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Compel Them to Come In: Calvinism and the Free Offer of the Gospel
If we believe in God’s sovereign predestination, how can we offer Christ to sinners indiscriminately? How could someone who knew that no one can come to Christ unless the Father draws them still plead with them to look to the Saviour? The Bible clearly entreats us to go after the lost, so Donald Macleod tackles the objections raised by those who argue that since there is no universal redemption there should be no universal gospel offer.
160 pages, Hardcover
Published May 8, 2020
About the author
Donald MacLeod
40 books14 followersDonald MacLeod is a Scottish theologian.
Macleod studied at the University of Glasgow and the Free Church College before being ordained as a minister of the Free Church of Scotland in 1964. He served as professor of systematic theology at the Free Church College from 1978 to 2011, and as principal from 1999 to 2010.
In 1996, Macleod was cleared of allegations that he had sexually assaulted four women. The Sheriff court found that "the women had all lied in the witness box to further the ends of Professor Macleod's enemies in the Free Church of Scotland." A number of people who believed Macleod should be put on trial by the General Assembly then formed the Free Church Defence Association and ultimately a new denomination, the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). However, Johnston McKay notes that although on the surface the split was about Donald Macleod, he believes it was about theology since Macleod belonged to the more "modernizing" wing of the Free Church.
In 2011, a Festschrift was published in Macleod's honor. The People's Theologian: Writings in Honour of Donald Macleod (ISBN 1845505840) included contributions from Richard Gaffin, Derek Thomas, and Carl Trueman.
Macleod studied at the University of Glasgow and the Free Church College before being ordained as a minister of the Free Church of Scotland in 1964. He served as professor of systematic theology at the Free Church College from 1978 to 2011, and as principal from 1999 to 2010.
In 1996, Macleod was cleared of allegations that he had sexually assaulted four women. The Sheriff court found that "the women had all lied in the witness box to further the ends of Professor Macleod's enemies in the Free Church of Scotland." A number of people who believed Macleod should be put on trial by the General Assembly then formed the Free Church Defence Association and ultimately a new denomination, the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). However, Johnston McKay notes that although on the surface the split was about Donald Macleod, he believes it was about theology since Macleod belonged to the more "modernizing" wing of the Free Church.
In 2011, a Festschrift was published in Macleod's honor. The People's Theologian: Writings in Honour of Donald Macleod (ISBN 1845505840) included contributions from Richard Gaffin, Derek Thomas, and Carl Trueman.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 8, 2025
A little book on why the gospel should be freely proclaimed and offered to everyone. Especially if you are a part of a Reformed tradition.
May 4, 2020
C.H. Spurgeon was well-known for pleading with sinners to come to the foot of the cross for salvation. “Fly to Christ,” Spurgeon would say. Yet, far too many pastors fall short in the gospel appeals. Donald Macleod’s Compel Them to Come In: Calvinism and the Free Offer of the Gospel offers a necessary antidote for the contemporary pulpit.
Macleod responds systematically to the prevailing arguments that seek to undermine the biblical imperative to invite sinners to turn from their sin and trust the Lord Jesus Christ. The primary arguments that militate against the free offer of the gospel concern the spiritual bondage of sinners, the doctrine of predestination, definite atonement, and God’s sincerity. The author is gracious in his presentation of these arguments but responds with the full force of Scripture.
With stunning clarity, Macleod explains how God utilizes both means and ends, which in the final analysis, leaves the hyper-Calvinist with nothing left to argue. For instance:
Macleod drives his point home by demonstrating our responsibility to plead with sinners: “The more we believe that only awakened sinners will seek a Savior, the more we should strive to awaken them … We need to be as free with the call to repentance as with the call to faith.”
The book concludes with practical counsel for anyone who is prepared to offer the gospel freely and indiscriminately.
Compel Them to Come is a much-needed book, especially for Reformed preachers. Such preachers do not have a good track record when it comes to the free and indiscriminate offer of the gospel.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
Macleod responds systematically to the prevailing arguments that seek to undermine the biblical imperative to invite sinners to turn from their sin and trust the Lord Jesus Christ. The primary arguments that militate against the free offer of the gospel concern the spiritual bondage of sinners, the doctrine of predestination, definite atonement, and God’s sincerity. The author is gracious in his presentation of these arguments but responds with the full force of Scripture.
With stunning clarity, Macleod explains how God utilizes both means and ends, which in the final analysis, leaves the hyper-Calvinist with nothing left to argue. For instance:
For from waiting for sovereign grace or some special providence to awaken the sleeping souls in front of him, he has to engage in an awakening ministry. He knows full well, of course, that conviction of sin, and the creation of a broken and contrite heart, is something that in the last analysis only God the Holy Spirit can accomplish; and sometimes, as in the case of the Philippians Jailer, He does it without any human agency. He sends an earthquake. But His usual way is to awaken sinners through His Word …
Macleod drives his point home by demonstrating our responsibility to plead with sinners: “The more we believe that only awakened sinners will seek a Savior, the more we should strive to awaken them … We need to be as free with the call to repentance as with the call to faith.”
