Customer Reviews

Chosen by God

5 star:		(67)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Agree or disagree with the thesis of the book, but you will get a clear, straight forward presentation of the doctrine of election. Dr. Sproul is a churchman. By this I mean Sproul has a healthy respect for all Christians and it shows in this book. While he presents the Calvinist view of election, he does so without making light of those who disagree. If you are interested in knowing what the issuses are, the Biblical bases for election and have your questions answered, you will benefit from this book. This is true even if you don't agree with the conclusions. For a deeper presentation on the subject by the same author see "Willing to Believe" and/or "Grace Unknown." Dealing with subjects such as election, it is necessary that we have more light than heat. Dr. Sproul's unique gift to the church is helping take difficult issues and making them understandable by all. Again, agree or disagree with the author, but if you read this you will be armed with an understanding of the issue that will help you draw informed conclusions.

Before I read Chosen by God, I didn't know much about Calvinism or the Calvinist view of predestination. I had read one other book by a strict Calvinist that I thought was mean-spirited in its criticism of anyone who didn't accept the author's point of view. I had also heard brief discussions of the doctrine in various Bible studies I attended. After reading Sproul's book however, I have a much better understanding of Calvinism in general and predestination in particular. Sproul is quite convinced of his position but doesn't belittle those with whom he disagrees. He knows the arguments of both sides and clearly explains why he thinks his views are the best explanations of the subject based on Scripture. He addresses many of the common issues associated with predestination including the nature of man's free will, the nature of the atonement and God's infinite sense of mercy and justice. This book is highly recommended for anyone who wants to tackle this controversial issue.

In "Chosen by God," R.C. Sproul does a fabulous job of explaining and defending the Christian doctrines of election and predestination from a Calvinist viewpoint. This book has proved to be an invaluable resource -- and a source of validation -- for people who, like me, are constantly bombarded by Arminian theology.

Dr. Sproul takes the classic acronym TULIP and expounds on each of its five major elements, actually suggesting alternate letters to comprise the acronym -- I think he ended up with something like RSLEP, which doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. Much of the book focuses on the critical need to understand the concept of human depravity and fallenness -- the "T" in TULIP. Once that doctrine is adequately communicated, the remaining four points follow almost of logical necessity. I personally love his nutshell summary of these great truths: "Some receive justice; others receive mercy. No one receives injustice."

Dr. Sproul is very thorough in defending the Calvinist model against all of the main criticisms and arguments leveled by Arminians. No stone is left unturned as he debunks each of these unbiblical myths. And he does it all in an extremely readable manner. The book is written for the layperson, and is very successful in speaking to its target audience without sounding like a dry dissertation.

When I finished this book, I was left with a new appreciation for just how marvelous God's grace is to us as sinful human beings. I was at the same time truly grateful and humbled that God would choose me of all people to enjoy his mercy, salvation and eternal blessings. In other words, Dr. Sproul provides a gift of perspective by articulating these wonderful doctrines clearly and in a way that hits the reader right where he lives.

This book is a "must read" for every Christian. Having a fuller understanding of these truths can only strengthen your walk with God.

Dr. Sproul is a superb theologian, but I was disappointed at the lack of exegetical work done in this volume. He goes to great lengths to set forth logical and reason-based arguments for the doctrine of predestination, but often neglects the passages which speak clearly to the very points he is debating. (For instance, Romans 9 isn't even touched on until more than halfway through the book). Certainly his doctrine is founded in the teachings of scripture, but I longed for more direct application of the texts which teach predestination and more in-depth interaction with those which seem to be problematic for the Reformed view.

I would recommend this book, therefore, only to those who are unacquainted with or uncertain of the doctrine of election. Those who are convinced of the doctrine or who, like myself, willingly admit that it is taught in scripture but find the contrived interpretations of Shank and Geisler to be of little use, should consider this book only as a supplement to another more scripturally-centered book such as Luther's Bondage of the Will.

Again, it is not that I feel this is a bad book. It is, in fact, an excellent book, but it is not what I was looking for. I needed a straight-forward exposition of the passages which speak of predestination--most notably Romans 9 and Ephesians 1. I had hoped that Dr. Sproul would use these passages to set forth the Reformed doctrine of predestination. He makes many good and logically accurate points, but I find that I cannot accept human logic apart from scripture. Interestingly, what I felt was Sproul's best point seems to conflict with the style of much of the rest of the book. It is found on page 12 in the middle of the autobiographical introduction.

"YOU ARE REQUIRED TO BELIEVE, TO PREACH, AND TO TEACH WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS IS TRUE, NOT WHAT YOU WANT THE BIBLE TO SAY IS TRUE." Amen, Dr. Sproul.

