): 414 “Although tradition does...