Grace Unknown: The Heart of Reformed Theology

by R.C. Sproul

Reformed theology has been immensely influential in the West and in evangelicalism. Every believer, Reformed or not, will profit from a thoughtful reading of Grace Unknown.
Few evangelical Christians today understand Reformed theology. They know it has something to do with predestination, and they may have heard of "the five points." But they can't name these points, and they think no one believes most of them anymore.
R. C. says there's more to Reformed theology than these five points , so he devotes the first half of Grace Unknown to its most foundational doctrines. In the second half he explains each of the five points, showing their source in Scripture and their coherence with each other.
Reformed theology reveals just how awesome the grace of God is. This doctrine has eluded so many evangelical Christians that true grace is, in some respects, unknown. In Grace Unknown R. C. explains "the heart of Reformed theology" and makes plain the reality of God's amazing grace.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity, Religion

217 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Dr. R.C. Sproul (1939–2017) was founder of Ligonier Ministries, an international Christian discipleship organization located near Orlando, Fla. He was founding pastor of Saint Andrew’s Chapel in Sanford, Fla., first president of Reformation Bible College, and executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.

Ligonier Ministries began in 1971 as the Ligonier Valley Study Center in Ligonier, Pa. In an effort to respond more effectively to the growing demand for Dr. Sproul’s teachings and the ministry’s other educational resources, the general offices were moved to Orlando in 1984, and the ministry was renamed.

Dr. Sproul’s radio program, Renewing Your Mind, is still broadcast daily on hundreds of radio stations around the world and can also be heard online. Dr. Sproul produced hundreds of lecture series and recorded numerous video series on subjects such as the history of philosophy, theology, Bible study, apologetics, and Christian living.

He contributed dozens of articles to national evangelical publications, spoke at conferences, churches, and academic institutions around the world, and wrote more than one hundred books, including The Holiness of God, Chosen by God, and Everyone’s a Theologian. He signed the 1978 Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy and wrote a commentary on that document. He also served as general editor of the Reformation Study Bible, previously known as the New Geneva Study Bible.

Dr. Sproul had a distinguished academic teaching career at various colleges and seminaries, including Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando and Jackson, Miss. He was ordained as a teaching elder in the Presbyterian Church in America.

Reviews

[Andrew Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful overview of Reformed theology especially for those with no formal training.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good explanation of Reformed theology (Calvinism). Part 1 covers the foundations of Reformed theology, and Part 2 covers the 5 points of Calvinism. It explains the differences between the Roman Catholic and Protestant views on salvation, and between the Pelagian, Semi-Pelagian, and Augustinian/Calvinistic views on salvation. Sproul includes plenty of Bible references, and frequently cites the Westminster Standards.

This book's content is very similar to Sproul's Chosen by God and What Is Reformed Theology?.

I read this because it was mentioned in The Five Points of Calvinism: Defined, Defended, and Documented.

Notes
Centered on God
Humans are free and God is free, but God is more free; His sovereign freedom limits ours.

Based on God's Word Alone
Sensus literalis (literal interpretation): interpret Bible according to manner in which it's written; follow the simple, natural meaning of the words, and only read passages as figurative which can't be understood literally. Each passage has 1 meaning, though it may have multiple applications.

Grammatico-historical interpretation: follow normal grammatical rules and literary structure, while considering the historical context in which the passage was written.

Committed to Faith Alone
"Justification by faith alone" is shorthand for "justification by the righteousness of Christ alone." "Faith" is trusting in Christ and receiving His imputed righteousness.

Rom 3:27-28 is about doctrine of justification; Jas 2:24 is about how works show that one has true faith "justifying" their claim to faith.

Original covenant (of works) was gracious; it was gracious for God to create humans and promise life on condition of obedience.

Covenant of grace is in addition to covenant of works; it doesn't replace or annul it. We are still under covenant of works, and it's the way to salvation. What's gracious about the covenant of grace is that God accepts Christ's perfect obedience of the covenant of works in our place.

Humanity's Radical Corruption
5 Points of Calvinism
• Humanity's radical corruption (total depravity)
• God's sovereign choice (unconditional election)
• Christ's purposeful atonement (limited atonement)
• The Spirit's effective call (irresistible grace)
• God's preservation of the saints (perseverance of the saints)

Radical corruption (total depravity) verses: Rom 3:9-18 (which cites Ps 5:9; 10:7; 14:1-3; 36:1; 53:1-3; 140:3; Ecc 7:20; Isa 59:7-8); Rom 1:18-25; Eph 2:1-5; John 6:63-68

Fallen humans still have a will and can freely make choices, but always freely choose sin.

Fallen humans are free in sense that they can make choices, but not free in sense of having liberty to obey spiritually.

Rom 7:15-19 is about Paul as a Christian; the unregenerate have no struggle between God and sin.

Fallen humans have natural ability (faculties of choice), but lack moral ability (ability to choose God).

