Barry Cooper · Ligonier Ministries
Short episodes defining theological terms and concepts—precision without pretension.
Have you ever wished that someone would explain theology in a way that doesn't require a degree or a dictionary? Maybe you've listened to a sermon and it seemed like the pastor was speaking another language. Or perhaps you've thought that the notes in your study Bible could use a commentary of their own. From imputation to justification, theophany to theodicy, keeping all these concepts straight can be a challenge for any believer. This is a short podcast about long words. Every week, Barry Cooper sheds light on…
Episodes
Newest items first—play in the bar or open the episode page.
Mar 24, 2026 · 6 min
In eternity, did God choose to elect His people to salvation based on His decision to permit humanity's fall into sin, or was it the other way around? Today, Barry Cooper takes up this heady question and the two big words that seek to…
Mar 10, 2026 · 7 min
The eternal Son of God took on flesh and died as a man, all so that death itself would die. Today, Barry Cooper speaks on an awesome reality, recorded in Scripture, that sets the Christian faith apart from all other religions. Read the…
Mar 3, 2026 · 6 min
Is the Bible all we need to live life well? Today, Barry Cooper explains that Scripture tells us everything we must believe in order to be saved and what we must do in order to please God. Read the transcript:…
Feb 24, 2026 · 8 min
Jesus warned His disciples of an "abomination of desolation" who would defile the temple. Is this a figure we should still expect, or has he come already? Today, Barry Cooper turns to the context of Christ's warning to give clarity to…
Feb 10, 2026 · 6 min
When Jesus calls people to Himself, they come. Today, Barry Cooper shows how God puts His sovereign grace in display every time a lost soul is drawn to Christ. Read the transcript:…
Feb 3, 2026 · 6 min
On what basis does God choose His people for salvation? Today, Barry Cooper explains that our eternal destiny doesn't ultimately depend on our free choice—and why that's a good thing. Read the transcript:…
Jan 27, 2026 · 7 min
In order for our sin to be dealt with, someone must face the penalty our sin deserves. Today, Barry Cooper points to the only One who is qualified to take our sin upon Himself and reconcile us to God. Read the transcript:…
Jan 6, 2026 · 5 min
While the prophets often did present God's revelation of the future, their calling had much more to do with how God's people were living in the present. Today, Barry Cooper observes how the prophets reminded God's people of their covenant…
Dec 30, 2025 · 6 min
When we open the Bible, we can be sure that what we're reading has been breathed out by God. Today, Barry Cooper delves into the marvelous doctrine of the inspiration of Scripture. Read the transcript:…
Dec 23, 2025 · 6 min
All of the world's idols demand that we make endless sacrifices for them. But only Jesus has accomplished the ultimate sacrifice we need. Today, Barry Cooper explains how the idols we encounter in the Old Testament are far more relevant…
Dec 16, 2025 · 6 min
If you want the pure truth, you have to go back to the source. Today, Barry Cooper considers a rallying cry from the Reformation that calls us ever back again to God's Word, the source of true wisdom. Read the transcript:…
Dec 2, 2025 · 7 min
No one who is truly united to Christ can ever be snatched from the hand of God. Today, Barry Cooper examines an encouraging truth: when God gives someone the gift of saving faith, He will preserve that faith to the end. Read the…
Nov 25, 2025 · 5 min
This word of praise erupts out of the final chapters of the book of Psalms and of the book of Revelation. Today, Barry Cooper explores a word that calls us to marvel at the self-sustaining, eternally existing, utterly transcendent nature…
Nov 11, 2025 · 6 min
Why do some Bibles include 15 extra books that are not found in other Bibles? Today, Barry Cooper digs into the history behind these books and considers what role they should serve in the Christian life. Read the transcript:…
Nov 4, 2025 · 7 min
How could the perfect atonement won for us by Christ ever be considered "limited?" Today, Barry Cooper unpacks the precious meaning of a much-misunderstood phrase. Read the transcript:…
Oct 28, 2025 · 6 min
Jesus Christ is the summit of a long line of prophets, priests, and kings. But unlike all who came before Him, Christ bears all three of these roles and perfectly fulfills them. Today, Barry Cooper describes the glory of Jesus' threefold…
Oct 7, 2025 · 5 min
What is the Christian view of the body? Do we need to be freed from the physical world in order to be truly spiritual? Today, Barry Cooper talks about an ancient philosophy that still leads many people to have wrong ideas about our…
Sep 30, 2025 · 5 min
