Episode Overview
Title: In the Fullness of Time
Podcast: Renewing Your Mind by Ligonier Ministries
Date: December 22, 2025
Host: Nathan W. Bingham
Guest Speaker: Dr. R.C. Sproul
This episode introduces Dr. R.C. Sproul’s series “Coming of the Messiah,” focusing on the historic reality and theological significance of Christ’s birth. Dr. Sproul emphasizes the differences between the historical grounding of Christianity and other religious or mythological systems, explaining why Scripture insists that redemptive events—including Christ’s Incarnation—took place in real history at a divinely appointed moment: "the fullness of time." The conversation sets the stage for a weeklong exploration of Old Testament Messianic prophecies and their New Testament fulfillment.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Historicity of the Birth of Christ
[01:46–03:34]
- Dr. Sproul begins with familiar Christmas narrative from Luke 2, underscoring that Christ’s birth is anchored “concretely in the context of real history,” not myth or legend.
- Distinguishes between fairy tales (“once upon a time”) and biblical history (“and it came to pass”):
"The classic beginning of fairy tales ... is ... once upon a time ... but one of the things that we're concerned about when we look at Jewish literature is ... redemption that takes place in history." (04:06)
2. Greek vs. Jewish Views of History
[05:25–09:45]
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Dr. Sproul recounts discussions with students and colleagues about biblical accounts and mythology.
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Greek myths are acknowledged as fictional and set in an ambiguous, cyclical view of history.
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Jewish—and subsequently Christian—views are linear: history has a beginning (creation) and moves toward a consummation.
“To the Greek, there was no real attempt to ground the stories of their gods and goddesses in real time and space ... the Jewish claim ... was that the actions of God ... were true historical events.” (08:12)
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Discusses the Greek philosophical discomfort with incarnation—the idea that God would become flesh:
“To the Greek, it would be scandalous to have God become physically involved ... The real scandal ... to Greek thinking was not so much the resurrection ... as it was the incarnation.” (09:50)
3. Myth, Theology, and Redemption
[04:26–15:35]
- Summarizes Rudolf Bultmann’s “demythologizing” project—where Bultmann suggested that biblical stories are essentially mythical and that real redemption happens outside of historical events, in the “eternal now” (hic et nunc).
- Contrasts this with Oscar Cullmann’s critique in Christ and Time, which asserts that biblical salvation always happens in real historical settings, not outside of time.
- Cullmann’s analysis of time in the New Testament: the Greek words chronos (sequential, ordinary time) and kairos (decisive, loaded-with-meaning moments).
4. Chronos and Kairos: Ordinary vs. Decisive Time
[15:35–18:30]
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Chronos: Everyday, sequential time (e.g., measured by calendars and watches).
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Kairos: Significant, decisive moments that transform history (e.g., the Exodus, the Cross).
"The word kairos ... refers to a specific, particular moment in time that is of extraordinary significance ... it is a point within chronos that defines the meaning of all time." (17:46)
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Biblical writers, especially Luke, situate Christ’s birth as a kairos moment, not instant or mythic, but the culmination of centuries of prophecy and waiting.
5. The Fullness of Time and the Christmas Narrative
[18:52–20:47]
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The birth of Christ is the supreme “chirotic moment”—a decisive event in the fullness of time, not detached from history but embedded in it.
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Dr. Sproul signals upcoming episodes will explore Old Testament texts that anticipate this kairos of the Messiah’s arrival.
“The Exodus, the Babylonian captivity, the birth of Jesus, the cross of Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus. These are decisive moments that define all of history. And supremely, the birth of Christ occurs as a chirotic moment in the fullness of time.” (19:01)
Memorable Quotes & Moments
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On the nature of biblical history:
"The Jewish claim ... was that the actions of God ... were true historical events." — Dr. R.C. Sproul ([08:12])
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On contrasts with Greek thought:
"The real scandal ... to Greek thinking was not so much the resurrection ... as it was the incarnation, the idea that God would ever contaminate himself by taking upon himself a physical body ..." — Dr. R.C. Sproul ([09:50])
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On the meaning of kairos:
"The word kairos ... refers to a specific, particular moment in time that is of extraordinary significance ... it is a point within chronos that defines the meaning of all time." — Dr. R.C. Sproul ([17:46])
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On decisive moments in redemptive history:
“The Exodus, the Babylonian captivity, the birth of Jesus, the cross of Jesus, the resurrection of Jesus. These are decisive moments that define all of history. And supremely, the birth of Christ occurs as a chirotic moment in the fullness of time." — Dr. R.C. Sproul ([19:01])
Timestamps for Important Segments
- [01:46–03:34] — Introduction: The Christmas narrative as real history
- [05:25–09:45] — Greek mythology vs. Jewish/Christian historical claims
- [12:32–15:30] — Bultmann, “demythologizing,” and Cullmann’s critique
- [15:35–18:30] — Chronos vs. Kairos: Two kinds of time
- [18:52–20:47] — The fullness of time: Christ’s birth as a kairos moment
Summary Flow and Tone
Dr. Sproul’s teaching unfolds in a logical, compelling progression:
- He roots the Christmas story in world history (anchored by specific rulers and events).
- He addresses common objections raised by modern scholarship and secular thought.
- He explains historic Christian teaching through rich linguistic and philosophical comparison.
- Tone: Accessible, convicting, and scholarly without being dry—echoing the clarity and conviction of Dr. Sproul’s teaching style.
Looking Ahead
This episode sets a foundation for further exploration of messianic prophecy over the coming week, underscoring that understanding Christ’s coming requires seeing it as both promise fulfilled in history and the ultimate kairos—God’s decisive intervention in time.