If you have ever struggled to believe in God’s sovereignty in the salvation of sinners. Below are quotes from distinquished authors who recount this struggle and explain succinctly the practical implications for resting your salvation in the hands of a sovereign God:

Men will never worship God with a sincere heart, or be roused to fear and obey Him with sufficient zeal, until they properly understand how much they are indebted to His mercy.

— John Calvin

 

From childhood up, my mind had been full of objections against the doctrine of God’s sovereignty, in choosing whom he would to eternal life; and passing over whom he pleased; leaving them eternally to perish… It used to appear like a horrible doctrine to me… There has been a wonderful al
teration in my mind with respect to the doctrine of God’s sovereignty…. The doctrine now appears exceedingly pleasant, bright and sweet. Absolute sovereignty is what I love to ascribe to God. But my first conviction was not so.

– Jonathan Edwards

How slow we are, even as Christians, really to believe that salvation is entirely by grace… Your salvation depends entirely upon what God has done, in choosing you, sending his Son to die for you, and drawing you into his kingdom through the Holy Spirit.

– Sinclair Ferguson

In the Scripture, election is a pastoral doctrine, brought in to help believers see how great is the grace that saves them, and to move them to humility, confidence, joy, praise, faithfulness, and holiness in response.

– James I. Packer