Election and Predestination

by Samuel Fisk

Book Overview

In this book Samuel Fisk quotes over 100 scholars presenting a vast array of balanced views to help the reader unravel the questions relating to election and predestination. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1900742039
• ISBN13: 9781900742030
• Release Date: November 1997
• Publisher: John Ritchie Ltd
• Length: 191 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.1" x 7.9"

Customer Reviews

Best book on this subject

This is the best book I have read on this difficult subject. Fisk draws on the scholarship of many Bible scholars to clearly show that the Bible does not teach that God chose some people to go to heaven and some to go to hell and there is nothing they can do about it.

A Biblical View

If you are looking for some new material on predestination and election, Samuel Fisk may have the book you are looking for! The author not only gives his own views, but also quotes upwards of 100 scholars' views on election and predestination as well. Although some of these men are not so well known, that does not make their input less valuable. On the contrary, it is often quite helpful to look at a wider range of views on such thorny issues as election and predestination. Some are Baptists, but many more are well known and come from a wide range of backgrounds. With such a diversity of authors referenced, there is a wealth of excellent sources to glean biblical truth from. In the Foreword, Samuel F. Johnston sums up the issues this book deals with aptly, "The Sovereignty of God is in no way undermined. How could God be God if he were not Sovereign? It should be remembered, however, that God has other attributes: Holiness; Righteousness; Love; Mercy; Grace; Longsuffering, etc. These must all blend without one overshadowing another." After mentioning Augustine, Calvin, and those who might describe themselves as 4-point Calvinists, Johnston continues, "There is, however, the more ancient view that election is corporate rather than individual, and that on conversion persons, foreknown by God, enter individually into the blessings which God has prepared, corporately, for those `in Christ'. As a person entered the chosen nation Israel by birth, so today a person enters the chosen body, the church, by new birth. It is not that individuals are in the church because they are elect but that they are elect because they are in the church." As Samuel Fisk and the plethora of others he quotes admit, the few times election and predestination are actually used in the Bible, they mainly pertain to those who believe, and in looking towards their "Sonship", and future glorification. That is why the BIBLE plainly says that we as believers; are "chosen" "according" to the "foreknowledge" of God..."to obey" Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:2). And, those believers whom He "foreknew", He also "predestined" "to become conformed" "to the image" of His Son (Rom. 8:29). And finally, He "chose" those who believe in Him..."that"...those who believe would "be holy and blameless"...He "predestined" those who believe "to adoption"...and an "inheritance" (Eph. 1:4, 5, 11). It becomes obvious that the Bible is only too clear once we strip away all the theological presuppositions and let the Word speak plainly for itself. Before I get too far ahead of myself, in the first 2 chapters, Fisk starts off by looking at issues surrounding, God's absolute sovereignty and mans' free and responsible will, the role of Faith, and Total Depravity & Inability. I appreciate Dr. A.C. Gaebelein's remarks concerning A.W. Pink's "The Sovereignty of God"; "...It is just this kind of teaching which makes atheists." In Appendix C Samuel Fisk also points out how Banner of Truth Trust left out 3 chapters

A Classic On This Subject - Focuses on What Scripture Says

I have read several books relating to predestination, election, free will..etc. In my opinion, this book is the best on this subject. It offers references from many different commentators and scholars not just the author's own bias. The first half of the book deals with an overview of the topic. It is very helpful in getting up to speed on the history, views, terms and issues involved. The second half of the book deals specifically with verses in the Bible relating to these issues. As for someone who has been on both sides of these issues (Calvinism vs. Arminianism), this book is very convicting because it spends a great deal of time in looking at the key Bible verses involved. And that is the most important aspect - what the Bible actually says not what our Theology thinks that it should say. I am amazed how many Christians put into Scripture their own personal view or bias instead of taking out of Scripture what God is actually saying. This book is a must read for anyone who is seriously interested in learning what the Bible teaches concerning predestination and election. It is a serious study on the subject. It is concise with the focus being on Scripture and it is without all of the fluff, emotion, and bias from other sometimes larger books. It seems every Christian has a passionate view on this issue. This book will challenge your view from a Biblical basis. I have also found this book as an unlock selection on WordSearch 4 Bible software

AN EXCELLENT, BALANCED VIEW...

Bible scholar, Samuel Fisk does an excellent job ofexamining the main issues involved in Calvism versus the"free-will choice" issue. I highly recommend this importantbook for all serious Bible students and theologians. TheAppendix alone is worth the price of the book. Also: pleaseread Dr.Norman Geisler's contribution to this knotty issue:CHOSEN BUT FREE, and Dave Hunt's very interesting take onit all, titled: WHAT LOVE IS THIS? Indeed. "What kind of love" is this that portrays GOD asthe author of evil and as one Who would PRE-ORDAIN men andwomen to a fiery hell without giving them responsibility ofany CHOICE in the matter?

Reprint of a Classic

For those who don't know it, this book is an expanded reprint of Fisk's outstanding book "Divine Sovereignty and Human Freedom." In much of it, Fisk does a survey of opinions of eminent Bible scholars about election and free will to make a case that Calvinism is unbiblical. This new edition includes 18 extra pages with multiple appendices including sections responding to theologians Arthur Pink and John Owen. It is great to see this new version in print!