Ask Ligonier

By Ligonier Ministries

Religion & Spirituality Christianity

What's Ask Ligonier about?

Have you ever had questions about a passage in the Bible but you didn’t know where to go for answers? Has a theological issue sent you searching far and wide for answers you can trust? Each week, Nathan W. Bingham submits questions from listeners like you to one of Ligonier Ministries’ Teaching Fellows or a special guest. Ask a biblical or theological question of your own and listen to answers from some of the most trusted pastors and theologians who are serving the church today.

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How Did the Doctrine of the...

03.30.2023

The doctrine of the Trinity is central to the Christian faith. Today, Stephen Nichols tells us how early Christian leaders labored tirelessly for the church to understand this biblical truth. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by ...

Ask Ligonier episodes:

03.30.2023 How Did the Doctrine of the Trinity Develop in the Early Church? The doctrine of the Trinity is central to the Christian faith. Today, Stephen Nichols tells us how early Christian leaders labored tirelessly for the church to understand this biblical truth. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by ...
03.23.2023 How Can Christians Kill Indwelling Sin? The Puritan John Owen famously wrote, "Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you." How can Christians do this? Today, Steven Lawson discusses the spiritual weapons we should wield in our battle against sin. Submit a biblical or theological ...
03.16.2023 Why Did Jesus Have to Be Baptized? Since Jesus is the sinless Savior, why did He ask John to baptize Him? Today, Sinclair Ferguson looks to Scripture to convey how Christ proclaimed the gospel through His baptism. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by ...
03.09.2023 What Is Legalism? The Bible commands us to obey God's law and to live a life that models obedience to Christ. Are there ways that we can take this pursuit in the wrong direction? Today, Burk Parsons warns against three kinds of legalism. ...
03.02.2023 How Do We Know When Books of the Bible Were Written? The Bible is not a lofty tale of far-off lands. God's Word contains verifiable records of real people and places in time. Today, Stephen Nichols shows us how the historical roadmap of Scripture helps us date its contents. Submit a ...
02.23.2023 Is God’s Love Unconditional? Since God is gracious, does that mean His love is unconditional? Today, Derek Thomas helps us think carefully about Scripture's answer to this often-misunderstood topic. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by calling 1-800-607-9386 or by emailing ...
02.16.2023 How Can We Grow in Our Relationship with God? On the journey of the Christian life, God has provided all the tools we need in order to walk closely with Him. Today, Harry Reeder teaches on how we can grow in the knowledge and grace of God day by ...
02.09.2023 If I’m Fearful, Does That Mean I Don’t Believe in God? At one time or another, we've all experienced fear. How should Christians respond when we become afraid? Today, Steven Lawson exhorts us to keep our eyes fixed on our sovereign Lord amid the storms of life. Submit a biblical or ...
02.02.2023 Why Are There Times When I Don’t Feel like Reading the Bible? There are times in all of our lives when we struggle to pick up the Bible and read it. Today, Burk Parsons explores several of the reasons behind this struggle and reminds us of the benefits of dwelling regularly in ...
01.26.2023 What Is the Regulative Principle of Worship? How should Christians worship when we gather on the Lord's Day? Today, John Tweeddale defines the regulative principle of worship, demonstrating how God's Word governs how His people worship. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by calling ...
01.19.2023 Why Is It That Only the Father Knows the Day and Hour of the Day of Judgement? Since Jesus is divine, why did He say that only the Father knows the day of His return? Today, W. Robert Godfrey considers how the relationship between the two natures of Christ help us address this question. Submit a biblical ...
01.12.2023 What Is Prayer? As Christians, we have the gift of communing with our sovereign heavenly Father through prayer. Today, Derek Thomas explores different types of prayer and how they appear in the Bible. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by ...
01.05.2023 If God Created Everything, How Is It That God Didn't Create Evil? Since God did not create evil, where did it come from? Today, Michael Reeves helps us think through this challenging subject by illustrating the differences between darkness and light. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by calling ...
12.29.2022 What Does It Mean That God Is “Without Parts”? The Westminster Confession of Faith says that God is "without body, parts, or passions." Today, Sinclair Ferguson discusses what this statement means from a theological and pastoral perspective. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by calling 1-800-607-9386 ...
12.22.2022 What Makes Christianity Unique? What makes Christianity stand apart from all other major world religions? Today, Harry Reeder describes how Christ's atonement for our sins lies at the heart of this matter. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by calling 1-800-607-9386 ...
