When you read the Bible it is clear that two things are true: a) God is sovereign. b) Man is responsible for his actions. What becomes tricky is the harmonization of these twin truths. One person might say, “If God is sovereign then he cannot hold people responsible.” Another would say, “If man has responsibility to make the right decision, God cannot be sovereign.” Doubtless you have heard and even felt this tension.
The biblical category where this tension tends to get the most attention is the area of Evangelism. How does the truth of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility mesh together in terms of evangelism?
J.I. Packer wrote a book that regrettably does not get as much attention as it should. It is aptly titled Evangelism and The Sovereignty of God. In the book Packer helpfully unpacks the concepts of divine sovereignty and human responsibility with a particular application toward evangelism.
Too many churches have their theology in one room and their evangelism in the other. However, God means to have our theology drive our evangelism. What God has joined together let no man separate. Packer aims to marry the two having theology inform evangelism and evangelism reflect biblical theology.
The book is more than just the establishment of theological categories. Packer labors throughout to tease out the implications. For example, if you believe God is sovereign then you will not resort to pragmatic, calculating manipulation tactics in order to “get the sale closed.” You also won’t neglect evangelism because of discouragement. After all, it is God who brings the life and he has many people in this city! You won’t neglect prayer because it is prayer that God has ordained to be a tool in the process.
Without being polemical Packer graciously wanders into the poles to point out the problems. He shows how both Arminian and Hyper-Calvinist thinking is neither biblical, encouraging, nor helpful. What follows is a book on evangelism that informs us biblically to serve Christ faithfully. If you haven’t yet read this I highly recommend it.
You can pick up Evangelism and The Sovereignty of God on sale at Amazon.
