The separation of church and state does not directly appear in the Constitution of the United States. Rather, the phrase represents an understanding of the First Amendment, popularized (but not invented) by a correspondence between a Baptist church and President Thomas Jefferson.
R.C. Sproul’s Crucial Questions Series is free—forever. Get the collection, share this post with a friend, and start answering crucial questions together.
Faithlife Groups make it easy to start a reading group together, whether you read your books in Logos, Vyrso, or the Faithlife Study Bible app. Your friends, family, small group, or church can create a reading plan, share Community Notes, and experience a unique collaborative reading experience.
If you lead a small group (or want to lead one) and you’re looking for a little direction, look no further. R.C. Sproul has taught countless classes and seminars and written over 70 books. In this free series, he explores essential Christian theology with a modern, biblical perspective on some of the biggest questions Christians face.
Check out these questions and picture the people you could answer them with:
Turning to the words of Jesus, Sproul studies what Christ meant when he described the end times to his disciples. Using this concise interpretation as a guide, see how the disciples might have understood Jesus, and what these important passages mean for us today.
Many people in the church today are plagued by doubts about their salvation. Satan whispers that it is impossible that such sinners could be in a state of grace, and some churches compound the problem by teaching that it is possible for believers to lose their salvation. Here, Sproul hopes to offer help for those who question where they stand with Jesus.
The one true path to deep, lasting joy is a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Sproul shows how by abiding in Christ, believers experience a joy that transcends sorrow and invites us to celebrate hope with fellow believers.
As human beings, we long to know that our lives will unfold in pleasant and rewarding ways. As Christians, we have a different focus—we want our lives to be pleasing to God. We ponder his will and worry that we aren’t doing what he wants us to do. In this book, R.C. Sproul outlines timeless principles for discovering and applying the will of God in day-to-day decisions.
There is a common assumption that the Bible is “full” of errors and contradictions, and that its unusual people and events render it useless for today. These ideas are fueled by the teachings of scholarly critics, who seem to delight in raising questions about the Bible’s truthfulness and integrity. Sproul illuminates the reasons we have to trust the Bible as the inerrant, infallible Word of God.
The Christian doctrine of providence teaches that God is the sovereign ruler of the universe. Sproul deals with philosophical and theological questions and objections this doctrine raises, challenging popular assumptions about the universe and exalting God as the sovereign ruler and sustainer of all things.
Using practical wisdom, Sproul unveils the purpose, the pattern, the practice, the prohibitions, and the power of prayer, calling Christians to come before God’s presence with joy and hope.
In Walt Disney’s classic animated movie Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket sings, “Always let your conscience be your guide.” The Bible confirms that the human conscience is real and important, but it also shows that the conscience is not always a reliable guide to making moral choices, for it is twisted by sin. Sproul shows how as we gain a firmer grasp of what God expects and requires, we are increasingly able to make decisions that please him.
Christians want to “do the right thing.” But it can be tough to know what the right thing is. Plus, it’s not just the big questions with which we must wrestle—ethical dilemmas confront us each day in every aspect of life. On what basis do we make all of these decisions? R.C. Sproul argues that the Bible is the supreme source for ethical guidance. That doesn’t mean it contains a “Thou shalt . . .” or a “Thou shalt not . . .” for every conceivable situation, but it does provide ethical principles. With his trademark wisdom and thoroughness, Sproul explains how we can uncover and apply these principles.
God can use our feelings of guilt to reveal our true guilt in his sight. Sproul prescribes the only remedy—the forgiveness that God has provided through Jesus Christ. Here is solid biblical counsel for those who hear the accusations of their consciences.
2,000 years after Jesus explained being “born again” to Nicodemus, much confusion still surrounds the term and those who claim it. Sproul cuts through the confusion and carefully explains what it means, biblically and theologically, to be born again.
Sproul provides help in understanding and appreciating baptism as a sign and seal of the covenant of grace—a necessary and meaningful practice, packed with rich symbolism.
Because faith is central to the Christian life, believers must have a clear understanding of how the Bible defines the word and the concept. In this book, R.C. Sproul looks to Hebrews 11—the great faith chapter of the Bible—for a definition of faith and numerous examples of it in the lives of the saints.
From the beginning of his ministry, Jesus called people to repentance. Peter and Paul urged people to repent as well. The concept of repentance is central to the Christian life. But what does it mean to repent? Here Sproul unfolds the biblical concept of repentance, especially examining how it relates to regeneration.
Sproul carefully and clearly explains what it means to be a body of people saved by Jesus Christ and regenerated by the Holy Spirit who live to glorify and enjoy God. Beginning with the ancient Nicene Creed, which affirms that the church is “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic,” Sproul provides accessible teaching on one of the most misunderstood of all Christian doctrines.
Sproul cuts through the confusion to define the supper, demonstrate what it means, and show how important it is for the lives of believers and churches. He explores its origins, explains what it does for us, and refutes erroneous views of the Sacrament.