I've read this book, and given away copies of it to Arminian friends, and I've reread this book. It is very helpful in terms of learning about the basics of Calvinism. Dr. Sproul has done much in his lifetime towards the promulgation of Reformed theology in today's church.
His focus historically, is on the major players in Reformed thought - such as Calvin, Luther, Augustine and Edwards. I do have a problem with his listing Aquinas as a Calvinist on page 14, because that is simply not true. There may have been some similarities in Aquinas' views on predestination, but that would be credited to his use of language, not on the definitions of terms that Aquinas provided. Aquinas was a Roman Catholic and therefore betrays any notion or possibility of holding to Reformed views. It seems that Sproul has an affinity for Aquinas which is too bad. His contemporary list is accurate, including Francis Schaeffer who was undoubtedly a Calvinist as opposed to what one reviewer claims. Granted, some of Schaeffer's apologetic methodology didn't line up with his soteriology, he nonetheless was a Calvinist! He said so himself! And Sproul would know, the two were friends.
The book's strong points are its focus on God's sovereignty in salvation. He provides easy to understand examples from life and the Bible to show God's sovereignty. The section in chapter two called The Sovereignty of God should be read and reread until one comes to a full understanding of what is being said.
Sproul's explanation of mercy and justice is extremely helpful and is likely the point in the book where I just couldn't stop smiling being so impacted by the truth of it all. This provided an excellent seguay into the relationship between God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. Here Sproul follows Packer's argument for antinomy which is surprising considering Sproul's love for Jonathan Edwards. It would have made more sense for him to refer to Edwards' view on the two wills of God as John Piper has done (see www.desiringGod.org). Although antinomy is a good answer to this problem, it is not the best as Piper has shown.
Thankfully Sproul refers the reader to Edwards in chapter 3 on the issue of free will. I know of no other Christian theologian who dealt with this better than Edwards in his treatise On The Freedom of the Will. I believe Sproul handles it well. Especially with his explanation of natural verses moral inability.
The different charts and diagrams are helpful in visualizing what Sproul is saying. As well as his use of illustrations.
The weak point of the book is that he doesn't refer to the Bible as much. Granted, the Bible is being used, I think that it could have been used a bit more. Sometimes Sproul falls into using philosophy a little too much. I guess that is understandable considering philosophy is one of Sproul's primary interests.
I would heartily recommend this book.

Since its publication in 1986, <em>Chosen By God</em> has become a classic introduction to Calvinism, for it is clearly one of the best introductions to Calvinism available. Sproul, ever the theologian but one with a gift for making the complex simple, begins with an introduction to God's sovereignty and then moves to free will before tackling the 5-points of Calvinism (as summarized in the acronym TULIP). He changes several of the terms, so the acronym eventually reads RULEP, but provides good justification for doing so. Not being one to back down from a fight, Sproul also tackles the subject of double predestination and assurance of salvation. The book closes with a Questions and Objections section which answers some of the most common objections to Calvinism, such as "Is predestination fatalism?" and "What does predestination do for the task of evangelism?"

It is important to note that this book is only an introduction to Calvinism, so does not provide exhaustive commentary on any single topic, each of which could easily become a book of its own. While 200 pages is plenty to introduce topics, it certainly does not allow for in-depth discussion.

The chapters on God's Sovereignty and Free Will were particularly well-written and alone are worth the price of the book. A book that discusses difficult concepts but does so in a biblical manner, and ultimately provides very satisfying conclusions, I give this one my unreserved recommendation.

Like some of the other reviewers, I was an Arminian and I remember thinking that the Calvinist position had a weak view on sin and personal responsibility. Sproul's teaching on Total Depravity truly opened my eyes. It firmed up for me my place in the universe, God's place, and the level of grace and mercy that I had received.

That is not to say that I didn't throw the book across the room a couple of times during the process.

My favorite parts of this book were Sproul's treatments on Romans 3 and Romans 9. It took about two years to come to terms with the shifts in my theological perspective. This book has helped me to understand God's sovereignty and to take comfort in the fact that all things are under His control. It's good to be liberated from the image of a God who's wringing His hands wondering if people will accept His gracious offer.

Calvinism... The word conjures up images of a God who pulls the puppet strings of human beings, compelling them to do His will.

However, many great Christians have held to what is now called Calvinism (e.g. Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Jonathan Edwards).

Sproul is careful to carefully define all his terms and presents a strong case for Calvinism from the Bible. His writing is generally easy to follow (occasionally, it becomes a little difficult) and he dispels many of the myths concerning Calvinism.

To highlight what Calvinism is all about, it is necessary to understand the Calvinist (or Reformed) understanding of the spiritual condition of man. After the Fall, (by the way, Sproul defines original sin very precisely and accurately), humanity is spiritually dead... Only the active intervention of God will bring resurrect the spiritually dead. I could go on discussing what Calvinism is all about but you would best to read the book. For those familiar with TULIP (Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace and Perseverance of the Saints), Sproul does not deal with Limited Atonement in any detail (he said that it would require a whole book to properly delineate it). Sproul also ably deals with the charge of double predestination very well.

