Who are you, really? Many people in the church today face an identity crisis. But the Apostle Paul had no question about what it meant to be a Christian: he was “in Christ.” Recovering this New Testament phrase is the key to understanding our identity and enjoying all the blessings of salvation. In this book, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson introduces the defining reality of the Christian life—our union with Christ. As we embrace the transformative truth of being “in Him,” we can live out of the fullness of joy, purpose, and assurance that the gospel brings. Endorsements “It is sometimes said that preachers come to have only one sermon. When kindly expressed, this is far from being a criticism! On the contrary, the meaning is not that the preacher simply says the same thing every time you hear him; it is that he is always saying different things via the same things: his deepest convictions about what it means to know and love the triune God. I know I speak for many in saying that one of the richest blessings of Sinclair Ferguson‘s ministry is the extent to which he has been captivated and shaped by the doctrine of union with Christ. For him, it is as much a meta-affection as a metanarrative; it is evident in the foundations as much as the structures of his thought; it overflows in his writing as much as in his preaching; it nourishes us in person as much as from the pulpit. So here is a delightful book on a glorious doctrine that Sinclair cannot preach and write about enough. May God use it to grant us all life-changing sight of what it means to belong to Jesus forever.“ —Dr. David Gibson “In this hugely readable little book, Sinclair Ferguson provides us with a biblical-theological road map of a truth that lies at the heart of biblical Christianity and that has shaped his own life and ministry for more than fifty years: union with Christ. Dr. Ferguson expounds the key New Testament passages that unpack for us the meaning of union with Christ and draws out their practical implications for living a joy-filled, Christ-loving, God-honoring life. The closing long quote from John Calvin‘s Institutes (2.16.19) is worth the cost of the book-read it slowly, out loud, and feel the weight of Christ-saturated truth. This is a book to read and reread, a book worthy to be a vade mecum, a book to slip into your pocket and take with you wherever you go.“ —Dr. Ian Hamilton

One way we fall into this as parents is bringing up the past with our children. We might say things like “You always do this . . . ” to guilt, voice our frustrations, or manipulate obedience from them. When we speak like this, we inadvertently become parables of unforgiving servants.

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But we ought not to lose hope. We can be positive parables of forgiveness. Parents who are parables of forgiving servants are open about forgiveness, and our children learn the most about forgiveness when we forgive each other.

Parents, ask your children for forgiveness regularly. They have hearts that react to sin and injustice, just like you. Do not let unconfessed sins come between you, and when your children sin against you, encourage them also to ask for forgiveness. This involves not being harsh with them so that they, in turn, feel comfortable talking about their sins. When they are young, name their sin for them and teach them how to ask for forgiveness beyond saying, “I’m sorry.” There is something so much stronger communicated about sin and reconciliation when we teach them to ask, “Will you forgive me?”

When your children struggle to forgive someone, pray with them about it. Even when your children are little and may not have an awareness of begrudging anyone, pray daily with them that they might develop hearts of forgiveness. Prayer is one of the best ways to communicate indirectly with their hearts. It’s especially helpful when they are not inclined to listen to your direct instruction. Use prayer as an indirect route that their hearts may be softened by the Spirit.

Family is wonderful. It can also, at times, be volatile. Establish a regular rhythm of prayer together as a family. This can be as easy as praying at mealtimes. This regular rhythm, even if it is only at one meal a day, gives us an opportunity to go before the Lord whenever inevitable tensions arise. When a fight has just broken out, Jesus calls us to be reconciled. One way to clear the air is to ask for help in prayer. Something about the ordinariness of a mealtime prayer of thanksgiving makes such requests surprising but, most importantly, ordinary.

We should be open about forgiveness with our children, and once such an open space is created in our homes, we need to diligently guard the peace that reconciliation brings and no longer sin against each other. But when we do, we forgive.

This article is part of the Common Christian Struggles collection and was originally published May 15, 2024.

Jesus, in His human nature, relied on the power of the Holy Spirit in order to accomplish the work of our redemption. Today, Sinclair Ferguson reflects on this truth to deepen our appreciation for our Savior and the Spirit.