God is totally free, yet morally unable to sin, because He never desires to. Glorified saints are free to choose what they want, but aren't able to sin, because they don't desire to.

God's Sovereign Choice
God's sovereign choice (unconditional election) verses: Eph 1:3-12; Rom 8:29-30; 9:10-16; John 6:64-68

Paul's rhetorical question, "is there unrighteousness with God?" (Rom 9:14) shows that the Calvinistic view of election is correct; the question wouldn't arise if Arminianism or Pelagianism were true.

If there were anything humans could do to deserve salvation, that would be legalism (trusting in human work).

John 6:43-44 says God draws His people, and the Greek for "draw," "eiko," means "to compel," and is translated "drag" in Jas 2:6 and Acts 16:19.

Unless universal election or reprobation are true, predestination must be double in some sense.

Equal ultimacy (that God intervenes in lives of reprobate to work unbelief in their hearts just as He intervenes in lives of elect to work faith in their hearts) isn't Reformed; it's hyper-Calvinistic.

Election is a positive decree; God actively intervenes in lives of elect to work faith in their hearts. Reprobation is a negative decree; God passes them by and withholds His regenerating grace.

God doesn't coerce reprobate to sin, or create fresh evil in their hearts; He leaves them to their own choices and desires, and they always choose to reject the Gospel.

God's hatred isn't malicious, but is a holy withholding of favor.

Christ's Purposeful Atonement
Purposeful atonement (limited atonement): John 6:37-39; 17:6-10

If only those who respond to Gospel with faith are save, then faith is a work that earns salvation.

Will of God
• Decretive: sovereign, efficacious will; can't be resisted
• Preceptive: precepts, commands of God; can be resisted
• Will of disposition: that which pleases, delights God; can be resisted

2 Pet 3:9 has several possible interpretations. It may refer to God's will of disposition, saying that God doesn't delight in the death of the wicked, though He wills it. In this case, it speaks of God's common grace and general love or benevolence for humanity. However, "any" in this verse likely refers to Christians, because 2 Pet is written by a believer for believers. In this case, the verse means God isn't willing for any of His elect to perish (die unsaved).

God's purpose for Christ's atonement was to make salvation for the elect certain, not to make salvation for all possible.

In 1 John 2:1-2, "our" could refer to believers, or to Jewish believers. "World" in NT often doesn't refer to all people.

If 2 Cor 5:19 meant everyone was already reconciled to God, v 20 wouldn't need to tell people to be reconciled.

The Spirit's Effective Call
If unregenerate people can incline themselves to grace, where's the need for grace? "If the grace of regeneration is merely offered and its efficacy depends on the sinner's response, what does grace accomplish that is not already present in the power of the flesh?"

Fallen humans resist grace; "Irresistible grace means that the sinner's resistance to the grace of regeneration is irresistible in the sense that it is invincible … irresistible grace is so called because of its monergistic action and efficacy."

"At the moment faith is present, justification occurs."

God's Preservation of the Saints
Assurance of salvation comes from God's promises, internal testimony of Holy Spirit, earnest of the Spirit, and sealing of the Spirit. See Westminster Confession of Faith 18.1.

Believers are justified on Christ's merit, and our election is in Christ. There's no possibility of Him losing those God has elected in Him.

Preservation/perseverance of the saints: 1 John 2:19-25; Phil 1:3-6; Rom 8:31-36.

Heb 6:4-6 is about regenerate believers, because it speaks of repentance, which must be sincere, because there'd be no value in false repentance. The warning about falling away is an ad hominem argument, not a true warning. This interpretation fits Heb 6:9-12.

[Tiff Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I had worked my way through this much faster, as I would have retained more of it a little better. That said, this book does an excellent job outlining and explaining deep theological principles in layman's terms without being condescending. I did have to reread some passages. I came away with a few more questions, especially regarding the Calvinism/Arminianism debate among Protestants. I still don't quite know which side I land on, but this book really does an excellent job of clarifying Calvinism in a way I have never heard before, and can respect.

Maybe I will reread it again someday.

[Matt Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the Epilogue. It’s a single page, a hymn from Isaac Watts and that’s where the title comes from. Using the infamous 5 points, the responses to the Remonstrance, and the Roman Catholic Church, has infiltrated mainstream Christianity. This book is a call to get back to orthodox Christianity and away from the man centered religion of today which is basically idolatry. Sproul spends much attention on how to stay within the tenets of Biblical Christianity using the Canons of Dort and the Westminster Confession of Faith. It is an appeal to the true and historic faith , rather than mystic inward selfish faith in self

[Daniel Gutierrez · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars really. I am not a Calvinist, but if I was this is the form of Old/New Calvinism hybrid I would hold and how I would advocate for it. Combined with Greg Forster's "The Joy of Calvinism" these books makes an irenic argument that if one holds to Protestant distinctives then consistency requires something more in line with New Calvinism then Pop-level Evangelical 'Biblicism', Molinism, Classical Arminianism, Wesleyan Arminianism, or other similar alternatives. Today, I would see the weaknesses of these books in their assuming certain Western presuppositions and false dichotomies into the Biblical text in an over correction to the abuses of the Roman Catholic. These views would not represent the view of the church of the First millennium.