Overall, I would recommend the book for anyone wondering what Calvinism is all about, whether you be a Calvinist or an Arminian.

Praise the Lord I have been set free from the bondage and sinfulness of thinking that I had a 0.01% in my salvation. Yes I chose Christ, but only after God changed my heart. This is what Dr. Sprouls argues for. "Salvation is of the Lord", not of the Lord and me. I read this book and had serious questions at one time. I continued to study and ask questions concerning this subect. This book is a good introduction to the Cavinistic veiw of predestination. One thing I find is that everyone comes to the table with thier own set of presuppositions. We need to let Scripture determine our presuppositions not let our presuppositions determine Scripture. Sproul does a great job with explaining in a small space of where this doctrine comes from. I like him did not like this doctrine and fought it tooth and nail, but after seeing it in Scripture (all throughout, Old and New Testaments)I embraced it but did not like it, and now I taste the sweetness of it. Thank you Dr. Sproul for a wonderful book. One last thing if you still have questions about this doctrine continue to study other materials from other authors as well. Above all Scripture is our plumbline for truth, it alone carries what we should believe. Soli Deo Gloria-Alone to God the Glory, Only the Calvinist can truly say that!

Several comments are in order in defense of the book. One of the readers claim that the book erred in saying that Norman Geisler was arminian, when in fact he was moderate calvinist. The book Chosen but Free, by Geisler, proves beyond a reasonable doubt that his "moderate calvnism" with its "irresisitible grace" only for those already willing, "unconditional election" for those who will come on their own freewill, and total depravity that does not bind one to sin, is nothing more than actually glorified semi-pelagian. At least arminians admit God's grace is needed for one to come, and that faith is a gift, something Geisler denies, thus showing that he is as opposed to true calvinism as one can be but one point: preservation of the saints. To another customer who says that Sproul presented calvinism as denial of human responsibility apparently he misread or read what he wanted to into the book in order to attack it. In fact, a whole chapter of the book deals with sovereignty of God and human free will, which in that case is spoken of as human responsibility in the whole issue. Sproul also spoke of us doing our job to witness to those who are unsaved knowing that God will do His. Sounds like human responsibility to me. It should be pointed out that the customer misrepresented calvinism, as presented by Sproul, on original sin. It is true, that calvinism holds to Adam's sin being imputed to man as such that all fell in Adam, and born sinners. Actually that is what Romans 5 says. So, the customer's problem is wit the Bible. However, the customer says that man when he is judged is punished for Adam's sin not his own. That is inaccurate. God punishes man as an individual sinner who by nature sins, and calvinism does hold to man being judged for his own sins at the last day rather than for Adam's sin. All have sinned as the Bible says. It is Adam's sin that made all sinners. I should remind that reader that Sproul on his point about double predestination says God predestinating someone to hell is in light of the fall as justice for the person who is the one, not Adam, in constant rebellion against God. See the section when the author Sproul spoke on Pharaoh when his heart was hardened to show that God does NOT work fresh evil in the person's heart. I also find the appeal to John 12:32 to say John 6:44 cannot mean irresisitible grace a weak assertion. If one has read the whole verse, it says, "no one can come to Me UNLESS the Father who sent Me DRAWS him, AND I WILL raise him at the last day." If one ignores the last half of the verse which contains Christ's promise of glorification for the believer (see verse 39, which shows being raised at last day is for believer only here in context), then one would miss the part that shows that not only the person could not come unless the Father draws, but when the Father do draw, the person will (not maybe) being raised at the last day. It shows not only will the person come to Christ, but also he will remain in Christ to be raised at the last day. Also, John 6:45 says that they ALL will be taught by God, referring to who the Father draws. Jesus goes to say who are taught by the Father WILL come to Christ. In referring to John 12:32 to say all are drawn and some refuse, I cite John 6:64-65 which states the REASON some refuse when the gospel is preached is NONE can come to Christ unless the Father has enabled him, and John 12:39-40 and Romans 11:8, both of which say some could NOT believe BECAUSE God has BLINDED them. And anyways John 12:32 says all men, NOT all. If one uses all men to mean all then Romans 9:18 and 11:32 would contradict. The context is of Jesus being promompted to speak by gentiles who requested to see Him. Jesus was showing that He would no longer be savior for just the Jews only but now also for the gentiles(John 12:20-32; 4:22,42). Note how Paul later defined all men, as when he said he is all things to all men, Jews, gentiles, and so on, in showing all men refers to all types of people, or as in everyone without distinction NOT exception. So, given Sproul's book with a strong case, Geisler's contrived Chosen but Free, and other weak arguments and strawman against calvinism, I remain a firm calvinist in my views.