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Cultural Critique Column

This article was published exclusively online in the Christian Research Journal, volume 49, number 01 (2026).

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For many years, I have been both a Calvinist and an apologist-evangelist, and I have fire in my bones to make the gospel known to as many people in as many ways as possible (Jeremiah 20:9; Acts 20:24). Many people think that believing in the Calvinist doctrine of predestination (and related points on the doctrine of salvation) is incompatible with a deeply lived and compassionate concern to reach the lost with the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. I have never believed that, and never will, but sadly some people do — both Calvinists and non-Calvinists alike. I once met a dear older woman, the wife of a long-time pastor, who had heard from her grandson that I was a five-point Calvinist. Shortly after we met, she looked at me with concern and said, “Are you really a Calvinist?” She knew from her grandson, who was my student, of my passion for apologetics and evangelism, and found this Calvinism a little odd. I do not. Let me explain.

I am not the kind of Calvinist who wears it on this shirt sleeve or is constantly trying to win people over to my Calvinistic views. (I am not attending a Reformed or Calvinist church now.) Calvinism is not a central tenet of biblical or historical orthodoxy, although I take it to be true and important. However, this view has been my settled conviction for many years. I owe this mostly to taking a course on the Westminster Standards from Pastor Larry Bauer in Eugene, Oregon, in 1981 and from my reading of Calvin and other Calvinists, such as J. I. Packer and R. J. Rushdoony. The word “Calvinism” has a wide range of meanings and can be controversial, but we will address God’s governance of the world in relation to evangelistic outreach.

Calvinism on God’s Sovereignty

For the point of this brief article, I will simply quote from the Westminster Confession of Faith (1647), which I quote in Christian Apologetics: A Comprehensive Case for Biblical Faith, 2nd ed. (IVP Academic, 2022). I have included the Scriptural verses used to defend these claims.

God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass [Romans 9:15, 18, 11:33; Ephesians 1:11; Hebrews 6:17]; yet so as thereby neither is God the author of sin [James 1:13, 17; 1 John 1:5], nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established [Proverbs 16:33; Matthew 17:12; John 19:11; Acts 2:23, 4:27–28].
Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions [1 Samuel 23:11–12; Matthew 11:21, 23; Acts 15:18], yet hath he not decreed anything because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions [Romans 9:11, 13, 16, 18].
By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels [Matthew 25:41; 1 Timothy 5:21] are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others fore-ordained to everlasting death [Proverbs 16:4; Romans 9:22–23; Ephesians 1:5–6]. (chap. 3, §§1–3)

These statements and accompanying texts will likely not convert people who hold other views of God’s sovereignty and His role in the salvation of sinners. So be it. I do not typically get involved in these disputes anymore. My point here is to explain my view and why it is not incompatible with zeal for apologetics and evangelism. The Bible emphasizes both the sovereignty of God and the need to explain and defend the gospel message. It is a both/and, not an either/or.

Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God

These flaming words from the Apostle Paul challenge deeply: “I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24).¹

Paul, having been converted from hating the Christians to being one (Acts 9), was obeying this injunction of the resurrected Jesus Christ, the Lord, who commanded us to take His message to the entire world in the Great Commission.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16–20)

Of course, making disciples means more than making converts through evangelism and apologetics, but it doesn’t mean less. We cannot discipline the nations without seeing individuals converted! The Apostle Peter gave us this famous encouragement to defend the faith virtuously as part of our mission under the Lordship of Jesus: “In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (1 Peter 3:15–16; see also Jude 3).

If God Is Sovereign, Why Evangelize?

Some may worry, however, that a Calvinist emphasis on God’s sovereignty may undermine apologetics and evangelism, since salvation is all up to God and not up to us. Thus, we can stand back and let Him do all the work. That is wrong.

Sadly, I’m learning that some in the Reformed tradition believe this. Having recently moved to Grand Rapids, I am hearing that some Calvinist denominations, which have a strong presence in this area, either discourage outreach or don’t make it a priority. If so, this is erroneous. We can return to the Apostle Peter for the evidence. He preached this.

“Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Acts 4:27–31)

Peter affirms that what happened to Jesus was “decided beforehand” — that is, it was predestined. But that does not discourage Peter or the others from evangelizing in the Spirit’s power. This can be explained rather simply.²

God ordains the means (Christian witness) and the ends (salvation) in His divine and sovereign plan (Ephesians 1:11). To someone who says, “If God is sovereign, why evangelize?” we can respond, “If God is sovereign, why eat?”³ We eat because God created us to need food. We evangelize because this is how souls are won for Christ.