When we look at the intricate order, balance, and patterns that are intrinsic to life and the universe, is it rational to conclude that these things are the product of blind and random forces? Today, Barry Cooper considers a classic…
Sep 23, 2025 · 6 min
Is God like a cosmic cheerleader who is rooting for us on the sidelines but cannot get involved in the game? Today, Barry Cooper explores how the Lord is actively unfolding His good plan for His people, a plan that was set irrevocably…
Sep 16, 2025 · 6 min
Historical creeds and confessions are like letters from Christians who have come before us, warning us against dangerous theological mistakes that have threatened the church in the past. Today, Barry Cooper considers one of the most…
Sep 9, 2025 · 6 min
What does it look like to love the Lord with all our mind? Today, Barry Cooper shows how sin affects our thinking and how our minds can become aligned with God's truth. Read the transcript:…
Aug 26, 2025 · 5 min
The Creator has revealed His existence by creating. But He has done much more than that. In this episode, Barry Cooper considers how God has made Himself known clearly and specifically by speaking to His creatures. Read the transcript:…
Aug 19, 2025 · 6 min
Eternity isn't the place where God lives. God is where eternity lives. Today, Barry Cooper considers the timelessness of God and our yearning to be in His everlasting presence. Read the transcript:…
Jul 29, 2025 · 4 min
Christians have spent a lot of time mulling over the precise meaning of the thousand-year period spoken of in Revelation 20. Today, Barry Cooper explains the significance of the Millennium and the different views surrounding it. Read the…
Jul 22, 2025 · 5 min
What could be more appalling than living in a world where nothing really matters, where even the most extreme cruelty is met with vacuous silence? Today, Barry Cooper explains why God's judgment is actually something for which we should…
Jul 15, 2025 · 6 min
If someone comes to us claiming to speak for God, how could we ever know whether they're telling the truth? Today, Barry Cooper shows why God's written Word is absolutely necessary if we are to know the life-giving truth of His Son. Read…
Jul 8, 2025 · 4 min
What should the Christian life look like? Today, Barry Cooper identifies nine qualities that the Spirit of God grows and cultivates in every true believer. Read the transcript:…
Jul 1, 2025 · 6 min
If you are a Christian, you don't have to feverishly tick off items on your bucket list as if "you only live once." You can give your life away for the sake of others, knowing you have a thousand lifetimes to enjoy in the life to come.…
Jun 24, 2025 · 7 min
Whatever questions we may have about the reason behind our pain, Christians can't possibly conclude that God is aloof from suffering, that He doesn't care about evil, or that He hasn't done anything about it. Today, Barry Cooper presents…
Jun 17, 2025 · 6 min
Only once in the whole year could the high priest of Israel enter the Holy of Holies to approach the fearsome presence of a holy God: the Day of Atonement. Today, Barry Cooper explains what this day revealed about the depth of our guilt…
Jun 3, 2025 · 5 min
Why does the Old Testament contain exacting instructions for building a meeting place with God? Should we follow these assembly instructions today so that God may dwell with us? Today, Barry Cooper explains the role of the tabernacle and…
May 27, 2025 · 4 min
God does not ask His people to abandon logic and simply accept the teachings of His Word on faith. Today, Barry Cooper helps us distinguish between a paradox and a contradiction. Read the transcript:…
May 20, 2025 · 7 min
The Lord is slow to anger, but His patience with religious hypocrites does not last forever. Today, Barry Cooper considers what Israel's exile into Babylon teaches us about the danger of becoming complacent with our sin. Read the…
May 13, 2025 · 5 min
Anger is the response of a perfectly loving God when sin is committed against Him and others. Today, Barry Cooper explains the merciful way that God has appeased His wrath against His people in order to spare them from His righteous…
Apr 29, 2025 · 6 min
The Lord reigns as King over all things. Yet, there is another sense in which the kingdom of God has not yet fully come. Today, Barry Cooper considers the meaning behind the metaphors pertaining to God's kingdom. Read the transcript:…
Apr 22, 2025 · 4 min
Far from being Jesus' last name, "Christ" is a title that carries immense meaning. Today, Barry Cooper tells of the glory that Jesus bears as the ultimate Prophet, Priest, and King. Read the transcript:…
Apr 15, 2025 · 6 min
What does a Mesopotamian sheep herder from 4,000 years ago have to do with us? Today, Barry Cooper explains how God's promise to Abraham reveals the good news of Jesus Christ. Read the transcript:…