R.C. Sproul - February 13, 1939-December 14, 2017

Yesterday R.C. Sproul went home to be with Jesus.  Like so many others who are part of the evangelical reformed reawakening of the last thirty years, he has affected me in profound ways.  In particular, I remember wrestling with the issues of God's sovereignty and free will, of God's grace and my choice in salvation, of predestination and all things related, while at Bible college in 1995. I came across his books, The Holiness of God and Chosen By God.  I read them in two consecutive nights (all night, when I should have been writing a paper) and discovered that, although I had a free will, it was bent and warped to choose only that which matched my fallen sinful nature and could not naturally choose nor stand before a holy God, until the regenerating grace of God acted upon me, turning, drawing, converting my soul and freeing my will to choose Christ in return, clothing me in Christ's righteousness so I could stand before, and be a child of, a holy holy holy God (I can still hear his voice saying, "holy, holy, holy...").  In short, I learned that before I ever chose God, he had already, in grace, chosen me.  I also remember a professor/mentor of mine (Ian McPhee) inviting me to a Ligonier Ministries (a ministry started by Sproul) conference in the winter of '96, where not only did I enjoy stimulating theological talks but I also met some folks who became influential and lifelong friends.  Sproul wasn't my first exposure to reformed doctrine - my mother had read and recommended J.I. Packer's Knowing God years before, and I had read several of Francis Schaeffer's works already as well, and some John Stott - nor did I always agree with some of the positions Sproul took over the years.  Nevertheless, I certainly agree with him on far more than the few points of disagreement and I am so thankful for his faithful and tireless service for the gospel.  Sproul's books spoke to me at a time when I was wrestling existentially with how a holy God saved me, and I will always be grateful to God for his servant, R.C. Sproul.

Here is Al Mohler's tribute to R.C. Sproul.

Here is John Piper's tribute to R.C. Sproul.