Ultimately with R.C. Sproul

Episode Title: All Are Without Excuse
Date: November 7, 2025
Host: Ligonier Ministries
Featured Speaker: Dr. R.C. Sproul

Episode Overview

This episode, “All Are Without Excuse,” delves into the profound biblical argument that humanity cannot claim ignorance of God's existence. Drawing from Romans 1 and his lifetime of theological reflection, Dr. R.C. Sproul challenges listeners to consider the moral—not merely intellectual—dimensions of belief and unbelief, emphasizing the seriousness of denying God's revealed truth in creation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. God’s Self-Revelation Leaves No Excuse

• Sproul opens with the assertion that God's existence and attributes are undeniably evident in creation.
  • Quote: “God has so clearly manifested Himself ever since the creation of the world through everything that is made, that you can never use ignorance as an excuse before God.” (00:00–00:08)
• The implication: No one can legitimately plead ignorance of God’s reality.

2. The Moral Nature of Unbelief

• Sproul emphasizes that belief in God is ultimately a moral, not merely intellectual, issue.
  • Quote: “In the final analysis, the affirmation of the existence of God is not an intellectual question, it's a moral one.” (00:15)
• Paul’s teaching in Romans: People suppress the truth that they inherently know.

3. The Frailty of the Ignorance Excuse

• On the Day of Judgment, Sproul argues, many will try to excuse unbelief by claiming lack of knowledge.
  • Quote (illustrating this plea):
    “God, I didn't know you were there. If I just would have known, I would have believed you, I would have followed you, I would have obeyed you.” (01:22–01:28)
• Sproul contends that Scripture removes this excuse: ignorance is a fraudulent claim.

4. Agnosticism: Soft-Core Atheism

• Sproul critiques agnosticism—those not denying God outright but claiming insufficient evidence.
  • Quote: “What's worse than hardcore atheism is allegedly soft core atheism, which goes under the guise of agnosticism.” (01:35)
• He warns that agnostics, in blaming God for a lack of evidence, “are adding insult to injury.” (02:08)

5. Responsibility Rests with God, Not Man

• Sproul makes clear: “You’re not responsible to me to believe this. You may be responsible to God to believe this, but you're not responsible to me...” (02:45)
• He distances human enforcement from divine accountability, affirming the hearer’s freedom of conscience with respect to others—but not before God.

6. The Core Sin: Refusing to Honor God

• Romans 1:21 is pivotal:
  • “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools.” (03:53)
• Sproul’s summary:
  • “The fundamental sin of the human race, the most basic crime that all of us have committed against God, [is] that at the very time we knew of his existence, we refused to honor him as God.” (03:53–04:41)

7. The Atheist’s Real Problem

• Sproul asserts: The real issue for the atheist isn’t lack of knowledge, but willful refusal to acknowledge what is already known through creation.
  • Quote: “...the problem with the atheist, according to Paul, is it's not that the atheist doesn't know God. The problem is he refuses to acknowledge what he knows to be true.” (04:41)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On God’s Revelation:
  “You can never use ignorance as an excuse before God.” (00:08)
• On Moral Accountability:
  “...if you refuse to affirm the existence of God, you are in moral difficulty with the God you refuse to affirm.” (02:45–03:53)
• On Agnosticism:
  “Be careful here. You are adding insult to injury.” (02:08)
• On Suppression of Truth:
  “The problem is he refuses to acknowledge what he knows to be true.” (04:41)

Key Timestamps

• 00:00–00:44: The claim that ignorance is never a valid excuse; God’s existence is clearly revealed in creation.
• 00:44–01:35: The transition from intellectual to moral responsibility regarding belief and the inadequacy of the ignorance excuse.
• 01:35–02:15: Critique of soft-core atheism (agnosticism) and the danger of accusing God of insufficient evidence.
• 02:15–02:45: Reiteration that ignorance is a false excuse; use of Romans 1 as proof.
• 02:45–03:53: Distinguishing believer’s responsibility to God vs. to others; belief is not enforced by humans but remains a moral imperative before God.
• 03:53–04:41: The fundamental sin of humanity—knowing God but refusing to honor Him; willful suppression of truth.

Summary Takeaway

Dr. R.C. Sproul powerfully argues that no human being can rightfully claim ignorance of God. The reality of God's existence and attributes is evident in creation, and the deliberate refusal to honor Him is, at its root, a moral rather than an intellectual issue. For Sproul, this teaching from Romans 1 exposes all excuses—including agnosticism—as insufficient, placing everyone under moral accountability to the Creator.