Walking by faith is not easy.

Even the disciples who followed Jesus often struggled to grasp His identity and His purpose for their lives. Yet as the Lord led them on His redemptive mission, He showed them not only that He was greater than their fears and weaknesses but also that He had come to save them from their sins.

In his new digital teaching series, Following Jesus, Dr. W. Robert Godfrey illustrates how the gospel of Mark takes us on the same journey of faith, vividly revealing who Jesus is and encouraging us to joyfully proclaim all that He has accomplished for us His people.

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Following Jesus is a teaching series surveying Mark’s gospel to help us gain a fuller understanding of Christ and His saving work. This digital series can be a valuable addition to your Sunday school or homeschool curriculum, small group discussion, or personal study of God’s Word.

26 Messages Centered on the Person and Work of Christ, Including:

Gospel Foundations Your Sins Are Forgiven Tradition vs. Authority The Powerful Weakness of Faith Meeting the Risen Christ And Many More

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What impact did the 1904 Welsh Revival have on the church and on culture? Today, Stephen Nichols is joined by Derek Thomas to reflect on this remarkable season of gospel awakening in Wales and how its legacy endures today.

The very same Holy Spirit who indwelt Jesus throughout the course of His life now dwells in every believer. Today, Sinclair Ferguson begins to unfold the wonderful implications of this indwelling.

reason we as Christians continue to meet for worship on the Christian Sabbath is because we are still waiting for the consummation of our eternal Sabbath rest in Christ. Much the same, the reason we continue to be married and give in marriage in this world is because we are waiting for the consummation of our eternal marriage to the Lamb. But when the reality is fully revealed, the shadow passes away.

This is why Jesus makes a very important statement about marriage when He was in Jerusalem prior to His betrayal. The Sadducees, a group of elites who denied life after death, questioned Jesus about marriage (Matt. 22:23–33; Mark 12:18–27; Luke 20:27–38). In an attempt to show the absurdity of the resurrection, they asked Jesus what would happen if someone was widowed six times. Would that person have several spouses at once in heaven? In response, Jesus not only pointed them to the reality of the resurrection, but He also explained that earthly marriage is not eternal: “For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven” (Mark 12:25). According to Jesus, someone married on earth will not be married to their spouse in heaven. Instead, their only concern will be the same as that of the angels: to worship and glorify God eternally. In other words, the only marriage with which we will be concerned in heaven is our spiritual marriage to the Lord Jesus Christ.

So, is marriage eternal? Only the marriage of Christ and His church lasts forever. If we think that earthly marriage is something that endures for all eternity, then we have missed what marriage is all about in the first place. An earthly spouse is a precious gift from God, which we should cherish and care for dearly. But while I think we will still remember our earthly marriages in heaven, we will not be married in heaven. The reality is better than the shadow. When we gather before the throne, we will stand next to our earthly spouse not in marriage to each other, but as the church married to Christ. In glory, the marriages of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of our glorious marriage to the Lamb.

What does it mean to be human? Today, R.C. Sproul explains that our answer will determine how we value and treat the people around us.

Only once in the whole year could the high priest of Israel enter the Holy of Holies to approach the fearsome presence of a holy God: the Day of Atonement. Today, Barry Cooper explains what this day revealed about the depth of our guilt and how it pointed forward to a greater day when the sin of God’s people would be dealt with forever.

On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus promised His disciples that He would ask the Father to give them “another Helper” (John 14:16). Today, Sinclair Ferguson tells us what this title for the Holy Spirit reveals about Him.

time for faithful presence to step forward into active assistance. Sometimes that means being a guardrail while still giving our children the space to work through challenges on their own; sometimes it means stepping in to give hands-on support. Whatever the situation, when our children are hard-pressed with troubles and trials, we can be on the lookout for ways to come alongside to bear their burden (Gal. 6:2). This, too, takes wisdom because every situation and child are different. There is no one-size-fits-all playbook here, so godly wisdom is needed to meet each child where he or she is. As we gauge the gravity of the trial and a particular child’s capacity to handle it, wisdom means tailoring our engagement to the situation.

