Just started reading this classic Christian book from JI Packer. In the book he aims to show the error of the "supposition ... that you cannot evangelise effectively unless you are prepared to pretend while you are doing it the doctrine of divine sovereignty is not true." And that actually faith in the sovereingty of God is vital for bold, persistent, resiliant evangelism.
In the first chapter he does very little to argue the case that God truly is sovereign in all his ways, especially in salvation and the continuing perseverance of every believer. All he does is ask us how we pray:
"In prayer you ask for things and give thanks for things. Why? Because you recognise that God is the author and source of all the good you have already, and all the good that you hope for in the future."
Concerning your own salvation, in your prayers "you give God thanks for your conversion. Now why do you do that? Because you know in your heart that God was entirely responsible for it. You did not save yourself; [note Matt Redman's song, 'Who O Lord Could Save Themselves'] He saved you... Your act of faith when you closed with Christ was yours in the sense that it was you who performed it; but that does not mean that you saved yourself. In fact, it never occurs to you to suppose that you saved yourself."
And finally in our prayers for others we long to come to know Christ: "You pray for the conversion of others. In what terms, now, do you intercede for them? Do you limit yourself to asking that God will bring them to a point where they can save themselves, independently of him? I do not think you do. I think what you do is to pray in categorical terms that God will, quite simply and decisively, save them: that he will open the eyes of their understanding, soften their hard hearts, renew their natures, and move their wills to receive the Saviour."
When we get caught up in all sorts of high flying arguments about the meaning of Bible passages, and how different passages intersect with each other concerning God's sovereignty and man's responsibility, we easily tie ourselves up in knots. But when we are bent humbly before the Lord and seeking his face we know in our hearts and show in our prayers that we look to God for all our needs, we thank him alone for our salvation, and we seek his power alone for the salvation of those we love. God is sovereign (he is Lord and God and King and Ruler and Upholder of all things) so, when thinking about evangelism, God is sovereign in salvation.
Jim Packer also includes an interesting account of a conversation between Charles Simeon and John Wesley on Dec 20th 1784. Simeon records it like this (Wesley refers to it in his journal - hence we know the date):
"Sir I understand that you are called an Arminian; and I have been sometimes called a Calvinist; and therefore I suppose we are to draw daggers. But before I consent to begin the combat, with your permission I will ask you a few questions... Pray, Sir, do you feel yourself a depraved creature, so depraved that you would never have thought of turning to God, if God had not first put it into your heart?
"Yes," says the veteran, "I do indeed."
"And do you utterly dispair of recommending yourself to God by anything you can do; and look for salvation solely through the blood and righteousness of Christ?"
"Yes, solely through Christ."
"But, Sir, supposing you were at first saved by Christ, are you not somehow or other to save yourself afterwards by your own works?"
"No, I must be saved by Christ from first to last."
"Allowing then that you were first turned by the grace of God, are you not in some way or other to keep yourself by your own power?"
"No."
"What, then, are you to be upheld every hour and every moment by God, as much as an infant in its mother's arms?"
"Yes, altogether."
"And is all your hope in the grace and mercy of God to preserve you unto His heavenly kingdom?"
"Yes, I have no hope but in him."
"Then, Sir, with your leave I will put up my dagger again; for this is all my Calvinism; this is my election, my justification by faith, my final perseverance: it is in substance all that I hold, and as I hold it; and therefore, if you please, instead of searching out terms and phrases to be a ground of contention between us, we will cordially unite in those things wherein we agree."
It seems to me that as we grasp and understand the reality of God's sovereingty in our own salvation our praise to him can only ever increase. As we understand God's sovereignty in all salvation, then "since we have this minstry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart." "Thanks be to God, through the Lord Jesus Christ."
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