[Jacob]

Not going to rate this one because I’m not sure how I would do that. This was a good read, if a bit academic at times, about the Reformed theology. A lot of this was a reminder about what we learned from school, but there was a lot of new information as well thanks to the detail and depth provided by the author.

[Jackson Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sproul does an amazing job laying out the fundamentals of reformed theology in a way that is clear and understandable. This book definitely helped me understand more about what reformed theology is and how each aspect of it works together.

[Rod Innis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book by a grat author.

[Al Green · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basically an overview of the westminster declaration. Some frugal trials at objectivity, but strongly biased.
Not a valuable history or theology read

[John Rakshith Prabhakar · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best primers on Reformed theology!

[Matthew Nicaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely wonderful book that proclaims the foundations of Reformed theology. It masterfully shows forth the glorious wonder of the salvation of the Lord!

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and easy to read. R. C. Sproul talks to the reader as if one of his students.

[Patrick S. · Rating 2 out of 5]

For the most part I enjoy Sproul. I think he has some good teaching and is very smart. I do find him a bit sloppy in his presentation and sometimes standoff-ish in wanting to grab people with his subject matter. In this book, Sproul attempts to present a basic look at Reformed Theology. He does this in two main sections, one where he covers the "Sola's" and the other where he covers the TULIP. I think his outline and layout is pretty good and hits a lot of points including possible objections to the main viewpoints. However, he presents the materials so dryly that this book took me much longer to finish it than what it should have. He uses large quotes from Calvin and Luther, who you definately have to quote when you talk about the formation of the Reformed position. However, it would be better to point people the writings and pare down the quotes. The layout doesn't have any personal flare and reads more textbook like. Again, very dry. He also brings up works and ideas in church history but doesn't take the time to explain what they are. If you're going to do that, you're really going to have to give just a one sentence explanation on less commonly known heresies. There are some good exegesis in the book, like the explanation of Hebrews comparing Jesus to Melchizedek as being the same types of priest without having to be a Levite. Again, this book isn't terrible but the way it is presented would be difficult to get excited about the subject. Final Grade - C-

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good introduction to Reformed Theology, Sproul here outlines the Five Points of Calvinism and some of the theological distinctives that underpin the doctrinal system. While overall helpful, the book is more philosophical than exegetical, nor does Sproul seriously wrestle with any other theological systems. C+

[Carl Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the grown jewel of all his works. This book with Faith alone and Willing to Believe are the three most important books I've ever read in the entirety of my christian life. I actually spent the better half of my christian life thinking I did its all until God dropped this wonderful work into my life. I still read them at least once a year.

[Andre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to the Reformed faith, I read this a good while ago. I think that it is a fairly easy read. Portions of it I have read over again in recent years. If understanding the Reformed faith is your goal, this is a great place to start.

[Mary-wilkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it in the Fellows Program a few years ago. It was a great explanation of the reformed faith and the things that we believe, without the arrogant undertones that many reformed books have the tendency of taking, even if they are unintentional. Good resource

[Bradly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this at the same time as Sproul's book Chosen By God. They both cover a good bit of the same subject matter, but I remember Chosen By God to be very clear, and a bit easier to read. Reading these two books gave me a clearer grasp of the reformed views of election and predestination.

[J. Bush · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book did more than almost any other to help cement my understanding and acceptance of Reformed theology. My wife and I have given it many times to friends as a gift. A winsome and helpful introduction to Calvinism...

[Clarissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A clear and passionate explanation of the doctrines of grace.

[BJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the books that launched me into Reformed theology and convinced me of the doctrines of grace.

[Abrahamus · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good overview of the "Five Points of Calvinism".

[Dean Akin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good introduction about God's efficacious atonement.

[John Hamstra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was foundational in my understanding of Reformed Theology.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This really is superbly written book, which introduces the reader to the main cornerstones of the Reformed Faith...Sproul on top form; as usual!

[Stacy Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grace upon grace. We have lost the concept of grace in our everyday life. RC Sproul once again demonstrates how God's grace is sufficient for all of life and especially to believe.

[Jennifer Kline · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good introduction to reformed theology. A little on the dry side. Very logically structured.

[Vaclav · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book really helped me to understand the doctrines of grace, as George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards preached them. my faith was deepened!

[Eric Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was republished in 2005 as What Is Reformed Theology? Understanding the Basics.

[Joe Beery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent and accessible, I had few qualms and they were so small I won't give them credence here for fear of poisoning the well. Certainly worth the quick read that it is.