12.15.2022 What Is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit dwells within every Christian, comforting us and enabling us to grow in grace every day. Today, Derek Thomas explains what the baptism of the Holy Spirit is and what it is not. Submit a biblical or theological ...
12.08.2022 What Does It Mean That the Son Can Do Nothing of His Own Accord? Can Jesus do anything without consulting the Father? Today on the Ask Ligonier podcast, listen as Stephen Nichols offers two theological starting points to consider when studying Scripture passages that delve into the person and work of Christ. Submit a ...
12.01.2022 Why Are There So Many Denominations in the Church? There are many different denominations that make up the church of Jesus Christ. Today on the Ask Ligonier podcast, listen as Harry Reeder describes some of the ways that these distinctions come about. Submit a biblical or theological question of ...
11.24.2022 Will We Recognize Our Friends and Family in Heaven? It can be unsettling to think about whether or not we will recognize our loved ones in eternity. Today on the Ask Ligonier podcast, listen as Derek Thomas uses one of Jesus' parables to help us think through this subject. ...
11.17.2022 Is Speaking in Tongues Evidence of Having the Holy Spirit? At what point does the Holy Spirit enter into a Christian's life? Today on the Ask Ligonier podcast, John Tweeddale explains how the Bible's answer to this question directly relates to our view of Christ and His redemptive work. Submit ...
11.10.2022 Does Jesus Have One Will or Two? The question of whether Jesus has one will or two is closely related to a similar question about the natures of Christ. Today on the Ask Ligonier podcast, listen as W. Robert Godfrey warns against straying from Scripture's response to ...
11.03.2022 Should Christians Read the Apocryphal Books? Should Christians read texts that were intentionally excluded from the canon of Scripture? Today, listen as Stephen Nichols offers advice to anyone interested in reading the fourteen books that comprise the Apocrypha. Submit a biblical or theological question of your ...
10.27.2022 What Does It Mean to Present Our Bodies as Living Sacrifices to God? In Romans 12:1, Paul instructs Christians to glorify God with our bodies. Today, listen as Harry Reeder teaches on the scriptural context of this passage and identifies its application for all of life. Submit a biblical or theological question of ...
10.20.2022 What Is Covenant Theology? How do the covenants found in Scripture shape our theology? Today, listen as Sinclair Ferguson demonstrates how understanding covenant theology can give Christians a framework for understanding all of Scripture. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by ...
10.13.2022 What Was God Doing before Creation? Can we know what God was doing before He created the world? Today, listen as Michael Reeves helps us see that there is an answer from Scripture to this question, and it points us to a deeper understanding of our ...
10.06.2022 How Should Christians View the Imprecatory Psalms? What are the imprecatory psalms? How should we apply them to our Christian lives today? Today, W. Robert Godfrey provides guidelines for interpreting these thought-provoking texts. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by calling 1-800-607-9386 or by ...
09.29.2022 Does God Love Everybody? The Bible teaches that "God is love" (1 John 4:8). Does God love everyone He created in His image? Does He love all people in the same way? Today, Derek Thomas helps us think clearly and carefully about the love ...
09.22.2022 What Does It Mean That the First Seven Church Councils Were Ecumenical? What were the ecumenical councils of the early church? Today, Stephen Nichols explains what these church councils were, why they assembled, and how they relate to us as Protestants. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by calling ...
09.15.2022 What Are the Qualifications of a Pastor? All Christians should have a desire to tell others about the truth of God, but not everyone is qualified to be a pastor. Today, Harry Reeder identifies the biblical qualifications for this office in the church. Submit a biblical or ...
09.08.2022 If You Could Read Only One Author from Church History, Who Would It Be and Why? The Lord has raised up many teachers and authors over the centuries who have greatly helped the church through their writings. Today, John Tweeddale identifies which author he would choose to read if he could only select one from church ...
09.01.2022 Was Adam a Historical Person? Was Adam a real individual who lived in space and time, or was he merely a fictional character who represents the human race? Today, Derek Thomas expresses that our view of Adam cannot ultimately be separated from our understanding of ...
08.25.2022 Why Are Some Demons Only Able to Be Cast Out by Prayer (Mark 9:29)? Jesus told His disciples that some demons can only be cast out by prayer (Mark 9:29). Why is this? Today, Sinclair Ferguson considers how Christ calls us to absolute dependence on God as we seek to serve Him. Submit a ...
08.18.2022 In What Way Is Christ Presently Reigning over the Church? According to 1 Corinthians 15:25, Jesus "must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet." In what way is Christ reigning right now? Today, Harry Reeder explains how Jesus is executing His kingly office in the present ...
