Hand in Hand: The Beauty of God's Sovereignty and Meaningful Human Choice

by Randy Alcorn

A careful guide through Scripture, hand in Hand shows us why God’s sovereignty and meaningful human choice work together in a beautiful way.

If God is sovereign, how can I be free to choose? But if God is not sovereign, how can he be God?
 
Is it possible to reconcile God’s sovereignty with human choice? This is one of the most perplexing theological questions. It’s also one of the most personal.
 
In hand in Hand, Randy Alcorn says that the traditional approach to this debate has often diminished our trust in God and his purposes. Instead of making a one-sided argument from select verses, Alcorn examines the question in light of all Scripture. By exploring what the whole Bible says about divine sovereignty and human choice, hand in Hand helps us…
 
· Carefully and honestly examine the different views on this issue
· Gain a deeper understanding of God
· Appreciate God’s design in providing us the freedom of meaningful choice
· See the value in better understanding what we cannot fully understand
· Learn how to communicate about the issue in clear and compassionate ways
· More fully experience the unity Christ intends for his Church

Includes small-group discussion questions.

Genres: Theology, Christian, Nonfiction, Christianity, Christian Living, Philosophy, Spirituality

240 pages, Paperback

First published October 14, 2014

About the author

Randy Alcorn is the founder of Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM), a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching biblical truth and drawing attention to the needy and how to help them. EPM exists to meet the needs of the unreached, unfed, unborn, uneducated, unreconciled and unsupported people around the world.

"My ministry focus is communicating the strategic importance of using our earthly time, money, possessions and opportunities to invest in need-meeting ministries that count for eternity," Alcorn says. "I do that by trying to analyze, teach and apply the implications of Christian truth."

Before starting EPM in 1990, Alcorn co-pastored for thirteen years Good Shepherd Community Church outside Gresham, Oregon. He has ministered in many countries, including China, and is a popular teacher and conference speaker. Randy has taught on the part-time faculties of Western Seminary and Multnomah University, both in Portland, Oregon.

Randy is a best-selling author of 50 books including Heaven, The Treasure Principle and the 2002 Gold Medallion winner, Safely Home. He has written numerous articles for magazines such as Discipleship Journal, Moody, Leadership, New Man, and The Christian Reader. He produces the quarterly issues-oriented magazine Eternal Perspectives, and has been a guest on more than 650 radio and television programs including Focus on the Family, Family Life Today, The Bible Answer Man, Revive Our Hearts, Truths that Transform and Faith Under Fire.

Alcorn resides in Gresham, Oregon with his wife, Nanci. The Alcorns have two married daughters, Karina and Angela.

Randy and Nanci are the proud grandparents of five grandsons. Randy enjoys hanging out with his family, biking, tennis, research and reading.

Taken from the Eternal Perspective Ministries website, http://www.epm.org

Reviews

[Rebekah Gough · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally got the mental energy to read this book and loved every second of it. You really need to be in the right mental space to enjoy this book. I tried reading it once before and couldn’t concentrate.
This book fascinated me and I learned things yet almost feel no further along in understanding how our free will and God’s sovereignty are compatible. I think I could study this topic forever. I’ve heard people question the relevance of this topic but I think it is so relevant to the choices we make through life and how we trust God. As the beginning of the book points out, not believing in God’s sovereignty leads to despair and not believing in your ability to make meaningful choices in life leads to not taking responsibility for your actions.
One of my biggest takeaways from this book is realizing there is a big difference between hard Calvinism and Calvinism. I don’t think that distinction is always well made.
Something super interesting also is how nuanced the whole discussion is because of how differently people define the terms and labels. It could be totally possible to think of yourself as an Arminian while believing things more like a Calvinist because what falls under each umbrella is interpreted differently. I’ve heard Calvinists make incorrect statements about arminians and vice versa and arminians say things that sounded closer to open theists.
This book explains Calvinism, Arminianism and Molinism all fall under orthodoxy while hyper or hard Calvinism and open theism do not.
Another issue with this whole topic is misreading verses to fit into particular points of view or not emphasizing the whole verse enough.
I think this book is such a fascinating and balanced point of view on this topic. I also like the quotes he gives from Tozer and Spurgeon. I’m excited to continue deepening my knowledge of this topic through reading God’s word.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a tremendous and much needed book. Alcorn sets out to make the case that, rather than being pejoratives to sling about in flesh-driven theological mudfights, "Calvinism" and "Arminianism" are labels for orthodox, within-the-camp, frameworks as to how we reconcile the (seemingly?) paradoxical nature of divine sovereignty and creaturely freedom.

