Podcast Summary: “Give Sin a Name”

Podcast: Things Unseen with Sinclair B. Ferguson
Episode Date: January 23, 2026
Host: Sinclair B. Ferguson (Ligonier Ministries)

Episode Overview

In this devotional episode, Sinclair B. Ferguson reflects on spiritual self-examination, drawing inspiration from a letter by the hymn writer John Newton about blemishes in Christian character. The central theme is how Christians can honestly recognize moral flaws, name them, and be transformed to better reflect the grace of Jesus Christ. Ferguson offers a practical, scriptural path toward spiritual change, grounded in specific confession, the pursuit of Christ-like virtues, and dependence on Christ for true transformation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recognizing and Naming Spiritual Blemishes

• Ferguson references John Newton's method of categorizing "blemishes" in Christian character and notes the importance of recognizing oneself in these portraits.

• Key Insight: Transformation begins with honesty—truly identifying and naming one’s particular fault or sin.

  • Quote [01:08]:

    "If I recognize a blemish in my Christian character, something that seems to obscure the grace and graciousness of Jesus Christ, is there a remedy? Is there a pathway I can follow to spiritual transformation?"

• Scriptural Practice: Naming specific sins, rather than being vague in confession, aligns with the wisdom both in John Newton’s writings and biblical precedent.

  • Quote [02:00]:

    "Scripture encourages us to confess our faults, but Scripture actually encourages us also not to be vague about them...to specify them, to give them names."

• Ferguson discusses Paul’s letters (Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3:5), pointing out that Paul names sins directly.

  • Quote [02:37]:

    "If we don't have a clear sight of the target that we want to destroy in our lives, then we will miss it unless we confess to the Lord."

2. Naming and Pursuing the Opposite Grace

• Practical Exercise: Write down both the fault (“blemish”) and its opposite Christ-like virtue. Commit before God to seek this virtue actively.

  • Quote [03:02]:

    "Write down on a piece of paper the nature of your blemish, name it, and then write down opposite the grace, the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ that is the opposite of your blemish...commit yourself before God to seeking it."

• Rationale: True change is not simply avoiding sin, but also actively pursuing godly character—the “fruit of the Spirit.”

  • Quote [03:40]:

    "We are not transformed merely by avoiding the works of the flesh. We need simultaneously to seek the fruit of the spirit. Just trying to get rid of the blemish may actually make it worse."

• Ferguson draws on Paul’s teaching of “putting off” and “putting on,” emphasizing that both are essential to spiritual growth.

3. Looking to Christ for Lasting Transformation

• Source of Change: Ultimate resources for change are found in Jesus Christ.

  • Quote [04:18]:

    "Having named my sinful blemish by naming the opposite grace, I should now turn to perhaps particularly the Gospels, and read about the Lord Jesus Christ and see how that opposite grace is manifested in his life and pray the simple prayer, 'Lord God, make me more like my Lord Jesus Christ.'"

• Trust in God’s Methods: God may use unpredictable means to answer prayers for transformation—referencing Newton’s hymn “Prayer Answered by Crosses.”

  • Quote [05:03]:

    "You can never second guess the ways in which the Heavenly Father means to transform you into the likeness of His Son... But he surely wants to do it."

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Give it a name...to specify them.” — Sinclair B. Ferguson [02:00]
• “If we don't have a clear sight of the target that we want to destroy in our lives, then we will miss it unless we confess to the Lord.” — [02:37]
• “Write down on a piece of paper the nature of your blemish, name it, and then write down opposite the grace...” — [03:02]
• “We are not transformed merely by avoiding the works of the flesh. We need simultaneously to seek the fruit of the spirit.” — [03:40]
• “Pray the simple prayer, 'Lord God, make me more like my Lord Jesus Christ.'” — [04:18]
• “You can never second guess the ways in which the Heavenly Father means to transform you into the likeness of His Son...” — [05:03]

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:09 — Introduction and John Newton’s letter on Christian character
• 01:08 — The importance of recognizing and addressing spiritual blemishes
• 02:00-03:00 — Scriptural call to name and confess specific faults
• 03:02-03:54 — Practical advice: writing down faults and their opposite graces
• 04:18-05:03 — Turning to Christ and trusting God’s transforming methods

Conclusion

Sinclair B. Ferguson’s reflection offers a clear, spiritually practical path for believers:

1. Honestly recognize and name one’s spiritual flaws.
2. Identify and pursue the Christ-like virtue that stands in contrast to those flaws.
3. Rely not on self-effort, but look to Jesus Christ—especially as He is revealed in the Gospels—for genuine, lasting transformation, trusting that God will work in ways often unexpected but always for our good.

Listeners are encouraged to search for John Newton’s hymn “Prayer Answered by Crosses” for further reflection on God’s mysterious but faithful ways of spiritual renewal.