The issue remains confusing and contentious for many Christians today, as issues of political activism, religious freedom, and civil disobedience confront those seeking to understand this crucial relationship. Here Dr. Sproul examines the relationship by looking at the nature and mission of government, how Christians should view and relate to their governments, the legitimacy of state-established churches, how to deal with abuses of power, and the legitimacy of civil disobedience.
Sproul shows what the Bible teaches about the Trinity and outlines the chief errors Christians make in regard to this crucial doctrine. Above all, he affirms that while this truth is difficult to understand, it is not contradictory. Rather, it is a beautiful expression of the biblical teaching on the nature of God.
No person in history has provoked such widely divergent assessments as Jesus of Nazareth. Some say he was a cunning fraud, while others say he must have been out of his mind. Sproul points to compelling evidence that Jesus was something more—that he was, in fact, God in the flesh. By wrestling with the biblical titles for Jesus and the accounts of his life and ministry, Sproul unfolds the scriptural portrait of Jesus, the Son of God.
Explore the Spirit’s identity and discover the roles the Spirit carries out. Sproul shows that the Spirit gives new life to unbelievers, then sanctifies, strengthens, teaches, and anoints them for ministry.
Equip yourself with scholarly, biblical answers these questions. When you can get all these books for free, “I don’t know” doesn’t need to be the end of the conversation.
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Right now, you can get R.C. Sproul’s book, Surprised by Suffering, for free! Get your copy.
Suffering often catches us by surprise. One day we are healthy, comfortable, and happy. The next we find ourselves ill or injured, struggling, and distraught. The pain that invades our lives may come from our own suffering or that of a loved one. But no matter the source, we don’t see it coming. All too often, our perplexity prompts us to suspect God of wrongdoing.
R.C. Sproul wrote Surprised by Suffering: The Role of Pain and Death in the Christian Life to help Christians see purpose in pain and sovereignty in suffering.
Surprised by Suffering offers solid biblical counsel and comfort for those undergoing suffering. For those who minister to the suffering, Sproul’s counsel helps believers stand firm with faith in a God who is both loving and good—even in the midst of our deepest sorrows.
Here are some of Sproul’s insights into Matthew 11:28–30:
There have been times in my life when I have uttered foolish prayers. When I have been hard pressed I have cried out to God, “This much and no more, Lord. I can’t handle another setback. One more straw and I’m finished.” It seems that every time I pray like that God puts a fresh load on my back. It is as if He answers my prayer by saying, “Don’t tell Me how much you can bear.”
God knows our limits far better than we do. In one respect we are very much like camels. When the camel’s load is already heavy he doesn’t ask his master for more weight. His knees get a bit wobbly, and he groans beneath the burden, but there is still room for more before his back will break.
The promise of God is not that He will never give us more weight to carry than we want to carry. The promise of God is that He will never put more upon us than we can actually bear.
For more encouraging wisdom from R.C. Sproul, download your free copy of Surprised by Suffering today!
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Want even more free R.C. Sproul books? Get all 17 volumes of his Crucial Questions Series for free! Tackle some of life’s biggest questions with a world-renowned theologian.
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For less than $4 per book, you can get one of Logos’ best-selling commentary sets. This 27-volume series reflects James Montgomery Boice’s years of experience in the pulpit. Boice served for more than 30 years as senior pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, host of The Bible Study Hour radio program, and president and cofounder of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals.
R.C. Sproul says, “Dr. Boice’s commentary series is a treasure for the church and for her pastors. No expository preacher can afford to be without it.”
This commentary has been praised as a well-crafted, easily understood resource that’s useful for both pastors and believers at any stage of spiritual growth. It provides clarity and historical background for the biblical text, and it stands as a highly rated resource amongst Logos users.
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Right now, you can get R.C. Sproul’s 20-volume Crucial Questions series for free!
Logos Bible Software has partnered with Ligonier Ministries to help the church answer some of the biggest questions people ask about Christianity. Sproul, Ligonier Ministries’ founder, has taught countless classes and seminars and written over 70 books. Now he’s offering you 20 of them for free. The Crucial Questions Series explores essential Christian theology to help you arrive at a modern, biblical understanding of some of life’s toughest questions—questions that lie at the foundation of the Christian faith. Sproul gives you the tools to address them head-on, equipping you with a biblical perspective and sound doctrine. And these tools are free of charge, because every Christian should have them.
Each of these 20 books addresses a different question that both Christians and non-Christians ask about Christianity. You’ll get books like Does Prayer Change Things?, Does God Control Everything?, What Is the Trinity?, and How Can I Develop a Christian Conscience?
When you download these books with Logos, free means more. These 20 volumes automatically integrate with your entire Logos library, helping you find answers when you need them. Using the Topic Guide, you can pull Sproul’s answers up side by side with parallel commentaries, maintaining the essential balance between the in-depth exploration of Scripture and the practical presentation of its truths.
Start answering these crucial questions for yourself. Start sharing what you learn. When you can get all these books for free, “I don’t know” doesn’t need to be the end of the conversation anymore.
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