Point Them to Hopeful Horizons

Whatever the trial, and however thoughtfully we may be supporting our children through it, there is a potential danger of falling prey to short-sightedness. As we walk with our children through difficult situations, it’s possible to become so engrossed in the problem itself that we forget to fix our eyes upward on the Deliverer. Few of us do this intentionally; more often it’s just that our burdens are pressing in so hard against us—especially when our children are affected—that it’s all we can do to our catch our breath. As we shift into survival mode, we focus on our surrounding circumstances and lose sight of the bigger picture. Our children can have this same reaction during times of hardship, which means we have an opportunity to remind them of where our true hope is found. As the shepherd points his flock toward safe pasture, we who are called to walk with children through the valley of shadows have the privilege of directing their eyes upward toward the horizon, to the hope we have in Christ. No matter how dark their surroundings may be, we can help them look to Jesus, the light of the world (John 8:12) whose righteous path “shines brighter and brighter until full day” (Prov. 4:18). What peace is found when we help our children look beyond the darkness, up and out of the valley, toward the unshakable hope we have in the marvelous light of Jesus.

This article is part of the Common Christian Struggles collection and was previously published January 24, 2024.

Many people are willing to believe in a God who blesses, but few will stomach the notion that He also judges. Today, R.C. Sproul calls us to embrace the God who is both sovereign and holy, for there is no other.

God’s love is holy; His justice is holy; His mercy is holy; His power is holy; His truth is holy. Thus, understanding and embracing God’s holiness will transform how we think, live, and worship.

When we truly encounter God’s holiness, we are changed. Consider Isaiah 6. Isaiah is overwhelmed by the display of God’s holiness. He is completely undone, crying, “Woe is me!” (Isa. 6:5). Encountering God’s holiness humbles us, exposes our sinfulness, and reshapes our minds and hearts, compelling us to align our desires and will with His desires and will. And God’s desire and will for us is to be holy because He is holy: “Be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44; 1 Peter 1:16). Recognizing our need for Him, we are set apart for His purposes and transformed into His likeness.

Fleshing this out is beyond the scope of this short reflection, but the lesson is simple: If you want to be more like Christ, make every effort to know your Holy God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Read R.C. Sproul’s book The Holiness of God, or J.I. Packer’s Knowing God, or Stephen Charnock’s The Existence and Attributes of God. Most importantly, prayerfully read the Scripture with the aim of growing in your knowledge of Christ. As D.A. Carson has said: People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise; . . . we drift toward disobedience; . . . we drift toward superstition.

A growing knowledge of our holy God in and through Christ derails that drift, puts us on the path to holiness, and promises us a life of lasting pleasure and delight. So, the next time someone asks you, “What is it like knowing that for the rest of your life, everyone will be out having fun and enjoying life while you are stuck going to church?” smile and say: “If you only knew my holy God, if you only knew Jesus, you wouldn’t ask that. Going to church to worship Him is my delight, for He alone can fill my heart with gladness and an overabundance of joy!” (Ps. 16:11; Isa. 35:10; John 16:24).

: Louis Berkhof, Summary of Christian Doctrine (Banner of Truth, 2011), 28. : Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley, Reformed Systematic Theology, Vol. 1 (Crossway, 2004), 569. : D.A. Carson, For the Love of God: A Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God’s Word, Vol. 2 (Good News Publishers, 2006), as quoted on Goodreads.com.

Often when people talk about the Holy Spirit, their attention focuses on the gifts and blessings He bears in our lives. Today, Sinclair Ferguson challenges us to get to know the Spirit who is at work in us.

Nothing is more essential for our spiritual growth than the Word of God.

