Sproul - Chosen by God

This is the book to hand anyone who has been inquiring about or struggling with the tenets of Calvinism in general, and with the subject of election in particular. It is easily read, finely illustrated, and belongs in the library of every Christian. I recommend it highly.

Jay E. Adams, general editor of The Journal of Modern Ministry

Chosen by God by R. C. Sproul is a classic of twentieth century Reformed literature. Nothing has surpassed it in clarity or passion. Those who count this volume as life-changing are legion. I am ecstatic that it has been made available for a new generation to discover.

Derek W. H. Thomas, John E. Richards professor of systematic and practical theology, Reformed Theological SeminaryJackson; minister of teaching, First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi; editorial director of Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals

In simple, succinct, and scriptural terms, this little book is packed with big implications about how God saves.

Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church; president of Acts 29 and The Resurgence

R. C. Sproul has long ago established his position as one of the most effective communicators of the great truths of Reformed theology. Chosen by God is an outstandingly helpful treatment of the doctrine of predestination. Characteristically, it is clear in both thought and expression, consistently led by Biblical teaching, and yet very lively in style and highly readable.

Eric J. Alexander, retired senior minister of St. Georges Tron Church in Glasgow, Scotland

Christians belong to God because we have been chosen by him. This simple truth is little understood by people who have been led to imagine that it is they who have chosen God and not the other way around. Dr. Sproul has shown us with the clarity that is his hallmark just what this means for us and why it is so important.

Dr. Gerald Bray, research professor of divinity, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University; author of Holiness and the Will of God

Every generation is under a biblical mandate to provide a legacy for the coming generation that honors the Lord and propels them with insight and encouragement rooted in the glorious Gospel of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Dr. R. C. Sproul in the Holiness of God and Chosen by God has provided such a legacy for the next generation. One generation stacks up stones to the praise of God to teach the next generation. Here are two stones from the stack that give praise to God! Open these books and you will find the biblical truth insightfully illustrated and challengingly communicated. May the Lord do great things through you as you profit from these works until he comes in glory.

Dr. Harry Reeder III, senior minister of Briarwood Presbyterian in Birmingham, Alabama

With characteristic clarity and charity, Chosen by God gives us biblical wisdom on an issue that has for centuries vexed the churchhow are we to understand Gods sovereign power and mans responsibility? The book has helped tens of thousands of Christians not only find answers, but find peace.

Dr. R. C. Sproul Jr., founder of Highlands Ministries; teaching fellow, Ligonier Ministries

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Chosen by God

Copyright 1986 by R. C. Sproul. All rights reserved.

Cover illustration of cross copyright by Dan Tero/iStockphoto. All rights reserved.

Cover background texture copyright by Wetzel & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the Holy Bible , King James Version.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible , English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 86-50651

ISBN 978-0-8423-0282-1 (hc)

ISBN 978-0-8423-1335-3 (sc)

ISBN 978-0-8423-7212-1 (mass)

Build: 2014-07-28 15:44:26

PREFACE

It has now been a quarter of a century since I first penned Chosen by God , and in the ensuing years, Ive had several surprises about this work. When I first wrote it, I had the sense that I was writing to the choir. That is, I doubted very much whether people who were not already convinced of the Reformed doctrine of election would trouble themselves by reading this particular work. And so I thought, Its worth my time to write it if only for the benefit of those who already are convinced of the doctrine and who need a little deeper understanding of election and how to articulate it to others .

As things turned out, I have been astonished by the response of the general public to this book. Literally thousands of people have indicated to me either personally or by letter that it has served to change their thinking and convince them that the Reformed view of election is indeed the biblical view. Theyve come to agree with Spurgeons sentiment that Reformed theology is only a nickname for biblical Christianity. But not everyone whos read this book has been persuaded by its posture.

Ive also had another surprise with respect to some who have read it and another book of mine called The Holiness of God . Of all of the books that Ive published, it has had the widest distribution. What I have heard frequently from people who read both The Holiness of God and Chosen by God is this. They tell me that reading The Holiness of God changed their lives by giving them an epiphany of the majesty and grandeur of our God. They say they loved that book and the awakening that they experienced in reading it, yet at the same time, they found Chosen by God somewhat distasteful in comparison. When people tell me that, I usually respond by saying, I think that either you didnt understand what I was saying in The Holiness of God or you havent understood what I say in Chosen by God . Gods holiness encompasses his sovereignty, and we cannot drive a wedge between the two. We may distinguish them but never separate them.

My hope, for those of you who are reading this book for the first time or those who are rereading it in its updated version, is that you will come not only to be persuaded of the truth of the doctrine of election as expounded by the Reformers, but that you will see the sweetness of it and come to love it and see how it opens wide to our understanding the whole dimension of the grace and mercy of God. Martin Luther said to Erasmus in the 16th century that if you dont embrace sola gratia , that is salvation by grace alone, you havent comprehended sola fide , justification by faith alone. The two are twin towers of the Biblical understanding of salvation sola fide and sola gratia , which together drive us to the final sola Soli Deo Gloria .

R. C. Sproul

Holy Week, 2010

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I continue to be extremely grateful for the work that Tyndale House Publishers has done in the original compilation of this book and the distribution of it and the care that they have given to this whole project.

CHAPTER ONE

THE STRUGGLE

Baseball. Hot dogs. Apple pie. Chevrolet. These are all things American. To complete the mix we must add the great American motto: We will not discuss religion or politics.

Mottoes are made to be broken. Perhaps no American rule is broken more frequently than the one about not discussing religion or politics. We embark on such discussions repeatedly. And when the topic turns to religion it sometimes gravitates to the issue of predestination. Sadly, that often means the end of discussion and the beginning of argument, yielding more heat than light.