Alcorn's tone throughout is irenic and he is charitable towards those with whom he disagrees. Alcorn never stoops to the level of caricature and you will not find any strawmen gaining their existence from his words. He knows the difference between an Arminian and a Pelagian, a feat that seems to daunting to the point of impossibility for many Reformed writers.

The charts and diagrams are, while limited due simply to the nature of this particular beast, quite useful. I do wish Alcorn had dealt more extensively and explicitly with Pelagian teaching. It has been my experience that the more common foe to Reformed teaching has not been robust, Evangelical Arminianism but rather Pelagian in nature. Since one is orthodox and one is, at best heterodox but more accurately, heresy, being able to distinguish between the two is of greatest importance.

This is a treasure and will help many. But, to quote Alcorn, "if you aren't open to adjusting your position when it doesn't align with Scripture, then this book is not for you. "

For that reason, I hope and pray that this book is for all of us.

[Anete Ābola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book I have ever read on predestination (and I have dug into that topic in the last few years with personal interest in it). It handles well both truths - God's sovereignty and man's free choice.

I loved the book! Randy Alcorn skillfully goes through definitions and different opinions, "logical conclusions" and fallacies typical of both views. Randy goes back to Scripture and, no matter on which side you have argued about this topic (because, almost all of us have been in some heated debates), he will help you understand the other side.

It never ceases to amaze me, no matter which subject Randy tackles, it seems like it is his life subject! - you know, so many authors write about one topic and every other topic they try, comes out bland? Not Alcorn! He has thought deeply about many topic and he is a skillful writer. Pro-life, money, purity, heaven, now predestination...

Can't wait to get my hands on his fiction books! I know that I have to read them, because listening to audiodramatized books would be too much for me.. :D

[Carina Shephard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. I am not a theologian by any means but the Calvinism/Arminianism debate is one that interests me since I know people who are strong Christians and who are very vocal on both sides. This book does a great job of being very even-handed and doesn't demean either viewpoint. I would recommend this to people who have a genuine interest in the topic.

[Robin Hatcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is filled with such deep teaching, lots of Scripture verses, and dozens upon dozens of quotes from other Christians. It is balanced and lovingly presented.

One of the most influential pastors in my early years as a believer taught me that I should always interpret Scripture with Scripture. I was reminded of that teaching when I read this quote in hand in HAND: "Our object should not be to have Scripture on our side but to be on the side of Scripture; and however dear any sentiment may have become by being long entertained, so soon as it is seen to be contrary to the Bible, we must be prepared to abandon it without hesitation." —William Symington

I had been a Christian for 25 years before I heard the terms Calvinist and Arminian. Of course I had heard of men and women of faith who fell into one of those theological camps (i.e. John Calvin, John Wesley). I just didn’t know the camps had names. In my very simplistic way, I finally determined that I fell somewhere in the middle, not fully in either theological camp, but partially in both. I completely believe in God’s sovereignty and I completely believe God gave us free will. And I believe both because I see both in the Bible. I cannot explain to you how it works. I just believe it because God said it.

hand in HAND is an excellent book that forces us to look at all sides in any theological discussion, to lovingly and fairly search for the truth in the Scriptures, to reject true heresy but not be so quick to assign that label to those who disagree with our position. I highly recommend it.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are interested in learning about Arminianism and Calvinism, then I highly recommend this helpful book. I’ve been reading a few books (and articles and posts) about these theologies, and this one is THE ONE that has been the most helpful for comparing them. It focuses on God’s sovereignty and human choice, which is the principle area of disagreement.

