Dr. R.C. Sproul - A Man of Godly Quality

December 14, 2017 marked the passing of an amazing man of God, namely Dr. R.C. Sproul.  The first time my wife and I were impacted and influenced by Dr. Sproul was in the early 1980s with his Holiness of God series.  

It was the first time we had heard such doctrinal teaching and it sayed with us while we prepared and went to the mission field.  We truly believe that 10-20 years after that, when we several times faced false doctrinal teaching, we were able to recognize it due in part to Dr. Sproul's teaching and example.  Later still it was Table Talk magazine and Dr. Sproul's books "After Darkness, Light" and "Getting the Gospel Right", which helped us navigate through ecumenical interference to our church planting efforts.

​I believe to many Dr. Sproul was the quintessential Pastor-Teacher.  We would be included in that group.  But he was also a Pastor-Theologian to us.  The Lord used him and continues to use him with a great deal of impact in our lives for practical ministry efforts.

I used Table Talk magazine personally and to disciple men for ministry while I stood with them as they served. I was inspired to stand firm on doctrinal issues by Dr. Sproul’s examples of firmness with love in my heart. 

Recently my wife and I have once again begun listening to him each morning on Reformation Network (RefNet) before work to strengthen us in the fight for truth and a walk of holiness.  I consider Dr. Sproul one of my spiritual mentors though we never met on this earth.  He was of course like us a sinner saved by grace alone, but he was used by God to further our walk of faith and service for His kingdom.

Dr. Sproul, Dr. MacArthur, Dr. Lloyd-Jones and several other men in my life are why I am still serving today as a missionary for now almost 30 years. I desire to carry on with the same passion as I believe Dr. Sproul did as he served and prayed along the way with a verse like this on his heart and  mind, Jeremiah 33:3 - “Call to Me and I will answer you and I will show you great and mighty things which you do not know.” 

I don't believe everything Dr. Sproul held to theologically, but I do believe as he did in the sovereignty of God in all things and especially in His sovereignty over the work of salvation and sanctification in the life of a believer.  

I thank the Lord for Dr. Sproul!  His faithfulness in the proclamation Christ and Him crucified has been used of God in the lives of many!  I look forward to seeing him when we all get to be with Jesus. Though he was just like us all... a sinner saved by grace alone...he was a man of admirable and godly quality.