There are very few works of non-fiction that read as though they are fantastic narrative. There are a select few that have the ability to ignite the imagination, stoke the fires of the intellect with an academic challenge, and inspire the heart to greater heights. R.C. Sproul: A Life by Stephen J. Nichols easily meets these criteria. The work is a biography of one of the greatest battlefield theologians of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. For decades, the theology of America and its largest denominations were radically steered and shaped by the life, ministry, and work of R.C. Sproul.
As I read through Nichols’ work, I was struck by three distinct qualities in R.C.’s life that I aspire to. These qualities run the length of his life and seem to appear in everything that he did. The first is that of passion. Everything that R.C. did was done because he cared about it. There seem to be no hollow actions or words with Sproul, as even his humor had a purpose. But all that was done, was done out of a driving passion. As a child, his passion was seen in his love for his family and his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates. As an adult, Sproul was known for his teaching and conviction as well as his devotion to Vesta.
Sproul is recognized for his communicative abilities and this is easily seen, felt, or heard when one interacts with any of Sproul’s work. I believe that his communicative ability sprung from his passion. His passion for the character and characteristics of God, namely God’s holiness, aseity, and sovereignty, drove R.C.’s writings and teachings. His passion to see the lost come to know God drove his preaching. His passion for life lived unto the glory of God and the fullest drove his relationships. His relationships were strong and deep, his teaching stronger and deeper. In all of these areas, we see Sproul to be a man of great passion.
It was Sproul’s passion for God and Scripture that led to his other qualities. Another admirable quality of Sproul’s was that of his precision. In a world in which so many theologians, politicians, and the culture as a whole embrace what Sproul called “studied ambiguity,” R.C. Sproul stood for precision and exactness. Never one to back down or pull punches, Sproul embodied and demanded precision in everything he did. Sproul was influentially involved in a number of theological crises and movements as one who would often be called on to develop, lead, and respond to threats against true and right doctrine. Sproul went to war in the seminary classrooms as a student combatting liberalism in his professors and classmates. This war continued as Sproul led the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy and drafted the Chicago Statement. The war would rage on as the learned general would go toe to toe with even dear friends as he fought against the Evangelicals and Catholics Together Statement. Throughout his life, Sproul fought for theological precision and accuracy. It was his dedication to this precision, and the correctness that he was precise about, that would ultimately inspire a generation and lead to major movements such as the Conservative Resurgence of the Southern Baptist Convention, The “Young, Restless, and Reformed Movement,” and the inspiration and education of countless faithful church leaders today.
However, precision and passion mean nothing if they are abandoned. In a day in which so many giants of the faith are plagued with spinelessness in the face of conflict and moral failure under examination, R.C. Sproul persevered with faithfulness. Even when his precision and passion for the Gospel would cost him dear friendships, Sproul remained faithful to his convictions rather than compromise the Gospel. He remained faithful to his dear wife Vesta. He remained faithful to his ministry. He ran the race well and he finished the race well, something which cannot be overstated in the days of rampant moral failure. His ministry is often aspired to by so many who would seek the same platform and legacy. However, greater than his platform, we should aspire to his character, integrity, and passion for Biblical fidelity. His life shows that a real ministerial legacy is left in the faithfulness to the Word of God. In this area, we see that Sproul’s teaching will persevere as well.
R.C. Sproul: A Life captures all of this and so much more. I commend Stephen Nichols for an excellent biography. It is one of the best that I have read. I felt all the feelings, I was inspired, and I was convicted. Seldom is a biography classified as a page-turner, however, Nichols’ work is just that. If you want to be encouraged and convicted, you must read this book. Every pastor, nay, every believer should take up this biography and read. You will not be disappointed.
R.C. Sproul: A Life can be purchased through Ligonier Ministries at the following link, or wherever books are sold: R.C. Sproul: A Life: Stephen Nichols – Hardcover, Book | Ligonier Ministries Store
Colt Hudson 