The author, Randy Alcorn, cuts through the caricatures and misunderstandings, and defines the theologies in a fair and balanced way, which makes it easier for you to study the differences and determine what you believe.

Alcorn insists that you keep Scripture at the forefront and do not try to make it say something it doesn't to fit your theology.

Early in the book he states, “If you aren’t open to adjusting your opinions when they don’t align with Scripture, this book is not for you.”

And, “we need to establish our positions in light of all Scripture, not just our preferred passages that support what we wish to believe.”

In addition to Arminianism and Calvinism, Alcorn also discusses Hyper-Calvinism, Molinism and Open Theism.

One drawback to the book is its organization. The narrative doesn’t flow smoothly and is confusing and repetitive at times. This book is five stars as far as content is concerned, but three stars for organization/presentation of that content.

If you are a visual learner, the charts and diagrams are fantastic. Because of them I recommend buying a physical copy if you are interested in reading this book.

[Ryan Rench · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Alcorn's approach to his books, and appreciate his tone so much. He went from being an Arminian to a 4-point Calvinist, but he maintains a balance that eschews hyper-calvinism and maintains the position that the Scriptures ought to speak for themselves. I appreciate that.
This book is not a verse-by-verse discussion of key Bible passages on determinism or free will (although it does reference many of them), but the book is a high-level look at the comparisons and contrasts between the two main views.
I have puzzled through some of the very topics he brings up and have arrived and some of the same conclusions that he does: that, often, we are speaking about the same thing with slightly different views! I am not one to believe that one side or the other is anti-God or anti-intellectual or whatever accusations get thrown back and forth. I believe we can be convinced of a position and live it out with integrity, and any Christian ought to be fully persuaded in his own mind.
I don't downgrade this to a mere preference (such as the color of the carpet at our church), but I do appreciate the tone of Alcorn's book on the topic, even if I found myself hoping for better explanations of key points throughout (some of his shotgun statements remained unconvincing, primarily because being convincing wasn't his main goal.)

[James Lockwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read that covers the topics of sovereignty and free will. As a starting point for my own intellectual investigation into these significant and often controversial topic I really appreciated the authors nuanced and sensitive approach to all the different view points. His regular affirmation that we should allow Scripture to speak for itself is vitally important. I felt it was a balanced overivew of the differing viewpoints whilst also drawing clear lines where orthodoxy was lost. As it is the first book on this area I may end up disagreeing or agreeing more with his conclusions and ideas, but I found it a very readable introduction. My main issue with it is that I felt it could have been about half the size! From Chapter 7 onwards there wasn't much new, just more examples of the same ideas. Whilst there may be little bits of helpful additions in there, it could probably have been 3-4 chapters shorter.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enlightening exploration of God's sovereignty and human free will in several areas, including salvation, human choices, sin, and suffering and disasters. It challenges Calvinists and Arminians to take a hard look at verses that are difficult to reconcile with their views, and to take all of Scripture into account. It's repetitive; Alcorn revisits certain topics several times, making the same point in several places.

Alcorn uses "meaningful choice" instead of "free will" because of the different ways people define it.

Alcorn started as a "moderate Arminian" and moved over time, until arriving at his current 4-point Calvinism (he disagrees with limited atonement, because he says the Bible seems to teach that Jesus died for all, not just elect). He describes himself as 80% Calvinist. He respects both sides and treats each charitably.

Notes
Why Is This Tough and Controversial Issue Worth Discussing?
God's choices are more foundational than our own. We're made in His image. His choice-making precedes and empowers ours.

