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Book Review: ‘Willing to Believe’

willing to believeOne question that seems to come up regularly in conversations about biblical doctrine is the subject of “free-will.” Does man have free-will? Is he a robot? Is he incapable of choosing God? These questions and more abound. We should note that these are not new questions. People have been debating the topic throughout church history. And church history is a valuable resource for us in understanding not only our topic but also how we got where we are today.

R. C. Sproul has been evangelicalism’s smart uncle for over a generation now. We are blessed to have his biblical clarity and faithfulness at arm’s length. A number of years ago he wrote a book entitled Willing to Believe: The Controversy over Free Will. The book aims to provide a historical and theological survey of the doctrine.

I found the book to be accessible and fair. It is tempting when writing on a polemical subject to throw haymakers in the periphery or to suffocate people with rhetorical skills. Sproul doubtlessly could do both well. He is a brilliant man. Instead, he helps to introduce us to the key players and their teaching throughout church history.

He introduces us to the following figures with the subtitle of the chapter summarizing the teaching:

  • Pelagius: We are capable of obedience
  • Augustine: We are incapable of obedience
  • Cassian (Semi-Pelagian): We are capable of cooperating
  • Luther: We are in bondage to sin
  • Calvin: We are voluntary slaves
  • Arminius: We are free to believe
  • Edwards: We are inclined to sin
  • Finney: We are not depraved by nature
  • Chafer: We are able to believe

Obviously these figures and their views are not mutually exclusive. Luther, Calvin, and Edwards articulate views that reflect the Augustinian position (man does not have free will, he is bound in sin). Whereas Arminius, Finney, and Chafer reflect views that reflect either the Semi-Pelagian or full-on Pelagian theology (man does have free will).

Not only does Sproul teach the doctrine of the Augustinian position but he also helps readers to understand the doctrinal implications by showing the consequences and development of Pelagian doctrine. I suppose it goes without saying that I agree with Sproul and the position that he sets forward in the book.

This is a book that was recommended to me as a newer Christian, but for some reason I never read it. I picked it up recently and was richly blessed by it. I remain thankful for Sproul’s biblical precision and passion.

Willing to Believe: The Controversy over Free Will is available at Amazon in print and kindle versions.

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