In every generation, the Lord raises up people who are passionate about His name, His glory, His Word, His cause, and His people. In the sixteenth century, Martin Luther and John Calvin were two of those men. But in our time, one of those giants of the faith was our dear R.C. Sproul. I initially came to know him by his messages on CDs and videos at the end of the 1980s. The first series I saw was The Holiness of God. I watched the series over a weekend, and by the following Monday I was a different person altogether. I had been born again previously, but I was so moved by the depth and the passion with which R.C. Sproul taught that I was gripped by a sense of awe that remains with me to this day. Quite frequently throughout his ministry, I found myself wanting to listen to him if only to hear him pray. There was no doubt in my mind that the man I heard praying was someone who knew God intimately and who was captivated by His character. If ever there was a man who taught me to love the character of God, it was Dr. Sproul. Without him, my life would not be the same.
Over the years, I have listened to countless hours of his teaching on theology, philosophy, apologetics, and worldview. When it came to Reformed theology, you couldn’t find a better expositor with greater passion. The awareness, the impact, and the spreading of Reformed theology occurring today in the United States and beyond are clearly the result of his influence. When the history of the church is written in the years to come, Dr. Sproul will be recognized as one who defended the inerrancy of the Word, the purity of the gospel, and the need for glorious worship.
Dr. Sproul was a man of conviction and yet was gracious enough to make room for those who disagreed with him. His knowledge was vast and deep but practical. He always had a passion for teaching the laity because he was convinced that a reformation could not come about without the instruction of those individuals who are not in vocational ministry.
He was a unique combination of intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, humility, godliness, transparency, and humor. I was affected in a godly way by each one of these traits of his personality and character. Dr. Sproul was never intimidated by the gifts and talents of those around him; thus, he was always willing to complement others who have been gifted by the Lord.
My last memory of him is from 2016, when I had the privilege of interviewing him prior to our conference, Por Su Causa (For His Cause), which is held annually in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Right before the interview, Dr. Sproul looked somewhat tired, but as soon as we started talking about theology, his mood and demeanor changed dramatically. He came alive, and once again he was witty, articulate, insightful, and convincing. What a rare combination of qualities were present in this man of God.
I am grateful for what God gave to our beloved R.C. and his sharing of it with us. He will be remembered as one of the giants of the faith of our age. His legacy lives on here on earth as his soul lives on in the presence of the God he so loved during his ministry and now loves eternally. Thank you, Dr. Sproul, for helping me see the goodness of God even in the exercise of His justice—a God greater than our imagination, transcendent above His creation, and passionate for His glory. Until we meet again, Dr. Sproul.