J. I. Packer. 

Inter-Varsity Press, England. 1961.ISBN 0-8308-1339-X

For believers new to Presbyterian theology, especially those with strong Arminian roots, the concept of a chosen Elect is difficult to assimilate.

On the one hand, scripture teaches that God is sovereignover all. He alone controls and knows all things. He is omnipotent and omniscient. On the other hand, believers have a clear responsibility to evangelize, to spread the "good news" of the person of Christ and the salvation he offers. But if God is truly omnipotent, why does he also need us to speak for him? If he has chosen an elect, which he promises to bring to himself, why do we need to preach the gospel to everyone?

J. I. Packer addresses this apparent incongruity in his small book of just over a hundred pages. Originally delivered as an address at the Pre-Mission Conference of the London Inter-Faculty Christian Union in 1959, the text of the book has been expanded and modified to make it applicable to a wider audience.

At the outset, Packer describes his book as "a piece of biblical and theological reasoning designed to clarify the relationship between three realities: God's sovereignty, man's responsibility, and the Christian's evangelistic duty." He says the significant topic is, really, the last of these three. The other two are dealt with only as they influence evangelism.

Packer deals with these conflicting statements as anantinomy (an-TIN-o-me)—a contradiction between two equally valid statements. Both statements are true, but together, cannot be reconciled. Can God control all events and behaviors and still provide human will? Human logic struggles with these disparate concepts, but in the mind of God, there is no confusion.

"What should one do, then, with an antinomy? Accept it for what it is and learn to live with it. Refuse to regard the apparent inconsistency as real; put down the semblance of contradiction to the deficiency of our own understanding;…"

Not only does Packer offer believers ways to accept both concepts, he goes on to explain how the sovereignty of God, and his ultimate control, is essential to any evangelistic effort toward "winning souls for Christ." After discussing God's sovereignty and human responsibility with copious scriptural support, Packer describes biblical evangelism and the roles of divine sovereignty and human actions.

This book is an easy read. Packer has the ability to write in concise terms deep with understanding and meaning. While you can read this pithy text in a few hours, you'll find yourself going back to read and reread favorite sections. Like a good sermon, it has a logical, sequential flow that incorporates theological constructs to build deeper understanding. Undoubtedly, it will be a book worth keeping on your reference shelf, and one to which you'll return many times in your Bible studies.

There's just one important suggestion. Be certain you start this book with a highlighter full of ink. You'll need it.