I recently read J.I. Packer’s Evangelism & The Sovereignty of God. Great book! Though the latter half seemed to drone on a bit for my liking.
But here are some highlights discussed:
- divine sovereignty and human responsibility are both clearly affirmed as Scriptural truths
- we can’t fully grasp/understand how they coexist
- but we must affirm they simultaneously exists nonetheless
- Paul’s evangelism was energized by:
- seeing himself as a commissioned representative of Jesus the Lord
- seeing his main task as teaching truth about Jesus the Lord
- ultimately aiming to convert his hearers
- By extension, Paul’s evangelism underpinnings apply to all Christians
- The Gospel Message is:
- about God
- about sin
- signs of true conviction of sin:
- awareness of wrong relationship with God
- conviction of specific sins you have done
- conviction of your general sinful character
- signs of true conviction of sin:
- about Christ
- don’t present Christ’s Person apart from His saving work, or His saving work apart from His Person
- a summons to repent and believe (simultaneously)
- Why should we evangelize?
- love/glorify/obey God when He tells us, for instance, to “Go and make disciples” (Matt. 28:18-20).
- love of neighbor
- if someone was literally in a house burning down, wouldn’t you want to help them if you could?
- How should we evangelize?
- use any method that faithfully represents what is said above
- How can divine sovereignty and evangelism go together?
- God’s sovereignty in changing someone’s heart does not alter any of the nature and duty believers have to evangelize
- God’s sovereignty in changing someone’s heart gives us our only hope for success
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