I was privileged to attend the Ligonier’s convention in Anaheim last weekend featuring R.C. Sproul and Ligon Duncan.

I will try to do my own version of “Live-blogging” this convention. It was outstanding.

The speakers were Dr. R.C. Sproul and Dr. J.Ligon Duncan. The conference was held at a large community church, but it wasn’t large enough, as a huge overflow crowd poured in on Saturday morning. It was surprising to me and also surprising to Dr. Sproul that so many would come (over a thousand people) to hear about the atonement. Usually it takes subject matter like “How to have your best life now” to draw this kind of crowd.

But this was exciting. The Reformed faith is clearly alive and well. It was great to see so many young people, and others of all ages, all excited about the gospel.

The music and singing was outstanding. Uplifting music accompanied by a musical ensemble consisting of flute, harp, cello, and grand piano.

The opening session on Friday night had a very stimulating and controversial Q and A with Dr. Sproul. Some sample questions follow:

1.) Are the sign gifts for today?

Sproul made it clear that he is a cessationist with regard to the sign gifts. There are no longer apostles or prophets, therefore the gifts of miraculous healing and speaking in tongues are not in operation today.

2.) “Are Arminians saved”?

Sproul made it clear that because of God’s grace, many Arminians are indeed saved. However, Arminianism is a serious distortion of Biblical truth, and the logical conclusion of Arminianism leads to a trust in one’s own faith. And if people are trusting in their own faith, then their salvation could come into serious question. But even though the Calvin-Arminian debate is very important, it still is not about who is saved or unsaved.

3.) Has the church replaced Israel?

Sproul clearly is not a dispensationalist. He believes that the church is the new Israel. However, I liked what he said about Romans 11, where Paul is talking about a remnant of Israel who will believe and be saved. As we get closer to Christ’s coming, there will be an expansion of the true church with believing Jews who will be grafted back into the olive tree, and be saved.

I will comment on the Saturday session as time permits.

Stan

Now to get to the Saturday sessions.

The first session presented by RC Sproul was called “The Need for Atonement”. He started off by going to the Old Testament and with some interesting insight from Genesis 18:22-24;

22So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the LORD. 23Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” 26And the LORD said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.”

Notice where Abraham asks the Lord if he will “sweep away the righteous with the wicked” Sproul pointed out that in a way this was a nearly blasphemous question, as this would be an attack on the basic character of God. Abraham also asks “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”

So the first principle of the atonement has to do with the justice of God. He is required by His character to judge the world for it’s sin. He must judge all sin--even those committed by His elect. So for God to be just, He provided Himself a substitute for our sins. This was also foreshadowed in Gen. 22:6-8

6And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

Notice that last statement; “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” This is a perfect type of the atonement Christ provided.

Sproul next showed where every relationship in life is related to the atonement as noted in Ephesians 5:25:

25"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,”

This is one of the strongest proofs in the Bible that Christ has a special relationship with His church as His bride, that he doesn’t have with the rest of the world. He gave Himself up for HER! or in John 10 where jesus says He gave his life for His sheep.

So, even our relationships with our spouses needs to be a sacrificial relationship--how many marriages would have been preserved if we followed that principle.

More to follow,

Stan

The other point Sproul made about the need for atonement goes back to an even more basic problem and that is the fall of man. The gospel was first announced in Genesis 3:15. According to Romans 5, Adam imputed sin to the entire human race through one act of rebellion against God.

The second session was preceded by special music presented by the Christchurch musical ensemble with a beautiful reverent version of “How Great Thou Art” with an operatic quality singer.

The name of the second session was “Christ our Ransom” presented by Ligon Duncan. This was an excellent presentation on the absolute truth of the fact that Christ purchased His elect with His own blood. The clear doctrine of the substtutionary atonement was presented with great clarity.

Those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ were purchased and pardoned in full that day 2000 years ago, and the sacrifice on Calvary did a lot more than make salvation POSSIBLE, as Arminianism and Adventism teaches. Christ’s sacrifice guaranteed salvation to all those who would believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.

Stan

After lunch we were treated to what I believe was the best of the lectures, and it was also presented by Ligon Duncan and called “Blessing or Curse?”

As Colleen indicated above, the featured text was Romans 8:31-33:

31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be[h] against us? 32He 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? 33Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34Who 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.

So often, the entire emphasis is on the role of Christ, and we forget about an equally important role that the Father had in our redemption. The sacrifice for our redemption was at an infinite cost to the Father and the Son.

Jesus suffered great agony of soul in Gethsemane as this account from Matthew 26 details:

36Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch[d] with me.” 39And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on.[e] See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

From this we see that Christ’s death on Calvary was absolutely necessary.

The suffering of Christ went far beyond the physical suffering. Crucifixion was a very common form of punishment for many criminals in that day. But, it was the mental suffering that was much worse. Jesus experienced the equivalent of the second death in our behalf. He experienced the total separation from His Father, and as a totally sinless being, he experienced the full weight of our sins, and was the perfect substitute.

