Ask Ligonier

By Ligonier Ministries

Religion & Spirituality Christianity

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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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LAST EPISODE

What Is Christ-Centered Pre...

09.21.2023

No matter which biblical passage is preached, there is always room for Christ to be at the center of the message. Today, Joel Kim defines Christ-centered preaching and explains its importance in the church. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/ask-ligonier/what-is-christ-centered-preaching Submit a ...

Ask Ligonier episodes:

09.21.2023 What Is Christ-Centered Preaching? No matter which biblical passage is preached, there is always room for Christ to be at the center of the message. Today, Joel Kim defines Christ-centered preaching and explains its importance in the church. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/ask-ligonier/what-is-christ-centered-preaching Submit a ...
09.14.2023 How Can I Talk to My Unbelieving Parents about the Gospel? Sharing the gospel with unbelieving parents can be an intimidating prospect. Today, Voddie Baucham offers advice on how to approach this delicate situation with intentionality and wisdom. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/ask-ligonier/how-can-i-talk-to-my-unbelieving-parents-about-the-gospel Submit a biblical or theological question of your own ...
09.07.2023 What Should We Do If We Sense That We’re Becoming Calloused to a Particular Sin? Have you ever found yourself becoming numb to the same recurring sin? Today, W. Robert Godfrey helps us employ biblical principles in the battle against besetting sins. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/ask-ligonier/what-should-we-do-if-we-sense-that-were-becoming-calloused-to-a-particular-sin Submit a biblical or theological question of your own ...
08.31.2023 Should Young People Study Theology? Is the study of theology designated for a specific age group? Today, Stephen Nichols explains why it is important for Christians in their formative, younger years and believers of all ages to study theology. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/ask-ligonier/should-young-people-study-theology Submit a ...
08.24.2023 Is There Something Wrong with Me If I Don’t Feel God’s Presence in My Suffering? When we endure suffering as Christians, it can be tempting to believe that God is no longer present. Today, Sinclair Ferguson offers tools from God’s Word that can help us in our darkest hours. Read the transcript: https://ligonier.org/podcasts/ask-ligonier/is-there-something-wrong-with-me-if-i-dont-feel-gods-presence-in-my-suffering Submit a ...
08.17.2023 What’s Happening in the Korean Church? By God's grace, the good news of Jesus Christ is going forth in Korea. Today, Joel Kim shares how the Lord is at work in the Korean church and notes several unique challenges that it currently faces. Submit a biblical ...
08.10.2023 Why Should Christians Learn about How God Is at Work in Other Regions of the World? Around the world, Jesus is building His church and bringing people to Himself. Today, Voddie Baucham explains why it's important for every Christian to be engaged with how God is at work in the global body of Christ. Submit a ...
08.03.2023 How Can I Discover My Spiritual Gifts? Discovering your spiritual gifts is not as simple as taking an aptitude test. Today, Ken Jones emphasizes the importance of looking to the needs of the local church to identify and exercise spiritual gifts. Submit a biblical or theological question ...
07.27.2023 What Is the Difference between Pastors, Elders, and Overseers? How does Scripture define the church office of pastor, elder, and overseer? Today, Burk Parsons expounds the biblical context of these terms, explaining their similarities and differences. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by calling 1-800-607-9386 or ...
07.20.2023 Who Was J. Gresham Machen? In an age when theological liberalism sought to sway the church, J. Gresham Machen took a definitive stand for truth. Today, Stephen Nichols tells us about this 20th-century advocate of the central doctrines of Christianity. Submit a biblical or theological ...
07.13.2023 What Is Historical Theology? How can history aid Christians in understanding the way theological ideas have developed through the centuries? Today, Joel Kim defines historical theology and describes its role in helping us grow in our knowledge of God. Submit a biblical or theological ...
07.06.2023 How Can God Care about Me Individually When There Are So Many People in the World? Sometimes we can take for granted Scripture's promise that God cares for each of His children personally. Today, Sinclair Ferguson reminds us of the wonder of being known and loved by the Creator of the universe. Submit a biblical or ...
06.29.2023 What’s Happening to Us Spiritually during the Lord’s Supper? It is a great privilege to approach the Lord's table as sinners saved by grace. Today, W. Robert Godfrey helps us orient our focus on the Lord Jesus Christ as we consider the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Submit a ...
06.22.2023 How Can Christians Patiently Endure the Hatred of the World? Scripture tells Christians that the world will hate us just as it hated the Lord Jesus Christ (John 15:18). Today, Voddie Bauchum describes how we can lean on our Savior when we face hatred from the world. Submit a biblical ...
06.15.2023 What Should I Do If I’m Angry at God? What should we do if we feel angry at God? Today, Michael Reeves reminds us to place our trust in our good and sovereign Lord when life seems out of our control. Submit a biblical or theological question of your ...
06.08.2023 Why Should Christians Study the Minor Prophets? What can we learn from the last twelve books of the Old Testament? Today, Derek Thomas explains the importance of the Minor Prophets and provides several tips for effectively studying these portions of Scripture. Submit a biblical or theological question ...
06.01.2023 Is There a Difference between Studying the Bible and Reading It Devotionally? There are many different methods of studying the Bible, each with their own unique learning objectives. Today, Joel Kim emphasizes the value of engaging with the Word of God. Submit a biblical or theological question of your own by calling ...
05.25.2023 What Encouragement Is There for Single Parents Who Feel Overwhelmed? Raising children can be overwhelming at times. Today, Ken Jones illustrates how being deeply rooted in the local church can help single parents lean on the body of Christ for support and guidance. Submit a biblical or theological question of ...
05.18.2023 What Advice for the Christian Life Would You Give to Your Younger Self? The longer we walk with the Lord, the greater perspective we can gain on the Christian life. Today, Sinclair Ferguson shares several pieces of advice that he would give to his younger self. Submit a biblical or theological question of ...
05.11.2023 What Does It Mean to Be Confessional? For centuries, the church has turned to creeds and confessions of faith for doctrinal clarity. Today, Burk Parsons articulates how adhering to these confessional statements can help us ground our lives on God's Word. Submit a biblical or theological question ...
05.04.2023 What Is the Goal of Studying Theology? Studying theology is not an end in itself. It is a means to bring glory to God. Today, Stephen Nichols describes how as we grow in our knowledge of God, our theology becomes doxology. Submit a biblical or theological question ...
04.27.2023 If I Sin, Does That Mean I’m Not a Christian? What does the Bible say about sin in the life of a Christian? Today, Steven Lawson stresses the importance of confession in our lives, encouraging us to remain steadfast in our pursuit of righteousness. Submit a biblical or theological question ...
04.20.2023 In What Way Are Our Bodies Temples of the Holy Spirit? The Bible is saturated with imagery of God dwelling with His people. Today, Harry Reeder expounds on what it means for our bodies to be a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Submit a biblical or theological question of your ...
04.13.2023 What Does the Bible Say about the Salvation of Those Who Cannot Comprehend the Gospel? Is salvation possible for infants and other people who seem unable to respond to the gospel? Today, Sinclair Ferguson helps us think through this topic by reminding us of several foundational truths from God's Word. Submit a biblical or theological ...
04.06.2023 Why Are There Times When I Don’t Feel like Praying? Prayer is a great blessing, but it can be a challenge to prioritize sometimes. Today, Burk Parsons helps us get to the root of this struggle, encouraging us to humble ourselves before our heavenly Father in prayer. Submit a biblical ...
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 ...

