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Remembering R.C. Sproul (1939-2017)

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Remembering R.C. Sproul

R.C. (Robert Charles) Sproul met his Lord and Savior on December 14, 2017. He was 78 years old. He served Christ for more than 60 years. He was one of the greatest defenders of the Christian faith of our time. He was a pastor, author, theologian, and seminary founder and founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries.

I probably met him less than twenty times in my life. But besides of course Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then the Apostle Paul, no one has had the impact on my spiritual life and ministry that this man did, bar none.

How can a man that you only met a handful of times have such an impact on your life and ministry? You could honestly ask me that question, and what I would say is, it is only by the grace of God.

I remember the first time I had ever heard R.C. was when I was watching his video series entitled the Holiness of God. It shook me to the core. It caused me to look at the person of God and my sinfulness in a way that I cannot honestly explain.

I can remember when he spoke from 2 Samuel 6:1-7. It is the story of a man named Uzzah. He was immediately put to death by God because he dared touch the ark of God. As the ark was being transported, the oxen which were pulling the cart apparently stumbled, the ark began to fall, and Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the ark. The passage states that God’s anger burned against Uzzah and God struck him down and Uzzah died.

Before hearing R.C.’s description of it, I always thought that seemed arbitrary of God. God seemed harsh to me. Uzzah’s punishment seemed so extreme. After all, Uzzah was doing a good deed.  I could not fully understand why God would do that to “poor Uzzah.”

I was dumbstruck when R.C. stated that Uzzah dared to believe that his hands were cleaner than the dirt on the ground. How shocking? How eye-opening? After hearing R.C. exposition of the Uzzah story, I bet you that my jaw dropped to the ground. I do not want to sound melodramatic, but it was like scales fell from my eyes. The whole of the Scripture began to make sense to me. The wrathful God was not arbitrary, illogical, or random. He is holy, righteous, and good. He is God. I am not. I should be damned. I am not. I am saved solely because of the amazing and wondrous grace of God.

RC 2

From that moment forward I became an R.C. groupie. I could not get enough of R.C.’s teaching. I believe that I have listened to almost all of his teaching series and read most of his books. I had the privilege to go to some of his conferences. I had many opportunities, when we were in Florida, to worship at his church. I had the opportunity to meet him on several occasions. He would not know me from Adam. But, there is probably no Christian theologian that has had the impact of my spiritual life and maturity that this man has had.

R.C. believed in the holiness and sovereignty of God, the sufficiency of Scripture, and the wonders of the grace of God in the Person and Work of the Lord Jesus Christ. He had this incredible ability to take a complex subject and explain it in such a simple way, that even a child could understand.

He wanted his ministry “to fill the gap between Sunday school and seminary.” He did that for me. He did that for millions of people.

I was sharing with a friend earlier that I am so thankful that we live in a time where so much of what he has spoken and written is available to us at the touch of a button. You would be wise to learn at the feet of this humble and wise man (search the vast amount of resources available at www.ligonier.org).

RC and Vesta

What is it about R.C. Sproul? Why am I so passionate about his ministry? It is pretty simple. He remained faithful to the Word of God. He helped us to see the holiness of God and His sovereignty. He continually pointed us to the sufficient and satisfying work of Jesus Christ. He consistently reminded us to live all of life in the presence of God, under the authority of God and for the honor and glory of God.

Thank you, God, for giving us this great teacher. And I will be forever grateful for R.C.’s constant reminders to look to the Greatest Teacher. Coram Deo – “Before the face of God.”

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