An Invitation to Calvinists, Arminians, and Those Who Don’t Know the Difference
Calvinists believe that human will is bound by sinful nature until God regenerates a person. People are free to choose according to their natures, and the choices of a fallen will are constrained by the limits of the sinful nature. When God regenerates a person, He frees their will so they can choose righteousness. A person who's dead in their sins can't cooperate with God in their salvation any more than Lazarus cooperated Jesus in raising himself from the dead.

The Sovereignty of God
God is sovereign over evil and disaster (Is 45:7; Amos 3:6; 4:6-12; Job).

Though evil wasn't part of God's original Creation, it was part of His original plan, because redemption from evil was part of His original plan (Matt 16:21; Mark 13:10, 17; Luke 17:25; 24:26; Acts 2:23).

God is sovereign over disabilities, diseases (Ex 4:11; John 9:1-3).

Bible speaks of genuine human choice (Deut 30:19; Joshua 24:15).

Free Will and Meaningful Choice
Jesus calls the fallen will a slave to sin (John 8:34) and a slave isn't free. When God redeems a person, he frees their wills to do right (Rom 6:22), though they're not entirely free from sin.

God used Herod, Pilate, Gentiles, Jews "to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done" (Acts 4:28). This means they didn't have enough contrary choice to thwart God's plan.

Bible assumes humans have ability to make meaningful choices, including ability to choose one action or attitude rather than another (2 Cor 9:7; Rom 12:1-2; Deut 30:11-14; Ezek 33:11; Prov 4:13-15). Look up all verses containing form of word "choose" and see that God's will dominates Scripture, but human choice is also prevalent.

Luther said, "free choice is allowed to man only with respect to what is beneath him … in relation to God, or in matters pertaining to salvation or damnation, a man has no free choice, but is a captive."

Augustine said fallen men could still choose what we desire, but our desires are chained by our evil impulses, and always leads to sin.

Bible says unbelievers can do good (Rom 2:15).

Total depravity doesn't mean completely evil; it means total inability to work our way to God's favor; it could be called "pervasive depravity."

Unbelievers can modify their sinful behaviors, but can't escape sin built into their nature. Rom 7 says sinners can't stop doing evil, but doesn't say they can never do good.

We're free enough to be morally accountable and make consequential choices, but not free enough to make ourselves righteous before God.

Many verses wouldn't make sense if humans didn't have some degree of free will (1 Cor 10:13).

Regeneration renews will, enabling humans to make godly choices (Phil 2:13; 2 Thess 3:5) and choose not to sin (Rom 6:6-9).

Main Views of Sovereignty and Choice
God brings disaster to righteously judge human evil (Isaiah 45:7; Jer 11:17; 32:23; Amos 3:6).

God knows not only what will happen, but what would have happened in other circumstances (Matt 11:23; 1 Cor 2:8).

Jesus and apostles taught that salvation is of grace alone, yet spoke to people as rational beings and moral agents.

If some degree of divine determination doesn't exist, how can God predestine His people according to His plan, and work out "everything in conformity with the purpose of His will" (Eph 1:11). And what would Rom 9:16 ("So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy") mean?

Does Open Theism Resolve the Sovereignty/Choice Paradox?
If you went to the future and saw a quarterback throw a winning pass, then returned to the present, would your knowledge of the future rob the quarterback of his free choice? No. In the same way, God's knowing our choices in advance doesn't rob us of free choice, nor necessarily cause us to do things.

When Bible speaks of God regretting, it means that He grieves over sin, not that He changes His mind (1 Sam 15:29; Mal 3:6; Jas 1:17).

God responds to His creatures, and has and shows emotions. In that sense, He changes in attitudes and actions in response to repentance, prayers, and sin, but He doesn't change in essence, character, knowledge, plans, purposes.

Cases where God seems to change His mind (e.g., threatened destruction of Nineveh) are true expressions of God's present attitude or intent based on situation as it exists at that moment. If situation changes, God's attitude or expression of intent can change (Jer 18:7-8).