08.11.2022 Did Jesus Empty Himself of Divinity in the Incarnation (Phil. 2:7)? Did Jesus set aside some of His divine attributes when He assumed a human nature in the incarnation? Today, Stephen Nichols responds to a common misunderstanding of Philippians 2:7. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by calling ...
08.04.2022 What Book Would You Recommend to a New Christian? If you're a new Christian, it can be daunting to find the right resources to help you grow in your faith. Today, John Tweeddale recommends three books that can aid readers in understanding the Bible and applying its teaching to ...
07.28.2022 Is Tithing for Today? In the Old Testament, the ancient Israelites were commanded to give a tenth of their increase to the Lord. Is this a requirement for modern Christians? Today, Derek Thomas addresses the question of tithing in the church. Submit a biblical ...
07.21.2022 What Is the Purpose and Benefit of Gathering for Corporate Worship? Why is it so important for the church to gather together for corporate worship? Today, Harry Reeder explains Scripture's teaching about gathered worship as not only an obligation but also a delightful privilege. Submit a biblical or theological question of ...
07.14.2022 What Does Genesis 6:6 Mean When It Says That God Repented? The Bible teaches that God does not change (Mal. 3:6). How should we interpret other passages that describe Him as repenting (Gen. 6:6)? Today, Sinclair Ferguson brings clarity to this apparent contradiction. Submit a biblical or theological question of your ...
07.07.2022 Is It Possible That We Have Entertained Angels Today (Heb. 13:2)? Hebrews 13:2 instructs us to show hospitality to strangers, "for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." Is it possible that Christians today have opened their homes to angels? Today, John Tweeddale explains the meaning of this passage. Submit a biblical ...
06.30.2022 Did Jesus Take On Our Sin Nature? In taking on our humanity, Jesus sympathizes with our weakness (Heb. 4:15). But wouldn't Christ also need to assume our sinful nature for Him to be tempted as we are? Today, Michael Reeves brings clarity to this question. Submit a ...
06.23.2022 Why Did God Prevent Israelites with Physical Deformities from Approaching the Altar? Why were priests with physical deformities prohibited from offering sacrifices in the Old Testament? Today, Sinclair Ferguson explains the marvelous lessons about the gospel that this law surprisingly contains. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by calling ...
06.16.2022 Why Did Testing Come to Job? Scripture describes Job as a godly and upright man. Why did he need to endure so much pain and loss? Today, Derek Thomas addresses the problem of suffering in the life of God's people. Submit a biblical or theological question ...
06.09.2022 Who Were the Nephilim? In Genesis 6, we read of the "sons of God" intermarrying with the "daughters of man," as well as characters called the "Nephilim" who lived in the land. Today, John Tweeddale considers the identities of these three groups in Scripture. ...
06.02.2022 Should I Stay in a Solid Church in Which I Haven’t Built a Community? Should we remain in a church where God's Word is faithfully preached yet there is little fellowship? Today, Harry Reeder encourages Christians to be part of the solution in building community. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own ...
05.26.2022 In What Way Can the Doctrine of the Trinity Bring Us Delight? Many people, even Christians, find the doctrine of the Trinity to be obscure. Can this doctrine actually bring us joy? Today, Michael Reeves invites us to delight in the love of our triune God. Submit a biblical or theological question ...
05.19.2022 Is Church Discipline Unloving and Harsh? When we talk about church discipline, sometimes the idea of heavy-handed punishment comes to mind. Today, Burk Parsons explains that true, biblical church discipline is actually an act of love with the goal of restoration. Submit a biblical or theological ...
05.12.2022 Can a Genuine Christian Experience Depression? Christians facing depression can grow discouraged, wondering if their struggle is a sign of spiritual weakness. Today, Ed Welch explains how Scripture helps us think about depression and how we can respond when it comes. Submit a biblical or theological ...
05.05.2022 If You Could Only Read One Christian Author, Who Would It Be? The past two millennia of church history have left us a wealth of theological writings and books on Christian spirituality. Today, Ben Shaw identifies which figure he would choose if he could read the works of only one Christian author. ...
04.28.2022 Is There a Role for Entertainment in the Church? Some churches have tried to make worship more entertaining as a method of attracting people to the gospel. Should we follow this pattern? Today, W. Robert Godfrey compares the purpose of worship with the goal of entertainment. Submit a biblical ...
04.21.2022 What Happened to the Old Testament Practice of Animal Sacrifice? When did the Old Testament practice of animal sacrifice come to an end--and why? Today, Ben Shaw explains why these ancient sacrifices ceased once and for all. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by calling 1-800-607-9386 or ...