The book concludes with practical counsel for anyone who is prepared to offer the gospel freely and indiscriminately.
Compel Them to Come is a much-needed book, especially for Reformed preachers. Such preachers do not have a good track record when it comes to the free and indiscriminate offer of the gospel.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
April 16, 2026
Every RUF student should read this. Absolute fire
August 31, 2021
Fantastic little book on the importance of Evangelism or the presentation of the Gospel in preaching
June 1, 2020
I can’t recommend this book highly enough. Clear, biblical, and persuasively argued. MacCleod will fire your passion for preaching the free gift of the gospel persuasively and with full confidence in the sovereignty of God. A great book for ‘cage stage’ Calvinists to guard them from hyper Calvinist tendencies.
November 12, 2021
Simply wonderful. Every pastor, seminarian, and Christian should read this book by Macleod and stagger at the riches of Christ, and him freely offered to sinners. What a treasure! I’ll be back for more.
“Above all, we must present sinners with that priceless word of Jesus: no one who comes will ever be turned away (John 6:37). Christ calls them, Christ invites them, Christ commands them, and they have absolutely no right to make their feelings of unworthiness an excuse for ignoring such a message, so gracious and yet so imperious.”
“Above all, we must present sinners with that priceless word of Jesus: no one who comes will ever be turned away (John 6:37). Christ calls them, Christ invites them, Christ commands them, and they have absolutely no right to make their feelings of unworthiness an excuse for ignoring such a message, so gracious and yet so imperious.”
August 31, 2021
Macleod deals with the objection that Calvinism doesn't allow for a free offer of the gospel (an objection more accurately leveled at the hypercalvinists). This book encourages us to proclaim the gospel boldly and unashamedly, all while believing in God's sovereign, electing work and in particular redemption.
July 22, 2021
This book is a very good defence of the need for Calvinists to be evangelistic in their preaching. I did not agree with the chapter on God having a desire for the salvation of all men, which is the only reason why I did not give the book five stars. The sermon from C. H. Spurgeon in the appendix was also useful.
February 19, 2024
So good and refreshing.
September 2, 2022
A heart-warming, soul-stirring book. As someone who preaches regularly, I hope the substance and tone of this book will be increasingly evident in my own ministry. MacLeod's own exhortations stirred up a desire not only to preach but also to share Christ with those who do not yet trust him.
I would also recommend this book for anyone coming from particular Reformed traditions in which the free offer of the gospel--the conviction that Christ can be offered to all indiscriminately in evangelism--is rejected. Having read Spurgeon vs. the Hyper-Calvinists earlier this year on the same topic, I would recommend MacLeod first because he spends less time addressing historical aspects of the debate and more time on the issue of evangelism itself.
I would also recommend this book for anyone coming from particular Reformed traditions in which the free offer of the gospel--the conviction that Christ can be offered to all indiscriminately in evangelism--is rejected. Having read Spurgeon vs. the Hyper-Calvinists earlier this year on the same topic, I would recommend MacLeod first because he spends less time addressing historical aspects of the debate and more time on the issue of evangelism itself.
January 4, 2022
If the major claims of reformed theology are true, what implications does this have for the preacher of the gospel. This is the question Macleod seeks to answer. I had never considered that asking an inherently sinful people to choose God when their heart are against Him is quite a conundrum. Yet this is the ordained means that God uses to save sinners; the power of His Holy Word.
This book gives me a bigger and more awesome view of my Creator, Savior, and Sustainer
“But God doesn’t convert people by magic, nor does He force or coerce them into faith. His grace works by persuasion, using the truth as His instrument and the preacher as His agent.”
This book gives me a bigger and more awesome view of my Creator, Savior, and Sustainer
“But God doesn’t convert people by magic, nor does He force or coerce them into faith. His grace works by persuasion, using the truth as His instrument and the preacher as His agent.”
March 18, 2025
I expected more. My primary problem is that MacLeod doesn't actually address several of the concerns raised. What is the relationship between the free offer and limited atonement? How can the free offer go out if God does not actually intend the salvation of the non-elect. All MacLeod really offers are prooftexts for indiscriminate preaching. I appreciate them, I agree with them. But he doesn't really offer anybody who believes in both Reformed orthodoxy and the free offer already to reconcile the two.
I found enough value here to warrant holding on to the book, but on the whole I was let down.