God knows all that will occur (Job 37:16; 1 John 3:20; Matt 6:8; 10:30) including future human choices (Ps 139:1-4; 16; 1 Sam 23:11-12), and what would have happened if humans made different choices (Matt 11:21).

The Fascinating Interplay of God’s Sovereignty and Human Choice
God can limit and overrule free will of rulers (Pharaoh, Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus; Prov 21:1; Rom 13:4).

God tolerates wrong choices partly because they will lead to a redemptive end that will please Him more.

Categories of Bible passages that show people are free and responsible moral agents
1. People face many divine exhortations and commands
2. People obey, believe, choose God
3. People sin and rebel against God
4. People's sins are judged by God
5. People are tested by God
6. People receive divine rewards
7. Elect are responsible to respond to God's initiative
8. Prayers aren't showpieces scripted by God
9. God pleads with sinners to repent and be saved

Greatest example of divine sovereignty and meaningful human choice working together: Jesus' crucifixion (Acts 2:22-23; 4:27-28).

Phil 2:12-13 and Col 1:29 shows God's action and human action working together.

God draws and enables His people to come to Him (John 6:37, 44, 65; 12:32; 2 Cor 8:16-17). God grants salvation to whom He will (John 5:21).

God calls us spiritually dead without Christ (Eph 2:1). God makes us alive in Christ (Col 2:13).

Meaningful Human Choice and Divine Sovereignty Working hand in Hand
God extends a genuine invitation to choice-making people to come to Him, as He sovereignly empowers them (His elect).

Sinners should choose to repentance, yet only God grants saving repentance (2 Tim 2:25-26).

Trusting God to Weave All Choices Together for His Children’s Good
Bible speaks of God allowing sin and disaster (Ex 21:13; Mark 5:12-13; Ezek 20:26).

God allows evil with a definite purpose. Job 1:12 says God allowed Satan to bring troubles on Job, but Job 42:11 says God brought them on Him. This shows God's permission of evil is more active than many suppose.

Our experiencing evil and suffering makes us like Christ. If God answered all our prayers to be delivered from evil and suffering, He'd be delivering us from Christlikeness.

Concluding Thoughts on Sovereignty, Choice, Calvinism, and Arminianism
Alcorn encourages Calvinists to read What the Bible Says about God the Ruler by Jack Catrell (though he disagrees with him in areas) and Against Calvinism by Roger Olsen. He encourages Arminians to read Trusting God by Jerry Bridges and For Calvinism by Michael Horton. He says you must compare what you read with Scripture.

"The bottom line is this: be willing to have leaks and inconsistencies in your theological system, but be unwilling to reject portions of Scripture."

[Nikolas Larum · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve never read any of Alcorn’s work, do yourself a favor and grab one – any one. Alcorn is a deep thinker who delves into the implications of the plain text of Scripture with a boldness I’ve seldom read elsewhere. This book is his contribution to the Calvinism (God’s will saves and man has no choice in the matter) vs. Arminianism (God’s will saves and man has a choice in the matter) debate. Regardless of which theological camp you find yourself currently in, this book will challenge your presuppositions and give you some appreciation for the other side. Alcorn spent his first ten years in the faith as an Armenian and then slowly moved over to four-point Calvinism (which, to be fair, some would say is no Calvinism at all!). I found that much of my angst toward Calvinism was really a reaction to what could be more aptly termed hyper-Calvinism (which to me is nothing more than pagan fatalism wrapped in Christian terminology). After reading this book, I am still closer to Arminius than I am comfortable with Calvin. But the book helped me temper some of my hyper-Arminian assertions (which at times could be nothing more than secular humanism wrapped in Christian terminology). Alcorn’s book is a fine apologetic for two contrary views that remain orthodox. Not only is the text engaging and provocative, the book also includes great tables and informative diagrams. What’s not to like?