The normal means of people being converted is through the witness of Christians. We need to do that work to be faithful to the Lord. We require zeal and knowledge in this sacred task. God will save people through our witness — or in some cases, in spite of it. We do not know who the elect (those who will be saved) are ahead of time. God does. We know that we must bring the message of the gospel to as many people as we can. The call of salvation goes out to all, whether or not they respond in saving faith. Paul proclaimed this in Athens.

Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone — an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead. (Acts 17:29–31)

Notice: God commands everyone everywhere to repent. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30, emphasis added).

Jesus calls all who hear, not only the elect. We do not know all those who are elect, especially those who are not yet Christians. Jesus does. We offer the gospel. Jesus Christ secures that salvation.

We must bring that message to the whole world. God is not dependent on any one of us for this task, but He deigns to use us. As the Westminster Confession says, “Others, not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word [Matthew 22:14]; and may have some common operations of the Spirit [Matthew 7:22, 13:20–21; Hebrews 6:4–5]; yet they never truly come unto Christ, and therefore cannot be saved [John 6:64–66; 8:24]” (chap. 10, §4, emphasis added).

These truths should give us confidence in evangelism and apologetics. It is not ultimately up to us to see people converted, but God uses human instruments to that end. If we fail, God will use someone else in Christian witness. Richard Lovelace, church historian and author of the classic work, Dynamics of Spiritual Life, wrote that a strong sense of God’s sovereignty in salvation should give “dignity” to our outreach. We do not try to manipulate people to make “decisions for Christ,” but we ardently offer the gospel in the confidence that God will use His Word to draw people to Himself in His own way.⁴ It is a both/and situation: God’s sovereignty working through our efforts. But God has many modes of salvific operation. As the Westminster Confession also says, “God, in his ordinary providence, maketh use of means [Isaiah 55:10–11; Hosea 2:21–22; Acts 27:31, 44], yet is free to work without [Job 34:10; Hosea 1:7; Matthew 4:4], above [Romans 4:19–21] and against them [2 Kings 6:6; Daniel 3:27] at his pleasure” (chap. 5, §3).

Many years ago, as a young Christian, I read a small but insightful and formative book by the late J. I. Packer, one of evangelicalism’s best theologians, called Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God (1961; Inter-Varsity Press, 2008). If my short essay has not convinced you of my thesis, please read this little classic. (And also read Knowing God [1973; Inter-Varsity Press, 1993] by Packer, another modern gem.) As a living example of someone with a Reformed theology and a passion for apologetics and evangelism, consider the life and work of Francis Schaeffer (1912–1984), whose influence on me and twentieth-century evangelicalism is incalculable.⁵

Take the Gospel to All You Can

Whatever your theological perspective — Calvinist, Arminian, even openness theology⁶ — do all you can in the power of Almighty God to explain, commend, and defend the gospel to as many people as you can while you can. There is no truly biblical theology that can endorse complacency about evangelism and apologetics. You only have this life in which to labor to win people to Christ. So, we must get busy in the power of the Holy Spirit to reach the world with the liberating message and power of the gospel (Acts 1:8; Romans 1:13–14; 1 Corinthians 2:4–5).⁷

Douglas Groothuis, PhD, is Distinguished Professor at Cornerstone University and Cornerstone Theological Seminary.

NOTES

Bible quotations are from the NIV.
On this, see D. A. Carson, “The Mystery of Providence,” How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil, 2nd ed. (1990; Baker Academic, 2006).
I owe this idea to the late Greg L. Bahnsen; it is from a lecture I heard on tape many years ago.
See Richard Lovelace, Dynamics of Spiritual Life (InterVarsity, 2020), especially 104–109.
On Schaeffer’s life, see Colin Duriez, Francis Schaeffer: An Authentic Life (Crossway, 2008). The Schaeffer book that influenced me the most is The God Who Is There (InterVarsity Press, 1968). For an overview of Schaeffer’s thought, see Douglas Groothuis, “Francis Schaeffer: Pastor, Evangelist, Apologist, Prophet,” Christian Research Journal 39, no. 04 (2016), https://www.equip.org/articles/francis-schaeffer-pastor-evangelist-apologist-prophet.
Openness theology proponents believe that God does not exhaustively know the future. This was a significant debate in the evangelical world about twenty years ago. However, openness theology writers such as Greg Boyd and John Sanders do not deny the gospel or the need to evangelize. For a critique of openness theology, see Millard J. Erickson, What Does God Know and When Does He Know It? The Current Controversy over Divine Foreknowledge (Zondervan, 2003) and John M. Frame, No Other God: A Response to Open Theism (P&R Publishing, 2022).
On the urgency of the gospel, see Leighton Ford, “The Crisis of Urgency” and “The Recovery of Urgency,” The Christian Persuader: The Urgency of Evangelism in Today’s World (World Wide, 1988). See also David Watson, I Believe in Evangelism (Eerdmans, 1977).