Older episodes

Ask Ligonier

What's Ask Ligonier about?

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Ask Ligonier episodes:

How Did the Doctrine of the Trinity Develop in the Early Church?

How Can Christians Kill Indwelling Sin?

Why Did Jesus Have to Be Baptized?

What Is Legalism?

How Do We Know When Books of the Bible Were Written?

Is God’s Love Unconditional?

How Can We Grow in Our Relationship with God?

If I’m Fearful, Does That Mean I Don’t Believe in God?

Why Are There Times When I Don’t Feel like Reading the Bible?

What Is the Regulative Principle of Worship?

Why Is It That Only the Father Knows the Day and Hour of the Day of Judgement?

What Is Prayer?

If God Created Everything, How Is It That God Didn't Create Evil?

What Does It Mean That God Is “Without Parts”?

What Makes Christianity Unique?

What Is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?

What Does It Mean That the Son Can Do Nothing of His Own Accord?

Why Are There So Many Denominations in the Church?

Will We Recognize Our Friends and Family in Heaven?

Is Speaking in Tongues Evidence of Having the Holy Spirit?

Does Jesus Have One Will or Two?

Should Christians Read the Apocryphal Books?

What Does It Mean to Present Our Bodies as Living Sacrifices to God?

What Is Covenant Theology?

What Was God Doing before Creation?

How Should Christians View the Imprecatory Psalms?

Does God Love Everybody?

What Does It Mean That the First Seven Church Councils Were Ecumenical?

What Are the Qualifications of a Pastor?

If You Could Read Only One Author from Church History, Who Would It Be and Why?

Was Adam a Historical Person?

Why Are Some Demons Only Able to Be Cast Out by Prayer (Mark 9:29)?

In What Way Is Christ Presently Reigning over the Church?

Did Jesus Empty Himself of Divinity in the Incarnation (Phil. 2:7)?

What Book Would You Recommend to a New Christian?

Is Tithing for Today?

What Is the Purpose and Benefit of Gathering for Corporate Worship?

What Does Genesis 6:6 Mean When It Says That God Repented?

Is It Possible That We Have Entertained Angels Today (Heb. 13:2)?

Did Jesus Take On Our Sin Nature?

Why Did God Prevent Israelites with Physical Deformities from Approaching the Altar?

Why Did Testing Come to Job?

Who Were the Nephilim?

Should I Stay in a Solid Church in Which I Haven’t Built a Community?

In What Way Can the Doctrine of the Trinity Bring Us Delight?

Is Church Discipline Unloving and Harsh?

Can a Genuine Christian Experience Depression?

If You Could Only Read One Christian Author, Who Would It Be?

Is There a Role for Entertainment in the Church?

What Happened to the Old Testament Practice of Animal Sacrifice?