[Becca Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was introduced to Randy Alcorn nearly twenty years ago through his fiction stories, and I still consider many of them among my favorites. I've also read a few of his theological studies and I greatly respect his opinions. Despite growing up in church, the terms "Arminianism and Calvinism" weren't even a part of my vocabulary. It wasn't until college that I remember being introduced to Calvinism, and I'm now aware that it was clearly Hyper-Calvinism. It wasn't until over a decade later that I've been made to feel pressured into siding as one or the other. Randy Alcorn shares that he was raised in an Arminian church but now considers himself a 4-point Calvinist.

Alcorn first shared the traditional beliefs of Calvinism and Arminianism before splitting them up further into some more radical groups (like Hyper-Calvinism). Although he shares what his own theological thoughts are, he also tries to allow scripture to do the talking so that people are able to come to their own conclusions based on what God's Word says. I found this book to be extremely helpful. I maintain that I consider myself neither Calvinist or Armenian, but I am at least able to see that some of my views towards the two groups have been formed by some that lean too heavily on the extreme sides (particularly Calvinism).

One of the statements I have heard someone I know say is "you should believe like a Calvinist, but you need to preach like an Arminian." I won't go into all the reasons that phrase has bothered me, but this book actually takes a look into that kind of thinking and how it's not necessary to separate the two.

I highly recommend taking the time to read this book. I personally recommend the print version considering how many sections I wrote in and highlighted. There is a lot of deep, theological study contained in this book. Although you can read without looking up all of the extra scriptures, it's important that the scriptures are where you are finding your truth and understanding.

[Dottie Parish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book about the sovereignty of God and the free will of humans and how these dovetail, with the Holy Spirit’s help (pun intended). As usual Randy Alcorn examines every Scripture on these two topics as well as offering charts and the views of various Christian scholars. He tells of his own journey as an Arminian who put more weight on man’s free will but still valued and believed in God’s absolute sovereignty. Later he became a Calvinist (4 point). He urges Christians to realize we can’t understand everything. We need to communicate about the issue clearly and be compassionate and accepting to unify the Church. Here’s a helpful illustration he gives:

“God’s freedom and ours can be compared to a ship crossing the ocean…no passenger can change the course of the ship….the captain makes that decision…God controls the weather and knows where the ice bergs are….Unbelievers and believers alike are passengers able to make real choices, living under God’s rules….We’ll be held accountable for our actions” later. Pg153

This is an excellent book on a complex subject.

[Richard Lawrence · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has noble intent but is fatally flawed.

Noble intent:
Alcorn seeks to explain Calvinism and Arminianism somewhat fairly, and to encourage us all to recognise christian brothers across disagreements on this topic. He argues strongly that there must be some sort of human freedom or many verses in the Bible become meaningless.

However Alcorn also argues that God knows all things and can determine anything he wishes - such that we can be sure that everything God decides should happen will happen.

Fatal Flaw:
Alcorn has no clear concept of Concurrence or multiple causality, despite (correctly) seeing God's sovereignty and human freedom as true; Alcorn fundamentally sees them as competing ideas and so seeks to reconcile God's Sovereignty and Man's Freedom not by saying that both could be at work in the same action BUT by saying that God chooses to not exercise his sovereignty at many points/over many actions hence leaving some room for freedom.

He illustrates this bad idea by saying that all orthodox christians believe that in the incarnation Jesus didn't stop being God BUT temporarily stopped exercising some of his divine attributes (a functional denial of chalcedonian christology) - I'm sure this was unintentional/a misunderstanding but it's a serious error.

[Nick Carrico · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Review from a Calvinist) This was a fun read that expanded my knowledge of the Arminian vs. Calvinism debate. (He also explains other uncommon views such as Molinism, open theism, and hyper-Calvinism) I learned a lot about Arminian beliefs. I now see more clearly exactly what they believe and why. It also broke down barriers to other views that I had. I was very surprised to read quotes from Arminius that sounded very Calvinistic, and quotes from Calvinists that sounded Arminian. This book also does a good job of using scripture to back up and challenge both views. Alcorn does a nice job of not being heavy handed. I liked that he stressed that we shouldn’t force our theological system upon scripture (Calvinist/Arminian), but that scripture should shape our theological system. Very helpful read that I would recommend to those who are confused or wanting to understand these views better. It also forces you to think and expand your mind about the relationship between God’s sovereignty and man’s will and how these two can exist hand in hand.