I found enough value here to warrant holding on to the book, but on the whole I was let down.
February 3, 2024
Great book. An impassioned, edifying, and uplifting book on the task of the preacher.
January 11, 2025
An excellent little book that helps combat the hyper-Calvinism that is so popular in our day.
The appendix of Spurgeon’s sermon by the same title is worth the price of the book.
The appendix of Spurgeon’s sermon by the same title is worth the price of the book.
February 6, 2026
A great little book. If you struggle to see how Calvinism and evangelism go together, this is a good read. Also, if anyone can explain the olympic sport of curling to me, please comment here.
June 24, 2020
I loved this book! Over my years of Bible College and Seminary my convictions have changed quite a bit as I’ve studied Scripture. But one questions nagged me at the beginning of college… “How can a calvinist call people to trust in Jesus?” Like many, I was under the impression that calvinism, the sovereignty of God and election meant that a preacher couldn’t hold those convictions whilst also preaching the gospel and calling people to repent and believe. Donald MacLeod has written this great book explaining how that simply is not true! My copy of this book has so many underlinings and dog-eared pages and if I’m willing to do that to a book, it means it’s a good one!
August 8, 2020
This is a wonderful, if brief book by Donald Macleod! My only critique is that I would have liked to have read more. The book is helpful in stirring up the heart of the preacher to a bold and unequivocal proclamation of the gospel and persuading of sinners to come to Christ. Readers will discover their passions for Christ enflamed in the reading of this book.
Macleod begins with chapters that address common hyper-calvinist attacks on the free offer of the gospel. He deals with four common objections. As he does so, he uses an abundance of scriptural examples and exhortations and meshes these with the example and teaching of historical theology. The chapters are well outlined and logically ordered making their case strongly.
The author then addresses three chapters to ministers on the practice of the free offer of the gospel. However, these chapters will not just benefit ministers. Macleod speaks of delivering the free offer and considering the audience. In this, he sounds a bit like William Perkins, in the Art of Prophesying, though much more brief. Macleod closes by addressing the messenger, minister or lay person. He gives us several fervent exhortations that preach to our hearts.
Macleod makes an appendix of Spurgeon's sermon, Compel Them to Come In. My personal advice to the reader would be to read this sermon to begin with and then to come back and read it again at the conclusion of the book. I think you will find this helps you to digest the nuggets within.
Macleod begins with chapters that address common hyper-calvinist attacks on the free offer of the gospel. He deals with four common objections. As he does so, he uses an abundance of scriptural examples and exhortations and meshes these with the example and teaching of historical theology. The chapters are well outlined and logically ordered making their case strongly.
The author then addresses three chapters to ministers on the practice of the free offer of the gospel. However, these chapters will not just benefit ministers. Macleod speaks of delivering the free offer and considering the audience. In this, he sounds a bit like William Perkins, in the Art of Prophesying, though much more brief. Macleod closes by addressing the messenger, minister or lay person. He gives us several fervent exhortations that preach to our hearts.
Macleod makes an appendix of Spurgeon's sermon, Compel Them to Come In. My personal advice to the reader would be to read this sermon to begin with and then to come back and read it again at the conclusion of the book. I think you will find this helps you to digest the nuggets within.
December 24, 2021
This little volume on the free offer of the gospel is adorned with effusive endorsements from notable figures in British Evangelicalism. It is a solid book giving a very positive appraisal and basic presentation of the subject. Part one comprises the first four chapters on the “what” of the free offer of the gospel in its theological relations (to sin, predestination, limited atonement, and divine sincerity). The best of these was the one on limited atonement. Part two comprises three chapters on the “how” of the free offer. The best of these was the final chapter, treating the subject of “The Free Offer and the Messenger.” Part two was far superior to the first part.
Though Macleod writes energetically and with moving earnestness, the style is overly simplistic. The vocabulary is not unimaginative or limited, but the syntax and flow is so punchy as to seem very nearly aimed at adolescent readers. This is not a bad thing except for the fact that Macleod seems to be aiming his appeals and arguments at ministers of the gospel. His writing style might have been better off being elevated to his intended audience. As it stands, the voice of the author comes across as somewhat condescending. Nevertheless, the content is good, and I greatly appreciated the many historical illustrations drawn from Scottish church history.
The Spurgeon sermon in the appendix is a fine addition.
Though Macleod writes energetically and with moving earnestness, the style is overly simplistic. The vocabulary is not unimaginative or limited, but the syntax and flow is so punchy as to seem very nearly aimed at adolescent readers. This is not a bad thing except for the fact that Macleod seems to be aiming his appeals and arguments at ministers of the gospel. His writing style might have been better off being elevated to his intended audience. As it stands, the voice of the author comes across as somewhat condescending. Nevertheless, the content is good, and I greatly appreciated the many historical illustrations drawn from Scottish church history.