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More than 1.1 million words of commentary Theological notes from R.C. Sproul 20,000+ study notes by 75 distinguished scholars Introductions to books and sections of the Bible Historic creeds, catechisms, and confessions of faith

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We aren’t going to act like Christians until we first think like Christians. Today, R.C. Sproul explains that a transformed life begins with a transformed mind.

extend our study to Manoah and Samson, Eli and his sons, Samuel and his sons, or David and Absalom. My purpose is not to cast judgment on fathers, nor to merely play the hypothetical game of “What If.” God used the sinful situations of these fathers and children for His plan of redemption, which demonstrates that His grace is truly greater than all our sins.

God’s being sovereign over all these actions does not lessen the pain and consequences these individuals went through, nor the wretched consequences of sin that we as families endure. All the sins mentioned, though not an exhaustive list, are not only sins of the past, but are ever present in our own children (and often in us as fathers as well). When we see similar sinful proclivities in our children, fathers should not idly sit by, hoping that nothing bad will happen to our children. The above stories indicate that this is not likely. Rather, we are to engage the hearts and minds of our children with truth, and when they do sin, to lovingly bring them back through forgiveness and repentance to the righteous path. We are called as fathers to be shepherds and guides for our children in the journey of faith. May we be to our children like the voice Isaiah mentions: “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left” (Isa. 30:21).

However, with all the examples of fatherly relationships in the Bible, let us not miss the one example of the one perfect Father-Son relationship that did not fall, has not faltered, and will never fail. Beyond the to-dos and not-to-dos of fatherhood, let us always rest in what is done—accomplished and finished—in Christ, who perfectly obeyed His Father even unto death. From that Father-Son relationship comes all the grace, mercy, and strength for us as fathers as we grow in godliness and desire for our families to do the same.

This article is part of the The Basics of Christian Discipleship collection and was orginally published June 14, 2024.

In the old covenant, God revealed Himself through prophets, priests, and kings. But this changed with the coming of Christ and the outpouring of the Spirit. Today, Sinclair Ferguson explains why Pentecost is worth celebrating.

Where should new Christians begin as they grow in their faith? Today, Stephen Nichols discusses a few timeless practices that have helped generations of Christians in their walk with Christ.

and have access to the Father. Moreover, the relation to the Father that we have been given is identical to that which the Son has in eternity; His by nature, ours by sheer grace.

In short, we have been made the adopted children of God in Jesus Christ. He is the natural Son, the eternal Son; we were not sons but we have been made so by grace. Christ always was and is the Son; we were strangers and aliens but now we have been brought near.

We should banish from our minds, as far as we can, all personal experiences of our own human fathers. For some, these memories may be painful; for all of us they are misleading, for we all fall short. The one model—and the model for human fatherhood—is that of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as recorded in metaphorical language: Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk;    I took them up by their arms,    but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of kindness,    with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,    and I bent down to them and fed them. (Hos. 11:3–4)

The image of the returning prodigal in Jesus’ parable springs to mind in which “while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20).

So, whoever we are, in Christ we have “access in one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2:18). Let us draw near, confessing our sins, in the sure and certain knowledge that He will receive us and lavish His kindness on us for the whole of eternity. The Father’s love will then be universally evident for, since we are His children now, when Christ returns in His unfettered glory, we shall see Him as He is and be like Him, to the glory of the Father (1 John 3:2).

: James Barr, “Abba Isn’t ‘Daddy,’” Journal of Theological Studies 39/1 (1988), 28–47. : I use “sons” in its generic sense, following biblical language, to express the identity of our relation, women and men, to the Father that the Son has.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on August 26, 2024.

At Pentecost, the same Holy Spirit who had empowered the life and ministry of Jesus was now poured out upon the church. Today, Sinclair Ferguson explains how this great gift fulfilled one of Christ’s promises to His disciples.

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Augustine’s legacy is well known, but what about his closest friend? Today, Stephen Nichols introduces us to Alypius, a faithful companion who walked alongside Augustine from their days as students to bishops in neighboring towns.

Whenever we add to God’s law, we’re actually subtracting from it. Today, R.C. Sproul teaches that the sovereign Lord, not our personal preferences or traditions, has the sole authority to bind our consciences absolutely.