Older episodes

Ask Ligonier

What's Ask Ligonier about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Ask Ligonier episodes:

What Is Christ-Centered Preaching?

How Can I Talk to My Unbelieving Parents about the Gospel?

What Should We Do If We Sense That We’re Becoming Calloused to a Particular Sin?

Should Young People Study Theology?

Is There Something Wrong with Me If I Don’t Feel God’s Presence in My Suffering?

What’s Happening in the Korean Church?

Why Should Christians Learn about How God Is at Work in Other Regions of the World?

How Can I Discover My Spiritual Gifts?

What Is the Difference between Pastors, Elders, and Overseers?

Who Was J. Gresham Machen?

What Is Historical Theology?

How Can God Care about Me Individually When There Are So Many People in the World?

What’s Happening to Us Spiritually during the Lord’s Supper?

How Can Christians Patiently Endure the Hatred of the World?

What Should I Do If I’m Angry at God?

Why Should Christians Study the Minor Prophets?

Is There a Difference between Studying the Bible and Reading It Devotionally?

What Encouragement Is There for Single Parents Who Feel Overwhelmed?

What Advice for the Christian Life Would You Give to Your Younger Self?

What Does It Mean to Be Confessional?

What Is the Goal of Studying Theology?

If I Sin, Does That Mean I’m Not a Christian?

In What Way Are Our Bodies Temples of the Holy Spirit?

What Does the Bible Say about the Salvation of Those Who Cannot Comprehend the Gospel?

Why Are There Times When I Don’t Feel like Praying?

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?