[Kory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hand in Hand offers a balanced position that can be summed up by saying: Take the stance that is Biblical, and don't concern yourself with whether it is conformed to traditional categories such as Calvinism or Arminianism.

While the balance allows this book to spectate several views on this spectrum, it also offers less conviction on behalf of them as a result, and so it only feels partially representative for those who simply want to learn about them even if not to conform to them. The Four Views series is a good example of where you can find this kind of insight.

The ending chapters did a good job though in advocating for the balanced approach and gave reason for fending off critics who would want to obligate Alcorn or others to take a more polarizing position. The Bible is a book that answers many important questions, yet leaves much unknown. We must be at peace with these boundaries where faith carries us in the things that only God knows.

[Nicholas Coker · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ ★ ★ ½ out of 5

Probably the biggest flaw with Randy Alcorn’s self-published theologicalv exposition is that he doesn’t make his master argument for compatibilism by covering different bases one-by-one through his chapters. Instead, the book feels like one long argument that drifts into areas of distinct thought. Nonetheless, this is overly critical, as Alcorn’s overall thesis that compatibilism is the most biblical over Calvinism and Arminianism is foolproof. He makes his claims, backing each one with rock solid scripture, demonstrating an astute understanding and application of God’s word.

The book did for me exactly what it intended to in helping me pinpoint my location on the freewill spectrum (which was mostly compatibilist to begin with), understand where Calvinism and Arminianism go awry, recognize where theologies become heretical, and see that the Bible leads us to a compatibilist conclusion, making it completely successful in its endeavor. Nice work, Alcorn.

[Paige Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating and challenging read that I absolutely loved! The historical aspect that Randy talks about with the traditional views of the Sovereignty/Free will debate (Calvinists vs. Arminians) was so interesting to learn about and the insights that he shares on the whole subject were invaluable to my growth in Better understanding something he freely admits we will never Completely understand. This book is well worth the time and effort it takes to read. Highly recommended!

Favorite Quote: "Modern believers have a bad habit of acting as if the Christian faith began with us, with the result that we up doing "theology on the fly", ignoring a few thousand years of Christian history as if not much of importance was learned...We tend to be guilty of what C.S. Lewis called "chronology snobbery", the flawed belief that newer ideas are always better than old ones."

[Noah Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid, Bible driven argument for the Bible. Though repetitive at times, Alcorn delivers a solid breakdown of all sides of this topic. He is accurate and fair to each and is quick to note his own beliefs while presenting an unbiased view of both sides as much as any man can.

If you have wrestled with God’s sovereignty and human choice, you’ll want to read through this book and I think you’ll find some comfort in your wrestling.

If you are CERTAIN in your thoughts on God’s sovereignty and human choice, then you should even more so read this book.

Above all, Alcorn drives home the key idea that no matter which way we lean, God’s word must ALWAYS be our source for truth more so than any one theological system. We don’t need to understand how these two ideas fit together in their entirety, but we do need to believe and trust that God has declared both in his word.

[Tim Franks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give this book a 3.5 rating to be exact. There is really a lot to like about this work of Randy Alcorn's. He goes into great depth into the issues surrounding the debates of God's sovereignty and man's free will. I would agree mostly with the author's position on these topics, however I feel he tries too hard to play the nice, middle ground with some of the issues talked about in this work. His handling of open theism is spot on and also hitting on the weaknesses of both the Reformed and Arminian positions with great clarity. If you are wrestling with these issues or need a good refresher this is a good primer for such issues.