The Spurgeon sermon in the appendix is a fine addition.
March 8, 2026
3/5 I softly recommend
This book is serviceable and largely meets its purpose. The strength of this book is the second half, which focuses on the application of “the free offer of the gospel.” However, Macleod’s defense could have been strengthened with less repetition. For example, he mentions known Calvinists who unashamedly preached the gospel to all men three to five times in such a short book. I think a chapter on God’s aseity would have helped parse out the distinction between God’s common love for all men and his special love for the elect.
Arguably, one may say this book is not meant to deal with such technical theology. However, I believe it is precisely here that most Calvinists actually struggle with the free offer of the gospel. That said, the practical application chapters emboldened me to preach the gospel to all men.
This book is serviceable and largely meets its purpose. The strength of this book is the second half, which focuses on the application of “the free offer of the gospel.” However, Macleod’s defense could have been strengthened with less repetition. For example, he mentions known Calvinists who unashamedly preached the gospel to all men three to five times in such a short book. I think a chapter on God’s aseity would have helped parse out the distinction between God’s common love for all men and his special love for the elect.
Arguably, one may say this book is not meant to deal with such technical theology. However, I believe it is precisely here that most Calvinists actually struggle with the free offer of the gospel. That said, the practical application chapters emboldened me to preach the gospel to all men.
September 23, 2020
In this resource (fairly similar to "Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God" by JI Packer) MacLeod graciously and winsomely answers the question: "How could someone who believed in God's sovereign predestination offer Christ to sinners indiscriminately?" This is a particularly helpful corrective to Calvinist pastors who think it is beneath their convictions to indiscriminately call upon sinners to be saved. Whether you're interested in the topic, preparing for ministry, or simply want to delight in God's good and gracious act of saving sinners unto salvation, you'll enjoy this book.
March 15, 2026
An excellent book. I taught a class on preaching in the fall semester, and gave this as required reading.
It explores how Calvinism is NOT opposed to offering the gospel freely, and even seeking to persuade unbelievers to place their faith in Him. As preachers of the gospel, we have to be able to reconcile both a robust belief in the sovereignty of God, while also not neglecting to “compel them to come in.” This book does a wonderful job at helping to understand how this works.
It explores how Calvinism is NOT opposed to offering the gospel freely, and even seeking to persuade unbelievers to place their faith in Him. As preachers of the gospel, we have to be able to reconcile both a robust belief in the sovereignty of God, while also not neglecting to “compel them to come in.” This book does a wonderful job at helping to understand how this works.
February 7, 2021
Excellent and moving book on the importance of the free offer of the gospel. I wasn’t convinced by the chapter on ‘The Free Offer and Divine Sincerity’ (though I know many people see the two issues as integrally linked), but other than that it was very good.
April 11, 2025
An excellent little book on the sovereignty of God and the free offer of our Lord Jesus Christ. "The Son of Man is come to save that which was lost." I'm the lost one. And because I'm lost, Christ belongs to me.
February 11, 2022
Really helpful treatment of this topic. Thoroughly biblical handling of the questions involved.
December 15, 2022
Very good
May 16, 2023
Persuasive.
May 23, 2024
Simply outstanding. This is a must-read for ministers of the gospel.
March 7, 2026
I loved this book, my favorite book I read in January on the subject of preaching. MacLeod stirred my heart to preach Christ and offer the gospel freely, passionately, and boldly.
December 6, 2024
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MacLeod's new work echoes much of what is said in Murray’s much-shorter work, albeit in a more readable format. It has an interesting structure, addressing divine sincerity in the middle of the book rather than at the beginning. This was an odd choice, but it is my only criticism. Positively, there are numerous insights woven throughout the book that make this a go-to for preachers, evangelists, and lay evangelists. It certainly has me redoing/updating my evangelism training class!
MacLeod's new work echoes much of what is said in Murray’s much-shorter work, albeit in a more readable format. It has an interesting structure, addressing divine sincerity in the middle of the book rather than at the beginning. This was an odd choice, but it is my only criticism. Positively, there are numerous insights woven throughout the book that make this a go-to for preachers, evangelists, and lay evangelists. It certainly has me redoing/updating my evangelism training class!
February 27, 2024
Apart from Calvin putting his oar in at times, this is a very good book on evangelism, especially for preachers. It includes Charles Spurgeon's famous sermon, which has the same title as the book. But it's a good deal more besides: hugely encouraging to those who aren't especially gifted as evangelists, and clear in its view on what the Christian life actually is.
Re-read this over 2023-24
Impressed me even more the second time.
Re-read this over 2023-24
Impressed me even more the second time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews