As followers of Christ—people who have been saved by God’s grace—it can be difficult to grasp the concept of God’s sovereignty in election working through the evangelism of His people. But as J.I. Packer explains in his book Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God, this concept should be difficult to grasp, for it is an antinomy which, by definition, is “neither dispensable nor comprehensible” (26). This biblical antinomy is dealing with the high ways of God—ways that are above our own comprehension—and we know that God Himself declares, “My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts are higher than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:9). However, just because this concept is difficult for humans to grasp does not mean it should be ignored or regarded as unbiblical. It is very much biblical, and when studied carefully, it can even ignite a greater reverence for God, and surprisingly, even a greater motivation to evangelize. In his aforementioned book, J.I. Packer gives thorough explanations as to how this is so.
Before going into detail in extrapolating this antinomy, Packer first establishes that in all of God’s ways, He is wholly just. He realizes that there are some who may be very much opposed to the idea of God’s sovereignty in election, who may ask, “Why then does He still find fault? For who can resist His will?” (Rom. 9:19). To them, it seems absurd that “if God orders all our actions, how can it be reasonable for Him to also act as our Judge?” (28). This may seem like a valid question, but looking closely, it actually reveals a very low view of God, and a haughty view of man. This is why Packer points out that in reply to this, God rebukes the very spirit of the question, saying, “Who are you, oh man, to answer against God? Will the thing formed say to Him who formed it, ‘Why have You made me this way?’” (Rom. 9:20). Packer thus establishes upfront that God’s sovereignty is completely just, and must be acknowledged. And only then does he move on to explicate further points.
So although it is established that God’s sovereignty stands firm and that it is wholly just, Packer then addresses the reality that man is still indeed responsible to evangelize, and explains why through God’s word. Approaching the issue with humility, Packer points to Deut. 29:29 which states, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us…that we may do all the words of the law.” Therefore, although we do not fully understand why or how God’s sovereignty in election works, we do know that He has given us a commandment to evangelize, and it is therefore our duty to do so. Packer goes on to state, however, that although man is responsible for witnessing, he is not responsible for the fruit of the witness. As Packer explains, “It is right to engage in aggressive evangelism. It is right to want one’s presentation of the gospel to be as clear as possible […] It is not right when we regard ourselves as responsible for securing converts” (33). To do so, he goes on to say, would be to exalt oneself as the agent of producing new birth in a person, and this is something that God alone has the power to do.
Once establishing man’s responsibility to evangelize, as well as their rightful place in the matter, Packer then addresses what it actually means to evangelize, as well as what the motives should be. To evangelize means, according to Packer, to “declare a specific message,” and “to present Christ Jesus as the divine Son […] living Savior and reigning Lord […] and the One through whom, and through whom alone, men may come to put their trust in God” (43-44). Humans are lost without Christ, and evangelizing is exhorting lost sinners to cry out to God to be their Savior. The very truths of what is being stated in evangelism holds, in fact, the very motivation to evangelize. If what is being preached is true, then what urgency there is to share the message with as many as possible. In fact, this is one of Packer’s final points in dealing with God’s sovereignty in grace: “The belief that God is sovereign in grace does not affect the urgency of evangelism. Whatever we may believe about election, the fact remains that people without Christ are lost, and going to hell” (97). The reality of this statement holds much weight, and it is here where I will start with my position of agreement with Packer’s approach to God’s sovereignty and evangelism.
To be sure, I agree full well with Packer’s biblical stance of the antinomy of evangelism and God’s sovereignty. I believe the bible teaches God is sovereign in election, as well as man’s responsibility to evangelize, and that they are critical concepts that believers should thoroughly think through and acknowledge. But, still in agreement with Packer, regardless of whether one acknowledges God’s sovereignty in election (although that can be dangerous), the reality remains that millions of people are living without Christ—in desperate need of His salvation—and we have the one and only glorious message that can save them, and so far be it from us—for any reason—to not take it to them. Was it not through another human being evangelizing to us (by God’s saving grace) that we heard and were saved? It shall not stop with us then; it is our duty—indeed, our urgent responsibility—to take it forward. Now, without losing sight of this responsibility, I continue to be in complete agreement with packer than although we as saved believers have been commissioned to—and indeed, should be compelled to—evangelize, it truly should be acknowledged that it is only by God’s saving action that a person will convert.
Therefore, there is no room for pride, but only complete dependence upon—and complete praise to—God for a person’s conversion.
What’s more, as Packer points out, the sovereignty of God in election actually “gives us our only hope of success in evangelism” (104). Contrary to being pointless to evangelize if God has already chosen His elect, it would actually be pointless to evangelize if God were not sovereign in grace for salvation, for there would be no hope! Indeed, in light of man’s depraved state, it is impossible for one to turn to Christ without His enabling them to do so: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44). Hence, Packer rightfully argues, “So far from making evangelism pointless, the sovereignty of God in grace is the one thing that prevents evangelism from being pointless. For it creates the possibility—indeed, the certainty—that evangelism will be fruitful” (104). He even suggests, with good grounds, that evangelism would be the most futile activity that would could engage in if it were not for the sovereign grace of God. Praise Him, therefore, for the solid trust we can confidently have in Him as we boldly proclaim His good news!
Finally, with a concern to revere the sovereignty of God, and a desire for others—as well as myself—to see the urgency of taking such glorious news to the world, I would explain the biblical teaching of the relationship between evangelism and God’s sovereignty the following way: First, God needs to be reverenced and viewed in His rightful place. God is holy, and He says Himself that “by those who come near Me, I must be regarded as holy” (Lev. 10:3). That means that we must realize He is our Creator God—He is above us, He is above us, and we are His people who are to bow down to who He is. Again, that means that if He tells us something about Himself that is hard for us to grasp, or doesn’t seem right to us, we must nevertheless reverence, believe, and bow down to what He says. And concerning election, He does, in fact, tell us that he is sovereign in and through it. For one, Paul tells us in reference to Jacob and Esau that “the children, not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, but that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls” were predestined (Rom. 9:11). Furthermore, Paul reminds us that God stated to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” (Rom. 9:15). Therefore, Paul says, “it is not of him who wills […] but of God who shows mercy” (Rom. 9:16). A fuller reading of Romans 9, as well as other passages, further establishes the biblical truth of God’s sovereignty in election, and our response to this truth as His people should be one of respect and honor. Now, just as it is a biblical truth that God sovereignly chooses and converts His people, it is just as much a biblical truth that God—for reasons unknown to us—has chosen to convert His people by the very means of using His people. If this were not true, Jesus would not have commissioned us to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19). But He has, and so we must go. Also, Romans 10:17 plainly declares that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” So again, although we can only ponder why God would choose this method of using His people to reach people (Most likely, it is a means to bring Him the most glory, and in reality, it is a great grace given to us), He has! And so, if for no other reason, we are to evangelize because we have been commanded to evangelize. However, there is another reason…
We have been saved by God’s grace! We ourselves were once lost and hopeless, without Christ and on our way to destruction. But God saved us—by no merit of our own! He took us out of darkness and into His marvelous light! Are we to keep this to ourselves? There are others around us—millions in the world—lost and dying in their sins—and we have the one message that can offer salvation to their souls! Could we really consider keeping this message from them? Far be it from us! When we meditate on how long eternity is, and the reality that those without Christ will spend it separated from Him in hell, may we be compelled to spend our every energy on urging those around us to turn to our glorious Savior—the died for the salvation of their very souls. This, in fact, leads to one last motivation—and perhaps the greatest: Christ’s worthiness to be glorified and worshipped by as many as possible…both now and forever in His kingdom. Therefore, “let us lay aside every hindrance […] and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:1-2). He is worthy indeed, and He has given us a gospel to share. May we share it, to the glory of His Name.