[Anna Bonjour · Rating 5 out of 5]

This does such a good job giving a fair and nuanced representation of both the Calvinist and Arminian positions! Alcorn emphasizes unity between believers, listening to the other side honestly, taking all of Scripture into account, and making Biblical consistency a higher priority than systematic consistency.

It didn't answer the question of how exactly sovereignty and free will operate (you couldn't), nor did it cover every facet of the questions both positions bring up. Instead, it explains the positions, what they have in common, how they differ, and how each side derives it's conclusion from the Bible.

[Dorothy Vandezande · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book holds the distinction of being the only thing I've read on the topics of God's sovereignty and man's free will that has left me hopeful, encouraged and peaceful instead of unsettled or upset. It's definitely challenging, but in an inspiring way, not a dogmatic or threatening way.

Above all, every passage of Scripture is held in very high esteem and recognized as being the inspired Word of God, whether it's easy to understand and fit into your theology or not. "Let's seek consistency with Scripture, not with Calvinism or Arminianism."

[Bil Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alcorn does a wonderful job of examining Calvinism, Arminianism and the Bible. Because both theologies can omit parts of scripture to be consistent. In my estimation he provides a balanced take and helps show the differences but also similarities between two. The book does help show how the sovereignty from God and meaningful human choice can coexist, and must coexist if scripture is to be trusted.

It’s an approachable book and I’d say an important read for any Christian as they weigh their understanding of scripture.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I am neither a Arminian or Calvinist. The author gives a good balanced view of the various viewpoints, especially since he has been across the views. He handles this deep topic well by being balanced and pointing ever to scripture and showing that neither viewpoint is perfect and has its short comings. He shows the importance of both God’s Sovereignty and Meaningful human choices. I would recommend this book to other believers, however, if you aren’t open to having your own position challenged and to be more aligned with scripture, this may not be the book for you.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very solid. This is an extremely well-rounded book. That seemed like the whole point. Alcorn describes himself as 80% Calvinist and presents a good case for compatiblist free will. I appreciate the pains taken to present such a tough subject with balance. He stressed the importance of listening to what the other side has to say and seeking to understand before you critique. It is an excellent resource that I recommend to anyone wanting to study the subject.

[Daniel Masters · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good and balanced overview of God’s sovereignty and human free will for someone not immersed in the terminology. Randy Alcorn is aware of his own biases and makes them clear. I felt that after about the halfway point of the book, there was a lot of repetition without much new information, but I found the first few chapters very helpful and insightful. We truly worship a big God, bigger than any theological system can truly comprehend!

[Eli Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good analysis and comparison of Arminianism and Calvinism, with an emphasis on the authority of Scripture over any theological grouping we subscribe to. Overall, I found his explanations to be clear and helpful and his encouragement to humbly dialogue instead of arrogantly assuming the worst in others’ beliefs to be sincere.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Randy Alcorn has managed (with very few exceptions) to give a balanced view of both Calvinism and Arminianism. His goal is that we as believers 'walk hand in hand' and understand each other, rather than criticizing each other. I especially like that he encourages us to look at scripture and be willing to change our views, rather than being stuck in our own theology.

[Emily Billings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up in a non denominational church, I rarely heard the word sovereignty. It wasn’t until I was an adult attending a Bible study that I really learned the meaning of it. This book gave me greater understanding of Calvinism and Arminianism (which I didn’t even know existed) and their positions on sovereignty and free will and how their beliefs compare with scripture.

[Jeanne Hochstetler · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was the kindest explanation of reconciling God's sovereignty with human choice! He did an excellent 'understandable' job of explaining views "in light of all Scripture." It offers a gentler way of thinking and discussion about this subject, which I appreciated. It will definitely be helpful in responding more compassionately.

[Christopher-James Neethling · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a really helpful book. A book helping Christians to navigate theological differences in doctrine when it comes to God’s sovereignty and human freewill, or known as calvinism and arminianism. This book does not try to solve those differences, but does go about showing us we can have these differences and still be 100% Christian. This book is written with much grace and truth.