Renewing Your Mind — "A Model of Submission"

Date: November 12, 2025
Host: Nathan W. Bingham (Ligonier Ministries)
Speaker: Dr. R.C. Sproul
Main Theme:
Understanding Mary, the mother of Jesus, as a biblical model of submission, examining theological controversies about her role, and challenging Christians to emulate her obedience to God.

Episode Overview

This episode, part of an Advent week focus, revisits Dr. R.C. Sproul’s teachings on Mary. Responding to the various ways Roman Catholics and Protestants interpret Mary's place in redemption, Dr. Sproul urges listeners to see Mary not as a co-redeemer but as a paragon of humble submission to God’s will—an example every Christian should seek to follow.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Historical and Theological Context of Mary (01:25–11:10)

• Dr. Sproul explores the controversies between Roman Catholics and Protestants regarding Mary, especially whether she should be considered “co-redemptrix” with Christ.
• Vatican II debates: Focused on whether discussions on Mary's role belong to theology proper or to ecclesiology (the doctrine of the Church).
  • Maximalist View: Ascribes to Mary a significant participatory role in redemption, emphasizing veneration and her unique status.
  • Minimalist View: Limits Mary’s involvement, seeing her more as a model of faith than a participant in redemption.

“The issue here between the maximalists and the minimalists was...to what degree are we to ascribe to Mary any participatory role in human redemption?”
— Dr. R.C. Sproul [03:30]

• Internal Roman Catholic theology splits along regional and ideological lines (e.g., progressive "Teolog Nouvelle" vs. traditionalists), reflecting broader debates in the Church.

2. Mary as the New Eve — Eve/Mary Parallel (11:10–16:40)

• Parallel between Adam and Christ: Just as Adam brought sin by disobedience, Christ brings life by obedience.
• Parallel between Eve and Mary:
  • Eve’s disobedience led to the Fall; Mary’s obedience led to Christ’s birth.
  • The debate is over the degree of this parallel—how actively Mary reverses Eve’s failure.

“Mary was obedient, and the child that she bore was sinless. So we can see...why it would be enticing to not only speak of the Adam-Christ parallel, but also the Eve-Mary parallel.”
— Dr. R.C. Sproul [13:30]

3. Mary’s Fiat (“Let it be to me according to your word”) (16:40–24:07)

• Biblical focus: Luke 1—the Annunciation, where Mary responds to Gabriel’s astonishing news.
• Mary’s submission: Her response is described as a fiat—not merely passive acceptance, but an imperative, a declaration of obedience.

“Her first words to the angel is, ‘behold the maidservant, the handmaiden of the Lord. Whatever the Lord says, whatever the Lord wants, whatever the Lord requires, so be it.’”
— Dr. R.C. Sproul [00:00, 21:32]

• Meaning of 'fiat': Not a command to God, but a submission of her own will—a pattern for Christian discipleship.
• Theological interpretations of Mary’s fiat:
  • Maximalist (Catholic): Mary’s “let it be” is seen as necessary authorization for the Incarnation.
  • Minimalist: Mary’s response is important but not strictly necessary; God’s purposes would prevail.
  • Protestant (Sproul’s view): Her submission is an example, not a condition; God is sovereign to accomplish His will regardless, yet Mary displays the attitude all Christians should mirror.

“The whole force of Mary’s response here is not one of imperative, but of submission... It’s a command to herself that every Christian needs to emulate, every Christian needs to imitate, because that should be our posture daily before the the Lord God and before His Word.”
— Dr. R.C. Sproul [22:30]

4. Mary as a Model for Christians (23:00–24:07)

• Mary’s submission was costly—she could not have understood all the implications, but trusted and obeyed regardless.
• Dr. Sproul challenges listeners to follow Mary’s example when obedience to God is daunting or difficult.

“Oh, Christian, have you ever felt the call of God to do something that you knew in advance would be costly, supremely costly. When that moment comes to you...remember Mary who said, amen, let it be, so be it to the vocation of God on her life.”
— Dr. R.C. Sproul [23:45]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Eve-Mary Parallel:
  “Eve was disobedient and the children that she bore to the human race were fallen. Mary was obedient, and the child that she bore was sinless.”
  — Dr. R.C. Sproul [13:12]

• On Mary’s response (“fiat”):
  “Now, the debate focuses...on a text...drawn from Luke...Mary said, ‘behold, the maidservant of the Lord, let it be to me according to your word.’”
  — Dr. R.C. Sproul [19:30]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:25] — Historical overview: Catholic/Protestant views of Mary
• [03:30] — Explanation of “maximalist” vs. “minimalist” Marian theology
• [11:10] — Adam-Christ and Eve-Mary parallels
• [19:30] — Luke 1 and the Annunciation explained
• [22:30] — The meaning and significance of Mary’s “let it be”
• [23:45] — Applying Mary’s model of submission to Christian life

Conclusion

Dr. Sproul encourages listeners to honor Mary most by emulating her willingness to say “yes” to God, regardless of the personal cost or lack of full understanding. Mary stands not as a co-redeemer but as a shining example of faith-filled submission—a model for all believers as they seek to follow the will of God.

For further study, Dr. Sproul’s complete series on Mary is available from Ligonier Ministries.