Renewing Your Mind – "Theology Is Life"

Date: January 5, 2026
Host: Ligonier Ministries
Speaker: Dr. R.C. Sproul
Guest Host: Nathan W. Bingham

Episode Overview

This episode introduces Dr. R.C. Sproul’s foundational series, "What Is Reformed Theology?", emphasizing that theology is not an abstract or divisive field, but the very heartbeat of Christian life. Dr. Sproul and host Nathan W. Bingham explore why Reformed theology centers so intently on the knowledge of God, and why true Christian living flows directly from sound doctrine rather than mere religious activity or subjective experience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Popular Attitude Toward Theology Today

• Opening Observation:
  • Dr. Sproul opens by noting how theology is often dismissed as irrelevant in favor of subjective personal fulfillment.

    “We live in a day when people say theology doesn't matter. What counts is feeling good, being ministered unto in our psychological needs… We don't need doctrine, we are told, we need life.” (00:00–00:29)

  • The episode’s core thesis is:

    “At the heart of Reformed theology is the affirmation that theology is life, because theology is the knowledge of God.” (00:29–00:37)

2. Personal Testimony: The Transformative Power of Theology

• Nathan W. Bingham shares how discovering Reformed theology helped him see Scripture as a unified whole, answering his deepest questions:

  “One of the most transformative seasons of my life as a Christian was when I began to see in Scripture what is commonly called Reformed theology. R.C. Sproul’s series and his books were answering my questions and suddenly I could see how all of Scripture fit together.” (00:39–01:10)

• Purpose of Series:
  • To clarify Reformed theology’s distinctives and its worldview-shaping power.
    (01:11–02:05)

3. The Disappearance of Theology in the Modern Church

• Dr. Sproul references Dr. David Wells’ pivotal book No Place for Truth, voicing concern about evangelicalism’s shift away from solid doctrine:

  “The disappearance of theology from the life of the church and the orchestration of that disappearance by some of its leaders is hard to miss today, but, oddly enough, not easy to prove.”
  (Reading Dr. Wells, 02:54–03:06)

• Manifestations include:
  • Vacuous worship, self-centered preaching, erosion of conviction, pragmatism, and inability to think incisively about culture. (03:06–03:34)
• A call to return to “confessional foundations”—a defining concern of Reformed theology. (03:35–04:10)

4. The Difference Between 'Religion' and 'Theology'

• Illustration from Academic Life:

  • Sproul describes a visit to a Christian college where the “Department of Theology” had been renamed “Department of Religion,” reflecting a subtle but deep shift in focus. (04:10–05:26)
  • He uses a blackboard diagram to distinguish:
    • God-centered approach:
      • Theology at the center; anthropology (the study of man) is understood under the grander umbrella of the study of God.
    • Man-centered (secular) approach:
      • Anthropology is primary; religion is merely one aspect of human behavior.*

• “There is a profound difference between the study of religion and the study of theology... The study of theology is the study of God himself. First and foremost, the study of religion is the study of a particular type of human behavior.” (05:26–07:09)

5. The Centrality of God in True Theology

• Historical Perspective:
  • In the Middle Ages, theology was termed “the queen of the sciences”—everything else was to be understood in light of God’s nature and truth. (06:00–06:40)
  • To properly understand humanity, we must study the prototype (God) before the reflection (humanity). (06:40–07:09)

6. Idolatry: The Ever-present Danger

• Biblical Exposition (Exodus 32 and Romans 1):
  • Sproul uses the golden calf incident (Exodus 32) as a vivid example of misplaced worship:

    “They were engaged in religion, but the religion they were celebrating was a religion that had a theology of this world. A theology that distorted and corrupted the very character of God.” (13:05–14:34)

  • Romans 1’s warning:
    • The fundamental human sin is not atheism but idolatry—suppressing the true knowledge of God, and substituting creation for Creator. (16:19–17:34)

7. Why Reformed Theology Puts Doctrine First

• Contemporary Attitudes:
  • Many claim doctrine divides, while “life” unites; yet, Sproul insists, real life springs from right knowledge of God.
• Why the Reformation Happened:

  “Our lives will never be reformed, our lives will never be brought into conformity to Christ until we first have a clear understanding of the original form—the model—of true humanity that is found in Christ. And that’s a matter of theology.” (22:41–23:27)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On contemporary neglect of theology:

  “We live in a day when people say theology doesn't matter… We don't need doctrine, we are told we need life.” – R.C. Sproul (00:00)

• On what defines Reformed theology:

  “The most strict focus of Reformed theology is on theology—on the knowledge of the true God.” – R.C. Sproul (20:45)

• On the relationship between belief and life:

  “At the heart of Reformed theology is the affirmation that theology is life, because theology is the knowledge of God. And there’s no more important knowledge that exists to inform our lives than the knowledge of God.” – R.C. Sproul (23:14)

• On right worship and its dangers:

  “Even the Christian religion can be idolatrous when we strip God of his true attributes and place at the center of our worship something other than God himself.” – R.C. Sproul (18:50)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:00–00:39 – R.C. Sproul: Why theology is crucial in a feelings-driven age.
• 00:39–01:10 – Nathan Bingham: Personal testimony on impact of theology.
• 02:06–03:34 – Introduction to Dr. David Wells’ analysis of modern evangelical theology’s decline.
• 04:10–07:09 – Sproul’s classroom anecdote: Department of Religion vs. Department of Theology.
• 13:05–14:34 – Exposition of the golden calf incident as a picture of corrupted theology and worship.
• 16:19–17:34 – Romans 1: Humanity’s universal tendency towards idolatry.
• 20:45–23:14 – The focus of Reformed theology: knowing God is life itself.

Takeaway & Tone

R.C. Sproul’s tone is earnest, passionate, and educational—both inviting and challenging listeners to recognize that theology is not merely an academic exercise but the vital center of Christian life. Reformed theology, as he presents, calls Christians away from shallow religiosity and subjectivism to a robust, God-centered life, informed and transformed by the true knowledge of the living God.

Next in the Series:
The following episode will explore what distinctives Reformed theology shares and where it differs from other Christian traditions.

(Advertisements and resource promotions occur at 01:15–02:05 and 24:13–26:08 and have been omitted from this summary.)