Duncan brought up the common objection of the theological liberals (and very common in liberal Adventism), that this sacrifice was “cosmic child abuse"--what blasphemy!

2Cor.5:19 says: 18"All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19that is, in Christ God was reconciling[c] the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”

The atonement was the act of the one Triune God, with the Father giving His Son, and the Son experiencing the equivalent of the second death--total separation from God on our behalf--so that those who believe on Him might have life.

This particular lecture had a huge emotional impact. The speaker’s voice was cracking with emotion, and I know I had the “leaky eye” syndrome in contemplating the greatest event in human redemptive history which of course was validated by the bodily resurrection of Christ.

Stan

Now to some concluding thoughts on the Ligonier’s convention, and I sure would like to hear from others as well who were there.

One thing I found very interesting at this conference, that we knew was being presented by some of the brightest minds in Reformed theology was this: I expected in lectures about the atonement to hear the doctrine of Limited atonement being pushed. But, I didn’t hear one direct reference to the words “limited atonement” in the four major sermons we heard on Saturday (Colleen or Jess can correct me).

Now, why was this? They didn’t have to mention “Limited atonement” because the doctrine was so strongly implied by the powerful presentation on the atonement. Just by looking at the purpose of the atonement, and what God in Christ accomplished on Calvary that day--absolutely and once for all purchasing our pardon--makes it very obvious that this great sacrifice, while, sufficient for all the world, was efficacious only for the elect. If this were not the case, the doctrine of the substitutionary atonement goes away. Christ could not have suffered the equivalent of the second death for all humanity without being obligated to save the entire human race. But history shows that the doctrine of the universal atonement leads to universalism in many cases. Fortunately the grace of God prohibits the logical conclusions of a universal atonement in many of true believers who still hold to this doctrine.

Three days after this conference, I am still thinking about the implications of all I heard this weekend regarding a deeper meaning of all that the cross and the atonement implies.

I praise God for a powerful Saviour who came to seek and save souls like mine who were lost, with no inclination towards God at all, but I am thankful for so great a salvation, and His sovereign grace, and His infinite sacrifice for me.

Soli Deo Gloria

Stan

Also in the middle of the afternoon, we had some fun listening to a “rap” duet from the brothers Ligon and John Duncan.

There was another Q and A that was very interesting discussing different aspects of Reformed theology, and also one interesting one talking about the Reformed philosophy of worship. I am particularly interested in this right now, and in fact RC Sproul has just written a new book on the subject of worship called “Taste of Heaven” which I purchased at the conference, and just started reading and the book is difficult to put down.

But Ligon Duncan stated clearly that Reformed worship should primarily glorify God. All music used should have words that are scripturally based, or concepts that are scriptural. The music should not be distracting because of loud backgrounds, and the music should be drawing attention to God, rather than the performers. He especially singled out music by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend such as “In Christ Alone” as being especially good coming from the newer contemporary music and hymns.

Another question about false teachers was interesting. Sproul said that pastors in the churches should be specifically warning against false teachers, except the only problem is that so many pastors are ignorant of what is being taught today. It was mentioned that we are living in a very Biblically illiterate culture, where just about anything goes as long as it is about Jesus. The emergent church movement was singled out as one of the most dangerous movements today.

The final lecture was by RC Sproul on “Justification by faith alone”. He did a fine job outlining the history of this doctrine through church history, but it was Martin Luther who was really responsible for articulating this doctrine so clearly.

Justification means not only forgiveness of sins, but it is also the imputation of Christ’s perfect righteousness to our account.

His scriptural presentation started in Romans 3:

9What then? Are we Jews[a] any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10as it is written:

“None is righteous, no, not one;
11no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one.”

He spent a significant amount of time on the phrase,"No one seeks after God”, as he warned that if we tailor our worship to unbelieving pagans, then our worship will not be profitable for believers.

Then came an excellent review of these classic passages in Romans 3 on justification:

2"1But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

27Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since God is one. He will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.”

Sproul also warned that a large portion of so-called evangelicalism doesn’t care about this doctrine or think it is important. Luther said this is the doctrine on which the Christian church stands or falls. All Christians who care about Biblical truth will agree with Luther on this one.

Adventism and Catholicism both have various doctrines on justification which combines faith plus works. They both craft doctrines that say that a sinner that is justified but still a sinner, somehow needs to get rid of all inherent sin, so that they will be “safe to save”. RCC has purgatory, and the SDAs have the IJ and the doctrine of perfectionism which Ellen White borrowed from John Wesley and Charles Finney. Whether it is Protestants of any stripe, or RCC, that set any other condition other than God’s sovereign grace as a condition for salvation, then we should run as fast as we can from that church or system which adds any kinds of conditions other than grace for salvation.

I came away from this conference truly blessed and with a brand new appreciation for what God in Christ accomplished for me. Christ purchased our salvation finally, once for all, and guaranteed salvation, not just making it possible.

Some other thoughts on this conference later,

Stan